The drifter stared up through the rain at the silhouette of the castle. The monolithic structure loomed through the gloom, silent and imposing as a mausoleum. Soldiers stood motionless upon the parapets, almost as if they were statues.

She drifted up the grand staircase and into the great entry hall, past a spectral figure who didn't seem to notice her, past tapestries depicting battles between men on the back of great, winged monsters fighting giant, faceless monsters, past paintings of a regal man and woman whose eyes seemed they could pierce the very soul.

Upward she drifted, past gargoyles that twitched as she passed, beyond a vast hall where a dark horse pawed at the ground, up to a room where a breathtaking woman rested upon an ornate, gilded throne. Unlike the other inhabitants, only she seemed to see the drifter. Their eyes locked, and she smiled softly.

"Cursed Undead, newly reborn, freshly cursed. Come to me."

As her last words hissed away, the woman's face twisted, her mouth stretching into a tooth-filled nightmare. She stood abruptly, her pale dress darkening and growing spine-like patterns as she stepped toward the drifter. With a flourish, the woman, all beauty gone now, reached out and touched the drifter's chest.

"Come to me," she laughed, "and become one with the Dark."

Yneira jerked awake with a choked scream and twisted around, trying to get away from the apparition. Hands pressed down on her, and she struggled against them. They were trying to take her, trying to put her under Ganon's control! She wouldn't let them! She would fight her way out of here.

As she struggled, she vaguely registered voices talking around her.

"…ra! It's okay; you're safe, you're fine…"

"…knew that a critically wounded…so much of a fuss?"

"She's lost a lot of blood..."

"…mean, blood's just a resource, right? She'll get—"

Fwump.

"Midori, the hell do you mean, blood's just a resource?"

Her friend's voices wormed their way into her head and finally managed to penetrate through her panic. Slowly, she stopped struggling and opened her eyes.

She was back in their room at the inn, resting in her bed and wearing a loose tunic and pair of breeches. Link and the Zora priest—Kapson, if she remembered right—were holding her down. Yaoyorozu was spread out on the bed across from her with her arm bound up in a sling. Beside her, Midoriya was rubbing his arm while a surly-looking Ashido reclined in her bed, clearly the source of his discomfort.

A small, slightly hysterical giggle escaped her mouth. It was such a jarringly different scene than what she had been expecting. Link and the Zora let her go, and she started to sit up, only to gasp as what felt like fire poured through her body.

"Easy there," the old priest said, gently pushing her back down. "You have several severe lacerations and a puncture wound through your chest. Even with my expertise, you have some healing to do ahead of you."

She winced as he started to dab at some of the cuts he'd mentioned. Yup, she'd be sidelined for a while. What a terrible time for it to happen, too; she needed to look into what had happened with Van—

Van. Yneira's eyes widened, and she looked up at Link. "The battle?"

"Victory," he said smugly, "though from what it sounds like, it may not have been had you not shown up in time to put down that darknut."

"He's right, Miss Yneira," Midoriya stammered. "W-we were in pretty bad shape. M-Mina managed to melt its armor some, but…"

"But then it punted me across that clearing," Ashido grumbled. "That thing soo should not have been able to move that fast."

Yneira looked between the two of them as Kapson finished applying new bandages. What were they talking about? "Sorry, what happened? I don't remember anything after Van defeated me. Actually… the last thing I remember, I was bleeding out."

Midoriya muttered something that sounded suspiciously like blood's a resource again, but he quickly cleared his throat when Ashido cocked her fist. "W-we weren't doing too great. Mina was down, and Eko had been injured. Umuto and I had m-managed to repel the nomu, but it was getting ready to come at us again. Then you just showed up behind it, dropped this awesome line about breathing being the problem, and then decapitated it."

She had? The last fully coherent memory she had was of her confrontation with her former lieutenant. They'd argued, Yneira had drawn on her—which, technically, would make her the traitor in this scenario—and they'd dueled. She'd managed to score several blows, but Van had been too well armored. She'd ripped her up, taunting her about some new targets, and… that was about it.

She remembered the pain though. It had been piercing, cold, demanding. She gently prodded at her newly-bandaged sides, feeling at the wounds beneath the tunic. To her surprise, the wounds weren't the squelchy mess that she'd expected; instead, they were stiff, as if they were already half-healed.

Yneira looked up at the Zora. "Is this your work? If so, it's well done."

"No," the Zora said, head-fins pulsing. "Your wounds were already closed when you were brought in, though, for some reason, their remarkable rate of recovery appears to have slowed."

The old priest hesitated for a moment, and his fins drooped. "The wound on your chest, however… There is a powerful magic at work. It doesn't bleed, but… Well, regardless, it is currently beyond my expertise. With the two of you finally awake and stable, I'm off to look into it."

"Please, and thank you."

The old priest nodded and left. Yneira hesitated briefly after he left before gripping the bottom of her tunic and stripping it off to investigate. She winced as the movement stretched her wounds, but her pain was quickly forgotten as she got a look at her chest.

