Link had once again bedded down for the night, lying on a soft patch of moss, Epona tethered nearby. But, unlike all the previous times before, Link didn't just have his horse for company. Ruto's tiny form was nestled under his tunic, against his bare chest, Link having draped her in his enchanted clothing so the comforting influence of the Kokiri fabric would settle over her as well as they slept. Ruto was the only one sleeping at the moment though. Link was staring down at Ruto's bulbous, yet cute, head that slightly protruded from his collar, her eyes softly closed, delicate little breaths wafting from her tiny mouth as she pressed against him in her sleep. As Link looked upon her, he not only saw the cute little tadpole-like creature, no, he also saw beyond Ruto's current outer appearance and to the gorgeous Zora maiden she had been when he first met her.
Gently lifting his right arm, Link ran his index finger gently along Ruto's face, though lightly enough not to wake her. Ruto moaned pleasantly in her sleep at his touch, nuzzling deeper into his chest. Link smiled in response, finding the sensation of her snuggling against his bare skin pleasant. Despite her appearance Ruto surprisingly was not slimy or scaly, as her aquatic appearance would suggest. Rather, she was soft, smooth and surprisingly warm.
"Fear not, my dear Ruto," Link mused out loud, though keeping his voice silent so as to not disturb his companion. "I swear to you, I will find a way to restore your age, one way or another."
And Link meant every word.
He was going to find a way to return Ruto to the form she had when they first met, no matter what hardships or obstacles such an endeavor might entail. As said before, Link had been infatuated with Ruto ever since he first laid eyes on her in the Water Temple, as a fully grown Zora maiden, and had an almost primordial desire to be with her since then. And, with the memory of the attractive girl that Ruto would grow up to be in mind, Link was dedicated to not only see Ruto restored to her beauty, but to also walk beside her one day, hand in hand, joined in the bonds of matrimony. Of course, that was far in the future, one way or another, but Link wasn't worried about that at the moment.
They had both waited for each other for seven years once before, they could do it again, if that's what it took.
Finally taking his eyes off the sleeping form under his tunic, Link laid back to stare skyward, deciding to finally get some sleep too. As he began to drift off, he once again contemplated the similarities the stars of the night had to Navi. Despite all that had happened recently, despite the heart wrenching encounter with a distraught Ruto and all the effort it took to comfort her, and express his true feelings for her, Link never once allowed his quest to discover Navi's whereabouts slip from his mind. He was still dedicated to finding her, even with Ruto's current predicament. And he had no intention of putting either quest on hold for the sake of the other either.
Because why should the efforts to accomplish either one be exclusive from one another? He could search for a way to give Ruto her proper form back, while simultaneously searching any forested areas he happened to come across in his travels for Navi. With any luck, he could accomplish both endeavors at the same time with minimal effort, provided no serious hurdles crop up to interfere.
'I wonder if Navi would approve of mine and Ruto's relationship?" Link contemplated just before falling asleep.
The next morning Link awoke as the morning sun rose. He yawned once, but quickly composed himself so as to not disturb the still sleeping Ruto currently huddled to his chest. He decided to hold off getting up until she woke up on her own, rather than wake her up himself. She had had a harrowing experience yesterday and Link felt it best to let her rest.
Plus, he was rather enjoying the cute visage of her before him.
Link would always prefer Ruto's more mature appearance above all else, in a romantic sense at least, but he couldn't deny how adorable she currently looked now. In Link's opinion baby Zora's did have an attractiveness of their own, at least in the sense of looking cute, like a cat, or a dog. Though he would never view Ruto as a pet. He admired her sweet little form as he waited patiently for her to wake, watching as her tiny body systematically rose and fell with her subtle breathing, resisting the urge to reach out and stroke her in response. There would be plenty of time for that once she did awaken, for now she needed to rest.
About half an hour after Link had come around Ruto suddenly let out a wide yawn of her own, Link feeling her stretch out her tail and fins beneath his tunic. Her large, inky eyes fluttered open, peering up at Link, a small, affectionate smile spreading over her tiny mouth as she met his eyes, which regarded her with warmth, compassion, and care.
"Morning Link," she greeted, happily rubbing her left cheek against Link's chest, her smile increasing as she felt his heartbeat, the same heartbeat that had lulled her to sleep the previous night.
