[video]

[sky_child]

[ The screen snaps on, revealing the youthful face of a pointy-eared teen looking...not at the camera. His head is tilted at such an angle that one of his red earrings is visible, as is a great deal of hair. It's matted down in the back, as if he's only just taken off a hat he's worn for a while. The top of his beige shirt is just barely visible, but the purple-and-green hilt of his sword is in plain view--and occasionally taps the screen.

Eventually he sits up, his exceptionally thick eyebrows furrowed in concentration and his lips tugged down at the edges. In a second, his expression changes to something more...guarded. ]

Um...

Has anyone seen a girl named Zelda here?

Comments

no worries! i am also le slow

[sky_child]

[ Link of Skyloft understand being "kind of" short, too.

What he can't understand is why there's this person on the other side of the screen wearing something similar to but not quite like his tunic but that's definitely the Master Sword and did he just call him "Sky"...? ]

...

[ In this thread, Sky is the great conversationalist. It's him. ]

being slow is pretty sucky, but it does allow massive backtag potential?

[ocariness]

[ ... And that silence basically bursts the tiny happy balloon that has been Link's mood.

This isn't the same one. Different timeline or alternate reality, it didn't matter. Being the Hero of Time meant Link at least understood the implications well enough, and being in the Tower had helped them understand it even moreso, but...

It leaves a bitter aftertaste in their mouth. Both the Hero of Winds and the one of the Sky were gone; there had, at one point, been a whole timeline of heroes so much that they deemed giving one another "nicknames" would be the best way to go about it. ]

... Your world is different. They brought another one here, I understand, now.

[ It is a statement, not a question. Just like that, Link's entire demeanor changes to something quieter, a bit sad. They're so tired of losing friends... ]

I... apologize, I had assumed you were... someone I knew. Regardless, the Zelda you know is not here, at present, though if you are anything like me, you will likely tear the Tower itself apart to find her. The two Zeldas I know of are not the ones you are looking for, though my friend the Princess is directly descended from her bloodline.

i am a-0k with backtags! :D

[sky_child]

[ That, unfortunately, does not make him any more inclined to speak as before. "Another one"? Other Zeldas...? Just where in the world is he?

He's gotta be dreaming. There's no way any of this is real. He's just having a very lucid dream, that's all. Maybe he had let his guard down and was hit by a magic spell. Maybe something had gone wrong with one of Bertie's infusions.

Sure, there's some small part of him thinking it might all make sense, that there might be other heroes--wasn't there one before him? And wasn't the journey he and Zelda were going through just a repeat of past events?

And yet...

Not in another world. Not in this tower. There was no way he could be meeting other heroes, unless it was in a dream. ]

on the upside OoT will be able to help him, haha.

[ocariness]

[ The Hero of Time, fortunately, is massively patient. When you've been forced into the sort of situations they have, well, you learn patience and maturity quickly. ... Even if you're technically like ten? Whatever.

Link, when they had arrived here, hadn't honestly been too great with words. Instead, they used to rely almost pathetically and entirely on their fairy companion, thinking Navi would never not be there to explain FOR THEM and all that'd be needed is a nod and maybe a "yes" or a "no". Alas, the Tower is not so easy. ]

... You are confused. I am sure you are no doubt very concerned about the state of Skyloft. Perhaps... I should explain in person...?

[sky_child]

I--

I'm by my room. Room 3-16...

[ He's Not Sure If Want, but he can't think of a better idea. ]

[action now!]

[ocariness]

[ Yeah they're sorry about that, SS. It's a really trippy situation all around. Link gives a sort of semblance of a bow before the feed cuts and, in a few minutes, you have someone actually about as short as you. Nice right.

... They're feeling pretty sheepish about all this, but now's no time to get tight-lipped, so... ]

... Skyloft's Hero. I am sorry if this seems... confusing.

[ Ahh, where do you even start with something like this? ]

But... you have encountered time travel at least once, correct?

[sky_child]

[ All he can do is nod.

Seeing this individual in person, wearing that tunic, carrying that sword...

It makes him feel slightly better that this person's around his height, but. Not by much. ]

[ocariness]

[ This would be easier if they both knew about talking? But ooooh well. And it wasn't so... weird. Anyway, Link sheepishly rubs the back of their neck. ]

... It is... not dissimilar to time travel. Time... can go many ways. To put it simply, imagine where you are right now, the present from your perspective, is a river, and you stand at the mouth where it begins.

I stand in the middle of the river, downstream from you. Still others after myself, further downstream, and so on. Time is very much like this. The people who took us... have the ability to take anyone from any point in the river. You, from my perspective, would be my past.

I, from your perspective, might be the future, but to me, it is the present. ... Does... this make any sense? I know it is a lot to take in, but I assure you it is not as complicated as you may at first think. Time is... something I know well, to be honest.

[ The explanation is simple enough; but... Link's still kinda really worried this version of Sky might... not understand, or might not get it, or may dislike them, and--

Oh.

... It occurs to them that they don't even know about the Hero of Time. THEM. ... Square one, huh? ... Well, that's fine. If this is how the Goddesses deem it to be... ]

[sky_child]

[ Link stares blankly at the other person for a moment.

And then-- ]

















What's a river?