Midna waited several songs before she sat up in bed. "Sweet dreams," she whispered, her hand caressing Zach's cheek. She should not have deceived him but he left her no choice; he would never have gone to sleep until his body shut down on him.

His chest rose and fell in a steady rhythm. Midna's own breathing fell in sync with his, her eyes following the scars on his face. Even his eyelids had very thin lines from the cannon explosion. If it were not for the healing power of Eldin's spring, he would have been permanently blinded.

Or worse...

A dark thought struck Midna: she had saved him just so he could die later on. With a shaky breath, her hand found its way to Zach's chest. His heart was still beating. He was alive, right there in front of her.

"I wish," she began, but her words died in her throat. What words could possibly bring comfort to a man with a death sentence?

Zach snorted and rolled onto his side, his back to Midna.

Why did her words fail her? She only wanted to help him and yet she was failing him. Her parents would know, they always knew how to best serve their people.

But Zach was not one of their people, he was... Who was he to Midna?

He was her hero, of course. But what did that mean? What made him her hero?

Zach was so close to turning out like his future self, this Zatam character. He had faced the same trials thus far, but their paths strayed the moment...

The moment Zach chose to apologize to Midna after their fight. He found the courage to take responsibility for his actions. That was certainly one point in Zach's favor.

But why did he choose to do that? Perhaps Midna was asking the wrong question. His motivation ultimately might not matter. He apologized and through small talk and general amicability, they became friends.

When she pointed out how he was hurting himself and her, he stepped back and looked hard at his actions. He felt guilt, remorse, shame, but to such a degree that Midna worried she only succeeded in hurting him even further.

Midna wiped her eyes. "I wish you knew how good a person you are," she whispered, "and that you stop punishing yourself for your mistakes." She looked over Zach's face, at the slightly creased brow as he dreamt, at the twitch in his lips. He was rather handsome, was he not?

Did she truly have feelings for him? Or was she just desperate for a sense of intimacy as a way to cope with the situation around her? Both? Neither?

As much as she wanted to avoid those questions, sooner or late she would have to face them. She was not a liar and would never give Zach such hope only to crush it before his eyes.

Midna shook her head. She needed some space to think, and so she made to leave.

Zach's hand shot out and grabbed her arm. She gasped in surprise, but when she turned she found that he was still asleep. He grabbed her with the arm that had been cushioning his head, and yet he was asleep.

"Zach?"

"...hm...?"

"Zach, are you okay?"

"Huh?" His good eye blinked open and he immediately let go, but not out of shame. He simply made himself comfortable on his side again. "Sorry, thought you were falling off the bed."

Midna covered her mouth and stifled the laugh bubbling in her chest. She reached over with her free hand and patted his shoulder. "Thanks," she said with a squeak. "Thanks but I'm okay. Go back to sleep."

He was already out.

Midna took to the shadows once she left the room. After the hostility in the tavern, she knew better than to take chances.

During his meeting in the map room, Zach must have been too tired to notice the curt responses and sour looks whenever he spoke up. The only ones that seemed to actually like him were Gorko and Roko, and Princess Jun.

That girl, Ilia, had them all against him. A small part of Midna conceded Ilia's anger; she herself had not been very happy to hear what Zach knew and how long he kept it from her.

Every other part wanted to smack that farm girl into the ground for putting her hands on Midna's hero. Not that Midna would do that, she was a princess after all.

She slithered into the tavern and found Ilia holding Princess Jun in her lap. "Why did you hurt my doggy?" the child asked. "He's nice, he sang me to sleep."

"He's a bad person," Ilia said with a sweet voice that grated Midna's nerves. "You see, it's his fault the monsters were able to attack my village."

Midna took a very, very deep breath. And another. And another still.

"But he's nice," Jun insisted. "I can tell."

Ilia smiled at her but it was laced with acid. "He's only pretending," Ilia said. "I know he seems nice but he isn't a hero. Not like Link."

