"Brother, no!"
"AHHHH!"
"N-Neo?" Cremia calls from the wagon. Seems to be laughing, as if she didn't dump a bunch of heavy lore and backstory on her travelling companion ten minutes ago. "I think you can stop now."
Neo gives each bandit one more kick in the stomach, vaguely disappointed nothing cracks. Of course it's the bad guys who are stronger then the regular crazies around here. Umbrella tip returns inside before anything can be done. Swings the weapon over her shoulder and saunters her way back onto the horse-pulled cart.
"Thank you," Cremia starts them forward again. The milk barely rattles; at least this way of transportation was built sturdy. Still, Neo misses cars. "Hopefully now they will think twice before pulling that stunt again. I will get word out around town, hopefully a guard or two can do something. The road should be fixed by tomorrow, so deliveries will be back on schedule."
The multi-coloured haired woman hums to show she's listening. Watches the hills and walls pass them with a bored expression. Squeezes her eyes shut when Cremia goes back to talking about her dead father and the best friend getting married the day after the world ends. No matter how easy, Neo can't force the question about the father out. If it turns out to be Roman, she'll crumble. Fall into the grief this world is trying to force on her.
Finding the best friend sounds interesting. A new way to procrastinate before the search for more fairies. Neo sighs before debating on going to the cold lands or the dead lands on the next reset. Or. Maybe she'll collect some eggs; it's been a while since she let off some steam at the beach. There are also the Deku people; it would be fun to storm the palace and pat them and the monkey just to leave. A good show of power and chaos.
Cremia falls silent as they hit Termina Field. Neo sneaks a look. While woman-Roman looks serious and not at all effected by the giant moon, there is a fidget to her hands. A tell Roman would get when he's worried about someone else. With a sigh, Neo shuts her eyes again and decides to look into the Anju person next loop.
Neo sticks by the cart as the milk gets unloaded. The field is strangely empty, no blobs or bats to be seen. Easy enemies either know to stay away or have already perished.
"Here," Cremia comes up beside her. Neo looks over, surprise briefly comes and goes. Takes the mask in the shape of a cow and turns it over for a look. "As promised, this will let you into the milk bar. Thank you for all your help, Neo."
Neo's eyes change colours and she winks. Slaps the mask on the top of her head and skips to her destination. Her hopes are up all the way until she's at the bar of the underground Milk Bar.
Where they only sell milk.
No alcohol.
Seeing as time rewinds, Neo is dirt poor. There's still an entire day left, so if things go bad then she'll just hop the counter and drink their best stuff before the moon falls. And… she's pretty sure there's a bank around here. Good to scout it out now that she knows money is going to be a necessary for somethings.
As she exits the Milk Bar, a cute little Deku Scrub and – ew – a fairy go running by. The Deku seems to have blond hair and is wearing a little green outfit like a human would. None of the leaves all the others wear. The creature is all very adorable, but Neo doesn't want to know what science experiment went wrong to make that one. Poor thing is probably ostracized by its kind… but the less she has to interact with crazy the better. Besides, it has a fairy companion. Minus every head-pat point.
Neo tucks her hair back and illusions her outfit to black. All the better to blend into the night as she plans a heist. Goes the opposite direction of the Deku Scrub and begins her search.
;;;
Night of the Final Day: 1 Hour Remaining
Neo hops the counter to the Milk Bar, bartender not even pretending to care as the world shakes around them. The woman scans through their best stuff and decides to try the bottle called Chateau. Pops the cork to the milk bottle and sips. Smooth, creamy, with an unknown spice in the aftertaste. With a shrug, Neo chugs.
Slams it on the counter and has to catch herself as the world tilts. Can feel her hair rise a bit as energy courses through her veins. Eyes change colour with every blink, the very world itself looking like an illusion she can break with a touch.
Looks down at her hand. With a half-thought, it catches on fire. Someone is screaming, but Neo looks on in awe as the illusion doesn't burn her. It is very real, but she is the master of it. With a clench it goes out, but her gloves aren't damaged. Neo still feels like she could destroy the world.
So she walks out and creates platforms. Steps her way up and up. Sees Skull Kid screaming about losing something and decides to test if she can take on the creature he becomes.
She still can't, but this time he doesn't get the chance to run away before the moon falls.
;;;
The cold would be a problem if Neo wasn't on fire.
Dawn of the First Day: 72 Hours Remaining
Breaking in and stealing from the Milk Bar was a wonderful idea. It's incredibly easy to ignore the snow when illusionary flames are acting like real ones to the environment. She'll figure out the Anju mystery later, right now it's time to find the Goron's fairy hideout.
