Work Text:
Legato was the first one through the portal, more than ready to put Legend’s era far behind him.
It was good that they’d finally managed to find the portal left in the shadow’s wake. If he had to spend one more minute pretending to be unfamiliar with the land that shaped who he was as a person, then he would seriously consider leaving the group behind right then and there. Surely whatever would happen if he tried alternative means of time travel would be better than this.
Regardless, he could stop considering that last resort now.
He stepped out into a quiet forest. Judging from the color of the light filtering through the trees, it seemed to be about an hour after sunrise. Legato examined the surrounding area as the others emerged one after another.
Strange…this didn’t feel like any era he could name, and yet it was still familiar to him. Maybe he’d passed through here before?
“Does anyone know this place?”
Negatives from everyone.
“We can split up and scout the area,” Warriors suggested, “That way we can figure out what direction we should be traveling in.”
Time nodded, “Agreed. Pair up, everyone—no wandering off alone.”
Legato pretended not to notice the way the others glanced towards him and Four. He had the feeling that they wouldn’t be allowed to partner together for a while. Maybe Wind would—
“I’ll go with you!” the sailor volunteered, approaching Time.
Oh. Right, wasn’t it about now that Wind started trying to figure out the timeline? Their detour had made him start mixing up his memories of his first time on this quest. Whatever, it was fine. Legato could find someone else—the rest of the group probably wouldn’t approve of the (seemingly) youngest heroes venturing off into an unknown land together anyway.
“The traveler and I could—”
“No way, you’re coming with me,” Legend interrupted, grabbing Wild by the arm. “You two got in enough trouble gambling in Kakariko, I don’t even want to know how lost you’ll get wandering without a map.”
“What would we need a map for?”
Alarmed glances were shared amongst them, with Warriors approaching Hyrule. Which left—
“What do you say we see how much land we can cover, Rancher?” Four offered, clearly intending on giving Twilight the chance to transform and find a trail that way.
The Ordonian glanced over to where Legend and Wild were arguing, “I don't know…”
“Come on, having me around isn't the worst fate.”
“Oh, I didn't mean—! Of course I’ll go with you.”
Legato paused, counting out the pairs in his head. He was still getting used to their group being ten in number, but if he was correct then—
“Guess that leaves you and me, huh?”
He turned, smiling at Sky, “Sounds like it! Which direction do you want to go?”
A shrug, “Every way looks about the same to me. Do you have any ideas?”
“Well…” He considered it. They didn’t have a map. But while going off-trail would normally make him nervous, Sky could always call on Fi to guide them back to the others. “Why don’t we go west? That way we don’t have to travel with the sun in our eyes.”
“That works.”
Walking with Sky was a much different experience for Legato than it was back when he was Legend. They simply weren’t as close. Where Sky and Legend would be snarky and poke fun at each other, now like this they were just painfully polite. Legato didn’t know how to approach him one-on-one without that old layer of attitude, and Sky was content to wait for someone else to be the one to start a conversation.
This resulted in a very, very quiet first hour of hiking through the woods.
Okay, just say something pleasant and normal, like—
“There sure are a lot of trees here.”
…well, it’s been a good run. Now he just needed to go and find a hole to bury himself in.
Thankfully, Sky was just about the sweetest man in history and genuinely responded, “I was just thinking that! No matter how much time I spend on the surface, I don’t think I’ll ever get used to just how much there is to see.”
Finally something he could work with. “What’s it like? Living in the sky, I mean.”
“It’s…different. Skyloft is the biggest Hylian settlement, but even it looks small in comparison to places like Hateno or Kakariko. I can’t even imagine what a busy place like the Castle Town everyone’s described would be like. And yet, as diverse as all the lands we’ve traveled can be…it’s somehow never as big as the open sky. With floating islands that come and go, and the swirling cloud layer beneath…I’ve yet to find anywhere that can compare.”
Legato hummed, “Hm…have you seen an ocean, yet? Because what you described to me sounds a lot like being out at sea.”
“Sort of? There’s the Lanayru Sand Sea, and I’ve seen small glimpses into what it looked like back when it was water. It seemed colorful.”
