Azzy wasn't prone to panic, but feeling the ground shake below her feet with a force great enough to knock her over was reason to clutch her chest and make a beeline out of the barn in search of her lover. There she found Cami clinging to the paddock fence posts with his head turned towards the castle. Somehow she had a feeling that the herb-hunting they had planned for the day wasn't going to happen.

She let out a gasp when she caught sight of the source of the shaking. The entirety of Hyrule Castle was rising from the ground, surrounded by billows of a purple smoke not unlike the clouds that radiated from the malice of the Calamity. Something big was happening in Hyrule again– And it was starting from the very place where Link and Zelda had been exploring!

She didn't register the strangled scream coming from her throat until Cami wrapped his arms around her shoulders and eased her to sit on the quaking ground.

"It's gonna be okay, angel."

"No! It's not! Link and Zelda were down there!"

A look of horror and realization crossed Cami's face as he looked from her back at the castle that seemingly had come to a stop. The ground beneath them went still, but Azzy's legs remained shaky, rendering her too weak to stand.

"What the hell is going on?" Cami mumbled the words they both were thinking.

"I don't know, but I pray that they're alright!" Azzy covered her mouth to choke back her sobs. "Oh, Goddess, what's happening!?"

"Dunno, but we should probably see if everyone's alright," Cami mumbled.

"Goddess! Hazel!" The panic was back when Azzy thought of her very pregnant younger sister. "Where is she?!"

"She was at Lookout Landing, in the Emergency Shelter, last I heard. Leysra didn't want her too far away from Mara, in case she went into labor early. They are closer to the castle, so I'm sure she went through the same thing we did."

Azzy clapped her hands back over her mouth, shaking with fear. "We have to go to her! I have to see her!"

"Shhhhh." Cami held her tightly. "We will. She's going to be fine. We'll check on her to be sure. Just take a deep breath."

She did as she was instructed, feeling the tightness in her chest beginning to ease. "Okay. What… What about Zen?"

"That, I don't know. He was in Kakariko last I heard."

"With Lyna." It wasn't a question. Azzy exhaled and reminded herself again to breathe. "Help me up."

Cami stood and offered her a steadying hand. She clutched his chest as soon as she was on her feet. He stood behind her and brushed the dirt and bracken off her gray skirt and the top of her boots.

"C'mon. We'll take Snowflake and be there in no time."

Azzy nodded but didn't say anything. She didn't trust her voice with all of the emotions swimming in her mind and body. She kissed her boyfriend deeply before taking his hand and following him back into the stable. Everything was changing in the blink of an eye, and she wasn't ready. But would she ever be ready for something so nerve-wracking? Somehow, she doubted it.

Cami paused in the tack room and rested a hand on her shoulder. "Hey. They'll be alright."

"How can you be so sure about that?" she whimpered. "It's like the Calamity all over again!"

"Yeah, but everybody made it through that shitstorm, and we're stronger than ever. Hazel and the baby are gonna be fine. Zen's going to be safe too. You've got me, and I ain't going anywhere. Relax, angel. Take another deep breath."

She slowly nodded and followed him with a bridle while he had the saddle in hand. Maybe he was right and she was overreacting. But how could she not? This was her baby sister, who was about to have a baby herself! And Zen… her twin could take care of himself, but that didn't mean she wasn't worried about him and his sweet girlfriend, Lyna.

She stood off to the side while he quickly saddled and bridled her mare before boosting her into the saddle.

"Almost wish you'd worn leggings under your skirt this morning, but–"

"Given the situation, I really don't care," Azzy snapped with more venom than she intended. "Let people see my panties. If they're more interested in that than paying attention to what's happening at the castle, then you can protect me."

Cami snapped his mouth shut and gave a nod. "You got it, angel. Shouldn't take long to get there."

"Thank the Goddess," Azzy mumbled under her breath.