The puncture wound was right over her right breast, and it wasn't like any wound she'd ever seen. In fact, she was almost certain that it wasn't a wound at all. The thing was a perfect circle of darkness blacker than night. A ring of warmth surrounded the black, and as she watched, it seemed to flicker, almost like fire. Hesitantly, she ran a finger along the spot—and almost panicked when it dipped into the darkness.

She didn't feel anything there. Not her finger, not any pain, not even the warmth from the little ring around it. All she felt was emptiness, and the longer she stared into it, the more she felt certain that she could get lost in that emptiness herself.

Thump.

Yniera jumped in surprise and looked up to the two girls giggling. She raised an eyebrow, and Yaoyorozu gestured to the floor, where Link was kneeling over an unconscious Midoriya. A small trickle of blood ran down his face from his nose.

"I do not think he was expecting you to strip in front of him," Yaoyorozu said, voice still tinged with laughter. "Though, in his defense, we were not expecting it either."

Ashido laughed. "Speak for yourself, girl! I woulda wanted to check out my body too; I'm only surprised she waited this long. That said, you, uh, might want to put your shirt back on. You look great, all things considered, but I don't think my boyfriend would survive a second dose."

Yneira snorted, but followed her suggestion. Once it was settled in place, she smirked over at her roommate. "So, boyfriend? You two have started courting? When'd that happen?"

"Yes, do tell, Ashido. When did this happen?" Yaoyorozu asked.

Ashido chuckled again. "Officially? Just after the last battle. I asked him while we were up on Ploymus Mountain, and he gave me the answer after saving my butt from the nomu."

"Well, it is a good thing Link sent you two up to deal with the lynel, then," Yaoyorozu said wistfully.

Yneira agreed. It had definitely worked out well. Almost too well, too neatly. She narrowed her eyes and glanced over at Link. The knight had pulled the still-comatose Midoriya up and over into a chair and was studiously avoiding any eye contact. "I don't think that was luck. You knew, didn't you, Champion?"

Link slowly turned and nodded. "Yes, I did. I learned a few things when I used that stone I gave you, some of which I can talk about now. So... Yiga Arbiter, eh?"

Yneira stiffened in surprise. She'd suspected that he'd known, but for him to just come out and state it? She hadn't expected that at all. Though if he was trying to force a confrontation, now was the time for it. She seriously doubted that she'd be able to defend herself if things went poorly.

His pronouncement apparently wasn't a surprise to the others in the room, or if it was, they hid it well. Yaoyorozu watched her, a glimmer of worry in her eyes, as Ashido nodded slowly. "The nomu had said something about you being sent to kill Link," the pink girl said. "Is that true?"

Straight to the point. "It is," Yneira admitted with a wince. "Master Kohga tasked many of us with bringing him down in order to protect the Calamity. I volunteered for it, actually."

Link nodded. Behind him, Midoriya stirred and slowly clawed his way back to consciousness. The boy would have some catching up to do. She didn't spare him much more than a glance, though; her judge and jury were watching her carefully, seemingly processing the information.

After a few moments of silence, Yneira asked, "So what now? Will you try me for my crimes?"

"That will depend entirely on how you answer my next question," Link said quietly. "What changed your mind?"

A slightly hysterical chuckle forced its way out of her throat. "If I'm being honest, I don't know. Perhaps it's that you all are good people, and though I've only known you for a few days, I have seen you actively try to help those around you. Maybe I've been charmed, and am under your thrall. I know you kids have mystical abilities, so that could be in your wheelhouse."

She held up a hand to forestall any comments. "No, I've heard you talk about your powers. I know that's not something the three of you can do. It is a thought I've had, is all. Truthfully, I still don't fully trust you, Champion, and I have a deep grudge with the royal family.

"However, I can tell you that Ganon is not the being we, the Yiga, have been led to believe he is. I saw a glimpse of the real him in what remained of my former lieutenant, the darknut. Whatever the Dark One's origin was, he no longer cares for those under his command. He will see this world burn, and that is something I cannot in good conscience abide."

Link nodded again and, to her astonishment, smiled slightly. "I understand."

"Do you?" she shot back. "Do you truly understand?"

Link paused for a moment before stepping over and settling at the edge of her bed. ""Let me tell you a brief story. When I awoke on the plateau, I was missing most of my memories. I knew my name and how to do things, but that was it.

"As I've traveled, my memories have slowly returned, occasionally in great bursts of clarity, but usually in a quiet trickle." Link's fists clenched. "One of the things I've remembered is that I, too, have my own grievances with King Hyrule. I disagree with some of the decisions he's made, and I detest how he treated his daughter. His ancestors made some equally questionable decisions, including shutting down all Sheikah technology."

Yneira's breath caught, but he wasn't looking at her. He paused for a moment, closed his eyes, and blew out a breath. "What I mean by all this is that I understand what it's like to discover that your authority figures aren't all that they're meant to be. There are legends and stories, but for most of us, that's all they are. One day, we'll be legends ourselves."

Link turned to her and extended a hand. "I would count myself lucky if, in those legends, we were on the same side."

