"I can't believe it!" Legend shook his fist at the offending portal before it blinked away, "The nerve!"
"I'll say," commiserated Four, "That was… a lot."
"Cursed…" Wind whispered, his eyes wide, "I'm cursed."
"Eh, it's not so bad." Hyrule rubbed the back of his head sheepishly, "You get used to it, really."
"I don't want to get used to it! I want to get out of it!" Wind snapped back.
"Wait, what's this about a curse?" Legend interceded, "I wasn't listening there at the end."
Before the fireworks could really start, Time grabbed Twilight by the shoulder.
"Walk with me." was all he said.
And so, with one last look at the squabbling Heroes, Twilight did.
As their shouting dimmed out behind him, the rancher was able to fully immerse himself into the fullness of the forest they found themselves in, the crisp autumn wind making the hairs on the back of his neck rise. He silently followed the elder Hero, the brown leaves crunching underfoot.
"You recognize these woods." Time said, a statement of fact rather than a question.
"I do." It was in fact Faron Woods, just outside of Ordon's perimeter.
"Hm. I suspected as much."
Stopping suddenly, Time turned to face him. He had an almost unreadable look on his face; like he was appraising something while also feigning disinterest. Twilight vaguely felt like an item at a yard sale.
"End of the line, it would seem." The old man said, still carefully neutral.
They lapsed into another silence, but for the cawing of some distant crow.
"Any last words of wisdom, old man?" Twilight awkwardly asked in an attempt to break the void, only half joking.
Time opened his mouth as if to speak, before closing it and slowly shaking his head.
"I somehow get the feeling that you've heard it already."
The wind blew through the trees, red and brown leaves fluttering to the ground. Twilight shivered slightly, and it wasn't from the cold breeze.
"Hm." was all he could say.
"Well, best not keep everyone waiting." Time made to walk back.
"Wait."
It was only when the old man stopped to look expectantly back at him that Twilight realised he had spoken at all. His tongue felt heavy in his mouth as he swallowed uncomfortably. Could he change the future? His past? Would things be better? Was it even possible? These thoughts and more like them raced through the rancher's mind as he simultaneously tried to word it as carefully as possible while also getting across the urgency.
Time waited for no man, unfortunately.
"We don't mess with time, Pup." He said kindly but sternly.
"But-"
"Ah ah ah, do you really want to have a hand in making another Vet?"
They both listened to Legend's voice carrying on the breeze, simultaneously complaining about the cold whilst defending his choice in outfit.
"Heh, I guess not." Twilight admitted. "I just, I just want you to be happy; for everyone to be happy."
Time clamped a hand down on Twilight's shoulder.
"I am happy," he said. "We all are. This was the opportunity of a lifetime, and if changing fate would take it away, I'm content to stay the course."
The old man turned once more to leave, but not before adding coyly:
"And I could die happy tomorrow."
Twilight's face twisted.
"Oh you ominous… get back here!"
Time laughed as he dodged Twilight's tackle, a pile of dry leaves breaking the rancher's fall. He laughed even harder when Twilight managed to yank his leg, pulling him down into the pile with him. Soon enough, they were both out of breath from laughter laying on their backs on the forest floor.
"Ah… Pup, you remind me of my youth."
Twilight rolled his eyes in fond exasperation.
"You're not that old… are you?"
"Oh but I feel it. Help an old man up would you?"
The rancher stood up before offering Time a hand. He grabbed it, but didn't make any moves to stand.
"I think I have some of those 'words of wisdom' for you now." Time's smile took a sinister edge as his grip tightened, "Don't challenge a Kokiri in leaf wrestling."
Twilight's eyes widened in realisation, but by then he was already face down in the mud; the sorta-Kokiri standing triumphantly above him.
"Now, we should really get going before one of them starts a fire." The old man once again started walking back down the trail, but not before firing one last shot: "And clean yourself off, you'll smell like wet dog."
The rancher growled at his back, but when he was sure that no one was looking, shook himself off, not unlike a wet dog.