She still couldn't quite believe what had happened. Just yesterday she had been wracked with such heartache and loss that she desperately wished to cease to exist, now she had just woken up from spending the night sleeping with her crush, who, despite her doubts, had returned her feelings of affection all along. Even if it wasn't anywhere near how she had imagined it, namely due her own current appearance, the memory of the night before, of gently snuggling with Link, brought tremendous happiness to Ruto, for they were together.
Together as boyfriend and girlfriend, they had practically admitted to such last night, though maybe not in so many words.
Not that it was needed.
"Morning Ruto," said Link in return, finally giving into his urges and bringing a hand up to gently stroke her through his tunic, running his palm along her back lightly.
Ruto let out a soft trilling noise at his touch, gradually closing her eyes and leaning against his hand in appreciation. Slowly, and groggily, Link sat up from the soft bed of moss, having not fully shed the lingering dregs of sleep from his mind. But he needed to resume his journey and just sitting here wasn't going to accomplish anything. Especially considering that a new goal has been added to his traveling.
However, before he stood fully, he gently eased Ruto out of his tunic, slipping her through the collar before softly taking her into his arms. He then draped her over his shoulders, Ruto using her tail to secure herself in place. It wouldn't do either of them any good to have her pressed against him like that for too long, no matter how much he enjoyed it. Besides, he could still enjoy her presence and contact this way.
Ruto didn't seem to have any objections though, relaxing on Link's shoulders with a contented sigh, gently wrapping her tail around his neck to get a sturdy grip, but not squeezing hard enough to cause harm.
Link fully got to his feet once Ruto had established a good grip on him, taking extra precautions not to jar her as he stood, then he walked over to Epona and untethering her. But he intended to have some breakfast before he mounted her and rode on, rummaging through the saddlebag and extracting some of the fruits he had collected the day before, as well as a small carving knife. He offered one to Epona, who gracefully accepted it (well, as gracefully as a horse is capable of at least) before walking over to a nearby stump and sitting down to eat.
"Would you like some, Ruto?" Asked Link, offering the baby Zora on his shoulders a slice of the fruit.
Ruto eyed the wedge warily before shaking her head. "No thanks, Link."
Link grew slightly concerned. Ruto hadn't had anything to eat in a while, practically since this version of her came into existence. "You sure? I don't mind sharing some of my food with you, you know?"
"It's fine, Link. I…" Ruto turned back to the small fruit slice and her lips curled up in obvious disgust. "I actually can't eat food like that. Not like those of you who live on land do."
"Oh, really?" Asked Link interestedly, popping the fruit into his mouth and eating it himself.
Ruto nodded in response. "We Zora's are strictly carnivorous. We sustain ourselves on fish, for the most part, but generally we only eat meat. Even at this young age."
Link blinked in astonishment at that. "Really? Your parents feed you fish, even at this age."
"'Feed us'? Ruto inquired. "Please. Zora hatchlings aren't quite as helpless as typical babies of other species. Our children are capable of feeding themselves from the moment they hatch."
Link would hate to say it, but the innocuous form currently perched on his shoulders didn't appear predatory in the slightest. He himself was no stranger to fishing and, he had to admit, it could be a strenuous task. He couldn't imagine how something as frail as how Ruto currently looked could accomplish such a task, even if Baby Zora's were swift swimmers, as he had seen before, back at that laboratory.
How would they even subdue a fish when they caught it anyway?
Ruto apparently picked up on Link's doubts however, her smile turning somewhat mischievous as she leaned her head forward on his shoulder and opened her mouth wide so he could have a good look within. Link had to suppress the urge to flinch back at the sight. Her mouth was lined with rows of little needle-like teeth, razor sharp, protruding from her gums, which were a soft, pale blue color, same as her small tongue, which rested on the floor of her mouth. Link stared in slight trepidation and awe. Apparently, even from birth, Zora's were equipped with the necessary equipment to survive.
"Link I said, we Zora's aren't just oversized tadpoles when we're born, like everyone seems to think," Ruto commented after closing her mouth. "We're practically ready to survive from the moment we hatch."