"Breathe," Cami said again in her ear when he settled into the saddle behind her. "It'll be alright."

She held her tongue and focused on kicking her mare into a smooth canter. Even as eager as she was to get to her sister, she couldn't bring herself to push Snowflake too hard. It wasn't her horse's fault that Azzy wanted to hurry and see Hazel.

Azzy was out of the saddle as soon as they rode through the gate of the Lookout Landing. She left Cami with the reins and ran to the ladder down to the Emergency Shelter. It took her eyes a moment to adjust to the lower light level in the underground bunker but as soon as she did, Azzy honed in on her dark-haired sister seated on the edge of one of the beds.

"Hazel!" she cried, unable to help herself. She skipped the last several rungs of the ladder and jumped down, landing hard on one of her ankles. Ignoring the pain shooting up her leg, she raced over to sit beside her. "Are you alright?"

Hazel stared at her with wide pink eyes. "Yes. W-why wouldn't I be?" she asked, cocking her head to the side.

"But you were so close to where the castle rose! The shaking… is the baby okay?" Azzy put her hands on her sister's swollen stomach, using her healing magic to check for herself.

"The b-baby's fine. Little one's been active and keeping me up at night, but otherwise no issues." Hazel rested a hand on Azzy's shoulder. "I'm okay. Don't w-worry about me. Leysra and I have things in hand."

Azzy took a deep breath and her sister's hands. She squeezed them tightly then looked at Hazel's face. "I can't help but worry about my baby sister, especially right now. I love you. You'll tell me if anything happens, right?"

Hazel giggled and picked up her Sheikah Slate from beside her. "You'll be the first to know. Promise. Have you heard from Zen?"

"No. He all but refused to take the time to write because letters aren't delivered for a couple of days, and he thinks most news 'isn't worth telling'. So we have to go and check on him in person. Maybe now he'll actually realize how important it is to be able to stay in contact with your family."

"Silly Zenny. He always was stubborn over the funniest things."

Azzy nodded in agreement and tucked her hair behind her ears before rising to her feet. "Have you eaten? Gotten enough rest?"

"I'm fine! C'mon, Azzy. You don't need to mother me." Hazel whined. "Leysra's taking good care of me, and he's not gonna let anything happen to me or the baby. G-go find Zen and get him to communicate with his f-family!"

"Everything alright, Azzy?" Cami jumped down from the ladder and approached the two girls. "Hey, Hazel. Where's Leysra?"

"He was checking the horses after the earthquake. He was afraid that a couple of them might have broken loose. He said he'd be right back."

"I'll go find him then. You good down here, angel?" The brunet raised an eyebrow at his lover.

"We're fine. Tt-ell her to stop fussing over me though!" Hazel feigned a scowl at her older sister. "Just bb-ecause I'm pregnant, it doesn't mean I'm completely incapable of doing a-anything!"

"Yeah, yeah. Well, Leysra and I'll be back in a bit to have some lunch." Cami spun on his heel then climbed the ladder rungs two at a time with ease.

"Which means we should be prepared for two hungry men when they return." Azzy giggled and shook her head. "Some things never change."

"Cooking pot is free, and Mara will be back soon with fresh vegetables from the garden. She dried out the herbs already, and we've got meat and milk for making stew."

"Mmm! That sounds really good!" Azzy fell easily into working on the food preparations beside her sister. The two of them sang like they always did when they were working on the same projects. It brought comfort to her, a partial sense of peace despite how the day had begun.

It wasn't long before the brunet and the redhead descended into the shelter, chuckling and shoving each other with a good-natured camaraderie when they got to the bottom. Azzy couldn't help but smile at Cami obviously faking a scowl while Leysra was struggling to try and pull the brunet's head down to his knees.

"Admit it! You were getting your ass kicked and you had to cheat to win!" Leysra grunted.

"Fuck off!"

Azzy laughed and pulled Cami away from his best friend's grip. "You'll get your rematch later, Ley. Let it go."

