Chapter Text
It wasn't the worst place they could've been dropped, but it certainly wasn't the best.
A stable was nearby, but all Rift could could see was the great chasm she knew lay past the tree-line. Her breath caught in her throat, and sent her staggering backwards, right into Twilight.
"Whoa there, ya good Rift?" He questioned as he stabilized her.
"M'fine unc-uh-fuck. Yeah, I'm good Twilight. This is my world. We're on the southernmost section of Hyrule Field. Depending on how smoothly travelling goes, we'll probably reach the castle in a couple hours." Her face was set in a frown, and she was visibly tense.
"Well that's good at least, we'll be able to ask your Zelda about monster activity." Time piped in, glancing to Rift to see what she thought.
He didn't expect her to violently flinch at the mention of Zelda, and also didn't expect the flash of barely masked horror on her face. To her credit, she snapped out of it nearly instantaneously, turning to the chain with a carefully guarded expression,
"Yeah. But before that. Do not. Under any circumstances. Attempt to descend into The Rift. I will be trying my damdest to avoid that place, and so help me Hylia if one of y'all gets lost in that demise-forsaken oversized crack I will flip the fucking script on your ass." Rift warned, practically growling at the shocked faces of her brothers.
"How will we know where it even is, much less if it is this Rift your talking about" Warriors shot back, getting defensive in response to her tone.
Rift audibly sighed, taking a breath to try to calm down.
"Listen, I'm sorry, but you can't miss the damn thing, The Rift practically split my Hyrule in two. Its sheer size makes Death Mountain look like a fucking bump. That oversized crack is the bane of my damn existence, and the singular cause for my first adventure, and I'd rather not relive that fuck-fest a second time. I didn't mean to snap, but I fucking hate that damn thing, and we're gonna haveta be walking next to it for hours if we wanna get to the castle today. So I'm sorry if I'm not in the best mood. I'm not turning a couple hour trip into a four day trek just because of that stupid fucking thing."
"Just, for the sake of my sanity, don't try and explore it. I'd rather eat my shoes than traverse that place again."
"Fair enough. Your world, your rules, no need to get uppity about a system that we've been using everywhere else, pretty boy." Legend quipped, sending a pointed look to their captain, practically begging him to argue.
"Alright, enough, lets just get moving." Time cut in, effectively stopping the argument before it could even begin.
"Fine, lets go, follow me."
At this, she shrugged Twilights hands off her shoulders with more force than was probably necessary, but she couldn't find it in herself to care. Every worried comment sent her way was brushed off or ignored as she grabbed her gear and walked off, leaving the others to hurriedly follow.
When they broke through the tree-line they landed in, one of the first things the chain noticed was her namesake.
"Damn, she wasn't kidding." Warriors whispered in equal parts awe and trepidation.
"I mean, no shit, this is her world, but I get what you mean." Legend replied, his usual snark almost forgotten as he took in the sight before him.
A giant chasm on their left went before them as far as they could see. Lush green fields spanned either side, and a shockingly familiar tower stood tall before them and to the left of The Rift. They could barely make out the castle in the distance. However, it seems the warning stuck, at least for the first 30 seconds or so. For all of their strengths, it seemed controlling curiosity was not one of them, and unfortunately for Rift, they had to walk closer to it than she would've liked. And Wind, for all his childlike wonder and overflowing curiosity, apparently couldn't control the urge to run right up to the split and precariously lean over the edge of The Rift, wanting to take a closer look. The rest of their member watched as Rift went from tense to ramrod straight, horror plain as day on her features, eyes fierce yet cloudy, as they watched her relive The Opening without realizing, as she sprinted full tilt to Wind, snagging the back of his tunic, throwing him backwards, away from the edge.
"Whoa!" Wind echoed, seconds later being thrown to the ground by a snarling Rift,
"DON'T YOU DARE!" a growl escaping her throat as she whipped around to face him.
"NO ONE IS TO GO NEAR THE EDGE! I'M NOT LOSING MY FAMILY A SECOND TIME!" She glared at them, shaking in anger or terror, they couldn't really tell.
