Link couldn't help it; he felt a bit nervous on the approach to the village. As expected when being this close to a settlement, there weren't any monsters or other obstacles on the rest of the walk there. There were no signs of guards or scouts keeping watch on things, so he thought maybe Bokoblins and the like didn't want to venture too close to such a large human settlement. In fact, as he got close to the front gate, he saw a single guard, though calling him that may have been a tad generous. The man was middle aged, wearing a regular shirt and pants, a straw hat adorned on his head. In his hands was a pitchfork, which he slightly raised as he saw Link approach.
"Hey there, never seen you here before!" The man called as Link got close, seeming suspicious of the younger Hylian. "You new around these parts?" He sounded more cautious than anything, both ready to lunge at Link, yet clearly scared at the idea of it.
Link couldn't blame the man for being nervous considering all the equipment he had. He stopped within talking distance, not wanting to risk the guard getting freaked out if he drew too close. "I'm just stopping by for a quick visit, that's all. I'm looking for someone named Purah, I was told she lives here."
The guard's brows raised in surprise as his pitchfork lowered. "Well shoot, you're here to see her? Haven't ever had that happen, but if you really want to…" He sounded almost hesitant to admit Purah was around.
Link frowned a bit as he noted the man's hesitance. "Is that a problem? Something I should know about?" This was Impa's sister they were talking about, so Link felt he could trust her fully. If something was amiss, surely the elderly Sheikah would have mentioned it.
"Oh no, there's not a problem, per se." Clearing his throat, the guard looked around, as if trying to see if the conversation was being spied on. "She can just be a bit…eccentric. Weird noises and lights come from her lab, and no one knows what she's doing up there. Heck, no one's seen her in a while, but now some Sheikah kid has been spotted in the area out of nowhere! Her assistant, another Sheikah, dodges the question when people asked what happened to Purah."
So that was it, it seemed like it was just rumors and nervous citizens. The last part was concerning, though, hopefully the old woman didn't die! "I'll keep that in mind, but it's okay for me to go see her, right?" It didn't seem like the guard would stop him, but he wanted to be sure.
"I won't stop you, no one here will." The pitchfork-wielding man clarified. "I just thought I'd warn you about how strange she can be. What do you need to talk to her about anyway, if you don't mind me asking?"
Link gestured to the Sheikah Slate on his hip. "Just need her help with some tech." No harm in telling that much, he felt. He also just wanted to hurry through the conversation and get on his way. After such a long journey, he wanted to get on with things! If Purah could really aid in his memories, he was just in arms reach! "So, where exactly is the lab?"
For a moment, the man stared at the slate, a mix of bewildered and impressed at the sight of the old device. At Link's question, he shook himself out of it. "Oh, right. It's waaay in the back." He pointed into the village itself and up on a far hill. "Up there, the highest building in the area." It was so far away that Link could barely make out any details, he figured it'd take him at least twenty minutes to walk that far.
As it happened, Link was so focused on the guard, he hadn't even really looked at the village properly until that moment. It was an uphill settlement, built along a slope of land, buildings built wherever possible on bits of flat ground. Homes, shops, even some bits of farmland were visible from where Link stood. He saw people going about their business without a care in the world, kids running along the streets laughing and playing tag. Old women sat on a bench and gossiped with each other. Impa was lying, Hateno Village was so far from the Calamity that it seemed untouched by the destruction so much of Hyrule had to deal with. It was a pleasant sight for sure…
"Okay, thanks." Link said with a small nod. "I'm just here to see her and I'll be on my way."
The man looked a bit awkward. "No, no. I'm sorry I was suspicious at first. You can stay as long as you like, stranger." He insisted, a friendly expression on his face. "We have stores, some places to eat, and even an inn…if you have the Rupees. If you have a lot, there's even an empty lot waiting to be built."
An empty lot…thinking of it, Link would need a place to stay when this was all over. He didn't even consider it until this point. Impa told him he grew up in this village…which home used to be his? Was it still standing? Well, if Purah was able to help, he'd have all those answers. "I'll keep all that in mind. My name is Link, by the way."
"Name's Thadd." The man introduced himself with a grin. "Hope things work out for you, Link."
With a grateful nod, Link walked past Thadd and into the village proper. A few people gave him a curious look, but it wasn't like the stares he got from the Sheikah. Chances were a lot more people moved through this area, so it made sense. Some of the villagers pointed at the Sheikah Slate on his hip as he whispered amongst each other, others looking at the gear on his back. He wished they'd stop staring, he felt a discomfort building in his gut…
Maybe it was just his imagination, though. He wasn't used to so many eyes in so many directions…maybe far less people took note of him than he assumed. It was nice when he was alone with his thoughts, as dangerous as traveling could be, he appreciated the quiet that came with it. Link knew that'd fade, though, he'd get used to people before long, and settlements like this wouldn't bother him!
"Tag!" A voice called, startling Link out of his thoughts. He felt a hand on his arm and looked down to see a young boy backstepping with a grin on his face. "Tag! I got you, mister!" The child looked up at Link expectantly, laughing lightly as he braced himself for the stranger's inevitable dash to tag him back.
Link couldn't help but smile himself, just a small one for a brief moment. "Sorry, I can't. I'm doing something important." That, and even without his memory, he knew how foolish it'd be to be seen playing tag with a random kid. "Maybe some other time."
