Colors

by Hylian Harmony

By now, Four was used to switching worlds. It was no big deal. Just a switch. A minor headache if he was lucky. But this time was different. This time, Four's colors bled together. -Based off of Jojo56830's Linked Universe AU-

19. Chapter 19

Disclaimer: I am not a professional on DID, I do not have the disorder myself, and if you are a system and your experience does not align with Four's, that's okay! Everyone's experience differs, and you are valid. In fact, you are much more valid than a DID system written by a person without DID, so don't feel like the way Four is represented is the "only" or "right" way for one to experience DID (or OSDD!) That goes for all my fellow singlets as well. Don't generalize real-life systems with Four's. Grain of salt, remember, grain of salt.

TW: Depression symptoms/thoughts/mention

A huge thank you to Nebulapaws for beta-reading/sensitivity-reading this chapter!

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Chapter 19

It came as a great relief to everyone when they arrived at Kara Kara Bazaar. Despite the brief rest, Time's gait faltered the more they moved. Clearly the electrocution was still affecting him, but the old man maintained that it was more important they reach the bazaar than wait until he felt one hundred percent.

Now, with dawn breaking and setting fire to the horizon, Green could plainly see that Time felt even worse than he'd been letting on. Perspiration beaded his brow, and his tanned complexion had turned unnaturally pale.

Twilight and Warrior, who had acted as supporting pillars for the injured hero the entire trek, swiftly settled him into an inn bed while Wild paid at the counter.

Fortunately, the inn wasn't booked solid. The desert didn't seem to be the first tourist destination on most people's list, so the heroes were able to acquire the majority of the beds. A couple of them had to share, but no one was complaining.

Not about that, anyway.

"I'm staaarviiiiing," Wind whined from where he'd draped himself over the bed next to Time who appeared to be fighting sleep.

"I'm hungry too," Hyrule admitted, placing a hand on his equally empty stomach. None of them had eaten in hours.

The reminder made Green's stomach gurgle, and he slapped a hand over it, face quickly reddening.

Wind laughed at the unfortunate timing. "Green too!"

"I'll make something," Wild said, flicking through his slate to take stock of available ingredients.

"Pancakes, pancakes!" Wind cheered, Hyrule quickly taking up the cry, and Green sorely tempted to join. Pancakes sounded wonderful right about now.

"Shh, quieter guys," Twi requested. "Time's trying to rest."

The old man waved a flippant hand as if to disagree, but the obvious exhaustion pulling at his features only encouraged everyone to ignore him.

"Pancakes, pancakes," Wind and Hyrule continued their chant in hushed voices, grinning like mad men.

"I don't have enough flour, but—" Wild held up a finger at the boys' disappointed cries, "—there is a general store here where I can buy more."

"Yes!" Wind and Hyrule high-fived, and Green sank onto a nearby mattress wondering how the two of them had so much energy. He wasn't struggling to stay awake like Time, but he could tell by the heaviness behind his eyes and lead in his limbs that he'd get there soon.

Twilight must have also been feeling the effects of their travel, because he stopped the champion before he could step out the door. "You don't have to make anything right now. Whoever's hungry can have an apple or something."

"I want to. We haven't had a proper meal since yesterday."

"I know, but we need sleep too," Twi protested.

"Both true." Warrior observed from where he leaned casually against Time's bed frame. "Plus, we need to make a plan for what we're going to do next. How about we eat and discuss our next course of action. Then we can all hit the sack."

"I guess that works," Twilight sighed, lowering himself to a seat. "Just don't go all out, cub. We don't need anything fancy."

Wild gasped, an affronted hand flying to his chest. "Nothing fancy?! You dare to stifle my creativity?"

"I dare to stop you from cooking a five-course meal," Twi corrected with a smirk.

"A crime! A heinous crime!" Wind cried dramatically, shooting upright. He slapped a hand to his heart and eyed the champion seriously. "Wild, you cook to your heart's content—and make me some blueberry pancakes."

"I want lots of syrup on mine," Hyrule chimed in.

"And whipped cream!" Wind added.

"Ooh, yeah. Whipped cream!" Hyrule agreed.

A smug smile stretched across Legend's lips. "Don't forget my chocolate chips."

"Guys," Sky protested weakly, raising his hands to stop the onslaught of special requests. "Don't make him work harder."

But Wild didn't seem to mind at all. If anything, he appeared to be invigorated by the challenge, shooting the group a two-fingered salute and a hearty, "Aye-aye!" before departing.

While the champion worked on breakfast, the rest of them did their best to stay awake, some more successful than others. Time was the first to conk out, much to everyone's relief, with Sky not too far behind. How the Skyloftian could fall asleep sitting on a stool, Green would never know. It was actually kind of impressive, for as much as Sky bobbed to one side or the other, he never fell.

That was talent.

"That's concerning," a violet tinged thought corrected.

And maybe he had a point. Sleeping upright wasn't normal, and the fact Sky was capable of it at all spoke to how rough his initial quest had been.

Green hoped they weren't pushing the knight too hard. Not that their pace was entirely up to them, but still. Rest was important.

So was water, and since they were at an oasis, Green took it upon himself to refill both his and Sky's waterskins. Whether they remained in the desert or not, hydration was a must. Several of the other heroes realized this as well, and set to refilling their water supply too.

The liquid was fresh and blessedly cool in the heat of the morning. Green did not envy Wild cooking in this weather, but when he glanced over, the champion looked happy enough, humming pleasantly as he flipped several pancakes.

Green quickly retreated to the shade of the inn, tucking away both waterskins and listening politely as the sailor regaled him with the tale of a giant sand monster he'd fought during one of his adventures. Honestly, Wind's animated story-telling was probably the only reason why he didn't fall asleep before Wild swept in bearing plates of food.

Everyone began to load their plates, and Green was no exception. He desperately needed Wild's delicious cooking to perk him up.

As he took his first bite, however, Green realized it tasted wrong. Not like disgusting wrong. Just…bland. Which was the complete opposite of every dish Wild made no matter how simple. Green had opted for wild berry pancakes and slathered them with the same amount of butter and syrup he always did. There was plenty of flavor there, so why couldn't he taste it?

Timidly, Green cast a furtive glance around at his companions to find them all stuffing their faces with gusto.

He returned his gaze to his own plate, poking the stack of pancakes with his fork.

Maybe it was just a fluke?

He took another bite.

Nothing.

Well, something. He knew he had food in his mouth, but it was like his taste-buds couldn't pick up on it. All he was left with was the sensation as the fluffy bite turned to mush then thick sludge that stuck to the roof of his mouth and required several hard swallows to get down.

He began to feel sick and took to cutting up his meal into bite-sized pieces he probably wouldn't eat as conversation started up around the table.

"So I asked around a little and everyone said the roads seem more dangerous lately. More monsters attacking and less people traveling," Warrior announced.

Wild visibly wilted at the news, no doubt feeling it was his fault because this was his Hyrule, and their space-time hopping quest kept him from it. Green shot him a sympathetic look. He felt just as responsible for his own land. It hurt to know people could be in danger right now, and he couldn't be there to save them.

"Being on this across-eras mission will directly impact all our eras for the better," Vio pointed out. "In the short term, they may suffer a bit for our absence, but Wild has nothing to be ashamed about and neither do we. We're taking down every tainted monster we can and tracking them to their source to eradicate them all for good."

True... Green conceded reluctantly. But what about in the meantime? Are people meant to fend for themselves? Won't we be blamed for not stepping up?"

"Of course not. We're not duty-bound to oversee the safety of the entirety of Hyrule."

We're a sworn knight and a hero besides, Green argued.

"That may be true, but it's also true that Hyrule possesses many other knights, one of which is our father. They are plenty competent enough to protect the people in our stead, Green."

He stabbed a piece of pancake, his features pinching into a light scowl. So long as they aren't brainwashed.

"We've encountered zero evidence of brainwashing on this quest thus far. I find it highly unlikely such a thing will be a problem."

Green couldn't argue with that. With their minds clear there should be no problem. The knights of Hyrule were well-trained, after all. They might not be much match for the likes of Vaati or Ganon but for monsters? Monsters they could deal with. Even with the added strength, the knights had numbers on their side. And Father. Father was the captain of the guard for a reason. His strength was the direct reason why their swordsmanship was so strong. They'd learned from the best.

Reassured, Green tuned back into the conversation just in time to catch Warrior leaning back in his chair with a sigh and a put-upon look on his face. "Trouble is, no one could give me a specific location when I asked where the monsters were coming from. 'All over,' they said."

Legend scoffed. "Helpful."

"Well—" Wild swallowed his bite of food. "—There are monster camps everywhere. Or, there were. I took out a lot, but Blood Moons bring them back, and if The Shadow's involved then the ones coming back are probably stronger than usual."

"Plus, there could be unfamiliar monsters mixed in if portals were used," Twilight pointed out.

"Right. So there wouldn't be a specific location to give. Not unless there was an attack on a town or something, which I'm guessing there hasn't been if no one said anything?"

Wild looked to the captain for confirmation, and Warrior gladly gave it. "The towns are safe. That's something everyone agreed on. They counted it lucky that the monsters aren't bold enough to approach populated areas, and I agree."

"We should travel the roads, then," Wild decided, putting his slate on the table and bringing up the map so they could all see. "We'll take out any monsters and monster camps we find along the way and make rest stops at stables until we reach Hateno." The champion dragged his finger along a long, squiggly path that cut to the far east. It took seconds for his finger to complete the march. For them, it'd likely take days, if not weeks. Maybe a month.

