A slow breeze chilled Link to his endoskeleton. It was still warm at night, the roof of the hotel having absorbed that daytime heat, but the wind was cool. The sword in his hands was lighter than he would have thought. It was a short sword made of light metal. The grip was wrapped in a thin layer of leather, the blade double-edged and thin. The scabbard was left beside the roof entrance along with the scabbard to Ghirahim's saber.

Link swung the sword around a few times, taking note of the size of the roof. "I've never actually fought since waking up, so please don't kill me." He slid into a simple stance with his feet apart and switched through a number of ways to grip his sword. Ghirahim watched with clear disdain, holding his own saber in an easy and relaxed posture. The curved blade was black, a red gem set in the hilt. "Where'd you get that?" Link asked while getting used to his weapon.

"Won it in a city fencing competition a few months back." Ghirahim swung it around a few times. "It's a good sword. I'll go easy on you and offer some tips. Linebeck would be pissed if I so much as scratched you." He fell out of his stance and rested the blade in his other hand. "Materials that he needs for you are expensive and rare."

Link nodded slowly and held out his sword in front of him in his left. "I think I can start now. Can you start by just... teaching me some basics?"

Ghirahim nodded, nearing Link. "You have a good stance, good balance, and you hold your weapon like you have experience. Now, then, the key to winning a sword fight is your reach."

Link nodded. "Reach."

"That being how long your blade is, how easily you can reach your enemy. Granted, dodging and reflexes and allow someone with a dagger to beat you, but it's a lower chance. You want to make sure your opponent's sword hits either metal or air. If they get too close, they could easily kill you." Ghirahim straightened out Link's arm so that he was holding his sword out. "This is a good estimation of your reach. This is a short sword, so it's not much."

Link nodded obediently. Ghirahim held up his own sword and pressed the blade against Link's. He backed off until he held out his sword as much as he could like Link was, the two blade tips just barely brushing. They were like statues for a moment, motionless in the moonlight. A few birds flew overhead. Lights in other buildings flickered on and off.

And Ghirahim lunged at Link with his sword aimed at his chest.

Linebeck hopped over a hole in the ground, sticking his tongue out at it over his shoulder. "You'd think Zelda and the Sheikah would want stuff like this filled in."

Midna shrugged. "This is a more Yiga-infested district, remember?" She held her arms out to the tall buildings they passed. "Why'd we come through here, anyways?"

"The more abandoned places will usually have more discarded parts and robots. This is a quick route to the ruins, anyways." Linebeck rummaged through the bag he brought and pulled out a cylindrical item, clicking a switch on it. A beam of bright light appeared, and he shined it down any alleyways they passed. "Not many people come down this way."

He jogged ahead a few feet, checking alleyways and rushing to the ruins. Midna sighed. She walked with her spear resting against her shoulder, but it wouldn't be useful of protecting Linebeck if he kept running away. She picked up her own pace and followed Linebeck down an alleyway that caught his attention. She waited from afar as he crouched over a decommissioned robot, picking it apart.

While he worked, holding his light between his teeth, Midna peered at the robot over his shoulder. "What do you think this guy was used for?"

Linebeck shrugged, pulling a wheel off of one of the robot's three feet. "Probably just a servant or something. No fingers, but it looks like it could hold plates and stuff. I bet someone threw the poor bastard out since it was screwing up or something." He tugged an arm off and haphazardly started ripping wires and small mechanisms out. "Keep any eye out for anyone. What would you assume Ghirahim is doing with Link?"

"I left him with the idea of testing Link's fighting capabilities," Midne uttered. She glanced over her shoulder, looking for any signs of wandering night owls. "I also wanted to have him test the little bot on his mythological knowledge."

Linebeck nodded, now whistling a jaunty tune to himself. He stuffed the scraps into his bag and hopped to his feet. "Shut it. They'll be useful somehow."

Midna shoved away her urge to respond. His quieter tone suggested that he was talking with Bellum. It was difficult for her and Ghirahim to figure out whether or not Bellum was talking, but Ghirahim seemed to have an innate sense of whenever Bellum spoke. That had always been something Midna had been envious of- Ghirahim's heightened senses.