That took the wind out of the boy's sails, who huffed. "Oh, that's no fun, mister! Can't you do your errand later?" He started to shift foot to foot, as if ready to sprint away from Link when he surely gave in to play some tag.
"Afraid not. This is pretty important." Link gently argued back. "Sorry, you'll have to play tag with someone else." Before the boy could respond, another boy ran by and tagged the first kid. Without a word to Link, the tag-happy child ran off to play some more.
For a moment, Link wondered if he was like that as a child. Granted, he had a hard time even envisioning himself as a child. It was tough for him to see himself so small and with softer features like that. He was battle-hardened, and built for battle, it wasn't easy to think of a kid version of that! Though if Purah could actually help, he'd be able to recall just how he used to be.
As Link went on, he kept observing the village around him. The people still kept an eye on him, but most just seemed curious more than anything. As far as he knew, Hateno was pretty far from any other settlement, so maybe they didn't get many villagers. Kakariko was about four days away, after all. Even from the Sheikah Tower, he saw no signs of other settlements nearby, so maybe these people were somewhat isolated. Even Kakariko was relatively close to the stable, as small as that community was…
Before long, he was near the inn, 'The Great Ton Pu Inn' to be precise, as the sign nearby it clarified. Right by this sign was a heavyset man, who seemed deep in thought, grumbling to himself and having his brow furrowed, as if frustrated. Link couldn't help but slow down and glance over at him, he felt curious about what the stranger seemed so anxious about despite himself.
After a moment, the grumbling man realized he was being watched and looked over at Link. "Hey, you going into the inn?" His tone was accusatory, as if Link was awful just because he was maybe considering it.
Link was taken aback by the attitude, but thought maybe the guy didn't mean to sound as rude as he did. "Not particularly, I might when I'm done with an errand." If the situation with Purah lasted long enough, a room sounded nice. His body ached from sleeping outside…
The stranger huffed and pretty much glared at Link. "Well, if you do, just leave Prima alone, okay? She wouldn't want to talk to you anyway."
Clearly Link was missing some context here. He blinked in surprise and mirrored the man's crossed arms. "What do you mean? Who is Prima?"
"Oh, you're from out of town, huh? You don't know how amazing Prima is, so clearly you wouldn't be from here." The man scoffed, as if Link was being very stupid. "Just stay away from her. I'm Manny, and if anyone will be with her, it's me."
Oh, so the guy was just weirdly protective of a woman he wasn't dating. Link rolled his eyes. "I don't even know Prima, like I said. Do you talk like this to everyone that passes through town?" Link didn't appreciate this attitude, not one bit.
Manny scoffed again, like it was his default response. "I was just letting you know, man. Just don't try anything with Prima, or else."
"Or else what?" Link instantly challenged, never having anyone be so rude to him since he woke up. It put him on edge a bit, he wasn't in the mood for this kind of thing. He gave Manny an icy stare, not openly hostile, but it was an intense look.
In an instant, Manny buckled, more bark than bite clearly. His arms uncrossed and he rubbed one with the other awkwardly. "Uh, nothing. Just forget I said anything. Just be careful around Prima, alright?"
Link didn't even bother to respond and walked away. He somewhat surprised himself by acting that cold. That Manny guy just really annoyed him, and he wasn't going to just let himself be threatened like that. Granted, the chances of Manny actually trying anything were pretty slim. Not that Link was going to flirt with whoever Prima was anyway. Probably someone that worked at the inn.
There were no more confrontations as Link went further up the hill. He passed by some homes, seeing children at play, men and women doing chores about their yards. Link kept thinking of how nice it was that at least this slice of Hyrule was so peaceful. Hateno and Kakariko seemed like the only places he had seen worth staying in. Even the stable had a Bokoblin group right near it, and who knew what further troubles they'd have so out in the open? At least Hateno and Kakariko were more closed off…
Going up more, Link passed by the small farm he had spotted earlier, a young girl about his age tending to some sheep. As he walked by, she offered him a smile and a wave that he returned. Looking up, he saw the lab growing slowly closer. More details started to become clear as he did so, like that the building looked like a small tower, and there was smoke coming from a chimney somewhere on it.
He had to wonder what Purah was like if she was alive. The news that she hadn't been seen in a while worried Link. What if he had only missed her by a week or something? Maybe the assistant that was mentioned could help him out, he'd hate for his journey here to be for nothing! The young man shook his head, trying to get those thoughts out. No use stressing himself out over it when the answer was within reach!
Up the hill he went, and before long he was out of the main village, no more houses, farms, or other structures. No people either, just the lab up ahead of him looming over Hateno. Notably, there were a number of unlit stone lanterns that started at one point, which went in a line up towards the lab. As he got closer to the building, a strange smell hit his nose, one he wasn't able to identify. He wanted to say it was some sort of chemical, a muscle memory telling him so. It made sense, though, this smell was surely coming from the lab, after all.
As Link reached the lab, he took a closer look at the structure. There was a sort of small wooden shack attached to the tower he saw earlier, the door having a Sheikah symbol on it. Attached to the house was what looked like a gigantic telescope attached, pointing off to the west somewhere, the markings telling him it was of Sheikah design. Near the entrance to the shack was another Sheikah device, a bulbous thing that didn't have a function that Link recognized.
