Chapter -9-
Links of a Family

Daruna 14, 2050 AD
SROL – Delta Lab
Evening…

Ravio clacked away furiously at a command prompt. The phrasings and partial words were chained together with punctuation marks.

Link turned from Linkle to face LJ. "I do not understand the quixotic manner of gibberish in which he inputs scrawling upon the device. I know he needn't explain himself, and yet … I dare admit my curiosity to understand such verbiage."

LJ softly replied, "It's computer code. Those bits of 'gibberish' are commands, which tell the computer to perform an action. He's writing something called a 'device driver,' so that the binary computer, which modern people use, can somehow interface with the ternary coded computer built into the Master Sword. It's complicated, but…" LJ pointed to Link's ring. "Remember your Rosetta Stone allows you to understand meaning of modern people better when they speak? Well, that guy is creating a computer command, called a 'script,' that will do the same thing between the operating system, which is the computer's main software, and this … this … Fi, which is apparently the artificial person, run by the software installed to the Master Sword. You, uh … savvy, pal?"

Link nodded. "Ah. At first, I could only partially follow your explanation, but your example was a fine one. So, you're saying that Mr. Ravio is writing instructions so that one device may properly communicate with another device."

LJ snapped his fingers and pointed at Link. "You got it."

Ravio struck the return key with a measure of finality, then dropped back in the computer chair and folded his arms across his chest. "Okay, I'm running the script. Now we wait to see if the computer will recognize the new hardware … the sword, specifically."

It took another few seconds before the computer chimed and a small dialogue box displayed at the bottom of the screen. It read, "New unnamed device found. Device driver located. Pairing … stand by."

Linkle exhaled through partially clenched teeth. "Oi, this is maddening. I'm not sittin' 'ere all night watchin' the kettle boil."

"Booting, please stand by…"

Everyone exchanged glances. "Did you hear that tone?" asked Link.

"I thought it was in my head," LJ replied.

Ravio typed in a command line and said, "I'm executing a safe-mode of the sword's OS. Minimal personality subroutines, no drama or whatnot. Just the base code so we can interface with it. Okay, hold on, it's coming up now."

A melodic chime came over computer speakers, followed by the voice of a woman. "Calibration in process. Designation: Fidelis. Mission: faithful companion to weapon owner. Uptime: two million, three hundred seventy-six thousand, eight hundred thirty-one point nine days."

Zelda said, "It's the voice of the sword."

"She's right," Ravio replied. "It's the voice of Fi. The so-called 'spirit' of the sword. And she's been in constant operation since being installed to the sword. Let's see, two million, three hundred seventy-six thousand, eight hundred thirty-one point nine days. That would mean she was installed…" Ravio folded a few fingers, counted some of the fingers on his left hand, then folded down two more fingers and a thumb. "She's almost six thousand five hundred twelve years old using the modern calendar formula of a year being three hundred sixty-five days."

Zelda asked, "Fidelis, is your operating system the same age as this weapon?"

Fi replied, "This blade was created in the year 2450 Anno Domini, in the Sagami Province of Japan. It was designed to be the pinnacle of hybrid technology, mixing computer edge with superlative hardware using science and art in tandem."

Everyone looked at one another with confusion on their faces.

"Wasn't expecting that. What is a Japan?" asked LJ.

"Japan," said Fi in a monotone voice in an instructional manner. "A nation in the Pacific Ocean, part of the Asian continent. Japan has a long and rich cultural history as a nation of people with whom…"

LJ raised his hands. "Whoa, whoa, hold up."

Fi became quiet.

LJ turned to Zelda. "What do I ask?"

Zelda addressed the sword, "Do you know today's date, based on our culture's calendar?"

"The fourteenth of Jesan, in the year 2050, after deluge, the birth of the reconstruction era, which followed the Great Sea Era."

Zelda nodded. "It sounds like you are versed on the three religions."

"Yes," said the Master Sword. "The New Age, the Age of Twilight, and the Age of the Last Hero. Only oral traditions and some Royal Family documents remain, but none of these surviving records can prove or disprove when, how, or if each of the three forks are completely correct. It is assumed that the truth lies somewhere in between, with an amalgamation of the triumvirate."

"So, which one is the truth?"

"By order of the seven sages and the goddess reborn, Zelda, before the onset of Ganon, in the era of the Hero of Time, I was ordered not to record information on time for the next one thousand years. That was to help with the branching of the timeline, so that the plan to defeat Ganondorf Dragmire would not interfere with the timeline flow. I have no record of it."

"Clever on behalf of my ancestor. So, any of the three branching timelines is still possible, and while you took place in one of those timelines, you would have no memory of which timeline we were in, so that it would not create a paradox or potential break in time."

"Correct."

"So much for answers." Zelda feigned a smile of amusement, but it quickly faded.

