((This is just a chapter of fluff, bonding, and sidequests. Not as pointless as you think.))


Camp was made and a fire was set. They sat next to the fire, allowing their damp clothing to dry, and the cut on Tya's arm was tended to with a small bit of a healing potion. Link had slipped off the tunic and the chain-mail, down to a long sleeved, off white shirt beneath, so he could look at the damage done to his own shoulder. It had already begun to bruise up pretty badly, and while Tya wanted to say something- to ask about it, she didn't. He hadn't said anything to her since their small camp was set up, and he wasn't exactly acting angry, but she'd filled her own mind with so many thoughts and suggestions she felt it better to keep her mouth shut.

It wasn't until he started to dig through the pack again that he finally spoke up.

He pulled out a bit of food that they'd packed, and he handed some out to her.

"If we ar-are going after Zel-Zelda to the next spring thing, we w-will need more supplies from Sk-Skyloft." He unfolded the plastic that wrapped around the food to preserve it. Tya just sat with her own in her lap for a second, thinking over what he said.

Did that mean he wanted her to come? Or was he saying that only because she'd made it clear she wanted to help bring Zelda home? Earlier was just confirmation that she was unwelcome everywhere but forcing herself into someone else's destiny. Go home.

Her nails lightly picked at the plastic wrap and she bit the inside of her lip before quietly uttering an apology. What exactly for, she wasn't sure. Too many things. Being useless when she got wet or scared, letting him get hit because she couldn't bring herself to fight that stupid thing, being too unwilling and weak to follow him across by the vines and therefore making him clear a path specifically for her, holding him back, being in his way, talking too much, listening too little, worrying too much- so many things.

There was a silence between them after she muttered her apology, but it was soon broken by Link simply saying "me too".

She shook her head almost immediately and replied with "why? You didn't do anything." She did. She was in the wrong, she should have shut her mouth and did as she was told. She should have acted differently, that was always the case.

"I sh-shouldn't have yelled at you."

But she deserved it. Don't say that, its manipulative.

"I... think it'll be better if I just stay in Skyloft when we go back." She wasn't supposed to be there. She was forcing herself in places she didn't belong, spending time with a person that no longer wanted her there.

Link went quiet then, watching his hands for a long while. No matter what his silence was for, Tya convinced herself it was verification. His silence meant he thought it was better if she stayed behind as well. If she stayed out of his way.

After so long in silence, Tya cleared her throat and put the food she'd been handed away. Even if she hadn't lost her appetite, her stomach was tossing and turning too much. She wouldn't have been able to keep it down...

Then she moved into the tent and into her bedroll where she just... Lied there. She was too anxious to fall asleep, even though she wanted nothing more.

It felt like hours passed until Link came in and sat next to her on his own bedroll. It was a small tent, so there wasn't much space between the two, and sitting down meant he was slouched over just a bit.

It felt like it was even longer before he actually said something. When he spoke up, his words just completely and utterly baffled Tya.

"Do you di-dislike me now?" He asked quietly, looking in her direction, but not at her. He seemed almost embarrassed that he had to ask, and the question itself seemed strained, like he was trying to keep from asking. Like he felt it was a stupid question he didn't want the answer to because he already knew it.

Tya knew that tone and that feeling all too well.

She watched him for a second, actually kind of stunned that he'd ask such a thing. Had she made it seem that way? She pulled herself up, propping herself on an elbow and shaking her head.

"Why would I dislike you?"

"I-I don't know... You're mad and... I don't kn-know, it was a dumb q-question."

"It... I'm not mad at you. I mean, I was to begin with, but I'm not now."

He looked at her only for a brief second before adjusting to lie down. He faced her, bending his arm back to use it as a pillow, and then using his free hand to lightly toy with the edges of the bedroll. "Do y-you hate being down h-here?"

"No, why? Do you?"

"N-No..." He paused, holding his breath for a second before releasing it. He seemed to be thinking about something. Like it was right there, he wanted to say it, but for some reason couldn't.

"...What's wrong?" A quiet inquiry that got his attention, and he locked eyes with her for a second before sighing heavily.

He opened his mouth like he was going to speak, but closed it again after a second. He shifted a bit, propping himself up in a way similar to how Tya was.

"I... D-don't want to do all this a-alone." He finally said, watching the edges he'd just been plucking at like they were going to do something interesting.

Tya didn't really know how to respond at first. Her mind had rather easily convinced her she was unwanted, and yet Link said otherwise. Who was she to believe? His comment was unsolicited- she had to think about it and make sure she hadn't, in someway, manipulated him into believing he need to cater to her thoughts. She hadn't made it seem like she needed or wanted him to say that for her own comfort.

