Okay, so a few things about this fic.

This was originally written as a reader-insert over on a website called Lunaescence Archives. I started writing it back in...high school, I think, but when I started branching out over to this site it slowly got pushed to the side. However, I've recently been on a really intense Zelda kick (which was not helped by the re-release of Skyward Sword HD), so I found myself opening up the file for this for the first time in years.

So...this is the result.

I've cleaned up some parts and added/edited others, but there might be some stuff that peeks through that shows my 10+ year outdated writing, so sorry about that, haha. Anyway, when I cross-post something I normally keep it the same but I thought I'd do something a little different this time. If you wish to read this story in its reader-insert format, you can find it on AO3 under this same name and author. For this site, I've decided to post it as an OC instead. Other than that, everything else should be the same.

I had seven chapters posted on Luna before I stopped, so I'll be uploading those pretty close together. After that, updates might take a bit longer. Either way, I hope you enjoy it.

Let's get this going then, shall we?

OoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Chapter 1: End of a Journey

"This way! Hurry!"

Miu bit back a curse as she narrowly avoided a piece of rubble, although she still took the risk of looking back. Upon doing so, she didn't bother holding it back anymore.

"We need to pick up the pace!" she yelled over the roar of the collapsing building. "Zelda, can you keep up?"

The princess looked back and Miu saw her eyes widen before her expression turned to one of determination. "Yes! Don't worry about me!"

"Kind of defeats the whole reason for being here if we don't," she pointed out, a tired smile on her face despite the situation.

Zelda laughed breathlessly.

"Please talk about this later," Link cut in, the slight amusement in his eyes when he glanced back taking the bite out of the comment. "Miu, can you get rid of them?"

"Probably not, but the building will in a second."

The comment was punctuated with the sharp crack of an exploding deku nut. The two stalfos who had been pursuing the three of them immediately froze then tumbled down as the ground gave out from underneath. Miu took a moment to check if there were more before increasing her speed and pushing Zelda forward. It was a bit difficult to keep the princess between her and Link, given she was having trouble running in a dress, but they managed to keep ahead of the destruction, stopping only when they crossed the bridge the Sages had created.

The last walls of Ganon's fortress collapsed shortly after, and when she turned to look towards the ruins she couldn't help but feel a pang of loss. Memories of the once lush fields and the majestic castle filled her mind, and she remembered various summers where the King would grant access to the people, allowing them to enjoy themselves by the river that ran next to his home.

Perhaps it was best that this was all that remained. It would signify the end of a painful chapter in Hyrule's history.

With that thought, a grin of joy and relief began to spread on her face. They'd done it. After seven long, painful years, Ganon's dark reign over Hyrule had finally ended. Miu turned to Link, ready to congratulate him, but felt her grin fall when she saw his eyes locked with Zelda's.

There was a painful lurch in her heart as she looked away, but she couldn't say she was surprised. She suspected that he had grown to love Zelda from the time he had met her as a child, but despite that, she could never rid herself of how she felt about him.

Not that she would ever let him know, of course. First and foremost came his happiness, even if that meant watching him obtain it with someone else. With this in mind, Miu forced a smile on her face and tried to look as happy as she could. Finally, Link looked away, a smile of his own appearing when his eyes met hers.

"It's finally over."

"Yeah..."

"So...I guess this is goodbye for now."

His brows furrowed slightly, confusion evident in his eyes. It was the first time in a long while that she'd been able to clearly read him like this. Usually, he tried hard to not show what he was feeling. She knew as much because he would slip when he was distracted, or if the emotion was too strong for him to completely mask. Either way, him being so open again made her happy, even if the emotion in question was confusion.

"Why?"

She laughed, responding playfully even as she felt her heart breaking a little more. "I can't babysit you forever, Link. I'm glad that I was able to help you defeat Ganon, but now that he's gone there's really no need for me to stick around."

He looked taken aback for a moment before he frowned. "Miu, what in Farore's name are you talking about?"

"Honestly, Link," she scoffed lightly. "You think I didn't notice that little staredown just now? I'm happy for you both and wish you the best, but you and Zelda clearly have some things to talk about."

