A/N

A quick preface before this chapter begins: some dark themes are implied around the end of this chapter.

I can say that fight scenes are hard to write, and I'll apologize in advance if they're dull.

Other than that, enjoy the chapter!

Neither Ghirahim, Midna, nor Linebeck returned to the inn by ten. They all overshot the target time by an hour, but they returned all the same. They all slept, Linebeck included, and Link was left awake, inspecting the sturdy new shield that Linebeck had bought from his friend. It wasn't light but wasn't too heavy, with a wooden handle and a rope strap for his arm. Metal was nailed to the edge of the shield, for extra durability and protection.

An emblem, split into four parts, was carved into the center. The top left and bottom right had heart shapes carved in, top right had an intricate key, and the bottom left had a creature propped up on its hind legs, claws extended and mouth open. It took up most of the shield, which was carved into a rounded rectangle type shape. Link set it on the table with the holo-sword and went to sleep in his own bed.

The group woke early in the morning and gathered their things. Link carried the sword and shield with one hand, shield straps around his forearm and the sword hilt in hand. Ghirahim carried the bag with the rest of their stuff, trailing behind the other three as the tournament was explained to a rather clueless Link.

"You'll fight some other robots," Linebeck muttered. "Tear them apart if you want. We won't be sued. Murder them. It's a line of fight after fight, with an interlude with a Sheikah-made enemy. It's over two days, the first part today, the rest of the day off for repairs, and tomorrow is the rest. You'll kick ass."

Midna crossed her arms over her chest with a smug smile. "C'mon, I taught you well, and you have some crazy combat skills even if you've only sparred. Second round, every match, the Sheikah somehow change the area's landscape, so it's new every time. You can't rely on a certain type of land every match." She glanced at a pair of Gorons walking by. They were the first other people they'd seen in the streets all morning. The sun was barely over the horizon. The tournament started at ten, but the group intended to stop at the coliseum and drop off their equipment before wasting some time. They reassured Link that their items would be safe in a locker.

They reached the coliseum and stopped to allow Link a proper view of it. It towered over the short buildings nearby, as wide as the small park he and Midna had sparred in. In truth, it was most likely dwarfed by the castle. Tapestries and banners hung from the top, glassless windows allowing small views into the halls and seating areas. Multiple arched doorways allowed entrance into the dimly lit hallways.

Ghirahim waited outside, transferring the bag to Link's hands. He didn't give them an excuse, and neither Linebeck nor Midna asked for one as they herded Link into the coliseum halls. It was mostly empty, other teams probably planning to drop their stuff off later in the day. Link stared around in the dark. It was dim, and considerably lightened up once he got used to it. There seemed to be one, long continuous hallway on the bottom floor, a few doorways leading to the seats.

The lockers were in a small side room, each about the size of a broom closet with the robots' names on them. Link's was one of the first in the line, and it was easy enough to leave the bag and related equipment inside. No words were exchanged between the trio until they returned to Ghirahim. A faint breeze blew through the city. Ghirahim greeted them without a word, and silently motioned towards a pair walking towards them. A blue-feathered Rito and a pale Hylian girl. Linebeck scowled upon seeing them.

The Rito's eyes lit up when he saw them, and the Hylian only rolled her eyes when he hurried towards them. She continued walking into the coliseum without him, carrying a bag of similar size to the one Link had. The Rito had a cocky gleam in his green eyes, and he stopped with his wings- hands? - on his hips. "Oh ho, I didn't think I'd see you and your friends here, Becky."

Linebeck set his jaw. "Call me that one more time and I'll skin you alive like the squawking Cucco you are." He crossed his arms and glared at the Rito. "Piss off, Revali, I have nothing to say to you except you can eat our robot's dust."

The Rito blinked with fake surprise. "Oh, my, so rude! Awfully rude for a man who can't handle being touched for too long without vomiting." A sly grin spread across Revali's face. "I have no time to dawdle, talking with your ragtag group. Ashei and I are busy preparing our own first-rate robot, and we're sure to win this time." He turned with a flourish and walked into the coliseum. Linebeck let loose a quiet stream of curses under his breath and flipped Revali off.