The smell of chemicals stinging his nose, Link approached the door and knocked, his heart slamming against his ribcage. Right inside was, potentially, the answers to all his questions. He waited for an answer…but received none. A bit annoyed, he knocked a bit louder. Silence met him. Link decided to just enter at that point. If Purah was there, she'd surely forgive him for the intrusion!
When the door opened, the chemical smell was almost painful, like a slap to the face. The main room, which took up a large part of the shack, was a mess. Papers and books were all over the place! On shelves, on tables, on the floor, even some bits of paper tacked onto the walls. Off to the side was a device that seemed to be a copy of the ones at the top of Sheikah Towers. There was one person in the room, and she wasn't what Link was expecting.
She was a young girl, about five or six years old, with her face buried in a book. One that seemed too big and too complicated for her, yet she seemed to understand it. When Link entered, she looked at him, and he got a better look at her. The girl was a Sheikah, with her white hair and red eyes making that clear. She wore an outfit that was almost like a mix of a lab coat and a skirt, an unusual device on her pack with a flute attached to it. For even further strangeness, she wore a pair of glasses, but also had some unusual metal goggles pushed up onto her head, chopsticks stuck in her hair.
"Hey! Do you always go barging into people's homes? I know I didn't invite you!" The girl huffed, standing on her chair, as if to try and appear threatening. She spoke in an articulate manner beyond her years. It was almost uncanny in a way.
Link was taken aback a bit. A little girl was mentioned, yes, but he didn't expect her to be so…well, odd. Not just her outfit, but her mannerisms. She spoke and stood like an adult, yet was very clearly a child, not just a short grownup. "I knocked a few times, but no one answered." The Hylian responded, feeling a bit awkward.
"Hold on, wait…" The girl suddenly murmured, adjusting her glasses as she got a better look. "That, on your waist…! Your outfit…! That face…!" She let out a dramatic gasp, her red eyes widening. "Linky?! Is that you?!" At this, the girl gave a little jump and shot some double peace signs near her eyes. "Snappity…SNAP!" She exclaimed, but then stood normally and murmured to herself. "No, no, this isn't the time…no…" The girl then grumbled, too quiet to be properly heard.
That was not the response Link was expecting. There was a deep recognition in the girl's eyes and also…Linky? The young man blinked a few times in confusion, trying to figure out how this girl would be so familiar with him. "Uh, I'm sorry, but who are you?" She couldn't be older than six, how could she have any familiarity with him?
"Oh, that's right. You wouldn't recognize me, would you?" The girl responded, letting out a light chuckle. "It's me! Purah~! In the flesh!" She excitedly announced. "I'm the director of the Hateno Ancient Tech Lab! Goddesses, you really haven't changed at all in these last hundred years, Linky!"
Wait, no, this didn't make any sense. "How can you be Purah? Impa told me she was the older sister, and…you're just a kid for one thing. You wouldn't even be around a hundred years ago." What was this, some sort of magic? A trick? A joke? If it was the latter, Link wasn't amused.
"You really don't recognize my outfit? My snap?" The girl claiming to be Purah replied. "We're good friends, Linky, you don't remember me? I even took you to the Shrine of Resurrection personally!" She then began to mumble again. "Mmm…Maybe something went wrong…some sort of amnesia…?"
"That's it exactly." Link declared as soon as the word was mentioned. "Amnesia. I can't remember anything since before I woke up. Tell me, are you really Purah? This isn't a joke, is it?"
The girl frowned, letting out a sigh. "You don't remember me at all, huh…? That's not good, I'm so sorry, Linky! But as for my body, well…trust me, it's really me, Purah! Let's just say an experiment went awry and leave it at that, shall we?" Despite the serious nature of the conversation, she took out a notepad and pencil from her pocket and jotted down something. "Subject…lost…all…memories…" Purah murmured to herself as she wrote. "I expected it may happen, but I was hoping it wouldn't." She went on in a normal tone. "Ah, and sorry, I have a habit of just taking notes out of the blue. It's a charming quirk, huh?"
Not particularly, no. Link decided to keep that opinion to himself for the moment. "So, you had an idea this would happen. That I'd come out a blank slate?" He couldn't help but be annoyed, even if it was to save his life…he barely even felt like a real person at times. There was no connection to anyone that he hadn't met since his awakening. Even when told of others he supposedly was close to, he felt absolutely nothing.
"No one's ever been in there for such a long time. It was experimental, let's say that." Purah responded with a slight frown, putting her notepad away. "It's not like we wanted to wipe your mind clean, but is there really nothing at all you can remember?"
Link sighed and shook his head. "Nothing personal. I can remember concepts, or specific things when I see them. When I saw a Bokoblin, their name came into my head. I know how to fight, cook, things like that. I can't remember how I interacted with anyone before the Calamity. I can't even remember what my family's faces looked like."
Purah made a movement like she was reaching for her notepad again, but stopped herself. "I'm sorry, Linky. I really am! But hey, I'm guessing you came here for help with that. Since you have your old tunic, you clearly talked to Impa. Glad she's still kicking, I haven't gotten any mail from her in a while."
"Yeah, I saw her, she's doing well considering how old she is." Link said with a small shrug. He wondered if it was rude to ask if Sheikah just lived for a long time. "She said you'd probably be able to help with my memories with the Sheikah Slate. Impa said it wasn't complete."
