They finally got out of the tunnel, just as Link was getting sick and tired of it. Now, if it had been more labyrinth-like or had the possibility of treasure or danger in it, it would have been different business. As it was, its dullness didn't suit him long-term.
It seemed Sidon was in agreement.
"Finally. I was starting to get claustrophobic in there", Sidon said, and took a deep breath of fresh air. Link nodded.
They climbed up the ladder, and were greeted with an endlessly tall wood wall. They both looked up, and neither was able to see the roof edge they knew to be there.
"Huh. Usually I can reach the edge of any Hylian stable roof if I just lift my hand", Sidon said in awe. "We truly are tiny now, aren't we?"
Link could only nod in agreement. He had known intellectually that they were the size of insects, and been aware that the pebbles were actually just sand and the tall grass and plants weren't trees, but only now he could actually comprehend the situation fully. This endless wall was the stable, the one he had visited as a big person: where he traded goods with Beedle, slept in the comfortable bed, and ate warm meals. And now it was as tall as a mountain.
He was never going to complain about his height again when he was back to his true size.
"Oh, I can see the door. Let's go in", Sidon said, and Link turned to look. Just a little to their left was a Minish-sized door that camouflaged well into the wooden wall, but had a visible knob that was easy to find for people as small as they were.
Without further ado, they entered.
And were immediately met with an earthquake.
Sidon grabbed a hold of the door to keep his balance, and Link grabbed onto Sidon's arm. The source of the disturbance was clearly visible: a big person, a Hylian based on their footwear, walked right past them with their enormous feet and devastating weight. The whole floor shook from their steps for a few seconds, until they were far enough away for the effect to be diminished.
It was… frankly frightening. Link had a moment where he pictured tons of strange ceramic stomping right next to him and whipping up sand, the smell of ozone heavy in the air and his hair standing up and crackling, while Riju screamed his name…
"Link!"
Link snapped out of it and looked up at Sidon with wide eyes, his sides heaving and the back of his neck sweaty. Sidon looked understandably worried.
"Are you quite alright?" the Zora asked, and leaned down to get a better look. Link shook his head.
'A flashback. Vah Naboris. I'm fine', he signed, and dug a handkerchief from his pocket to wipe his neck with. Sidon looked dubious, so Link elaborated. 'I've talked to Zelda about it. Don't worry.'
Sidon's look softened, although he looked a little sad. "If you say so. I'm glad Zelda is there for you where I cannot be."
Link blinked. Was that… Was that how it seemed to Sidon? That he wasn't there for Link? He lifted his hands to sign, but was interrupted by a Minish pointing and yelling at them.
"In the name of Ezlo, what is that?"
Sidon and Link both turned around in alarm to look at direction the Minish was pointing at… and saw nothing of note. Just the endlessly vast big people side of the stable. It took Link a second to realize that the Minish was actually pointing at Sidon, and when he did realize that he turned to give the rude thing a dirty look.
'Excuse you, did you just call my friend a "that"?' Link signed, and was met with a blank look until the Minish dismissed him completely in order to stare at Sidon with wide eyes.
This was getting really old.
"There is no need to be frightened, I'm just a friendly visitor", Sidon said with a smile, which just made the Minish stare at his teeth and take a step back. Sidon's smile dropped, and he scratched his tail awkwardly. "Oh dear. Well, how about we just part ways then? Which way to the-"
The Minish squeaked and ran out of the door.
This was going so well.
'Today's lesson: the Minish either want to date the Zora or they're afraid for their lives around one.'
Sidon gave him a suffering look, so Link smirked and continued. 'Was that a man or a woman? 'Cause if it was the former, then we can make even more assumptions here.'
Sidon looked baffled. "You can't tell their sexes? I'll admit that I couldn't tell which one Slateri was when we first met, but after meeting a few of both sexes it became very obvious.'
Link's smile froze. Very obvious? 'Which one Slateri is, then?'
Now it was Sidon's turn to smirk teasingly. "So you can't tell. I'll let you figure it out yourself, just so you get to exercise your perceptive skills."
Perceptive skills, right. And nothing to do with getting back at Link for making fun of him just now, surely. Link pouted, but Sidon just laughed and began to look around.
"Since we couldn't get directions, we better find our way on our own", he explained, and Link nodded.
Scavenri had said to stick to the walls and the ceiling beams… Link turned towards the wall behind them and searched it with their eyes, and soon spotted two ladders their size. He poked Sidon's side, then pointed.
'Perceptive skills', he signed cheekily, which got him a chuckle.