"With all due respect, Queen Zelda, this story is your life. This is happening. That which occurs in the future is the canonical story of your life. All the stories of the past are the Legends of Zelda. Whether they occurred or not does not matter. You should celebrate all of those moments equally, for all of these legends are factual occurrences … in some way, shape, or form … in the Multiverse."

"The multiverse, hmm? And how were these theoretical forks in time created, Fi?"

"They were possibly created by tampering with the timeline. There is records of the Gates of Time used in the striking down of Demise. Therefore, we are in the timeline of the demise of Demise. This technology was utilized once more when the Hero of Time used me to access the gates via the pedestal in the Temple of Time. This was planned by young Princess Zelda, who knew that changing time could, potentially, lead to multiple outcomes. Her hope was that if Hylia's Chosen Hero failed in his quest, he would be successful in another timeline."

Zelda's smile returned, but it was brief. "Very well. I plan to admire my ancestor later. For now, I have more questions."

"Please ask your question, Queen Zelda."

"How many days ago was your hardware manufactured?"

"Six million fifty-three thousand four hundred seventy-seven days ago."

Ravio did a quick finger count again. He looked up. "Sixteen thousand five hundred eighty-four years ago. The sword is ten thousand years older than the operating system installed on it. How's that possible?"

Zelda cleared her throat and said, "Fi? Define the history of this weapon prior to your installation onto the weapon."

Fi announced, "Please touch the handle to continue."

Zelda reached forward and touched her palm against the handle of the Master Sword.

"Neural telepathic connection established. Building genetic and neural profile. Please stand by…"

Again, everyone looked at one another.

Zelda kept her palm on the sword.

"Confirmed. Zelda of Hyrule. Neural profile shows you to be the reincarnate of Hylia, Goddess."

Silence.

"Request for information permitted. Accessing classified data. Decrypting. Please stand by." A pause, then, "Please restate your inquiry?"

"What was the history of this weapon for the ten thousand years prior to the currentoperating system installed upon this device?"

"Weapon was stored in warehouse in Tokyo, Japan, during the events of the apocalypse. During World War Three, the warehouse was abandoned. After the events of Project Golden Goddesses, this sword was possessed by Hylia, and the operating system was designed by her request of the computer that installs software onto weapons. A power surge damaged the installation station. Based on current longitude and latitude, this blade, designation The Goddess Sword, currently rests ninety-seven hundred kilometers, metric standard units, from its origin point in land designation: Skyloft."

"I keep hearing that name," said Link.

Zelda frowned. "Skyloft was once directly above Hyrule. My ancestor chose to live on the surface world and rule over it. The surface land was later named Hyrule by another ancestor. No one knows the name given to it by the first Zelda, or if she had a name at all, as she was not Zelda I, the Zelda that was put into stasis … or … 'eternal sleep' by Ganon, as the legends claim. I … I'm sorry, I still need a moment to wrap my mind around this weapon's claim that I am … really … Hylia. Being told such by mythology is one thing, but being confirmed as such by an ancient computer that was there and recorded the events … that's … quite another thing, altogether."

Ravio cleared his throat. "So, the sword is sixteen thousand five hundred years old, and the current version of this OS build has a runtime of sixty-five hundred years. That's … a lot. And that's really … I mean … that must be the most stable line of code ever. No glitches in thousands of years? I have yet to see a computer last a thousand days without needing a reboot to run at optimum performance."

LJ shook his head with a low whistle. "That's one old sword."

Ravio nodded in agreement. "Yeah, it really is."

"Sounds right to me," said Linkle with a firm nod. "It is said the world is about sixty-five hundred years old, and tha's when this broad came into existin', now? Tha's weird to think the bloody object is ten thousand years older, when the world is only supposed to be sixty-five hundred years old. You lot should know that much, yeah?"

LJ reached up and rubbed his hand against the nape of his neck. "No, there were dinosaurs over sixty-five million years ago. And there was another era of people, pre-Hylians, back before the Hylian era. We find new things every day about them using modern technology. The height of their civilization was around the time this sword was manufactured, then they went extinct."

Linkle blinked. "Extinct? Seriously? What were they called?"

LJ shrugged. "It's not very well documented, but there's plenty of stuff on them. Hyrule's scientists have dug up a few things on them over the past few decades. But it's only just being documented in science circles, and for the most part, there aren't a lot of studies on them yet. Maybe in twenty years we'll know a lot more about them. At least, y'know, I hope so."

"I follow ye. So, then … what were these extinct lot called before they got sorted by fate?"

LJ said, "They called themselves Homo Sapiens-sapiens. We even named ourselves after them. We're Homo Sapiens-Hylius and Ovona is Homo Sapiens-Gerudus."

Linkle grimaced. "In my time, that kind of talk'd be blasphemy."