"Really? Let me see!" Purah reached out a tiny hand for the slate, and when Link handed it over, she looked through the device and hummed. "I see…yes…Impa may not be as scientifically inclined as me, but she was right. The slate isn't complete. It may be possible it will help jog your memories, but I can't promise that will actually happen."
As much as he didn't want to admit it, Link was prepared for that outcome. "Okay, but you can fix it, right? Impa said you could with your lab here."
"I can…but not right now. You must have seen the furnace outside, right? That black stone by the door? It's out, and I need it lit to use some of my technology." Purah responded, gesturing to the device that was akin to the ones on the Sheikah Towers. "If you'll be a dear, light it for me, and I'll get your slate repaired."
Link didn't really get it. "You aren't able to light a fire? There's a man here too, right?" If she knew why it was out, why didn't she just fix the problem.
"Oh, right, you wouldn't remember. The furnace needs a special blue flame to work." Purah specified as she handed the Sheikah Slate back. "I just realized it was out a bit ago, and my assistant, Symin, is out gathering materials. I'd get the blue flame myself, but with this tiny body, it's not so easy!"
There wasn't much of a choice, was there? If it got Link a step closer to getting his memories back, it was hardly a big deal…he hoped. "Okay, so where's the blue flame?" She said it so casually so surely it wasn't somewhere dangerous or something.
"I see that look in your eye, Linky, don't worry!" Purah insisted with a grin. "Just walk down to the ancient furnace here in the village with an ever-burning blue flame. There should be a torch by it. Just light it up and bring the flame to the furnace by the lab! Easy, right?"
Link wondered if he was really giving an exasperated look but shrugged it off. "That does sound easy, yes. Just where's the ancient furnace?" He felt like it was something he should've noticed, was it even outdoors?
"It's about halfway back down to the main village. Follow the unlit lanterns, and they'll lead you right to it! Now hop to it, Linky, time's a-wasting!" Purah insisted, then paused and murmured to herself. "Do young girls say 'hop to it' these days? I guess it doesn't matter…"
So that's what those lanterns were for! Link gave a nod and made his way to the exit. "I know just what you mean. I'll be right back, Purah." The small Sheikah gave another pose with a snappity snap yell…which Link just ignored as he left the lab.
Moving briskly, he started to follow Purah's instructions, following the stone lanterns down the hill. He was still not quite over the situation with the elderly…not so elderly…Sheikah. While he had seen their technology do some odd things, reverse aging wasn't something he expected. A small part of him wondered if Impa was going to do the same thing when she got the chance.
On top of that, Purah was rather eccentric, and he wondered how close they were in the past. After all, she was quite comfortable calling him 'Linky' so they must have been pretty casual with each other. Then again, she seemed unusual enough that she'd force a nickname on anyone whether they wanted it or not. Another thing he had to wonder is if there was anyone else from his past that was still alive. Normally he'd say no, but he spoke face-to-face with two such individuals within the last week, so maybe it was possible. He knew nothing of the various races Impa mentioned, maybe they had very long lifespans. There was Zelda too, of course, but he hadn't exactly spoken to her, not really.
As Link thought to himself, he kept following the lanterns. It took him a good way down the hill and past the farmland again, the young woman from earlier no longer present. Not far past that was a strange sight. It was another bit of Sheikah technology, that much was clear, but it had an odd shape. The object was like an onion, somewhat, in shape, and was glowing blue, nestled underneath some large rocks. He knew it was the furnace, as there was an eerie blue flame alit on a part of it, a torch lying right next to it as Purah guessed.
There was no clear source of the flame, no fuel for the fire, but Link just chalked it up to more mysterious Sheikah technology. The blue flame, despite moving and humming like any other fire, didn't even look cold. Link felt if he stuck his hand into the unusual flame, it'd feel icy against his skin. Not that he had any intention to try, of course. He picked up the torch and stuck it into the fire, catching the tool alight.
He retraced his steps, going back up to the lab, careful of any winds that may put the flame out. Thankfully, the air was still as he made his trip. Along the way, with no true reason, he lit up the lanterns as he passed by them, the stone objects looking almost eerie with the unnatural looking flame dancing inside of them. Seeing the twinkling blue lights from a distance surely would've been both eerie yet beautiful.
Before too long, Link found himself back at the lab, and he placed the blue flame into the furnace, which caused the device to hum. It then began emitting a blue glow, just like the other furnace did. Shaking his torch out, Link placed it by the furnace as another sound hit his ears. Another humming sound came from the lab, which he figured had to be that device starting up.
Upon entering the lab, Link saw that the device inside was glowing strongly. He also noticed that Purah was no longer alone, a Sheikah man was with her. This man wore a typical Sheikah garb and sported a pair of glasses. "Ah, there you are! You must be Link!" The man greeted as Purah looked over the device in the room. "We must have just missed each other, my name is Symin! Purah caught me up on everything."
Link didn't recall seeing anyone head towards the lab, maybe he came from a different direction, or from higher up the hill as Link looked the ancient furnace over. No matter. "Good to meet you. I assume the device is up and running now?" The Hylian directed the question at Purah.
The young girl…or at least young looking girl…grinned and turned to Link. "Thanks, Linky, the Guardian Stone is all up and running!" She sighed and looked back at the device. "Ah, it just makes my heart flutter…!" Purah murmured to herself.
"So, I can put the Sheikah Slate in now, right?" Link asked, trying to rush things a bit. If this worked, he was just a few seconds away from getting his memory back! His hands nearly shook as he took the device from his hip.