Yneira regarded the proffered hand for a moment before looking up and searching Link's face. Everything in the room seemed to fade away as she considered what he'd said. While she found the fact that the Hylian Champion was resentful for his king hard to believe, the bitterness in his voice was genuine as he recalled his memories. 'He does know what it's like to be betrayed by those you trust.'

As that realization slid into place, so did her decision, and she reached out to take his hand, clasping it, one warrior to another. "I would be honored to fight by your side. Though to set the record straight, I'm not doing this to save your princess. Ganon betrayed us, betrayed me, and for that, he must pay." As he let go, she chuckled to herself. "But then, you already knew I'd say yes."

He grinned, clearly relieved, and stood up. "I knew that you likely would, but my source made it clear you could go either way."

The tension in the room seemed to bleed out, and the others visibly relaxed. "So w-what's the plan now?" Midoriya asked. "And what happened? Miss Yneira said something and I passed out."

Ashido giggled and gestured for him to come over and lean in. Yneira snorted as his face flushed five different shades of red before turning her attention back to Link. "Yes, what is the plan? I may have some ideas."

"I can answer that," Yaoyorozu said. "Link and I have talked and reviewed our maps, and from here, it seems that the next Divine Beast lies a few days to the north, somewhere near Death Mountain. It makes the most sense to seek it next."

That made sense. From what she remembered, the Divine Beasts—and the races they represented—were laid out in a rough circle. Going from one to the next would certainly be how she would proceed.

Which was a problem. Her breath hissed out through her teeth. "Normally, I would agree with you. It's what I would do myself for efficiency. And therein lies the danger."

The others looked at her quizzically before Midoriya sat up straight and thumped a fist into his open palm. "If that's what you'd do, then others might expect us to do it too."

"Exactly." Yneira struggled to pull herself up a bit straighter. She'd slowly been sliding down the bed, and it was not comfortable. "While I know about Ganon's lies, the rest of the Yiga don't. Unless we deal with them, they'll continue to hunt you—or us, rather—until either we're extinct or they are."

"I had had the same thought, but I had hoped I wasn't being optimistic enough," Yaoyorozu sighed.

"So what do you suggest," Link asked. "You know your people; what would be the best way to proceed?"

"I think we'll need to take the fight to them," she said quietly. "Good news though; we'll be able to wrest control of another of the Divine Beasts while we're there."

Link's gaze sharpened. "Where exactly is the Yiga Clan situated?"

"In the northern reaches of the Gerudo Desert."

Link frowned and pulled out the Slate. It hummed to life, and he began poking at it. After a moment, he sighed in frustration. "That part of the map's damaged. We'll need to restore it."

Yaoyorozu peered over his shoulder. "From what I recall, Purah said that the desert lies to the southwest. I believe we may want to teleport to one of these central shrines you have here. It will save us a lot of time."

"And will also throw off any pursuers." Yneira nodded in satisfaction. "Yes, that could work."

"Then it's settled." Link stowed the Slate and looked around the room. "I think we'll need to wait for a day or two for you all to heal. I would normally wait longer, but Yneira's wounds seem to be healing quickly—except for that hole in your chest."

A shiver ran over her at the mention of the strange wound. She glanced down at it again and swore she could still see it through the tunic. Something about the darkness seemed familiar… All at once, it clicked. The darkness. The castle. The dream woman who had called her Undead. Her dreams of a land filled with dragons. The old woman. It was all connected.

"I think you'll need to start off without me," she said, swinging her legs off her bed. "I think I know who can tell me more about this… whatever it is."

"Are you sure that is wise?" Yaoyorozu asked. Yneira glanced at her as she caught the odd pitch in the girl's voice. "I mean, I know you are strong and capable, but you did just suffer debilitating injuries."

"You're right; I did. By all rights, I should be laid out for weeks, if not dead. And yet—" Yneira stood up, letting her weight settle. "—here I am, standing. Something is wrong, and I'm certain that old hag in Hateno knows what. Once I know what's happening to me, I'll join you."

She let them stew on that while she started testing her legs. She made it a few shaky steps before collapsing back into bed. Yneira wasn't a doctor, but she knew the extent of the damage that Van had dealt to her, and you didn't just walk away after being disemboweled. Yes, something wasn't right. And that old shrine maiden in red had to know what.

A sigh pulled her out of her own thoughts. "If you won't stay put," Link said slowly, "then I can at least take you to this… 'old hag.' I was planning on 'porting back to Kakariko anyways."

Yneira opened her mouth to respond, but a sudden queasiness cut her off. She thumped her chest, and the feeling faded. "Thank you. I think I might need to rest for a bit longer, but I'll be ready to go once you are."

[:][:][:]

"Oooh, it's so nice to be out of bed!" Mina said, stretching.

"B-but you were only in there for a day and a half!" Izuku protested.

"Yeah, but that was a day and a half that I could have been out in the sunshine! Absolutely wasted."

Izuku laughed. Mina had been enthusiastically bouncing around ever since Kapson had cleared her. Every other step was either a bound or a twirl as she reveled in her freedom.