She pursed her lips, watching as Linebeck walked past her. He was still whistling to himself. She jogged past him as he reentered onto the street. "What kind of demon do you think Ghirahim is?"

"Ah, shit, there are different kinds. The monster kind. Some stronger, less material kinds. Some more humanlike ones, those being some of the more powerful ones, connected right to the root of the evil in this world. I mean, there are a few more vague types, like ghosts, sword spirits, and general magic that inhabits some nonliving items." Linebeck waved his hand dismissively. "I've done my research. He's too human to be most of those. There's little to nothing on sword spirits, and no one knows what the limit of ghost and inhabitant demons are. But I could care less about learning about that. He can figure this all out himself."

Midna scowled. "And what about me? We've never seen anything like me, and you have yet to find anything in any libraries."

"Also, your own problem. I have other things to worry about for now, what with Link and his whole mystery."

"You're prioritizing a robot?" Midna sighed. The moonlight was momentarily blocked by a few taller buildings. As they neared the castle, the tall spires and walls illuminated by strange lanterns, it got steadily warmer. "I knew your priorities were weird, but, for Hylia's sake, at least make time for the rest of us."

Linebeck scoffed. "Whatever. You make it sound like I only care about him. He's useful for research and that's about it. Hm. We'll need to check around the coliseum, too. I heard some new rumors about a new tournament coming up, and I'm thinking it'll be worth checking out." He hopped down the stairs leading into the castle square- an empty area around the perimeter of the castle. "I'll pick up some scraps and we can check out the coliseum fliers."

"Fine," Midna muttered.

Link was surprised by his inherent reflexes and swordsmanship. His limbs seemed to move on their own- joints bending and moving and wrists flicking in time to parry and block all of Ghirahim's vicious attacks. His feet dug into the ground to keep himself from being pushed back, and he strafed and hopped around to look for a better angle or dodge. He moved without thinking, his programming flooding and controlling his thoughts and movements.

Ghirahim had a gleeful grin as he dashed and lunged at Link, his blade clanging against Link's. He moved just as fast as Link, albeit doing more attacking. He parried all of Link's feeble attacks, but Link soon learned to copy what Ghirahim did. Instead of timidly backing off, he thrust his sword at Ghirahim, forcing him to shy off. He copied Ghirahim's near-savage attacks and threw in some of his own flair.

It was like muscle memory. The nighttime seemed to fade around them as they fought and sparred. Link vaguely felt a mixed sense of nostalgia and deja-vu as he executed attacks, parries, blocks, every kind of movement with a sword. Ghirahim's haughty arrogance dissolved into a caution as he backed off.

If Link was organic, he knew his muscles would be aching and sweat would be pouring down his brow as the fight with Ghirahim dragged on. After what Link could estimate to be ten minutes, Ghirahim pushed away from him with an impressive amount of force. "That's enough for tonight," he declared between gasps for breath. "You've certainly got quite a bit of skill. You're lucky I went easy on you either way, however. Put your sword away. Midna wanted me to test how much you know about the Goddesses."

"Like Din, Farore, and Nayru?" Link asked, lowering his sword.

Ghirahim grunted. "At least you know their names. Tell me everything you know on the way back to our rooms. We'll get in trouble if we stay out here too long." He gathered up their scabbards, sheathing their respective swords before leading Link back into the building.

The stairwell connecting each of the five floors was cramped, lit up by occasional lamps. They were small and cast a dim, yellow light, moths and assorted flying bugs hovering around the bulbs. From his currently limited experience, the technology of the city piqued Link's curiosity. It all seemed so familiar and yet so foreign. Perhaps a sign that he had seen stuff like this before his memory was wiped. He turned to Ghirahim. "Do you think I was created before Hyrule was originally destroyed?"

