Zelda (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
sageprincess) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
towerofanimus2012-01-07 12:28 pm
sageprincess) wrote in towerofanimus2012-01-07 12:28 pm
Entry tags:
Prelude ♫ Introduction
Characters: Zelda and you!
Setting: Around the tower.
Format: Starting in brackets.
Summary: The eff is this. We are not amused. :| Also, music and exploration.
Warnings: None yet; will edit if something comes up.
[After the chaos of the past few days, hearing soft music ringing throughout the tower might seem disorienting. Perhaps it's another trick, something to lull one into a false sense of security... but those that follow the medley will find it has nothing to do with the tower itself.
Rather, it's coming from a regal looking young woman and the small blue instrument that she carries with utmost care. Those sensitive to it will feel magic resonating with the notes themselves, swelling and building with each song until ultimately...
Nothing. It just vanishes into thin air.
The young woman sighs, a look of frustration crossing her face, and continues on in her exploration.]
Setting: Around the tower.
Format: Starting in brackets.
Summary: The eff is this. We are not amused. :| Also, music and exploration.
Warnings: None yet; will edit if something comes up.
[After the chaos of the past few days, hearing soft music ringing throughout the tower might seem disorienting. Perhaps it's another trick, something to lull one into a false sense of security... but those that follow the medley will find it has nothing to do with the tower itself.
Rather, it's coming from a regal looking young woman and the small blue instrument that she carries with utmost care. Those sensitive to it will feel magic resonating with the notes themselves, swelling and building with each song until ultimately...
Nothing. It just vanishes into thin air.
The young woman sighs, a look of frustration crossing her face, and continues on in her exploration.]
I think these two need group therapy or something
Of course they'd be worried about rejection, even after this point. It probably couldn't be helped, but it wasn't as though Link was royalty or anything like that. Why would anyone accept the "Hero" they waited for, if not specified, to be anything but a man?
Of course, that little encounter with Dark Link had not helped ease those nerves any. ]
... You shouldn't apologize. I'm not upset with you. ... I understand the need to conceal yourself.
[ ... No, her reasons were far better, far less shallow, after all. Goddesses above, this was terrible. They had wished to find Zelda all this time, but as it turns out--well... now it felt more like an obligation to be truthful than anything, and it was something that concerned them.
Or, rather, her. It's she who is hesitant to speak the truth, after all. Zelda deserved that much, didn't she? ]
You... are not the only one hiding things. If anything, I... I should be the one apologizing.
[ Maybe, more than anything, it's fear of shattering that "perfect image" of this great Hero she'd worked for so much to build. That maybe Zelda will be like others, who will be shocked and angry and not fine with it at all. Irrational fears, perhaps, but there was no real way of predicting how anyone would react to such a thing. ]
Yeah. Yeah, that would be accurate. Mini!Link can come too.
And so she has already resolved to ease that burden however she can.]
Whatever you feel the need to hide from me, I shall not judge you for. Do not fret.
[Her voice is steady in a practiced sort of way, but she means every word. There is nothing she could fault Link for.]
Also, TL;DR EVERYWHERE!
[ Heh. She might not realize just how much that meant to Link. Somehow, hearing that from Zelda of all people, is... reassuring, almost. There is still so much hesitance on their mind, however... because a lot had happened to them, and it was hard to go through what Link had and somehow not remain hesitant to be truthful.
But Link takes a deep breath, trying... to smile. Trying, even if it is a worried one. Words were too difficult, and they'd never been great at conveying the things that Link had WANTED to say properly. That was why the hero so often allowed Navi to talk for them, but she was not here to help. There would not always be chances to hide behind the fairy's chattiness and disguise how poorly Link did when it came to social interactions and speaking.
If... actions spoke louder than words, then surely the easiest way to explain this would not be in words at all. Zelda had managed to use an action to convey her feelings just fine, so surely... ]
... Would you mind following me somewhere that we could be undisturbed...? I believe... my room should be empty for the moment.
[ Anywhere but in the open Tower, and hey, at the very least that would put a door between the two of them, and whoever could perhaps disturb them.
Yes, Link is being a little vague and cryptic about this, and possibly a bit more secretive than is normal for the adopted 'fairy boy,' as some would put it. ]
That is, if... you do not mind being taken somewhere by an escort hardly befitting a Princess.
[ That may or may not be a small attempt at humor, at least, which is something. If Zelda is willing to take their hand, Link will at least extend it so that she may follow. This... was something of great importance from Link's perspective, even if to some others, it would seem like a small thing. ]
/GATHERS IT ALL
She nods without hesitation. Despite the cryptic nature of the hero's words, she trusts Link.]
Of course.
[And then that smile grows just a bit as Link extends a hand. What a ridiculous statement. But she does take the offered hand, and is only slightly reminded of a similar moment she had in the sky not too long ago. And hey, a lighter mood definitely would be appreciated right about now.]