"Why Hateno?" Wind wanted to know, speech slightly garbled due to the food in his mouth.

"Zelda's there," Wild said, putting aside the slate in favor of picking up his fork. "Well—she was when I left, anyway, but I'd like to check in with her if we can."

"Good idea," Warrior praised. "Maybe she knows something we don't."

Wild hummed in agreement, although Green suspected his reasons for wanting to visit the princess was less about their mission and more about maintaining connections. Plus, if he recalled correctly, Wild had a house at that village. Staying in the resident hero's abode was always a treat, especially for the hero in question. Even just kicking one's feet up for a few hours in a familiar place made a world of difference. At least, it did for Green.

He could use some of that homey comfort now, he thought, as he stirred the syrup soaked bits of pancake around his plate. The thought of taking another bite twisted his stomach.

"After that we can continue traveling around and taking out monster camps."

"Provided Zelda doesn't have another lead for us," Warrior interjected.

Wild nodded. "Yeah."

"And that we're still here to begin with," Legend mentioned. "How far is Hateno from here on foot?"

"Two weeks? Three?" Wild hazarded, sounding unsure. "Less with a horse."

"Can we please use horses?" Wind begged, likely already thinking of his aching feet.

Sky shot a hopeful look at the champion, taking a similar stance.

"Yeah, I think I have enough as long as we double up," Wild said. "I'll take them out when we reach Gerudo Canyon Stable."

"Alright," Warrior clapped, making Green start. Thankfully, no one seemed to notice, all too engaged in their respective meals. He took a sip of juice. It slid down easier but wasn't nearly as sweet as it should have been. "That's sorted. Anything else? How are we on supplies?"

"We have plenty of healing potions," Hyrule reported. "I could do with some magic ones, though. Is there a potion shop here?"

Wild shook his head, apologetic. "There aren't potion shops anywhere. I make all my own elixirs, and I don't have one for magic. The best I can do is make some stamina boosters. Would those work?"

"Probably. They'd be better than nothing, anyway," Hyrule smiled gratefully. "Thanks."

Wild grinned back. "Anytime."

"We don't have any fairies," Green piped up, sparing a glance at the still sleeping Time. All of them had agreed he needed the rest more than the fuel at the moment.

"That's right. I'd like to stock up if we can," Twilight said. "Know any Fairy Fountains, cub?"

"Mmhmm!" Wild nodded eagerly, mouth full and eyes shining. "Tera's is here in the desert."

"Is it far?" Hyrule wondered, eyes glittering with anticipation. Green swore he saw gold specks swirling like fairy dust within them. Or maybe it was just the lighting.

"What isn't far in Wild's Hyrule?" Legend griped with a roll of his eyes.

"Just for that, I should make you walk," Wild teased.

Mouth full, Legend made a rude gesture, and the cook laughed.

"Just kidding. There's a shrine nearby, so I can teleport right to the fountain with my slate. I can even make the trip to some other fountains if there aren't enough fairies at Tera's."

"Perfect," Warrior declared, raising his glass of juice as if in a toast. "Later you can do that. Just be sure to grab some bottles from everyone before you leave."

"I will," Wild promised, and with that, their next move was sealed.

The conversation turned to light-hearted chatter then, and those that had previously been neglecting their plates for the sake of talk, eagerly dug in to polish them off. It wasn't long before Wind was calling for seconds with Hyrule and Twilight close on his tail.

Green, to his embarrassment, couldn't even manage to finish his first. At home it wouldn't be a problem. He could have just told his grandfather he had an upset stomach, but here it felt wrong to admit. They were on a mission, and he couldn't be slowing them down because of a little stomach ache. Sure, maybe they weren't going anywhere today, but if he was coming down with something, then it wouldn't be long until the rest did too. Best to separate himself while he still could.

With this thought in mind, Green pushed around the mush on his plate so it appeared less full, and excused himself to retire to one of their rented beds. The yawn that stretched his jaw wide only made his claim of tiredness more believable.

He scraped the remains of the tasteless meal into a nearby trash can, and then set the plate aside to be cleaned later. He'd try to do that while Wild was out, he decided. As a sort of apology for not really eating and a thank you as well. They'd probably all starve without the champion's cooking skills, after all. Either that, or get food poisoning. Probably get food poisoning. He didn't care what the traveler said. That meat he'd cooked once had been far past fresh.

The mere thought of it made his stomach clench, and Green swiftly shook off the memory as he crawled into bed, pulling a thin, scratchy sheet over himself. No food thoughts. Not even good ones—they made saliva pool uncomfortably in his mouth. Only counting sheep.

Green closed his eyes, and found himself drifting off before he'd imagined a single animal.

When he awoke, it was to a drone of voices, not unpleasant, but anxiety provoking all the same because it meant people were up and he wasn't.

Peeling open eyelids that desperately wanted to remain closed, Green noted the angle of the light streaming in from the building's open doorway. If he was reading it right, which he thought he was despite the fuzzy feeling in his mind, it was the middle of the day. Well, past, actually.

Several of his companions sat at the table where they'd eaten—or feigned eating in his case—breakfast earlier, talking amicably as they played some kind of card game. Time was among them and looked much better than before, his skin having regained its usual healthy glow and his shoulders uncharacteristically relaxed. The self-satisfied uptick in the corner of his mouth indicated he was winning whatever game was being played too.

Green should go join them. Or go clean the dishes like he'd promised himself he would earlier. But his eyes were so heavy and the bed so comfortable. What if he laid here forever? His eyes slipped closed, and he could imagine it, his body sinking into the bed, then melting, wax-like, to the floorboards like a well-used candle. The thought was appealing. Which was strange because he hated being idle. Well, he didn't exactly like the idea of being a sack of potatoes at the moment, but he didn't seem to be able to move.

He was still in control. He could wiggle his fingers and toes and open his eyes if he wanted. But the will to do so was just…gone. Lost. Snatched away by some unexpected wind.

There was no real point to him getting up anyway. They weren't leaving today, just regaining their strength and preparing for tomorrow. If Time was up and smiling then Wild must have already made the trip for the fairies. The dishes had probably been dealt with too by now so there was nothing for him to do.

He could have joined in the card game, he supposed. But Warrior and Legend were playing. If he inserted himself, he'd only ruin the fun. No one wanted him around anymore. Some of them acted like they did, but they were probably just too polite to say otherwise. Why was he even still here? Why didn't he just leave?

The leaden-ness in his limbs reminded him why when he shifted his legs experimentally. No strength. Right. Well, he could always do it later. Or maybe they'd just leave tomorrow without him. That would be fine. He would deserve it for being so useless.

A stinging sensation blossomed behind his eyes, but no tears came. He was too tired for emotion. Who cared what he felt? He was a hero, a tool, not a person. His job wasn't to feel, it was to do. And right now, he wasn't doing anything.

That fact should have spurred him into motion. But it only made him bury his face farther into the pillow. Maybe if he was lucky it would swallow him. Then he wouldn't have to deal with anything else ever again. He could just float in nothing, surrounded on all sides by fluffiness that cradled his curled up form and protected it from the outside world.

Gradually, the noise around him became muffled, and though Green knew it was the work of his ear pressed against the pillow and a blanket on top of that, he liked to imagine the fabric had come alive and swallowed him. He was a caterpillar inside a cocoon, a chrysalis, never to be broken.

He didn't know how long he laid there. If he drifted off again amongst the steady drone of distant voices, or if he simply laid there in the darkness of his closed eyelids, utterly empty and inexplicably drained of all willpower.

When the call for lunch was made, he ignored it, feigning deep slumber. Due to their recent journey through the desert, it wasn't hard, and no one bothered to rouse him. This came as a relief and a sword to the gut all at once.

On one hand, he wasn't hungry, so he appreciated not being pulled out of bed to eat. On the other, his companions had made the executive decision to exclude him. And why shouldn't they? Without him around, they didn't have to worry about who was out, and if Shadow was on as tight a leash as Blue claimed. They could eat in peace, and he wouldn't be around to ruin it with spaciness or switches. The captain could relax for once. Legend, too.

He knew that. Logically, he knew the group functioned better if he wasn't there. But a tiny, selfish part of him wished they had at least tried to include him. A touch to his sheet-covered shoulder, a nudge in an effort to wake him, a word or two solely for his ears. Something to let him know he wasn't alone. That he wasn't only part of the group but a precious member the others cared for too.

He didn't need such things, though. Not really. Not when he had brothers in his head to support him. Weren't they good enough? Didn't he care for them? Of course! He wanted to say. Of course he did. But it felt insincere knowing that the longing for outside affection was there to begin with.

Warrior was right. He was a traitor to himself.

Someone was floating around nearby. If he concentrated—and it was so hard to concentrate—he thought he could feel the way they wore a new path into the sanctuary ground with their pacing. Impatience? Boredom? Worry? It was hard to tell which emotion drove it. Maybe none did at all.

Or maybe he was imagining the presence and no one was there. What did he know anyway? Out of them all, he was the least in tune with the happenings inside.

Not even useful in his own mind. How pathetic.

The sounds of idle chatter and silverware clinking on plates served as a droning lullaby that rocked him into a different type of darkness. Sleep. It had seemed like a good idea at the time. He couldn't hurt or annoy or worry anyone that way, and unlike other escapes, sleep could turn the rest of reality off. However, sleep rarely started and ended with blissful darkness, and this nap was no exception.