"'Everyone thinks'?" Link repeated, peeling off more slices of fruit. "I take it I am not the first person to assume that your people's young aren't capable of fending for themselves?"
"Nor were you the first to assume that baby Zora's aren't capable of leaving the water," said Ruto, squinting her eyes in agitation. "More than one person has assumed such in the past." Ruto's expression soured. "I bet it was those ridiculous Fabulous Five Froggish Tenors who lived so close to Zora's Domain that started it all. We Zora's often only had interaction with the outside world when it came to our relationship with the Hylian Royal Family, but traveler's would often stop by Zora's River to see those four legged simpletons sing.
"Wouldn't surprise me if the false rumors surrounding Zora baby's were started by them, considering they would often gossip with those who came by to see their show from time to time. Especially about use."
The Fabulous Five Froggish Tenors.
Link hadn't thought about them for the longest time. He had come across the singing quintet during his quest for the Spiritual Stones and, if he was being honest, he had listened to them prattle about this and that whenever they requested he play his ocarina for them. He maybe even once heard them talking about the similarities in appearance between tadpoles and Zora babies and had shared their assumption that the two were alike himself. This false belief was further cemented when he first laid eyes on baby Zora's too, for the similarities to tadpoles could not be denied. Serve Link to trust word of mouth from frogs, which, admittedly, weren't the brightest of creature's.
But, all that aside, all this brought one obvious revelation to Link's attention. If Ruto needed meat, he was inadequately prepared to take care of her. Being raised in the Kokiri Forest Link was well adapted to a vegetarian diet, so he had only ever gathered supplies such as fruit, berries, and the like, but, apparently, none of that was in Ruto's diet.
If she was going to travel with him he was going to have to acquire the appropriate sustenance.
After finishing his fruit Link stood up and made for Epona, Ruto tightened her grip on his neck so she wouldn't slide off. Before mounting Link took a swig from his waterskin, offering some to Ruto afterwards, which, this time, she accepted, letting Link place the mouth of the waterskin to her lips and allowing some of the cool, refreshing liquid flow down her tiny throat. She sighed in obvious pleasure as the element of her people reinvigorated her, easing a primordial urge she hadn't been aware of till now.
"Thanks, I needed that," she said gratefully as Link repacked the waterskin and finally mounted Epona, gently kicking her in the flanks and sending her walking forward at a casual trot, heading deeper into the forest.
Link and Ruto shared a brief glance of affection, Ruto leaning in and giving Link a demure peck on the cheek, for which he responded by reaching up and gently stroking her on the head, Ruto trilling at his touch again, before they both brought their attention to the path ahead. As they rode Ruto took in their surroundings, fully noticing for the first time since Link managed to pull her from the depths of her despair that they were in a forest. Despite being raised in an aquatic environment, Ruto was no stranger to the other habitats utilized by other creatures that lived in the world,. She had heard plenty from the other Sage's too; Saria, the Sage of Forest, often spoke of her forested home a lot, and with immense fondness.
In fact, just outside of the entrance to Zora's Domain there was a shortcut to the fabled Lost Woods, though her father never allowed her to go near it. One of the few times she was grateful for his overbearing parenting, if even half of the rumors surrounding that place were true. But was that where they were now?
If so, why was Link in The Lost Woods, of all places?
That's when it finally dawned on Ruto that she actually didn't know what Link had been up to after Princess Zelda sent him back to his own time so he could have a proper childhood. She had been so steeped in longing and sadness that it never even occurred to her. Might as well find out now.
"Hey Link?" Said Ruto, Link turning his head slightly in her direction, "Where are we, anyway? Is this The Lost Woods?"
The simple question shocked Link, for it brought a certain fact to his attention as well. This Ruto wasn't the Ruto he had said farewell to before he had left Hyrule and wasn't aware of his current quest to find Navi. Technically, the last time he had seen this version of her was when he was dispelling the barrier inside Ganon's Tower and she had lent her aid before he had been sent home and sealed The Door of Time. He doubted that she even remember his departure from Hyrule, even if she was technically Ruto's future self, for, according to Zelda, this timeline had branched off from the timeline when he was sealed in The Sacred Realm, resulting in a parallel timeline with parallel versions of everyone, except for Link, all through the power of The Ocarina of Time. The only thing that remained the same was that those who were destined to become Sages would still one day become such, only without the looming threat of Ganondorf to contend with.
