The Hyrulian Valhalla Saga
By Queenie Z

Blowing Over A New Leaf

"...Hey, Wind, is it just me or does my lawn look different?"

Wind blinked at Sky, confused. "Huh? Well, yeah, but I'd just assumed you'd done something with it. Why?"

The two Heroes looked down at the grass, then at the rest of the lawn outside of Sky's home, and then finally at the grass again. Then, they realized what was so different about it: despite being well into the fall, they could actually see the grass.

"There's no leaves," said Sky, bewildered and holding his chin in his hand. "Usually the ground's covered with them!"

"And there aren't any on Mini's yard, either!" exclaimed Wind as he pointed over to said yard, then to the one next door to Sky's. "Or Time's!"

Sky put his hands on his hips and tilted his head in thought. "Well, I didn't clear them out, so somebody must be - "

They heard a whooshing sound behind them, and they turned to see Engie moving a pile of leaves down the road; not with a rake or a bag, but with his pinwheel. Not noticing his fellow Heroes staring perplexed at him, he blew into the pinwheel to keep the leaves moving, stopping occasionally to catch his breath. Once he'd made it some ways further, Wind and Sky looked at each other.

"Guess we know who the leaf-blower is," chuckled Wind. "Wonder what he's up to?"

"Let's go find out."

They tailed Engie, following him down the road and around the corner to a grassy area clear of any buildings. They stopped, watching in awe as Engie blew the leaves into an impressive-looking leaf pile that was already taller than him! They also saw Mini, approaching from the other direction and using his gust jar to add even more leaves.

Grinning, Sky crossed his arms. "I'm impressed!" he said, "Are you two going for a record or something?"

Mini grinned back at him. "You know it!" He wiped his brow, glancing back at their work in progress. "Autumn is for making leaf piles, after all - isn't that right, Engie?"

Engie nodded. "You're welcome to come play in it with us when we're done!"

Shrugging, Wind shook his head and snickered. "Just because you guys look like you're twelve doesn't mean you have to act like it."

"Oh, come on, Wind!" said Engie, rolling his eyes, "Don't be such a killjoy! It'll be fun!"

"Yeah," laughed Sky, giving the smaller Link a playful nudge, "I think these two are onto something!" He looked back at Mini and Engie. "I'll go get my gust bellow."

The Hero of Winds looked at the leaf pile again, reconsidering his words. On second thought, he never really did get to jump in leaf piles as a child, having been raised in a tropical environment, and the prospect did seem like fun... He sighed. "Well, alright," he said with a small smile, "I'll get my Deku leaf ready."

"That's the spirit!" said Mini, adjusting the gust jar in his arms. "I'll go get the leaves on Twilight's lawn; Engie, you take Light's, and Wind and Sky can take Duo's!"

The Heroes nodded in agreement, then went their separate ways.

"You know, Twilight," said Brown, adjusting his hat as he walked beside his comrade, "before I met you I didn't even know goats made milk!"

Twilight laughed. "How do you think they feed their kids, Brown? You do know all mammals make milk, right?"

The younger Hero scoffed. "What, and that makes me stupid all of the sudden?" He crossed his arms indignantly. "Excuse me for not being raised on a - "

The two turned the corner and froze underneath the massive shadow cast by an enormous leaf pile. Just as Brown opened his mouth to exclaim his surprise, a familiar head popped out of the mountain of leaves, noticed them, and gave them a wave.

"'Hoy, guys!" cried Wind. Mini, Sky, and Engie all poked their heads out of the leaves and joined him in greeting the other two, who stared a moment longer before breaking out into broad smiles.

"So this is where all the leaves on my lawn went!" exclaimed Twilight. He called up to his friends buried inside. "There enough room for us in there?"

"Be our guest!" laughed Sky.

"All right!" cried Brown as he rushed ahead into the pile, diving face first into the leaves. "Incoming!"

Twilight followed suit, carefully digging his way into the mound with a laugh. Indeed, despite their many eons of existence, the chance to relive a fun childhood pastime like this was simply too irresistible for our Heroes.