Dreams plagued him, coming one after the other in confusing flashes of light and color and sound. He forgot the contents of each as they transitioned, but that hardly seemed to matter when the same sticky feeling of fear followed him through each.

Even more oppressing seemed to be the incessant prickling and poking at his dream skin, dragging tears from his eyes and driving home his utter worthlessness like a nail being hammered into a board. Over. And over. And over again.

Until he trembled like a tree in a hurricane, the wind ruthlessly ripping away branches and leaves and threatening to unearth his roots.

Just as the tree began to tip, he jolted awake, gasping at the suddenness of finding himself horizontal with a weight pressing down on his shoulder. No, not pressing. Shaking. Kind of. The motion was small, but present enough to drag him from the depths of sleep.

Green shifted with a groan, wishing to return to the nothingness as reality came rushing back. His movement encouraged the weight to retreat.

"Four? You up?" Sky's soft voice filtered to him through the dark. "It's dinnertime. Wild made stew."

"N't hungry," he mumbled, burrowing deeper into the blankets.

"Really? You slept through lunch."

He hummed noncommittally, already grasping at the threads of sleep and trying to rewind them around himself. Frustratingly, they kept slipping off.

"You need to eat, Green," Vio said, successfully scaring off the last vestiges of sleep. "You barely ate two bites earlier."

Huh. He was hoping Vio hadn't noticed. Even so, it didn't change the fact that his stomach muscles remained tight as a fist. "I don' feel good."

"In what way?" Sky fretted, a light pressure that could only be the young man's hand settling on the crown of his head. "Is it your head again? Or is it something else? Are you getting sick?"

Green shrugged, and the effort of the motion exhausted him all the more. It didn't make sense though, because he wasn't really tired as in a sleepy sense. Or achy like he'd expect to be when coming down with a cold. It was more like something was draining him, sipping all his energy out through a straw and leaving him empty.

Firelight brightened the black of his closed eyes as the blanket was pulled off his head, a cool hand swiftly finding his forehead.

"You'll feel better if you eat."

"'ts not that," Green protested weakly.

"You don't feel like you're running hot," Sky observed. He shifted his palm to cradle Green's cheek. "Well, maybe a little bit? But you were sleeping with a blanket over your head…hold on. Hey, Twi! Come over here. I need a second opinion."

Green brushed Sky's hand off, his own dropping like a stone to the pillow afterwards.

"'M fine," he grumbled.

"You're not fine," Vio asserted. "Switch with me."

"No." He wanted to be fine. He was fine. But as he cracked open his eyes to find them unfocused and the room slowly tilting, Green realized that was a lie. Physically he felt about as strong as a chuchu, and mentally, well, it was slightly better than earlier, he thought, despite the fact that he could feel his grasp on the body slipping.

The sensation drove a spike of panic into his chest, but it was swiftly smoothed over with all the reassurance of solid ground beneath one's feet. He wasn't falling. He wasn't being pushed or shoved into some dark hole. He was just being guided along a well-worn path, a familiar hand on his shoulder, a brother beside him with a smile offering to take the lead.

Green didn't realize how much he'd longed for such an offer until it was right in front of him. He found his shoulders dropping in relief as he gratefully accepted, shedding the responsibility of it all with the same cozy tone of trees shedding browned leaves in autumn.

Vio settled into the body with all the grace of a feather drifting to land upon the earth. He hardly had time to congratulate himself on the smooth transition before the body slammed him with fatigue. He furrowed his brow at the sensation and lifted a hand experimentally to remove the touch at his temples. He noted the unusual amount of effort required for such a miniscule motion. Peculiar.

Scarcely eating for almost twenty-four hours wouldn't do this.

Sickness was unlikely as well despite the upset in his stomach. It was less like a stomach bug and more like a colony of butterflies. That, coupled with the tension in the body belied anxiousness, not sickness.

But anxiety didn't explain everything. There was an undercurrent to the ache in his belly. Some other emotion at play, one he couldn't quite pinpoint. That turned out to be inconsequential, for when factoring in the lethargy and the wriggling thoughts of worthlessness and inadequacy and hopelessness, Vio knew exactly what was wrong.

He'd experienced it enough after Shadow died to know.

Depression.

But it wasn't his. Not this time. Truth be told, he didn't feel much of anything at the moment. However, that wasn't to say he didn't care about anything. He cared plenty about Green's well-being and Red's and Shadow's and Blue's.

His concern was merely muted, present but not all encompassing.

"...eel off?"

"Hmm?" Vio blinked, suddenly realizing there were people in front of him. Two worried people, judging by their facial expressions. He glanced between Sky and Twilight, unsure who had spoken. "Sorry, what?"

"When did you start feeling off?" Twilight repeated.

"Oh…I don't feel…off," Vio said. His speech came out stilted and slow with unintended pauses between words. While not lost in the overwhelming emotion, it seemed it was still affecting him in some way. Annoying, and definitely not reassuring his companions.

He drew in a measured breath, and let it out in a lengthy sigh, hoping to send signals of calm to the body. "Well, I do feel off. But it's not me… Me as in Vio, by the way. Hello."

Both men gave him nods of acknowledgement, and he continued. "We aren't ill. One of us is simply feeling intense emotions at the moment, and it's affecting the body. I believe we've touched on that topic before, yes?"

Sky perked up. "I remember that. It happened when I was giving you a Hylian lesson once, I think. Blue's anger was rubbing off on you and making you short-tempered."

"Correct."

"But this seems different from that," Twilight pointed out with a frown. "You said—or someone said—they didn't feel good? That's not really an emotion."

"Right, but it's linked to one. Green didn't know what it was so he simply said he didn't feel well, which I can attest to. The body doesn't feel well. My stomach's in knots, my eyes are burning, and my body feels heavy. Plus I seem to have little energy on top of it all, but I know lack of rest isn't the culprit because we've been resting all day.

"I also keep having negative thoughts pop up, but I know they aren't mine. Logically they don't make sense. They're pure feeling and based on a single occurrence. Facts don't support them, so they're fairly easy for me to notice and brush off. I think Green was having trouble with that?"

"It sucked me in like a black hole," Green said, a shiver wracking through trees. "I really didn't notice, either. I thought all of that was mine, but now that I'm here I don't feel that way anymore. I mean…maybe a little? But not that intense."

"Yes." Vio nodded, satisfied as the pieces slotted into place like a kinstone match. "He couldn't separate himself from it like I can. He's feeling a bit better now that he's inside. But someone is still depressed, and I think…" He mentally flicked through all the evidence one final time just to be sure. The rain, the absence, the weeping, it all added up to one person. "...it's Red. He's been crying for a while now and none of us can get to him."

"Why is he so upset?" Sky wanted to know, face falling in concern. "What happened?"

"Shadow," Green said, and Vio didn't doubt that was what was bothering Green, but as for Red…

"I think it has to do with the confrontation we had with the captain. Plus the distrust some people regard us with now. It's making him feel…" Vio tilted his head, doing his best to name the emotions as they came. "Loathed. Worthless. Helpless. Hopeless."

He paused, gaze trained on an arbitrary point on the wall as he tried to catch anything he'd missed. Reading a fellow headmate's feelings could be difficult, but Red was broadcasting his so loudly it was fairly straightforward. "There may be more, but I believe that's the gist of it."

"Not to worry, though. I can function just fine." Vio slowly sat up and slid his feet to the floor to prove it. Though a tad shakey, his legs supported him when he stood, and he directed an amicable smile toward his companions. "You said dinner's ready? I'll eat."

"Wait, no, I mean, yes, do eat, but back up a minute," Twilight requested, expression uncharacteristically frazzled. "You're telling me Red's depressed?"

"Yes, that's exactly what I'm saying."

"And you're not going to do anything about it?" The ranch hand appeared stricken at the thought.

"I would love to do something about it, Twilight," Vio replied honestly. "I simply can't. Red is completely blocked off from us. He's locked in his room, and we cannot get to him no matter what we try. We can't even talk to him. He won't answer. He just cries. Believe me, I don't like it anymore than you do, but my hands are tied."

"Mine aren't," Sky declared, a look Vio had never seen before on the Skyloftian's face. "We're fixing this right now."

The Chosen Hero swiveled on his heel and marched away, every line of his body seeming sharper than usual as he moved towards the dining table. The change in their companion's demeanor didn't go unnoticed by Twilight. He exchanged an uncertain glance with Vio.

"What do you think that means?"

"It means this should be interesting," Vio decided, stepping forward to trail after the Skyloftian. Twilight followed close on his heels.

"We're having a discussion," Sky announced, slamming his hands down on the table and causing multiple dishes to rattle. Several hands jumped to shield the sloshing contents of bowls, and all eyes turned to the Skyloftian, some more baleful than others. "Now."

"Sky, is everything alright?" Time wondered.

"No, everything is not alright," Sky practically hissed. "Vio just informed me that Red's depressed, and it's all because of the way some people have been treating them lately. I noticed how wary some of you have been acting around Four too, but I didn't say anything because I thought it would resolve itself in time. Clearly, I was wrong."

Sky looked pointedly at the captain, who immediately raised his hands in defense.

"Whoa. Why are you looking at me?"

"Because you're the main instigator, captain." Sky answered easily, tone absolutely frigid. It was almost enough to make Vio shiver. Who knew the gentlest of them all could be so intimidating when ticked off?

"I'm glad he's on our side," Green whispered over his shoulder.

Vio agreed fervently.

"So let's hear it. Why are you so distrustful of Four lately?"

