[o4] ‸^‸ Fourth Song.

[ocariness]

Characters: AU!OoT Link (ocariness) and whomever finds her.
Setting: Floor 11 (Daytime). Set immediately after this, which is the day after the events of Hitori Kakurenbo.
Format: Action probably I'm terrible with prose lately?
Summary: Link now thinks that her ancestor hates her. Tired and emotionally past breaking point, she found somewhere (or so she thought) to be alone and sob. She really needs a hug.
Warnings: TOWER OF SADIMUS/ANIMANGST and tl;dr. But uh, other than that? None yet!

[ Everything around her was ripped away in a whirlwind of green light and the wooshing sound of air as Link returned to the warp point she'd set on the meadow floor.

It's hard, but she manages to pick herself up and not break down there, as luckily the warp point was next to the exit, as always. She gets up, numb, expression pained, and begins slowly making her way back to her room. By the time she returns to the meadow floor, she has since fixed her clothing, rebound herself, and gotten a shower.

... There was no evidence the person sitting next to the lakeside is a girl at all. Link had seen to that not being noticed.

She might be hard to spot, wearing a blue tunic instead of her usual green one and not bothering with having her hat on, but you'll spot her sitting on a bank, head pulled to her knees. There's the sounds of quiet sobbing every so often.

She shouldn't be allowed to carry the Master Sword, the name of Link, or anything else. She simply didn't deserve any of it; she had been forced to age and she never wanted it. She'd experienced loss, and the Tower was pushing her past even her limits of bottling things inside.

Something had to give. Perhaps it was her. Perhaps her ancestor deserved this sword more than she. Or the small Hero of Winds. Why was it that he, younger than when she'd started, was not forced to age like she had been? Was she never worthy to begin with? Did they simply "make do" with her? Was she a replacement "Hero"? Link didn't know.

What she did know was that she wished she could go home. Zelda deserved better than her. ]

Comments

[cantstopme]

[Oh.

Oh!!

There they are - his hero, the Hero of Time! Little "Sea" here had been looking all over for them; his hands cut and bruised due to working with materials he's never used before, but he runs over when he spots them...
But slows down a bit when he hears a sob come from them.

Link stops altogether, looking down at the small, shoddy wooden carving in his hands, before gingerly walking forward a bit more, a worried look on his face.]

Big... Big brother?

[ocariness]

[ Upon hearing the littler Link, the one not from their timeline, they try to muffle the sobs, with moderate success.

The tears keep coming, but oh well. There's a small moment in which they try pitifully to put some sort of nonchalance and stability into their breathing.

... "Big Brother". Ha... haha. It's almost insulting.

However, Link doesn't answer. They... they don't really want to talk at all right now. Sorry, little guy. ]

[cantstopme]

[Yeah; he figured that was the case. He doesn't like to talk when he's crying, either. :c

So instead, he gets closer and sits on his knees next to them, quietly putting the bad little carving in front of them on the grass.

It's a childish carving of Saria, based on what Link remembers from the stained glass window; the edges rough and kind of hard to tell apart and the paint mediocre at best. But he tried!]

... I made this for you.

It's okay if you don't want to talk to me. I can tell you're very sad.
But, um. I just want you to know...

[... What was it Aryll says when he's sad?]

I want you to know that, um. I love you, okay? No matter what.

[myblueskies]

[Outwardly Romeo seemed to be taking the events of the night before in his stride. After all bad things had happened before, he had seen his friends die more times then he ever wanted to count but he had checked and Molly had come back. She was safe. For now. His death had been, excruciatingly painful, and slow, but he was ignoring it. It had happened, he was back now. It was a new day.

It was time to keep his spirits up, and help everyone around him do the same! He saw mister Link on the lake floor, the floor where they had first met. He was crying, Romeo had seen his death and knew what the bad people had done to him.

He hurried forwards and wrapped his arms around him, hugging him tight. Because sometimes adults needed hugs as well. They pretended to be big and brave and strong but they got scared and cried and couldn't do anything when the bad people hurt everybody.]

