Author's Note: for older readers, this is part 1 of "Meeting an Old Friend"

Meeting an Old Friend

"We all wish you a safe journey and passage and will hope for your success and return. With that said," The Head of Command lifted Link from his bow, "We have no reason to think you won't do this kingdom proud, young man."

Link silently nodded his thanks as he shook the other knight's hands. The guards in the gatehouse offered to take their horses back so they could continue to the castle. Unexpectedly, they ran into Mipha at the first entrance they took.

Her hand came up to her chest as she was startled, "Link! Oh my goodness, you gave me quite the scare!" Her kind eyes fell to the younger of the two, "Ah, it's nice to see you as well, young one!" She gestured for them to follow, "Come, the Princess is waiting for us." The Zora Princess led them through the corridors.

'Hm, I recognize this path. This is close to Zelda's room.' Just as he thought, she led them straight to it, the three of them finding the rest of the Champions and the Princess. Impa was there as well, however she silently kept watch from farther away.

Zelda wore a serious expression that softened upon their arrival, though, her eyes portrayed a twinge of apprehension, "I'm glad to see that you were both able to make it back," Her eyes briefly flicked to Young Link, "Notably unharmed." She paced toward the two of them, "As you heard from the Head of Command, we are to set off tomorrow morning and see if you are to wield the Master Sword."

'Dear Goddesses, I'm starting to believe that her connection with Hylia is the entire reason why my damn hand keeps itching every time she mentions anything close to my name or the prophecy.' He moved his hands behind him.

"Wait wait wait," Revali put a hand on his hip as he pointed to the young hero, "You mean to tell me that the hatchling is coming with? With all due respect, what does this have to do with him, Your Highness?" This especially caught the attention of Urbosa as well. She'd been eyeing him as they came in.

Her tone edged on being curt, "I think it should be known that he's more than capable of defending himself and others. I also don't see the harm in letting him see another part of the land."

Revali looked as though he wanted to argue her point, but a glare from the Gerudo Chief made him cross his arms instead.

"So this is the littler little guy?" The hefty Goron asked. His voice was hearty…and loud.

Young Link had to physically lift his head in order to look up at him. He was nearly double his size, "Ah, so you're Daruk!" He greeted, blinking as he craned his head more and more as he came closer. Before he could step away, the Goron had easily picked him up in one of his giant hands. "It's no wonder you're so strong!"

"That's right! To me you weigh about the same as a butterfly or lizard, kiddo!" The champion wore a chain that crossed in an X over his chest with the symbol of the Goron Ruby sitting at its center. He was a familiar beige in color and had a full beard of white, coarse hair. It also stuck out of his head like a mane and made for a fierce-some set of burly eyebrows.

The young hero couldn't keep his hand from touching the symbol, "Is the Goron Ruby still around?" 'Did I actually just ask that!?'

Daruk paused as his mental gears turned, "Erm, well while I'm familiar with rubies and Gorons, I'm not sure I know about the two of them somehow being combined together."

He bashfully scratched the back of his head. The additional questioning stares weren't helping! "Ah, that's my bad. Seems I've read too much." As he was sat back down on the floor, he thought of talking to Mipha but was instead approached by Zelda. The other champions started to chat among themselves as she stooped down and squeezed his hand, luckily his right hand.

"How are you doing, little one?" She quietly asked, "I heard that you've been locked up in your room the past two days. Is everything okay?"

"Ohhh," Young Link whispered in her ear, "Don't worry, Princess, I was asleep the whole time. I just got up this morning." He agreed with her wide eyes, "I was surprised too! The poor maids were trying to come in to change the sheets!"

"I—Well it was probably that potion, no doubt. Though that does make more sense than what I previously believed. You sounded fine when we last spoke, so it didn't make much sense for you to then spend the next couple of days sulking."

He turned his head to yawn, his fatigue from fighting and then riding all day had snuck up on him, "Speaking of which, I'm gonna go do that, but preferably for just tonight." The young hero curtsied to the Princess after letting go of her hand, being sure to playfully pinch Link's pinky as he passed by to leave.

When he returned to his room and quietly closed the door, he immediately jumped up and down in celebration of the great news. His voice was a loud whisper, "Yeeeesssss! Finally! It's about time Link goes and pulls the sword! I've been waiting for what feels like forever!" He felt exhilarated just thinking about it. "He's been the best knight here and it's just now crossed their minds!? Haha! It's so obvious!"