Warrior blew out an exasperated sigh through his nostrils, as if annoyed he had to spell it out. "I'm not distrustful of Four. It's the being that has suddenly appeared in their head I'm wary of."

"Why?"

Warrior spluttered, shooting Sky a look of disbelief. "Wha–why?! Because people don't suddenly appear in other people's heads, Sky. Especially not dead people who used to serve evil incarnate. You can't tell me you don't find that the least bit suspicious?"

"No, I don't," Sky countered coolly. "If it was me or you, maybe I'd be concerned, but this is Four. Their brain works differently than ours. That's all this is."

"That's all our enemy wants us to think it is," Warrior argued. "If we know about Four's multiplicity, then how much do you want to bet The Shadow does too? It might have super-powered monsters on its side, but we've proven time and time again that that isn't enough. It can't beat us. Not together. So it needs to split us up, and what better way than having a man on the inside? One to strike us while our defenses are lowered?"

"It'd be clever…" Sky considered. "...if it were true."

Warrior balked. "Why are you so sure it isn't?"

Sky met the captain's unwavering glare. "Why are you so sure it is?"

"Because Shadow's a Dark Link."

"Shadow Link," Vio corrected, but no one paid him any mind.

"So?"

A scoff drew everyone's attention to the veteran. He eyed Sky with a judgmental expression, arms crossed. "Clearly you've never dealt with a Dark Link before."

"Then enlighten me." Sky plopped heavily into a chair across from the veteran, eyes narrowed in challenge.

Legend met it unflinchingly. "They're ruthless killers, and guess who they want to kill the most? Anyone named Link here?" Legend raised his hand and glanced around the table, face lighting up with faux surprise. "Oh, wow, all of us?" He dropped the act to stare at Sky, deadpan. "Need I say more?"

"You do, because I still don't understand. From what Vio and Green have said, Shadow has no intention of harming us."

"That's what he wants you to think," Warrior insisted. "Only it isn't true. Listen, Dark Links—"

Vio cleared his throat somewhat obnoxiously. He would not be ignored a second time. "Shadow Link."

"Shadow Link. Right," Warrior allowed with a wave of his hand. "Either way, they don't just appear. They're intrinsically connected to us. It's why they're called Dark—er—Shadow Links. They're the amalgamation of darkness in our hearts given physical form. Evil can manipulate it and draw it out. I should know. It's happened to me before. A wicked sorceress dug deep into my soul when I was feeling all high and mighty thanks to the power of the Master Sword and created dark copies of myself that turned against me and the rest of the Hyrulean forces. If it wasn't for my friends showing up when they did, I wouldn't be sitting here right now."

Sky sat back in his seat, the fury beginning to fall from his face. "I had no idea."

"Neither did I," Twilight said. "And I'm sorry you had such a bad experience, captain, but Shadow isn't like that. I've been around him before, and never once did he try to hurt me."

Warrior's eyebrows shot into his hairline in alarm. "You were around him? When?"

"When I went to retrieve Four after they left camp. I found him in a field, sitting under a tree. He wasn't mean or violent. Just scared."

"And how do you know it wasn't just an act to get in your good graces? From what Vio explained back in your era, this Shadow character is quite the trickster."

Vio pursed his lips. Perhaps this is partly my fault for explaining so much about Shadow's past. Surely the captain would have less to be suspicious about if I had only named Shadow as an old friend.

"I don't think that would have mattered. No offense to the captain, but he does tend to be paranoid," Green mentioned. "I don't think omitting information would have changed much. You did fine. It's not your fault, Vi."

He leaned subconsciously into Green's reassurance, radiating gratitude.

"...because he didn't know he was talking to me. There was no one to act for."

"I find that hard to believe," Warrior said, an eyebrow raising in skepticism.

"It's the truth."

Warrior hummed. "So you say."

The muscles in Twilight's face twitched, and Vio didn't miss the way the rancher's hand curled into a fist around his spoon. "Are you calling me a liar?"

Warrior shrugged. "Excuse me if I'm not fully convinced a servant of evil doesn't realize their target's right in front of them."

A sharp scrape met his ears as Twilight stood to his full height. He looked about ready to punch Warrior in the nose, which while appreciated, was unproductive. "Shadow is not a servant of evil! You need to get your head out of your a—"

"Stop." Time placed a firm hand on his protege's arm, effectively halting his tirade. "Name calling will get us nowhere. Sit."

The rancher obeyed even though the action looked like it pained him.

"Thank you. Now…" Time's eye pierced Warrior. "I understand your trepidation, captain. Given your experience with similar beings it makes sense. I only ever dealt with one Dark Link, but it is something I will never forget. That battle…it wasn't easy. All the doubts and fears I harbored coalesced into a single being that matched me move for move. It called me worthless, weak, and predictable, and it proved it with every parry. But in the end, I came out victorious, and it granted me something I didn't know I was lacking: a better understanding of myself.

"That shade…he wasn't evil, although I think Ganon wanted him to be. In reality, he was more like a mirror, a reflection of myself, of the hurt I held inside, of all the things I didn't want to admit or see. If it wasn't for him, I would never have honed my skills as much as I did before confronting Ganondorf. I would have dubbed them good enough, but he helped me see that they weren't. To defeat him, I needed to think and act outside of the box. He drove me to the brink of despair in the process, but in the end I think it is safe to say I conquered myself."

"Well isn't that just fine and dandy for you?" Legend rolled his eyes so dramatically they nearly disappeared back into his skull. "Some of us weren't that lucky."

"Don't misunderstand. I would hardly call the experience good. Rather, necessary more than anything. Possibly even integral to my journey's success." Time corrected. "But be that as it may, I am in no way eager to relive the experience. So I can only imagine how grueling it was for you, captain, dealing with several at once."

"It was awful," Warrior admitted, face hard as he stared down at his bowl of stew. "I know they weren't me, but they came from me and in some twisted way that meant I was responsible for all the hurt those Dark Links caused. I felt guilty about it then, and I still do. I just…I don't want to see that happen to someone else." He raised his head to lock eyes with Vio. There was something soft there, caring. "If this is that, I don't want you being manipulated and carrying the burden of hurting those you love."

"Your heart's in the right place, captain," Vio said, offering him a small, appreciative smile. "But your head is not."

Warrior balked, and Vio hastened to explain. "You said a sorceress drew the darkness out of your heart to create those dark copies, correct?"

"Yes."

"And how close were you to this sorceress when it happened?"

"I don't know. Maybe a few meters?"

"So you had eyes on each other," Vio surmised.

"Yes, but what does that—"

"I think you'll agree we haven't run into any sorceresses lately. Or wizzrobes. Or any other being that is capable of such magic, so if the casting must be so close, how exactly would Shadow have been created to cause harm? Much less without us knowing?"

"I…" Warrior shook his head, brow furrowed. "The black blood—"

"The black blood is only affecting monsters." Vio said. "We have yet to see it affect so much as wildlife, much less people."

"Right but that doesn't mean it can't," Warrior pressed. "We've come close to The Shadow plenty of times now. How do we know it didn't do something like Cia did to me, only the opposite? Maybe instead of awakening your darkness outside, it awakened it within."

Vio regarded Warrior carefully. "You really believe that?"

The scarfed hero pressed a hand to his temples and closed his eyes. "I don't know what to believe anymore…"

"How about Four when they tell you Shadow isn't evil, huh?" Wind suggested.

Warrior sighed, moving his hand slightly to side-eye Wind. "It's not that simple, sailor."

"Yes, it is! You're just being stubborn."

"He's being cautious," Legend declared. "Not like you'd know anything about that."

Wind squawked. "I know how to be careful!"

"Then why are you always leaping before looking?"

"I—"

"Let's stay on topic," Time interrupted, shooting a sharp look that silenced them both. "We've heard Warrior's piece. Now I think it's best to hear everyone else's. I know there are more of you who perceive Shadow is a threat. Care to share why?"

Legend scowled and looked away, and Vio noticed half the group doing the same. No one wanted to be the first to speak and bring down Time's wrath. Although if one asked Vio, it was Sky they should be scared of. He swore he saw lightning flash in the usually gentle man's eyes earlier.

As always, silence had a unique way of pulling words from mouths and that night was no exception.

"I never encountered a Dark or Shadow Link before," Wild began, eyes on his stew as he slowly swirled it around with a spoon. "But I have encountered plenty of malice, and I know how it can corrupt. It turned the Guardians against us, and the Divine Beasts too. They…they killed everyone."

A far-away look developed in his eye, and for a moment Vio was sure the champion had triggered another memory. However, when Hyrule raised a timid hand next, Wild's attention turned to him along with everyone else's. He was present, just pained.

"Uh, well…I think I might have mentioned it before, but I was stabbed by a shadow in my own likeness."

Time nodded. "I remember you saying as much."

Vio did too.

"It wasn't…great." Hyrule winced. "I mean, getting stabbed is never fun but the battle itself… My enemy was so vicious, so determined to spill my blood, and it succeeded using all of my own moves against me. I defeated him in the end, of course, but not without consequence." The traveler's hand drifted to his abdomen in memory, and Warrior clapped a supporting hand to his shoulder.

"Legend?" Time prompted, earning a glare from their most seasoned hero.

"What do you want me to say, old man? Dark Links, Shadow Links, whatever you want to call them, they're bad news. Trusting one is just looking to get yourself killed."

Time nodded thoughtfully, gaze roving over Legend, Wild, Hyrule, and Warrior in turn. "Your fears make sense. If we were truly dealing with a Dark Link, I believe I'd share your opinion. However, that isn't what Shadow is, is it, Vio?"