[ocariness]

[ Link startles, not having even expected a hug, but doesn't exactly shy away from the boy.

That would be rude.

Though, they're starting to think they ought to have just put on their iron boots and stayed at the bottom of the lake. It looks like something they'd been considering, too, if the heavy metal boots nearby on the ground are any indication. ]

[myblueskies]

[It would be the last thing Romeo would think that anyone would do with metal boots so he doesn't notice or mention them. He just hugs him tight.]

It will be okay mister Link. You don't have to cry!

[deadliestberet]

Preston sighed, what a boring day. Apparently he missed out on something big last night, and he's been tearing out his hair trying to figure out what it was. Though it apparently wasn't anything good, if the sight of everyone sulking about was anything to go on. Whatever had happened had apparently not gone all that well with a majority of the people here.

Sighing as he passed by Link before pausing, groaning and turning around. "Hey, is something the matter?" He had to ask, considering that it was starting to make him a bit worried and get on his nerves.

[ocariness]

Link is silent for some time--it would seem this man had missed the horrible 'game' that had occurred just the other night, and Link was in no condition to explain it. They had to struggle to regain some semblance of nonchalance, here.

Have a muted headshake. Link is in no condition to speak, and to be frank, would rather never talk ever again.

[deadliestberet]

The soldier sighed once again, this time more out of thought than actual boredom. So the blond didn't want to speak to him huh? Well no matter, he was going to start walking beside her. Because hey, why not? He was bored at the moment and whoever this person was looked like they shouldn't be left alone at the moment. It didn't really matter all that much if he got an intelligent conversation out of the person, so long as they didn't feel lonely and Preston had something to do. Of course the man kept a bit of distance from the person, so as to not let them feel like he was trying to be rude and intrude on them. Then again, he technically was, but sense when does he care what others think?

...Okay that was lie, he does care what others think. A lot too.

[sageprincess]

... There you are.

[A gentle, fond voice calls out from behind. Hey, Link. Guess who's been searching high and low for you.

A moment later, Zelda kneels behind Link, quietly wrapping her arms around the other girl's shoulders. There is much to be said, but... that all can wait a bit longer. Right now, she just wants to hold the hero close.]

[ocariness]

[ If the iron boots nearby are any indication, Link has been considering just staying in this lake forever.

Though she doesn't flinch away, she remains stiff.

There was too much going through her head right now, and most of it wasn't positive. She didn't want to be anything. She certainly didn't deserve to carry this sword, either. ]

[sageprincess]

[...

The stiffness is... disheartening, to say the least. But she isn't going to give up that easily, so she settles in a bit more.]

... I was worried. For a while it felt like you had disappeared completely.

[She pauses then, unsure of where to go from there. So many words and not a single one wishing to be be spoken. Her voice becomes quieter, sadder, and more concerned.]

Please... do not think any less of yourself. You did nothing wrong, I promise.

[She knows... it's not going to be so easy to get the hero to believe her, but she has to start somewhere.]

And then we were all going to cry

[theherourherocouldbelike]

[Link had taken Pipit's advice and changed out of his Knight Uniform into his civilian clothing, to show that he meant no harm. He was also carrying his harp and he had his Sailcloth tied around his waist.

He hugs on to the harp and walks into the Meadow floor, noticing Zelda and a blue garbed Link near the lake. He smiles, relieved to have found them both, and walks over quietly.]

I am glad I found you.

Yeeeeeeeeep

[ocariness]

[ When Link hears his voice, she startles out of Zelda's hold and promptly stumbles to get up, to leave, but--

... Falls gracefully into the lake behind them.

U M. ]

Saddest cast

[sageprincess]

[No, goddammit, not again--]

Link...!

[Zelda starts after her, grabbing at her arm... and promptly falls in after her.

Most gracefully.]

[metawoof]

[Echidna had taken to wandering around the tower. She had already spent a good amount of time just sitting in her room, so walking around...might have helped. It didn't do much, but she did find Link-- though it took a moment to recognize him-- and even though she still felt bad, after seeing that video on the network, well. It was definitely a huge relief.]