Link glance at Ghirahim. "They know each other?"

"Rivals, really," Ghirahim sighed. "They met early after we woke, and Linebeck beat him in a past robot tournament. They hate each other, to put it simply." He waited until Linebeck returned to the group and raised his voice slightly. "Well, then, where to now?"

"Don't care," Linebeck muttered. "You guys lead the way."

Nothing else was said, and Ghirahim led them back into the city. He didn't say where they were going, but everyone else seemed to have an idea of where they were going. Link slowed his walk so that he could be adjacent to Linebeck. "What's Damien like?"

Linebeck blinked. All frustration seemed wiped off his face. "Huh?"

"Midna said you'0er friends with a guy named Damien. What's he like?"

Linebeck turned away, but it wasn't fast enough to hide a sheepish smile. Bellum rolled his eye but remained silent. "He's really nice. He works as a carpenter, so a lot of his furniture and stuff are self-made. Lack of business doesn't really bother him; he's got some kind of second job. Uh. Damien and I have similar hair color, but he's a bit paler, if that helps you imagine him. His eyes are green, too, but lighter. Really pretty."

Something in the back of Link's mind clicked. "You're in love with him?"

Linebeck visibly flinched. "...Y-yes. The others know, but I kinda wanna keep it a secret for the most part." He hugged himself. "Damien doesn't mind." He glanced at Link. "That's not important right now, though." He straightened up, regaining his composure. "We need to focus on the tournament later today. There are 24 robots, so you'll fight three times today, and tomorrow the Sheikah robot, and then the last two. Simple, really."

"Yeah, simple," Link muttered. "How tough are the other robots?"

"Depends, really." Linebeck glanced off to the side, seemingly staring through the storefronts they passed. "More often than not, they're scavenged piles of scrap. Usually jerky and fragile, but some can be fast and strong."

He sighed and quickened his pace. He slowed near Midna. Bellum remained behind. Link glanced at the floating AI. "Where are we going?" He didn't recognize the apartments and stores they were passing, but it was a bit more populated than everywhere else.

Bellum blinked. "Hm. This leads to a part of the city that's denser in shops and places to eat. Unfortunately, Yiga attacks are also common here. I assume they're going to get something to eat before the tournament."

"What's the deal with the Yiga?"

"Don't you already know? It's a cult of sorts that wants to bring down the castle and the Sheikah. Pretty straight forward, but no one knows if that really if their goal, and their leader is unknown. They stick to the city, though. Outside villages rarely have problems with them. The Gerudo have the biggest problems, though, as they are currently without a leader. The Yiga seem to have a grudge against them." Bellum sighed and did a quick loop-de-loop out of boredom. "They're simple."

They passed through an alleyway and then into a street where the walls were covered in graffiti, people milling around everywhere. It looked almost cheery, despite the backdrop of the faint yellow sky and the heat. Link followed the group into a small cafe of sorts, a bit colder than the city streets. A few fans were in each corner of the small restaurant. Link followed the group to a table in the corner, not bothering to talk with anyone.

Not too many people were in the cafe. It was a wooden building with warm lights, about three other people inside, not counting the two people audible in a back room behind the counter. Ghirahim relaxed in the squeaky chair that he chose, Midna settling next to him. Link sat at Ghirahim's other side, and Linebeck dragged over an extra chair to fit between the two empty ones. Link crossed his arms on the table and peered around. "This place is nice," he mumbled. "Have you guys been here before?"

"I'm friends with the owner," Midna muttered. "We come here often. It's cheap, cheaper since I do favors for the owner."

"Favors?"

"We sell some of the stuff we grow to this place. We help keep it stocked." Midna leaned back, propping her legs up on the table. "The two people who run this place are from Rito village, a pair of friends, I suppose. Revali is also Rito, but he's the other kind. There are two kinds of Rito."

"I know," Link nodded. "I know this stuff, remember?"

"Hard to keep track of what you do and don't know," Ghirahim sighed. "You seem to waver between being an encyclopedia and a human idiot. Linebeck hasn't really put in any time to see what your mind contains."

