ATE: I'm so sorry for taking so long to get this out, but good news is that you get a long chapter out of it (with a word count of 3,255)! Big thanks go out to xForeverGamerx, Nintendoborn, and Majiri for their reviews, as well as everyone reading this story! Now to respond to a review:

Majiri: You are the second person to tell me that, and I'm glad that you're enjoying TFSIR. I hope that you enjoy this chapter.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything related to Legend of Zelda or Nintendo. I only own my OC.

~*~Chapter 5~*~

Evangeline knew she had only seen a small portion of the village when she had rushed out of Revali's home, but as the Rito showed her around she saw that there was more to the village than she first thought.

She'd been right about the Rito homes resembling bird cages (something she found fascinating, to say the least) since she saw them everywhere; like Revali's hut, they all had large wooden shades and curtains covering the windows and doors respectfully, though they were left open/uncovered and allowed a view inside the homes themselves (she could see the hammocks hanging above the center of the inside, unlike how Revali had set them in his place). Something she noticed was how the village was built around a large stone spire, wrapping around it as the wooden walkways and stairs gradually ascended up in a spiral. In a way, the architecture almost reminded her of some sort of Native American style, which was the only aspect she found familiar in this world…this land of Hyrule.

During the tour, she noticed the different Ritos they passed, and what she found interesting was how the feathers of the females were more colorful in comparison to the males (similar to peacocks, but with the genders reversed). But the further she observed, the more she became aware of Revali's height compared to the adult Ritos, being shorter than the others. This left her to wonder whether or not this was why he was the way he was.

'Imagine that. Revali having a Napoleon complex!' She giggled at the thought itself, finding it humorous.

Revali must've heard her laughter since he abruptly stopped (she almost ran into him as a result) and whipped around to level her with his green gaze.

"What is it you find oh so amusing to laugh at?" He demanded.

Evangeline froze at having been caught and slightly panicking she tried to think of a believable excuse.

"I was…laughing at the wind!" She suddenly thought up, only to mentally cringe at her pathetic excuse.

'Really?!'

The Rito raised an eyebrow at this, clearly skeptical with her answer.

"The wind?"

"Y-yeah! My hair is flying around so much and everything that I find it funny."

Revali crossed his wings and opened his beak to speak, only to be interrupted by a group of small Rito children that suddenly swarmed him excitedly. She was surprised by how he went from being arrogant and self-important to being willing to entertain a bunch of children; it was almost jarring, in a way.

"Revali, tell us a story!" One of the children said.

The children seemed to be in agreement as they started begging for a story, and eventually the older Rito conceded.

"Very well." He said, and (much to her surprise again) a warm smile formed on his beak. "Have I told you all the story of how I faced a Lynel?"

Simultaneously, the Rito children's eyes went wide at this before shaking their heads.

"So there I was, braving the harsh climate of the Hebra Mountains, when I came across a Lynel, armed to the teeth in weapons and a disposition to go with it!"

Evangeline stood off to the side away from the children gathered around Revali. She had a feeling he was embellishing some details of his story for the children's sake, but at least they were invested. With the older Rito's voice in the background, she took this time to take in her surroundings.

True, she had seen the Rito homes as she followed Revali around the village, but she was only now noticing the small details that she had apparently overlooked. Like the triangular looking lanterns posted along the wooden railings (some of them hanging from the middle of the wing-like archways and others being placed inside and outside the huts; now that she thought of it, even Revali's home had some of them inside as well), the feathers hanging around the insides of the huts, and the small windmills (or would they be considered pinwheels?) that were situated around the place (with some of them on top of the roofs) as the wind blew through the area. Noting the somewhat chilly wind itself, she couldn't help but imagine what it'd be like to have a bunch of windchimes in the village. With how windy this place was, it would probably sound soothing, if not pretty.

Though, it was likely this world didn't know what windchime were, anyways…

'I wouldn't be surprised.' She thought.

"Run along, children." She suddenly heard Revali say. "It's getting late and you wouldn't want to keep your parents waiting."

