Zelda leaned over her spell book with a determined expression. "Today," she announced to herself. "The princess saves the hero." She muttered the spell under her breath, her body fading away as she did so. She smirked triumphantly, knowing this meant the magic was doing its job. However, she failed to notice herself unwillingly falling into the sleep the hero was having at the moment.
"Hey, I think he's waking up!"
Zelda groaned and propped herself up on her elbows. Her eyes fluttered open slowly and were greeted with an unfamiliar bedroom. Agitha's grinning face popped into view.
"He's awake!" she announced. She darted out of the room excitedly. "Cia! Grasshopper's awake."
Zelda blinked, briefly dumbfounded, before she remembered the spell she cast. She hastily summoned a small mirror in her hands, as her magic stayed with her, and gazed into it enthusiastically. Link's grinning face stared back at her.
It worked! she mentally cheered. I was afraid it wouldn't over a long distance, but it worked!
She made the mirror disappear as she hopped out of bed. She pondered what she should do first. Find Cia? See where she was? Play around with her new body a bit? She shook her head. No, this was no time for fun. She opted to search around a bit and see what she could find. Zelda was in the doorway when a new face almost bumped into her.
"Wolf, you're up!" the boy smiled with relief. "You were out for so long I thought you'd never get up."
Zelda froze in confusion. Who was this? He looked like Link. He dressed like Link. He was cute like Link. But this so obviously wasn't Link. Wasn't she in his body right now? How was this possible?
"Oh, uh, yeah," she stuttered nervously, her mind at a blank. "I'm fine now."
Link's lookalike raised an eyebrow. "You okay? You're acting a little weird."
The queen laughed awkwardly. "No, I-I'm fine. I was just a little out of it from, uh…"
To her surprise, the new Link nodded in understanding. "Yeah, I get it. That healing spell was hard on me too. But it's over now, right? I know we can't forget it happened, but it wasn't real anyway."
"Um, yeah," Zelda stammered, more puzzled than ever. "I guess that's why my mind's all…you know." She rubbed the back of her neck. "So where's everyone else?"
"In the main room," New Link answered. "Everyone's here except Young Link. He's still missing."
"He is?" Zelda asked with a downcast expression, feigning sadness. "Do we have any idea where he is?"
New Link shook his dead sorrowfully. "No. I'm so worried about him. Not only is he a little crazy, he doesn't have anyone to watch over him. As much as he denies it, he's still a kid. He doesn't deserve to go through all this at his age. I asked Cia to look for him using the crystal ball, but something is blocking us from seeing him. Every time we try, we just get this weird green glow in its place." He crossed his arms in frustration. "Someone doesn't want us to kind him. And that worries me."
"Me too," Zelda added. "But perhaps I can help…?"
"What? How?" New Link asked excitedly.
"You see, my princess taught me how to use a little magic," she lied. "I can't use it as well as her, but we can give it a shot. I think the magic blocking you from seeing Young Link is targeted directly at Cia. I don't think it'll cause me any problems."
"Then what are you waiting for?" New Link grinned. "Go ahead."
Zelda smirked confidently and summoned the green energy sphere in her hand. The image of a child who looked even more like Link than New Link showed up. He was lying on his back in a vast treeless field, sweating and wiping his forehead with the back of his hand. He gazed up at the sun with cloudy eyes.
"Where is that?" New Link asked quickly. "I'll go get Cia. You stay here."
He sprinted out of the room at full speed, leaving Zelda to study the Link she saw in her magic ball. This child-like Link appeared to be on the verge of starvation. She gazed at him empathetically, hoping for a miracle to save him.
"You have to keep moving."
"Don't wanna," Young Link groaned, becoming impatient with the Hero's incessant urges. "I'm too tired."
"But you made it this far," Hylia's Hero argued. "We've already made it to Hyrule Field. There's bound to be a village somewhere around here. We may even run into Castle Town. We'll just get more supplies and then take a rest."
Young Link shook his head weakly. "No. I don't wanna do anything anymore. Just let me lie here and die."
"What's up with you and your stupid death wish?" Hylia's Hero huffed. "You've defied death so many times I thought you'd be used to it by now, but not wish for it."
"Indeed. I thought the great Hero of Time would be a bit more determined."
"Oh, Goddesses, this asshole again." Young Link slapped a hand on his face to show his disappointment. "What the hell do you want?"
"You certainly are dense," the voice chuckled, now sounding oddly like Young Link as an adult. "I don't want you to die. But if you do, I hope you realize I'll be free to take over your body and do what I wish."
"Oh, hey I remember you," Hylia's Hero said, as if seeing an old friend again. "You're that mask from Termina. How've you been?"