Vio straightened minutely under Time's eye, shaking his head. "I know before I said it was just a theory, but having spent more time with him, now I am certain. The Shadow within us is not the one who died. The real Shadow is still dead. This one may share his name, but he isn't the same person. He wasn't created by magical means. He was created from all the feelings I bottled up too tightly. In a way, he is them. And having been the owner of them before I can assure you it's all internal. That hurt won't manifest into physical danger. Shadow is not a threat to anyone."

"How do we know he isn't just making you say that?" Legend countered, eyes narrowed in suspicion.

"Or convincing you to think so?" Warrior added. "If there is any possibility The Shadow has infiltrated your mind, it would be easy to manipulate you. Especially with an old, deceased friend."

"Again, I pose to you the question: how? How would The Shadow have infiltrated our mind? As our primary team medic, you've seen our blood plenty over the past month. It's always been red."

"That doesn't mean our enemy hasn't influenced you in another way," Warrior fretted. "We don't know the full range of its magical abilities."

Vio sighed and spread his hands, lost. "Then how can I convince you?

"You can't," Legend declared, tone sharp. "The fact of the matter is, nothing you say or do can be trusted because of Shadow. If you four can pretend to be each other, I'm sure he can too."

"That's ridiculous!" Twilight cried.

"No, it's a possibility," Warrior muttered, hand to chin and brows furrowed in contemplation. "There is no way we can truly know whose words are whose, so the convincing can't come from Four."

"What are we supposed to do then?!" Green exclaimed, his agitation steadily leaking into Vio like rain dripping off a leaf. "If nothing we say matters then…then this is impossible! The whole thing's just going to keep going around in circles."

"Then what do you need to be convinced?" Sky demanded.

If we're to argue, yes, Vio agreed, his steely gaze trained on Legend as the young man shrugged.

"You're not going to refute it?"

No. There's no point. They're right. If our roles were reversed, I wouldn't believe us either. There are too many unknown variables. Factual evidence is the only trustworthy source.

Green made a helpless sound. "Factual evidence? Like what?"

"There'd be a magical signature," Vio said. "Magic leaves traces, especially dark magic with all the components that go into it. The naked eye can't see it, but an adept magic user should be able to."

His gaze slid to Hyrule. "How about it?"

"N-no—I—I mean, you're right. Magic does leave traces, so if you were under a spell or something, a competent enough magic user could sense it but—I…I can't do that kind of stuff. My ability isn't that strong."

"Yeah it is! You use magic all the time!" Wind exclaimed. "What about that fire spell? And Life?"

"You are the only one of us that can use magic without a conduit," Legend added.

"Okay, so I'm more adept at magic than the average Hylian," Hyrule admitted. "But unless the magic is right in-my-face-obvious, I won't be able to sense it."

"Try anyway," Sky ordered.

"I, uh, kinda already did?" Hyrule flushed straight to the tips of his ears, timidly peeking at Vio beneath his bangs. "I didn't find anything."

"So Four's safe," Twilight declared. "See? Nothing to worry about."

"Maybe." The traveler slouched in his seat. "Or I'm just not strong enough to detect it."

"I have a remedy for that," Time announced. "Excuse me a moment." The old man scooted back his chair and left, returning seconds later with his bag from which he pulled a…magnifying glass?

It wasn't an ordinary one, that much was obvious from its rich purple rim. Three short ruby spikes jutted out from the top and the glass itself was—well—it looked like an eye. More likely than not it was simply marbled glass with a painted red slit for a pupil. But if he didn't know any better, Vio would insist the center was a dragon's eyeball. It certainly looked large enough.

"Creepy," Green observed. "How's that supposed to help?"

Vio couldn't help being mesmerized by the way the item seemed to be looking back. It had to be imbued with magic.

"This is the Lens of Truth," Time explained. "It's a powerful artifact that allows the user to, well, see the truth." Time smiled humorously at his little joke. "If there is so much as a wisp of dark influence on our smithy, you'll be able to see it when you look at him through this." Time turned to Vio. "May I?"

At Vio's nod, Time put the lens up to his eye. Vio stood tall in the face of it. He had nothing to fear. Shadow was a part of them, simple as that, and his appearance had nothing to do with any invisible magic at play.

"Looks like our smith to me," Time reported, lowering the glass and offering it to the rest of the table. "Who'd like to confirm? Hyrule? Warrior?"

They both made a grab for the Lens of Truth, but Hyrule was faster, snatching the item and sweeping it up to his eye in a blink. Vio waved at the traveler as he scrutinized him.

"Be serious." Green begged.

On the contrary, he was being completely serious. Now, it'd be immature if he made a rude gesture at the captain when it was his turn, but he politely refrained. He did pride himself on his self-control, after all.

"I…don't see anything either," Warrior admitted finally after a quite thorough round of scrutinizing. "You want a go, vet?"

Legend grumbled about stupid trinkets, but swiped the lens out of the captain's hand, nonetheless. He spared Vio a quick glance through it before dropping the item to the table, unimpressed. "That doesn't prove anything."

"Seeing isn't believing?" Vio quipped. Leave it to the vet to be extra difficult.

"Nope. Not when it comes to advanced magic that can corrupt whatever it touches down to the soul."

An exasperated sigh rumbled from Sky's throat, and he sliced the air with sharp hands. "Forget about the magic! Answer me this instead: do you think Four would attack you?"

"That's a trick question."

"No, it's not," Sky disagreed. "Yes or no."

"It's complicated," Legend insisted, leaning his cheek on a fist.

Sensing he wasn't going to crack Legend's tough exterior any time soon, the Chosen Hero changed tactics. "Hyrule, do you think Four would stab you like that Dark Link you fought did?"

The traveler's eyes went wide at the question, and his gaze darted to Vio then back to Sky. "I—well—I-I don't—"

Sky softened a bit in the face of Hyrule's obvious anxiety at being put on the spot, and re-phrased the question. "How about Red? Do you think Red would stab you?"

An immediate frantic head shake. "No! Of course not!"

"Blue?" Sky tested.

"If you ticked him off enough," Green joked. Vio withheld a smirk.

"No."

"Green?"

Another head shake.

"Vio?"

Same response, which was heartening. Vio had half expected to be pinned as a potential danger, due solely to the fact that he had played enemy once upon a time, and the rest of the heroes knew it.

"What about Shadow?" Sky continued.

Silence.

Hyrule dropped his gaze to his boots, perhaps thinking lack of eye-contact would let him off the hook. It did not. If anything, Sky pushed harder.

"Do you think Shadow would hurt you?"

"I–" Hyrule snapped his mouth shut. Opened it, thought better of it, and then, finally, mumbled a tiny, "I don't know."

"You don't know him," Sky said, the soothing feather-down returning to his tone as if it never left. "You can't make that call."

"I know. I know, it's just…" Hyrule frowned at his feet, then snapped his gaze up to meet Sky's. The expression on his face bordered on desperate, almost pleading. "I have to be extra careful in my world. Strangers aren't always nice. If you trust the wrong one then it can get you killed."

Warrior nodded sagely in agreement. "That's right. It only takes one mistake to put your life and others' in jeopardy. As much as I trust Four as a whole, I can't trust Shadow. Especially with the history we have on him. A former servant of evil and defector besides? It's too risky."

"I can see where you're coming from," Time said. "But also consider that we were all wary of each other at the beginning. No one entirely trusted the other, if you recall. I believe the veteran was an especially tough nut to crack."

Titters arose around the table at the comment, and Legend scowled heartily.

"Nonetheless, we all trust each other now. We've had plenty of time to get to know one another and grow closer as brothers in arms and spirit. Shadow is still new. None of us really know him yet, and judging him prematurely has already hurt one of our own. Therefore, I don't think it's unreasonable for us to extend the same courtesy we gave each other to Shadow."

"I'd agree if he was a new hero joining our group, but he isn't," Warrior said. "He's sharing a body with Vio and the rest."

"I'll admit it's unorthodox," Time granted, "But from what I've experienced Vio, Red, Blue, and Green are all individuals despite their shared body. I see no reason why Shadow should not be regarded in the same way."

"Because he's a Dark—sorry—" Legend obnoxiously corrected himself, his voice rising to a mocking register upon noticing Vio's narrowed eyes. "Shadow Link?"

"And yet he exists within a hero of courage," Sky pointed out.

"Heroes," Twilight said, squeezing Vio's shoulder in a way that made him feel warm. Real. Seen.

Green appreciated it too, if the impression of a flower opening its petals towards the sun was anything to go by.

"Heroes," Sky agreed, glancing back at Vio with a small, proud smile. Vio nodded back, grateful for the specification, and Sky returned his attention to the veteran with renewed vigor. "And if we can put our faith in anything, it's the hero's spirit."

"That's right!" Wind cheered, pumping a fist in the air. "We're good, and Four's good, so that means Shadow's good."

Legend didn't look convinced.

Neither did Warrior. "Potentially. Like Time and Sky said, none of us know him. We can't decide that."

"Hmmph," Wind crossed his arms moodily, a pout pulling at his lips and creasing his brow. "Sounds like you've already decided."

"I haven't," the captain said.

"Then why are you being so difficult?" Wind demanded.

A sigh. "It's called caution, sailor."

