What if? [August 13th, 2014]

A.N: What if Link wasn't a hero? Would Zelda still like him, or will Link have to suffer on his own? Only this tale will tell... Haha, gotta love that opening. This is for you, Katniss, bro. Love ya.

Link laid on the sandy shore, bathing the sunlight before it would disappear beyond the horizon. His eyes were closed, as he pleasured the relaxing atmosphere. The gentle sound of the waves flowing was lulling him to sleep. His sword lay next to him, nestled in the sand. His life as a hero had been accomplished at last, and now he was ready for the next adventure awaiting him.

Suddenly startled, his eyes flew open and he sat up, stirring the sand.

"What was that?" he wondered aloud, surveying his surroundings skeptically. Out of nowhere, the sword sank into the sand and his green tunic vanished, only to be replaced by his old clothes he used to wear on Outset. His shield, grappling hook, power bracelets, and everything else he had obtained over the course of his adventure was disappearing right before his eyes. The island and the seas were dissipating into a black void, leaving the world blank before him.

Utterly confused, he tried to run around, or figure out how to escape the dark trick. No matter where he ran, however, it wouldn't take two seconds for him to slam into a wall. It was like he was trapped inside an invisible box.

Suddenly, a figure appeared in the distance. As he attempted to escape the box this time, it was like it had expanded, making a hallway between the two of them. Link reached the girl at last. As she turned, his eyes brightened happily.

"Zelda!" he exclaimed. He took a step closer. "I-"

The princess held up her hand, as if she wished to push him away. "Please... Keep your distance."

Link was confused, but he backed up anyway. "Ok, I get it. Important princesses need their space," he joked, trying to get her to share a laugh with him. However, Zelda's face remained stone cold.

"Link... There's something I think you should know," she started. "I don't like you, ok?" Link felt his face get hot.

"Wh-what are you talking about?" he asked nervously.

"Don't be stupid," she snapped, causing Link's face to return to its normal skin tone. His eyes shifted, filling with confusion and curiosity, urging her to continue. "Look, I know I visited your island that one time and all..." she trailed off. "But that doesn't mean we have a relationship or anything."

"But what about that big adventure I went on just to save you?" Link asked. "Did that mean nothing?!"

Zelda blinked. "You never saved me, Link," she said flatly.

The boy's eyes widened. "What?!"

"You used to be the legendary hero," the princess explained. "Well... At least I thought you were. You're not a hero at all. You're just a normal kid with no common sense. How could I like someone like that, let alone love?"

"Are you saying that you didn't appreciate me even when I was a hero?!" Link shouted.

"No... That's just it," Zelda replied plainly. "I admired you as a hero. But you're nothing now. Nothing but a pathetic child."

Link felt himself back away further, not wanting to believe what he was hearing. "No... You're wrong. You didn't like me just because I was a hero, right? There was more to it!"

Zelda took a deep breath, but her expression remained emotionless, like she really didn't have any feelings. "To tell you the truth, Link... There wasn't any more to it. I'm not in love with you."

Link's shoulders gradually slumped and his eyes softened. How could she say such things? After all the pain he went through, and the dangers he faced, she never really loved him. Was he just a pawn sacrificed in her game of life?

The only time she enjoyed having him around was when he was a hero. His title had vanished, and she saw him for who he really was. He was just a naive, twelve year old boy, and she certainly didn't love him like she used to believe.

Surprisingly, Link found himself on his knees, trying to shut everything out. Even though he was trapped in this black void, he could hear high pitched screams. No matter what he did, the shrieks wouldn't stop, constantly resounding in his ears.

Zelda did nothing to comfort him. She simply watched as he began to vanish from existence, gradually fading from her memory. She had wanted this to happen. He was nothing to her, and she didn't want to remember anymore.

At last, the screaming stopped and Link slowly opened his eyes. The dark abyss was replaced with Tetra's pirate ship. He rose from the hard, wooden floor and stretched. Sleeping on the floor always gave him nightmares. But did that really mean that all he had dreamt wasn't true?

He raced to the deck of the ship, climbing the staircase frantically. All the time he rushed about, he called her name. He had to know for sure that it was just a bad dream.

The stars in the nighttime sky glowed dimly, shining on a single figure leaning over the starboard side of the ship. Link hurried to her, still calling her name.

"Tetra!" The pirate girl turned around, looking slightly startled. Her dark, blue eyes looked into his as she spoke.

"What's happened this time?" she asked busily. "Is Niko slacking off again?"

Link shook his head, subtly smiling to himself as he caught his breath. "I... I wanted to ask you something."

Tetra smiled. "Sure, go ahead." She crossed her arms behind her head. "Make it quick," she teased.

Link looked up to the clouded, twilight sky. Should he tell her about the dream he had? Would he tell her about his feelings for her? This was so ridiculous, he almost laughed. Why wouldn't she like him? There couldn't be much hurt in asking.

Now more confident, he took a deep breath and looked back to Tetra. "Would you still... Like me... If I wasn't a hero at all?" he asked carefully.

Tetra gave him a funny look, like she was asking if he was serious. "Really?/That's/what you wanted to ask me?"

Link refused to go without an answer. "Yes," he replied firmly. The teasing look on Tetra's face faded.

"Of course I would," she answered gently as she smiled, slinging an arm over his shoulder."We're friends, aren't we?"

Link smiled with her and nodded. "Yeah... No matter what."

"Exactly," Tetra agreed. The pair then gazed at the stars in the silence of the night, and before they knew it, they had fallen asleep.

A.N: Yeah, yeah, I know it's kinda shippy. I'M SORRY, OK? Look, I just made them like each other as friends. Link like likes Tetra bro, but ya know, she just likes him as a friend, and I'm ok with that. I can respect that. Can you respect that? IT'S OK IF YOU DON'T.