That salve Kapson had was incredible, which made it all the more disappointing that they couldn't have a supply on hand. When Izuku had cornered the old Zora and asked him how to make it, he had explained that it was made from local plants and fish—and that it required the proper prayers to be truly effective.

Still, he could appreciate it while they had it. Mina's back had been super messed up from where she crashed into the coralstone. It hadn't been broken—or at least, he didn't think it had been, but he wasn't a doctor. Whatever injuries she had though, they'd made walking difficult. Combined with the lacerations all along her back from the coralstone, and he would have expected her to be out for a couple of weeks at least.

If he was being honest with himself, he'd been really worried. Thankfully, he'd had more to do than sit around and worry. Shortly after the battle, King Dorephan had summoned the three of them that weren't injured and had asked for their accounts of what had happened. He'd listened with interest and sympathy when first Yaoyorozu, then Izuku, and then Link, had shared their adventures.

And adventures they had been. Izuku hadn't realized just how much of the plan had been Yaoyorozu's doing, or how bad the battle at the dam had actually gotten. She'd emerged almost entirely unscathed, crediting her safety to the commander she'd worked with, but it had been a close call.

And then there was Link. He'd relayed his discoveries inside the Divine Beast, how Ganon had sent corrupters, Blights, to wrest control of the Divine Beasts from the Champions—and how those Champions' spirits had been trapped. He described his fight with the Blight and his conversation with the Champion's spirit after. The king teared up as Link relayed Mipha's well-wishes, and even some of the grumpy old Zora had softened up.

A little later, once he'd returned to their rooms, he'd realized something funny. Despite her best efforts, Mina had managed to miss meeting the king for a second time.

"Yeah, it totally isn't fair!" Mina pouted. "I was looking forward to it this time, too."

Izuku blushed as Mina's words brought him back to the present. He really needed to get his muttering under control. "Sorry, didn't mean to rub it in."

"Nah, s'okay. Maybe we can pop in once the others get back." Mina spun to a stop, her face scrunched up in thought. "Where'd they all go, anyway? Back to Kakariko?"

"And Hateno, yeah. Link wanted to check in and deliver an update, and Yneira wanted to ask someone she knows about that ho—erm, her, um, wound."

"And Yaomomo's napping, which means that we have the rest of the afternoon to ourselves!" Mina grinned up at him. "So, Izuku, what d'you want to do?"

Her black eyes peered up at him so full of false innocence that he couldn't help but laugh through his red face. It eased the tension he hadn't realized he'd been holding. His shoulders relaxed, and he took a couple of breaths to calm his giggles. "One of the Zora told me about these stone monuments that tell about their people's heroes. I thought we could go check them out?"

"Reading up on Hero history, eh?" Mina asked, tapping him on the nose. "That is such a you first date, Midori."

Izuku's blush deepened. "W-w-we can do something else i-i-if you want. The Zora have a restaurant—or something like one—here for outlanders, b-b-but it's all pretty heavily fish themed and I wasn't sure if that's something you'd like and dinner at a restaurant is so stereotypical and cliche, and I th-thought about other things we could do, and this seemed like one of the—"

"Geez, Midori, breathe," Mina laughed. "I didn't mean that in a bad way; it's exactly the kind of thing you'd find out, haha. I would love to go check these monuments out. Where do we go?"

Still blushing, Izuku waved toward cliffs. "B-back up Ploymus Mountain. The Zora who told me about them said that one should be right next to the pool."

She smiled. "That sounds great! Though I wouldn't mind a snack first; I'm a little hungry."

Her stomach gurgled as she finished speaking, and they both chuckled. "Don't worry," Izuku said, patting the bag Yaoyorozu'd made for him, "I've got some stuff for a small picnic."

"Ah, see, now that makes it more of a date," Mina teased as she started bouncing ahead again. "Well, what're you just standing around for? Let's go!"

Izuku smiled and followed her across town, quickly falling into step beside her. Now that the constant rain had stopped, Zora's Domain's true glory was on display. Every graceful arch and spire of silvered stone gleamed in the late afternoon sunlight, causing the whole structure to glisten and shine in a way that reminded Izuku of the sun reflecting off of fresh snow.

And he was pretty sure he knew why; the Domain served as a beautifully ornate backdrop for the Zora themselves. When he glanced out over the Domain as he climbed the wide ramp to the second level, he could easily pick out all the Zora from the vibrant reds, blues, and greens of their scales. It made them pop, drawing the eye to each and showing them as the true treasures of the Domain. His fingers itched to dig out his notebook and sketch, but he knew that his mediocre art skills wouldn't be able to do the scene justice.

And Mina fit right in. He glanced sideways at her as they walked; while her skin didn't reflect the light quite like the Zora's scales did, the pink stood out. Zora they passed would stop and compliment her on her beautiful skin and ask her questions about what she did to bring out its shine. Then they'd realize who the two of them were and thank them for their help.

It was… gratifying, he decided. He didn't want to parade around for adulation or attention, but he was happy that they were happy.