When he caught up to Time, the old man had already settled what remained of the Chain, though Legend still looked sour. Well, more than usual at least.
"...Could I say goodbye to Wolfie?" Wind blurted.
Everyone turned to look at the sailor, who wilted under the sudden scrutiny.
"Uh, I'm Wolfie, remember?" Twilight scratched the back of his head.
Wind kicked at the dirt underfoot awkwardly.
"Yeah… you're right. Forget I said anything."
Twilight stared at Wind for a second before announcing that he had left-something-behind-that-tree-over-there.
Then, taking absolutely everyone by complete surprise and coincidence, Wolfie turned up. Really, the sheer chances of that happening were mind-boggling. The goddesses work in mysterious ways it would seem.
"I'm not petting the rancher." Was all Legend had to say before he walked off. Wind showed much less restraint in his appreciation for the wolf.
"Oh, come on Vet!" Four called after him, "Wolfie's so cute!"
'Wolfie' growled lowly and showed his considerable teeth. Four laughed it off, but not so subtly stepped away.
"It's not a terribly creative name, is it?" Noted Hyrule, who conceded to one pat. It was all very strange.
"I believe the cook was responsible for that one," remarked Time. "On account of," he tapped the side of his head.
Some 10,000 years later, many miles away, said cook's head snapped up. The princess beside him startled.
"What is it? Monsters?" She whispered.
"No." His eyes narrowed as he stoked their campfire, "I just got the strangest feeling…"
In the partially restored Temple of Hylia, many many years prior, a young goddess incarnation giggled for no clear reason. Her knight glanced at her curiously but shrugged it off.
Lana just about laughed her butt off, much to the consternation of a queen and her war council. One captain in particular scrutinised it all very critically, tapping a worn note in thought.
"Yeah, that tracks." Wind agreed. Everyone else shrugged and nodded.
"We better not keep Hylia waiting." Groused Legend, shooting the new and still ominous portal the stink eye. If it were at all possible, the portal seemed to respond likewise.
"Yes, of course." Twilight was now suspiciously sitting precisely where Wolfie had been.
"Bwah!" Wind jerked his hand back from patting the rancher's head.
"Well, this has been weird enough. Bye Rancher." Four backed into the void.
"You annoyed me the least," the Veteran Hero highly praised before following.
Hyrule spluttered in indignation.
"Hey, but I thought- no wait, Vet!" He skidded to stop just short of the portal to throw a "Bye Wolfie- I mean, uh, bye!" over his shoulder. The darkness absorbed his shame.
"Those three are liable to start a fire without supervision." Time chuckled before planting his hands on Wind's shoulders. "Say, I think I smell sea salt."
Wind looked up at him with wide eyes.
"You mean-?"
The old man nodded with a smile.
"Yes! See ya Rancher! Woo!" The sailor raced through the gateway.
And then there were two.
"Well… I guess this is farewell, huh?" Twilight said slowly, voice tinged with a melancholic nostalgia.
"Hm. The past and future cannot mix, as we all know."
The rancher eyed Time suspiciously.
"I can never tell if you do these things on purpose."
"Yet it was the design of the goddesses that we should meet." Time carried on, ignoring Twilight's remark, "Your heart is true, and if all in this Hyrule are like you… then maybe you'll do alright."
"You are! You're pulling my leg!"
The old man smirked, stepping towards the portal.
"Pup, see you later."
And he was gone.
Twilight swore to himself. At Time's maddening impossible knowledge, but more predominantly; how it happened again.
If he never saw a gateway again it wouldn't be soon enough.
His brooding was rudely interrupted by branches snapping and leaves crunching haphazardly.
The normally regal and composed (and recently coronated for real this time) Queen Zelda looked fairly ridiculous, stumbling through a bush. Her elaborate dress was torn in places, her carefully styled hair frayed and full of leaves. It seemed as if she had run straight here from Hyrule Castle, completely disregarding any trails or means of transportation besides heels.
"Link! I was… supposed to… tell you something?" Zelda suddenly looked deeply confused. "Where am I?"
Link put his head in his hands.
"We don't mess with time."