I am hardly a traditional Princess in the strictest sense of the word, but I believe you will be more than fitting nonetheless.
[1/3] ... OKAY WELL, this'll be long o o p s.
Which was what made this far, far easier on Link in the long run.
It isn't that... Link does not believe Zelda. No, really, it is more that, even as they begin walking (and it's a good thing it isn't a very far walk to the dorms!), hand in hand, it's just... simply that Link has never felt that they were good enough. Call it something of a developed complex, but even back home, there had been little, small worries. Not having a fairy wasn't as hard as things had become after the seven long years had passed. Those years were not spent in getting used to the world and learning to be comfortable with things--they were spent in a stasis inside the Chamber of Sages, unfortunate as it was.
Which meant the shock of everything, upon leaving, had taken it's toll. It had aged Link, matured a child into an adult far too quickly.
Even so, Link falls into silence as they walk, nervous, but hopeful. When they finally reach the room, it is thankfully empty, and Link just lets the door shut before finally letting go of Zelda's hand. Just... breathe. This is not difficult, right? ... Right. It's with all the courage they can manage that Link then quietly moves to the other side of the room, facing away from Zelda. This is a little awkward, so hopefully the Princess will just bear with them, here... ]
[2/3]
... Thankfully, Link wears rather plain underclothes, so this isn't SO awkward, it merely reveals the plain white pants (not really just tights, thank you!) and shirt under it, and better shows the Hero of Time's build as... not what you might expect.
Without the tunic and all the gear on, it's a little easier now to spot something that, truthfully, most do not notice: just how Link's body is actually shaped. It is, in reality, rather more curved than you would think of an adolescent male's. Oh, there is muscle, and plenty of it, but it is hardly of the bulky type you'd think to see in a swordfighter who was also a man, right? In fact, the shoulders are not as broad as they might at first appear, and rather more curved than straight. Link is a little bit shorter without the boots, too, only slightly taller than Zelda herself.
If that is not revealing enough, and she has not gotten the hint by now, there remains... one final thing that has to be done, here. With a small inhale, Link reaches under that shirt, still facing away from Zelda (because it would be too embarrassing to do this any other way), and slowly unwraps the white bandages hidden under it. This all happens with silence, still, but Link presses on, until the bandages are fully removed, which remain in their hand.
Some of this may be oddly familiar to Zelda herself, even. ]
[3/3] TL;DR: Holy crap she's a girl. /sobs, physical descriptions suck
In fact, Link is entirely female, down to her anatomy, and the fact her chest is no longer flat as of being unbound makes this glaringly obvious, if it had not been before.
Basically: everything about Link is now screaming "I am a girl." She is silent for just a bit more before finally speaking again, nervous. ]
... I... did not feel it was fair to continue to lie to you, after what you have shown me and said to me. I apologize for never telling you the truth before now.
[ ... And she worries, now, just what Zelda will think. Will she dislike her forever, as some might choose to? It wasn't right, for the Hero of Time to be a girl, she knew that much. So she'd decided it would simply be easier to hide that fact. All this time, they'd both been hiding nearly exactly the same thing from one another... ]
Babbyyyy ;3; /holds
When the dormitory door shuts and Link releases her hand, however, she opens her mouth to ask... something that never quite finishes formulating in her mind, because Link starts removing clothing and oh dear. Accepting or no, it still comes as a bit of a shock. She keeps her eyes averted, flushing a lovely shade of pink. Only when Link speaks does she very tentatively look up.
And, well, it would be a lie to say she isn't surprised, at the very least. As it sinks in, she finds herself mentally going over every encounter they've had and, ha, it's amazing how they managed to dance around each other for so long. In fact, had she never woken up in this strange place, she would have never known. Amazing.
Her gaze falls on the bandages and she nods. It's familiar indeed. Smiling gently, she meets Link's eyes once more.]
I understand.
[So you don't have to be afraid anymore, okay?]
ashdfg sob she needs all the holding u///u
'Oh, but I'm not a copy of you, sister. My other half, much like myself, was a man. Not some kind of wrapped up liar.' It still hurt, so much more than she wanted to ever possibly admit. ]
... You deserve someone far better than me. I am sorry I... lied. I have lied to many people. Your reason for hiding was far more noble.
[ The words are quiet and more than a little shameful. She hates herself for being who she is more than she could possibly ever admit to saying. Sure, the Goddesses were revered and Zelda was a Princess, but when it came down to it, she was just some forest girl. Normal women weren't fighters. She was a freak. ... She would never be good enough for her title as Hero of Time. So many had expected the one who would save them to be a man.
She saw examples of women as always being wives and bearing children, if not blessed by the Goddesses, royalty, or aristocracy. ... She was none of this... she was merely a fake trying hard to be the hero that her title entailed. But, even if she defeated Ganondorf, would she be?