After a few minutes of walking, they left the city behind, pacing the now-familiar path along the bridge toward the cliffs and dam. The soldier at the end of the bridge nodded to them as they turned up the path to the cliffs. "You know," Mina said as she waved at him, "I know the Zora are grateful and all, but I don't think we need all the attention."

"I was just thinking that myself," Izuku admitted. "But I think it's important? Think about the publicity pros get back home. Unless they're an underground hero, they get a lot of public recognition for their work."

"That's… fair," Mina said slowly, drawing out the last syllable. "It still feels a little weird though."

"Yeah." Izuku frowned in thought as they approached the top of the path. Ahead of them, Novar and Nevalo, their guides from the other day, waved at them from beside the pool. They'd readily agreed to give them a lift when he'd asked, though he'd had to endure their teasing afterward when he explained why. Still, he'd endured worse teasing for things far less happy than a date.

"There you are!" Novar cheerfully exclaimed as they stopped by the pool's edge. "We were wondering if the tides had left without you."

"More like that they'd fallen in," Nevalo chuckled before slapping the water and winking a large eye at Mina. "Remember to ride the tide where it takes you. You are in control."

To Izuku's astonishment, Mina actually flushed. "Y'know, it doesn't always feel like that, but I'll try."

"That is all you can do." Nevalo gestured toward some of the bushes to the side. "Now, I know Midoriya said that this was to be a surprise, so I presume you are not already wearing your swim wear. You may wish to avail yourself of those bushes to change."

Izuku wordlessly held out one of the waterproof rucksacks, which a still-blushing Mina snatched before disappearing behind the bushes. Mina? Blushing? Izuku hadn't realized that was possible—or how cute a flustered Mina would be. He quietly resolved to try and get that reaction out of her more.

"And you, Midoriya?" Novar asked, turning to him with a slight smirk on his face. "Do you also need time to go change and seize the tides?"

"N-no, no, I'm good." As proof, Izuku quickly stripped out of his pants and shirt, revealing his swim trunks underneath. He'd changed earlier while Kapson was clearing Mina to leave. In hindsight, he probably should have warned her to change then as well.

As he tucked his normal clothes into his bag, carefully packing them around the food, Mina reappeared, also ready for the water. She grinned and tied the bag to her waist. "Well, I'm super ready for another awesome ride up the falls."

"Then climb on, and we shall take you to the summit!"

The ride up was just as exciting the second time. More, even. Now that Izuku knew what to expect, he was able to really lean into the Zora, trying to give him enough room to maneuver them up the falls. It was crazy to him to feel both like he was riding a coaster up and down simultaneously.

Within a few minutes, they were at the top of the mountain. The Zora dropped them off at the edge of the pond and promised them that they'd be in the area when they were ready to return. "Just call, and we shall be here."

With that, the two disappeared beneath the waves, leaving the two of them alone. Mina glanced around before turning toward Izuku. "Where to next?"

"From what the mason told me, it should be behind us somewhere." Izuku turned and looked back up through the woods. He didn't see anything, but he also didn't have any reason to disbelieve the Zora.

He heard Mina rummaging in her bag for a moment and turned around in time to see her pull a towel out and wrap it around her shoulders. When she caught him looking, she just smirked. "Well, what're you waiting for? Lead the way!"

"Yes, ma'am!" he said, snapping a salute as he turned and started into the trees. As he walked, he pulled his own towel out and wrapped it around himself. It wasn't too cold up here, but it was chilly enough that he really didn't want to be walking around wet.

The area looked much as it had the last time they were here. The woods were comprised of tall, thin pines that grew just close enough together to prevent two people from walking side by side. The occasional scorched, sooty spot pockmarked the trunks, a reminder of the monster that once inhabited the summit. The grassy stone ground was covered in pine needles, necessitating another brief pause for the two of them to put on shoes. Somewhere above them, a bird chirped cheerfully.

It was such a serene setting that Izuku could almost forget that they had just fought a battle a few days ago.

It didn't take them long to find what they were looking for. After a few minutes, the trees thinned even more, revealing a slate gray cliff face with some kind of bluish stone carving set off to one side. The Zora had placed a pair of their strange lanterns in front of it, lighting up the stone from beneath and throwing the lines of text that were carved into the plaque from top to bottom into sharp relief.

"So this is what you were talking about," Mina said as they approached. "Not gonna lie, I was expecting something fancier."

"Maybe that's part of the point?" Izuku suggested.

"Maybe." Mina came to a stop in front of it. She looked at it for a couple of moments before spinning around to face him. "So… what's it say?"

"What?"

"What's it say? I don't read Zora."

Izuku stared at her in disbelief before spinning around to stare at the monument. Through some miracle of craftsmanship, the writing was hardly eroded, which made it very easy to see that it wasn't the Hylian he'd been learning. Many of the letters were the same, but they were combined in ways that didn't make sense.

For some reason, it hadn't occurred to him that the monuments wouldn't be in Hylian. Many of the signs in the Domain had both Hylian and Zoran text. In his head, it had made sense that there would be translations. Apparently, that wasn't the case.

Sheepishly, he rubbed the back of his head and turned back to Mina. "I, uh, don't know."