It was as the children ran off that she realized Revali had finished his story and it wasn't long before he was approaching her with an air of confidence.

"What did you think of my story?" He asked. "Were you impressed?"

She realized he was fishing for compliments, but in all honesty, she wasn't sure whether to be impressed or not without having any context. And why try to impress her in the first place?

"I guess it was neat." She replied, thinking that answer was a safe bet.

However, the frown Revali gave her seemed to say otherwise.

"You 'guess'?" He shook his head, almost in disappointment. "It seems you are unable to recognize greatness. But I'll let it slide, given your…circumstances."

'It's more like I'm under the impression you took a lot of artistic liberties with your story, you drama queen.'

Oh, imagine how much trouble she'd be in if she said that out loud!

"Now then, let's be on our way! I'm sure you could use a drink."

Wait, WHAT?!

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

When Revali mentioned 'drinks' (though it was in the singular sense instead of plural), Evangeline had the sneaking suspicion he was referring to drinks of the alcoholic variety. It must've been her lucky day since her suspicion was confirmed as soon as a large wooden mug was handed to her; she didn't know what it was, but with how rowdy some of the Ritos were within the wooden structure that served as a tavern, she could assume it was beer or something. Before she could voice her thoughts, she was already being led outside by Revali, who happened to have a mug of his own.

"Where are we going?" She asked as soon as they were outside.

"Somewhere a lot more quieter and less crowded." He replied. "I'm sure you wouldn't want to be surrounded by too many people so soon."

She had to pause a moment to let those words register in her mind, but eventually she spoke.

"That's…surprisingly considerate of you." She found herself saying.

Whether or not the Rito heard her words wasn't apparent due to his lack of response, so she chose to leave it at that. Eventually they arrived at what appeared to be a large landing, some portions of it being fenced (there were four parts that extended out a bit), and a white symbol painted in the middle that almost reminded her of the Rebel symbol from Star Wars (she had to hold back her laughter at this), though there were some differences that stood out like the wings; you could argue it looked like a bird, especially if you squinted. In the distance, she could hear the faint voices drifting from the tavern, and she was thankful of Revali thinking ahead in this instance. Otherwise, it was relatively quiet and peaceful with the lanterns placed around the landing provided a soft light.

'Though the night air leaves a lot to be desired.' She mused, leaning forward with her elbows on the wooden railing. 'At least the outfit I'm wearing keeps me somewhat warm at night.'

"Well? Aren't you going to have any?" Revali suddenly asked.

Evangeline glanced over at the Rito, and for some strange reason she suddenly wondered how he was able to even drink anything when he didn't have any lips. Did he just stick his beak into the mug or something? Likely not, his was too big for that and would likely get stuck.

That made for an interesting mental image!

Not to mention how dwarfed the mug was by the wing he was using to carry it!

Oh, wait! Revali was still waiting for an answer.

Oops…

"I'll get around to it eventually." She answered, her hazel gaze falling to the liquid contained in the mug she held. "This might seem like a weird question, but what exactly is the legal drinking age? It wouldn't happen to be 21 or something, would it?"

"You wouldn't be wrong. I assume it's the same where you're from, if your words are any indication."

"It is."

"So why the sudden concern, then? It's not like you're underaged, is it?"

She froze at this, her hands gradually becoming clammy in her nervousness.

…Shit!

Revali picked up on her silence—that, and her reaction to his question—since his next words reflected that.

"…Well, I'll be plucked! You are!" The Rito let out a chuckle. "Let me guess: 17? 18?"

Now it was her turn to laugh, and it was enough to cause her sides to hurt.

"Flattering, but no." She managed to calm down before turning to face him. "Try 20 and a half!"

Revali's head shot in her direction at such a neck breaking speed that she was surprised he wasn't complaining about whiplash (though it was somewhat funny to see the braids behind his head whip around from the sudden movement), and soon enough he was looking her over. Evangeline shifted uncomfortably in place under his gaze, and she had to stop herself from telling him to take a picture (for the reason that it'd last longer) since that would only lead to more questions and suspicions (as if some of her actions hadn't made her suspicious already). After what felt like hours had past (though it was likely only minutes), the Rito eventually spoke.