“Must’ve been shallow waters. The ocean gets dark, the deeper it is. And when you’re really far out, it can feel endless. Like you could sail forever and never once find shore. It’s just you, your boat, and blue.”
The feeling of getting crushed by infinity only got worse with a hastily assembled raft made from whatever wreckage he could scavenge from his own boat.
“...how do people navigate it? In Skyloft we learned to use the stars in case of an emergency, but the cloud layer blocks their light from reaching the surface.”
…had he not…? “Sky. I have to ask you a very important question. I know that we spend most of our time in the woods, but have you, by any chance, looked up recently?”
“What do you mean? Of course I—”
As if for the first time, Sky seemed to register something.
“We’re on the surface.”
“Yes.”
“And I can see the sky.”
“I would hope so.”
“It’s blue.”
“Most of the time, yeah.”
“...you know, I knew that the cloud barrier was starting to dissipate in my era, but I hadn’t thought…give me a minute.”
That was probably fair.
Legato stood by as Sky braced himself against a nearby tree and lowered himself to the ground. He was still sitting down there when Warriors and Hyrule emerged from a thick patch of vegetation.
“Hey, is everything alright over here?”
“Yeah. Sky’s just processing a…revelation.”
“Ah,” Hyrule nodded sagely, “Another victim of Legato destroying their worldview.”
“ Excuuuuuuse me! We were just talking about astronavigation, when—”
“It’s fine, I’m alright,” Sky reassured them, “Have you guys managed to find anything yet?”
The two suddenly frowned, looking troubled.
“We’ve been running into monsters,” Warriors explained, “A few here and there, but…”
“They seem scattered,” Hyrule finished.
Sky put a hand to his chin, “That's strange. Any sign of that black lizalfos?”
“None. We’re thinking that there must be a central horde that these smaller groups are breaking off from. Hopefully we’re able to find the source and deal with it before they’re able to spread further out.”
Hyrule shook his head with a smile, “I still don’t know how you’re able to figure that out from a few brief encounters.”
“It’s all in the way they move—they’re just as unfamiliar with the land as we are. I wouldn’t be surprised if they’re also coming through the portals.”
That was honestly a solid guess considering the information they were working with. Gotta hand it to the captain. Where most of them were used to short conflicts, Warriors knew how to approach longer, more drawn out battles.
It was a shame that his skill didn’t extend to dungeon puzzles.
A gasp from Sky drew their attention. Legato turned, a question forming on his lips when he stopped in his tracks.
There, just on the edge of the path, stood a small owl statue with a light glowing from within its chest.
“What in the world could that be?”
Heedless of his internal screaming, Hyrule crept forward to examine the odd statue.
“Careful, now—”
Hyrule yelped as it suddenly rocketed past them, “After it!”
Warriors and Sky shared a wide-eyed look over his head before following after the traveler. Legato stumbled a few steps behind, mind racing at the implications of seeing the statue here.
For one, it meant that he now knew where they were. Looking around as he ran, he could start to recognize the ruins of the first temple they had gone through together. Additionally, if Twilight was indeed the one puppeting it with his totally magic item, then that meant that today was the day Legend figured out the secret behind Wolfie.
Sky began to slow down. He never was good at running for extended periods of time.
Which presented Legato with a choice.
He should probably go ahead. If he remembered right, Hyrule and Warriors were going to wander right into a monster camp. And Legend would prefer being seen by as few people as possible. But all the same…
…Legato personally knew how much this whole situation sucked. If he could make it even the slightest bit better, then it was worth the headache. If nothing else, he could at least keep Sky from getting burned. He owed him that much.
He stopped, waiting beside Sky as he doubled over.
“You can…go on ahead…” he wheezed.
“And face the old man’s wrath when he learns I abandoned you? No way.”
Before he could reply, they heard a rustle in the bushes nearby. Sky’s hand flew towards the hilt of the Master Sword, but Legato caught his arm before he could draw it.
“Wait!”
Sky shot him a startled glance before they both focused on what had emerged.
…oh.
Past-him was so small.