Midna tilted her head. Link was supposed to be the hero of this world but Zach and Lanayru had said he was gone. How did this girl know him?

"Who's Link?" Jun asked.

Ilia's smile fell. "A dear friend," she murmured. "Someone I miss very much. Zach had something to do with what happened to him, I'm sure of it."

"Why?"

"Well, a scary green man attacked Link when we were children. That same green man attacked us after Zach came to the village."

Midna could not believe the audacity of this girl! How dare she try and convince a child to dislike someone, and with such weak evidence!

Thankfully, the tavern owner spoke up; "Now, Ilia, don't jump to conclusions."

"I'm being logical," Ilia said. "None of these dark monsters came until after Zach arrived, after all."

Gorko crossed his arms. "Boss got nothing to do with them. After what happened to him on Death Mountain, there's no way!"

At that, Ilia managed to look concerned, if only slightly. "What happened?"

"Got himself run through with a cannon," Roko said. "Poor fella nearly died but his girlfriend saved him." He, Gorko, and Midna all winced. Midna herself also blushed furiously at the declaration.

"His girlfriend?" Ilia spat. "The way he seems to hate any kind of intimacy, I have a hard time believing that. Who is it?"

"Nobody," Gorko said quickly. "Roko here's been having too much of Telma's brew again. He was just talking about the, uh... the innkeeper! Yeah, that one."

Ilia rolled her eyes. "So he nearly died. ... I didn't know that. I was wondering how he got those scars." Her demeanor grew darker as she muttered, "I wouldn't have been surprised if he did that on purpose to make us feel sorry for him."

Midna decided she did not like Ilia. The others, they were unkind due to false information so she could forgive them. But Ilia? What a child!

"And then you gave him a room," Ilia said in a sharp tone at Telma. "After everything I told you, how could you do that? How can you trust him?"

Telma planted her hands on her hips and replied, "Honey, if he's willing to help when we need it most, it's the least I can do to let the boy have a place to sleep. It's not about trust, it's about being smart with what resources we have."

Midna decided she did like Telma. The tavern owner may not fully trust Zach but at least she was willing to try. Midna would see to it that she was well-compensated just like Kakariko and the Goron tribe.

Wait, why was she being so hard on Ilia? She had expressed sympathy for the children back in Kakariko, after all. Where was that sympathy now? Ilia had been kidnapped and taken to a far-away city full of strangers just like those children. In fact, Midna thought the farm girl's situation was better considering she had not had to go through that Lizalfos attack nor King Dodongo's rampage. Maybe that was it, that Ilia was more upset despite not as much happening to her specifically.

No, Midna knew it was because of the way Ilia had treated Zach. Those kids had expressed distrust but they never once laid a hand on him in anger. They even hugged him when he left Kakariko!

At least Zach had no intentions with the farm girl. Was that it? Ilia was upset that he spurned her?

Midna shook her head. Ilia did not seem that attached to him in the first place. If anything, she clearly missed her friend Link. With Zach acting in his place, Ilia was most likely...

Well, whatever. Zach did do something wrong, he admitted as much. Whether he owned up to it was up to him. As far as Midna was concerned, he was in the same situation with Ilia as he was with Midna; damned if he did, damned if he did not. If Midna could move past much graver news, surely Ilia could as well.

Because if she did not, Midna was going to make sure she never laid a hand on Zach again. Non-lethally, of course.

Midna sighed. It would not do to focus her energy on such a trivial matter. They needed to prepare for Prince Ralis' journey to Kakariko. What could Midna do by herself in Castle Town? She left the tavern and floated to the top of the building, keeping to her shadow form as she sat on the roof's edge. In her shadow form, the rain passed right through her, keeping her nice and dry.

The two tallest buildings in the city were Hyrule Castle and the Temple of Time, with a tent almost as tall as the temple standing in a district to the southwest. There was no way Midna was going to the castle; as much as she wanted to check in on Zelda, that castle set off far too many warning bells in Midna's head. Just looking at the central spire sent a chill down her spine, and so she turned her attention to the temple.