Link chimed in. "Mine as well. Complete sacrilege."

Zelda asked, "Was there a being between Homo Sapiens-sapiens and Homo Sapiens-Hylius?"

Fi spoke again, her voice monotone yet smooth over the computer speakers. "Homo Sapiens-supernus, replacement for Homo Sapiens-sapiens. Sapiens-supernus was a genetic alteration. They were created to become a superior human race to better survive the dawn of the End Times, also known as Revelations and Ragnarök. Then came five hundred years of peace after the Three Goddesses were used to restore the world. Hylia was born. Another five hundred years passed, and one of the last surviving members of Homo Sapiens-supernus, designation Hylia, created a new human race in her image, but without her supernatural abilities. The designation of this race was known as Hylians. They lived alongside of Sheikah, Gerudo, and other non-human sentient creations."

Silence.

Link and Linkle exchanged glances, seemingly uncomfortable with the topic.

Fi turned to face them. "Did I say something inappropriate?"

Link replied, "It bothers me … the idea of the goddess Hylia being born, flesh and blood, instead of her existence being divine will."

"I did not mean to offend you," Fi replied. She turned back to Zelda.

Zelda tilted her head. "Is there any other example of this … Homo Sapiens-supernus?"

Fi replied, "Last known being went by the designation – Demise. He was felled by Hylia's Chosen Hero."

Linkle grimaced. "I thought we was fightin' for the soddin' good of the universe. Good against evil, not a nice lady versus an asshole. This is getting…" She shook her head. "I just need to…" She brought her hands up and rubbed her palms against her face.

Ravio asked, "Fi, the computer running inside your current hardware … you mentioned it was ternary…"

"Indeed."

"That kind of confuses me," Ravio said, steering the conversation away from religion.

"Ah. Do you wish for an explanation in ternary tree efficiency, or the radix economy of this hardware?"

"No," said Ravio. "However, I am curious about what kind of computer systems the hardware's creators used. Was it better than ternary?"

"Computing is simply a machine's abilities to perform math based on the availability of energy. With unlimited energy comes the theory of unlimited computation within reason. With great energy comes quantum computing. But for mobile units such as laptops, tablets, and even this handheld weapon, there had to be a balance between processing power and battery life."

"Okay, so if small computers used ternary, what did the pre-ancients use for computers larger than this sword?"

"Many processors compiled computation by means of balanced quinary computing," Fi said in reply. "Its digit value parameters are defined as -2, -1, 0, 1, 2. It was the most efficient method of making calculations, and created less heat when computing, which led to smaller processor cores and eventually smaller heatsinks. The technology went on to help revolutionize quantum computing of the time…"

"Okay," said Ravio. "You keep mentioning quantum computers? How is that different?"

Fi said, "Quantum computers use superposition rather than numerical data pairs. The types of computing are each drastically different, and would require you to understand qubits, parallel processing, and how they work compared to bits and logic gates. However, despite the rapid success of pentadic computing format, which led to the quantum computing systems that built my construct and my hardware, the programming for this hardware was easier in ternary computing, which works best for my batteries, and so … this hardware and my software is designed in ternary."

"Impressive. Five is impressive." Ravio glanced at the group and told them, "With your permission, everyone, I'd like to activate her adaptive personality subroutine. Any personality she has evolved in the past … however long … will be applied to her personality over the next few … minutes, maybe? Days? Weeks? It depends on her own processing power. It's compiling the information now and activating it a few lines of code at a time. It's complex, so her personality won't simply turn on in the snap of your fingers. Just have to give it some time. She also might need to completely recompile building a personality database, since she hasn't used personality files in … a very, very long time. Like, since God was a boy and dirt was new, apparently. The sword is much older than I previously thought. Our version of the Goddess Sword was slightly damaged, and so our version of Fi did not possess her oldest memory files anymore."

LJ nodded firmly. "Understood." As an afterthought, LJ said, "Wait, if the ancient robots that attacked the Royal Family in the SCIF, like, over a week ago … if those are four-to-five thousand years old, and they are technology from the ancients … are our scientists wrong about the age of those robots?"

"Ask it," said Ravio. "Ask the sword's OS; she's a wealth of information."

LJ cleared his throat and said, "Uh, Fi … it's Fi, right? What can you tell me about the Lanayru robot, model number LD-002G?"

Fi's voice came over the computer speakers. "Designation Scervo, catalogued into memory on the Sandship."

"Sandship?" asked Link.

LJ shrugged at Link but kept his eyes on the computer screen and adjacent speakers. "Uh … how old are these robots?"

Fi said, "When last I came into contact with being LD-002G, they were roughly several thousand years in age."

"So, they're much older, now," said LJ. "Damn. By a lot."