"Fine, fine. Life's been a bit difficult, though. I just want to possess some kid, he won't let me, chaos ensues."
"I hear ya, buddy," the Hero replied in understanding. "This kid is so thick-headed he won't listen to a word I say."
"Bullshit!" Young Link retorted. "I listened when we escaped and at the village with Wizzro. What else do you want from me?!"
"Well, having a brain would be nice…"
"Now, calm down," the voice interrupted before Young Link could go ballistic. "There's actually something important I'd like to tell you. I can show you the way back to the temple."
"No," Young Link replied without hesitation. "I know you're gonna make a deal with me, so no."
"Quiet, Voice here may have a point," Hylia's Hero said firmly. Young Link made a face at Voice's new nickname. "Go ahead, Voice, tell us what you need to."
"You have me all wrong," Voice explained. "I don't want to trick you or harm you. I simply want to help. I care about you. You have so much potential and power, but you waste it on others. You could easily take this world for yourself. Imagine all your enemies bowing to you! How could you not want that?"
"That's just the way it is," Young Link huffed. "I want a lot of things, but I have people to help. And I don't help them because I have to. I do it because I want to."
"And now you're all alone. No one to turn to. Nobody knows your suffering except me. Let me tell you something. I know what it's like to save a mass of people I don't know. Just to be used and thrown away. That's you, right? Tossed in the garbage like an old toy. Don't you want revenge?"
Young Link rolled his eyes in irritation. "Maybe. Who cares? I do what I have to and that's all."
"So you admit you have to save everyone?" the voice chuckled. "Get your arguments straight. The Goddesses have programmed you to be selfless. Not even selfless. Inhuman. You never think of yourself. You can feel the darkness that has taken root inside you, yes? You've been hiding its effects for quite a while. But you won't be able to much longer. Soon you'll be like me: vengeful. Perhaps you already are. Don't think about what others want for once. Push everyone aside. What do you want?"
Young Link's face was twisted in worry and thought. For the first time, Voice had actually almost convinced him of something. "Hero?" he asked for a second opinion.
"I say you try it," Hylia's Hero answered. "Go ahead. Ask Voice for something. Anything you'd like."
"I…" Young Link wiped a stray tear from his eye, embarrassed. "I want to be with my grandson and Sky again."
The Voice was surely grinning at the request. "So be it. Sit up and look around." Young Link did as he said and turned to his left, seeing a large blue beacon of light descending towards land beyond the horizon. "That beacon is where the temple is. Head towards it. But first, weren't you hungry?" Young Link nodded instantly. "Well, then, if you wear that mask you won't be hungry any longer. You'll be perfectly fine."
"I don't need to be a powerful god to walk," Young Link spat.
"Kid, listen to him," Hylia's Hero cut in. "I know your spirit is becoming corrupted, but you can't die yet. Wolf, Sky, Zelda… They all need you right now."
Young Link frowned worriedly. "But it'll take a really long time to get back. I'm gonna be really messed up when I do."
"That's all right," the Voice assured him gently. "For the time being, you'll know nothing evil nor just. You'll simply have your current goal on your mind."
Young Link sighed and unhooked the Fierce Deity's Mask from his belt. "Fine. But only if Hero keeps an eye on me."
"That's doable," Voice replied.
After a long moment of hesitation, Young Link finally placed the mask solemnly over his face. As the familiar tranquility he initially felt was interrupted by the feeling of a blade piercing his heart, his thoughts went back to a quote one of the Moon Children said to him before the final battle in Termina.
"Your true face…"
He felt himself beginning to grow taller, pure power and might coursing through his body.
"What kind of…face is it?"
As much as he hated to admit it, in this godly form, he felt as if he could truly do anything.
"The face under the mask…"
Sometimes Young Link wondered why he felt so at peace in this form. Perhaps he could actually get used to it…
"Is that…your true face?"
*And we have an epic quote from one of the Moon Children to end this chapter. :3 Fun fact about Voice: he(?) was named after a character from Maximum Ride. I'm not even a real big fan of the books, but I wanted to add a reference. But now Voice is starting to get a hold on Young Link. And now Zelda's in Wolf's body. What's gonna happen next? Eh, you'll find out whenever I feel motivated enough to write another chapter. =_= (Which is probably just gonna be tomorrow night. I can't stay away from the story for too long!) Review and you get the spell Zelda used to go into Link's body. …Do what you will with it.
P.S. I'm working on a cute fluffy story about TP Zelda and Link. It's an adorable little romance story about how Zelda (similar to the one in this story in personality) wants to tell Link she loves him, but he's just too dense to see it. I might debut it in a few more chapters. :) This story is my main priority, so the fluffy story is gonna be a side project.
K bye.*