Zach had said the Temple of Time was not supposed to be in Castle Town, yet here it was. That fact had him spooked, but why? What difference did it make where the temple was?

Unless there was something inside that he knew they would need. But even then, the temple was right here. Whatever was inside would be that much easier to obtain, right?

Midna rubbed her forehead. She liked Zach but the man was so confusing at times. How is one of their objectives being closer anything but good news? There was an element that escaped her, but what was it?

The temple had nothing to do with the Fused Shadow, that much was clear. If not the Fused Shadow... then perhaps the Mirror of Twilight?

Weakened as she was, Midna was quite sure she would have sensed such a powerful artifact nearby. Even a shard would have been a beacon to her. In fact, now that she was focusing, she did not feel any sort of divine presence emanating from the temple. Perhaps that was due to her nature as a member of the Twili?

No, she felt the light spirits' power every time she went near their springs. There was that certain something she had sensed in the forest, as well. It was much stronger than the light spirits. In any case, whatever the temple once stood for had long since abandoned it.

That presence in the forest... it had called to her, she knew it did. What was it? Zach had never mentioned anything about the forest, or maybe he did and Midna simply could not remember.

Wait, he said the Temple of Time was supposed to be in the forest. With it gone, perhaps that presence was what the temple originally bore but remained behind.

Midna found herself wanting to investigate the forest but it would have to wait. After all, what did that divine presence have to do with her?

Was it now her destiny to take up arms and fight a great evil? She was a Twili, an enemy of the very realm that sought her aid. They would task her with fighting her own kind?! In fact, apart from a scant few souls, it was her people that suffered far more than these light dwellers.

Yet... when she looked down at those same light dwellers, watched them argue amongst themselves, scrounge for food and shelter... did they really have it better?

Perhaps that was the wrong way to think about it: It did not matter who had it worse or better. What mattered was stopping evil from harming them. Midna had no intention of carrying the world on her shoulders, however. Even if she was chosen for this destiny—against her consent!—she was going to do it her way. Right now, her way called for doing whatever they needed for Prince Ralis' journey.

They needed supplies and a cart, both of which were being procured at this very moment by the tavern owner. Midna could not assist with that even if she wanted to, so what else was there to do? Well, she was curious about that tent...

Midna stopped at the sign above the tent entrance: 'The Unbeatable, Undefeatable, Un-Unfair STAR Game!' She snorted at the sign but not at the smaller writing beneath it: 'Win a Large Quiver! Holds 40 arrows (Arrows not included)'

"Say," she whispered to no one in particular, "that's a decent prize." She could just take the quiver and be done with it but she was no thief. And besides, playing games sounded fun! What was the harm?

With a giggle, she ducked into the tent and looked around. It was certainly vast inside but rather sparse, with only a tall cage at the center and various decorations strewn about.

"Hey, boss," said a lowly Goron carrying a large pendulum, "how exactly does this help the town?"

The 'boss', a young man in a gaudy green outfit with a pointed tip, turned on his heel and snorted. "Do I have to explain everything to you, Krush?"

"It's Krag."

"Exactly! I, Purlo, the Talented Incredibly Not-Greedy Ladykiller Extraordinaire, am exactly what this city needs!" This Purlo fellow snapped his fingers and beckoned the Goron over. "Tell me, Krush, what does everyone do in times of crisis?"

"Er, they form a militia?"

"No."

"Work together to ensure safety among the community?"

"Nope."

"I give up."

"Exactly!" Purlo laughed and patted the purse at his hip. "They give up and spend money. Lots and lots of money! So, the right thing to do is to make sure they spend their money wisely."

Krag nodded and set the pendulum down. "Right, like supplies and clothing."

