A/N: YOU MUST KNOW THE INFORMATION IN THIS PARAGRAPH BEFORE YOU CONTINUE READING! Alright, so it's exceedingly tedious and annoying to both write and read "the Hero of Time and the Hero of Twilight" went and did such-and-such. Using the titles of both of them over and over is…bleh. So, because they are both called Link and they have no nicknames other than their game names, Time and Twilight, I have decided to cheat. Only one of them will be called Link, and that depends on the perspective…so there will still be perspective switches. For example, if you are reading Ocarina of Time Link's perspective, you will see him referred to as Link (for the most part), and Twilight Princess Link will be known as one of many titles which include: the Hero of Twilight, the other Hero, the other Link, Link's companion, the Hylian Hero, etc. If there are those ". . . . ." at the end of a chapter, you get that perspective switch for the next Hero. Do you understand? I hope so because there really isn't much of a better way to do this.

As usual, I do not own Nintendo, The Legend of Zelda, or their stuff. Thank you so much all the lovely peoples who reviewed my story. I really love reading those… They're awesome!

Twilight Princess Link's perspective.

Chapter Four

The Two Heroes Who Traversed Time

The Hero of Twilight took one step forward, extremely confused. He watched the other person do the same, his face displaying a stunned expression. The two regarded each other, unable to say anything. Their words were locked in their throats because of their disbelief. This should not have been possible. Ever.

Yet it was.

Link took a step back as the blue fairy zipped over to him and began fluttering above his head, just out of reach. He turned slightly, watching the strange blue light glitter above him. He extended his right arm, waiting for the fairy to land. But it didn't.

"Who are you?" the light asked.

Link was surprised. He had been catching fairies his entire life, and not once had he ever seen them speak. Somehow, he found the answer to her question while he considered his situation.

"Link."

The fairy fluttered back to the other green-clad Hylian. She settled on his right shoulder as he took a surprised step back. "How did you know my name?" asked the Hero of Time.

Link gave a puzzled stare. "No…that's my name." He was certain that Midna was dying to come out of his shadow, but she was holding herself back so that she wasn't seen by this other Hylian.

"Your name is Link?" Navi asked.

The Hero of Twilight nodded, then regarded the Hero of Time. "And yours is as well, I presume?"

"Yes…" Hero of Time replied.

Navi flapped her wings but remained on the Hero of Time's shoulder. "May I ask, who are you really? What is your identity?"

Link hesitated. He couldn't answer that question. He couldn't tell them that he was the Hero of Twilight for two reasons. First, he wasn't the Hero of Twilight because he hadn't saved Twilight just yet. He was merely the person they expected to be their Hero. Secondly, he still wasn't entirely sure if Twilight even existed yet. And if it did, telling this stranger who resembled him wasn't exactly the smartest idea. For all he knew, this person could be an illusion created by Ganondorf to distract Link from his mission.

And Link couldn't exactly say that he was the Hero of Time either. That title still felt foreign to him…misplaced…misdirected. Even if it was from past-day Hyrule, Link was positive that that name wasn't meant to be given to him. He wasn't able to say that he was that Hero. The consequences could be very bitter.

"I am restricted from answering that inquiry," the Hero of Twilight finally replied. "Until I know who you are, whether you are friendly or not, I am not permitted to respond."

The other Hero nodded. "Very well. If you must know, I am—"

His fairy replied for him. "Link is the Hero of Time, wielder of the legendary Master Sword."

Ah, so he's the Hero of Time. But…wielder of the Master Sword? Link wondered. He drew his own sword from his back, the bluish-purple wings gleaming in the early-morning light of Kakariko. "I am also the wielder. This blade accepted me as its master."

The Hero of Time took a step back in surprise. "Where… Where did you get that?"

"I drew it from the Temple of Time." Several hundred years from now, Link mentally added. Realization clicked in his mind. Link felt so stupid that he wanted to roll into a wall. How could he have been so blind? He had drawn the Master Sword from present-day Hyrule and hadn't even noticed that it had been absent in the Temple of Time…despite having traveled a great distance back in time. He owned the present-day Master Sword.