Step.

He immediately paused at the sound outside his door. A few moments later, he resumed at a quieter level after the footsteps continued down the hall. Seeing as it was a special occasion, he performed a vault into his mattress, giggling to himself over the possibilities that tomorrow could bring.

Once his excitement settled down, he lifted his left hand and pulled off the fingerless glove, revealing that the fated mark on the back of his hand was dimly glowing. He brought it closer to his face, lowly speaking to it, "Seems this is our last night together before you go help our knight save the world." The lower left triangle resembling courage started to grow brighter, "Aha, so you do actually listen! Well, anyways, this is the part where I'm grateful for all of the times you've saved my ass, even though it feels like you've caused a lot more trouble. I'm also glad you calmed down with all the burning and pricking. That sucked. But I'm willing to compromise and believe it was the situation's fault."

The Hero of Time rested his head on the pillow, "Goodnight."

Sooner than expected, it was morning. Only this time, he popped right out of bed and threw his green tunic on, not bothering with the fingerless gloves. He gazed down at the Fierce Deity's mask on his hip, and while it never changed expressions, even it appeared to mirror his exceptionally good mood. Now equipped with everything he could need, he was happy to see the other champions getting up and around as well. "Good morning, Urbosa," He greeted with a smile.

She put a hand on her hip and returned the smile, "Someone's certainly excited for the occasion."

"How could I not be? I get to ride with you guys and go see the sword from the prophecy!" Young Link understood very well that the Gerudo champion was as witty as she was intimidating. 'I still hate acting like a kid, but there's no use in saying something odd and raising suspicions. They'll all see sooner or later.' After quickly eating breakfast, his mood was admittedly rained down on by the seriousness the others exuded once he met them atop of Grace at the east gates. With a look and a headcount from Zelda, they were off.

They took the path through Hyrule Forest Park, continuing over the bridge and passing by a local blacksmith. The air between them felt oddly tense. With Revali flying overhead and Daruk rolling nearby, there was no way that neither of them couldn't spot any incoming enemies. Soon they heard the yelling of men trying to best the obstacle course that was set up in the thick oozing mud.

"Cool." He muttered under his breath, 'Makes me wonder how fast Link cleared that thing. He must have had to at one point.' He leaned one way to get a better look, subtly reacting to the all the different platforms they either had to cross or climb over. 'That's one monster of a course, though. I can only imagine what it's like in the rain!'

As he looked ahead, he realized that his thoughts felt loud, but with Link not uttering a word, and the other champions remaining deathly quiet, it wasn't surprising. Several minutes later, they had come under the cover of trees. He was getting ready to ask if they were close to the forest, but Revali's swift entrance captured his and the others' attention instead.

"Shouldn't be too far from here," He reported, sounding ever so slightly winded, "It should be up ahead."

Zelda nodded along with Impa, "Thank you, Revali."

He remained with the rest of them as they trotted to the entrance where a single torch was lit. Beyond that, the trees were fearsome, and the fog was incredibly dense. They all dismounted from their horses and walked toward the light.

"Lost Woods…" Mipha muttered, gazing ahead. She looked to the group, "So where do we go from here?"

The Princess had brought a hand to her chin, even Impa looked disappointingly unsure. Urbosa cocked her head, "Were you able to see anything Revali?"

He put a hand on his hip, "I'd be leading the way if I did. The trees and fog are so dense it was impossible to see through them when I was flying overhead."

Daruk shrugged behind him, "I've never been, so I wouldn't know."

Young Link had finished making sure he had his belongings and now stepped into the forest. He blinked, "You guys don't see the path?" He'd seen the heavy mist from over the others' shoulders, but as soon as his foot hit the cool grass, it felt as if the way appeared in front of him.

They all turned to look at him.

"What do you mean, young one?" Zelda asked.

'Ohhhh, I get it,' He quickly realized what their circumstance was. "Actually, what does it look like to you?"

Urbosa spoke, her weight shifting to one side, "The fog is about as thick as a sandstorm in the desert. I can hardly see past these first trees."

His eyes widened at the comparison as he remembered the awful sandstorm he had to get through in order to reach the Spirit Temple, "Wow, I know exactly what you mean." He gestured in the direction they needed to go, "For me, it just looks a bit misty, it's not too bad at all."

The Champion of the Rito crossed his arms, "What the—? How? Are you trying to tell us that there's some kind of trick to the forest?"