She bit the inside of her lip, letting what he said repeat again in her head as if she was testing it. Making sure it was really sincere and not somehow something she'd coerced him to say. And when she forced herself to believe that it was genuinely a want for her, or someone there, she nodded.

"I don't want to wait in Skyloft."

"A-are you saying that so I don't feel b-bad?" Like he'd been reading her thoughts. Like they were thinking the exact same things. It was odd being on this end of the conversation. Reassuring, not being reassured.

"No, I'm not. I assumed you'd prefer I left, but I don't want to." Talk about it- it helps. "I feel like I'm in your way. I am not trained for these things as you are, and I'm slowing you down."

"Even if th-that's true, you're helping in other w-ways... I'd be more s-scared if I was down here all a-alone. I don't w-want you to leave."

Another small silence between them, though this one didn't make her stomach ache like the last few. She just watched him, calming, and once again becoming glad to be in his presence.

"I'm happy to stay then" she started again, lying flat on her back but letting her head fall to the side so she could still look at him. "I'll listen better from now on, as well."

"Yo-you don't have too, I shouldn't ha-have yelled at you. You're n-not weak, I guess I was tr-treating you like you were."

"Weak or not, I am not as well equipped as you. You were right to try and keep me away, I could have been injured much worse than I was..."

He smiled a bit and nodded, seemingly glad that she understood his reasoning behind his harshness. After a second more of silence, he looked back over to her and tilted his head a bit.

"Tya, you sa-said you weren't as tr-trained for this as me. Do you st-still fight a lot?"

She furrowed her brow and shook her. "No, not often. There wasn't much to fight in Skyloft. Why do you ask?"

He paused once more, looking from her arms to her face. He lightly grabbed her hand and pulled it so it was facing upward. At first she was confused, thinking only of the scabbed up scratches from her bad landings. Though after looking at it, she remembered they'd healed up when she took a swig of a healing potion.

Just as she realized what it was he was looking at, he said "You-you've got a lot of scars."

"They are from... a different kind of battle." That was the only way she could think to explain it. She didn't want to say it outright...

Whether Link understood or not, she didn't truly know. He looked as if the meaning of her words sunk in, but she still wasn't sure. Whatever he believed, for the moment, would be fine though. She didn't want to talk about it.

"You won it." He said quietly, releasing her hand so she could bring her arm back to her. She looked at the scars for a moment before resting her arm over her stomach.

That was a tough concept to grasp. Had she won it? Some days it felt like she hadn't. Honestly, she didn't think it was a battle that could be won- it was something that would continue happening throughout her life and she knew it. But she was still there, still alive and still trying. So perhaps she had won? Won every battle in this war to that point.

Before she could get too lost within the thoughts, Link got her attention again.

"...Would it bo-bother you i-if I hugged you?"

What a strange question- most people just did it. He'd had no problem with small touches before, but even so the fact that he was seeming to ask permission for something more was nice. She held an arm out, making no effort to sit up, and when that became clear Link chuckled.

He scooted a bit closer until he was underneath the arm she'd extended outward. Still propped on one elbow, he moved onto his stomach and he used his free hand to wrap around her. He drew her a bit closer only so he could rest his head against her shoulder.

When he came close enough, Tya let her arm drop around his neck, and when he drew her forward, she slipped her free hand beneath him then around his waist so both hands were allowed to rest on his back.

One would think the fact that they were both covered in dirt, sweat, blood, and Goddess knew what else would make such closeness unpleasant, but it didn't seem to bother either of them.

In fact even after they parted, Link remained close- with permission of course. He only rested against her shoulder until he fell asleep.

The next morning, their small camp was packed up the moment daylight rose, and then they returned to Skyloft, once again parting ways. Bathed, changed, hair fixed, fed, and then out. When she went out she noticed yet another column of light had risen through the clouds- this one red. She met with Link again because he carried all the rupees they found, and the two went to the bazaar in search of something more protective for Tya. Armor wasn't really something regular citizens in Skyloft needed, and as Tya was not a student of the Knight Academy, she wasn't able to borrow any from there. Luckily, though, they found someone who was willing to craft some for her.

Her measurements were taken along with her preferences- something light and practical that wouldn't cover her palms or be ruined by heat. The only problem was that it would take more than a day...

They decided it would be best to wait in Skyloft. Neither was happy about it, the more time they wasted, the farther Zelda got from their grasp.