Sky stepped in front of Wind, arms raised and face gentle,
"Whoa now, easy, we're sorry, you know Wind didn't do that to intentionally upset you. We're all still here, okay, no one's going down there." Sky placated with their most recent addition, watching her face crumple, as she tried her hardest to control herself and her raging emotions.
Everyone was walking on eggshells around her. She'd only been thrown into this adventure a month ago, and none of them knew a whole lot about her or what she'd been through. She'd only told them what she did to keep them off her back with questions. She never went into details about any of her adventures, only saying she'd been on five, and her namesake came from the first one. Letting them know how much she loathed her title because of it.
"Sorry, I'm sorry, I've been nothing but bitchy since the portal. and never really gave y'all an actual reason for any of it huh?" She walked forward, kneeling in front of Wind, who hadn't moved from the ground.
She offered him a shaky, but genuine smile, "And you know what? If I didn't know what it was, and was seeing it for the first time, I think I'd be in awe too. It is pretty crazy lookin, huh?" She offered Wind a hand up, which he took with no more than a glance her way.
"Yeah! It's kind of wicked." Wind responded, smiling back, trying and succeeding in easing the tension considerably.
"It is that, my reaction was born from my experiences with it. You don't have those. And I don't mind if you look, I mean it's kinda hard not to, just try and stay away from the edge okay?"
"Aye!" Wind saluted, earning a laugh from all of them, "It's just, damn, I've never seen a crack that big before! It makes Wild's canyons look like child's play!"
"You're right about that Wind, I knew you were serious when you said it was big Rift, but this is on a whole other level!" Hyrule remarked, whistling at the sight.
"I guess y'all aren't wrong huh? It does seem ta hold a bit of mystery, doesn't it."
Wild though got quite offended at Winds remark, an overly dramatic scandalized face was made,
"Wind!" he brings his hand over his heart in mock surprise, "you've wounded me so! I'll have you know my canyons are superb, thank you!" He finished with a loud harrumph, while nerves seemed to take hold of Rift once more.
"I mean," Rift glanced to the ground, knowing their attention was on her once again, "Technically speaking... This is one of your canyons. Just a few decades in your worlds future."
"No way... The hell. Wait. That's Central Hyrule Tower, Isn't it." He asks, pointing to the tower in the distance.
"Yeah, it is. I'm your direct successor, Wild. I never knew how to tell you, I'm sorry."
"You. You're my. No way. You're serious. How far apart are we? I knew this wasn't coincidence, I knew this place was too familiar!" Rifts smile grew,
"Instead of telling you, let me show you what I mean."
Reaching into her pack, she pulls out her travel beacon, shocking Wild even more.
"A travel medallion?"
"Nope, you'll see!" She pushes a button on the bottom, and tosses it on the ground in front of them.
"I'll want them with me when we talk to The Queen, you just gave me the perfect opportunity." She's practically vibrating with excitement, smiling broadly at the beacon in front of them.
"Want who?" Legend questions, eying the beacon warily.
"You'll see!" She's laughing now, "Don't worry, Mr. Caution. they're friends, brothers even." giving Twilight and Wild a wink.
They weren't waiting for long, as two blobs of blue light coalesced into the shape of a man and a wolf. When the light dissipated, nine of their ten were stunned silent, though their tenth burst forward, launching herself at the man, sending them both crashing to the grown in a tangle of limbs.
"Papaw! Uncle Twili!" Laughing fills the air as the wolf lunges overtop the two prone figures, licking and pawing at Rift, tail whipping, and the girl beneath playfully pushing at the huge over-excited wolf.
"Uncle Twili! I've missed you too! But you're too damn heavy, get off me you overgrown puppy!"
Time snapped out of his shock first, eye going soft as he walks to the three.
"So Rift, who exactly do you have here," his eye shines with playful mischief as he smiles at the sight.
"Well boys, meet my grandpa and my uncle! Y'all know Papaw as Wild, and Uncle Twili." Her face lights up with mischief, looking to the wolf with dubious glee.
"Well I'll let Twili introduce himself."