"I told you," Linebeck hissed, "it's encrypted. I can't access his programming or anything. I haven't found any kind of way to do that. I found the console, but I can't tamper with his programming. What's the point of even giving a way to look at his programming without allowing editing?"

Link shrugged. "Maybe just to check that it's working, not to mess with it. I'm doing fine, aren't I?" He unconsciously felt the area of the hidden panel in his neck. "There are a lot of mysteries floating around, huh?"

"Mysteries," Midna huffed, "that will hopefully be solved when you win that tournament and let us meet with Zelda. And, y'know, get us a fair bit of money, too. Just don't get destroyed."

Behind the counter, a Rito looking rather unlike Revali spotted them. She had long brown hair, a more Hylian-like form, but in the place of a nose was a beak. Link glanced over at her arms and instinctively knew that, if she wanted, feathers would sprout and cover her arms to allow her to fly. She hurried over to their table. Midna and Ghirahim greeted her with a soft "Hi, Medli," but Linebeck ignored her in favor of fiddling with the back of his prosthetic hand. Link weakly waved at her.

"Hi," Medli chirped, her voice soft and slightly melodious. Right off the bat, Link could tell she was musically inclined "Nice to see you guys in here today." She smiled at Link. "I don't think we've met."

Link kept his mouth shut. He suddenly became anxious. Should he speak or not? To speak would ruin the illusion of him being a wordless robot created to fight, but-

Ghirahim rested his hand on top of Link's head. "This is Link. We met him a few weeks ago. He's quiet at times.'

Link nodded quickly. "Sorry. Yeah. Nice to meet you."

Medli smiled. "Nice to meet you, too!" She shifted her gaze from Link to the rest of the group. "I take it you guys want something to eat. With the tournament starting later today, I'll bet you'll want an early start."

It turned out that Medli shared the cafe with a friend named Komali, and they usually served types of coffee and assorted breakfast foods. Link was given a moment to look over a menu, Bellum uttering recommendations to him based on the items' appearances. He waved him away, his hand only phasing through him. Bellum floated over to Linebeck and hovered just above his shoulder.

The group ordered little food. Linebeck and Ghirahim both decided on coffee, and all but Linebeck agreed on eggs. Medli took their order and left. Link waited until she was out of earshot. "So, I'm human to these people now? Won't that cause a problem during the fights?"

"We can obscure your face," Linebeck mumbled. "I set up some headgear for you."

"Oh. Cool."

"It's pretty much just a helmet that'll put up a visor over your face. Nothing fancy."

Link nodded and rested back in his chair. "Uh. How do people get produce and stuff?"

"Well, there's people like us," Midna explained, "Some grow and sell their own food. All of the major villages have their own produce and animal products that they sell to the rest of Hyrule. There's just enough for everyone, but there's more and more every month."

They quietly thanked Medli as she brought over the food. They ate quietly, watching people outside talking and milling around. Linebeck ran his finger along the rim of his mug, watching it cool while the others talked tournament strategy. Link picked at his own food, anxiety worming its way into his stomach. "Aren't you all worried about me getting ripped apart or broken?"

"We are," Linebeck muttered. "But you're made up of some pretty durable material. At worst, your face might be ripped off but that's repairable." He peered at his coffee and took a sip of it. "You're skilled enough that we doubt it'll be a problem."

"There's a good chance that Link could be ripped to pieces, so we can safely say that we're quite literally betting one-hundred-thousand rupees on his ancient ass surviving."

Midna let out a weak laugh, following Linebeck up the stairs into the seating area. "We're gambling with the most valuable thing we've seen in the past year."

"So reckless," Ghirahim sighed, picking a seat between the two of them. "But I can respect it. As you said, he's made of some pretty durable stuff. You can repair him, especially since you've even found stuff like him." He leaned forward, getting a good look at the sandy arena. "I doubt he'll get broken, anyways. It's not allowed to straight-up incinerate other robots. You got to keep all parts intact, but severing parts is okay. Severing the head is the best, right? I don't usually watch these."