"Oh yes, of course. Come on, Linky, give me a SNAP before you do it!" Purah insisted, prompting Link to just stare at her for a moment. "…Oh, phooey, you never did that for me. I guess even with your amnesia, you really haven't changed, Linky!"
Link felt a bit bad, but he was too anxious to act goofy, this was a big moment for him! He wasn't sure what would happen when he got the slate fixed…the way Impa said it, Link almost expected his memories to simply project themselves into his mind. With the fantastical things he had seen since his awakening, it'd hardly shock him. Approaching the device, he placed the slate in, and the familiar voice rang out like in the Sheikah Towers.
Sheikah Slate authenticated. Camera and album missing files confirmed. Starting repair.
The same process began, the stone-like structure on top glowing blue as a single, large droplet of water appeared on the bottom. It dripped down onto the Sheikah Slate, which momentarily glowed. "Oh, it's working! It's a success!" Purah called, practically dancing in place as she watched.
On the device, a new symbol appeared by the other runes, a green rectangular shape that Link recognized as a camera. The Sheikah Slate then changed to a new screen, showing a dozen images. They varied, some being in forested or grassy areas, one was in a desert while another was on a mountain. Some pictures even showed an intact Hyrule Castle from a fair distance, and one seemed like it may have been on one of the castle's walls.
A rune has been added. Repair complete.
With that, the Sheikah Slate presented itself back to Link, who blankly took it. That was it? Just some pictures and a camera function, whatever that was. That's not what Impa said! She said this could get his memories back, but all he saw were a bunch of pictures! Looking at them certainly didn't jog his memories at all. His hands gripped the Sheikah Slate until his knuckles went white, only stopping himself because he feared he might damage the device. "Why did a bunch of pictures appear? Wasn't this supposed to help with my memory?" He asked, fighting to keep his voice level.
"I never said it was a guarantee." Purah reminded Link as she placed her hands on her hips. "The Sheikah Slate can't just store memories like that, is that what you expected to happen?" From her tone, it was as if she was chastising Link.
As if reading Link's mind, Symin piped up. "The Sheikah Slate can do all sorts of things, so it wouldn't be very hard to imagine for someone unfamiliar with our technology."
Link nodded to Symin's words, almost pointing out how Purah literally aged herself backwards and had the gall to imply stored memories was somehow ludicrous. "It seems this trip was just a waste of time, then, this didn't help me at all." Four days he could have spent working on fixing one of the Divine Beasts at the very least!
"Linky, I understand you're upset but look at this in a logical way!" Purah insisted, letting her attitude lower a bit. "Have you been to any of the locations there on the Sheikah Slate? Look carefully now!"
He didn't get what she was going for, but he studied the pictures again. All the pictures contained a structure, natural location, or point of view of Hyrule Castle that he was unfamiliar with. "No, I haven't been to any of these places since I woke up. Why?"
Purah nodded and jotted something in her notepad, murmuring something under her breath before going on. "I believe that going to those locations might help trigger some memories for you. That's why you were told these may bring back your memories. Not all at once, but in pieces, memories of personal moments at those locations!"
That wasn't exactly what Link wanted to hear. He really wanted all his memories back at once, not going on a search to find them all. There were a dozen pictures, and some of them were very clearly vast distances from each other. It could put finishing his quest off by several weeks to find them! "What about Zelda? What about the rest of Hyrule?" Link asked, though he supposed he could wait until everything was over with before trying to regain his sense of self.
"Well, that's up to you, Linky. No one's going to make you go to these spots. But hey, let me see the Sheikah Slate for a moment!" Purah insisted, looking the pictures over when Link handed her the device. "Hmmm…! Hey, this spot isn't too far away!" She pointed at the image of a large, stone gate. "In fact, you can get through by passing through Kakariko. How about you just try that one spot, and see how you feel?"
Link was conflicted. On the one hand, he was desperate to learn about himself, he had to know what his past was like. He could let Purah and Impa sit him down and spin yarns about the way things were a century ago, but he was starting to agree with what Impa said before. They'd have a biased view of things, he wanted an objective truth as to how things were…and it was a century ago, after all. He couldn't expect the two Sheikah women to remember a lot of the finer details. Then there were things they weren't around for that he wanted to remember too!
On the other hand, he already kept Zelda, and the rest of Hyrule, waiting a hundred years for his return. He already let everyone down once…could he really let things keep going as he ran around Hyrule, looking for very specific spots to unlock his memories, which helped no one but himself? After all, he could wait until everything was over to do this, couldn't he? "What do you think I should do, Purah? Isn't it selfish to put my memories above other things?"
The small Sheikah gave Link a brief glance of barely hidden pity, but her gaze changed again in an instant. "I don't think so, this may not even work, so I think you should try it at least one time. Some of those places might be on the way to where you need to go anyway! And…if your memory doesn't get refreshed, it may be too late to do it later. As you can imagine, no one's been asleep in the Shrine of Resurrection for so long, there's really no telling what may happen with your memories!"
