Chapter 4: I told you 'Later…'


That evening Link brought up all his items from his cart and fed Epona. He went to his house where it was kept clean. Uli and Ilia must've done this for him. Ilia learning to be a house wife like Uli seemed to appear in his mind. Then the very picture of Ilia as a house wife appeared. He nervously shook his head to get the thought out. He sighed and climbed up to his bed and fell on it heavily. He sighed rubbing his head against the soft pillows and pulled something from around his neck. He fingered at the piece of stone and in the groove. His mind trailed from Zelda's words and embrace, to Ilia's embrace and appearance to him, to finally the dream of a woman of shadow and mystery brushing his face gently as he could almost feel the stone feeling warm like as if the blue magic was surging through it.

The next day, Link was still exhausted from his travels and especially having to bring stuff up from the cart into his house and the party with carrying so many kids on his arms and shoulders to show how strong he was. Sure, he was strong, but the disadvantage was that like any other human he gets sore.

"LINK! LIIINNNKKK!" A voice shouted.

"Oh, not Fado, not now!" Link groaned covering his head with one of two pillows. He whined wanting a day of rest after his travels and missions. "Just one day!" Link murmured muffled in his pillows.

"Liiiiiink! You home?" Fado called out.

"And leave a message with the horse who you can probably speak to and be on your way out," Link murmured sarcastically.

He huffed propping one arm up and resting his cheek against it. He growled a little and rolled his eyes trying to ignore it putting two fingers into his long ears. He paused and touched his ears again. Long pointy ears and he put his hands down moving them up and down in an amusing manner. He was Hylian. He breathed out and got up putting on new work clothes. He picked up his magic belt and placed in a few daily items such as a few snacks for himself and Epona and items he found that may be useful in the days run. He paused and looked at the box of the necklace he wanted to give to Ilia that rested on his table. He also tucked it away into his belt.

He didn't feel like working that day honestly. He sighed and began to think to himself some plot to get him out and he smiled. He opened the door rubbing his arms and shoulders and sat on the edge of his house.

"Fado What?" Link asked a bit in a whine.

"I need your help… I'm having a hard time again with the goats and with you here back and all," Fado said scratching the back of his head.

Lazy lunk. Sounds like as if he expects since I did so much I can do his work, Link thought to himself being seriously not in the mood after having so much put on him recently.

Ilia walked by with a bucket full of cleaning supplies for animals and Link raised an eyebrow.

"Fado, I'm still really seriously tired from my long trip. I've been traveling for two days and just got back, I'd really like the rest. Haven't you been handling the animals pretty well for the last three months?" Link said tilting his head sincerely with an expression that could melt hearts like as if he seriously had no time off ever in his life.

Ilia looked up at Link as she was petting Epona near his house. She saw his face and just fell for it. "Fado, go pay the kids some rupees since they can handle them goats better than you," Ilia said putting one hand on her hip as the other held her supplies.

"D'awww but," Fado started.

Link sighed having a feeling he'd be able to part with them. He threw Fado a bag of 55 rupees.

"That'd be my pay anyways if I worked today," Link said.

"And plus Link needs to do some things of his own," Ilia said sternly. Link froze for a moment recognizing voices. That voice sounded like the Princess's when she was in a huff. "Like cleaning his horse."

Link climbed down and out of the reaction of that voice did he salute Ilia and took Epona gently leading her with out words or reigns to a new spring that was made especially for cleaning. Link looked at it not remembering it. There was a large shack that had a water mill and what looked like a group of metal pipes and wooden small wheels all over it. There was a large outside tub with a notch that could be pulled to fill it up as clothing lines surrounded the area.

"I don't remember this," Link said softly leading Epona in as there were two other horses waiting.

"It's called a bath house. You seen them in Hyrule didn't you?" Ilia asked.

"Oh! Yeah those things, they were mostly located indoors," Link said nodding as he took Epona near the other horses.

"Well daddy thought we should get one so he got one for the town to use. Uli and the ladies clean their laundry, the kids, themselves, and everybody uses it when their chance is up," Ilia said smiling.

Link and Ilia spent the whole day caring for the horses. When afternoon was fading to the evening Link felt his pouch as they were now feeding the horses.

"Ilia," Link started looking at her as he took a deep breath.

"Yes Link?" She responded looking from her side of the horse while they brushed it.

"I wanted to give you," Link said softly closing his eyes reaching into his pocket.

"ILIA!" somebody screamed.