"What?! But that's not fair! You always take his side!" Leysra growled, shooting a dark look at his girlfriend's sister.

"Awww! What happened?" Hazel wiped her hands on her skirt and went over to hug her boyfriend. "Are you alright?"

"Only thing bruised is his ego," Cami snarked. "He can't run as fast as I can."

"You cheated and tripped me in the last hundred paces!" Leysra protested. "How is that possibly fair?!"

"It's not, but better luck last time." Cami snickered. "Let your girlfriend console you."

Azzy listened to them banter while she went back to serving up the plates. At least in the midst of all the chaos, certain things remained the same. Hazel was happy. And her boyfriend was content and ready to support her at a moment's notice.

"Leysra, how long is the ride to Kakariko from here?" She asked when she finally got to sit down beside her lover and across from her sister.

"About 8 hours in the saddle. I try to split it into 2 days if possible, but if you get an early enough start this afternoon, you can make it there by midnight. You want to see Zen?"

"Yes. I need to know he's okay. Lyna too."

"That's his new girlfriend, right?" Cami asked around a mouthful of food. "I haven't seen Zen yet - only heard a lot about him."

"Imagine Azzy, but the male version. Except he's a bit more quiet. And not quite so pretty." Leysra smirked. "Don't get me wrong. He's attractive enough in his own way, but his twin has him beat."

"Hey, what about me?" Hazel pouted. "Do I count?"

"Of course you do," Leysra assured her with a kiss. "You're the prettiest one!"

Cami made a disgusted face at the display of affection but didn't comment.

A new voice cut into the conversation just then. "Yeah! Dark hair is pretty too. And all three of you siblings have such lovely pink eyes."

They all turned to look at Purah. The aged Sheikah researcher known for her unusual experiments had recently returned to her 'twenty year old appearance' as she dubbed it. She was slightly taller than Azzy, with the Sheikah white hair and red eyes behind her large, ruby-rimmed glasses. "Do you have room for another at the lunch table?"

"Always!" Azzy gestured to the open seat beside Hazel. "How are things, Purah?"

"I'm not sure, honestly. Nobody's seen or heard from either Link or the Princess since the earthquake. The rocks and debris are still shifting and unstable, so it's not safe to venture very far under the castle." She soberly shook her head while she settled into her seat with her plate in hand. "I don't know what we're going to do. Link and the Princess are resourceful but if they're buried deep in the rubble, who knows when we'll be able to clear enough to reach them. I'll have the Zonai Survey Crew working on it starting later tonight. Two shifts, around the clock, until we find something. Or at least, until we've cleared a pathway back into the castle, as well as under it."

Siilence fell over the table while they contemplated the ramifications. It wasn't the first time the Princess had gone missing, nor that Link was going to need to save her. Perhaps their saving grace would be that they were together. They would make it back in no time, safe and sound! At least, that was Azzy's hope.

"Sorry to dampen the mood. Just thought everyone should be aware. If you need a task completed in the next several days, you'll know where to find me." Purah picked up her utensil and dug into her meal.

"I'll get someone else to take over at the stables so I can help with clearing the rubble to enter the castle," Leysra spoke up. "I won't venture underneath, lest Hazel kill me. I have to stay safe for her and our baby. But I can move the rubble above the ground."

"That's s-still not safe! What happens if s-something shifts and pins you underneath it?! You could b-break bones, or worse, your n-neck!" Hazel fretted, her stutter slipping back in thanks to her stress. The dark-haired young woman's hand went to her belly. "You w-would really risk yourself when it's so close to the b-baby's arrival?"

"Calm down. Getting worked up will bring your stutter back. Please, have some faith in me, and in the Goddess. Besides, we have healers here if something happens." Leysra stood with his empty plate and kissed his girlfriend's forehead. "We'll be okay. I promise."