"W-What?! No!" Link quickly reached out and took hold of her wrist. "Miu, that's not it at all!"

Her heart jumped into her throat at the sudden contact- at those deep blue eyes that were focused entirely on her.

"Miu, I'm sorry." His whole expression seemed to change before her eyes, turning into something heartachingly gentle, though she could also see a bit of regret mixed in there. "I'm so sorry that I-...I know I've been distant with you, but I just-"

As much as her heart was begging her to keep her attention on Link- that whatever he was about to say was important- she felt her gaze shift to a point behind him. When she saw the debris of the castle shake ominously, her eyes widened.

"Look out!"

Everything that happened in the next few seconds felt like an eternity.

A beam of dark light shot from the ruins towards the three of them. It was going so fast that it was only out of pure instinct that her body moved in time to push Link and Zelda out of the way. Almost immediately, a wave of cold so agonizing swept through her that she had to bite her tongue to keep from screaming.

"Miu!"

The cold seemed to reach the deepest parts of her- deeper, even, than the physical. It burned and jolted and numbed to the point where she wasn't sure there would be anything left of her when it was done. It was more than a little frightening to think of what it could be. If it was a dark spell intended to turn her into a monster...

Well, she knew Link would do what he had to.

She hated the idea of having him go through that again, but it was definitely the sort of parting blow a vile man like Ganon would pull. To her surprise, however, when the light disappeared and the pain subsided, she was still there...but the surprise quickly turned to shock when she noticed her hands, then her whole body, start to vanish.

"W-What...? What is this?"

This wasn't any spell that she was familiar with.

Unable to keep the fear at bay anymore, she turned to Link and Zelda, who seemed to be rooted to the spot. After a few moments, Link finally snapped out of it and quickly rushed over. He grasped her hand for only a scant few seconds before it became intangible and went right through.

"Link..."

A flash of light enveloped her and, for an instant, the cold subsided only to return shortly after. Turning, Miu saw Zelda standing there, her expression growing more and more frantic as her powers continued to have no effect.

"Zelda..."

They wouldn't be able to help her.

Tears gathered in her eyes as she came to this realization. After countless dangers and battles, this was how she was to meet her end. Whatever this was, it was making her vanish from existence, and it didn't look like there was any way to reverse it. Looking at Zelda, who also had tears in her eyes by this point- no doubt having come to the same realization- she felt herself soften. Even if Link loved her, they had gone through too much together for Miu to resent her for his honest affections. She was her best friend...her family in all the ways that mattered...

So, she smiled just for her.

"Live a long and happy life, Zelda. For me."

Zelda's expression crumbled, the tears in her eyes finally streaming down her face. "No...Miu, no...Please."

Her heart twisting in sorrow, Miu turned away. Once more, she found herself drawn into Link's eyes. Eyes that had always shone with a quiet strength- firm and determined in the face of countless trials. Eyes that were as inspiring and freeing as the endless skies above Hyrule.

Eyes that were now so full of desperation and denial that her own tears began to fall in earnest.

"I'm sorry, Link," she told him softly, her body almost completely faded by this point. "I guess this goodbye is going to be for longer than I thought."

"Miu..."

The resignation in her voice only seemed to worsen his distress. She could see that he was absolutely terrified and was doing nothing to hide it.

"Take-...Take care of yourself, okay?"

Before giving him the chance to respond, or the chance to talk herself out of what she was about to do, she kissed him.

Perhaps it was one final gift from the Goddesses, but for that brief moment in time, she was solid enough to feel the heat of his lips against her own. They were chapped and trembling- nothing like what she'd expected her first kiss to be like -but it seemed to sear into her soul just the same. When she pulled away, her heart ached as if she was losing a part of herself, but she did her best not to show how much it hurt.

Instead, she only smiled one last time...and vanished.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOo

A deep rumble echoed from the debris.

The sound was just enough to pull the Hero of Time from a strange sort of numbness that had been beginning to take hold as he stared at the empty space Miu had been in just moments ago. He barely registered his command to Zelda to stay put while he investigated, and despite his steady gait as he walked towards it, he felt unbalanced- as if the slightest force would throw him off.

