First string: arrival and reunion (open, backdated to just before the dream event)

[sageninja]

Characters: Sheik and YOU!
Setting: Starting off in 5-04, then floor 28 (the music room; closed to Zelda), floor 22 (the art gallery), and floor 13 (the cathedral).
Format: Starting with action, but open to prose too!
Summary: Sheik awakens and searches for familiar faces.
Warnings: Nothing yet, will be updated as needed.

5-04

[Sheik's eyes narrow as he crumples the letter in his hand. Hyrule, destroyed? Is this perhaps a trick of Ganondorf's, who somehow escaped the Sacred Realm? Or maybe one of his lackeys, angered over their master's defeat?

A brief search of the room reveals a trunk filled with items from Sheik's home; he changes into his regular clothing and arms himself with some Deku Nuts and a small blade, then departs, running his fingers over the collar around his neck as he goes. It's time to find answers.]


Floor 28

[Examining the peculiar room he's in, Sheik takes in the various instruments that are lying about. His eyes fall on a small lyre, and the corner of his mouth twitches. It's nice to see something he recognizes in such a strange place. He picks it up and idly plucks at the strings, letting his mind wander. He hasn't had enthusiasm for playing lately, not since being so consumed by researching the Sheikah.

Suddenly hearing a familiar melody, he stops playing. Perplexed by the silence, he looks down and realizes that he was the culprit. Zelda's lullaby...]


Floor 22

[Sheik is standing in front of a large stained glass window mounted on the wall. There's a strange light behind it, illuminating the figure of a proud Sheikah warrior. As Sheik gazes at the artwork of Impa, his brows furrow in confusion. He doesn't remember ever seeing something like this in the castle. Maybe Zelda commissioned it after Ganondorf's defeat? A pang of loss hits and he curls his hand into a loose fist, letting it rest over his heart. He wishes he could see her again.]


Floor 13

[If the music room and art gallery weren't confusing enough, now he's in a cathedral that's inside a tower. Standing behind the pews, he hears a mumbling sound coming from the altar; but when he goes closer to investigate, there's suddenly silence. Feeling uneasy, he starts looking around for signs of a threat. The stillness reminds him in some ways of the Temple of Time, though that does little to ease his mind.]

Hello?

[Strange. He spoke clearly, yet he can barely hear himself. He doubts anyone else, should they be here, can hear him.]

Comments

Floor 13

[zelda_is_your]

Oh, sorry, that would be me!

[Link scratches the back of his head, emerging from between the pews]

I kinda fell asleep there for a few minutes. Not the safest place, considering this ain't Hyrule, but meh, what can you do?

[sageninja]

Link!? [Sheik stares at him, confused. He looks like Link, yet at the same time he looks different. What's going on here?]

[zelda_is_your]

Oh, uh. We know each other?

[No, of course not. He must know one of the other Links. Man, they were popular. More so than him. Jealous? Maybe.]

I mean. Yeah. I'm Link.

But there's a lot more Links in the chain around here, y'know.

[/cue rim-shot]

[sageninja]

[He raises a brow at the joke, but doesn't comment. If Link doesn't know him, then... Is this not the same Link that he knows?]

My name is Sheik. You do not appear to be the Hero of Time, although you look very much like him.

[zelda_is_your]

Something to do with heirs to courage or something. It's all very convoluted. All I know is that our journeys had their similarities, but took place in different times, apparently?

I never heard of a Hero of Time, but I figure he's probably my ancestor. Or maybe my descendant. It's all so very confusing.

[shrugs]

Anyway, nice to meet you, Sheik. This tower isn't exactly ideal, but it's not all bad. I take it you just got here?

[sageninja]

[That's a lot to take in at once.] Nice to meet you as well.

Yes, I arrived here today...although I don't know where 'here' is. What do you know about this place?

[zelda_is_your]

Let's see... you're in a room you have to sleep in, your first meal has to be oatmeal, you wear a collar that determines which day of the week that the creepy guys take you into a room, 95% of the things in this tower are going to try to kill you, and people will either know you, think they know you, or won't know you at all. And doubles. Oh so many doubles.

... yeah, you already know there's more than one Link.