Zelda turned to Ravio. "Is the Master Sword capable of running diagnostics? Is it damaged? How is its overall hardware and battery health?"

Ravio rubbed his chin for a moment. "Well, it looks like all the sensors in the hilt are still active. The hard-light holo-emitter is damaged, which is why the sword's beam attack doesn't seem to be working right now, but I'm porting Fi's image through to the lab's main emitter. One sec." More clacking on the keyboard.

A purple and blue-cloaked woman appeared at the center of the room. She opened her eyes and looked around, then she patted herself down. "Fascinating," she said. "A hard-light emitter not dissimilar to my own." Her eyes cut to Link. "Ah! The Chosen Hero. You've returned, Master." A line of confusion creased her brow. She eyed LJ. "Also … the Chosen Hero…?"

"Tis a long story," Link replied. "A very … very long story."

Fi scrunched her nose somewhat. "Usage of the Gates of Time, I assume, Master? Further evidenced by the fact that most of you are saturated with temporal energy residue."

LJ grinned. "See? It wasn't so long of a story after all," he said to Link, then looked back to Fi, adding, "So you are the spirit of the sword, huh?"

"If that is how you wish to address me. Else … salutations. I am Fi, a nickname for Fidelis." A pause, then, "Warning: I have detected a firewall breech in progress on the computer to which I have been networked. Stand by, analyzing."

Everyone exchanged glances again.

"There is an unused port that the system penetrator is attempting to access. My hardware and software can be utilized to strengthen the firewalls to your binary system before it is breeched."

Zelda tightened her jaw. "Belay that, please. Instead, let's take control of the situation."

"Further elucidation required," said Fi.

Zelda said, "Are you able to establish a connection with the attacking computer?"

Fi replied to the question with a question. "Are you asking if I can allow the system penetration? If so, the answer is yes."

Zelda narrowed her gaze. "Use that port and open a direct connection to the computer attempting to hack this system."

Fi tilted her head a bit. "They are broadcasting image and audio. Shall I put it through?"

Zelda tightened her jaw, straightened her back, and lifted her chin. "Yes."

A boar-faced man, with patchy flesh, nearly bald of hair, and deeply flawed by the corruptive sway of the Triforce of Power, appeared floating in front of the group displayed from the neck, up.

Link closed both hands into fists. "Ganon. Finally, the villain shows himself."

Ganon chortled in a deep voice. Deeper than Link remembered hearing him use in the past. "I have heard so many conspiracy theories … 'the Great Flood never actually happened' because 'there isn't enough water in the polar ice caps to have flooded the world in such a way,' and so many other silly things … because they cannot believe that I had the power to take water from Lorule and the Sacred Realm, let alone send it back once my spell was completed. Hearing people believe I 'could not possibly exist' is annoying, but do you know the worst insult of all? That I return to find my worst enemy is barely out of high school. You're just a child compared to me."

Link smirked at the bore-faced hologram.

Ganon replied with a sneer. "Do you have something to say, temporal doppelgänger?"

Link scoffed. "I see the way you glower at LJ Kasuto. Doth thy mortal enemy vex thee, Ganon? Thine intellect is insulted, is it not?"

Ganon furrowed his brows.

Link continued. "You put me into that which is known as stasis. Do you recall? You took this action on thy deathbed. Now I am newly awakened. I have bare newly smithed equipage, freshly consecrated in the name of the goddess, Hylia. Know that I have returned to the land of the living to sow the seeds that will lead to thine expedient expiry." He took a deep breath and exhaled, then smirked at the hologram again. "Do pardon my enthusiasm to see your end; robbed, was I, on our last encounter. I have been working on speaking in a modern format but was consumed by the elation of mine zeal. Are you prepared to fight to your doom now, or do you insist on hiding behind the filaments of technology?"

Ganon chortled in amusement. "So, who else do we have here? Your 'webcam' is either out of focus, or I am seeing a bunch of children dressed up as the Hero of Time. Except the one in purple. Wait, I see the rabbit costume … are you from Lorule?"

Ravio pursed his lips but said nothing.

"The spirit of Koume and Kotake whispered in my ear, preparing me to see something I would not otherwise have believed." Ganon shook his head with a roll of his eyes. "You know, a past iteration of me once tried kidnapping children to ensure Hylia's Chosen Hero would not be reincarnated. I am not above dropping ordinance on a bunch of brats."

Link approached the holographic head. "Admitting to kidnapping children, are we? Have you kidnapped any children since becoming active in this era?"

"Does it matter?" Ganon sneered. "If I said yes, you would have a melt-down. If I said no, you would accuse me of lying. Alas, every aspiring hero needs a villain."

Link turned to LJ. He whispered, "Melt…down?"

LJ whispered back, "He means you would get angry and lose your temper."

