A Wild Cry
Plot plot plot
Summary: Link doesn't always need a reason to cry. He just does, and that's okay.
Link quickly ascended the cliff, leather boots slipping from the odd postage stamp sized notch. Of course, it was raining which made his ascension ten times harder, finally he scrambled up the last bit, strangling tufts of grass as he hauled his muscled frame up. Link splayed out on the damp grass, the blossom and apple tress above him provided minimal shelter from the downpour.
He normally wasn't this exhausted after climbing this small of a cliff. He sat up wiping his damp blonde hair from his eyes. He blinked back fat droplets as he scammed all of Kakariko Village before him, brown Japanese style shingles roofs, the even slopes fro, the village gate that swept down into the valley.
The wind tousled his hair, blowing the clouds away and with it, the storm. He breathed in the fresh summer air, the scent of wet earth and life. Link tromped down the hill towards the shrine, from the precipice he could see almost all of Hyrule stretched below him.
Hyrule... Once the greatest of the kingdoms, now reduced to a wasteland. Once lush hills had been blasted into fields where the wild princess flower barely regrew. Feeling depressed he sat down on the now dry grass. He leant back on his elbows, the view ruined now by his own depression thought process. His arms began to ache so he curled himself up so his chin rested on his knees which were drawn up to his chest. He closed his eyes, the clouds threw shadows across his face.
Flashes of darkness.
Screaming, a feral deep roar.
Violet beams ripping, destroying, incinerating anything and everything in its path as it gouged new canyons.
Link's eyes snapped open, the air no longer warm and soft but cold and harsh. He started to cry as the scenes of the Calamity played like a broken record. He cried for his lost family, he cried for the champions: Daruk, Rivaille, Urbosa... And Mipha.
He cried mostly for her, no, sobbed. He bawled until the sun was gone and the stars were spinning overhead.
"LINK!" Someone in the village behind him shrieks. Believing Zelda is in danger Link jumps up and races to edge over looking the chicken pen. He jumps, parasail unfolding above him. He glides down, nearly kicking one of the guards, Simon, in the face. Like has his sword drawn when he bursts into Impa's house, his eyes are wild and he's ready for battle.
"What is it?" He rotates scanning for the threat. "Where's princess Zelda?"
Over on her pillow, Impa chuckles. "Always ready, young knight?"
"I— oh I see." Zelda was in fact, completely fine. There were no bokoblins of lynels around. Link eased up, he sheathed his sword and apologized to Impa for his entrance.
She waved him off, saying that Zelda and Paya are upstairs in their room.
"Heehee!" Zelda rare laughter meets Link's ears. "His handsome face, often far to serious... Goddesses Paya you really do love him."
"Please Princess, what if he hears?"
"Paya loves Link! Paya loves Link! Pa— hey!" The sounds of a struggle are heard amid the laughter. Link decides now is a good time to make his presence known. He makes plenty of noise as he ascends the last few steps. He knocks on the divider, hoping that they'll tell him to go away or something.
"Come in!" Paya calls. Link parts the slender wooden frames and steps into the lamplight.
"I heard my name being called?" He tries not to fidget under Zelda's intense stare. Today her hair is in a simple braid that is piled on top of her head in a bun. Her blue bret clipped a over her ear to hold a loose strand up. Paya's white hair is mostly down, save for the small partition at the top which was made into a dumpling shaped bun. The red marks of the sheika tribe are painted on her delicate face. Paya herself is quite red, Link notices a notebook is open on the floor between them. Paya snatches it up, but not before Link reads his brave blue eyes.
Ack, the silence is getting awkward. Zelda is definitely glaring at him now, but Paya is studying his face with concern.
"Master Link are you well?" Link and Zelda are startled by the forwardness of her inquiry, she hadn't stuttered or covered her face once. He realized he'd been stalling so he throws out a hasty reply.
"Yes, thanks for asking Paya." Here he turns his impassive burning azure gaze on Zelda
Her stare intensifies until he is clearing his throat. "Uh, if everything is fine here, I'll just... leave... now. Excuse me." He calmly slides the doors shut, but on the inside the bokoblins are dancing in his stomach. He waits until he is outside and back on the hillside before his façade breaks. He slumped to the ground, head in his hands.
He wept miserably.
He was so absorbed he didn't even realize someone was next to him. The blue spirit of the Zora Princess materialized next to Link.
He looked up. There they were: Urbosa regal and beautiful as ever, next to her was Revaille. Time hadn't taken away his arrogant smirk although his eyes softened, Daruk grinning wide and happily. Link just stared as they all watched him.
"D-Daruk?" He slowly gripped the grass in his fingers tearing it from its roots. Urbosa floated down to land on the grass I front of him.
Link stumbled to his feet, eyes wide and unblinking.
Urbosa held out her arms. "My dear hero." Link fell into her embrace, sobbing. Rivaille flew down and wrapped his warm wings around them all. Mipha was next, then Daruk wrapping them all up in his massive arms. All of the champions embraced their little kid-brother. In the next breeze Urbosa was the first to go, she faded right before his eyes and suddenly Link was hugging himself.
"Take care of the princess for us..." Her warm whisper tugged his heart out of his chest and away with her. Daruk was next, he gave slapped Link's back making the hero stumble with a boisterous laugh he rolled away over the cliff where he vanished in a blue wisp. Revaille did his infamous gale, winking at Link and instead of scowling he actually smiled.
"I never hated you, Link."
Mipha was last. She cupped Link's face in her tiny hands. She stepped closer until their foreheads met.
"Say hi to the princess for me. And tell Sidon not to worry bout me, m'kay?"
"D-d-don't go!" Link gripped her regalia, her silver crown studded with luminous stone and emerald.
"I must my love. Be safe, we are watching over you." She kissed him, and he kissed back, desperate to savor her touch before that too was taken away. She did an exotic leap, wild and free. She swam through the air as if ascending a waterfall before disappearing in a spirit-blue splash.
Link screamed, his tears fat and intensifying as the night went on.
Someone was shaking his shoulder.
"LINK?!" Zelda screamed, she sobbed as she shook her husbands shoulders. Her once blonde hair was nearly brown, her face older looking but just as beautiful as ever. Her eyes radiant with concern. Link bolted upright in bed, shaking and crying. He fumbled for Zelda, and she was there instantly. Holding him close as he lost control.
"Wh-wh-wh-why?" He wailed. The royal knight struggled to regain his composure,
"I apologize my queen, for waking you." He was steadily sliding his emotionless mask over his face.
"Don't do this my love." She sat on his bedside. "Don't shut me out."
"I'm trying."
"And that's all I can ask of you."