That was probably why Ganon succeeded in catching him by surprise.

Still, the man's reappearance did serve one purpose. Even with the Master Sword knocked out of his reach...even with the wall of flame that erupted, forming a barrier between him and Zelda...and even when the other man shifted into a larger and more grotesque form...he no longer felt as if he were drifting away. He met the beast's gaze evenly, and found that he was not afraid.

"Ganon."

He was enraged.

The battle that followed seemed to blur in his mind. All he could clearly recall was the way his heart seemed to pump loudly in his ears, blocking out almost everything else, and every fierce strike and slash he landed on the monster before him.

The monster that had started this.

The monster that had caused so much pain and suffering.

The monster that had not only robbed him of his father, his sister, his home, and his childhood, but also the only woman he'd ever loved, and subsequently, his dream of a future with her.

The monster he hated more than anything he ever had in his life.

So...why didn't he feel anything when he landed that final blow?

He thought that watching Ganon be sealed away would bring relief or satisfaction but, instead, he felt that overwhelming rage and hate fade, and the numbness returned with nothing to stop it from rushing through him.

Hyrule was finally at peace...but she was no longer by his side.

As the shock wore off, and his mind began to flood with memories of his journey- of Miu -his emotions finally erupted and hit him full force. He felt sorrow, despair…resentment, all of which were making his heart beat a furious rhythm against his chest. He wanted to scream- to howl against whoever was responsible for this ultimate injustice. After all that he'd gone through, all that he'd lost in order to reach this point, could he not have a happy ending too?

It wasn't fair.

"Link..."

Surely, the Goddesses were punishing him for not telling her how he felt.

It was the only explanation. How else would he have been able to feel the heat of her lips when he hadn't even been able to take hold of her hand mere moments before? It was a shockingly cruel blow by those that he'd once thought benevolent, given that the only reason he hadn't acted upon his feelings was because he'd known it would be dangerous if Ganon found out. It only served to make the bitterness swell as he thought about how right it had felt- how it seemed to sear into his very soul and made it sing. Now he had nothing but the lingering warmth on his lips as a reminder of what could have been.

The only warmth that seemed to remain in the chill brought about by her disappearance.

"Link."

He looked up, the storm inside him settling slightly at the sight of Zelda's tear-stricken face.

"You-...You need to go back."

...Back? What was there to go back to?

"All the tragedy that has befallen Hyrule was my doing," she continued sadly. "I was so young...I could not comprehend the consequences of trying to control the Sacred Realm. I dragged you and Miu into it too, and because of that she-..." She looked away for a moment, pain flashing in her eyes before she looked back up. "It's time for me to make up for my mistakes. You must lay the Master Sword to rest and close the Door of Time...However, by doing this, the road between times will be closed."

He blinked, a sinking suspicion starting to settle uncomfortably in the pit of his stomach as he stared at her. "Zelda, what are you-"

"Give the ocarina to me," she cut him off. "As a Sage, I can return you to your original time with it."

"No," he protested immediately. "I can't! We need to figure out what happened to Miu!"

"Miu is gone, Link!"

"No, she's not! There must be something we can do!"

"I tried everything while she was here!" Zelda cried, face twisted in anguish. "It wasn't enough!...I wasn't enough..."

Guilt rushed through him when she let out a harsh sob, curling into herself a bit as her tears began anew.

"She was my best friend...my sister in all but blood...and I couldn't even-...We-...We were supposed to rebuild Hyrule together. We promised...We promised."

She looked so distressed that he did the only thing he could think of and wrapped his arms around her, holding her close as she fell apart.

Her wails of grief would haunt his dreams for years to come.

"Thank you," she hiccuped sometime later, still notably upset but honest in her gratitude as she pulled away, "I-...I know this is difficult for you as well but you still-"

"You're my friend, Zelda," he cut her off gently.

Miu may have claimed his heart, but that didn't make his friendship with the princess any less meaningful. He hoped she was able to see that.

She stared at him a moment longer, tears welling up in her eyes once more as she smiled weakly and nodded. "And you are mine," she replied softly. "That's why you need to go."

"I can't."