"I will be glad of your help." Purah took off her glasses and ran a hand over her face while she pushed her dish away. "I'll keep him close, Hazel. Try not to worry too much about him, please."

She sighed and settled back in her seat. "I'll try."

"Anyone wanna join me?" Leysra asked. He tapped his knuckles impatiently on the table.

"Can't. I'm taking Azzy to see her brother in Kakariko." The brunet pushed up his glasses. "Need to see Claree for some new clothes since Rhondson is back in Tarrey Town. Apparently," he paused and shot a playful scowl at Azzy, "I can't keep wearing threadbare shirts."

"Of course not. You gotta look good if you're spending time out with your girlfriend." Leysra slapped his palm on the table. "Alright. I'm going to get arrangements set up for coverage, and I'll be back before you head to the castle, Purah."

"Take your time. I still have to speak to Robbie before I take the survey team out there."

Azzy startled when a gentle hand rested on hers. "In a few minutes we'll head to Kakariko. I'll get Snowflake ready and run back to our cabin to grab us some clothes. All you need besides bidding your farewells is to gather food for the evening meal."

She nodded almost automatically. "How long do I have?"

"Half an hour at most. Take a deep breath, angel. You're tense, and it's showing. But you're not alone."

"... okay. I'll do it." She tipped her head up to kiss him on the lips. "I'll get the food. I'll even include a few of the applie pies that you love."

"That's my girl," the brunet murmured in her ear before he took his leave.

Azzy sat at the table for another moment, listening to the hum of conversation from those remaining in the emergency shelter. Even in the midst of the unrest, a plan was being developed. She had her siblings and her boyfriend. It was going to be alright. The Goddess would ensure it was so.

Her hopes remained high, though they were rivaled only by her exhaustion when they arrived in Kakariko a half hour past midnight. She had dozed off against Cami's back for the final hour of their trip, not even noticing the ascent up the mountainside that typically deterred the casual traveler. He woke her when they stopped by lifting her down from the horse's back.

"We made it already?" she sleepily mumbled, rubbing her eyes while she stood with her face against his chest.

"We did, but it's very late. I gotta get the room at the inn set up for the night. We'll see everyone in the morning."

"But we could stay with–"

"Not when we gave no warning and we're arriving this late. We'll talk to them tomorrow, and if we stay a second night, we'll accept your brother's hospitality. Right now? We're going into the inn, and you're going back to sleep." Cami scooped her back into his arms bridal-style and carried her inside. He set her on a bench near the wall, letting her doze off again while he spoke to the innkeeper in a hushed tone.

She lifted her head when he came back and silently put her hands up for a hug.

"Got the same room on the ground floor in the back, your favorite." He handed her the key. "Innkeeper's son is coming out to help with Snowflake. Soon as he shows, I'll join you with the packs."

"Don't take too long," she sleepily pleaded. "I want to snuggle against you."

"That's a given, angel." Cami kissed her forehead. "We'll make sure we rest well before seeing Zen tomorrow. We need it after this morning."

She nodded and yawned while she stumbled down the hall and unlocked the door to the room. It took only a few moments to undress and crawl under the blankets on the plush bed. A faint whine from her throat had Cami snuggled against her when he let himself in a few minutes later. The desire to make love to him was there, but it was drowned out by her need for rest. She let out a contented sigh and fell into a deep sleep.

Morning brought early sunlight through the window and a strange feeling for Azzy in the pit of her stomach when she awoke - a disquieted sensation that had her subconsciously clinging onto Cami with a whimper.

"Everything okay?" Sleep was thick in his voice but he was awake the instant she made a sound.

"I'm not sure. Something feels off."

"Mmm?" Cami's head came up, his brown hair a rumpled mess. "Off how?"

"Just a gut feeling that I'm having trouble shaking. It might be nothing."

"What can I do?" He asked as he tugged her against his chest. "I'm here for you. Do you need me, angel?"