Young Link outright ignored him as his ears perked at the faint sound of the melody that was in Saria's Song, "Ah, music. Follow me." He jogged ahead, following both his gut and his hearing. The first pair of footsteps that followed belonged to his descendant. It made him smile, 'Ha, of course! I'd recognize the metal armor from anywhere. Plus, I haven't given him too many reasons to doubt me yet!'

Soon he heard the rest of them pick up the pace as he began to round a horrifying looking tree. 'Eep!' He made a face as he passed more of them, 'Dear Goddesses, these things are even spookier in person!' His jog admittedly sped into a run, one of which that he knew was hard for most to keep up with, but with his heart starting to beat through his chest as he made another turn, he decided he couldn't help it. The knight's once nearby heavy breathing had faded out of earshot once he found the clearing in the trees.

'I-I'm so close! I can feel it!'

The Hero of Time pushed through the brush, the once misty and troublesome looking flora becoming much brighter, welcoming, and lush. Before taking in anything else, his eyes immediately began to water at the sight of the legendary protector of the forest. Sniffing, he ran to a thick branch that was low to the ground and hugged it, his old tongue slipping out, "Y-you've grown so much! The last time I saw you, you were a small shrub wishing for the Kokiri to come back!" He didn't stop the tears from rolling down his cheeks as the wooden limb he held onto rose into the air and brought him closer to the face of his friend.

"Ah yes," the Deku Tree responded in his deep and wise tone, "I remember you, hero, even after all these years. The old tongue is pleasant to hear again." His chuckle, shook the canopy above them, "I can tell that you've grown as well."

He lifted himself onto the branch and sat, smiling as he wiped his tears with the back of his hand, "Perhaps, but I appreciate the compliment."

"Mmm...it is unfortunate that we meet at a time such as this." Another branch descended from far above, one of the many large leaves pensively touching his left hand.

The Triforce of Courage was emitting a pale glow. "This might come as a surprise, but I've been waiting for the day that I can watch the new hero put this mark to good use."

The Deku Tree warmly smiled as the wooden limb now elevated until it was out of view. "You're as certain as the last time I met you. May your soul ever be courageous, Hero of Time."

The rest of the group started to come through the trees as their conversation ended. Impa's irritated voice echoed around the clearing as she emerged, "Kid! You can't just take off like that!" She puffed, starting to comb the leaves out of her long hair with her fingers.

Revali was annoyed as well, "Just what were you thinking? Trying to leave us behind like that!" He was covered in twigs and brambles.

Even Link, who'd made it through first, seemed weary. The others were more or less fine. However, Daruk was coated in a layer of dust, not that he seemed to mind.

The tree lowered the hero as he turned over his shoulder, "Sorry about that!" He hopped off the branch and started to walk toward them, "I was j—" his eyes instantly flicked to the Master Sword, causing him to immediately stop in his tracks. He'd been so captivated by his old friend that he'd completely missed it.

Young Link was mystified at seeing his sword. He softly gasped as the memory of him running through the door and up to the pedestal permeated his mind. He felt it all: the anguish of difficult puzzles in temples, the various amounts of pain inflicted upon him from battles, even sadness from seeing the future as his Ganon saw fit. On the contrary, the sword equally reflected the memories he shared with the people he helped, the hope that conjured each time he awoke another sage, not to mention the fun he and Navi had together along the way.

In fact, he could almost clearly see the way her sparkles mirrored off the blade the day he returned the sword to its pedestal for the last time. His face grew warm and enough tears to turn a cry into a sob wanted to burst through his tear ducts. He gulped, trying to keep his expression neutral as he mentally tried to convince himself to not let that happen, 'Ahhh! Now is not the time! Especially in front of all of them!' Instead of continuing to join the others or explain himself, he took a few steps back and stayed by his ancient friend.

The leaves of the great tree rustled in the gentle breeze, "You'll have to excuse us, my old friend and I were simply catching up." He peered down at him, "Isn't that right?"

He nodded, having regained control over his emotions. A short smile appeared that was followed by a relieved sigh, "It's been ages, I'm so happy to see that you're well."

They were shocked beyond words.

"Now then," the tree continued, addressing the rest of them, "I believe we have two important things to accomplish, do we not?"

"P-Precisely," Zelda brought the focus back to the matter at hand, "We are gathered here to see if Link should be the one to pull the sword."