"You're 20?"

"20 and a half. There is a difference!" She told him.

"Ha, only by a mere 6 months!"

"Half a year might not mean much to you, but to me it means I only have half a year left before I'm legal. Then again, that hasn't stopped me in the past."

"You've had alcohol while under the age prior to now?"

"Yeah, but it was only a few instances. Even then, I'm usually with my friends." Without thinking she took a sip from her mug, only to be surprised by the taste. "What is this, anyways? It doesn't taste like beer."

"That's because it isn't. It happens to be one of the many products the Tabantha region is well known for, aptly named Tabantha Ale."

Oh, that explain the taste. She'd heard that ale tasted different than beer, but it was not that she had an understanding of it (though she had a hard time figuring out how to even describe the difference). She took another sip, still unable to describe the flavor.

"So, you're going to continue drinking your ale?"

"You haven't tried to stop me yet. I wonder why that is?"

"You said so yourself just a few moments ago: you only have half a year left before you're legal. I see no reason to stop you by this point."

"Wow. You're such a responsible adult." She laughed.

Instead of taking a small sip, Evangeline went about drinking her ale, noting a hint of something sweet to it. However, as she drank, stray thoughts started coming to the forefront of her mind. At first, she tried to ignore them, but soon enough it got to the point that she couldn't do that with the invasion of thoughts.

A crowd of people.

Loud music.

A red solo cup in her hands filled with an unmistakable beverage.

Wait…! She recognized this setting.

She was at a party, but she hadn't gone alone. She had gone with three other girls, one of them having been made designated driver that night. She couldn't recall how much she had to drink, but it was enough to leave her feeling relaxed and without a care in the world.

Eventually she found herself being taken to a car with her friends, the designated driver being sober while the other two were just as drunk as she was. The car ride was noisy due to the loud chattering coming from the other two girls, all the while the one driving having to constantly tell everyone to take down the volume.

She turned to face the girl sitting beside her in the back as she started chatting with her, though she had no clue as to what she was saying. She felt confused as she noticed the girl's face brightening up, but it wasn't because she was smiling so much.

Wait a minute…that was light-!

CRASH!

Evangeline's train of thought was interrupted by the sudden sound, and it wasn't until she looked down that she realized she had dropped the wooden mug she'd been holding, leaving what was left of the Tabantha Ale to soak into the wood of the landing (which happened to be a lot).

A car crash…!

She had been in a car crash!

That explained why she had been wearing a hospital gown when she had first woken up in the Gerudo Highlands.

But that didn't explain how she ended up in Hyrule.

"What's wrong? Are you feeling well?" Revali suddenly asked.

She was surprised to hear the concern in Revali's voice that it almost left her speechless. Why would he even be concerned over her? It wasn't like he cared or anything.

Was it…?

"I…" She trailed off. What should she tell him to avoid suspicion? Already she had gotten unwanted attention by dropping her mug. "…I'm such a klutz! The mug just slipped out of my hand!"

Turning to face him, she was prepared to flash a grin at him, only to stop herself when she saw the frown that formed on his beak as he regarded her. It was quiet between them and it might as well be considered a staring contest since he seemed like he was trying to get her to talk. At first, she didn't have a problem keeping quiet, but at the minutes passed it started to get harder (she had to resist the urge to shift from foot to foot). It got to a point where she might as well admit the problem, but before she could even open her mouth Revali let out a sigh, turning away to face the horizon in the distance.

"So it would seem."

She watched as he lifted the mug he held up to his face and-

Oh…

…Apparently Rito used the waterfall method in order to drink from cups or such.

That answered that question.

Kneeling down, she picked up the mug she had dropped before sitting it down on the wooden railing. As much as she had enjoyed the Tabantha Ale, it was probably a good thing she'd spilled it even if it were by accident. Just knowing what happened before coming here left a sour impression, and she had a feeling that drinking anything alcoholic from this point forward would only make things worse.