"No!" Purlo sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "I have to explain everything. You see, things like food and shelter are necessary but meaningless if there's nothing to stave off their boredom. These poor people shoved into their homes or that temple, no one to bring up their spirits, no one to lighten their oh-so-weary moods! The thought of their money—their lives without such uplifting that only one such as myself could bestow, it just drives me to tears!

"So I perform a humble service: they play a game and take their minds off this nasty invasion business for, say, thirty seconds—a minute, tops. Those who can't afford it can enjoy the sport of spectating, those who play experience the thrill of my carefully curated STAR game, and the lucky one that wins gets a grand prize!"

Krag scratched the top of his head. "I guess that makes sense, boss."

"Of course it does," Purlo said. "Now make with the construction, we're on a schedule!"

Midna narrowed her eyes. "I'll be back for you," she whispered on her way out.

Midna returned to the room. Zach was still sound asleep and now that Midna satisfied her curiosity regarding the tent, she wondered what to do now.

Zach needed his rest and so Midna entertained the thought of seeking that divine presence in the forest. It stayed at the back of her mind, pulling on every other thought with a distant call to come find it.

Just as she prepared to leave, Midna hesitated and turned to Zach. What if that Ilia girl disturbed him? What if guards came for him? What if the blanket fell off and he got cold?

She snorted at that last thought. Zach would be just fine for a few minutes. He needed rest, after all. Yes, he would be just fine.

So why did Midna not leave?

It surely did not have anything to do with the fact that nearly every time she left him alone, something bad happened. Like that time when she was too scared to face those shadow beasts and Zach was nearly ripped in two. Or when she retrieved the Silver Gauntlets and set off his temper. Or when she sent him back to Kakariko from Death Mountain and he had to remove that cannon himself and cut his eyelids open so he could save those kids.

Or when he was injured and still found the courage to tell Midna the dark truths of their future, just for her to up and leave like a coward.

Her fists trembled by her sides, her hair bristling. They wanted her to be a Hero, did they? For all her failings and her blood ties to dark gods and fierce deities, they chose her.

Then why did they hold no hope for Zach? How could they ignore all the progress he had made? Who were they to decide who he was?

They wanted her to be the Hero? The one who protected the innocent? Very well, she will start with Zach. After all, what was his crime? That he was related to a brutal conqueror? That was Midna's situation as well, so how bad could it be?

Zach stirred only slightly when Midna kissed his cheek. Her lips stayed there for several moments, her heart thrumming in her chest. His skin was so warm yet not feverish. When she finally ended the kiss, she remained inches from his face. The poor man's left eye was slightly open and there was already a thin red line across it.

He had just fallen asleep a few minutes ago, perhaps it would be best to leave him be. But then... that red line looked painful.

"Zach," Midna whispered as she gently shook him. "Zach, your eye is bleeding again."

He awoke with a slight jump. "Huh, whazzat?"

"You should clean your eye," Midna said.

"Oh, okay." He sat up, removed the eye, and looked around. Midna had to bite her lip to keep from giggling at his upturned hair. "Wish there was a sink. Miss tap water." With a shrug, he pulled a cloth from his satchel. "Or tissues."

Midna smiled at him and scooted closer, bumping hips while he tended to his eye. "I'm sorry I woke you."

"Don't be," he said. "You're nicer than the nurses were."

"What nurses?"

Zach shrugged. "After the accident, I had to have eyedrops put in my good eye. Don't remember why, but I do remember those drops burning like acid."

Midna flinched and said, "That must have been awful. You were so young."

"You have more compassion than those fucking nurses," he said with a growl. "See, for some reason, they decided to administer those drops in the middle of the night while I was asleep."

"You must have been very grumpy to be awoken just for some eyedrops."

"Once I asked them to wake me first, I was fine."

"Wait, they didn't wake you?!"

He shook his head. "They said something about not wanting to disturb me, so they just opened my eye and let those acid drops fall. Mom wasn't happy to be woken by her injured son screaming his head off. They did that for a few nights before I finally convinced them to just wake me up first."