Out of nowhere Talo came running up. He was out of breath as Beth and Colin followed. Colin was holding Beth's hand trying to help her to run faster.

"What's wrong, kids?!" Ilia said kneeling and holding Talo's shoulders.

"Your dad!" Talo said breathing heavily.

"Yes?!" Ilia said even more panicked.

"He's," Beth said breathing harder.

"YES?!" Ilia said her eyes becoming wider with each child.

"HE'S COOKING HIS SPECIALTY!" Colin screamed finally getting the last of his breath out.

Everybody, including Link, had their eyes dilate. All began to shake in fear knowing that when Bo cooked it was a thing for all the younger generations of the village to fear. When Bo cooked, he asked for everybody's kid to come over to eat to help them gain strength with a meal that contained all the 'nutrients'. Unlike the regular sumo tradition, that included a meal that tasted as good as it actually is, Bo's special cooking didn't have a taste that was good at all. In fact, some felt like they lost a life when they ate it to only have it forced in a feeling of energy that only lasted for a brief moment to follow with a whole day of stomach aches and pains.

This was a hazard as the parents didn't know it, believing higher in their strong mayor than their children's taste. Ilia looked at Link with the appearance of sorry in her eyes. Link just shrugged with one eye with a mild twitch remembering the days he had to eat that soup. Ilia took one of the horses and jumped on it bare back riding it gracefully back to the town. Link gave a sigh as the kids looked at each other.

"I… I hope we didn't disrupt anything," Talo said nervously looking at Link who looked pained.

"No, it's ok. It's nothing big. Just cleaning good ol' Epona," Link said as Epona neighed a bit, offended as the 'ol' comment.

Link sighed as the kids started to pet the horses. He looked at Epona and patted her head putting her reigns on and putting the reigns on the other horse.

"Colin," Link started as he hoisted himself on top of Epona.

"Yes?" Colin said. Colin had stiffened like as if were about to salute to Link.

Link gave a soft chuckle and said softly, "Did Ilia teach you to ride a horse already?"

"All of us," Colin said.

"Take that horse back to the stables for me, please. I'll just be going real quick," Link said giving a kind smile.

Colin smiled as he roughly helped Talo and gently helped Beth onto the horse. Colin began to lead the horse with a notion that he was the one to protect them. Link nodded and reared Epona directing her out of the new spring area and towards the forest. Once out of the forest they were in Hyrule Field. The sun was setting and the time period was twilight. Link got off the Epona and fed her an apple from his magic pouch. She ate it resting as Link walked to a hill where a few trees were. The largest tree he sat near as he watched the sunset and the stars rise. He began to tear up not understanding. Her words lingered in his head.

The twilight there holds a serene beauty... You have seen it yourself as the sun sets on this world.

"It is beautiful," He whispered as he didn't notice his shadow began to seep out from under him. He couldn't explain why, but he began to feel a little weak but not weak like tired, like he was being drained of life.

"It is, isn't it?" He heard a voice near him.

"Yeah," he said dazed turning his head as a woman in a dark cloak sat next to him. His expression changed from dreamy to shocked. He stumbled around rolling a bit off the edge of the hill as she stood up and dusted her long skirt off. "Oh my!" Link screamed scuttling back up the hill to see if he was dreaming or not.

"Am I that scary to the people of your world?! Including you who originally looked at me with such awe?! I should feel more offended than I do now," Midna said crossing her arms stubbornly raising an eyebrow. She smirked reaching into one of her sleeves. She took out a small bottle that she pinched in her fingers and held it out to Link. "Drink this, fast," she commanded.

Link looked down confused and just listened to her as she sounded very serious. The light blue fluid in the bottle he sipped in one swing. It tasted actually quite good. Better than any potion as he felt re-energized.

"That's not going to kill me right?" Link said nervously.

"No-o-ho-ho-ho, but the way I used to get here could have," Midna said kind of nervously laughing fanning herself.

"What?" Link said nervously staring at her.

Midna sighed and crossed her arms as she snatched the empty flask from him and pointed downwards. He noticed he had no shadow, but where his shadow would have lined, it was connected to Midna.

"I have to be honest with you, Link," She said putting the flask back into her sleeve and took a seat back down on the hill looking at the sky. "That move was a war technique that my ancestors used against the realm of light in revenge for being ousted from this world. It can kill a person. Even if we couldn't enter the world of light with out the sages activating the mirror, my ancestors had made a secret technique where we could seep into a person's shadow and be in this world. But it had to be in this time of the day in your realm. My ancestors removed this move from the knowledge of their people fearing the light dwellers finding a way to counteract it and worse, use it against them.