Heh. In the end, maybe she was just a fake. Fake everything. Even her age wasn't technically right, it was just her physical one. ]
It's okay Zelda is here she will help. ;3;
[She retorts, but there is no malice or disgust in her voice. Simply quiet certainty. Yes, perhaps the heroes of legend have always been male, but is she going to reject the closest thing she has to a friend on the basis that she is a girl? The answer is no. Besides, in her mind, Link's actions have been nothing short of heroic. That's more than enough for her.
There's the slightest moment of hesitation before the princess steps forward, reaching out to take Link's hand in her own once more.]
And I could not possibly ask for a kinder, braver, more noble soul than the one that stands before me at this very moment. To do so would be asking for divinity.
[1/2] asdfhg ;///; Zelda ;O; ALL HER ADMIRATION
More than she can probably express. The look on her face here shows that Link was expecting almost anything but such... tolerance, really. ]
...
[2/2]
She... hadn't cried since... since that time, many moons ago, and had promised she'd never let herself be that weak or helpless feeling ever again. But right now, for some reason, she honestly feels nearly moved to tears, that Zelda would say that. ]
Do you truly believe that? That Dark Shadow of me... I worry he may be right. What... what if--
[ ... There's some hesitance, and it sounds stupid when she says it, she realizes. ]
What if I am a "fake"? There are... many different timelines and worlds here, not just the ones I am familiar with. Perhaps... I'm not the right person at all.
SHE HAS FAITH IN YOU, LINK. o9!!
But of course, that can wait. There are more important things to attend to now.]
Look.
[She gestures to Link's bed, where all of her gear has been carefully laid out. But there is only one particular thing that she's interested in at the moment.]
The Master Sword is Hyrule's most legendary blade. It is said to have been forged by the Goddesses themselves, and it has the power to repel even the darkest of evils. It will not allow itself to be wielded by just anyone, however; only those who have been chosen by destiny have the right to carry such a blade.
Perhaps there are worlds where things are different, but that does not change the fact that that sword chose you, Link.
[And personally, she trusts the sword more than she trusts the shadow.]
[1/2 again jeez] asdhfg IT'S GOOD SOMEONE DOES, SOB ;_;
...
[ ... There is a long silence here. It's awkward because she... she really isn't sure what to say now. She's bad at talking anyway, and this is a subject she hasn't told a soul about. Even Navi, the fairy always by her side, only knew about some things. Her gender, yes, but she never told her about how she felt.
Though, obviously, it was easy to see from the fairy's perspective when she was upset, or that time she'd cried-- ]
... I... have always felt that I need to live up to my obligations, as the Hero of Time. I must be what is expected of me.
[ Here, she pauses, mulling over how to put this, unsure of how to proceed. It's funny, really; Link can be so confident at times when it comes to fighting and really, most anything else, she never panics or is afraid to proceed. But when it came to how she felt and viewed herself? That... was an entirely different story.
She may wield the Triforce of Courage, but that is because she has true courage in the face of difficulty. It does not make her utterly fearless; she's only human (or Hylian, as the case may be) in the end.
... It wasn't anyone's fault. She just had been shocked by the views of others into feeling insecure and... unhappy with herself. How some, if not most, women were expected to be fru-fru homemakers. ... Impa, Zelda (now that she knew she was also Sheik) and, of course, the Gerudo were women she looked up to immensely. ]
[2/2] also sorry for all this tl;dr.......
[ Shock, judgement, disdain for what she WAS. She couldn't take it. Her very feelings had brought her all the way to this sort of behavior, and it had become second nature to continue this. A habit, if you would. A fear that controlled her enough to even make her constantly vigilant with lowering her voice, behaving as close to a man as possible, and hiding all evidence. Cutting her hair, piercing her ears, flattening her chest--all of this was her way of becoming what she thought others wanted out of the Hero of Time.
Heck, now that she's not hiding, it is plain and easy to see just how feminine she truly is, down to her actual voice. ]
I... I'm truly sorry for burdening you with this, but I felt it unfair to continue lying to you when you'd been truthful to me. But as unfair as it may seem, I have a second request I must ask of you as a friend, Princess--no, Zelda.
[1/2 I CAN DO IT TOO] It's cool, there are Feelings here.
[And though she doesn't say as much, there is an apologetic undercurrent to her words. To think that there are those in her kingdom that would discount Link's accomplishments over something so... cosmetic - it makes her feel responsible in a likely irrational sort of way.
And while she wishes the hero in front of her did not feel the need to hide, she understands that this must be incredibly uncomfortable for her. It's right there in her body language.
She nods, placing a hand over her heart.]
I swear to you, I shall not breathe a word.
[2/2]
Link used her name. Link thinks of her as a friend.
That makes her happier than it should, really.]