"It's called stupid!" Wind declared, slapping a palm on the table to punctuate his point. "You're not giving Shadow a chance at all! You just decided he's going to betray us somehow, but if you paid attention to anything Green and Vio said when they were explaining his backstory, you'd know that he won't. He's different. But if you keep treating him like a villain then how's he supposed to be anything else? Keep backing him into a corner, and he'll have no choice but to lash out. And then you'll think you're right but you're wrong."

"And suppose we give him a chance and you're wrong," Legend proposed, eyeing the sailor critically. "What then?"

"Then you can say I told you so, but I can guarantee you won't need to because Shadow isn't bad," Wind shot right back without missing a beat. "If anyone's bad, it's you guys for being so mean to Four lately and making Red depressed."

"That wasn't anyone's intention," Warrior said, voice softening in shame. And while Vio did believe the captain's words were true, he didn't think they made up for anything.

Legend's voice spilled out of his mouth with the same volume as usual, every word plucked and pointed in defense. "I never said anything bad about Red."

"That doesn't matter," Vio said. "He internalized everything. Every negative word, every distrustful look, every unnecessary exclusion, he noticed. I did too. We all did. Because the thing you need to understand about sharing a body is that you can't simply ostracize one of us. You mess with one of us, you mess with all of us."

"I'm so sorry!" Wild blurted out, looking for all the world like he was. "I didn't mean to do any of that. I think I kind of got stuck on what that shaman guy said about the black blood. It–it seems so close to malice in nature, so when Warrior suggested that maybe…" He shook his head, drawing in a sharp breath and redirecting his gaze to bore straight into Vio's. "But that was dumb. Wind's right. You're right. I'm sorry. I know you're not infected. It was just the timing was weird, and I wasn't sure with everything going on. I never meant to hurt Red. Or any of you. I'll–I'll do better from now on. Promise."

"Me too," Hyrule piped up. "I never wanted to hurt anyone. I was just…scared."

A knowing smile spread across Vio's lips at that. "You and Shadow have more in common than you realize. He's scared too."

"Because of us?" Wild worried, eyes shining with remorse.

Vio shook his head. "Not entirely, and not for the reasons you think. In fact, I'm quite certain he knows nothing of your opinion of him. He's simply scared of heroes in general."

"Including you?" Hyrule wondered.

"No, I'm an exception," Vio stated somewhat proudly.

"And me?" Green hazarded, tone equal parts hope and fear.

Vio took a moment to consider this, then decided that yes. "Green too. Red as well, I believe. Blue, however, is a toss-up. He hasn't been the friendliest with Shadow, and Shadow's not a fan of him either."

"So Blue doesn't trust Shadow," Legend observed, tilting his head meaningfully.

"No, but Blue doesn't trust most people," Vio reported. "Plus, he has a tendency to be overdramatic. So if you're thinking of taking Blue's opinion as proof of Shadow being serious trouble, I wouldn't."

A harrumph served as Legend's only reply, but Vio took it in stride, undeterred. Blue acted much the same when he was losing an argument. Therefore, Vio saw no reason for concern.

Especially since the rest were so eager to make amends.

"I'm sorry as well," Warrior said, bowing his head and placing a hand over his heart in sincerity. "I let my past cloud my present, and it's hurt people I care dearly for. If there is anything I can do to atone and boost Red's spirits, say the word and I'll do it."

"The apology's a good start," Vio returned. "As for Red…"

"Hugs usually work."

He has to be present for that, Vio thought back.

"True, maybe I can try to get him?" Green offered. He didn't sound confident that such a quest would be successful.

Nonetheless, Vio urged him to try. The circumstances had changed, after all. Maybe Red sensed that on some level, and it would act as a key, allowing them access where before they had none.

Green's presence retreated like leaves whisked away by the wind, and Vio turned his attention to the expectant faces around him.

"I'm not sure there is anything you can do at the moment. He isn't nearby."

"Can't you get him to come out with his fox toy or something?" Wild asked. "I really want to apologize."

As much as Vio appreciated the champion's enthusiasm to right his wrongs, what he was asking was downright disrespectful. "Don't ask us to switch. It's rude, remember?"

"Oh!" Wild slapped a hand over his mouth. "Sorry."

Vio offered the champion an understanding smile. "No harm done. Just don't do it again. I appreciate you wanting to apologize to Red personally, but you'll have to do it later.

"Yeah…okay."

"So Red hasn't heard any of this?" Sky checked, crestfallen, and rightly so. The discussion had been initiated in large part for Red's benefit, despite the fact it helped them all as a whole.

"No, but not to worry. We can relay the gist to him," Vio said. "In fact, Green's trying to do exactly that as we speak. With any luck, he'll be able to bring Red closer so you can apologize properly."

"Oh."

The disappointment was palpable on everyone's faces—even Legend's though he tried to conceal it behind a scowl and a noisy slurp of stew. He only perceived Shadow as an enemy, after all. Red was a different story.

With nothing left to do but wait, everyone busied themselves with their meals. Vio swiftly found himself wedged between Hyrule and Sky with a steaming bowl of what appeared to be creamy heart soup—judging by the off-white color and chunks of radishes—set before him.

The first spoonful splashed on his tongue with far less richness than usual. As did the second. And third. But Vio didn't mind. He wasn't eating for the pleasure of it. He was eating because their body needed the nutrients, which was really the only point of eating at all, in Vio's opinion.

Quite frankly, the fact that he couldn't survive without ingesting some form of sustenance each day irked him. He could be so much more productive were he not tied to the rigid upkeep of his body. Things like eating and sleeping took up ridiculous amounts of time. He'd read somewhere that the average person slept for a third of their lifetime. A third! Imagine how much progress one could make on projects and personal growth with twenty-six extra years!

It was criminal. A tragic design flaw in their creation, and Vio would gladly trade words with the goddess responsible should the opportunity ever arise. That, he knew, was extremely unlikely, if not outright impossible, but he liked to imagine it nonetheless. He even had an entire argument structured and ready, highlighting all the ways it would benefit the goddesses. More time for mortals to worship for one. Hardier heroes, for another.

Then again, he supposed it was entirely possible the goddesses had considered it. They didn't need to eat and sleep, after all—or at least, he presumed the deities were above such mundane upkeep—so why put such restrictions on their creations? Balance, most likely. Otherwise, there would be little to differentiate gods from mortals, except longevity and power. But perhaps that was the problem. Perhaps an unrestricted mortal was simply too powerful.

That had to be it, Vio decided. The world would be thrown into unresolvable chaos were he allowed his wish.

A gust of green gasped into being behind him. "I couldn't get Red to come out, but he's not crying as much anymore. It's mostly sniffles now."

That's something at least. Vio scraped the last dregs of stew from his bowl and raised it mechanically to his mouth. Did he respond at all?

"No. I'm not even sure that he heard me."

Disappointing, but not surprising considering how deep it seemed Red had fallen into despair. You can try again later. Or I will if you care to switch with me.

"No way." He could practically see Green making a definitive X with his arms in his mind. "I'm still feeling kind o—

"Red likes sweets, right?"

"—off just being this close to the front."

Vio raised his head to find the champion peering at him earnestly from across the table. "Or am I remembering wrong?"

"No, that's correct," Vio said after taking a moment to process Wild's words. Maintaining two conversations at once could be disorienting, but manageable. At least, for him. Blue was abysmal at it. "Red's partial to sweets."

"I like them too."

"So is Green, but Red has a far stronger sweet-tooth."

"If I made some candy for him, do you think it would help? Not to trigger him out or anything," Wild hurried to clarify when Vio tilted his head to the side. "Just for when he does come out eventually. Would that make him happy?

Vio smiled. "It would be greatly appreciated." Red was like a child in many ways. Pacifying him wasn't overly difficult, and he tended to accept gifts as gladly as he gave them. A hug and a sweet treat would set his most sensitive brother on the road to recovery nicely.

Bolstered by this news, Wild started on the candy as soon as all the dinner dishes were cleared, and Vio found himself lingering nearby per the cook's request to give input on favorite flavors. Hyrule joined them also, eager to help. Although, due to his abysmal cooking skills, he wound up being designated as a taste tester only. This worked out nicely, since Vio didn't want to try any just in case it jolted Red into control, and Hyrule had the sweetest sweet tooth of all the heroes.

If it wasn't sweet enough for him, it wouldn't be good enough for Red.

Although Red did not make an appearance that night, Vio got the privilege of sitting curled up in a comfortable chair with a book and friends by his side. He counted that a success.

---

With Vio occupied and the problem as solved as it was going to get at the moment, Green retreated to the house. His mind replayed the confrontation over and over again, grimacing at certain points and cheering at others. One sentence stood out to him among the rest, however.

If you keep treating him like a villain then how's he supposed to be anything else?

All this time Green had been viewing Shadow as the enemy. He had invaded their quartet and thrown everything off balance. Where Green and his brothers had once been able to overcome disagreements and grievances with each other, now they stood divided. Shattered, in a sense, like they never were before.

But had it truly been all sunshine and roses prior to Shadow's appearance? No, Green realized, as he thought about it more. It hadn't. Vio had been struggling severely and none of them noticed. None of them could make it better. Yet with Shadow, with the…split, Vio was thriving. His bookish brother stood tall, confident, self-assured. No more did he shut down and retreat at any seemingly innocuous thing that triggered the pain of losing Shadow. No more did he fade into the background. He was comfortable with taking the lead. Heck, he was far better at it than Green lately.

While he floundered and drowned in Red's despair, Vio floated serenely in it. The switch earlier had been effortless, nice, soothing in a way it never had been before, and that was all thanks to Vio. Somehow, his brother knew exactly which strings to pull and which ones to leave alone.