Which meant that this other Link owned the Master Sword of past-day Hyrule. He was not an imposter: he was the true Hero…the Hero that this world cried out for. The Hero of Twilight was no more than an extra here. He definitely didn't belong…right?

I don't believe that the goddesses sent me here for nothing, Link thought. I do not believe that they send anyone, without giving them a purpose. That's not to say that I wasn't sealed in here by something else…but if I was, then there will be meaning in my presence here.

"Who are you…?" the fairy whispered, still disbelieving.

"I cannot reveal my identity to you. Only members of the Royal Family know who I am…and what I protect. I apologize."

The Hero of Time's face seemed to light up. "You know Princess Zelda?"

Link smiled kindly. "Yes. I have engaged with the Princess twice. However, the circumstances of our encounters have been bitter both times. I was supposed to converse with her once more, but I am unable to. I was instructed to find the scattered fragments of a closely-guarded Royal secret in order to communicate with Her Majesty. However, I was locked inside the Temple of Time and am incapable of completing my quest."

The Hero of Time's eyes widened.

"You were sealed inside the Temple, too?" Navi asked. "And you are on a quest?"

"Yes. I was commanded to purge the evil inside five temples," Link replied. "In order to do so, I needed an item from this place…but I was unable to locate it, as well as the deep woods."

"I apologize if this sounds rude, but how do we know you're not lying?" the fairy inquired.

The Hero of Twilight stood there, considering his words. He had hoped this situation would not arise, but it seemed his wishes were in vain. However, he could not surrender here. He needed to return home and complete his mission. If he could receive help from past-day Hyrule's Hero, it would be so much easier.

"There is no way to verify my words," he said. "However, there was no way to confirm that Sheik's words held truth either, yet here I am: searching for a weapon I have no way of locating."

"You even spoke with Sheik?" the fairy asked.

"I was also referred to as the 'Hero of Time'," Link said. "I was commanded to explore deep woods, a high mountain, a vast lake, the house of the dead, and a goddess of sand. I cannot complete my previous quest without first purging those five temples." He gestured around to Kakariko. "However, after looking at the catastrophe that has covered this land, I have decided that, even if I wasn't required to explore the temples, I would still assist in the cleansing of them. Neglecting to do so would result in an extremely heavy conscience. I cannot allow this world to continue in its suffering." He looked at the Hero of Time and his fairy. "Is this not the destiny of the Hero?"

"You want to save Hyrule?" the Hero of Time questioned.

Link sheathed the Master Sword that he had forgotten he was holding. "To watch it perish would destroy me. Observing its suffering without aiding in its relief would devastate my heart."

"Yes," the Hero of Time agreed, stepping forward. "Such is the heart of a Hero… Are you…a Hero?"

Link approached the Hero of Time. "This is the life that was forced upon me…but I wouldn't have it any other way."

The Hero of Time also stepped forward, getting within arm's reach of Link. He extended his hand. "I am Link, Hero of Time."

The Hero of Twilight accepted the other Hero's hand and shook it. When he released it, he said, "Perhaps, one day, you shall learn who I am."

"You're searching for a weapon here so that you may enter the deep woods, correct?"

"Yes."

"I have that weapon. I am about to return to my home, the forest, and find someone very dear to me. I have not entered those woods for seven years, so I am not sure what I will find there."

"Then, might I join you in your quest?"

"You appear to be traveling alone…and a Hero always needs a companion. I believe you will enter those woods no matter what… You may come with me…so long as it's okay with Navi."

The fairy on the Hero of Time's shoulder flapped her wings. She took to the air and examined Link. "You may accompany us. If you try to harm Link, or adversely affect his quest to save Hyrule, you will suffer consequences. But I don't believe you have negative intentions, so you are permitted to join us."

Link sighed his relief. "If you have the weapon, may we please begin heading to the woods?"

"Yes," Navi said. "Let's go, Link! Ah…both of you."

The two Heroes regarded each other once more before both began grinning. Together, the two exited Kakariko, both excited to begin their quest. For the first time in both Heroes' lives, they finally had a human companion that they believed was truly like them. It was relieving for both of them.

Navi led the way, but neither complained. Link trusted the Hero of Time's judgement, and if he was willing to trust his fairy, so was Link.

And so, a whole new journey began for them.

. . . . .