Azzy nodded, not trusting her voice. There was very little that she could say if she wasn't sure about it herself. So, she let herself be spoiled and ravished by her lover. Losing herself in the pleasure of a good orgasm was easier than facing whatever demons were warring for her head.

The sun had come up by the time the couple pulled themselves out of bed for a bite of breakfast. Once sated, they headed into the heart of the village, leisurely making their way towards Zen's house.

Cami stretched and groaned. "Dunno how people spend all day in the saddle. I ache all over when I'm riding for more than an hour or two." He looked over and cocked his head. "You alright? You're pretty quiet."

"Just anxious about seeing Zen again." It was the truth. It hadn't been very long since the siblings had reconnected.

"No need to be nervous. Not over me. Hey, Azzy." Her twin materialized seemingly out of nowhere, approaching the trio. The grays and greens of his Kakariko guard's outfit offered a bit of camouflage that she was sure aided in his natural stealth.

"Whoa! Where the fuck did you come from?!" Cami about leapt out of his skin. "How the hell do you move around so quietly?"

Zen shrugged with a slight smirk. "Consider it part of my training. You must be Cami." He offered a hand to the brunet.

Azzy was pleased to see the two of them exchange greetings civilly. Cami had come a long way in the last couple of years. His possessiveness and brusque nature had calmed thanks in large part to her influence. It probably also helped that Zen was similar to her in many ways, making it easy for the two boys to connect.

Her twin was practically the same height as Cami, though his platinum blond hair was kept longer and in a low ponytail. His build was similar to Cami's as well, though he shared the sakura pink eyes that all three of the siblings had. Azzy had to internally laugh whenever people commented on how unusual it was. Such was life when they were all half-Sheikah.

"What are you doing here?" Zen asked, turning his attention back on his twin.

"Didn't you feel the earthquake yesterday?" she replied.

He raised an eyebrow at her. "Of course I did. I think all of Hyrule must've with how strong it was. Why? Is something wrong?"

"The castle was raised partially into the sky. There's now some purple-black smoke and miasma erupting from underneath," Cami answered for her. He gestured for them to head over to the table by the cooking pot to have a seat.

"Shit, are you serious?" Zen slid onto the bench beside his sister and ran a hand over his face. "Probably explains the ruins that fell from the sky and the giant sinkhole both."

"Ruins? Sinkhole?" Now he had her attention. "What sinkhole? Is it close to the village? Is everyone safe?"

"Shhhhh. Relax, Azzy." Zen rested his hand atop hers. "Everyone's fine. Paya's got the Zonai survey crew checking out the ruins. And after we discovered that the oozing material sickens anyone who touches it, we're keeping a safe distance away."

"Good. How is Lyna taking all of this?" she asked hesitantly.

"She's scared, but trying to hold it together. We had already made plans to try and find her brother. She got a letter from her mother yesterday too that told us nobody had seen or heard from Del in nearly a month. She's at the house right now, packing up a few things that we'll need to take with us for the trip."

"Lyna?" Cami whispered to Azzy, trying not to be rude, but still speaking a touch louder than intended.

"My girlfriend. She's from Lurelin Village. Lyna's a bit shy, but she's the sweetest girl I've met– girls that weren't my sisters, anyway." He shot Azzy a wink. "This will be a new experience for her. Kakariko is the furthest she's ever been from home. We're still adjusting to her not needing as many veils. The potions she's taking are making a difference, more than we expected."

"Is she still taking a lot of layers?" she asked. "I hope you won't have to go too close to the Gerudo Desert."

"We may very well have to," Zen said soberly. "Their father is in the Yiga Clan, so their mother was guessing that Del might have gone to try and find him."

"The Yiga Clan?!" Cami's eyebrows shot up. "They've become more widespread over the last couple of years, even with their master's disappearance. I can think of a couple locations where they've been sighted, including around Hebra."