Link turned back to the hologram. "Let's skip the theatrics. It's time to fight. And Ganon, you are the villain."

"Am I?" Ganon shrugged enough to cause his shoulders to appear at the bottom of the holograph, briefly, then they faded into polygon-filled shapes, briefly, followed by disappearing altogether. "What makes me the villain?"

"Every villain believes they are the solution to whatever they see as an annoying problem. But they hurt others to get their way. They kill and they take whatever they want, and they care nothing for those who were in their way."

"You naïve boy! Must I really explain this to you? Very well … the same can be said for many heroes, but history is written by the victor, and to the victor goes the spoils. When I have my way, history will remember me as the savior of Hyrule. The savior of the people from the 'tyranny' of Gustaf and Tetra's reign, simply because it would amuse me to teach future generations that I am their messiah."

Link turned to LJ and whispered, "What is a messiah?"

LJ shrugged. He replied in equally hushed tones. "Never heard that word before. The word sounds foreign."

Ravio said, "In Lorule, it means a savior. It's an old word from the pre-ancients."

Ganon continued. "Speaking of Tetra … is that her daughter I see in your group? Little blonde girl! I see you, and I see your little fists all balled up. Speak up, child."

Zelda looked around the room, spotted the webcam, and approached it. She narrowed her gaze, staring directly at the lens. "So. You are Ganon."

"I am. I only recently regained the memories of my past lives. In fact, it was on the first of this fine autumn month, princess."

She crossed her arms beneath her bustline, bent at the waist, and leaned over the webcam, glaring at the lens as though glowering at Ganon himself. "So, then, tell me this … who were you before you found the Triforce of Power?"

"Ah! A real question. Very good. Smart girl. I will give you a hint."

Zelda arched her brows. "A … hint?"

"Indeed, a hint. I was a history professor with a major in Hyrulian law. I tell you this because my education gives me special insight; I understand quite a lot about our … shall we say … destinies. And our past – yours and mine…"

Zelda tilted her head. A lock of blonde swept across her forehead and stopped to frame her face. She reached up and tucked it behind her ear, remaining silent.

Ganon continued without pause. "…Only my past is filled with the memories of my predecessor, which awakened within me once my mind's eye was, shall we say, roused. I was Ganon in my past life, and I know that now. But, so that we are clear, I have all of his memories, as well as my own birth memories. I am Ganon reincarnated. But I see you have yet to figure it out, and I am not much for drawing out such things, so I will simply tell you…"

Zelda placed her palms upon her hips and tilted her head, scrunching her brows. "I'm listening for the great reveal, Ganon."

A smile tugged at the gnarled corners of his lips, and his tusks shifted slightly. "It saddens me you could not guess; my hint was more than enough."

"Either spit it out or stop wasting both of our time."

Ganon scoffed. "Entitled brat. Very well, my dear. You see, little girl, I was born Nohansen the Third of Hyrule."

Zelda's eyes widened. "You … you lie."

"I can prove it with a DNA test." He seemed to look past her, stealing a glance at Link and Linkle. "We have that technology in 2050, after all. In fact, it would take merely a few moments to have the results."

Zelda moved a little closer to the webcam lens so that she blocked Ganon's ability to see anything else in the room. "Uncle Nohansen disappeared several months ago. He was a university professor, and no one knows what happened to him."

"I do, my dear. I awakened. The memories did not come until the beginning of … mm, Feshal was it? No matter. My point is … that was the last in a long line of neurological switches being flipped. Like a child that suddenly wakes up one day and wonders why they exist."

Ravio looked between the hologram and the woman and bit his lower lip, looking completely shocked.

The queen covered her mouth with a gloved hand. "You … you can't … you simply cannot be my uncle."

"But I am, my dear Zelda. See? Who better to rule Hyrule, than a member of the Royal Family? Who'd have thought I would reincarnate as the King's brother, hmm? Sweet serendipity."

Zelda's eyes moistened. "My uncle used that turn of phrase often."

"As I said, I am your uncle. But, please, dear niece, do not worry. Your father knows."

"He … he knew? Do you know your creatures murdered him?!"

"They did no such thing."

Zelda blinked.

"But, just the same, yes … he knew. Because I told him right before I killed him."

Zelda brought her hands to her mouth, eyes wide with shock. She spoke in a muffled tone through her fingers. "You?!"

Ganon cackled with a deranged sort of glee. "Yes, I most certainly did! The smug bastard that he was … he said he recognized Nohansen in me, and he asked if it was because mymother had a quarter Gerudo blood in her veins, unlike his mother, who was full-blooded Hylian. I told him, 'I know you are just trying to push my buttons, you idiot.' Then, Gustaf reminded me that he used to play the hero and dubbed me Ganon when we were children. I felt so much anger when he said that. That is when I buried a dagger just beneath his bottom rib, puncturing his lung. And then again. And then I stabbed him once more. Then again." Ganon's hand appeared in the holographic rendering. He tapped his chin in thought and casually added, "Mm, I lost count somewhere after the tenth time."