Ghirahim shrugged. "I'm not sure," he muttered. "For one thing, it seems very plausibly since you're made of a very durable material and the ruins are in good shape, too. On the other hand... two hundred years. I'm surprised your programming and software weren't fried by the heat and elements. I'm skeptical. Linebeck's hardly been wrong at times, but his imagination and occasion delusions can influence his thinking. Midna's more believing, but I think that stems from her general desire to figure out who she is, and she sees you as a chance to unlock some lost knowledge."

Link nodded. He pushed open the door to their room once reaching it, standing aside as Ghirahim walked in. The swords were dumped back on the table, and Ghirahim collapsed on his bed. Link watched him for a moment. "Should I tell you what I know about the Goddesses?"

"That's what I said."

Link nodded, wringing his hands. "Right. Sorry. So, I know that there's four different Goddesses: Hylia, Din, Nayru, and Farore. Hylia created the Hylians before disappearing, Din is the goddess of power, Nayru is the goddess of wisdom, Farore is the goddess of courage, and the latter three govern the Triforce. Those are the basics, so there really isn't much else to say." Link pushed aside a few of their things on the table, finding a book without a visible title.

"Yeah, that really is all that there is," Ghirahim muttered. He sat up, spotting the book. "Oh. That's Linebeck's sketchbook. He draws robots and stuff in there." Link opened it up and was greeted with detailed doodles and sketched of robots and their respective parts. Link smiled faintly. A number of the robots were humanlike, but a few were modeled around Gorons, Rito, and Zora. Smaller robots had fewer humanoid designs, more like four-legged animals or just designs that allowed them to do what they needed.

"Do you and Midna like robots like he does, too?"

"Well, yeah." Ghirahim sat up, supporting himself with his elbows. "He's into building them and stuff, but the two of us more prefer just seeing them. You're cool. AI are interesting, too."

Link nodded, gently returning the book. "Have you ever seen AI like Bellum?"

Ghirahim shook his head. "Nothing like him. Some robots have their own intelligence, but nothing near to what Bellum has. None are confined to some person or specific people like Bellum is." He smiled devilishly. "Y'know, I can actually... 'sense' Bellum. I can get an idea of when he speaks, but that's all. You and Linebeck are the only ones who can actually see or hear him. It's one of the group's other mysteries- We don't know how Bellum works and stuff."

"Lots of mysteries..." Link mused. "What does everyone know about the Yiga? What does Zelda and the Sheikah do about it?"

"Dunno. The Yiga and the Sheikah hate each other- that's a given. The Sheikah have served royalty since, well, forever, but they will go against direct orders to hunt down the Yiga. The Yiga want to bring down the government and cause anarchy, but it's pretty vague. It's getting late." Ghirahim reclined on his bed, scowling up at the ceiling. "You can ponder it to yourself while I sleep."

Link sighed. He pulled the desk chair out and collapsed onto it.

Linebeck hopped down into the ditch, wading through the loose parts. Midna crouched at the edge, not daring to join him in the darkness. Since they were so close to the castle now, the shadows of Sheikah guards hovered miles away on the spires. The bright lamps on the roadside that circled the castle walls did little to brighten the ditch filled with parts and ruins. Careful, Midna twirled the spear in her hands, keeping any eye out for anyone that passed.

Linebeck dug through the ruins, pushing aside old, weathered stone and reaching for more robotic parts. He shone his light at the rubbish, kicking some of it aside. The ruins were ruins of the old castle town. Most were confined to the inside the of the castle walls, accessible only by those with access into the castle, while the rest was left outside. He gathered screws and springs like the ones he found around Link's origin spot. He usually ignored them in the past since they looked like nothing he'd seen before, but now, knowing their probable connection to Link and the past, Linebeck found them much more interesting. A sharp strip of metal ripped through his right pants leg, but only scraped up against the metal leg.

Midna disdainfully watched him gather up random parts, hearing him mutter to Bellum. Someone could sneak up behind him and stab him through the gut and he'd be none the wiser until he died. On one of his first late-night visits to the ruins, a Yiga rebel had attacked him with a sickle. They decided to have someone go with him after he lost quite a bit of blood running to rejoin the group that first time. Midna regularly volunteered in the hopes that Linebeck might find something to help her learn what she was, but he never did.