Linebeck shrugged. "In early matches, it's okay to absolutely decimate your opponent. After the break, though, they're considered too well-made to risk having them blown to bits. It's a bit more careful, and those matches are timed." He glanced around the crowd, sitting up straight. "Tell me if you guys see Damien. He said he'd try and sit by me."

"I'll keep an eye out for your boyfriend," Midna sighed. "Though, I bet Bellum could spot him faster than you. Have him do it." She leaned back in her seat. The seating for the area was surprisingly comfortable, and the people around them murmured to each other. It wasn't as loud as most newcomers would expect. The lowest seats were ten feet above the arena ground, and a metal fence would spring up if something hurtling towards the audience was detected. Shiekah were posted close to the area in case they were needed.

Link shifted from one foot to the other, glancing around the room. The other robots had gathered in the room near the arena, and a screen showed them the tournament brackets. Most of the other robots didn't have shelling or skin like he did. Each were inspected by a Sheikah, and Link had remained silent and stoic when he had returned to the coliseum. They were clearly curious about him and his skillful design and creation.

He gathered his shield and sword from the locker, slipping the gauntlets and greaves on before he and the others were herded into the other room. The headset that Linebeck had prepared for him was similar to a knight's helmet, a sturdy visor over his face. It reached down to his shoulders, so no one in the room thought of taking it off of him. Link checked the weight of the shield while waiting for the first match to start and made a mental note to keep it from catching on fire. Most of the other robots had simple designs, but a few looked more complicated. None spoke to him.

The muffled drone of the crowd outside was the only sign that things might start soon. The door opened, and a Sheikah in dark blue clothing strode through the crowd of robots. They wore a cloth over their mouth and nose, their white hair was tied back in a bun, and armor made of a strange material protected their limbs. They glanced over the group of robots and crossed their arms, saying nothing.

A few of the robots could speak, mostly in monotone voices with rerecorded sentences. They all went silent. The Sheikah cleared their throat. "The first match will begin in five minutes." Behind them, one of the matchups was circled. "These two will go first. Be ready."

Link took in a deep breath. If the matching were going down from the top, he'd be the sixth to go. On the other side of the bracket was the same number of robots. Everything was ready, all he had to do was wait, and scout out his enemy- a thin robot with a number of blades in its arms. He stared at it across the room and wondered how Linebeck would study it. Perhaps he would take it apart to see how the blades fit in.

After five minutes, the door to the arena was opened, and the two chosen robots were sent in. Both simply had swords, but one had longer limbs. If that one didn't win, Link would be surprised. The screen turned from the brackets to a view of the area, the sandy land untouched while the two robots ran at each other. They had jerky movements but didn't stumble. Against each other, it was already proving to be a battle of parries and constant blade clanging, but Link could beat either of them with ease.

The robots in the room with him went silent, staring up at the screen. The fight went on for a bit. The live feed showed the crowd at the edges, and Link squinted to see if he could get a view of his own group. It was hard enough to see the people in the front rows, so it was quickly futile. By the time he gave up, the long-limbed robot severed some wires of the other, shutting it down. Link frowned. Perhaps these were the weaker kinds of robots, because he doubted this would be very interesting.

The next match was a bit more interesting. One robot, armed with a spear and small bucklers, was less human, with four arms and three legs, scuttling around the other robot with a bow and effectively winning after about a minute. The next few were boring, at least to Link. The crowd roared each time a robot was hit.

Link turned away from the screen and surveyed the room. The Sheikah watched them all, occasionally moving from their spot to shove others into the arena. More interesting robots were the ones who moved fast and fluidly, like a human. Linebeck was skilled, but Link was starting to wonder how many other engineers were more skilled.

He didn't realize that it was his turn until the Sheikah shoved him from behind. "You're up next, buddy." Link only grunted and jogged after the other robot into the bright arena. The crowd was almost deafening at first, but his ears adjusted. His opponent glanced sidelong at him, and then looked away. There were still a few moments before the first match began.

The crowd was made up of many colors, of every race that Link could think of. It took a few moments, but his eyes flicked to the familiar trio of scavengers. Midna and Ghirahim were talking to one another, glancing around the arena. Linebeck was peering almost forlornly around the arena and made eye contact with Link on a whim. The lines in his eyes flashed like they had nearly two weeks before, and Link broke eye contact as a shiver ran down his spine. Out of the corner of his eyes, he could see that Linebeck looked shaken as well. The blue bit of light around him must be Bellum; the little AI was circling Linebeck's head in an excited manner.