A part of Link just wanted her to give him a definite answer, but that clearly wasn't going to happen. Holding back a sigh, he gestured to the Sheikah Slate. "Okay, I understand. Can you put a beacon on the map for me?" He decided he'd go to that one location and see how it went. It was on the way anyway, as Purah said, so it wasn't too bad…
Purah grinned and looked the map over. "Mmm…I think it'd be right…about here!" She poked the map screen, a beacon being placed on it. It wasn't too far from Hateno Village, but there were mountains blocking a direct path. Chances were, it was faster and safer to go past Kakariko Village as the Sheikah suggested. Link had to stop by again anyway to speak with Impa.
"Thank you, Purah. I appreciate all this help." Link said as he took the Sheikah Slate back. "I should get going again if I'm going to go make a detour like this." It looked like at least a day or two of an extra errand…
"You know I'm always here to help you out, Linky!" Purah beamed, seeming proud of herself for the assistance she gave. "But hey, don't forget that new Camera Rune! You can capture photos, and you never know when they'll come in handy. Go on, give it a try! Take a picture of yours truly!"
Link wasn't sure how useful it'd be…but oh well. Might as well learn to use it. The Hylian pressed the camera symbol, and the screen showed the world in front of Link, moving in real time. It was like when he put a beacon on things, he realized. A camera symbol was off on the side, he noticed. Pointing the slate at Purah, he pressed the symbol, and a clicking sound rang out, with the picture added onto the album. Link had to wonder why no other personal pictures were in there…just those twelve and the one he took just then. "Okay, it worked." He announced, showing the picture to Purah.
"My! Who's that adorable Sheikah there?" Purah said with a laugh. "SNAPPY! It turned out great, Linky, you're a pro at this! You should be able to store hundreds of pictures on there, so if you see something worth remembering, take a snap, okay?!" It really seemed like she enjoyed pictures…
The picture obsession was odd to Link, but he shrugged it off. "I will, and the help really is appreciated. If I'm going to make this detour, I should leave now."
"Oh! One more thing!" Purah insisted, swiping the Sheikah Slate away from Link before he could argue. "If you get the chance, you should speak to Robbie, another Sheikah researcher. He's a colleague of mine from back before the Calamity. I think he's still kicking around in his lab!" She pulled the map up. "Oh, you didn't unlock that part of the map. Mmm…He should be about…here!" Purah tapped a part of the map pretty far up north. "I'm not saying you need to see him, but if you happen to be in the area, he might be able to cook up some gear!"
Link blinked in confusion as he took the slate back. "How many Sheikah from back then are still around?" He couldn't help but ask. That was three Sheikah that were well over a hundred years old. Sure, Purah reversed her aging, but that was apparently a recent thing.
"Us Sheikah can be pretty long lived." Symin said, who had been silently observing the interactions between Link and Purah. "Not all of us, not as much as the Zora either. They can live to be quite a lot older than us."
Now that was something to keep in mind. Maybe there were some Zora that he knew back in the day. Would they even remember him? Well, Impa and Purah did, but he was apparently friends with them, but who knows about any Zora. "I see. I can't delay any more, I'll be heading out now." It was a bit of an awkward goodbye, but it wasn't like he even remembered Purah anyway…
"Bye, Linky! Good luck with everything! If you get your memories back, you've got to tell me all about it when this is all done!" Purah seemed pretty insistent on it, her curiosity clearly healthy.
"I will, don't worry." Link promised as he took back the Sheikah Slate and left the lab, Purah and Symin waving him off as he shut the door behind him. Silently, he walked a bit away from the building and down the hill, the blue lights of the lantern seeming to guide his way. After he was well out of sight of the two Sheikah scientists, he stopped and sat against the nearby rockface, sighing as he gazed at the album he unlocked.
He thought, perhaps, if he studied the pictures that something would come to him; some spark of memory he could latch onto. Yet no matter which of the photos he looked at, nothing came. It perplexed him why there were never any people in the pictures, just scenery. Nothing that seemed personal to Link either, like his home here in Hateno. Which reminded him…he forgot to ask Purah where he had lived. If he saw his old house, if it was standing, maybe it'd help.
Meeting Impa and Purah didn't help, though they looked far different than they did a century ago. Yet surely Kakariko and Hateno weren't too drastically changed from the past, but being in both communities did little to help him. He also saw the King of Hyrule, Hyrule Castle, Calamity Ganon, and heard Zelda's voice…but nothing triggered anything in him. What about these locations that would help him? Were they just that personal to him…? He figured he could try just once and see how it goes…
Sighing, he put the Sheikah Slate on his hip and got back up again. He had considered staying at the inn but given the extra errand he was going to run, he figured he should head out right away instead. Seemed like he was given a lot of other things to do aside from stopping Calamity Ganon, he hadn't done a single thing to help Hyrule since he woke up! That had to change after he checked that one spot!
Once more, he got a few stares as he went through the village, but he paid them no mind. He had to get back to Kakariko Village as quickly as he could! If only he was able to afford a horse from the stable, it would've made the trip so much simpler! He just had to move forward, not letting himself be distracted by anything! The only stop he made on the way out was to go to a general store to restock on food. Fruits and vegetables with salted meats too, things he could carry for a while. Enough to easily last until he was at Kakariko Village again. At this point, though, his Rupee supply was running a bit low…
The next four days or so went by in a blur, almost. Link simply went back the way he came, going towards Kakariko Village again as he kept thinking over the trip to Hateno and how nearly pointless it had been. He may stop by at Robbie's lab at some point, but he wasn't going to go out of his way to go there, he had done that enough! At the very least, this trip was a lot simpler and less dangerous, the monsters he had taken out not having been replaced by others as far as he could see. Even when he reached the field full of Guardian husks, there were no Bokoblins roaming about.