Zelda's eyes were wide with incredulousness. "You murdered your brother because you were jealous that he played the hero when you were children?! Every child plays heroes and villains!"

Ganon held his hand outward, palm up, with his fingers splayed apart as part of a half-shrug. "I was angry, not because he played the hero … but because he told me I was a villain. He did it consistently when we were children because I had Gerudo blood in my veins … the racist agrestic oaf."

She tightened her jaw so that her bottom lip didn't tremble. "Kin-slayer."

"Oh, Zelda. Our father slept with two different women and had children with each. Then our father preceded to raise us both, together, as though we were twins, but we were not! You cannot possibly understand the ire we had for one another in our youth!"

"My grandfather took you in when your mother died in a car accident, shortly after you were born."

"I often wondered if her car crash was truly an 'accident,' but it no longer matters."

"But you made amends, the two of you, when he attended your university graduation. That's what you told me."

Ganon scoffed with disgust in his tone. "For him to remind me of our childhood rivalry when I was clearly in control of his destiny in that moment … the man's ego infuriated me! That is why I struck him down. And then? I watched as he struggled to breathe, and I laughed at the sound of the death-rattles in his lungs. Then, before he drew his last breath, I lowered to one knee, leaned in close, and said, 'this time, I win, and you do not … hero.' Heh."

Zelda clenched both of her hands into tight fists. "Uncle Nohansen, you were named after a heroic…"

"I know!" Ganon's voice bellowed over the speakers. "Daphnes Nohansen, the King of Red Lions! He was the king that lost to Ganon, leading up to the Great Flood! How ironic, isn't it?!"

"Ironic how?!"

Ganon's voice became calm once more. "Ironic in that it seems apropos to shed the name of a man who died at the hands of Ganon, only to awaken as Ganon. An academic, really? I was a loser."

Zelda's lower lip trembled. She bit her lip to keep from showing emotion. "How dare you mock him."

"I am not mocking your uncle. I am your uncle. Again, I can prove it. Not that I owe you a damned thing, save a blade through your chest, little girl."

"You are mocking him! My uncle was a respected professor!"

Ganon sighed wistfully. "What a waste of time, energy, money, and so much more. I have the memories of a being spanning eons of time, and now know far more than any university could offer!" He shook his head with another soft sigh. "Enough with catching up. I have returned to the kingdom, and I am very much alive, and I have the Triforce of Power. Speaking of power … I heard you were crowned queen."

"I was. And I have Hyrule's full resources at my disposal. I will see you punished for your crimes."

Ganon bellowed, "You insufferable child! You have no idea what it takes to be queen of Hyrule. But…" He sighed softly. "I suppose it doesn't much matter as your 'reign' won't last long … I can promise you that."

"I will either stand at your trial or stand at your funeral. Either way, I will be standing when the dust settles."

"Heh. So naïve. Typical of a child. Until we meet again, dear niece." He cut the transmission from his end. The channel closed. His hologram froze for a few seconds and then faded away.

Zelda turned to hide her face and fell into LJ's chest, balling softly.

No one in the room spoke.

Linkle placed a comforting palm against Zelda's shoulder and rubbed gently. She reached for LJ's left hand and guided it around Zelda, so that he hugged the queen.

Link nodded to LJ in an approving fashion.

LJ simply hugged Zelda. He held her close and after a moment, he pet her hair gently. "We're going to make him pay. I promise."

Zelda nodded but didn't say anything. She continued to weep softly, grieving her father's murder all over again, as fresh as the day it happened.

No one spoke.

Zelda took a deep breath, held it, released it, then repeated the breathing exercise. She drew her face from his chest, reached up and ran her fingers through her hair, taking a moment to compose herself. She dabbed at her eyes, cleared her throat, and exhaled with a sense of finality, while smoothing her hands over her clothes to make sure they were wrinkle-free. "All right."

Still, the room remained silent.

She looked around, seeing all eyes on her. "Forgive me. That was … I know it's unprofessional to show emotion when you're supposed to be leading a nation, but … I just needed to process that."

LJ looked around, then he leaned in close. "No one, and I mean no one holds that against you."

"Yes, well…" She straightened her back. "It's time we hunt down the final member of our team."

"Someone from the past?" asked Linkle.

"Someone from the future?" asked Link.

"Someone else from the present?" asked Ravio. "Preferably more qualified than me."

"What about you?" asked LJ. "You have nanobots in your blood, right? Can't they be reprogrammed to, uh, I don't know … to give you telekinesis or something?"