Mina stared at him for a moment before breaking out in explosive giggles. A smile slowly crept across Izuku's face, followed by laughter. And for a little while, that's all the two could manage to do. Every time Izuku thought he had regained control, he would look at Mina and the two would break down again. Mina fell over, she was laughing so hard, and Izuku had to lean on the monument himself.

Eventually, the laughter subsided. Wiping tears from her eyes, Mina finally managed to prop herself up. "I feel like—hahaha—that is the most Midori twist this date could have taken, haha. So excited that we didn't even think to ask what language they're written in."

Izuku gulped down a couple of big breaths to try and steady himself. "To be fair, I thought they would be in both, like the signs in town."

"Well, I'm kinda glad they aren't. I don't think they could live up to that kind of reveal."

A loud gurgle cut through the conversation. "Well, at least we have lunch," Izuku chuckled, digging into his bag.

"Finally. I'm starving!" Mina scooched over to him and peered over his shoulder. "What'd you get us?"

"Nothing too fancy." Izuku removed the two rolls of food from his bag and handed her one. "You know the Zora; they're pretty b-big on fish. I did manage to grab us some rice and apples to go with it. A-and some kind of candy for after!"

Mina eagerly snatched her bundle and pulled out the small stone container with the fish and rice in it. "I'll take it! Thank you for the food!"

Izuku smiled and pulled out his own. For a few minutes, the only sounds were the birds, the distant roar of the falls, and the clacking of wooden utensils against stone bowls. Izuku took the time to study Mina. The sun really did make her skin and hair pop, and her black eyes danced in the light. While he couldn't see beneath the towel, she seemed to have fully recovered from their recent encounters. Unfortunately, he was pretty sure that such convenient healing factors would be all too scarce in the coming weeks.

"Whatchu looking at, Izuku?"

With a start, Izuku realized that Mina had finished eating and was now watching him, a small, knowing smile on her face. He started to sputter, stumbling for an answer, before taking a deep breath and saying as evenly as he could, "You."

"That's obvious, silly," she giggled. "Also, smooth. I guess I should have asked what you're thinking about. So… what're you thinking about? Your eyes had that slightly-glazed look that you get when you're almost at the muttering level."

"I was, um, thinking that you were really p-p-pretty, and how we've been really lucky to have actual magic to heal us these past few days."

"Yup, I thought about that while Kapson was patching me back together." Mina leaned back against him and rested her head on his shoulder, something Izuku tried very hard to be calm about. "Woulda sucked if I'd been stuck for a bit while you all went off on adventures to save the world."

"Yeah it would have. And I think there's gonna be times when one or more of us will have to be sidelined. Kapson can't come with us, and we don't have Recovery Girl. I know Hyrule's got some pretty strong magic in its food and plants, but I think there's a limit to what it can do."

Mina hummed in agreement before falling quiet. Izuku waited; he could practically hear her thinking. After a few minutes, she asked, "Izuku, how long do you think we'll be here? We talked about finding a way home, but that could take years. What'll happen to us—you and me, specifically—and all of us together?"

Carefully, Izuku scooted himself back until his back was leaning against the monument, pulling Mina back with him. From this angle, they could see the whole valley. "Here, that's a bit more comfortable. Yeah, I don't know. I think you and me—we'll keep d-dating. Maybe it'll go well, maybe it won't, but we'll see. As for all of us, we'll do what we know best; help people."

She shifted and snuggled into him. "I had a bunch of free time while I healed, and I could basically only use it to think. I started to wonder, 'What if we don't make it back home? What do we do then?' Obviously we're gonna help people, but… what else? It's not like we can finish school out here. I mean, All Might's awesome, but he's not really a teacher."

'She's got a point.' As much as Izuku loved All Might, he'd seen the man using flash cards in his classes. And then another thought struck him, and he flinched.

"What?"

"I just realized that we might end up being teachers if we stay here. Think about what we know about science and math and, well, everything. That's got to be more than the average Hylian."

Mina pressed a hand to her face and groaned. "Midori, we've gotta get out of here. I'm not smart enough to be a teacher."

"Sure you are! How does your acid work?"

"That's not the same thing! That's stuff I need to know for my Quirk so I can use it without hurting people!"

"Yeah, but that doesn't change the fact that you know more about acidity and viscosity than anyone in Hyrule. There's got to be a bunch of uses for that."

"I mean, I can make glue? I think? Something sticky, anyway."

"See? Glue's useful. Between you and Yaoyorozu, we could teach them how to make good, non-animal glue."

Mina snorted. "They can use it in all their craft projects. Actually, that builder guy might go nuts over it. He could glue all his walls together."

In his mind's eye, Izuku could see the builder with his pink bandanna squeezing a giant bottle of white school glue along the join of one of his box houses. "M-maybe we shouldn't teach them how to make glue."

"Absolute power corrupts absolutely. Ganon would be totally screwed."

They both chuckled, and on impulse, Izuku put his arm around her shoulder and gave her a quick squeeze. She snuggled into him in response, and together, they watched as the sun slowly began its descent below the mountains. Below them, the Domain's gleaming slowly began to fade as the lower depths of the valley faded into shadows.