Neo fries her way through enemies and spares a stray thought towards the human-dressed Deku Scrub she had seen every now and then in the last loop. Not a lot of people seemed to like the little one. From what she heard, it seems even the kids bully the creature. Cute thing wasn't even being pitied by adults. It was enough to catch her attention where Neo could have sworn she doesn't remember seeing any of it before. Normally, the woman wouldn't care.
But then, normally, Deku Scrubs wouldn't exist and the end of the world would only happen once. She'll pay more attention to the day-to-day things that get repeated. Eventually she'll get around to solving the Deku Scrub's problem, fairy friend or not. If Neo's learned anything while in this world, it's that things against the norm will present opportunities to collect more masks.
Then she remembers she forgot to show off the cow mask to the Great Fairy. All the more reason to help out the two not-Romans again.
First, this mountain.
The day passes into the next as Neo thoroughly scours back and forth for the fairy's cave. Or a temple. She'll take anything by the time the magic runs out and her flames stop acting as buffers against the snow. Her aura stops the cold from seeping in, but she runs into the same problem as last time she was here. It takes a lot of energy to trek through snow, especially in a snowstorm.
Neo doesn't even make it to the crying Goron's village before she's hunting for caves to rest in. Still, no matter how terrible this loop will be, her hate for it is second to the memories Ikana Canyon drags up.
The woman spends a lot of time thinking, watching the snow fall. There are a plenty of options to go for. No clues on how time passes here compared to Remnant.
Does she really care though?
No.
Termina, Remnant, Cinder, or Ruby. Not until she finds news of Roman does it matter. He is Neo's best friend.
He can't be dead.
She'd tear down both worlds if he is. Except… no she wouldn't. Get revenge and then… what?
Ugh, Neo rolls her eyes and looks at the cave. The weather is making her melancholy. Maybe it is almost as bad as Ikana Canyon.
Roman would lose his mind if she gave up. No, Neo has plans and… well, everyone needs a mercenary. If killing Cinder and Ruby don't satisfy her, then there's always more options. Something to think on once she's out of here.
For now, Neo doesn't care if she pops out in Remnant the moment she left or a decade later. She can do whatever she wants in this world. The Great Fairies are only for help. The human doesn't need to listen to anyone.
Neo got into the hurricane. She walked on water. Her illusions can be real with the assistance of magic. It's been a while since she went to the beach.
Been a while… since she sang a lullaby.
Not that she…
Well, Neo flicks off the snow and gets ready to try her best against the elements. If I do care, then no one has to know.
;;;
After the slaughter, the pirate's hideout is very quiet.
Night of the First Day: 60 Hours Remaining
Neo is on the roof, humming to the one egg she always seems to gather. The attachment is odd, but she appreciates that it doesn't talk back. Can't make any noise, really. Won't remember or acknowledge the sound of a voice that never changes despite the illusions. Doesn't say anything about the murder. A great companion.
She gave Roman a pet rock once. Maybe this is like that. Can't bring herself to hand it over to its mother because it's a pet she never wanted.
Hmm… something to think on later. Neo gets to her feet. Returns the egg to one of its fellows as the dawn finally rises. Time to get practising.
Unlike walking on water, creating something to breathe under the water is semblance-based. It wouldn't work without magic, as her illusions used to be just illusions. So, Neo starts small. Can she make things while under the water? No, the refraction of light is throwing off her creations. Can she make a breather? No, she doesn't know the right components and it fails to hold if she cannot see properly while in the water. Masks and goggles don't stick either because she's expecting them to fail. There's a lot of mind over illusion she needs to conquer.
On the final day, what does work is creating a clear bubble around her head. It was just a joke attempt, throw on a bubble that allows her to breathe while under the water. Only, it works because she doesn't have any prior experience with it. No pesky physics to get in the way if she believes in the magic powering it all.
Now, she just has to get used to swimming without risking it pop.
;;;
The ocean is vast… and apparently full of warning signs.
Night of the Second Day: 36 Hours Remaining
Not that she cad read any of them. The human only finds out there's danger ahead when a Zora stops to tell her. In exchange for the information, Neo doesn't stab him when she comes back from grabbing her umbrella off the shore. The woman gives up swimming altogether. Makes her way on bare feet across the sand. Follows signs she cannot understand, much to the dismay of the few Zora swimming around.
Truth be told, Neo's only vaguely upset about not having the ability to illusion herself into a wetsuit. While she can make the illusions from nothing real, it seems impossible to change the composition of pre-existing things. So, she must stick with whatever colour changes her illusions can maintain under the water, which is none for this loop to conserve energy. Neo is a lady – when it suits her – with standards. She will not take off her clothes… until she can figure out how to make the perfect wetsuit and breathe underwater.