Zelda scoffed but the corners of her lips tugged upwards in a brief grin. "No need for telekinesis by the blood. My R&D people are working on creating a series of Sheikah slates with special applications that use and take control of energy in the air that will allow the user to perform a series of complex tasks, but … let's just leave it at that for the moment. Moving on, we will need at least one more warrior to put Ganon down. Not just for the next century or two. I want him in the ground for the next ten thousand years."

LJ offered a fleeting smile. "That's exactly what I said."

Linkle grinned. "You two are bloody cute together. When's the weddin'? I'd best be invited."

Zelda arched her brows at Linkle. "You're seriously shipping us as lovers?"

"I 'ave since the minute I arrived. You lot are too-bloody-cute for words, lass."

LJ cut his gaze to Zelda and held his hands up defensively.

Ravio said, "Same here. Sorry. You two have real chemistry. I … have … a thing with Hilda. It's nothing we allow the public to know. We keep it between the two of us. Seems reasonable that the two of you also have chemistry."

Zelda shook her head and brought her palm to her face. "All right. Let's get to work. Everyone, we're headed for the Gate of Time." As an afterthought, she added, "Also, Link, Linkle, I know you've been using some modern technology, and you've been enjoying it, but … it's time to further upgrade your equipment. We'll stop by our Royal Master Armorer. He's a skilled Sheikah smith that creates high end weaponry and works on historical restorations for archaic and modern weaponry. I guess you could say it is his passion. It is, after all, on the way to the Gate of Time complex. We must upgrade your bows to the compound bows used by our castle archers. I'll have one of my best archers run you through a course to teach you how to use incendiary arrows, cryo-arrows, explosive arrows, and shock arrows. They do far more than guns. Although, I supposed it would be prudent to have you both take a crash course on how to use firearms and long ranged sniper rifles if there is time. We'll leave such to the will of the fates."

"No needin' on tha' firearms bit, yer Grace. I've taken quite a shine to yer' era's blunderbuss, and these gorgeous lil' shells called 'dragon's breath.' I'm quite proficient, now, y'see."

Zelda nodded. "Yes, but white phosphorous can melt the barrel of a shotgun. So, let us prepare together. You will require reinforced weaponry if you plan to use your shotgun as a flamethrower, and you'll probably want buckshot that won't melt. Maybe Tungsten or … something…? I'm sure the armorer will know what will work best for that application, as there is a great deal of intense heat involved, but the buckshot is far more lethal than the pyrotechnic show that comes with Dragon's Breath shells."

"Well, then. Look at you, m'liege. Learnt in peace and warfare."

Zelda feigned a wry smile. "Let's get moving."

LJ asked, "Are we really going to go to war with your uncle?"

Zelda nodded firmly. "If Ganon is somehow possessing my uncle, I want to have him ejected. If my uncle is Ganon, as he suggests, and was reincarnated as such, then … Ganon, himself, has already given us a solution to defeat him."

LJ blinked. "He has?"

"Yes. We use his own plan against him. We defeat him to the brink of death, then we find a way to put him in stasis until the end of time if possible. If he awakens, ever, or if someone releases him from the stasis capsule, or if it fails, he will succumb to his wounds shortly after waking, and that will buy the world at least one more century of peace. But, like we discussed earlier, I have high hopes that, with our technology, his name will be forgotten for the next ten thousand years, if not longer."

LJ replied, "If not longer," with a firm nod. He turned to Link and Linkle. "Ready to upgrade your gear?"

Link nodded. "Verily."

"I am!" Linkle offered a bright grin. "Can't wait to have this git sorted proper-like."

LJ followed Zelda out of the room with Ravio, Link, and Linkle in tow.

The group fanned out to keep Zelda safe. They walked in a 'V' shape like a squadron of migratory birds.

Zelda's personal Sheikah guard, Ovona, opened the door for the group, leading out of the compound.

No one spoke for the time being.

The group simply followed Zelda to the nearest teleportation hub, where they boarded a platform and, in the blink of an eye, the group arrived at the remains of Hyrule Castle, but two stories below ground, near one of the Sheikah armory labs.

"Welcome to Hyrule's finest R&D groups," Zelda announced. "There may be only oneMaster Sword, but the weapons designed by my Sheikah smiths are beyond compare. Swords that shock, burn, freeze, and much more.

The group continued to follow her without a word.

Zelda said, "Ravio, if you know weapons so intimately, then feel free to add your expertise in any way you are able."

Ravio nodded. "I am happy to act as the team's logistics and hardware guy, but I'm not much of a fighter. Just so we're all clear on that. That is where LJ and I differ. He is a natural with a sword in his hand, and I … simply cannot do that."

LJ said, "Logistics is important. Welcome to the team, Ravio."

"Thanks," Ravio said in a slightly nervous tone. "I'll try to do my best."