"Whatcha lookin' for?" she shouted down at him. "Anything in particular, or just random garbage?"

"Both," Linebeck responded. "Just picking up whatever catches mine and Bellum's eyes." He bent down and picked up a strange, circular object and stuffed it into his bag. He dug deeper in that pile, up against a fallen stone tower, and withdrew other objects similar to the first. "Holy shit, I hit a jackpot!"

Midna growled to herself and stood up. Bored, she inspected her steel spear. It had seen a few battles, fighting off the skeletal stalmonsters. The long range and her excellent aim made it easy to nail them in the head and get rid of them. Nearby, a trashcan toppled over, and she whipped around to watch it roll away. The garbage inside spilled out. Midna squinted at the darkness. She and the rest of the group had slowly realized that she could see in the dark like a cat could, so she was the best for nighttime vigilance.

Skeptical, Midna stalked over to the trashcan, peering into the alleyway between the abandoned building and the ceramics shop. A cat was grooming itself next to a second can. The culprit, perhaps. The wind picked up for a moment, rustling Midna's hair, and she felt a chill down her spine.

"Midnaaaaaaaa!"

Midna whipped around and sprinted back to the ditch. Linebeck stumbled back through the parts, fumbling for his knife as a Yiga rebel bore down on him. All members of the Yiga rebellion wore a simple mask- white, with an upside-down Sheikah symbol- the eye with the single tear. Often, they wore dark cloaks and an assortment of red-dyed clothing. There was no uniform, but they all had the same brand of weapons, and this one had a long katana.

Linebeck got his knife up in time to ward off a blow and managed to cut away at the cloak with a razor. Two of his prosthetic fingers switched around, one a razor and the other a small lighter. The dual uses were surprisingly helpful in life-or-death situations. He staggered back, looking blindly for sturdy ground. Minda sprinted over and leaped into the ditch. The Yiga just barely dodged the thrust of her spear.

The Yiga lifted his sword over his head, planning to swing down at Midna. She jabbed at his abdomen and he flinched back. He swung his sword down at her, the blade slipping off the metal shaft of the spear but leaving a small scratch. He was too close now- all Midna found she could do was block his attacks with the spear shaft. When he withdrew to prepare a more powerful attack, Midna planted her foot in his stomach, the kick sending him stumbling back and groaning.

Linebeck leapt at the Yiga when he drew close, sinking his knife blade into his shoulder. The Yiga screamed and disappeared in a whirlwind of paper talismans. Linebeck snatched one of the talismans out of the air and added it to his bag with a huff. He bent over and dug through the parts for his little light. "Annoying bastards," he hissed. "Jumping out of nowhere. Thanks."

"No problem," Midna murmured. "How about we head back? I don't want to get attacked again."

Midna and Linebeck exited the ditch, and she said nothing about the spotty bloodstains around his knee. He murmured under his breath again, sounding indignant. Bellum was probably making fun of him for getting caught off guard. Midna sighed as he strode off back into the city as if nothing had happened. Too carefree. She scowled. Either he underestimated danger, or simply didn't care about his well-being.

They passed by a few empty buildings before Midna glanced over her shoulder. The Sheikah warriors were still on the parapets, silhouetted by the rising moon. They hadn't done anything to stop the Yiga from attacking them. They only watched. She scowled. They were usually hailed as the 'protectors of the city'. Midna jogged up to match Linebeck's pace. "C'mon. The coliseum is this way, remember?"

Link frowned at the flier. He took it from Linebeck's hand, squinting at it. "What's this?"

"An advertisement, we found it at the coliseum," Linebeck explained. "There are monthly fighting tournaments there, either between humans, robots, or both. This is a pretty big one coming up next week."

Link scowled. The flier was to advertise the tournament next week, a robot versus robot brawl of sorts. The listed reward was a promised sum of money (the amount was noted to be determined by the winner's performance). "Seriously?"