It was a change, but not—Green had to admit—a bad one. And that was saying something since he typically viewed all change as bad, especially when it came to their new headmate. The idea that someone he didn't rightly know or trust could puppet his body however they wanted petrified him, and he'd allowed it to harden his heart, thinking only of himself and his own feelings without ever truly considering Shadow's.

He was scared, Vio had said—not for the first time, but Green had been too caught up in his own feelings to really register it back then. Shadow was scared, likely as terrified as Green, and all he'd done was treat him like he didn't exist. Like if he ignored the problem enough, it'd go away.

But that wasn't a solution. It was bullying, and Green knew exactly how that felt because he'd experienced it firsthand recently.

Not everyone had been as upfront about it as Warrior and Legend.. It cropped up in more subtle ways, a tensing of the shoulders when he sat by Hyrule or a flinch when his fingers accidentally brushed Wild's as a bowl passed between them. It showed in the hesitance in handing their weapons over for maintenance, and in the fact that certain people wouldn't so much as consider taking a watch shift with him. Even simple acts like traveling had been affected with people placing themselves in strategic formation so that they could better keep an eye on him at all times. As if he needed to be watched.

It wore on one's soul after a while, made you question your own value and wonder if you really had done something wrong. At least, that was what it had been like for Green, and he shuddered to think Shadow was enduring it even now. All alone.

Because as solid of a support Vio was, he couldn't be there for Shadow all the time. Right now, Vio needed to deal with life for them. Red was too depressed, Blue too furious, and Green, well, Green was too overwhelmed. He had let the recent changes consume him, but no more.

Green stood suddenly, determined. It was time for him to be nicer, to stop hiding from the darkness and face it. No, not just face it…embrace it.

He set out right then and there to do just that, marching out of the house and across the yard and through the garden.

Only there was a problem.

It came in the form of blurry vision and tangled vines knotting tighter and tighter in his chest. He tried to push past it with the reassurance that it was only fear. That was all. He was still afraid, and that was okay. He could be afraid. He just couldn't let it control him, couldn't let it dictate his actions.

But that seemed to be exactly what it was doing because right around the threshold of the Great Tree, the world began to disintegrate. Like snow introduced to flame, the grass and trees and sky all melted, bleeding color that blanched first to white, then grey, then a black so heavy it hurt. He gasped, shocked at the impossibility before his failing eyes, and scrambled back on instinct, hoping that would reverse the destruction. But he had already gone too far.

The earth crumbled beneath his feet, and the distinct sensation of weightlessness stuffed him full of vertigo. It flipped his insides around like he'd been hit with a wave of magic from the Cane of Pacci.

He shut his eyes, willing himself to move back, to rewind time before he'd been stupidly stubborn and torn everything apart. Did this mean his brothers ceased to exist too? Shadow? Had he erased them like the rest of the inside world by breaking this nonsensical rule? Or was it only erased for him? Was he doomed to wander this empty, blank darkness forever as punishment for trying to access places he wasn't allowed?

Before Green could fall completely to panic, his backside struck solid ground and his eyes snapped open to find dirt. Grass. Plants. Flowers. Trees.

The garden.

He was sitting in the garden. Despite knowing the nature around him was merely a figment of his imagination—or his headmates'? Potentially a combination of both?—he found himself soothed nonetheless. The constricting feeling in his lungs unraveled, making way for air to enter and exit uninhibited. He swore he felt warmer too, as if touched by the sun's familiar, comforting heat despite the grey sky.

It was tempting to bask in it, to forget the whole endeavor like he'd momentarily forgotten how he could not explore freely inside. But that would mean avoiding the problem, avoiding his mistake, and Green was better than that. He wanted to be better than that.

Getting to his feet, Green squinted at the distance between him and the mountains. He couldn't properly see them due to low-lying storm clouds or fog or rain or possibly all three, but he knew Shadow's cave was over there somewhere, hidden, locked to him like a dungeon's door.

He didn't have the key, but luckily, he knew who did.

"Vio," Green began, sliding back into the sanctuary and trying to force more confidence into his voice than he felt. "Can you do me a favor?"

"Depends on what it is. I was just able to settle in for the night." Vio's voice rustled from the trees.

"Oh, it's nothing that urgent. Just when you get a chance, do you think you can take a message to Shadow for me?"

There was a distinct beat of hesitance. Disbelief maybe? "...To Shadow?"

"To Shadow," Green confirmed, squaring his shoulders and raising his chin. This was easy compared to what his original plan had been. No need to be afraid.

"Yes, of course." Vio sounded pleased. "What is it?"

"Tell him he's welcome here. He's officially forgiven for what he did in the past. It wasn't his fault. Just…bad circumstances, and also that I'd like to meet him face-to-face. At the house. If he's willing, that is! I don't want to force him into anything."

"This is…a surprise."

Green rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. "Yeah, well…I did some thinking."

"I'm glad." He could hear the smile in his brother's voice. "And yes, I will take the message to him. I'll even do it right now if you'd like. Do you think you can switch with me to sleep?"

Green hesitated, recalling what fronting had been like earlier, like moving through mud while Minish sized. His message couldn't get to Shadow without Vio's help. If he refused to switch with him, then opening that connection, inviting Shadow into their midst would be put off until at least tomorrow. A thrill of relief tore through him at the possibility, but he knew that it wouldn't last. It never did. And then the fear only struck him ten-fold later. No. No delaying. He shook his head to banish the thought.

He would hold tight to courage and do this now.

The switch wasn't as smooth as before. Though both of them were willing, Green simply didn't have the same finesse as Vio. He jerked into the body with an involuntary intake of breath, blinking rapidly to clear the blurriness from his vision.

Looking around, he could see the other heroes settling down to sleep, kicking off boots and shuffling under covers. Vio had already done as much for them, but as tired as he felt, Green didn't want to give into it. Not just yet. There was one more thing he needed to do.

It took a bit of searching to discover where Vio had stashed their bag, but Green eventually found it tucked in between the headboard and the wall and grabbed their shared journal.

He sat back against the pillow and flipped to the next clear page, making sure to scan the previous for any notes. But it was all old stuff. No longer important.

Hopefully, this would cease to be important soon enough, but at the moment it weighed on his mind, and it needed to get out. There was no way he'd be able to sleep otherwise.

So, he began to write.

Blue,

We need to talk about what happened yesterday. The way you pushed me out of front was uncalled for. I froze. I get that. We were in the middle of a battle so I can understand why you stepped in. But pushing me down the way you did scared me. I don't even know where I went. It's all a blank. I KNOW you know losing time sucks. It's terrifying and disorienting. However you did it, I don't want to know. Just please never do it again, to me or to anyone else.

He read it over twice to make doubly sure Blue wouldn't perceive it as an attack before signing his name at the end. Green scribbled a quick message of love and reassurance for Red as well. It wasn't as good as a hug or the candy Wild had labored over half the night, but it was the best Green could do at the moment. That had to be good enough.

Satisfied with his messages, Green squirreled the pen and journal away and let sleep take him.

---

Vio approached Shadow's cave, for once, without trepidation or worry. Glee filled him instead, and he found he couldn't quite keep the corner of his mouth from quirking upward.

Finally. Finally Green had been swayed to give Shadow a chance. It couldn't be coincidence that it came after the spontaneous meeting about the group's treatment of them as a whole either. Something in it had moved Green, and Vio was eternally grateful to the man who had initiated it. Thank you, Sky, thank you.

Not only had it put to rights dissonance in their chain of Links, but it was clearly working wonders for them internally as well.

Blinded by his exuberant mood, Vio barged into the cave without sparing a moment to consider Shadow's current state. He realized his error as soon as something thick and solid made contact with his middle. A whoosh of air escaped him at the sudden pressure, and he stumbled back, nearly falling out of the cave.

"Go away," Shadow's voice hissed out from the darkness. His dragon rumbled a warning in solidarity. It sounded closer, much closer than Shadow, and Vio surmised that it was the beast that had struck him, likely with its tail. A claw would have hurt more.

Baffled at the sudden enmity in his friend's voice, Vio could only blink. He steadied himself against the cave wall. "Why?"

Twin red pinpricks glared at him through the void. "I don't want to hurt you."

"Shadow, what are you talking about?"

"I'm evil. If you're near me, I'll hurt you. I don't want to hurt you."

He shook his head, uncomprehending. "You aren't evil, Shadow. You won't hurt me."

"But I am! I'm dangerous. Blue said so. You said so. I put you in danger."

His mouth hung open, a protest stuck in his throat. He had said that, hadn't he? Vio snapped his mouth shut, closed his eyes, and took a deep breath to gather himself. "That wasn't your fault. You didn't know what you were doing. It was an accident."

"No," Shadow spat, the word splattering on the ground like a glob of blood. "It was my nature. Ganon made me just like all his other monsters. I'm bad. The only thing I can do is hurt you, and I don't want to, so…so stay away. Go away."

"No." Vio took another step into the cave, ignoring the scaly appendage that met his chest in warning. "That isn't true, Shadow. You aren't evil. Ganon did not make you. You are a part of us, of Link. You're our shadow. You've always walked with us, always been a part of us. A part of me. And I'm not bad, right? So you can't be either."

"Yes, I can. I am. I'm your opposite in every way. You're light. I'm dark."

"It's not as black and white as that," Vio disagreed. "The fact that you want me to go away so you don't hurt me is proof that you aren't evil. Evil endeavors to hurt. You don't."