...You would think it unfair to request something of me when I have asked so much of you? Whatever it is, I shall fulfill it to the best of my ability.
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... That Shadow... is there anything we can do about him? I know he can easily use anything with a reflection to find me, and I might never have peace if he does.
[ ... You know? Surely there must be something Zelda can do, considering her gifts as Princess? If nothing else, she might know a way to ward the shadow off.
All that she can hope for is that she IS worthy of that title, in the end. She feels she has to live up to it, lest she let so many depending on her down. ]
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[Zelda goes silent for a moment, thinking. She isn't familiar with the kind of dark magic used to conjure such a being, of course, and even if she was, she has her doubts that she would have enough power to dispell one of Ganondorf's creations.
...Wait, if this Link is from before, then maybe--]
I do not know if there is a way to defeat him completely in this place, but I can give you something that will counter his darkness.
[Magic begins to surround her as she steps back, and it is definitely not as subtle as before. It is raw, powerful, but blindingly benevolent. A circle of light forms around her feet as she lifts her arms to the ceiling, shaping the magic into a glowing ball above her head. Finally, it flashes, engulfing the room, and when it fades, Zelda is holding an arrow encased within yellow crystalline orb that radiates the same kind of magical power.]
The Arrows of Light.
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YOU GOT THE THINGZelda, you are the most helpful person ever. There is comfort in the light, and Link, truth be told, really just wishes for some peace. Perhaps having these will give that to her. She takes them carefully, realizing that this essentially makes her an even more powerful archer. She already had arrows of Ice and Fire, and these could help far more than words might convey.
... Her expression is one of great gratitude. When all is said and done, she heaves a small, somewhat relieved sigh. ]
... It is... not exactly something I'm proud of. I do not want to hurt him, to be honest. I would really just like some peace.
[ Aside from which, it's like he's everything she... doesn't wish to be. How did he KNOW how she ticked? It was unsettling. As it is, she just... flops on the bed quietly, beginning the arduous processes of putting all her things back together, and so on.
In hindsight, she should have KNOWN Sheik was like her. Really, it had been so obvious, but she had been so caught up in believing and wondering about other things, she'd never stopped to consider that. ]
... I'm fortunate, to know someone so kind as you.
[ She means it, really. Zelda is more accepting, helpful, and caring than a lot of people might be. ]
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[She smiles softly in return, but there's something... closed off about it. This is temporary, she realizes; a product of something unnatural toying with the timelines. As happy as she is to see Link again, Link really does deserve that peace. And she isn't going to find it with her.
As Link begins to redress, the princess turns, both to give Link some privacy and to conceal anything that might give her warring feelings away. Her gender isn't the only thing she learned to hide during her time as Sheik, after all.]
...Likewise.
[If there is a single thing she does not regret, it's meeting Link.]
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That's all she can hope. Of course, in the end, she really feels it necessary to find a way BACK to Hyrule--she wants to help them rebuild after all is said and done and has become quite attached to this timeline, in the end.
It doesn't take her too long, but if not for what had been seen and admitted moments ago, it would be nearly impossible to tell Link was even female. The amount of work she put into the guise probably helped that. It was obvious she felt a bit more relaxed around Zelda now, at least. ]
I... am sure there are more pressing matters, but... I must concede we may be trapped here for some time, so I am not entirely sure what to do with my free time of late.
[ She hasn't found a way out yet, obviously. It's going to be awhile. ]
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And now that she knows what it hides, the extent of the disguise is rather impressive, given the lack of magic involved. Though she still wishes there wasn't really a need for it.]
Perhaps for a start, you could give me a tour of this place? I have yet to explore it in full, and... I would feel safer with you nearby.
[Of course, finding a way out is top priority, but at the same time she kind of just woke up, so.]
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That would be wise, some of the floors here are... extremely dangerous.
[ There's a reason Link walks around fully armed at all times. But they may as well start from the Dorms down, right? Thank goodness the Tower was back to some semblance of normal, she really would have hated Zelda to awaken to the place infested with monsters and no way out. That had been tiring.
Either way, she is ready to go when Zelda is, though it is a bit odd to have company to her, still, as used to doing things alone as she generally is.
Opening the door now that they're ready, of course. Link won't go fast, and will answer any questions she can if Zelda should ask. Obviously the dorms are where they sleep; it's not complicated. ]
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I thought as much. It is rather ill fitting for a place that claims to be a safe haven.
[Though she doesn't know how they are dangerous, exactly, she assumes the worst. Seriously, she does not trust the maintainers of this place as far as she can throw them.
But she follows along after Link, and now that she actually has time to take in her surroundings beyond the cursory "is something in this room going to kill me or not" glance, she's noticing a few more details. Like the screens with names on them near the dorm doors.]
I suppose these indicate who lives in which room...
[Oh gosh, can she even remember what was near her door-- one name started with a C, didn't it...?]
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