Vio

"Hold up!" Vio exclaimed, holding up his hands, "We can't go charging out into the wilderness without supplies! We need food and water! How about we make a quick stop at your village first, before we go? Besides, your friends there like Rusl will probably want to know that you're all right and where you're going. Plus, it's getting late. Why don't we just spend the night in your village and get going tomorrow?"

Gray looked like he wanted to protest, but then decided otherwise.

"I guess," he reluctantly agreed, "But what am I going to do about my sword and shield? They'll probably notice that they are the items we stole yesterday

"Well, I suppose you could tell them the truth, and explain why you did it," Green suggested.

"No!" Midna's voice disagreed vehemently, "They probably won't believe you, and if they do, the truth will probably scare them. You don't want to do that, do you? Eee-hee! Why don't you give them a similar story? Just tell them you found them out in the woods after you had been knocked unconscious and the children were taken, or whatever happened to you before I met you. It'll be a lot simpler hat way."

"…Alright," Gray sounded reluctant, fiddling with his gloves, "I really don't like lying to them, but you are right… Judging on how Hanch reacted when he saw me as a wolf, it would probably scare most of them," he sighed, starting to walk in the direction of Ordon.

Vio, knowing Gray needed some time alone, let him walk in the front in silence. They walked like that for about fifteen minutes, until Vio spotted Gray's treehouse in the distance. Not being small animals that Gray had to go slower than usual for, the distance was much faster to travel.

~/_\~

Gray

"We're here!" Red cheered.

"Yeah," Gray swallowed. What was he supposed to tell the villagers? He was still trying to decide if he should tell them the truth or not, despite what he had told Midna. He was also a very bad liar, so even if he didn't tell them the truth, they would probably guess something was up.

Entering the village, he was greeted with surprise by Uli; the pregnant wife of Rusl.

"Link! Thank the goddesses you're all right! We thought you had been taken along with the children and Ilia! Who are your friends?" she asked, hurrying towards them as fast as her belly would allow.

"I was captured," he explained, quickly deciding to tell her most of the information, out leaving out simple things, like becoming animals, "I was taken to Hyrule Castle and thrown in the dungeons, where I met these four, Link, Link, Link, and Link. We decided we couldn't all go by the same name, so we gave each other nicknames, those four going off of their clothing color, and me for my chain mail. So we're now called Red, Green, Blue, Vio and Gray," he pointed to each person as he named them.

"I see… Gray, but Hyrule Castle? And how did you escape? Where are the other children?"

"Uli," Gray answered solemnly, making a grim expression, "Hyrule castle has been taken over. Me and my friends escaped very carefully. I don't quite remember how, but we did. I didn't see anyone else I know, but that's why I'm here, I need supplies so I can go looking for them."

Uli looked very upset, but she nodded. Gray was happy to see her trying to be brave. Her and Rusl's son, Colin, had been one of the ones taken. Reassuring her, he said, "I will find them Uli, Colin, Ilia, everyone. You'll see."

She nodded again.

"I wish you luck, Link- or Gray, as I should now call you. I would gift you the only spare sword and shield we have, but I see you already have them. Where did you find them? And your new tunic and hat?"

"Oh, this?" Gray blushed, rubbing his hat nervously and frantically trying to think up a story until Vio came to his rescue, while glaring at Red who was giggling.

"He grabbed it from the guard barracks in the castle for a disguise," Vio explained, "We found the sword and shield lying on the ground in the forest," he finished, completely straight-faced and not fidgeting nervously as Gray had been.

He couldn't help think about how much better at lying Vio was than himself.

"Alright, I'm sure Rusl won't mind you keeping them. I'm being rude making you all stand there! Come to my house and I can serve you some dinner, I need to sit down anyway. After we eat I'm sure Sera will get you some supplies for the road. Come."

Uli led them to the house she shared with Rusl. Along the way, they were greeted with shouts of relief and questions from everyone who saw Gray was safe and sound. After letting everyone who greeted them know the half-truth on what had happened, they eventually entered Uli's house.

"Sit down and I'll get you something to eat," Uli pointed to the table while she headed towards a pot of stew sitting by the fire.

"No, you sit, I can get it," Green offered.

"Oh, thank you! I say L-Gray, you've made some nice friends," she complimented them, while promptly sitting down and rubbing her belly. Her baby was due in a couple of weeks, so she had to rest often. Gray only hoped that Colin was home in time to watch his new sibling's birth. Family was important in Ordon Village. Uli and Rusl had made known that they had already picked two names for the baby as was usual. No-one had a way of knowing whether it would be a boy or a girl, so the parents always decided on one male, and one female name for their child. However, they refused to tell anyone what the chosen names were. They wanted to keep it a surprise.

Green brought the pot of stew over to the wooden table, placing a rag underneath it as he set it down.

"There, now where are the bowls and spoons kept?" Green asked.

"The bowls are on that shelf over there, and the spoons are in the crate." Uli directed.

"I'll get them!" Red volunteered.

"Me too," Blue said. The two of them gathered the necessary items just as Rusl walked in the door, spotting Gray.

"Hi Link! Though I suppose you're going by Gray now, aren't you? I heard you were in town! We were all worried about you!"

Everyone settled into a friendly chat as they ate, all squashed around the table.

"That was a delicious stew!" Red complimented Uli after he finished.

"Yeah!" Blue agreed, Vio and Green nodding as well.

"I'll do the dishes," Gray stood up, gathering everyone's utensils.

"I can help," Vio offered, standing up as well.

"Thank you for having us over," Green thanked the two adults after the chores were done.

"It was our pleasure!" Rusl laughed, "It's always nice to have a little company now and then. Now go, I think Sera wants to see you about those supplies. Plus it's getting late, you lot should head to bed soon if you're doing a lot of traveling tomorrow."

Thanks again," Vio said as they walked out the door. Gray led the way to Sera's store.

"You live in a nice village," Red said as they reached the store, "I like it here."

"Me too," Gray agreed as he opened the door.

"Hello everybody," Sera greeted them, "I have your supplies set aside right over here."

She placed a hand on the pile of items on the counter sitting next to her cat's bowl of milk.

"How much do you want for it?" Gray asked.

"Oh, only that you bring Beth and everyone home safely."

"Are you sure? I should pay-"

"No," she interrupted firmly, pressing the supplies into his arms, "Bringing the children home safely will be payment enough."

"Well then, I should at least say thank you," Gray said. Sera smiled.

"I should be the one thanking you and your friends; after all, you're the ones who are doing the saving."

Eventually, they got the items sorted out so each Link was carrying the stuff he needed for the trip. Then, they all headed into Gray's house and Red, Green, Vio, and Blue all made makeshift beds on the floor of Gray's bedroom. After they were all settled, Gray realized something.

"Hey, I know we met each other a couple days ago, and I consider you to be good friends already, but we barely know each other. Why don't you tell me a bit about yourselves? Like… why are you all identical? Are you quadruplets?"

No, of course not! We're not even related!" the four of them yelled simultaneously, and then started laughing. (1)

The five of them stayed up for a while, talking until Gray made them go to sleep, saying they had a long day tomorrow.

Raising his head to gaze at his new sleeping friends when the room went silent, Gray smiled to himself, glad that he had these four for company on his journey. Then he lowered his head and closed his eyes. Before long, he too drifted into a peaceful sleep.

1- Yeah... I took that right out of the manga. :P