Link almost didn't hear the robotic voice commanding him to begin fighting, but the other robot rushing at him snapped him out of his stupor. He brought up his shield, the waxed and sturdy wood taking the brunt of the blades. Sharp as they were, there wasn't a mark in the wood. This robot was fast, refusing to back off, pummeling Link's shield with its blades. Link reached back and groped at his belt for the hilt of the holo-sword, grabbing it when his hands brushed against the stone-like material.

The robot struck his shield again and reeled back for another attack, and Link jumped back and sprinted away, desperate to put some distance between them. He ran to the edge of the arena and activated the sword's blade. The low humming brought a sense of calm to him, the sense that he now had everything under control.

The robot, made of a shiny steel in a humanoid form but lacking a face, turned and sprinted after him again. Link brought up his shield as the attacks resumed and shoved back as one of the bladed punches connected. The crowd roared and Link lunged at the stumbling robot, slicing through the right shoulder with minor effort. The metal turned red and melted away, the arm clattering to the ground. A monotone grunt was his opponent's only response, and the extra second of recovery allowed Link to remove the other arm.

The cheering crowd almost deafened him. The defeated robot fell to the ground, deactivated. His sword automatically retracted the blade as he returned it to his belt, and he spared at glance at his shield while the Sheikah led him back into the room. No scratches. Something about the wood was helping it hold up. The door slammed once he was back in the dark, and he collapsed on a bench at the edge of the room.

"That's a good shield," Ghirahim murmured, leaning forward. The spindly robot that Link was up against was slashing at the wood without faltering, but the carved shield didn't bear a single scratch. "Your boyfriend's one hell of a carpenter, damn."

"He's good," Linebeck sighed, leaning back and crossing his arms.

Midna pursed her lips in a mockingly pitying way. "Aw, someone looks grumpy about Damien not showing up."

Linebeck growled. "Look, he might still show up. He's busy! I don't blame him, but still... he promised." The crowd around him roared as Link cut off the robot's arms. "I'll have to thank him for making such a good shield, though." He glanced over his shoulder at a green-scaled Zora, holding out his hand. "Pay up, I won this time."

The Zora scowled and dropped a red rupee into his hand. "You're gambling," Midna muttered. "Of course."

"I'm betting on these matches," Linebeck corrected. "There's a difference."

"Good for you," Ghirahim laughed, patting Linebeck on the shoulder.

"Don't touch me."

"It was momentary. Who'll win this next match? Can I bet too?"

"No, this is between me and him."

"What's his name?"

"Dunno. He's got money and he's willing to bet with me so that's all I care about." Linebeck squinted at the two new robots showed on the screen and turned back to the Zora. "Fifty rupees says that the bronze-tailed guy wins."

Ghirahim sighed and stood up. "Whatever. I have an appointment right now, anyways. I'll meet you after the first half today." He waded through the crowd to the stairs, and Midna took his spot next to Linebeck.

"Why'd you scoot over?"

"Someone has to keep an eye on you."

Linebeck shrugged. "Someone has to keep an eye on you, too."

The first matches were over quickly, and Link moved on to the next round. The number of robots in the room was halfed, and a few had begun to speak with each other. The Sheikah approached Link. "Hello."

Link only peered up at him. Don't speak. Don't speak. Don't change your expression. The Sheikah tilted their head to the side. "Where did you happen to find that sword?" Link blinked. He pointed at his sword hilt. "Yes, that." Link shrugged. "You cannot speak, can you?" Link nodded. "Is it possible for me to ask your creator?" Link tilted his head to the side. Linebeck was more likely to throw a knife at the Sheikah than bother talking with them. He shrugged once again.