No more alcohol.

Not until she found a way home.

And even then, she'd be more than willing to wait until she was 21.

She took a deep breath, followed by slowly releasing it to calm herself down.

"I think…I'm going to turn in for the night." She suddenly said.

"Already?" Revali asked, turning to face her. "It's a bit early in the night."

"True, but I'm actually a little worn out after all of today's excitements."

"A fair point. I supposed I should escort you back."

No!

She appreciated him trying to be a gentleman (gentlebird)—which she didn't see coming—but in all honesty, she wanted to be alone.

"You don't need to do that. I can manage."

Once again, he regarded her for a moment before speaking.

"Are you sure?"

Why was he suddenly so concerned for her wellbeing?

It made no sense!

"Positive! It's not like I don't know how to get back."

The Rito let out a sigh in resignation.

"Very well. Just as long as you don't get lost."

"Okay."

She started to walk away, but only to stop halfway across the landing to look over her shoulder at Revali, who had gone back to leaning forward against the wooden railing as he gazed out into the distance. For some reason, she felt like she needed to say something to him before she left.

"Goodnight." She decided to say in the end.

The only acknowledgement she got from his was seeing him lift a wing and wave her off. Moments later she was making her way back to Revali's home, ascending towards the higher levels of Rito Village. As she climbed the steps, she gripped her chest as she recalled the pain she had briefly experienced from her memories of the car crash, her hands trembling.

She had to get away.

She couldn't stay here.

No matter how friendly the people were or how nice and peaceful the village was…she didn't belong here.

This was not her world!

The urgency to find a way home had grown stronger now that she remembered what happened. The sooner she got home, the better.

At least she had a lead. With magic being a thing in this world, it couldn't be much of a stretch! And if her assumption was right, it was highly likely the Great Fairy would be able to help her. Though, that begged the question of where to find the Great Fairy Fountain Revali had mentioned earlier that day. Sure, he had shown her a map, but she couldn't understand the writing on the map, which left her at a huge disadvantage.

Before she knew it, Evangeline found herself stopping before Revali's home, and for some unexplainable reason her heart seemed to feel heavy.

Why?

Why did she feel this way?

She had no reason to feel sad, especially when it concerned the Rito Champion himself. He was such a narcissistic and arrogant person who thought himself to be the best thing since sliced bread.

But he chose to help her when she was wandering lost in the wilderness with a sprained ankle, despite having every reason not to do so at all. And he expressed concern—

'No!' She scolded herself, stomping out that line of thought. 'I can't think that way! Not if I want to get home.'

She couldn't form any attachments if she wanted to get home; it would only cause her to get conflicted in her resolve, which was something she couldn't afford at this point. She'd have to carefully plan everything if she wanted to succeed.

Looking up at the sky, she couldn't miss the sight of the giant mechanical bird that soared through the sky, circling the perimeter outside Rito Village. Now that she wasn't freaking out, there was something majestic about it, as well as it inspired a sense of awe and trepidation at the same time.

Only more proof of how foreign this world was to her.

'I have to go home. No matter what.'

With that in mind, Evangeline entered Revali's home and climbed into the hammock set up for her. Sleep didn't come as easily as she'd like, but eventually she managed to drift off by the time the sound of footsteps entered the hut.

ATE: Explanation time!

(1) Rito Village: Oh boy, I had an interesting time with describing this place. Not only did I have to really explore Rito Village in-game (as well as taking notes of certain aspects of it, such as the lanterns and windmills), but I took some creative liberties with the windows such as the inclusion of window shades.

(2) Revali's Story: I don't know what it is about Lynels, but apparently it was the first thing to come to mind.

(3) Tabantha Ale: Totally made this up! It sounded a lot more catchier than 'Tabantha Beer'. Could be something the Rito export out of the Tabantha region for some rupees.

I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! Please be sure to leave a review and let me know what you think! ;D