Zelda said, "It's all we can ask for." She offered Ravio a soft smile. "We can use all the help we can get. You have demonstrated an affinity for computers, knowledge of the Master Sword and so much more in such a short time. Now we need to determine who our fifth and final warrior will be." She turned to LJ and said, "They are your team. Get to know them … determine how best to manage them."

"I won't let you down," said LJ. "It's getting late. Maybe we should do new weapons tomorrow and get some rest tonight?"

Zelda nodded in agreement. "Yes, you're right. It would be prudent for your team to rest. But before you turn in for the night, LJ, would you … consider joining me in tea?"

"Tea?" he asked. "You … you want … just me … for tea?"

"I value Ovona's company, truly, but … I was hoping to have someone with whom I could just … talk. Would that be alright?"

LJ looked back at Ravio and Linkle. Both of them made discrete gestures, like a thumb's up and a nod with a grin. LJ turned back to Zelda and, in a soft voice, said, "You need a friend. You need a shoulder. I serve at the pleasure of her majesty."

"No, not tonight. I just want you to…"

LJ lifted his hand. "I understand. I've been that for Aryll in the past. You can vent to me. I'm a great shoulder."

She offered a gentle smile. "Thank you, LJ."

LJ turned to his team. "You guys go with Ovona, and get some rest, all right? I'll see everyone in the morning."

"I shall see thee anon, LJ. Have a blessed even-tide, my friend."

"Thanks, you too." LJ turned to Linkle. "Have a great night." Then he turned to Ravio. "Welcome to the team. You're going to make a great hero, man. You got this. I believe in you."

"Thanks," Ravio murmured. "Sorry I can't do more with a sword."

"Logistics is important. Every good team needs someone in that role. Thanks for coming to join us." LJ turned to Ovona and said, "And thank you for helping Zelda the way you helped me. Could you take the team somewhere safe to sleep?"

Ovona smiled at LJ. "Sarqso, y' sav'orr."

LJ fell into step with Zelda and they left the room together.

Silence.

Linkle turned to Ovona. "You know they're both bloody virgins, don'cha, lass?"

"I am not a lass; I am twice your age," Ovona replied. "And yes, that much is obvious. But let's not talk about the queen that way."

Ravio blushed brightly. "I … have a very private physical relation with Princess Hilda. Actually, let's not talk about that. Moving on. Does this place have Wi-Fi?"

"The internet, yes," said Link. "It's a very fascinating thing! Be glad Linkle has yet to figure out such."

Linkle scoffed. "I 'ave, ya' silly sod. I just don't use it to look at swords." She smirked, which faded into a sort of devious grin.

Ravio hid his face into his palm and turned to Ovona. "My queen found out about me with her daughter … and she sent me here to die. I just know it. I didn't realize it until just now. The woman has an RSS feed on literally everything, and she knew that sending me here was a fate worse than death. I am the fourth of three stooges in a slapstick comedy that will end with an audience laughing at my death."

Ovona shook her head with a soft sigh. "Just because some of the heroes of time have personality does not mean you will die, and neither will they. I have seen them fight. You have nothing to worry about. Speaking of fighting. Computer nerd or not, I'll help you learn how to swing a sword."

"Thanks, Miss."

Link and Linkle approached Ovona.

Ovona gestured for them to fall into step behind her. "This way. We cannot stay at the residential compound in the castle; it was decimated. But we have an area that is far more comfortable than Tent Town. This way, you three."

The Sheikah blacksmith looked up from their computer terminal, shook their head with a soft sigh, and looked back down at their video conference with their spouse. "You see what I mean?"

"I do."

In a quiet voice, he added, "It might be best to say a prayer to Hylia for those so-called heroes. They don't seem like they're the brightest bunch."

Silence.

"Hon?"

"It's up to you to make the greatest weapons of all time that can fight this terrorist all by itself with or without monkeys to wield them. You're going to be the one that saves Hyrule. You're certainly MY hero."

The blacksmith opened a charging case with earbuds and guided them into each ear. They reached up and touched a finger to the wireless earbud, followed by a nod. "Aw … you really think I'm the hero of Hyrule? Thanks hon. Doesn't much matter though. The Hylian kids in the green tunics always get the spotlight. But I'm glad you noticed my hard work. I'm going to clock out and hit the store on the way home. Other than Lon Lon brand milk, is there anything else we need? Okay. Okay, got it. I love you, and I'll see you when I get home." The Sheikah ended the call and started packing up their workstation.

X

X

A/N: I was going to end after Zelda and Ganon finished their conversation, when she hugs LJ. But I just couldn't stop writing tonight.

Anyhow, is anyone reading this story? Lmao. Do you like the newer (LONGER) chapters, or did you like the old short chapters?
Just curious.
Let me know, will ya?!