The Sheikah only frowned and turned away. The next match began a few minutes later, and the cheering started back up. Two more robots were herded back out, and Link felt his artificial heart skip a beat. The arena had drastically changed- a number of hills had sprung up, along with green bushes and tufts of grass. How they managed to change the arena so quickly was beyond him- technology, perhaps. It was said that those who resided in the castle had the most advanced technology in the city, perhaps in all of Hyrule. It made sense, as it had been the epicenter of was destroyed Hyrule and was said to be the capitol of an advanced land.

Link ignored the match. He was the third match, up against a robot with thick armoring and... little else. He'd need to cut away from the armor... avoid getting too close. There was a good chance that this robot was made to be very strong.

One robot caught his eye- a sturdy robot with a spear and quick feet. It dismantled its opponent from atop one of the hills and marched compliantly back into the room. A pair of blue feathers signified it as the robot that Revali and Ashei had made. Revali seemed cocky, but Link sensed that it was well founded. He'd only seen Ashei from a distance, and she seemed to be quiet and reserved. He stared at the robot while the next match elicited excitement and applause, as the others did.

The next match was over when Link glanced back up at the screen. The terrain had changed to be rockier with small piles of boulders. They changed the land each time, shaking things up for the robots and adding more value to the tournament for viewers. It had been about an hour and a half since it began, and Link had found himself caught up in the event- he'd lost track of time. It had only felt like it had been 45 minutes at the most.

The losing robot was promptly smashed to bits, and the winner returned with a few dents. The screen shut off while the terrain most likely changed once again. With a shock, Link realized that the Sheikah had been staring at him. Was it because of his sword? It was obviously old technology, so maybe they were suspicious that it had been stolen from the castle. The painfully bright light of the screen returned, and Link was greeted with the sight of a marsh-like setup, with dark trees and muddy ground, water between thin strips of land.

The murky water seeped into Link's boots when he stepped out into the arena, and he was grateful for the helmet as a disgusted grimace forced its way onto his face. The other robot had a mask, offering some sort of face, like a fox. Link regarded its heavy armor and decided that there was no way it could be fast. When the match started, it was faster than he expected, but still weighed down by the armor.

Link made a break for the tallest tree, right in the middle of the arena. The trunk was thick with moss covering the bark, but Link was able to hoist himself up onto the lower branches before the other robot reached him. He crept out to the end of one of the limbs, holding the blade of his sword in a safe position. His opponent stomped over and came to a stop just below him, and Link slashed his sword through a branch just above it. It fell and snapped over the robot's head, making it stagger and denting its helmet.

Link dropped down on top of the robot, straddling it around the neck with his legs. It let out a tinny screech and grabbed at his legs, but Link held on tight, and thrust the sword downward into its head. He jumped off and stumbled back as it swayed and fell over. Why the other matches took so long was beyond him. He deactivated his sword and strode back to the room, glancing back at the terrain, expecting to see a change. It all glowed blue for a moment just as the door closed.

The next terrain change was to a snow-covered incline. The next fight was longer than he expected, as both were using a sword and shield and found each other to be evenly matched. He ignored the fights and returned to his bench, leaning against the wall. Perhaps if he was fighting actual humans, the fights would be more difficult. Link frowned to himself under his helmet as he realized how arrogant he was being. He inspected the shield while he waited. It looked untouched, like it had just been created.

Link found himself zoning out, staring at the Sheikah. The Sheikah themselves were there to protect the citizens and Zelda, but they could've been a bit nicer to everyone. This Sheikah was silent, almost unmoving, arms crossed. Their silence and general stoic attitude made sense, as they were intended to watch and act from the shadows. Link blinked and reminded himself of the knowledge already in his mind. He knew about the other races, so of course he knew about the Sheikah.

While the next battle began, the robot with the feathers turned to stare at him. Link felt a chill run down his spine. It was sturdy and humanoid, some glass armor casing its limbs. He ignored it, hoping the helmet would hide his discomfort. He had one more fight before Linebeck could check him over. One more and he could leave, get ready for the next three. His discomfort with the others was irrelevant.

When he stepped out into the arena with his next opponent, it was rolling fields with tree stumps. Little coverage. The other robot was thin and wily, with a crossbow and knife. They had such human mannerisms and strategies, but their programming and build made them weak. The match began, and Link immediately brought up his shield to block a bolt aimed for his head. His enemy had limited bolts, so he would have to wait it out. He activated his sword and peered at the robot over the shield and ducked back down as a bolt sailed just above his head.