It was at this point he remembered the way the people of the stable reacted to him clearing the monsters out, and Link felt sick imagining facing them again. He still felt he didn't deserve recognition or praise for it, and he was sure at least one person would offer it to him. He recalled what that woman, Leekah, said. She told him it was fine for him to take credit for things, but he still wasn't so sure. If he had done his job properly a century ago, none of this would have happened. The Bokoblins wouldn't have been there, or if they were, there would have been a military force present to quell the monsters instead.
Really, everything wrong with the world was entirely his fault.
With this in mind, Link gave the stable a wide berth when he went by it. He didn't even glance over to see if anyone recognized him, and he hoped they didn't. Link thought he heard someone shout at him, but he just ignored it and went on his way to Kakariko again. Thankfully, with how he timed things, he had plenty of sunlight to reach the Sheikah village. He would stay the night there, having enough Rupees to surely stay at an inn if they had it. Assuming Impa wouldn't give him a place to sleep, of course.
For a moment, as he reached the walled path, Link felt unseen eyes on him, knowing it was the scouts from before. Quickly, he felt their gaze leave, and he knew they remembered him. When he actually reached Kakariko Village, the sun was starting to set, and he knew he'd have to spend the night there for sure. Like before, the Sheikah watched him as he went towards Impa's abode, the two guards from before remembering him and moving out of his way.
When he opened the door to Impa's place, he saw the old woman kneeling in the same place, Paya kneeling at her side, a cup of tea in her hands. The two women were a bit startled, Paya especially as she nearly dropped her cup. "M-Master Link! You came back!" She squeaked as she practically jumped to her feet. "I'll get some refreshments!" Before anyone could say anything, she went upstairs somewhere, red in the face as she practically ran away.
Impa sighed and rolled her eyes a bit at Paya's antics, but then smiled at Link. "It's good to see you back in one piece." She mused and then gestured to the Sheikah Slate. "Tell me, how did it go with Purah? Did she help you with your memory?"
Link had to hold back a sigh of his own as he took the device from his hip. "No. She fixed the slate, but all it did was give some pictures." He opened up the album and went over to Impa, handing the device over. "Do you recognize any of these places? Purah pointed out the one with the gate."
The old Sheikah frowned heavily as she took the slate. "That's all? I'm sorry to hear that, Link. I was really hoping you'd come back with your memories intact. These really don't do anything for you?" As she asked this, she went through the photos and soon made a perplexed noise. "Who is this child at Purah's lab? She dresses just like my sister when she was a girl…"
Oh. Right. Link never even thought about how Impa might react upon seeing that picture. "That is Purah. Some sort of experiment went wrong, and now she's a kid again." Still a very strange sentence to even say.
Impa recoiled as if Link spat at her and looked at the picture again. "You're joking…! No, you were never much of a jokester…" The Sheikah squinted at the photo. "Thinking of it…she did look like this way back when…my goodness…!" She then let out a chuckle. "Purah…What other mischief have you gotten into lately, I wonder…"
Link cleared his throat. "Impa. What about the other pictures? Do you know where they are?" He had to know if they were nearby places he had to go. "I haven't been to any of those places yet."
"Oh, yes, I got distracted!" The Sheikah said as she observed the pictures. As she did this, Paya came back with a tray with two cups of tea and a plate with some sort of small pastries on them. Impa took a cup without looking, and Link took the other. "Mmm…Yes, I know a few of these places. The spot in front of Hyrule Castle most of all…I didn't travel quite as much as you and the Princess, I'm afraid. I can't pinpoint every last location here. There is an oasis in the desert, on the way to Gerudo Town…you can hardly miss it."
Well, that was a shame. Maybe he'd run into someone that could help out later on. Taking a sip of his tea, he found it smooth and delicious, taking a pastry from Paya as she refused to look him in the eye and knelt down next to Impa. "That's alright. I was just hoping you'd know. Purah thinks if I go to these places, it might help with my memory. After this visit, I was going to go right to the gate, she put the location on my map."
Impa took a sip of tea as well as she hummed and handed the Sheikah Slate back to Link. "I'm afraid Purah is the more scientific and fact-memorizing of us two. I know a few things about Sheikah technology, but beyond that, it is more of the magical world that's my expertise." She took another sip as she explained. "I don't even know if going to these places will aid you, and I only hope they can. Of course, you should ask those more traveled than I for help finding these places."
Link couldn't exactly be upset, Hyrule was a big place so not everyone was going to have the kingdom memorized. "It's okay, I understand. I should head out to the gate, then, I don't want to put off my mission too much more."
The Sheikah elder hummed and then cleared her throat, seeming almost guilty. "There is one more thing, Link. This is the most important thing I've told you, keep that in mind!" She added on the second sentence quickly, apparently assuming Link would be annoyed…and she was right.
He did his best not to show his irritation, wondering if so many of these errands were truly necessary. While he did make the decision to make a trip to Hateno Village, it was Impa that brought it up to him in the first place. "If it's really that important…then go ahead, Impa." If it was something pointless, he wasn't sure he'd be able to hold back his temper!
