The Hyrulian Valhalla Saga
By Queenie Z

I'm Something Of A Train Expert

Wind hated trains. He hated them in life, and he probably hated them even more in death thanks to Engie and his constant badgering to try and get him to change his mind. Yet, for some reason he couldn't fathom, he had agreed to let the eager engineer take him on a ride along the tracks that had appeared along the sides of the mountains the day the latter arrived. Perhaps he felt that he owed the newer Hero something for taking care of the land he had founded? Either way, the Hero of Winds would very quickly regret his decision once the train started.

He sat with his feet on the seat, his hands gripping the armrests as though his afterlife depended on it. He would occasionally look out of the window and panic as he realized just how fast they were going. Engie, meanwhile, was driving the locomotive with skill and ease, whistling pleasantly as he maneuvered it around a sharp corner.

He turned back to his predecessor grinning as his hand moved up to give his engineer's cap a small tip. "What did I tell you, Wind?" he called back, "Isn't it great?"

"Great?" the panicking Hero screamed, "This thing is going way too fast! We're going to crash!"

"We are not going to crash!" Engie rolled his eyes. "Geez, for a legendary hero, you sure are a wimp!" He reached up and sounded the whistle, causing Wind to screech in surprise.

"I-I'm not a wimp! You're just careless!" Wind huffed. "Spirits, I hate trains! I hated riding them before and I hate riding them now! They should never have invented the stupid things in the first place!"

At that, Engie pulled the train into a sudden, screeching stop, causing Wind to roll forward face first onto the ground with a thud. Then, when it was quiet, he turned and approached the other, a fierce indignation burning in his eyes.

"Never should have invented them? Wind, do you realize what you're saying!?" He put his hands on his hips. "New Hyrule needs trains! They're the only way we could take people and goods around quickly and efficiently! They're the life blood of the economy! You and Queen Tetra loved your country more than anything, right!? So you had better appreciate everything these 'stupid trains' have done for it!"

Wind looked up, his face turning red as he realized that the other Link had a point. He swallowed, standing up and dusting himself off. "...You're right, Engie. I should know better than to wish that kind of thing."

"Good." Engie walked back to the gearbox and started the engine up again, this time at a far slower pace for his predecessor's comfort. He did, after all, understand that for one who was so used to boats and ships trains could be quite intimidating at first. "...Sorry for stopping so hard, by the way."

"You're good," replied Wind, pulling his hat over his ears nervously, "you were just trying to make a point."

The rest of the trip carried on in relative silence.