Midna looked down and found that she had rested her hand on his leg. She did not move it. "A five-year-old subjected to that... it's unthinkable!"

"Eh."

"No, not 'eh'. That was cruel!"

"Why are you yelling?"

"I...!" Midna took a deep breath. "I'm sorry. How were you once they agreed to wake you?"

Zach held up his fake eye, turning it this way and that as he said, "Like I said, I was fine. According to my mom, the nurses said they have given those drops to grown marines who couldn't take them without screaming or crying. I didn't make a sound."

"You didn't?"

"Nope." His voice sounded proud, but his face bore a sharp scowl. "I proved to them that my way was correct and that they should have extended me that fucking courtesy in the first place. How's that for a five-year-old?"

Midna looped her arm around Zach's and leaned her head on his shoulder. "Now I'm glad I woke you."

"I am too," he said with a much lighter tone. "Thank you."

"You're welcome. Can I ask you something?"

"Sure."

"Why not sleep without your eye?"

Zach snorted. "I was always paranoid about forgetting it. One time I went to school without my eye and I got in trouble."

"Why?"

Zach's dark tone returned. "Because what's left of my eye bothered everyone. Got sent to the principal's office and lectured about how it disturbed the other students. In an ever-so-ironic twist, my fake eye was more normal to them than the thing behind it."

"What about now?" Midna asked. "You don't have to worry about forgetting it."

"It's still gross," he said. "What with the pinkness and the gunk and all. Who wants to wake up next to that every morning?"

With a burning blush, Midna said, "I wouldn't mind it."

"The hell's the matter with you," Zach said with a laugh.

Midna wanted to laugh but she restrained herself. Zach scratched at his chest and then stretched his arms out. Midna released his arm and lay back on the bed. "I've been down the gullet of not one, but two giant poisonous plants, thank you very much. Your eye is nothing compared to that."

"Thanks," Zach said as he removed his shirt. "Ahh, better. Anyway, I think I'm gonna... Midna?"

Whatever Midna had to say died in her throat. Her eyes were glued to Zach's back, or rather the gnarled scar in the middle of it. She covered her mouth to keep from gasping, and with her other hand she traced along the curve of the scar. It was almost the exact shape of the jagged machinery that had impaled him.

"What? Is there something on my back?"

Midna blinked up at him. "You didn't know you had a scar?"

"Well, I knew about the one on my belly but I didn't know I had one on my back too." He startled when Midna hugged him from behind, nuzzling her cheek against his. "Hey, it's fine."

"Don't care," she said as she let go. "Does it hurt at all?"

"Nah." Zach settled back into bed and smiled up at Midna. "Thanks for looking out for me."

Midna smiled back and poked his belly. "It's only because you'd be helpless without me."

"I'd be lost without you," he said, then he turned away. "I mean, clearly you're having an effect on me. That's probably why I've had a better run of it than that other me."

Midna closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "That's not true, Zach." She floated above Zach and poked his cheek. "Don't you remember the vision? Nothing about us changed until you took that first step and apologized for that fight. That was you, not me. And not that other Zach either."

"..." Zach glanced at her. "That's a good point. I... I did the right thing, didn't I?"

"You certainly did," Midna said as she lowered herself down beside him. "Are you still tired?"

He shrugged. "I'll probably fall asleep again in a little bit. Why?"

"I wanted to ask about stuff from this game."

"Ask away."

Midna made herself comfortable on her back and began with: "What was so special about the Temple of Time?"

"The one in Twilight Princess was mostly ruins," he said. "Dilapidated and overgrown with foliage, but it housed the Master Sword. Link goes there to find a shard of the Mirror of Twilight. With the temple right outside, I don't know if the Master Sword is in the forest or here."

"I think it's in the forest," Midna said. "I keep feeling some divine presence calling to me from there. What's so special about it?"

