Chapter 7: Time to go home
As it began to get even darker, the celebrations by the river outside Zora's Domain drew to a close. The seven heroes were to go back to their homes until the fairies called upon them again.
Gerudia had appeared and requested a private talk with Chris and Buck, then told them that Gerudo Valley was being rebuilt by the carpenters and Buck's mother was waiting for Buck inside their home. Buck's mother had also invited Chris to stay there, as his house would take a while to be rebuilt as it had been completely destroyed. Chris and Buck had headed back to Gerudo Valley on their horses after they had finished talking with Gerudia, the Desert Fairy.
Vin had headed back to Kokiri Forest, intending to return his borrowed his horse to the Travis Ranch first. When he got to Travis Ranch and met Mary, she had told him that he could borrow the horse again anytime he wanted - he just needed to ask her or Orin first.
Josiah and Nathan had gone to Kakariko Village - Josiah was to prepare for Nathan to move in with him, as the boy had decided he would live with the man and help him tend his small farm in his garden. Nathan's family would support the boy's decision as twelve year's old was a very responsible age for a Kakariko child.
Ezra had gone with his mother to Hyrule Castle Town - both of them riding on the black horse, Swift.
JD was left playing in the river with Casey, watched by her Aunt Nettie. The boy seemed very quiet and wore a sad expression on his face quite a lot of the time now. He soon grew bored of playing and longed for his mother's return.
King Zora approached the group; he had some good news that would raise JD's spirits. "JD, your mother waits for you in your home. Now that Zora's Domain is a safer place, she has been returned by Fairy Zorania. Now go and join her," said the king.
JD was so excited that he ran off without a single word to the king, Casey or Nettie. The little boy broke the record for fastest entry into the Domain and swam under the water to his home. He hurriedly pushed through the hanging reeds that served as a door and swam inside, into his mother's waiting arms.
"I'm sorry I was naughty, Mom," apologised JD, wishing to make amends now that she was back.
"I had quite forgotten about it, JD. You just wished to be independent and I shall give you more freedom from now on - now that you have proved how capable you are of protecting yourself partly thanks to the Water Temple trial," replied his mother hugging her little boy tightly.
"I will try to be gooder though," said the little boy, as his mother smiled down at her only child.
"I am very proud of you, JD - you have shown that you are a great hero." JD's mother smiled at her son.
"Did the fairy tell you all about it?" asked JD, hoping Zorania had, as he felt too tired to explain it all now.
"Yes she did, as she knew you would be too tired to explain it all by the time you and I were back together. Being a hero uses a lot of energy, so as soon as you've had a bath in the Zora pool, I'll tuck you into bed."
"Bath?" asked JD in horror.
"You're filthy," explained his mother, picking up her little boy and carrying him outside to where the big Zora pool was that contained magical water that always cleaned people very efficiently and the water itself remained clean.
Then, after JD had a bath, soaked his mom, and dried off, JD's mom put her son to bed. She sang him his favourite song, but the boy was asleep before she reached the end. The fighting and riding around without much sleep had made him tired enough to sleep for a whole day if he could. He hadn't been able to sleep very well when he'd been away from home and without his mother putting him to bed.
Z7 Z7 Z7 Z7 Z7 Z7 Z7
In the other lands, the six other heroes were already sleeping, dreaming about all they had been through and what possible adventures they would face next.
Buck's mother had been waiting at home for her little boy and Chris. After they'd chatted a little, she had put Buck to bed while Chris slept nearby in a bed he had swiftly made (with Buck's mother supplying some blankets and cushions), as nothing had been recoverable from his own home.
Vin slept in his room in his tree-home at Kokiri Forest, after his mother had kissed him goodnight and his father had grumbled at him for being away for so long. The man didn't believe a word of the tale Vin had swiftly told him.
Nathan went and stayed the night at Josiah's house in Kakariko Village, intending to leave his family the next day. He felt he was now old enough to live with Josiah and work for him where he would be treated far better than he was at his own home since his father was away a lot and unable to see how he was treated by his step-mother and step-sister.
Ezra and Maude found an Inn at Hyrule Town to spend the night in and shared a room; both falling asleep soon after they had lain down on their beds.
Meanwhile the leader of the enemies planned his next move, knowing that it would be a lot harder to carry out his plan than he had first imagined - he hadn't known how powerful the possessors of the Hero Spirits would be.
The End (although the next story is almost ready!)
I hope you enjoyed reading this story. The next story in the AU is a bit longer than this one with plenty of new adventures.