"You will. Peace has returned to Hyrule because of you, Link. You've sacrificed so much for this that I can't think of anything that would be enough to repay you. Nothing...except a chance."

"A...chance?"

"To live the life you deserve...with her."

His eyes widened as what she was implying began to sink in.

"I know it won't be the same- she wouldn't have gone through what we did -but it'll still be Miu. Even seven years of Ganon's rule wasn't enough to change her personality. Not truly. So I know...she will love you just as fiercely as she did here."

She turned away, her expression breaking again for a moment before she looked back with a forlorn smile.

"She loved you, Link. I do not reiterate this to cause you further strife, but to remind you to keep that love in your heart. Do not let what happened here keep you from finding happiness. It-..." she took a shaky breath. "It is what she would have asked of you as well, given more time."

He looked away.

"Please, Link."

Despite the pain he felt over failing Miu, he longed to accept. The very idea of seeing her face again- of the chance to spend years with her without the constant threat of Ganon hanging over their heads -made his heart ache...

But...

"What about you?"

"...I must stay. While I want nothing more than to go with you, my place is here."

His chest tightened at the thought of losing someone else he cared about. "Zelda-"

"This time is not yours, Link. Your time was unjustly taken from you in order for you to be able to defeat Ganon...In-...In order for it to start flowing properly again, you must go back."

"You were planning on sending me back whether I wanted to or not," he said in dawning realization.

"I'm so sorry," she whispered, remorse heavy in her eyes. "I risk destroying both past and future if I do not. The only way to fix it- completely -is if you return. It might not be immediate, but the timeline will mend itself."

"So that's it, then? I don't get a choice in this?!"

"You do."

His rising fury broke at the unexpected answer, clearing enough to see the pain in the princess's eyes. Looking at them, he realized that if he truly refused to return to his childhood, she would let him stay...at the risk of everything they had fought for.

His jaw clenched, despair clawing at his heart once more because he already knew his choice. The only choice.

He would not let Hyrule die because of him.

Zelda seemed to have realized his decision as well since she sighed. "Then...the time has come for us to say good-"

She stopped with a hitch in her breath as he offered his hand, pausing for only a moment before gently placing her own in it. He wasn't sure what had compelled him to do it, but he did know that it felt right as well. Familiar, like he'd done it countless times before. Silence fell between them as he kneeled before her- a knight before his princess -the tightness of his throat rendering him unable to speak even as he stood a moment later.

He couldn't bring himself to look at her after that, even when he heard her give a little sob.

"Now go home, Link...Regain your lost time!"

When she began to play the song that had become so familiar to him on his journey, he knew his time here was at its end. The knowledge that this would be the last time he saw the Zelda who shared in so much of his suffering was what finally made him look up, and his sight quickly grew blurry as he watched the tears flow down her face.

Light enveloped him, lifting him off the ground.

For a moment, regret took hold. He didn't want to leave. He didn't want Zelda to have to deal with a broken Hyrule on her own. How could he just abandon this place without making sure that it would be okay? How could he desert them knowing that he was the only one who could defend them right now? What kind of hero did that? He reached out to her, ready to take back his agreement-

...then pulled his hand back.

Zelda had said that this would fix the timeline, and he believed her; but, deep down in his heart, he knew that wasn't the reason he'd accepted. His reasons were selfish- his desire clear.

He just wanted to be with Miu again.

Looking into Zelda's eyes as he floated away, he realized she knew that too.

"Home...where you are supposed to be...the way you are supposed to be."

The world before him faded into white, but just before he felt that pull to his own time, the whisper of her last words drifted into his ears.

"Thank you, Link...for everything. I will always remember you."

...

When he opened his eyes, he was back in the Temple of Time.

He looked around, taking note of how much smaller he felt now compared to all the other times he'd traveled back to the past. Was it because of what he'd done? What he'd left behind? Or was it because...he knew that there was no going back this time?

A blue blur passed by in his peripheral vision, accompanied by a soft chime and the light fluttering of wings. For a moment, he smiled, comforted by the presence of his partner...but then he realized she was going a little too high.

"Navi?"

She remained silent, the action so unlike her that he immediately knew something was wrong.

"Navi, what are you doing?"