Zach smiled and rolled onto his back. "The Master Sword is the Blade of Evil's Bane; forged by the first Hero from another sacred blade, it has the power to destroy darkness and evil. In this game, it's first used to break Zant's curse on Link, freeing him from his wolf form and allowing him to transform at will."

"I see."

"Now, that thing about a divine presence," Zach said with a frown, "to make a long and semi-convoluted story short, that divine presence is Fee."

"Fee?"

"Yeah. She is the resident spirit of the Master Sword and aided the first Hero thousands and thousands of years ago, but according to that game, her spirit shouldn't have this much presence by now."

Midna shrugged. "I didn't hear an actual voice or anything. Just a presence."

"Oh. In that case, maybe that part of the game was true after all."

"You said the Master Sword can break curses?"

"I see where you're going," Zach said, sighing. "Unfortunately, your curse wasn't broken when Link drew the Master Sword even though you were right next to him. Since your curse comes from the Triforce and not the Twilight Realm, the Master Sword probably couldn't break it. Sorry."

Midna sighed as well, and then her brow furrowed. "Wait, didn't you say Zant cursed Link?"

"Yeah."

"Which magic did he use?"

"He used..." Zach paused. His eye moved back and forth as if reading an invisible scroll. "Huh, I was wrong. He didn't use your ancient shadow magic, he used the magic given to him by Ganondorf. But if that's the case, then why would your curse still be there?"

Midna shot up from the bed, a grin on her face. "That's it! I can go find the Master Sword and remove my curse before Zant can get the jump on us!"

"Wait," Zach said. He sat up, his brow clenched in thought. "Something isn't adding up. Why wouldn't the Master Sword do it in the game..."

"Quit overthinking," Midna said. She twirled in the air and winked at him. "Once I'm back to my true self, I'll be able to help you get the last Fused Shadow, and with all three and my true self back, I can defeat Zant!"

"It can't be that simple," Zach replied. "I-I promise I'm not trying to deny you your true self, I just... call me paranoid but I think there's a factor we're missing."

Midna rolled her eyes. "Come on, don't you want me to be back to my beautiful self? You're not shy about cuddling with a full-grown princess, are you?"

"No," he said without missing a beat. "I just think there was a reason why you weren't restored but I can't figure that reason out."

"I think the best thing for me to do," she said, "is to go there and find out. The worst thing that could happen is I don't get turned to normal."

"I... I guess so." Zach took a deep breath and let it out slow. "You're right, you should at least try."

Midna threw her arms around him and squeezed tight. "Thank you for understanding."

"Just... just don't get your hopes up too high. Just in case."

She kissed his cheek. "Just in case, eee hee!"

Midna landed in Faron, back in that area with the bridge. The sky was clear and so Midna took to the shadows. She closed her eyes and took in the smell of the trees, the warmth of the sun even in her shadow form. The presence was close yet far, like a dream made of smoke.

She flew high over the canopy, passing the Twilit vortex on her way up, up, up into the sky. Her heart thrummed in her chest. If this worked, if she was truly free of this horrid curse...

Yes, she was getting too excited but it was too good to resist! Freedom from this impish body, free to use her people's magic, free to stand in broad daylight!

The twinge at the back of her neck pulled her attention back to reality. There, just southwest of the entrance to Kokiri Marsh, was a shimmer of blue-violet light. With a giggle, Midna headed straight for it. It vanished as she passed over the same labyrinthine forest floor she had encountered before, over the ruins of what had to be a previous Temple of Time, and finally to a doorway guarded by two stone sentinels.

Midna stopped short of the door and tapped her chin. "Should I just knock? Nah!" Laughing, she flew right over the crumbling archway and landed in the next pavilion. The sunlight died down to a cold, misty blue tint that reflected on a shining blade at the far end of the pavilion.