As he watched the shadows lengthen, something Mina had said began to tickle the back of his mind. 'She said she has to be careful with her Quirk so she doesn't hurt people. I didn't see her face, but her voice trembled a little. I wonder…'

He wasn't sure if he was right, but decided to take a stab at it anyway. "Mina," he began, slowly feeling out each word, "are you… scared of your Quirk?"

Mina sighed. "…Not quite. Like, scared is a little strong, I think. But… when my Quirk manifested, I think I burned my mom. Not super bad—she's not a pile of goo—but she's got this weird scar on her arm that's not in any of my baby pictures."

Izuku winced. "I'm sorry."

"Nah, s'fine. I mean, baby Mina barely had any acid at all. S'not like I could have melted her into a puddle."

And there was the problem. "But you're afraid that you could now."

She nodded. "Yeah. I've got a lot more control and power now. And that's super cool; I can skate without needing skates, stick things together, and make my own secret doorways. But people're squishier than concrete; what if I get someone by accident?"

"I th-think that's one of the big reasons Eraser's been so focused on teaching us control," Izuku said slowly. He looked down at his hand and idly activated Full Cowling. The familiar green lightning began arcing up and down his arm. "I've got a similar problem with One—erm, with Superpower. If I'm not careful, I can cause a lot of damage. Anyone without an endurance Quirk doesn't stand much of a chance."

"That's an understatement. I saw what you did to that robot." Mina paused for a moment before sitting up and turning to face him, her brow scrunched, as if concentrating on something. "Izuku, is the name of your Quirk really Superpower?"

He stiffened—and then immediately cursed himself for the reaction. "W-what do you mean?" he asked as casually as he possibly could.

"Just little things. Like, there's been a couple of times you've started to say something else, but then correct yourself. If it'd been once, I totally would have brushed it off, especially with your muttering. But it keeps happening."

Izuku floundered as he looked into the deep, black eyes that he had come to... love? Deeply appreciate? Deeply appreciateᵀᴹ. He ran through the lists of excuses he'd prepared with All Might, but none of them really covered actively giving himself away. Repeatedly. And while he could try to come up with something on the spot… lying to his new girlfriend didn't really set a good tone for their relationship.

Finally, he sighed. "P-promise you won't tell anyone?"

"Oooh, a secret?" Mina practically purred. "It's safe with me; I gotchu."

'Well, that's one problem down.' Somewhere in the woods, Izuku heard what sounded like deer bounding away from something, but paid them little mind, distracted as he was. He took a deep breath, wondering how to even begin explaining. It had taken All Might an hour or so with him. Remembering that first encounter, he looked at his hand, still pulsing with Full Cowling, and tried to focus some of One for All in his palm.

Mina's eyes widened as a brilliant point of white light appeared above his hand, and he smiled despite himself. He'd been equally impressed when All Might had done it. His was different—it had a greenish tint to it—but otherwise seemed to be the same. "My real Quirk is called One for All."

"Real Quirk?" Mina asked, focusing on him again. "So Superpower's not real at all?"

Izuku extinguished the ball of light and released Full Cowling. "Not quite. I had to hide One for All's true nature for… a few reasons, actually. One of the big ones was to protect others."

Mina's mouth opened, probably to bombard him with a proper barrage of questions, but a different voice cut her off.

"There you are! I must admit, I wasn't sure I would find you based on Novar's instructions, but thanks to your exquisite light, that concern has been proven baseless!"

Izuku's heart leapt into his throat at the sudden voice, and he scrambled to his feet while searching for its source. He pulled up short when he saw a grinning Sidon towering through the gloom. "S-Sidon! What are you doing here?"

"Indeed!" the Zora boomed. "Your companions have returned and were looking for you. When I heard of their search, I volunteered to find you myself! Being a prince has some benefits, you see; I'd learned that you had asked after the old monuments Father commissioned, and as this was the nearest, it made the most sense."

Beside him, Mina began laughing, and Izuku quickly joined her. He was a little upset at having been interrupted, but he just couldn't be mad at Sidon. The Zora prince was just too enthusiastic. "Well, thanks for coming in person."

"Yeah," Mina giggled. "It's not every day you have a prince come and fetch you himself. The others made it back all right?"

"Yes, they are well. Your blond friend seems to be a bit perturbed, but I'm sure a good night's rest will serve him well! Now come! The hour grows late, and as Link explained it to me, you have quite the journey ahead of you!"

Still chuckling, they gathered up their things and followed Sidon into the woods. Izuku glanced back at the monument as the trees closed in around them again. "Um, Sidon? You know about the monuments, right? D-do you know what that one said?"

"Ah, yes, I do." Sidon's voice lost some of its normal enthusiasm, and Izuku almost stumbled from his surprise. Was Sidon flustered?

Mina must have sensed it too. "Well, what's it about? We can't read Zora, so we have no clue." she asked eagerly, her eyes twinkling with what Izuku was quickly coming to realize was her ever-present mischievousness.