Daruk scratched the back of his head, shifting his weight to one side, "Uhm, pardon me, but...what's the second thing?"

The Deku Tree smiled once again, "Lo, Hero of Time, take your place behind the pedestal where the sword of legend rests."

The forest became still as he did as he was told. From a glimpse he saw that even Link wore a surprised expression. He tried to keep a stoic face to make it seem that it all was planned out.

"Now Link, stand before your predecessor and let him pass on the holy right you've earned."

Link slowly walked up to the sword. His demeanor was cool and calm, but his eyes showed the nervousness that laid within. Once at the pedestal of the sword, his gaze lowered to him, "It...it all makes sense now.." he whispered.

Young Link briefly smirked before instructing him, "Place your hands on the hilt of the sword." After doing as he said, he placed both of his hands over Link's, the left being on top with the triforce now brightly shining. A few moments of silence passed as he closed his eyes and directed his thoughts at the sword, 'I hope he's able to wield you as valiantly as I once did. Don't let him down, okay?'

It might have been a figment of his imagination, but for a split second the sword seemed to answer back. It's voice…sounded a little familiar…

~As...al..ways...m...master..~

As it ebbed away, his eyes flit to the Deku Tree, who, as if it were cued, started deeply humming the Song of Time.

His hand shined brighter with each passing note, so much to the point that it was nearly blinding to look at. A gust of wind flew between the two of them and, without warning, it vanished, leaving traces of sparkles as the Deku Tree finished the song. Young Link removed his hands and stepped back, nodding as a signal for him to pull the sword and then kneeling before the blade.

A minute or so passed before he instinctively looked up at the sound of metal scraping from the pedestal and watched as the triforce now donned itself on the new hero, shining brightly before flashing away. Link innately raised the sword skyward, following it with trying a few swings before sheathing it in the scabbard a few of the forest spirits had carried over.

Young Link stood afterward, briefly looking down at his hands, 'Hm, I...don't feel any different now that the triforce is his..' He smiled to himself, 'Heh, I knew it didn't affect my sword skills!'

The great tree chuckled as he spoke, "Congratulations, hero, the blade has chosen you to be its rightful master. May your courage never fail and continue to usher you forward." A branch lowered and touched the younger hero's shoulder, causing him to turn around, "And you, dear friend."

"Yes?"

"You've become a fine swordsman. Your accomplishments have only grown since we last spoke." The Deku Tree kindly smiled, "I hope that your journey may come across kinder times and that you find your friend."

Hearing this made his cheeks warm, "That means a lot, thank you."

"Lastly, good luck to you all, champions. Let this land know no peril!" The tree's composure appeared to slump ever so slightly, "With that, I shall go back to resting. You are more than welcome in this forest. You may leave when you see fit."

The scenery started to come back to life after he finished, the Kokiri floating down on their propelling leaves and poking out from the tall grass and branches. Young Link beamed in pride as he joined his descendant at the pedestal. He could see the silent vigor in his eyes as he whispered, "How do you feel?" 'It's always interesting to gauge how they feel after pulling the sword.'

His response was quiet, "I-I don't know," his gaze fell to the young hero's left hand, "I can hardly believe it just happened…"

He playfully nudged him, "Well, spoiler alert! I might have had a feeling or something! I'm glad it will be of use to you like it was me."

"So you truly are the Hero of Time," Zelda spoke. Her expression, like the other champions along with Impa, was astonished beyond belief.

"That's right," he nodded, "I'm actually surprised that you of all people didn't catch on to the triforce on my hand. I didn't exactly try to hide it when I first got here." She seemed at a loss for words.

"Well wait, aren't all those heroes, or whatever, not some child?" The Rito champion countered, "Forgive me, old tree, but I refuse to believe that this chick, who's fresh out of the shell, has saved the world. He just left us to rot in a forest!"

'Did it just fly over his head that I said I had the triforce? Did he close his eyes as Link pulled the sword?!' The idea that his status was debatable automatically got on his nerves. Much to his surprise, Link spoke before he could.

"That much should be obvious," His tone was serious, but his manner was calm, "I can't even count how many times he's done something out of the ordinary."

Urbosa nodded with a smile, "I can attest to that. Just you wait, our feathered friend, you haven't seen the way he fights. It's clear that the spirit of the hero resides in him as well."

"Hmph!" Revali promptly looked the other away, "At least I can suppose that the two of you looking awfully similar finally makes sense," He crossed his arms. "I always knew the resemblance meant something."