There, with violet wings and green wrapping, was the Master Sword. Midna took one step forward and the same blue-violet light emerged from the gold crystal in the sword's hilt. The light took the form of a young woman, her entire body seemingly made of metal. Her face, hair, and left shoulder were a shining turquoise while her right shoulder and dress were the same violet as the Master Sword's hilt. In the center of her chest was a blue crystal of the same design as the Master Sword's, with her legs clad in black and green tights.

"Hi," Midna said, hiding her surprise. "You must be Fee. Zach is going to be thrilled about this."

The spirit hovered in place, her blank eyes staring straight through Midna.

"Sorry to drop in on you," Midna continued, unable to remove the grin on her face, "but I heard you have some skill with breaking curses."

There was no reply. If the woman blinked, Midna would never know.

"I... Heh, you might know me from the legends. I'm—"

"Princess Midna of the Twili," the spirit said at last, her voice just as metallic as her body. "I will provide you with my personal designation per your tribe's social customs. Fi is the name I was given. I was created for a single purpose, long before the recorded memory of Hyrule. I must aid you in fulfilling the great destiny that is your burden to carry. You have come here with the intention of breaking the curse put upon you by the Fallen Hero, Zatam."

"Yes," Midna replied slowly, cautiously. "I thought that—"

"There is a zero-percent chance of success."

"... Excuse me?"

"There is a zero-percent chance of success."

Midna's fists clenched at her sides. "I heard you the first time!"

"I will provide clarification," said the spirit. "In your current state, you are unable to break the curse. You are a creature of shadow, Princess Midna, and so you cannot exist in the realm of light without suitable protection. Unfortunately, the protection granted to you by your tribe would be destroyed along with the curse."

Midna gawked at her. "Can't you not destroy them? They're not the same magic as the curse!"

Fi nodded. "Indeed, Princess Midna. However, the curse is insidious in nature. It has bonded with the protective magic and will ensure both will be destroyed simultaneously."

"What?! How is that even possible—" Midna froze. Her blood rushed in her ears, her breathing shallow and quick. "Zant... Zant!"

Fi floated over and knelt before Midna. "I wish to offer an apology to you for wasting your time."

"I... No, I didn't waste my time." Midna took a deep breath. "I needed to hear this. It's only a waste of time if I don't learn from it."

"That is a wise answer," Fi said, returning to the air. "You are the Hero Chosen by the Gods, Princess Midna, but you must wait until the appropriate time to fulfill your destiny. Return to your companion. When you are ready, I will be here."

Midna let out a breath she did not know she was holding. "Thank you, Fi."

"You are welcome, Princess Midna."

When she returned, Zach was still awake but clearly losing the fight. He barely registered her presence until she nestled in and buried her face in his chest. He took one look at her, saw the tears on her cheeks, and held her close.

Midna drew in a deep breath and let it out in shuddery sighs. "I got my hopes up too high," she murmured.

Zach said nothing. He kissed the top of her head, gently squeezing her.

"I was so close," she said. "So close to getting back to my normal self... but she said it wasn't my time."

"She?"

"The spirit of the sword."

Zach frowned but let that topic go. "I'm sorry, Midna."

"Don't be," she whispered. "I'm glad I went but I was hoping I could avoid that. But I can't." She clenched her eyes shut. "I guess there are some things you just can't change, no matter how much you might want to."

"I'm sorry I tried to tell you not to go."

"That's okay," Midna said. She reached up and cupped his cheek. "I understand why. Thanks for looking out for me."

He smiled at her. "Anytime." He then yawned, stretching his arms out. "I think I'm going back to sleep."

"Zach?"

"Mmm?"

"I..." She cleared her throat and ignored the heat in her cheeks. "I saw a tent somewhere in town about a game or some such. If you win, you get a large quiver."

Zach nodded as he rolled onto his right side. "The STAR game, right?"

"Yeah. I was thinking, if they're open tomorrow, maybe we should give it a try."

"Sure," he said with a slight pause, "sounds fun. Night, Midna."

"Good night, Zach."