It was still their fate.
But that means that Ruto, the Ruto on his shoulders, was unaware of all that had happened since the defeat of Ganondorf. Navi's disappearance, Link's, departure from Hyrule in pursuit of her…the circumstances that resulted in Link winding up here, in the world of Termina, which was- so far as Link could tell- a world that existed in parallel to Hyrule.
But before Link could even entertain the thought of going into a lengthy explanation of all that had happened since the last time he and Ruto met Epona suddenly halted in place, neighing in unease and pawing the ground agitatedly.
"Whoa!" Ruto called out, the inertia from the sudden stop almost sending her flying off Link's shoulders, his quick reflexes being the only thing that saved her as Link clung to Epona with only his legs so he could use both arms to hold her in place. They looked at each other with a flabbergasted expression as Link regained his balance before breathing out a sigh of relief once they realized they were alright, Ruto huddling closer against Link's head to calm herself. Epona was still fidgeting beneath them however, lunging her neck around and letting out aggressive snorts.
"Hey, easy girl," Link said comfortingly, rubbing Epona's neck to try and sooth her. "What's the matter?"
He leaned around Epona's head to get a better view of what could be before them. There was nothing but open trees directly ahead, but when Link looked directly downward, he noticed something on the ground before Epona's forelegs. It was a small patch of crimson leaves that were very familiar.
"Uh oh!" Link said worriedly, grabbing hold of Epona's reins again.
"Link, what is it?" Ruto asked worriedly, coiling tighter against his neck, knowing that Link wasn't the type of person to get worked up over nothing.
The answer came, not from Link, but when the very patch of leaves before them sprang up with a rustling sound, revealing the terrifying visage of a Mad Scrub.
Ruto eeped in surprise and alarm at the sight of the evil living plant, whose horrible eyes seemed to be staring directly at her. Link's response was different however, extensive experience in battle allowing him to respond quickly in the face of a sudden adversary. With a defiant glare, he reached behind him, intending to draw The Gilded Sword.
But Epona responded before he could.
She reared up on her hind legs, neighing in terror before taking off in a full gallop to the left of the Mad Scrub. Link had to halt his attempt to draw his weapon, instead seizing Epona's reins again with both hands, glancing over his shoulder just in time to see the Mad Scrub fire the signature weapon of its species in their direction. A Deku Nut shot from the Mad Scrubs funnel, sailing towards them at a speed that would undoubtedly catch up to Epona and strike at least one of them.
An outcome Link intended to avoid.
He reacted fast, forgoing his blade in favor of The Mirror Shield and bringing it to bear behind them, the Deku Nut striking the reflective surface bearing a sinister screaming face with a dull thud and being sent back directly towards the one who had fired it in the first place. The Mad Scrub yelped in pain as it was struck by its own projectile, leaping out of its protective shrub and scurrying around on its stubby legs. Link hadn't remained idle though, having drawn his bow before the Deku Nut had even struck home. He let loose a single arrow, his precision and experience allowing him to nail The Mad Scrub between its sinister eyes.
The Mad Scrub gave a final screech of pain before slumping to the ground with a pitiful whine, vanishing in the next second in a wave of mulch.
All this happened a mere few seconds after the Mad Scrub had startled Epona, and now that the enemy was vanquished Link needed to focus on calming his horse.
"WHOA, EPONA, WHOA!" Link called out, pulling on Epona's rein's.
But Epona didn't heed her rider, continuing to gallop deeper into the woods.
"COME ON, EPONA! CALM DOWN!" Link persisted, trying futilely to tug on his horse's reins to regain control, but she still didn't comply.
"LINK!" Cried Ruto fearfully, clenching her eyes shut against the wind pelting them and huddling closer to Link so she wouldn't be thrown off him. "LINK, PLEASE MAKE THIS MISERABLE BEAST OF BURDEN STOP!"
Link would be more than happy to comply, but at the moment he could no more stop Epona's action's then she could. But before he could do anything else a sudden sound reached his ears. It wasn't anything like one would expect to hear in a forest, for it sounded musical. And Link was more than familiar with this melody, for he had always heard it whenever he traversed The Lost Woods. It didn't make sense, why was the tune that was usually heard throughout The Lost Woods, the song taught to him by his friend Saria, being heard now, of all places?
