Link looked at Linkle out of the corner of his eye as they trekked through the small canyon nearing Kakariko Village. She was certainly capable but odd at the same time. Currently she seemed lost in thought, her face pointed towards the ground.
"Alright, what's eating at you?"
She jumped and met his eyes, "it uh, about Hetsu actually. I was just thinking. He said he's a Korok right? Well I was wondering if they have any connection to the Kokiri."
"Kokiri? What are they?"
"They are forest dwelling elves that are basically immortal children."
He shivered at the thought. The canyon swerved to the right as a tattered banner came into sight. Linkle swallowed as she identified the symbol on it, "that's the Shiekah emblem. I think that means we're here...but I don't remember the trip being this different. I guess a lot of time really has passed."
"You told me two hours ago the Dueling Peaks didn't exist during your time and you're surprised Kakariko is changed?" Link raised an eyebrow.
She snorted, "maybe we can find you some new clothes while we're inn the village. Those old rags are not doing you justice."
He rolled his eyes as the entered the small village and Linkle took in a quick breath. Her eyes said enough of the village's breathtaking rustic beauty. The waterfalls, the trees, it was clear she was enraptured by it. She looked looked at him before looking back at the village, "it's so different. It's breathtaking."
He nodded as he continued on the dirt path before him. For someone who swore they weren't a soldier or knight, Linkle proved herself quite capable, especially with a bow. She couldn't swing a sword very well but any ranged attack she made, arrow or Longshot, he felt glad he wasn't on the receiving end. Link blew out a breath as she was still taking in the familiar feeling surroundings as she began muttering to herself. Something about a Well and Graveyard. As the two came to a large structure on stilts above a pond, it's entrance flanked by two guards, she tapped him on the shoulder, "hey, so uh, you do what you need to do and I will meet you back here later, okay?"
"Where are you going?"
She started trotting back up the hill and pointed near the shrine overlooking the village, "this area is totally different, I want to see what has stayed the same since my time."
He frowned as she took off. He was hoping this elder would be able to shine some much needed light on both of their situations yet she seemed keen on trying to find some familiarity to figure out how long ago her era was exactly. He turned to the hut and stepped forward.
Link was shaken by the news Impa had imparted upon him. He had failed Hyrule once and couldn't remember anything of value that reminded him of how. The Champion had thought about bringing up Linkle but a small part of him feared her reaction. Telling someone you had come across a supposed time traveler wasn't the best image. He waited a few more moments as dusk fell to see Linkle in her dark blue "Zora Tunic" wander down the path from the cliffside, the long cape dragging in the dirt, her face distant.
He stood up and cupped his hands to his mouth, "hey! Over here!"
Her head poked up as she caught his voice, giving a quick nod and making her way over to him, "you all good?"
The Champion held in a breath for a moment, "there is a lot to process but we have to go to Hateno village now. Apparently the Sheikah Slate isn't complete or something."
The much older of the two looked at the Champion, "seriously? After all the things it can do, you mean to tell me there is more!?" she crossed her arms, the worry in her face replaced with annoyance.
He chuckled, "apparently. Anyways, how did your exploration go?"
The worry returned, "well, apparently I am roughly forty-five thousand years in the future. Give or take a couple thousand years."
"What does that have to do with…"
"I met a Great Fairy just past the shrine up there. We had an interesting conversation to say the least. Now I at least have my own goal here too. Aside from helping you out of course."
The two were silent before Link exhaled, "hopefully we have enough rupees to get a night or two's sleep before going to Hateno. I don't know about you but I am beat. Not to mention any tailoring could be a bit."
She nodded sheepishly, "yeah. Do you think there is any way I could have a talk with your era's Impa?"
"You had an Impa too?"
Linkle shrugged, "yeah, Sage of Shadow and Princess Zelda's right hand guardian. She was very intimidating...and tall."
Link blinked, "you really need to tell me more about this Era you come from."
Linkle rushed forwards with alarm and shoved the Hero down as the Decayed Guardian beam shot through the space he had been occupying only seconds earlier. He had been lucky she had noticed it. He was sure even in this state that he would not survive a hit from it. The Heroine quickly pushed up as it began targeting again, Link now aware of the sound of it locking on as Linkle quickly pulled out the Mirror Shield and Lizal Boomerang she had been carrying. It fired and he feared the worst immediately before being stunned as it bounced off of her shield, its angle blowing another fully decayed one to smithereens, the force only pushing her back a slight inch. She rushed forward as it locked on again and started trying to cut at it only to raise her shield once more. This time, her angle was true as it ricocheted right back into its eye. It's mass emitting a blue light before exploding. She seemed surprised herself as she looked down at her shield, "huh. I thought it would draw three of them in before shooting it back, like with Twinrova," she casually looked over her shoulder, the boomerang falling apart in her hand, "sorry about shoving you, you okay?"
He nodded slowly, "yeah. Thanks for that by the way. I'm not sure if I would have been able to take that and live."
She sheather her weapons and pulled him to his feet, "no problem. I'm just glad the shield stands up to those beams of light. It has to be energy based. The Hero of my era and I fought a merged Gerudo witch named Twinrova that was Ganondorf's mother in a sense and he used the Shield to reflect her attacks."
He dusted himself off, "if you ever find a way to travel between eras, you'll have to take me along. I wanna see this Hyrule you rarely speak of."
"I have to find the Ocarina of Time first and the Master Sword, which I should say, is your job. But I'm a little more worried that no one in your era seems to know where the Triforce is."
"The Triforce?"
Linkle sighed, it was a long story for a long walk.
To Be Continued...