[sageninja]

... [He blinks. This Link is not only more talkative than the one Sheik knows, but he also seems to be a bit more...what's the word...sarcastic?]

I see. [He fights back the smile that tugs at the corner of his mouth.] You seem to have been here a while.

[zelda_is_your]

Meh, maybe... a month or two?

Time sort of flies and messes around, 'round here.

[shrugs]

Anyway, we just need to make the best of it.

5-04

[withak]

[Katsuya has his gun out, as well, when he comes back to the room. It's not as convenient as a sword - it has a limited supply of bullets - but it will serve.]

-are you one of the other people assigned to this room?

[sageninja]

[He eyes the man in the strange garments and looks down at the odd object he's holding. Assigned? What is he talking about?]

...I woke up here moments ago. [Sheik keeps his guard up, unsure if the man is a foe.]

[withak]

I only woke up here this morning. It looks like everyone here was captured from their homes and brought here by force.

[sageninja]

I see. [Deciding that the man is not a threat, Sheik relaxes the tiniest bit.]

You're not from Hyrule, I take it. [More a statement than a question, as he's never seen such an attire in his life. Where is he from, then?]

[withak]

No. I live in a place called Japan.

[Judging by Sheik's appearance, Katsuya's pretty sure he at least isn't from his time period.]

[sageninja]

I've never heard of Japan, but I suppose that's not important. Is there no way of escaping? [Because surely this person would not still be here if there were.]

[withak]

[Silently, he shook his head. No way out.]

[sageninja]

[No way out. Sheik's shoulders slump, but he's already lined up a hundred more questions. It's best to find out as much as possible while he can.]

Are there many people here?

[withak]

Judging by the number of rooms, there could be at least a hundred trapped here.

[sageninja]

...I see. [Well, this sounds like an absolute nightmare.] My name is Sheik. You are assigned to this room as well, I gather?

[withak]

My name is Katsuya Suou, and yes. Have you met our other roommates?

[sageninja]

I haven't, though my meeting with them will doubtless be inevitable.

[He tilts his head.] Have you gathered any other information? I know you haven't been here long, but you've made it further out of this room than I have.

[Sheik plans to do his own exploring and investigation later, alone and in the shadows, like always.]

[withak]

We're in a tall tower with about forty levels in it... There's food on the bottom floor, two libraries, and many other interesting things. Even a forest or two.

[sageprincess]

[And then, as if summoned by the gentle melody, the Princess of Hyrule steps off the staircase leading to the music floor. Here, she feels like she can relax a little, allowing herself to get lost in the music. Even if there are now some bittersweet memories attached to this floor.

Of course, she doesn't get nearly that far, stopping dead in her tracks as she sees what once could have been her reflection standing before her.

And she's at a complete loss for words.]

[sageninja]

[Hearing footsteps, Sheik looks up from the lyre and nearly drops it in shock. Princess Zelda? Here? And she looks just as surprised to see him.

After spending so much time avoiding her, Sheik is at a bit of a loss. What are you supposed to say to your other half? He reaches up, tugging down the fabric wrapped around his neck so that his mouth is visible.] ...Your Highness. It's been a long time.

[sageprincess]

[If Sheik is at a loss, Zelda is even more so. So many questions buzz around in her head, yet she cannot find the proper words for any of them.

... Her alter-ego is speaking to her as if she's a separate person? She simply stares at him, bemused and bewildered.]

You... are not in disguise, are you.

[sageninja]

[After a pause, he shakes his head.] No, this is...me. Do you not remember?

[He's a bit confused. If anyone should remember, it should be Zelda. Perhaps this isn't 'his' Zelda after all. He turns away from her and inhales deeply. This is incredibly awkward.]

[sageprincess]

[... There's a headtilt, and then an unseen concerned look. No, she didn't mean to upset this... person. (She's really not seeing things, right? The exhaustion hasn't gotten that far, has it?)]

No... I do not. I apologize; I... did not mean to upset you.

[She knows well enough by now that just because someone may look like your loved one, it doesn't mean they are. She can only assume that is what has happened here.]

[sageninja]

Why do you apologize, princess? [He is genuinely surprised, and turns to face her again.] You have done nothing to upset me.