The Gerudo champion had a hand on her hip, "I'm just glad to know that we have a powerful ally on our side.

Daruk heartily agreed, "Exactly! This littler little guy must pack a mean punch if he can pull the sword!"

"This means you've defeated Ganon before." The Zora Princess's realization quickly led to silence. Their eyes refocusing on the young hero.

He could feel his cheeks starting to flush, "Yeah...that's right." A frown formed at the memory it recalled, "I still remember his blood hitting the ruins of his destroyed castle."

"Does this mean you might have an idea for what this Ganon will do?" Impa asked, the others intently listening.

Young Link felt his descendant's gaze on him, "Well the King of Evil I knew had both a human form and a pig-demon-thing form. Like an orc, but a pig. In his human form he was powerful enough to fly around and cast spells that could tear a piece of your soul out. As a beast, he was a massive brute that dual-wielded giant swords." He gestured to the Master Sword on Link's back, "He was strong enough to knock the sword out of my hand, so I used another one I had with me until the fire went down and I could get it back. Long story short, he underestimated me and Zelda, and I kicked his ass for it." He put a hand on his hip, "But Calamity Ganon? Hmm...I get the feeling that maybe this time he's just going for the pig-thing. I don't know that for sure though, and I don't know a lot about this place to begin with, so take it with a grain of salt," He shrugged. Within the corner of his peripheral, he sensed some form of awe coming from Link.

Revali raised an eyebrow, "So, yet again, you're telling us that you, a child, defeated Ganon? I would believe you, but that sword is far too big for you to wield."

The Hero of Time sighed, controlling the urge to roll his eyes, "That's true, but that's also where things get complicated. Either way, the short answer is yes: I was actually the same age as Link and older looking when I defeated Ganon." He looked directly at him, "You harp on my physical age, but you're failing to realize that I shouldn't exactly look like a kid, believe it or not." Now he crossed his arms, shaking his head, "Unfortunately, that's an even longer story."

The others appeared to understand, but he could tell that there was some hesitation to his comment about his appearance. 'Ugh, I guess there's no helping it. They'll eventually see what I mean.' He turned to Link, patting his arm, "I've got no doubt for you of course, including Zelda." Her eyes lit up. "When her power awakens, you'll both be quite the force to reckon with."

The Princess wore a small smile, whereas Link looked to have something on his mind. It was clear in Mipha's gaze that she noticed this, "Well is there anything left to do while we're here?"

The Hylians looked between each other, both Impa and the Princess shaking their head. Meanwhile, Young Link took a moment to look at these…well this version of the Kokiri. Surprisingly, some of them actually came up above his shoulder, but the majority of them were no taller than his midriff. They were made of wood that came in different, lighter colors that ranged from brown, to red, to blue, and even green. The leaves that oftentimes covered most of their bodies had different shapes in them that gave the impression of a face. Others had a short branch that stuck out that could look like a nose. Unlike their bodies, the leaves seemed to stay within summer and fall colors.

His eyebrow raised, "Are you guys the Kokiri children?" 'They certainly looked like actual children last time, but that was forever ago in this world.' He noticed a clear lack of fairies as well.

Their voices were high-pitched and sweet sounding, "Silly! We're Koroks!"

"But that was a pretty close guess!"

"Mhm!"

He bashfully scratched his head before crossing his legs and sitting, "Ah, my bad. Say, have you heard of someone named Saria?" The song he'd heard on his way through Lost Woods had long disappeared after he entered the fog, but it never hurt to ask.

"Hmm, Saria?"

"I guess there's a lake named Saria…"

"Are they another person that can see us?"

The young hero smiled at their cluelessness, it was adorable even if it wasn't what he wanted to hear, "Well I'm sure she would. She was an old friend of mine that I grew up with back when I lived in a forest. In fact," He took his ocarina from his waist, "She taught me a song that I also wondered if you had heard before."

His curiosity in them had already garnered the attention of the others but taking out his instrument really had them paying attention. The tallest of those that gathered around him waved their stick, "Oh a song! I'll get Hestu! He'd love to hear a song!"

Not long after he went around the corner, a much larger Korok came into view who held two red maracas. He was shocked, "Shakala!? Did I miss something important again?"

The other Koroks giggled, "Hestu you missed the Hero pulling the sword!"

"It was sooo cool!"

"This guy's a hero too!"