The ocean floor opens to a wide expanse of sand and signs pointing all over the place. Neo walks, umbrella tips trailing behind to mark her path. It gets harder to see, and then there's a burst of water that pops her bubble. Dropping her umbrella, Neo quickly swims up, breaking free to splutter and cough. She treads water, sour expression hidden under the hair plastered to her face. Of all things to happen, this is not appreciated. It takes a while to dry her face enough for the bubble to pop back into being. When she floats down, her expression sours further.
Back at the start. Neo grabs her umbrella, this time cautious. Walks onto the sand.
When the next burst of water pops her bubble, she's prepared to swim up. Makes a frustrated noise and illusions a paper fan to help dry faster. The next dive confirms her suspicions. Back at the start of the sand field once more. Something magical is afoot, and Neo is not pleased.
All the time in the world to brute force it.
;;;
Taking a boat works to bypass the magic altogether.
Night of the First Day: 60 Hours Remaining
The ocean tries to get the last laugh by sending giant eels at her. Neo kills them all with extreme prejudice.
At the end of it all, she's left poking a Zora egg. It's a lot tougher than she thought it would be. Has some give, but feels more like pressing on someone's skull then the gooey round ball it appears. Unfortunately, after all this work, it looks like she has to leave the eggs in this eel pit behind. Neo can swim, but can't carry something in addition to her umbrella and make it out of here. Who knows where the boat drifted off to as well.
With a huff, the human gets to getting out of here. One of these loops she'll collect all the eggs. See what happens. After all this work, she wants a break. Maybe it's time to visit the not-Romans again. Or… she did think about finding woman-Roman's friend in Clock Town. See what the big tragedy of a marriage after moon fall was all about. That might be a fun plot to terrorize for a mask.
Anything other than the thoughts of returning the Zora eggs to their mother.
That's a tragedy she doesn't want to repeat.
;;;
Not talking to people does have downsides, but Neo knows how to get information without the spoken word.
Morning of the First Day: 73 Hours Remaining
In this case, it's not as sinister as her usual methods. She's been around Clock Town enough to know who has loose lips, and her illusion of Cremia is spot-on. For all her love of violence, Neo's a spectacular infiltrator. Just mimic a sore throat, and no one suspects a thing.
She goes as herself to meet Anju, though. It's been a while since she stepped foot in the inn, and Neo remembers why almost immediately. No, it's not the hand in the toilet that creeps her out. That can be solved with stabbing.
It's that the woman manning the inn's front desk – Anju – is engaged to the man-child running around.
Neo rolls her eyes as the crying woman gives her life story to a stranger that can't rent a room in the fully booked inn. It goes on for an hour, at which point Anju thanks her for listening. Neo takes the out, dramatically gagging as she hurries over to where she knows the fox – kitsune, she remembers belatedly – man-brat is hiding. Maybe this time, throwing the kid at his fiancé will prove better results then throwing him at his mother.
As she's about to pass by the area with the door that never opens, Neo pauses at the sound of some angry barking. Interesting, because for as long as she's been here the dog in Clock Town has only ever been desperate for attention. Neo skips over to the sound, hoping for some action.
Gets disappointed immediately because the dog's going after the Deku Scrub with a fairy. The little creature doesn't seem to notice her arrival as it tries to spin away. Neo plucks it up by the back of its green tunic, an adorable little yelp leaving the Deku. The fairy's shrieking – it almost sounds familiar – but the woman's eyes are on the dog. It yaps until it meets her eyes. Neo grins. The illusion that forms around her face scares the pup into howling and running away.
With a snort she drops the Deku. Pats it on its little green hat and saunters away feeling lighter about fulfilling some need of violence and terrorizing cute things. Maybe, after watching what happens once the lovers – ugh – are reunited, it would be time to check in on the forest area. Kidnap a monkey or couple of guards, see how much chaos she can enjoy.
Oh! It is the start of a new day. If everything wraps up fast, then she can go after some Apathy for baby Roman.
So much to do… the Great Fairy can wait a few more loops before getting put back together. Right?
A/N: When I first started writing this, there were two scenes I really wanted to get to. Neo saving forgot-he-was-in-Deku-Scrub-form Link from the dog was one of them. It's only a few paragraphs but I'm so happy I finally got to it. Time to go find my copy of Majora's Mask to see if I can still work in the second scene for a later chapter.
Thank you so much for reading! A really big thank you to Argorok, Monster King, bob115, KitsuneNaruto135, Ace980, X from Aumsville, and Rc Jackson for reviewing! The support truly means a lot!
I hope everyone is well and has a fantastic day! Please take care