Though then it wasn't as efficient as how I used it. In fact, it was used to steal a breath. The inhabited shadow will grab into a person's being, their soul, and can drag it down into their shadow and the Twili will be back in the dark realm as the soul of the person lingered in their shadow. Once it turned dark, the darkness will eat the shadow up, and that very soul of a person killing them like as if their heart had some sort of attack upon it. But I practiced and changed the move! So it doesn't kill a person but just seeps a little bit of energy out of them to have me here," Midna said perky at the end trying to make it not so bad.

Link stared at her a bit dumbfounded at the dangers she took. But at the same time he was happy to see her, so very happy.

"Why are you staring at me like that? I said it's not lethal anymore," Midna said nervously as he stared at her.

He fell on his knees and hugged her but with his new muscle and weight they fell over as she laid back on the grass and him on top. Midna at the moment had to thank the darkness as she couldn't hide her blushing face. Her hood fell along with her tiara off her head as she laid back looking at him with her fiery red eyes. She looked gorgeous.

Link was speechless as ever. It occurred to him how he thought of all the women who were important in his life. Ilia was the epitome of the perfect care type: Pretty and cute in her own way, hard working for those who she loved, and the stereotypical feel of a country love. Zelda was the high up goddess that wants to walk the earth: her beauty unrivaled with an appearance she carries high and her mind set on her people and peace for everybody, yet longing to go down to their level personally. And Midna was the rebellious mysterious type: a woman from another realm all together, her actions unknown who they're for until announced, and a beauty not known in his world.

Link hugged her again nuzzling his head against you.

"Down boy!" Midna said tapping and rubbing his head like as if he were a dog.

"It's been two years since I've seen you! I had no belief that I would ever see you again! I was beginning to believe that you had lied to me and giving up hope on ever seeing you again!" Link exclaimed sitting up and helping her up.

She giggled and sighed with a weak smile. "I was beginning to think that too until several months ago when I found a magic spell that was hidden from many eyes hiding inside one of the pieces of the stone helm. I found a few hidden spells that nobody knows surprisingly." But after she had said that, she shot a glance at link and stood up. She had pointed ears like he did that poked out from her fiery hair. It was a bit more feminine and smaller but still Hylian like. She pointed a stern finger at his neck and said, "I need that!"

With a snap, the necklace came off of Link. The leather strap just dissolved off as Midna opened her cape and pulled out a piece of the mask. The pieces fused together to make a large piece of fused shadow.

Link touched his neck surprised as Midna smiled at him and began to skip a bit. "And with that I bid thee farewell!"

"You… You can't be serious!" Link shouted balling his fists up standing up.

"Hnm?" Midna said tilting her head with an innocent pout.

"I see you now, after that whole time wondering how you are, how is your world, what are you doing… and you're just going to leave? And selfishly, after taking my only memento of you?" Link said.

She giggled and went up to him and took his hand. She opened his palm and placed a pouch in his hand as there was a long black leather string hanging out of the bag.

"This is for you, just be careful with it! Oh, and I don't mean farewell… I meant to say, later," Midna said twirling in a circle skipping again. "Oh, and make sure you rest well… If you want to see me meet me here again at the same time, but keep your energy up because it may not kill a person to transfer here, but it could if they're not ready or strong," She hinted looking at him with a dark gaze. She gave a giggle and pointed as the twilight was fading into the night. Link turned and noticed it as well as he didn't see her seeping turning into his shadow and disappearing.

Link turned again to look for her but she was gone. He breathed heavily unsure how he felt. Upset that she lingered for a little time and acted so casually to him, happy to have seen her, excited knowing that he'd see her again, and so much more. He couldn't wait to see her again but had to. He looked at the pouch in his hand and opened it. At the end of the long string was the wolf stone looped through it. The dark stone that allowed him to transform into a wolf. He breathed heavily in amazement and just smiled serenely.

"Thank you," He breathed feeling he received a bigger memento from his adventure than before.

He went up to Epona and petted her head and leaned his head against her laughing softly. He saw her again, ever so briefly in that form, just like last time.


AN: Debating from this point on whether or not to add in some large scale enemy or not. But in a good sense there will be a few mini enemies and crazy events that will occur.