"Well, if you must know, it's a retelling of one of my exploits." Sidon spoke in a rush, clearly a bit embarrassed. "I was out near Hateno Bay when some fishermen were attacked by a giant octorok. I saved them, of course, but the historian made it seem more dramatic than it actually was."

He fell silent, relieving the memory, Izuku thought. "Seems like that's the case, no matter where you're from," he said.

"Yes, quite." Sidon glanced over his shoulder at the two of them, his gold eyes gleaming in the fading light. "Did you say you came up here to examine a monument you can't read?"

"Erm… yes?"

Sidon laughed, but didn't say anything further as they stepped out of the trees. Several Zora, including Novar and Nevalo, were waiting for them. Within moments, Izuku and Mina had been bundled up onto their backs and whisked back down the falls. How the Zora managed to swim down without slipping into a full dive, Izuku didn't understand. It seemed almost like they were somehow swimming backwards.

It didn't take long for them to reach the bottom, where the found Sidon waiting for them once again. "I am afraid I must run," he said as soon as they were ashore. "Father has asked that I investigate the dams after the battle. You should find your companions waiting at the inn. And should we fail to cross paths before you depart, know that you are always welcome here in the Domain."

"Thanks, Sidon!" Mina said cheerfully. "I still wanna meet your dad; maybe next time we're here?"

"But of course! I shall arrange it myself. Until that time, I bid you swift currents and tame tides!"

With that, Sidon spun and jogged off with his attendants in pursuit. Nevalo smiled at the two of them. "We also must take our leave. We trust your outing was successful. Swift currents be with you."

"And with you," Izuku said as their guides vanished back into the pool.

"Finally" Mina groaned. "I about freaking burst while Sidon showed up. Do you know how mean that was, dangling such a juicy l o r e carrot in front of me, only to have someone yank it away? Super not cool."

Izuku could only grin. "W-well, let's get changed real fast, and then I can answer a couple more questions while we walk back."

Mina's only response was to slip away to wherever she had gone earlier, and Izuku quickly toweled off and changed back into his tunic and trousers. As he tied his belt back on, he briefly debated asking Yaoyorozu if she could make modern clothing, but decided against it. Useful as they were, jeans would stand out too much.

Shortly, Mina emerged in the teal tunic she'd somehow managed to get her hands on. "So," she began, smoothly slipping her hand into his as they began walking back, "you said that one of the reasons you kept One for All a secret was to protect others. What's so dangerous about a name?"

'If only it was because of a name.' Izuku closed his eyes, searching for the words. When he opened them again, he started to explain. "You know the League of Villains boss?"

"The big scary guy we saw fighting All Might? Yeah, what about him?"

"Yeah, well, he has the ability to steal others' Quirks and give them away. He created All for One by accident by giving his Quirkless little brother a stockpiling Quirk. The little brother swore that he would use his new Quirk to fight his big brother. That's where One for All came from. And now that it's as strong as it is, All for One wants it back."

They fell quiet as they passed the guards. Once they were past, Mina asked, "So wait, you're saying that the BBEG gave One for All to his brother? How did you get it then?"

"W-well, turns out his little brother wasn't Quirkless. His Quirk let him pass other Quirks on to other people. It combined with One for All, which let him pass both on to others. It's come down the line for years until it ended up with me."

They stepped into the city proper and turned down the ramp toward the main plaza. Mina was quiet until about halfway down the ramp; she gasped and turned to him with wide eyes. "All Might had it before you, didn't he? He has to have; he's, like, the epitome of justice and peace, which sounds like exactly the sort of thing any BBEG would want to avoid. Also, 'All Might'? 'One for All'? He totally had it."

"Yeah, I guess it's pretty obvious once you know what to look for."

Honestly, it was blindingly obvious now that Izuku knew, but since most people had no clue about OfA, it made it the best disguise. Where better to hide the most powerful Quirk in the world than in plain sight? "Anyways, there's more to it, but that's the basics." He caught her brow scrunched up in concentration again. "What?"

"I think that you should think about telling the others," Mina said quietly as they entered the main plaza. "No, hear me out. I get that you're trying to protect people, but so are we, and we've got to know what you can do and who might be after you to help. You're not in this alone, Midori, and I swear if you try to pull any heroic last-stand bullshit, I will personally melt your All Might collection."

"Is that a promise?"

"I'm serious! Izuku, you can't do everything yourself. Never mind that you have the powers of a minor god; even gods can get overwhelmed." When he didn't immediately respond, she sighed. "At least think about it?"

He sighed as well. "I—I will."

"Good. And I want all the details later; I'm gonna help you, whether you like it or not."

"Sure." He gave her hand a squeeze, which she quickly returned. "Now, we should probably find the others."

"They're over there, though I only see Link. Didn't Sidon say that they were both back?"

"I think so?" Izuku frowned and peered in the direction that Mina had pointed. Sure enough, Link was standing in the door of the inn. Silvery light was streaming out from inside, making it hard to see who he was talking to. All he saw was… red and white hair?

Before he could fully process that information, a voice growled from behind them. "Deku, you damn nerd! What're you doing making out while the rest of us work?"