"I wanted to wait until you had your memories to tell you this, I was so sure Purah could help you." Impa clarified with a small sigh. "Since it may be a long, long while until you gain them back, I wanted to tell you now. Back one hundred years ago, you and you alone were blessed with a holy weapon. While the other four Champions had their Divine Beasts, you had a holy blade. The Sword that Seals the Darkness: the Master Sword!"
He did recall Impa mentioning a sword from the tale 10,000 years ago, but the term 'Master Sword' meant nothing to him. No surprise there, almost nothing from his past did. "I assume you want me to reclaim this weapon, is that right?" No one had made mention of it thus far, so it must mean he lost it somehow. Hopefully it didn't break or get destroyed!
"That's it exactly. As I said, you were the only one able to wield it in battle, that is why you were a Champion, Link! A hundred years ago, it was drained of its power, but then it was placed back in its pedestal to slumber and recharge for a century." Impa explained, her voice almost in awe as she spoke of the sacred object. "By now, it must surely be ready, and it will aid you immensely in your quest. I highly suggest you go and get it. This is truly the final task I ask of you."
Impa was right, it really did seem extremely important. A weapon of legend was something that'd help him immensely, especially since the ones he got since waking up kept wearing down and breaking. Something with the title like 'The Sword that Seals the Darkness' had to be crucial for his quest. "That makes sense. You talked about its pedestal, so that means you know where it is, right?"
The Sheikah seemed relieved and asked for the slate back once more as Paya took her cup of tea. Impa struggled with the map, since the part she was looking at wasn't filled in yet. "Its resting place should be about…here." Impa murmured, tapping the screen and putting a marker on it. The beacon was up north, not far from one of the beacons showing a Divine Beast location. "It is in the Korok Forest, deep within the Lost Woods. It will be tricky to reach it, but I know you can do it. I still recommend gong to Zora's Domain first after this, the volcano my be too treacherous as you are now."
Link looked at the map and frowned just a tiny amount. Considering the distance between this forest compared to how far Hateno Village was…he guessed it'd take nearly a week to reach the location. "If you're sure about this, I won't argue." The lengthy detour was surely worth it if Impa considered it this important. Considering how she spoke of the Master Sword, it must have truly been a powerful weapon, and hopefully it was back to that former glory.
At that, the old Sheikah let out a relieved breath. "I'm glad you agree, Link! With the Master Sword in your possession, Calamity Ganon truly has no chance!"
"I had it last time." Link pointed out, though it wasn't going to stop him from getting it anyway. "I'll still get it, but I'm not going to assume it means an assured victory."
"Ah, yes…that's true. Things were more hectic and sudden last time." Impa explained. "Trust in the Master Sword, Link, it will aid you greatly."
Link handed his own teacup back to Paya too, who seemed a bit awkward kneeling there silently. "I'm hoping it will. I should leave now if I want to get these two errands done quickly."
It was that statement that made Paya pipe up. "Um. Master Link! Maybe…you should stay here tonight. It's close to sunset, so…"
"I agree! It's not good for you to sleep outside so many nights in a row!" Impa insisted, gesturing to the room around them vaguely. "Our home is your home, Link, please rest here for the night. The better rest you get, the better condition you'll be in for such a long journey."
While he was tempted to argue, Link had to admit, he was feeling pretty sore. His limbs and back ached, and he didn't get a full rest outdoors, his eyes burned from exhaustion, and he practically felt the dark circles under his eyes. "Okay, if you really sure it's okay, just until morning." His quest was already being pushed back…what was one night's difference at this point?
"I-I'll show you to where you can rest, Master Link!" Paya said hurriedly and a bit awkwardly as she stood up, leaving her tray behind. Without looking him in the face, she went up the stairs.
Link glanced at Impa who chuckled and gestured for him to follow. As he did so, he cleared his throat. "You don't have to call me that." He said to Paya as he caught up with her. "The 'Master' thing. Just call me Link."
"Ah…Well…if you really insist…Link." Paya responded, almost like she said a nasty swear just by calling him by his name. The young Sheikah took him into a little side room that looked like it hadn't been used in a while. A cozy space with little more than a bed and a desk. The bed itself almost looked like a small slice of heaven after sleeping under trees for a week straight. "I'll get some dinner to you soon Mas…Link."
"It's okay, don't bother." The Hylian said as he put his bag by the bed, shedding his weapons and such. "The second my head hits that pillow, I'll probably be out for the night."
Paya nodded and watched Link as he settled in. "I-I see. Um…I'll just leave you something, just in case. R-Rest well!" Her face seemed a bit red as she closed the door, her footsteps scurrying away.
Link had no idea what her deal was. Shrugging to himself, he finished getting ready to sleep, even removing his tunic given how warm the room was. He gazed down at his scarred torso and arms, wondering just where he got them from, how many battles he had been in a century ago. Sighing, he felt his mind drifting, and he got under the sheet.
The second his head hit the pillow, as he expected, he fell asleep.
A/N: Not much going on in Hateno Village, yes. For the most part, a lot of the sidequests will be skipped over, not sure if I mentioned that before. Some quick ones will be included, but nothing like "Go collect five mushrooms so I can make dinner tonight" will be acknowledged. And yes, Link has decided to go to the Korok Forest after trying to get one of his memories back. I feel like these little side errands are okay, given the game itself is open world, so trailing off the beaten path of the main mission is acceptable. After that visit, though, he truly will go to Zora's Domain, that I promise.