He sank in defeat at the news, "Aaawww! I thought Grandpa was just telling you guys to stop playing with the sword again!" Without missing a beat, he perked up and peered down at Young Link, "Whoa wait! You said he's a hero too? But he's so tiny and cute!"

'Did I just feel Link try not to roll his eyes!?' He quickly shot him a look from over his shoulders, catching his eyes in the act of looking away.

By this point, the others had taken a seat somewhere in the clearing. Link, of course, stayed by Zelda and Impa, Urbosa and Mipha shared a log, Revali stood unimpressed and annoyed by a tree, and Daruk comfortably sat in a small puddle.

He turned back to the large and somewhat rotund Korok. He was quick to admire the two branches that sprouted off the top of his head that had small canopies to fit them. "Actually yeah I am."

"Hestu, he's gonna play a song for us!"

"A song?" He did a short hop and heftily landed beside them, "I'm a musician too! I'd love to hear it!"

He played the entirety of Saria's Song, from the melody to the climbing notes at the end. After the first phrase had passed, the Koroks had paired up and started dancing. Hestu even freestyled with his maracas toward the end. Young Link was absolutely beaming at the joy he shared through the song. He grinned as he took the sacred instrument from his mouth, "So did you recognize the song?" 'He must have if he joined in as well, right?'

Hestu gleefully shook his head, "Nope!"

'HUH!? ' He felt his soul leave his body. His smiling expression froze, " Oh. Uh, well I appreciate you joining in then! I'm glad you guys liked it." Still curious, he attempted to consult the Great Deku Tree, "Sorry for disturbing your rest, but what happened to the Kokiri?"

The protector softly breathed back into a more conscious state, "That is a story best left for when you and I may see each other again, dear friend. But fret not, they are the same spirits, only they take a different form."

Young Link bowed his head, "Thanks for letting me know."

"Oooh! Pretty loopy language!" Hestu chimed.

Impa's face lit up in realization from the comment, "That's right! No wonder you can speak the old language!"

His shoulders half slumped, "I know. I'm probably older than dirt." 'Which is why it's ridiculous that I still look ten years old!' Looking around at the surrounding forest, his heart wanted to explore and climb through the trees. Though, they weren't here for him, they were here to get the sword. From what he could tell, Zelda looked like she wanted to head back, Revali was bored out of his mind, and Daruk had fell asleep.

Mipha looked to the sky, "Um, pardon my interruption, but it's midday. I'm not sure we intend to stay here for much longer, so we ought to get going when we're ready."

"You're right," Urbosa nodded, standing from the log, "It looks like we've accomplished what we came here to do. Come, let's head back."

They said their goodbyes to the Koroks and went back into the misty forest with Young Link leading them like before. He made sure to keep a pace that everyone could follow. Soon they were outside of Lost Woods, their horses still chewing on the grass where they had left them.

"Where to next, Princess?" Mipha asked.

"Back to the castle, at least for a few days. Now that we know who all of Hyrule's Champions are, we are going to hold a brief ceremony to celebrate your aid to the kingdom," she explained, mounting her steed. Urbosa joined her as Impa climbed back on her horse.

Young Link leaped into the saddle, Grace remaining calm and only acknowledging him when the reins were shifted. "Aw, good job!" He pet her mane.

Revali rolled his eyes, "Pfft, show off. Just because you're some legend doesn't mean you have to put on a show to do the simplest of things."

He cocked his head, "Hm, this is the first time I've done this, though. Besides, you brag about yourself constantly. I think I'm allowed to show something I've been working on."

"Tch," he took off into the skies.

Link helped Mipha onto his horse and, aside from Revali flying ahead, they galloped back to the castle. Daruk impressively was able to keep up, rolling beside them the entire way back.

When they arrived at the castle, the Champions, minus Link, took leave to their temporary quarters. Zelda and Impa went to tell the King the news, leaving the two Links together.

'I should go head to the castle blacksmith and see about those shield pieces…' Young Link thought, 'But I'll happily procrastinate to talk to Link about the sword!' He looked to the Princess's knight, "Is there anything you wanna ask me? Sure, there isn't a ton I can help you with, but don't think you need to figure absolutely everything out by yourself."

He nodded, "Follow me." Link led him to the Second Gatehouse, the two of them taking the ladder up to the second level.

Young Link could understand why he brought him here, the First Gatehouse is right next to the Guards' Chambers, and clearly, he didn't want to get hounded by them at the moment. There was no one on the second level, and only a few stood guard down below, "I'm all ears."