She was-...she was heading for the window!

"Navi, w-where are you going?"

Fear began taking root, and he quickly reached for his hookshot in order to grab onto the window's bars and pull himself up, only to realize he no longer had it. He looked back at her, his heart squeezing painfully at the mere thought of the fairy leaving.

"Navi, stop! Stop!" he screamed, his voice rough and cracking in desperation.

She did, and he allowed himself a brief moment of hope even as she seemed to tremble in midair.

"I have to go," she finally said, her voice sad and shaking.

"Go where?! If you need to do something, I can help!"

"You've become a wonderful hero, Link," she said in lieu of a response. "The Great Deku Tree would be proud...I'm proud...and I'm sorry."

"No..."

"I hope...we can meet again."

"Navi, no," he choked out. "No. Please."

She shook once more, then flew away.

"NAVI! NAVI, COME BACK! PLEASE, DON'T LEAVE ME TOO! NAVI! NAVI!"

...He left the temple alone, with a heart that ached more painfully than the one he'd arrived with.

The thought of seeing Miu again was the only thing that seemed to soothe the gnawing emptiness that had settled within him- the only thing that he felt was keeping him moving. If he could just be with her again, then maybe things would get better.

Maybe then, it wouldn't hurt so much...

At this point, sneaking past the guards was laughable, especially since the events that caused them to be on high alert wouldn't have happened yet. Not that he minded- the quicker he could make his way to the courtyard, the better.

"Zelda!"

"Hey, who are-!? You can't be in here!"

He dodged Impa's swiping hand and ran towards the short steps where a younger Zelda stood. She had turned around at his cry, a startled expression on her face which turned to one of shock as she saw him.

"Wait! This is the boy I was telling you about! The one in green."

The sheikah stopped, looked at him, then crossed her arms in a decidedly unimpressed manner. "Him?"

It was a far cry from the respectful tone she'd spoken to him with in the future, and he had to admit that the loss of that respect did more than sting, but he would just have to prove himself again. That would come later, though. Right now, there were more important things to focus on.

"I promise that I'm more than I seem, Impa."

The two of them froze, but while Zelda became curious, Impa grew suspicious.

"How do you know my name?"

"Because I've met you before. Look, it's a long story that I would really only like to say once, but it does involve one other person. Could you please ask Miu to join us?"

Anticipation was making his heart race, but when they didn't immediately respond, the beginnings of dread began to creep in.

"Miu?" Zelda murmured quietly, her brows furrowing in confusion. "I-I'm sorry, but I am unfamiliar with anyone by that name."

His blood turned to ice. "W-What...?"

One hand came up to grip the part of her dress over her heart. "However, it-...it is somehow..."

"Familiar," Impa finished, her own expression contemplative. "Perhaps one of the servants?"

"Yes."

"No," he denied, hating how his voice shook. "Not a servant. She grew up with you! She's practically your sister!"

Both looked a bit more concerned now.

"...I think you should start telling your story," Impa told him.

They weren't joking. They really didn't know who she was.

That dark light hadn't just made Miu vanish, it-...it had somehow erased her from existence here in the past as well.

...She was gone.

"No. No, this-...this can't be happening."

Miu was gone. Forever.

"Kid?"

A hand landed on his shoulder and he followed it up to Impa's worried face.

"Hey," she said gently. "Are you all right?"

No...No, he wasn't. Because even though Ganon had lost, or perhaps in spite of it, he had landed one final, fatal blow.

For the first time in his life, he felt broken and completely defeated.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOo ~Chapter End

So, there's the first chapter. I did my best to change all the "_" and "you" to the appropriate OC versions, but let me know if I missed any.

I'm working on chapter 8 of this right now, so hopefully, by the time I finish posting through chapter 7, it'll be finished. There's also the first chapter of the prequel to this one that I'll be posting here as well. That one will be the Ocarina of Time journey that this hints at.

As for my other fics...I know some of you may be waiting for my FF7 one, and I promise I'm working on it, but as I said before, this Zelda kick hit me hard. I'll probably be focusing on it for a while longer. Sorry, and thanks for putting up with me.

For now, I'll leave you with this. Take care, and until next time!