If he was human, his knuckles would be white from holding onto the shield grip so tightly. The bolts were shot at him with little time in between, and he was quickly getting impatient. Holding on as tight as he could, Link slowly advanced towards the robot, bracing every time a bolt made contact with the shield. With a huff, Link broke into a run and ducked under the next bolt, lunging at the robot and slicing the crossbow in half. His enemy reacted impressively fast- it grabbed its knife and sank it into Link's right shoulder. His arm spasmed, but he managed to plunge his own blade into its chest.

Link straightened up, ignoring the surprising pain from his shoulder. His arm felt numb, but his hand remained closed around the shield grip. The crowd roared their approval, and Link stumbled back to the room, passing by the Sheikah and ignoring their stare. He fell into a daze of sorts while the last matches finished up. He left the knife in his shoulder, not because he forgot, but because he could take it with him.

After the last match, the Sheikah herded the survivors back outside into the sandy, unchanged arena, and announced something about them being the winners who would compete tomorrow. The ringing in Link's ears was worsened by the cacophonous crowd, and he fought the urge to cover his ears. He found and focused on Linebeck and Midna in the crowd, caring little about Ghirahim's absence.

Once the Sheikah finished speaking, Link hurried back into the dark room, where they were then instructed to meet back up with their creators and then return at noon of the next day. Link left as quickly as he could and ripped the knife from his shoulder as he entered back into the city. It was easy to pick out Midna and Linebeck in the crowd, both taller than most everyone else. Waved to them, and they hurried over.

Link handed the knife to Linebeck as Midna grinned and congratulated him. "That was great! I taught you well, eh?"

Link sheepishly smiled, then remembered that they couldn't see his face under the helmet. He moved to take it off, but Linebeck placed his hand on top of it. "Leave it on," he muttered. "You look too human. They'll think you're not a robot."

They moved him into an alleyway, and Link crouched next to a trashcan while he removed his helmet and armor. Linebeck inspected the knife and slid it into his left sleeve. "You made those fights look easy," Linebeck remarked. "And, in a way, with your very advanced design and programming, they were. The next few should be only a little harder. Ghirahim will meet us back at the hotel. He'd with a friend right now. I'll take a look at your shoulder."

Link nodded, sighing to himself. He lifted up the shield, showing it to Linebeck. "Not a dent," he muttered. "It's strange."

Linebeck frowned and looked over the untouched wood surface. "What the... I'll need to thank Damien when I next see him. I'll fix your shoulder and then get to work on something I owe him, so I'm going to swing by his place later today."

Midna crossed her arms, glancing at the people walking by the alleyway. "Let's get back before someone sees us back here."

"Agreed. We look weird."

On the way back to the hotel, the trio caught sight of a pair of Yiga attacking a group of people. The two of them were darting around, scaring and attacking people, but ran off when a group of Sheikah cornered the two of them. Until they reached the hotel, Link found himself anxious of being attacked by the sickle-or-katana-or-bow-wielding masked men. The sky above them all was darkening, and thunder rumbled in the distance as they entered the inn. Rain was pounding against the windows when they greeted Ghirahim in the room.

Hours passed in near silence. Linebeck repaired Link's shoulder quickly, informing him that it missed everything vital, just that a few very replaceable parts had been pierced. Link rolled his shoulder, relieved of the pain. Midna and Ghirahim had left an hour ago, claiming to have errands they needed to run, and had Linebeck make a list of things he wanted. Link peered up and watched Linebeck peel his leather gloves off and he walked away from him. "You're more comfortable touching people- or, well, me, - when you're wearing gloves."

"Very observant," Linebeck mumbled. He bent down and withdrew a pile of metal parts and wires from a bag. "Skin to skin contact is nigh unbearable, but with cloth in between, I can handle it better. Whatever caused my fear must've included skin-to-skin contact, or perhaps the fact that there's a barrier between the touch makes me less scared. Most often, though, I leave my left glove on to hide the fact that I only have one arm. Not many people know about my prosthetics, and less know about Bellum. An unspoken rule in our group is to not reveal the existence of Bellum until we have decided that the person in question is trustworthy. Damien is the only outlier- I told him without talking to the others, but he's a special case."