His descendant let out a sigh, "It's just.. a lot. There's so many things going through my head and I can't focus on a single one of them." The knight's voice was still soft despite the stress that lined it.

"I get what you mean, but like what for example?"

"I think it's mostly the shock of how most everything you've said is starting to make perfect sense." A realization hit him, "Which means you knew this was going to happen the whole time? You knew I was going to pull the sword when we met from the very beginning?"

"Well, like I said in the forest, yeah. There was no way you weren't going to be the sword's new master." He squinted his eyes when he didn't get an immediate response. He looked over at him, 'Oh no, he's getting that look that means he thinks I know everything that's going to happen.' "Wait hold on, don't get any bright ideas. I only knew at least this was going to happen. I have no idea when anything else is going to happen, let alone what will happen. I'm not from the future or something. I'm experiencing this at the same time you guys are."

That seemed to ease his mind, "So, again, you've been wanting to spar with me this whole time to…what?"

"I already said a hundred times that I wanted to see your skills! Besides, why wouldn't I? We share the same destiny, so of course I want to see if I can hold my own against you." He giggled, "Really I'm like an old man watching his grandkids grow up!"

Link shook his head with uncertainty, "Speaking of destiny, that's just it: now I'm the hero. I can't just walk around the castle, the town, or even Hyrule itself without people knowing that I'm someone important. I don't care to be treated differently because of a sword."

"You didn't mention it, but the pressure is pretty awful too. It's not easy knowing that you've got to save the world," He caught Link's eye, his face conveying a strong sense of relatability, "However, I don't think you'll have to worry about running into too many people."

"How so?"

"Huh, well surely the King will make you Zelda's personal knight. That way you'll be around a bunch of higher-ups who have already heard good things about you. You won't even have to talk to anyone if you don't want to."

Link nodded, his shoulders looking more relaxed, "You're right."

"Plus, as far as I can tell, every knight has been looking up to you for a long time already. What's so different about it being a little more than that?"

"I think you already know."

He chuckled, "Okay yeah, I do. Also," He tapped the scabbard attached to the knight's back, "a little tip for the sword is to practice big swings. Why, might you ask? Well, that sword feels light doing jabs and other short movements, but those full-length arm swings? Man , my arms never hurt so bad, but the more you do it, the faster you'll be." The young hero shrugged, "You know that sort of stuff already, but I just didn't want you to be surprised when your arms feel awful even though the sword feels pretty good to use."

That almost brought a smile to his face, "Thanks. Also, did you..er…want to hold it?" He scratched his head, "Sorry, that sounded weird, but I just figured since it was yours at one point."

Young Link couldn't keep himself from swooning, "Ah, please, it's been so long."

The champion unsheathed the sword and carefully handed it to him, "If you don't mind me asking, how did you end up using this? You said you were much older earlier."

When the sword made contact with his palm, he viscerally felt the wave of emotions that came over him as he'd taken ahold of destiny and set it into motion all those years ago. His heart fluttered, in fact, 'I feel…powerful? Is that the right word?' Sure, it was quite awkward to wield with his height, but it felt good. It was one of the few things that held a sense of familiarity to it despite him being in an entirely different world. It even appeared to shimmer at his touch.

After blinking a few times, he noticed Link patiently watching his reaction, "Oh sorry, your question." He quickly took a deep breath, 'I swear it's like she's happy to see me! I would have never guessed that a sword could make me feel this way!' "Well, I said it was complicated when Revali asked how I was able to hold the sword since I'm a kid. Thing is, I was ten years old when I pulled the sword. I looked like how I do now and etcetera." He got into the position he assumed when he ran past the door to the pedestal, "Either way, when I pulled the sword, I was sealed for seven years, and while I grew up, a sage kept watch over me. Basically, I became seventeen in order to wield the sword and save the world."

Link was perplexed as the young hero scratched the back of his head, "Y'know, looking back, I was definitely a bit awkward. I mean, from my point of view, I'm grabbing the sword, the flash of light is blinding me, Ganon is talking about how he's ruling the world, and then I wake up in an entirely new body in the Sacred Realm . Imagine being genuinely ten, and then suddenly having the body of an adult." His cheeks reddened as he subconsciously tapped his heel on the wooden floor, "It's not like I had much time to process how I felt either. Next thing I knew, Castle Town is in shambles and there are redeads everywhere. I gasped when I saw the state everything was in, but my mouth hit the floor the next time I looked in the mirror!" He slowly swung the sword, "Actually, now that I think about it, I'm happy I didn't suddenly poof into being an adult when you handed this to me. That would have been…" his eyes went to his tunic, "…well, revealing for sure. I'm also happy she lets her past users hold her, because if anyone else pulled the sword they would have died."