On some level, Legato had known what his Dark World form looked like. He knew how the ground became closer and the way that everything grew to be so terrifyingly big. He’d cursed himself for having such a pathetic form. A warrior whose heart was that of a meek rabbit. And a pink one, at that.
It was something he’d always hated about himself.
But looking down as his younger self, Legato couldn’t find any of that resentment within him. He was small and, though he was reluctant to admit it, kind of adorable. The only thing that didn’t look right was how scared he looked. The poor guy was shaking, no doubt worried about being on the wrong side of both their weapons and their judgment.
A little part of him—one that was once a boy who didn’t know his hair was naturally blonde—wanted nothing more than to scoop him up into his arms and promise that, despite everything, it would all be okay.
Of course, that would only make things worse. So he did the next best thing.
“Don’t attack! That’s a rabbit, not a monster.”
Sky stopped. If there was anything that would get his attention, it would be information about a new surface creature.
“A…rabbit?”
“Yes!” Legato promptly dropped to his knees, offering the kindest smile he could muster towards Legend. “They’re not common at all, an important part of legend—to see one is supposed to be good luck.”
Sky knelt down beside him. They both watched as Legend relaxed, risking a hop towards them.
“Can you tell me more? I’ve never heard of them before.”
“Well…” He thought for a bit, of stories he’d heard before he started dismissing anything to do with the damned creatures.
“Rabbits are fast. Some of the quickest creatures you’ll find. They have to be, living in a world that wants to do them harm. But instead of becoming just as vicious, they stay soft, relying on their speed and wit to trick their enemies. Oh, remember the postman?”
Sky frowned, then nodded.
“On his flag was an image of a rabbit. They’re said to be messengers—the only beings both fast and brave enough to travel wherever their duty takes them.”
He met Legend’s eyes. The hero’s ears were perked up, listening closely as Legato spoke the words he so desperately needed to hear back when he was lost and defenseless, surrounded by the mocking laughter of enemies as they tried to trample him underfoot.
“They’re kind souls. It’s a great honor for them to trust you with their presence and lower their guard.”
Your heart is not a weakness.
“Oh,” Sky breathed in awe.
Legend seemed to be momentarily stunned. Which of course was the moment that Twilight crashed through the undergrowth with all the subtlety of a drunk hinox. Sky was on his feet in an instant, drawing his sword and promptly getting burned for his efforts.
“Woah, it’s me!” Twilight threw up his hands in surrender.
Sky clutched at his smoking glove, “Believe it or not, I noticed.”
Welp, so much for keeping Sky from getting burnt.
“Oh, good to see you, Rancher! Stay with him, will ya? I’m gonna go catch up with the others, bye!”
“W—”
Legato took off, ready to get out of there before the conversation got awkward. Besides, he could see fire over the horizon.
He drew Caladbolg and charged, arriving just in time to catch a giant moblin’s spear on his blade. His momentum gave him just enough force to snap it.
“Need help?” He called out.
Warriors laughed from behind him, “Thanks for the save—this is the last one left.”
“Well, let’s get to it!” He dodged out of the way of a desperate swipe, “Got a plan of attack?”
“I can finish it if you get me an opening!” Hyrule shouted from somewhere to his right.
“Can do!”
Legato danced away from another blow, baiting the moblin to turn and face him. Sure enough, fire illuminated it from the inside as Hyrule stabbed it in the back. Legato quickly got out of the way as the monster fell forward and slammed into the ground.
“Phew…you guys alright?” He turned towards the others.
“Eh, nothing a potion can’t help. You almost missed it, there were so many of them! I think that’s definitely the last of the stragglers from earlier.” Hyrule gestured towards the flames surrounding them.
“Better fashionably late than not at all—I didn’t want to leave Sky behind. He’s with Twilight, now, so I ran ahead to catch up.”
Warriors sighed, “That explains it. I appreciate the backup, anyway. I was certain I was about to take that spear to the side.”
“No problem, glad I could help. Speaking of…” He reached into his bag and pulled out an ice rod, “Let’s see if we can put out these fires before we burn down the whole forest.”
“Oh thank Hylia. I was dreading having to kick dirt and wait for everything to burn out.”