"Quite right, but I'm still not telling you", Sidon said, and nuzzled Link's hair with his crest. "Shall we?"
Link nodded, and they began their climb up the ladder that had an arrow up sign next to it. The other ladder had an arrow down sign next to it, so the instructions were abundantly clear.
It turned out that the way to the ceiling beams was long and grueling. There were occasionally platforms to rest on and the point where they finally at least reached the ceiling, if not the center part, had a barrel of water and a few cups on it, which they helped themselves to. Yet despite their attempt to not tarry they still took roughly an hour to reach the round, chandelier-like center part that was habitable for the Minish. It was by no means the worst climb Link had endured, but Sidon seemed tired when they were finally up.
"I have to say that I much prefer waterfalls for ascending", he said after giving his arms a good stretch.
'Just wait until we're climbing mountains', Link signed with a grin, which made Sidon give him a slightly wary look. Link didn't plan on telling him quite yet that they didn't necessarily have to climb any mountains unless they really wanted to, since it's not like Sidon actually needed the warp points in obscure places. Sidon was just too cute when he worried over little things to let him in on that yet. That, and he could consider this payback for withholding information from Link now.
"Oh, foreign visitors! Welcome to the Stable Inn and Restaurant!"
They both turned to look at the Minish who addressed them. They were wearing a white cloth tunic and a checkered apron, and carrying an empty tray with them. They seemed quite blasé at seeing them, contrary to the last Minish they saw.
"Good evening", Sidon replied with a polite smile, "You seem to be a waiter, correct? We're quite starved, could you show us to a table, please?"
"With pleasure!"
The three of them walked further in, and Link looked around. The circular ceiling beam slash chandelier was completely covered with Minish sized tables, chairs, barrels, rugs, decorations and cooking materials and equipment as far as Link could see. There were cooks using the Hylian lanterns as ovens and open fires to cook in, and waiters buzzing around to bring food or collect dishes, and of course there were customers sitting at the tables, enjoying their meals. It looked a lot homier than the big people inn, possibly because there was relatively more room to work with so the Minish had gone all out with the furniture. It was also very warm thanks to the huge lanterns.
"Here you go, a table for two. Would you like something to drink?" the waiter asked, and pulled two menus out of their large apron pocket.
'Do you sign?' Link asked, hoping that someone working as a waiter would know their languages. When they looked at him quizzically, he sighed and turned to Sidon. 'I'll take a beer or a mead, if they have either. Milk if not.'
Sidon gave him a look that tried hard to not seem like pity, but failed. At least he tried.
"Let me check the options", he said to the waiter and opened the menu.
He stared.
Then he coughed uncomfortably.
Link frowned in confusion.
"Right then. My friend takes a beer and I'll have water", Sidon said, and put the menu down without checking the actual meal options. "Do you have any fish?"
The waiter wrote their drinks down, then nodded at the question. "Yes, we have Hyrule bass and staminoka bass. Oh! We even have stealthfin trout today, I recommend that one since it's rare."
Link had been about to open his menu to see what about it had made Sidon behave oddly, but he abandoned the mission and looked up at the good news just in time to see the ecstatic smile bloom on his friend's face. He couldn't help his own smile when Sidon turned towards him in excitement.
"They have fish! They have trout even!" Sidon enthused, then turned back to the mildly bemused looking waiter. "I'll take the trout! Actually, can I have some of each? Can I have it raw? Can I buy some to take with us?"
Link chuckled quietly at the waiter's baffled look.
"Oh, um, sure?" they said, then collected themselves. "Yes, we can make an arrangement from all the available fish, and… leave it raw. As for buying something to go, you will have to consult the vendors. They sell raw ingredients."
"Splendid, thank you", Sidon said, then turned to Link. "What would you like to have? Something meaty, I presume?"
Link still hadn't gotten around to actually looking at the options, so he decided to wing it. 'Yes, and make it whatever is the cook's specialty or today's recommendation or whatever. And I'll have a surprise dessert, too.'
Sidon nodded, and then relayed the order to the waiter, who left to get it done.
Sidon smiled happily at Link. "Climbing up here was definitely worth the trouble. How much do you reckon we can carry with us? I know it won't last the whole two weeks, but I can-"
Link waved at him to get his attention. He felt a bit guilty for doing this, but it would be cruel to let Sidon make plans that just… weren't going to happen. Now that he knew that this place had fish available, likely on a regular basis, he had to make the call.
'Sidon. I'm going to continue alone from here on. You should stay here where you're safe and properly fed.'