Some notes on Young Link, as I have never played either of his games:
- He's 14 in this story. I'm not going to try to justify this, as time in the Zelda series is incredibly wishy-washy.
- Link owns harmless versions of the various masks he had to use in Termina. The Fierce Deity Mask is the exception.
- He's got gadfly tendencies, especially around Princess Zelda.
- Since Ganondorf's already received his invitation, Zelda's visions of Hyrule's future are much more optimistic.
- Zelda likes Link, she just doesn't act on it.
- Zelda still practices with the Sheikah clan, just in case the original visions come to pass.
Somewhere out in Hyrule…
Zelda, carrying a basket, had arrived at the destination Link had told her to come to for their monthly picnic. As she looked around, she smiled, quietly approving of his decision.
Turns out, the location was a nice, crystal clear lake near the Lon Lon Ranch that Link frequented, with a big tree for shade.
As she lay the cloth down on the grass, Zelda heard a rustle from up above.
Rolling her eyes, Zelda simply shook the tree with Farore's Wind, and she heard an indignant yell from high up getting louder and closer.
Zelda then immediately sidestepped the oncoming Hero of Time, who landed on the cloth with a loud thud. As he rose unsteadily, Zelda let out a small giggle.
"Was that really necessary?"
Still laughing, Zelda replied, "Well, yes, it was absolutely necessary. Don't think I don't know all of your tricks, Link. That Deku Mask trick was the very first one you pulled on me, for Hylia's sake! Now, to our lunch…"
The picnic basket was completely filled with Lon Lon Milk instead of the foods she had packed. Zelda looked at Link with a scowl, while he had on a guise of complete innocence.
"I could've sworn I packed a Hylian hero in here-" Before she could finish her sentence, however, she heard an audible crunch from where Link was standing.
Facepalming, Zelda said, "This is why we only do this once a month…"
Swallowing his food, Link said, "Cheer up, Princess, at least we don't have to deal with Ganondorf anymore, you told me, remember?"
Zelda gave a slow nod. Over the last month, her visions had gotten infinitely more pleasant, with the Gerudo King's presence in them slowly diminishing, until last week, where her vision had no presence of him at all, instead showing her being crowned as Queen, with Link as her-
Zelda turned crimson before she finished that train of thought.
Noticing, Link asked, "What's the matter, Princess?"
Her voice now small, Zelda said, "Oh, nothing. Now how about you just return me the food, and we can have the picnic go on as we planned?"
Giving a confused nod, Link gave Zelda all the food with the exception of the hero he had taken a bite into, and their lunch got off without any further complications.
Meanwhile, at a Hylian farm…
Master Hand, now under his human disguise once again, started belting out curses that he hadn't since the Master Core Incident as a flock of Cuccos swarmed him and pecked at every bit of exposed flesh (which wasn't easy, given that he was wearing a trenchcoat and gloves), which turned out to be his face. He had accidentally stepped on one as he was asking for the whereabouts of the Hero of Time, and now the entire flock had jumped on him.
In a panic, Master Hand ran into a nearby forest, where unbeknownst to him, Link and Zelda were having their picnic.
Link, while taking a swig of his third bottle of Lon Lon Milk, heard a nearby commotion that sounded like a whole flock of Cuccos had decided to gang up on some poor unsuspecting Hylian.
Said man ran up to the lake they were sitting near and jumped in in a last-ditch effort to escape to swarm of angry poultry.
As it was an incredibly absurd sight, both Link and Zelda were laughing as they went to go and retrieve the man from the lake. Link shot his Hookshot into the water, and received a tug. Both Link and Zelda heaved with all of their might, and a man wearing clothes Link had never seen in Hyrule flew out of the lake.
As Master Hand began to wring out his fedora, he heard a voice behind him say, "Excuse me, sir, are you okay? Those Cuccos must've really caught you off guard."
Master Hand replied, "Yes, Link, I'm alright, thank you very much." He then mentally slapped himself in the realization that he had never asked for their names.
Zelda got suspicious, asking, "Wait, we never told you our names. How do you know his?"
Meanwhile, Link decided to look at the briefcase that Master Hand had dropped in the ensuing chaos with the Cuccos, and on said briefcase, he found a symbol that he hadn't seen in a long time.
"Hmm… this symbol… why do I have the feeling that I've seen this before?"
Master Hand then realized his gig was up, and said, "I suppose I must reveal my true form now…"
As the mysterious man took off what covered his eyes, he emitted a bright white light that Link and Zelda shielded their eyes from.
When the light faded, Link looked on in absolute shock, while Zelda looked at what she saw with utter confusion.
Master Hand, now in his true form, pointed at the teenager clad in green, saying, "Link. It's been about, hmm, 7 years since we've last seen each other, hasn't it? How come you don't look any different?"
Before Link could answer, however, Master Hand then pointed to Zelda, saying, "And you, Princess Zelda of Hyrule. I know why your visions do not feature the King of Evil, as it has been my doing."
It was Zelda's turn to blanch. This hand was single-handedly responsible for ridding their realm of the Gerudo King?
Master Hand then said, "Link, or rather, Young Link, the reason I have shown myself to you is because there is a fifth Super Smash Bros. tournament coming soon. I, in an effort to top the last one, have decided that every fighter from all previous tournaments will be coming back."
Master Hand then pulled out Link's invitation from his suitcase, saying, "Young Link, welcome back. You may leave for the tournament as early as you wish."
Link took the letter in utter befuddlement, muttering, "Three versions of me, both from the future?"
Turning to Zelda, he said, "Princess, I regret to inform you that I will be leaving Hyrule very soon to attend this tournament that he is talking about."
Zelda, taken aback, said, "As you wish, Link, goodbye and good luck. I'll always be thinking of you until you return."
She then wrapped Link in a hug before planting a tiny kiss on his cheek, whispering, "I love you. I always have. Now, go, my hero."
As Link left with a massive blush on his face, Zelda, wearing a watery smile, began to pack up what remained of their picnic, and departed for Hyrule Castle.
You know, for someone who has only rudimentary knowledge of the N64 Zelda games, I think I pulled off this chapter relatively well! It's just the romance at the end that I'm really iffy on. Regardless, I'm pretty proud of this chapter and how it turned out.
Well, that's that for Hyrule. Master Hand will now be searching for Wolf, who is most likely somewhere out in space, trying to find an easy opportunity for money.