“Huh,” Hyrule paused halfway through dusting ashes off his blade, “I didn’t even think about that.”
The captain shrugged, “I was debating if I even had enough energy to deal with it. It doesn’t look like any of it will reach the trees.”
“Still, I’d rather be safe than sorry,” Legato cast, guiding ice to form all around him and extinguish the flames.
Huh. Now that the fire was gone, he could really see how dark it had gotten.
Warriors seemed to notice the same thing, “We should regroup with the rest of the team. Anyone see campfire smoke?”
“I do! Over there!” Hyrule pointed over towards the base of the mountain.
Ugh. They were gonna have to hike all the way up there?
“Well, here’s hoping that’s our group of heroes and not another monster camp.”
“Aw, it’s okay, you can sit back while we handle round two if you’re too tired to keep up.”
They laughed as they started their long trek to camp.
It was well after sunset by the time they arrived, with Hyrule using a magic candle to illuminate their path for the last leg of it.
Finally, though, they were able to hear Sky’s voice floating through the trees, “...were finding some all day.”
“We took care of it!” Warriors declared with a grin as they entered the campsite.
They seemed to be the last to arrive, with everyone greeting them from their seats by the fire. Legato waved, paying little mind to the conversation as he looked over everyone. Wild was crouched over a pot as he finished up whatever they were having for dinner, and Sky was folding up his sailcloth. But the person that Legato was watching for was—
Legend glared as Warriors laughed at him. Or rather, at his bright pink hair.
“What?!” Hyrule leaned forward to get a better look, “Your hair, it’s—!”
Legato darted forward with a bright grin, cutting them off before they could double down on their teasing, “It matches mine!”
The laughter choked to a halt.
Legend looked at him with a shocked expression. His own smile only widened as he heard Warriors cough awkwardly on his left.
That’s right, Captain. Are you gonna make fun of him for the same thing I was upset about when you comforted me in Hateno?
“Hey, so do your shorts! And your hats!…sort of? They both have that band-thing,” Wind made a face as he tried to find a word for it.
“Oh, that’s a halo,” Hyrule supplied, “It’s superstition. People from my era believe that having a different color fabric sewn around the edges of your clothes will ward off evil.”
Legend rolled his eyes, recovering with the change in topic. “It just forces people to properly hem their clothes instead of leaving a raw edge that’ll fray over time. People would use scrap fabric, so that’s where the different color comes from.”
“Interesting…there’s a similar belief in my era. Only instead of scrap, it’s gold thread.”
Disbelieving looks were sent Warriors’ way. Sure enough, the yellow parts of his outfit had a metallic sheen in the light of the fire.
“...okay, I know gold itself is pretty cheap, but what.”
“Isn't that hard to move in? Without magic, I mean,” Twilight asked, “I once had to help a man whose body was encased in the stuff. It didn't look pleasant at all.”
Four raised an eyebrow, “What are you talking about? Gold is the most malleable metal out there.”
“That can't be true. I’ve used lots of gold weapons and they were plenty strong. Maybe you're thinking of something else?” Wild suggested.
The smith’s eye twitched. “Bold words from the guy who lost his last sword.”
“Is that true?” Time asked, suddenly concerned.
“I, um!...yeah. I kinda…broke it. But I still have my bows and shields!”
The old man turned to Four, “How is progress on your forge setup? Would you be able to make him a new one?”
“Not in the time we're working with. He'd have better luck scavenging for monster weapons if he wanted to have something combat ready.”
Legato frowned. Four wasn't exactly wrong, but it was strange that he didn't at least offer to start working on one.
“That works, I can go looking for one—”
“Not alone. We’ll all move out tomorrow. And you’re on range until you find something you can wield. Safely.”
Wild grumbled, but relented.
Legato stared into the fire as the cook started preparing dishes to serve everyone. He couldn't bring himself to join the conversation as worry began to gnaw at his heart.
If tomorrow played out the way he remembered it…
No.
He wouldn't let Twilight get struck down again. Not if it was within his power to challenge that fate. Legato sat up straighter as he felt his resolution sink into his very core.
He could only hope that his efforts would be enough.