"Where will you start?" Azzy bit her lip, clearly failing in her attempt not to worry. "Hyrule is so vast, it could take you weeks to travel to all the regions and you still may not be able to find him. Especially if he's tied into the Yiga Clan! Their teleportation spells make it nearly impossible to track them!"

"I know. And we're keeping that in consideration. But Lyna can't think about anything else, and to be honest, it scares me too that he's completely out of contact. Del's a great guy. I mean, Azzy, you practically grew up around him. So, you know what he means to her." Zen pointed out. "Since we've already ruled out Faron, we actually are starting in Gerudo. That's where the old Yiga hideout was, and even if there's not as many clan members there anymore, we might find the evidence of where they've gone. It would give us a starting point… at least, that's the hope."

"If you don't find anything, then promise me you'll come up to Lookout Landing before you head out again? Rest with family, and then we can help brainstorm on what to do from there. Please, Zen?"

The guard sighed and ruffled her hair. "Alright, baby sis. We'll make a stop. But are you sure that you only want us to stop if we don't find anything? I thought you loved me more than that."

"Oh, no fair! You know what I meant," Azzy whined. She pouted her lip at her twin. "I thought you wanted time with me."

"Of course I want time with you and Hazel, as well as time to get to know your lover. But sometimes work responsibilities are gonna come first. You know that."

"And I know it too." A soft new voice entered the conversation. "But family is more important. And that's why Zen's going to help me find Del."

Azzy couldn't help but smile at the approaching figure. The young woman was pale, lighter than either of the twins thanks to her albinism. Her arms were hugged tightly around herself, her face half-shadowed under her massive sunhat. She wore a long-sleeve off-white blouse and a wildberry pink skirt that went all the way down to her sandaled feet.

"Lyna!" Azzy ran over and gave her a hug. "You're not wearing as many layers!"

"No, the potions are doing what they're supposed to, and I'm not as sun sensitive. Zen thinks it'll help for all but the desert when we get close. Right?" She shyly looked at her boyfriend for confirmation.

"That's right. Oh, where are my manners? This is Azzy's boyfriend, Cami, is that right?"

Cami nodded. "Pleased to meet you– Whoa. I didn't think anyone could be more pale than Azzy!"

Lyna flushed and hugged her arms tighter around her thin stomach. "Y-yes. Sorry," she whispered. "I guess you could say that I'm kinda allergic to the sun."

"Shitty allergy but sounds like you're doing the best you can." He pushed his glasses further up his nose and smiled at the newcomer.

Zen remained on his feet, tenderly kissing Lyna when she came within reach. He guided her to join them and sit on his lap, and sighed contentedly when she did. "Where was I?"

"Gerudo Desert, searching for Lyna's brother," Cami recalled. He made a face. "Better you than me. I can't stand the desert. All that fucking heat and sand! Miserable stuff."

Azzy ignored his griping and watched her brother cuddling his girlfriend. He was relaxed, a lot more so than he had been when they had first reconnected. Lyna was quiet, and very shy, but she had come out of her shell since having the potions for her sun sensitivity… at least according to Zen.

Cami leaned back in his seat and addressed the couple. "So, when are you heading out?"

"Tomorrow," Lyna replied. "We should have everything we need for the journey packed up by then. We have to travel light. Which isn't an issue for Zen. But it's hard with my veils and layers. I can't go anywhere without them."

"It will be fine. You and your belongings won't be a burden. You're never a burden," Zen assured her with a hug from behind.

"Well, if it turns out the desert is too unforgiving and you have no luck finding him, you'll stay with us in Lookout Landing while you recover and figure out where to go next," Cami said firmly. "We're gonna take care of you both. Family to Azzy is family to me. She taught me that."

Family is family. Even with the Upheaval and the fears that threatened to grip Azzy's heart and overcome her senses, the thought prevailed. As long as she had Cami, as well as her brother and sister, there was nothing that they couldn't face. Come what may, they would prevail together.