L-Link....?!

[She ran over, but stopped a few feet away, anxious and apprehensive.] A...Are you OK....?

[ocariness]

[ O-oh. Echidna.

Have a small headshake. ]

[metawoof]

[Her face fell a bit (not that it wasn't already sad to begin with), but unlike most occasions, she couldn't think of what to say.]

Um...do you want me to leave....?

[guiltapalooza]

[Willow hasn't seen Link since she'd found his corpse, and the second she sees him now, she screeches to a halt. It takes her a second to recognize him, even, wearing uncharacteristic blue.

Without a word, she races over and wraps her arms around him, hiding her face in his tunic. She doesn't stop for anything.]

sgkfdjhg ;w; Willow

[ocariness]

[ Link is completely startled.

They've been crying for a long time, too, and words aren't going to come easily. ]

W... Willow. You... you are unharmed.

[ Captain Obvious? Yeah, but... they're glad. ]

she was worried ;___;

[guiltapalooza]

I wasn't part of that mess, [she says instantly, drawing away but not going far, still in his personal space. She watches his expression closely, vulnerability written all over her.]

I won't ask if you're okay. Of course you're not okay. I just-- I was so worried after I-- I found... it was such a mess. I don't even know if that was you or a, a different Link.

That Ghirahim killed.

[childhero]

[The meadow floor doesn't feel like home, but it's the closest he can find. When he was in Termina and felt at wits end, he would turn to the Woods of Mystery and disappear for three days, maybe six, maybe nine, if it was especially bad. Maybe that's a nice thing about the time cycle. He could always make everything stop when it became too much, and he could take as long as he wanted to get back on his feet. He could never bring himself to take full advantage of it, of course -- every cycle, there were people who were hurting, things that were going wrong, suffering he could stop (the looks on Romani and Cremia's faces can never leave his mind's eye, not with the way they look just like the kindest, sweetest girl he thinks he's ever met, the one who always reminded him that there was good to be found, who renewed his faith in this again and again, and to know that he could have saved them -- her -- if only if only if only if only).

So when he sees a familiar color of blue clothing and a shade of blonde, he... isn't surprised. After that night -- After he heard what happened -- After Sea... A feeling that is just as almost-nostalgic as himself has settled on his shoulders again. He didn't know it was happening, and he didn't save them. He couldn't even help. After he swore to himself that he wouldn't let anything happen to them, after thinking everything was his fault and that it was his job to get them all out, that the Princess wouldn't be in this situation if it wasn't for him... and then this happens... This is guilt. And if he feels it this severely, then consider the position of himself if he was. Imagine that failure, magnified, twisted, horrible and wrenching.

Quietly, without a word but plenty of noise as he walks to serve as an alert, Link comes to his other's side and sits down next to him. He won't say anything; he'll just serve as a companion.]

[ocariness]

[ For the longest of times, the older Link remains silent. It's funny, to see an 'adult' crying, but after all, the smaller one should know more than anyone else they're not really an adult.

Not by choice, anyway.

And for a long time, there is nothing said, but slowly it dies down, as Link looks mournfully into the reflective surface, saying nothing.

... They now hated dolls and bears. It's a shame; normally, they loved cute things, but this... this had ruined it for them. It takes a long time, for them to say something, but the scars of that night run deeper than can be shown by just a few tears.

Link was a failure; they were no hero. They weren't fit for the cross they bore. ]

[biiirrrdsss]

[Sometime after Link's apology to the androgynous hero, Pipit's gone to wandering aimlessly patrolling the halls and floors of the tower, his old, battered sword sheathed on his back, when he spots them.

That's a familiar... and yet oddly unfamiliar face. :|a]

Ah - excuse me, friend! Are you Zelda's friends, by chance?

[Assuming so, since... well. You look like his Link, Link.]

[ocariness]

... You know Ze--

[ Pausing. Formalities, dear. ]

The Princess?

[ Oh hmm hey you're dressed like that other Link; are you from that Knight Academy? ]