[So she doesn't remember. Curious, that.] I was once you, or at least a part of you. When you transformed back to your normal self in the Temple, I was suddenly standing next to you.

I am not sure how exactly I came to be, but I suspect the Triforce played a role. ...You truly remember none of this?

[sageprincess]

[Slowly, as though she is doing her best to process this information, she shakes her head.]

I do not. To my memory, none stood beside me in the Temple of Time. None but the Hero.

[Somewhere in the back of her mind, she realizes she should probably explain the nature of this place - how there are alternate worlds, and how people can come from any place in time - but she's still too caught up in the whys and hows to really consciously think of that.]

[sageninja]

... [He feels the tiniest bit deflated. Although he has agonized for a long time over what to say should he one day meet the princess again, this is not a scenario he has ever envisioned. To be forgotten like this is disconcerting, especially to be forgotten by the one person who should remember him.

The tips of his ears turn pink.] I aided the Hero in rescuing you from Ganondorf. He was able to use the chaos created by my sudden appearance to capture you.

Floor 22 | I shouldn't be here b-but you tempt me so ;u;

[ocariness]

[ So, guess who doesn't know that you're NOT Zelda?

Guess who's actually here, having walked onto this floor in passing to another?

The Hero of Time. Or, well, a version of them. ... Although you may notice, if you are quite observant (and aren't most Sheikah?), that... just something seems a fraction off. It's hard to pinpoint quite yet, though. Especially not when Link's the same as ever, running around decked in their usual, Silver Gauntlets to Master Sword. ... Wait, isn't that a bit odd? Unfortunately, Link is quite comfortable with both 'identities' of Zelda's and has no problem speaking with either, as they've long since assumed (having only met one other version of THEIR Zelda) that they're one in the same.

As a result, Link relaxes slightly upon seeing Sheik, letting their guard down and walking up next to the other. ]

... I did not expect to find you here of all places...

[ Link shows absolutely no hesitance in being near the other due to said assumption, though they dare not encroach in any form; Zelda usually preferred her space, and if she wanted otherwise she would tell Link, right? ]

You... must miss her.

/waggles eyebrows

[sageninja]

[And guess who's really surprised to see you, Link? This guy. He turns his head towards the voice, then faces Link completely when he realizes who it is. Something does seem off, yes, but this Link clearly knows who he is, so he can only assume that this is "his" Link.

Although, the way he speaks makes Sheik wonder if he is truly that calm about running into someone who's split off from his princess. Not realizing that there's a possibility Link doesn't know, Sheik merely nods his head.]

Yes, I do. It is good to see you again, Hero of Time.

[ocariness]

[ This will probably end in a terrible mix-up.

It's kind of a shame Link hasn't stopped to consider much beyond "oh, maybe Zelda is trying to hide from Gandalf. Maybe I should play along."

... Hm. ]

... Being in this place can lead to quite a bit of homesickness. But this floor is not one I would linger on. Not everything here is something this pleasant.

[sageninja]

[Link talks as if he's well acquainted with this place.] Have you been here long, then? I thought Princess Zelda sent you back to your time.

[It would be terrible if she had accidentally sent Link here instead, although Sheik doubts that is the case. Zelda is quite proficient with her magic.]

I'm assumnig this is after the Zelda's Dreaming for my sanity

[ocariness]

[ ... Oh.

That.

Link... doesn't want to really talk about that. The whole being sent home thing. It's left a lot of pain in their head they don't really feel like discussing, because the last person they want to know about it is Zelda. Which is honestly a bit unlike Link, who is generally honest.

... Perhaps they've just learned to hide many things. Perhaps it's becoming a bad habit, pretending to be fine. But surely if you do it enough, it's true, right? Link, instead, focuses on the first question rather than the second statement.

But wait, if Sheik is not Zelda, then...? Is she just pretending to hide from someone? That's... possible. ... Odd. ]

... No, the people here are responsible for this. It has been ten months. I have... learned to count the days in the system here very well, as unfortunate as it is, given all that has... happened.

[ Here, Link pauses, feeling a bit... odd. ]

Why do you ask? You... are aware you are ahead of me in our timeline, are you not?