But after looking at the distance between the columns, they felt that they had time. Zelda was traveling on the surface- the dangerous surface, which would have made them both uncomfortable if it weren't for the fact that Ghirahim said she was with this 'guardian of the goddess'. No matter how she would have been traveling, they both figured it would have taken time to get from one place to the other, and then to the spring... It took her three days to get through the first one, so they only assumed the same would go for the second.

Their stay in Skyloft was welcomed by Tya for one reason though- her entire body screamed every time she took a step and she wanted a bit of a break. It was a wonder she hadn't pulled something.

And as they stepped out of the bazaar, Link paused for a second before looking around.

"Wh-when I went to o-open up the way for u-us, there was a lady u-up there looking for her kid." He told her quietly, looking up toward the goddess statue. On the edge, a woman could be seen, anxiously looking over what she could see of the land from a higher point.

"Did the child run off?" Tya arched a brow at the woman before looking to Link again.

"Sh-She said people said they sa-saw her with a person with a sc-scary face. She thinks she w-was taken by a monster. I said I-I'd help if I got the chance. Do you want t-to come with, si-since we are staying for a w-while?"

Tya would be the first to admit she was never really fond of children, but regardless, leaving one to fend for herself? That was wrong."Sure. Have you any ideas on where to start?"

The question made Link pause before he gave a sheepish smile, raised both hands and said "to the right!"

Tya chuckled and followed after him.

They first spoke to a nice young girl that had to be around their age. Tya had seen her around a couple of times, but never spoken to her purposely. If she recalled correctly, her name was Ariel. Or... Orielle? She didn't quite remember. She told them that there was an old man that would go on and on about hidden monsters in Skyloft, and then informed them that the man could be found in the Lumpy Pumpkin.

While they were out flying, they took a second to find where that strange cube had gone. They kind of badly estimated the roundabouts of it, and surprisingly found a chest that contained a gold rupee. Neither of them were complaining- it seemed they were going to need all the rupees they could get to afford supplies for this journey.

In the Lumpy pumpkin, they spoke to a man who so kindly called Link gullible before going on to do exactly what Orielle said he would: ramble about monsters. Quite a strange man... One which the pair quietly joked about after leaving. He informed them that he was walking around near the tree in the cemetery one night, when he saw it hit, then push a gravestone that opened a storage shed door.

According to the information, it could only be done in the middle of the night, so they decided the most they could do is sit around and relax. A bit of pumpkin stew, a few flights on the Loftwings, just relaxing in general. They could have separated, but neither of them seemed to mind the other's company. When night fell, they were back on land. That girl- Orielle, had come to sit with them in the plaza, having nothing better to do. They spent a good while just talking until she expressed that she had no desire to be stuck out after nightfall. Link escorted her home, and Tya went to the cemetery to wait.

It had been too long since she'd been there... She hadn't purposefully neglected to visit, she had just made herself so busy to keep herself distracted that she only had time to bring flowers every once in a while. She didn't have a steady job, but she survived by helping the people in the bazaar. Bringing things in, taking things out, setting things up- jobs that required little interaction with other people yet kept her busy enough that she didn't have to think. Jobs that made her feel useful.

When Link arrived, Tya had sat herself in front of her parent's graves, and was really just talking to them both. About Zelda, about Link, about the things she'd done as of late. To her mother about how well she'd been containing the fire, how helpful it was, and how thankful she was to have had what training in it she did have, even if it was only a little.

Link didn't sit by her at first, no, first he went to two separate graves, kissed his fingertips then pressed them to each. She could hear him quietly say something along the lines of 'love you guys' before coming and taking a seat next to her.

For what little time they had to wait, they talked more. About memories, mainly. Times they could remember with their parents. Link seemed to have been alone for quite some time, and he talked about how during that time he met Zelda. Because of how she treated him, and the part she played in his life, she quickly became part of his family.

When the time came, they got up and triggered the grave like they were supposed to, opened the shed, and descended a ladder onto a walkway that didn't seem very safe. Badly strung together, narrow, wooden planks, led to a building that seemed out of place, needless to say.

It was sinister, and as they neared it the fact that they heard a high pitched scream didn't help at all.

Up until they walked in, they really hadn't expected to see an actual monster, but there wasn't a better way to describe the man they found. It wasn't at all what they expected, especially after the thing seemed like it was going to attack both of them. Apparently they'd just interrupted quite a strange game the child they were looking for liked to play. He had no problem releasing the child because he wasn't holding her, though he did ask that Link and Tya help him. He was lonely, and requested that Link help him in becoming human. Being the sweetheart he is, Link said he'd help when he had the time. They both escorted the child home then, reuniting her with a thrilled mother.

The pair then separated again returning to their homes so they could go sleep.