Of all worlds?
"LINK, WHAT IS THAT?!" Called Ruto over the rushing wind, surveying the area as it rushed by in search of the source of that mysterious music that she obviously could hear as well.
Before Link could utter a reply of any kind he spotted something in the distance before them. It was a tree that was a good three sizes larger than any other tree Link had seen in this forest, save for one he had encountered a while back. And the sight of it made his eyes widen in terror. Back when Skull Kid had stolen the Ocarina of Time he had also stolen Epona as well and rode off, Link pursuing them into the open trunk of a large tree, which turned out to be a mystical gateway into the world of Termina. The tree before them, drawing ever closer, was almost identical, even sporting an open trunk as well, looming like a gaping maw.
And the music seemed to be emanating from there.
Link had a hunch about what would happen if they were to pass through there, but they were closing in too fast to stop. They couldn't avoid plunging into the tree's depths now, even if Link regained control over Epona. All he could do, all any of them could do, was hope for a favorable outcome.
"RUTO, HANG ON!" He called out, taking his hands off Epona's reins and wrapping them around Ruto's tiny form and bracing her tighter against his neck.
Ruto blinked in surprise and alarm as Link let go of his horse's reins and gripped her tight, staring ahead herself to see the large tree that their spooked mount was currently making a beeline for. Her eyes widened in terror at the sight of the encompassing darkness housed within the opening at the base of the tree, growing in size as they sped closer towards it, almost seeming to want to swallow them up.
"Link…?" She inquired fearfully, trembling.
And not a second later Epona carried them all beyond the threshold of the opening in the tree, plunging them into darkness.
Immediately a sense of weightlessness washed over them, disorienting them, the world seeming to spiral in place. Then it turned out to not be a trick sensation, for Link felt himself fall out of Epona's saddle as his horse virtually twirled in the air, all three of them settling into a freefall as they plummeted through darkness. Epona neighed in fear as she spiraled beside Link, falling head over tail, thrashing her legs in a futile attempt to halt her descent. Link and Ruto were no better off, twirling at a sideways angle through the gloom beside Epona, Ruto letting out a high pitched scream of terror all the while.
Link responded to this by slipping her off his neck and clutching her to his chest protectively, bending his knees against himself to further brace her. Ruto responded by burying her head in his chest, her eyes clenched shut in terror, fearful tears streaming through the air, her screams muffled in his Kokiri Tunic. She didn't know what was happening, all she knew was that they were suddenly falling now, and for a really long time too.
Link, however, wasn't unfamiliar with this experience, having gone through something similar not too long ago, forming a theory of where they were currently headed. He hoped he was right. His theory was further cemented when faint silhouettes began to dance in his vision, shrouded in faint colors. He saw images that vaguely resemble three familiar stone's, several that resemble equally familiar medallions, one that looked like a sword he was well accustomed to, and finally three triangles arranged in the pattern of a bigger triangle that had a hollow center.
Link braced himself, for the last time the trip hadn't been long so he doubted this time was any different. He clutched Ruto's trembling form closer to him, her terrified screaming having diminished to terrified whimpering as she pressed herself against him fearfully. It would be over soon, he hoped. For her sake. For all their sakes.
Then, as quickly as it started, it all stopped.
Link felt himself meet solid ground, back first and splayed out. The impact was subtle, lacking any of the force one might expect when they had been falling for so long, but at least that meant they were unharmed. For now. Link wasted no time in opening his eyes and sitting up into a sitting position, still clutching the trembling Ruto to him. The first thing he saw was Epona, gradually getting to her hooves before him, but apparently no worse for wear. She didn't even appear startled anymore, leaning down to graze on the lush grass that grew all around them.
The surrounding area was just as hauntingly familiar as the melody that still resounded through the area, especially with the Skull Kid dancing on a nearby log, playing a flute that was obviously producing the familiar music, sporting the equally familiar Skull Mask. Somehow, against all odds, Link, Ruto and Epona had wound up in The Lost Woods.
$Proofread by DragonRand100 of AO3.
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