Link's eyes widened with concern at the blade as he retrieved it from his predecessor.

Young Link didn't notice, "If I looked how I was supposed to, I bet we'd look pretty similar." He took a step back, cocked his head, and looked the champion up and down, "Well, my ears would have still been longer and maybe my face is a bit thinner. Who knows?" He curtly laughed, "It's been a while."

His descendant blinked at the comparison, "Hm, now I kind of want to know. You sure there's not a picture of you in a book somewhere?"

"Ha. Ha. Very funny. I bet the Yiga have it framed somewhere in their hidey hole if it was in that book."

"Oh that's right. Now it makes sense why you were reading about legends."

"It's actually a bit more than that. Believe it or not, I'm not self-absorbed. If the Yiga have my story, which they do, and you connect the dots as for why they keep attacking me…" He waited for the knight to catch on.

"And so that's why you killed the one that was talking!" Link put his head in his hands. He was astonished, "This goes deeper than I was expecting. So, they've known for a while now who you really are? Then why go after someone who's defeated Ganon before? You're way out of their league," His face implied that he was talking about when the two of them were heading back to the castle from visiting his village.

"They're after this." The Hero of Time removed the Fierce Deity's mask from his waist, holding it up for him to see.

"Did you ever tell me what it does?"

He put a hand on his hip. His tone showed the contempt he had for himself, "I sure told Zelda and her tutor. Granted, I didn't know what the consequences would be at the time." Young Link sighed, "The Fierce Deity's mask turns me into a more powerful version of myself. My face and hair look, well, like the mask, I'm nearly twice the height of you, and I have a long, two-handed sword. Y'know, a deity, if you will. According to the historian, if the Yiga got ahold of this mask, Calamity Ganon would certainly win." He put it back, "That's why it's so important to me. It's not only my last resort, but I could really screw you guys over if I get careless. I'm…really sorry about that, actually."

"I don't think you have anything to be sorry about," Link stated, "Considering I've witnessed the way you protect yourself like your life depended on it, that mask is in no greater hands than yours." He certainly hadn't forgotten what he saw yesterday.

"I'm happy you think that." He smirked, "Speaking of which. Surprise! That's what I was doing in the arena forever ago."

The knight chuckled, playing around, "Dang it. Now I wish I'd actually seen what you were doing. Though, now I understand why the people who manage the arena were giving us all a lecture about breaking things."

"They really did that?"

"Yeah, no one had any idea what they were talking about until they brought out a mess of a dummy and tried to get someone to fess up." Link's face made it clear he remembered how it looked, "Holy Hylia, you really did a number on that thing. Honestly, I probably would have thought someone tried to use a cannon on it. I can see why it's your last resort."

"All I know is that I shouldn't use it around anyone. This isn't by any means good magic."

"Magic? That's a first."

The young hero wore a knowing grin, "You'll see."

"Is that so?" Link briefly smiled as he looked off into the distance, "I don't think I have any more questions at the moment, but thanks for telling me all that."

"For sure!" He wanted to check something before they left, "Can I see your hand for a moment?" Link gave him his left hand, the young hero dropping it and taking his right, "Heh, I meant your sword hand, silly."

"Is the triforce not on the left side?"

"It just depends on which is your dominant hand. That's good insight though." He put his left hand over the top of Link's, "When you got the sword out, I saw the triforce flash before it seemingly vanished. I know it would be a pain to take off your armor right now, but I didn't want you to feel bad just because it's not visible. Your universe just marks you guys more discreetly," He looked up at him, "Also don't tell Zelda about this because I'm not sure it would work since she doesn't have her powers yet." He removed his hand once he saw a faint glow come out from under it, the triforce appearing above Link's armored hand.

His eyes sparkled at seeing the glowing mark, even if what it had destined for him was a great burden, "Thanks, it's much different seeing it on myself." It faded away, "How did you know to do that?"

"I got a feeling." He gestured to the ladder, "We've been here for a while, I bet the King or the Princess is looking for you by now."