Silence filled the air once again, the occasional clanking of metal dotting the lack of noise while Linebeck slowly worked on creating something at the room desk. Link watched him work for a time, his goggles placed over his eyes, Bellum whispering and hovering over the item, his hands moving fluidly and without doubt. Even the most distant of strangers would recognize the skill in Linebeck. His engineering talent seemed to stem from a visceral level, and he never had to dismantle anything. Link had watched him work before, and he had yet to see him dispose of a created machine unless it had no use other than being a project to get his hands moving.

Midna and Ghirahim returned when the storm outside reached its peak, rain pouring against the window and making everything outside a smeared blur. Link found himself drowsy but kept awake long enough to dig through the items Ghirahim and Midna had bought, taking a cup of cold chicken fried rice. He warmed it up and sat idly on his bed to eat it, watching the lethargic movements of his friends.

Link set his utensils on a bedside table and wrapped himself up in a blanket, not bothering to undress except for his shoes. Ghirahim reclined in his own bed with a book, Midna hummed to herself while she made things hover with her magic, and Linebeck's fingers didn't slow as he continued constructing his project, which was now looking like a metal fan.

Midna let her concentration drop along with the floating items. The black and deep blue squares flickering beneath them disappeared, and the wads of paper bounced on the carpet. A quick glance out the window told of the waning storm and the moon high in the sky. And yet Linebeck kept working. Ghirahim and Link were both asleep, and Midna herself fought away yawns. His insomnia forced him cognizant and awake, and therefore perpetually paranoid.

Midna stood up and peered over his shoulder. "You makin' a fan?"

"It's for Damien; his broke. I'll take it over to his place tonight when I'm done."

Midna scowled. "It's almost midnight. You should get some sleep soon."

"I'm not tired."

"Bullshit."

"I'm tired but I won't be able to sleep. Keeping my hands busy and taking this over to Damien's will keep my mind from drifting."

Midna pursed her lips. She couldn't object. When Linebeck was idle at night, with the silence and his inactivity being his companions, his mind often drifted to dark places as nothing else was there to distract him. His habit of constantly working was to combat that, but it also began new habits. The drifting of his mind still happened, but less so. She and Ghirahim had yet to fully understand where Linebeck's mind drifted, but the white bandages usually covering Linebeck's right forearm offered a hint as to what they led to.

Linebeck connected a few wires to the base of the little machine. Midna blinked. "How long have you been working on that thing?"

"Few hours," Linebeck mused. "I already know how to make these. I've done it before. I can do it faster while high, but that's not an option in a shared room."

Midna sighed and rested her elbows on the edge of the table. She tried to stare Linebeck in the eyes, but his goggles were on and he kept his view on the fan parts. "You've got some bad habits, you know?"

"No kidding. Stop bothering me."

Midna set her jaw. "Look. If you wanna break any of these habits, quit brushing the rest of us off. You can't isolate yourself."

"Watch me. What makes you think I want to break these habits, anyways? I can get more done while working like this. Otherwise I have little to do during sleepless nights. Smoking isn't as bad as drinking, and I don't even do that very often. Isolation keeps me safe. Safe from touch, from pain, from conflict."

"You can't escape inward conflict," Midna harshly whispered. "Say what you will, but that stuff will only get worse if you let it."

"...I know. But they're my problems, not yours." Linebeck finished the last few wires and clicked a button on the base of the fan. The blades began to spin, and it turned slightly from side to side. He tapped the button a few times, the blades speeding up slightly each time before shutting off completely. Linebeck bent down and hoisted the small bag at his feet up and laid the fan down inside. "See you in the morning."

Midna straightened up. "Be careful," she sighed.

"I will."

She watched him walk away, and couldn't help adding, "Keep an eye out for the Yiga. They lurk in the shadows at night, remember?" She was unable to stop herself from smiling as he faltered in opening the door.