Ghirahim scoffed, pulling aside the curtains to let the warm morning sunlight in. "Yes, seriously. We're more or less broke, and we need a good way to test your skills. Besides, Linebeck probably would enter you one way or another." He peered out the window. "Looks like a bunch of people have noticed the fliers, too. I see a few new ones on the wall down there."

Midna sighed. She reached over Link's shoulder and pointed at second reward listed. "This is why I wanted to tell you about this." The second reward was a potential audience with Zelda, to exhibit the robot's capabilities.

Link blinked. "What if you guys lose me? Like, if I'm broken or taken by Zelda."

Linebeck raised an eyebrow. "Simple. Don't talk. Don't act like you have much of a consciousness. We can have you practice over the weekend. You just need to be a skilled, fluid fighter. No emotions, no thoughts. If you act that way, you won't catch as much attention. You'll just be a really well-built robot."

"You're just using me to make money," Link muttered, tossing the flier on the desk.

"Cool it," Ghirahim snapped. "Don't worry. If it was a human fighting competition, I'd be in there in a heartbeat. You're overthinking it. We'll spend the next week to make sure you survive just fine."

Linebeck smiled to himself, snatching up the flier from off the desk and looking it over once more. "Until then, we can find some stuff in the city and leave at noon." He folded the flier up with a faint smile. "Until then, I recommend that you act as human as possible, Link. You already look the part. If someone figures out that you're a robot, they'll try and take you."

He slid off the table where he was sitting. "I didn't get much time to look at the stuff I found last night, so that can wait. I'll meet you all outside." With that, he left the inn room, shutting the door behind him.

Midna frowned. "He's in a good mood."

Ghirahim laughed. "He just found a great opportunity to make money, of course he's happy!" He yawned and got to tidying up the bed he slept in. "Let's take everything and get going. Link, you take the swords."

Link held the sword gathered in his arms, Midna had her spear and her own bag, and Ghirahim had nothing. Both of them glared at the back of his head as they followed him down the stairs. The innkeeper was sleeping at his desk, so they slipped out the front door, hoping that Linebeck paid the poor guy despite knowing that he most certainly didn't. He waited for them outside, idly watching people walk by and lighting a cigarette. Bellum floated out more, phasing through the head of people who walked by.

The group better organized their items in the warm sunlight before moving. Linebeck showed Link how to clip his sword to his belt, and Ghirahim acted as an example with his own sword. Bags were passed out; Linebeck kept his own, Midna took the bag of fliers and potions, Ghirahim and Link got the two empty bags. They organized themselves into a single-file line, Midna at the front, Ghirahim at the back, Linebeck and Link in the middle and avoiding any sort of contact. They joined the running river of people and followed the flow until they found a good place to stop.

"So many people live here!" Link exclaimed. Linebeck grunted, hugging himself. All kinds of people surged past. Hylians of all sorts of colors and heights, ones with dyed hair catching his eye. Tall, feathered Ritos made their way past, looking much more like a bird than Link had first assume, with an assortment of feather colors and beak shapes. Scaled and fishlike Zora were mixed among tall Gerudo women, and any Goron that passed by left a wide pathway that was quickly filled back in. It was more diversity that Link could recall having seen out in the wasteland and decided that it was a miracle that he wasn't overwhelmed.

He fought the urge to cling to the sleeve of Linebeck's coat. The fear of getting washed away, swept up in the torrent of people and separated from the people he'd known for a week, swamped his mind. But he made himself stop. Link's own fear would be inferior to Linebeck's if he touched him.

The tall buildings on either side were made of wood, bricks, and metal. Windows dotted the sides, people peering down or sitting by. Signs sat above lamps to make themselves visible, and street vendors shouted about their wares. As the group turned a corner to less crowded street, Link spotted a young Zora holding up a wad of paper, yelling something. Link vaguely recalled that the wad of paper was a 'newspaper'. The Zora loudly advertised that the price was only five rupees, and Link unconsciously searched though his pockets.

Much to his luck, Midna peeled away from the group and bought one, slipping it into her bag for later.