"But I hurt you anyway."

"Not on purpose."

"Exactly!" Shadow roared. "It's worse because I didn't mean to! I only cause trouble. I only endanger you. That's all I'm good for."

Vio sighed. "Shadow, that isn't true. Let me explain. The last time you fronted in the Other Place, you left camp. I understand why you did. You were scared, surrounded by strangers and heroes besides. You thought you were protecting yourself. That isn't wrong. It was simply instinct, and a good one at that. However, when Green came to next he had no idea where he was or how to get back to camp. It scared him—badly—and because we were on watch at the time but you wandered away, some of the other heroes got injured. Not terribly. They're all okay now, but it was dangerous. For us and for our group.

"Yet that doesn't mean you're evil or even to blame. On the contrary, we should have done a better job equipping you with the proper knowledge and for not doing so, I am terribly sorry. It put you in a horrendous position, and you made an honest mistake as a result. That's all, Shadow. It was a mistake. Blue might be mad, but I'm not."

Ruby eyes narrowed in skepticism, but Vio forged on. "In the future, if you find yourself in the Other Place and none of us are around to guide you, stay where you are. Stay with the group of heroes we're traveling with. Remember I told you all about how we set off on a new adventure and have multiple companions now? They're safe. You can trust them."

"...They won't hurt me?"

Vio shook his head vehemently. "No. Never." Even when Warrior and Legend's distrust was at its peak, he never once feared the men would raise a hand or sword against them.

"Promise?"

"I promise," Vio pledged. The tail barring his approach lifted, and Vio took that as an invitation, cautiously padding closer to the embers in the dark. He knelt beside Shadow. "No one's going to hurt you, and you won't hurt us as long as you stick with the group."

"O-okay," Shadow's voice wavered, and Vio settled fully into a seated position beside him, bumping their shoulders together.

A playful smirk stretched across his face. "Come on, you can sound more confident than that."

Silence echoed through the cave as Shadow considered it. Then, just when Vio began to wonder if he'd pushed too far too soon, Shadow sucked in a deep breath and let out an earth-shaking "OKAY!" that bounced off the walls and made him jump.

"Ow." Vio laughed, rubbing a ringing ear and leaning away from Shadow as the boy cackled. "I said confident, not as loud as you can."

He felt Shadow shrug. "Same thing."

"If you say so," Vio allowed. "But seriously, no worries. They're a good bunch, a bit rowdy at times, but good. You have nothing to fear from them."

Shadow hummed. Vio sensed the possibility of words hanging in the air and waited patiently. A few moments later, it paid off. "I trust you, I think. But…I don't really know them. The other heroes you talk about, I mean. And from what you explained before, when I'm in the Other Place, they all think I'm you. So if they knew I was me…would they really…?"

Ah, so that was it.

"They know of you," Vio assured him. "They know you exist, and they don't mind that you're not a hero in quite the same way as me and the rest."

Shadow slumped beside him. "I'm not a hero at all."

"You're a hero to me," Vio said, leaning meaningfully into the boy next to him.

He could practically feel Shadow rolling his eyes. "Sap."

"Nonbeliever."

"Idiot."

"Dork."

They smiled, knowing the words held no weight.

For a while they sat there, leaning against each other and the dragon in equal measure, basking in the comfortableness of being in a treasured friend's presence.

Vio was so content, in fact, that it almost slipped his mind that he had a message to deliver. Almost.

"Hey, Green wanted me to tell you something," Vio began, shifting to face Shadow fully. His eyes had adjusted to the dark enough by now for him to make out the boy's face.

He looked up at Vio, curious but also a touch wary. "What is it?"

"He says he doesn't blame you for anything you've done. None of it's your fault. You're forgiven, if you need to be, and you're welcome here. He also invited you to the house. He hasn't gotten a chance to speak to you properly yet, and he'd like to."

"If he wants to talk, then why doesn't he just come here?"

"He can't. He's tried. For whatever reason, Green can't travel very far here. He can only go between the sanctuary and the house."

Shadow's gaze dropped to his lap. "Oh."

"So what do you say?" Vio prompted, injecting cheer into his tone and hoping it rubbed off on Shadow. "Want to go meet Green at the house?"

His friend shrank at the suggestion, practically melting into the floor. His eyes shifted sightlessly back and forth. "I—you said Blue's mad."

Vio waved away the worry like a fly. "Blue's always mad."

"But he's mad at me. For what I did. Leaving camp and all that."

Vio hummed an affirmative. "Yes, but that's only because he hasn't realized it wasn't your fault yet. If you haven't noticed, he tends to be the slowest on the uptake out of us all."

He'd hoped to get a chuckle out of Shadow at that one, but no such luck. "I can't leave if Blue's mad. He'll just attack me again, and I—I don't want to be bad." Shadow squeezed his eyes shut, shoulders creeping up to his pointed ears.

Vio placed a hand on his shoulder, grateful but mildly surprised when it didn't phase through his friend. "Hey, it's not bad to defend yourself."

"Then why'd you tell me I was bad when I defended myself before?" Shadow demanded, glowing red eyes piercing his for answers.

"Well—I—" Vio's mouth snapped shut with a clack. He had said that hadn't he? But that wasn't what he'd meant. He deemed the action of hurting Blue bad, not Shadow himself.

"And you made me call off my dragon earlier," Shadow continued, inching away from Vio with a wary gleam in his eye that the Four Sword Hero didn't like. "You wouldn't let me defend myself at all."

"Only because I didn't want you getting hurt," Vio rushed to explain. "Plus I didn't want you hurting Blue. He might be a big-headed idiot, but he doesn't deserve…whatever you did to him last time."

For all he'd discovered thus far, Vio still scratched his head at that mystery. Shadow's method of attack had been strange to say the least. Instead of a blast of shadow magic or even a physical blow, Shadow's entire form had grown to swallow Blue, immobilizing the hot-tempered hero in darkness and horrid screams until the smog lifted. When it did, Blue was left shaking and wide-eyed, on the verge of a panic attack or possibly in the throes of one. Whatever had happened in that swirl of darkness had not been kind, and Vio did not want a repeat.

"But I deserve Blue's hostility…" Shadow muttered bitterly, sounding like he was cementing it as truth.

"No," Vio snapped, not quite a shout but certainly loud enough to draw his friend's attention. "You don't. You don't deserve any of Blue's wrath, Shadow. It's misplaced, as it typically is, and he's wrong for attacking you. I only said what you did was bad because hurting other people is wrong. I know it was in self defense, but even so, the way you exercise self-defense must be restrained or else you're no better than your assailant. Defending yourself doesn't necessarily mean inflicting harm on the other person, either. There are plenty of nonviolent options. Walking away, for instance."

"And if he follows?" Shadow wanted to know.

"Then talk. Appeal to him. Apologize if need be, ask what the confrontation is about if you don't know. Although…since this is Blue we're talking about and he's less prone to listening, you might be better off simply telling him to leave you alone. Which he should do, especially if you are already in the process of distancing yourself from him. However, if that doesn't work, then you have me to fall back on. I'll always defend you."

Shadow chewed on this speech in silence, and Vio could practically hear every word tumbling around in his mind. It took a while for them to land, but eventually, they did, and Shadow timidly re-solidified in his seat beside Vio. "Okay. Then…I'm going to stay away from Blue."

"A wise choice," Vio observed with a smile.

"And stay in here forever."

Ah. Vio's smile fell into a grimace. A not so wise choice.

"While I agree it is a good idea to keep your distance from Blue at the moment, I don't advise holing yourself up in this cave forever. There's an entire world to explore. You deserve to enjoy it as much as the rest of us."

Shadow only shook his head, unconvinced.

That wouldn't do. "And if you do stay in here forever, then Blue wins. That's what he wants, you know, and appeasing him will only end badly. Being cooped up in this cave all the time isn't good for your health. You need to get out every once in a while, and frankly, it's better you do so of your own volition. Just because you don't venture out willingly, doesn't mean you'll never be pulled to the front. There's so much I need to teach you about sharing a body with us all, and I can't do that from here."

Shadow scraped a claw through the dirt, etching nonsensical shapes. "I'm not sure I want to learn. Or share. I don't—I don't think I can share…"

"You already are," Vio informed him gently. "There's no changing it now, just coping and that's a lot easier to do with the proper tools under your belt. Trust me."

The boy beside him continued to scribble in the dirt.

"Besides, I know Green and Red would love to get to know you better. If you never leave, they can't do that."

Shadow scoffed, resting his chin on his raised knees. "They really care that much?"

"They do."

Shadow huffed, but Vio couldn't decipher exactly what the sound meant, whether it signaled disbelief, scorn, or something else. He waited, forever patient, and Shadow delivered.

He paused, halting his nonsensical etchings. "Maybe…maybe not forever then. Just…a little while longer?"

Shadow peeked at him shyly through his bangs as if asking for permission, and Vio's gaze softened. He looked so young, so vulnerable. There was no denying him.

"Yes," Vio agreed, taking Shadow's hand in his and squeezing. "A little while longer."

---

Resources (replace symbols as indicated):

did (dash) research (period) o r g (forward slash) did (forward slash) identity (underscore) alteration (forward slash) switching

(More detailed explanation of passive influence as well as types of switches.)

youtube (period) com (forward slash) shorts (forward slash) XfXWyibBR6c? feature (equals) share

(The DissociaDID system explains passive influence in real time as it is affecting them. This what Green and Vio were experiencing in this chapter due to Red's fragile emotional state.