Link was given an unofficial tour of the city until noon. The group showed him to a coffee shop that they frequented, where Midna and Linebeck each got something to keep them awake until returning home (they hadn't slept the night before). They rested at a small square with a fountain, and Link watched a trio of Rito children chase each other around. Ghirahim gave Link a short lecture on how most people lived in the city while others stayed in their races' origin towns. Link zoned out after realizing he had similar information in the back of his mind.

They spent the early morning wandering through the emptier streets, checking out vendors and informing Link that vendors often had rotating stock. Inns got better in quality the closer to the castle you got. Graffiti was common in alleyways and on abandoned buildings. Street musicians showed up after noon. Later at night was when the Yiga operated. The busiest times of day were from noon to five in the afternoon. Link took in more information than he had prior to visiting the city and managed it well enough.

They walked along a bridge over a small lake in the eastern district of the city. The water was clear and beautifully reflected the clouds above. All types of flowers and herbs grew on the railings and a few birds landed and pecked at the stone ground. "What's this called?" Link asked, leaning over with his elbows on a clean patch of dirt.

"They say it used to be called Lake Hylia," Midna explained. "But with the weather and stuff, it's shrunk. Not really a lake anymore. Glorified pond is what we like to call it." She plucked a flower from the array at Link's side. It was white with blue highlights and seemed to glow ever so slightly. She handed it to Link.

Link stared down at it. "What do I do with this?"

"Whatever you want."

Midna walked off, joining the other half of the group. Link frowned at the flower and held it over the lake. He let it slip from his hands and watched it fall into the water. As ripples flowed out when the flower landed, a small voice in Link's head reminded him that it was a 'Silent Princess'. He sighed and watched it on the surface on the lake. A fish swam up and pulled it under, out of sight.

Link straightened the stack of books, tuning out the human trio's arguing. They'd been arguing since returning from the city, putting a damper on Link's joy about having seen so much. The books they had picked up at the city's library all looked interesting, but he could check them out once the others were done.

The arguing rose to a shout, and Link sighed. He left the books where they were and hid off in his room. He removed his socks and boots, setting them in a corner, then withdrew a notebook from the desk drawer. The sword Ghirahim had lent him was now his to own, and he planned to make a wall-mount for it at some point. Or, at least, with Linebeck's help.

Link flipped down the notebook, picking up the pencil on the other side of the desk. From what he'd seen in Linebeck's notebooks, on the city walls with graffiti, even on the cover of books, he had a good idea of what good artistic talent looked like. He drew a trio of lines on one page, each at different angles and areas on the paper. Start lines of a sort.

He doodled for the next hour. He let his hand move without paying much attention to it. Link saw it as a test of sorts; what would he draw if he paid little attention to the process? He was a robot, after all. He was much different than a living being. He had different traits than organisms, both good and bad. Link had seen Linebeck sketching him a few times; he'd seen his frustration and constant erasing when finding the littlest mistake. Robots made less mistakes than humans.

Link drew for an estimated ten minutes, his friends' argument ending around the five-minute mark. He dropped the pencil and let out a sigh before his head tilted back down. He stared at the drawing for a moment, not really looking at it. The first thing he noticed was the subject- he had drawn the magnificent fountain at the entrance of the city. They had passed it on the way out, and Ghirahim had tossed a green rupee into the water.

The second thing he noticed were all the mistakes. One dragon's wing was just a bit smaller than the other, the water... didn't look like water. So many errors. And yet it looked fine. Link let out a short laugh. It seemed robots could make mistakes, too. He shut the book and slid it back in the drawer. His creator must've so desperately wanted him to be like a human that they programmed errors and mistakes into his software. So odd.

A quick question crossed his mind. What if he was mean to be a replacement? What if his creator had lost someone dear to them, so, out of grief, they made a replacement that was so painfully like a human? Or, perhaps, a companion to someone who was lonely? Maybe a simple experiment? A test of his creator's skills?

So many possibilities. Link needed to make a list of them at some point.