The wolf threw a scandalized look her way, turned his head to the younger Twilight, threw him a look, shook his head, and walked over to Rift, who had gotten up and helped her Papaw up, and smacked her in the shoulder with his head. Another laughing fit erupted from Rift,
"It's about time! most of em already know," giving him a gesture that vaguely resembled 'get it over with,' and get it over with he did.
Standing in front of his niece, he let the black squares engulf his form, and standing where the wolf was was now an older, greyer, and more grizzled looking Twilight, who promptly turned to Rift and flipped her off.
"I hope you know I was plannen on tellin em on that adventure eventually, right?" A voice rich like honey but deep, as rough as sandpaper, spoke to her, the thick Ordonian accent giving his identity away if his looks hadn't done it already.
"Yeah I call horse-shit on that one Uncle Twili. You can't lie for shit and you damn well know it. Farore only knows how you kept yer little secret in tact with how obvious it was."
"Rift. How's this possible? What in Ordona's name even is this?" Young Twilight stammers, his eyes locked on his older counterpart, left hand grasping the shadow crystal white-knuckled.
Rift looks at him sympathetically.
"Sorry. It wasn't right to force it like that, Hylia knows with all the secrets I've got I should've known better."
"Now now, don't be like that. No harm done in my eyes. Son, look around you, no one's scared, you know that." The older Twilight walks over, kneeling in front of his younger self.
"You do realize I know what's runnin through that brain a yours, yeah. So let it go son. It's better that it happened now, cause now you don't gotta hide who you are. Embrace it, young wolf, you don't see it now, but this is a blessin in disguise I tell ya."
"Yeah, okay. You would be the one ta know huh, you've been through this song and dance." He smiled at his elder, then looked to Rift
"I agree, no harm done, only reason I didn't spill earlier was because of old reactions. And ya know what, screw it, at least there's another good story to add to the ever growing lists of weird shit to laugh about around a campfire."
"Oh I have plenty of embarrassing stories of Leina when she was a squirt, that'll more than even the odds I'm sure" Papaw's retort pulled a longsuffering groan from his granddaughter,
"No please Hylia no."
"Yes Hylia yes" Papaw's laugh brought a smile to all of their faces, a low, lilting thing that set everyone at ease.
"So are we ever going to get an explanation about all this?" Sky asked, confusion present and known.
"Well, care to explain, Papaw, Uncle Twili?"
"If we must," a sigh escaped his lips, "Y'all might wanna get comfortable, it make take a bit."
But before any of their member could comply with Papaw's statement, Four spoke up.
"Don't we need to get to the castle and see your Zelda though?"
The shift in mood was almost palpable, the reunited family switched from light and carefree to stormy and slightly murderous in an instant. Rift began shuffling in place, gripping and scratching at the armor on her forearms in a panic.
"Leina," Papaw starts, fury in his eyes but the utmost care in his voice, "Don't tell me yer takin em to the castle."
"I have to! You of all people know that!" Leina cried out, pleading to her Papaw and Uncle.
"Is that why ya summoned us, Kit?" Uncle Twili asked, cupping his nieces cheek with one hand, and holding her hands in place with the other.
"One of the reasons, yeah. I don't wanna go Uncle, I don't! But I have to! I don't wanna do it without y'all. So I figured that if I had to, I was bringing all the help and witnesses I could to the upcoming shitshow."
"I know ya gotta, I'm glad you did this then, I've been wantin to see with my own eyes this shit, and ta give her a piece a my damn mind."
"Uncle you know that'll just make it worse!"
"Make what worse Rift?" Warriors questioned. and there was the million rupee question alright.
"Now hold on, before any of you start questioning us, or Leina, about any of this, I'm gonna put this out here now so its loud and clear. If you've seen what she tries so hard to hide, you now know who caused it all, and if not, you'll be in for a reckoning, because that woman is not who you all know and love. And I'm not going any farther than that, because it's Leina's story to share not mine."
"Papaw, you know only one person knows, and he looks about ready for treason." Looking at the one who knows her secret fills her with awe and love. Knowing that someone other than her friends and family in her world love her enough to be angered by what she's been through.
The rest of the chain looks around, and their eyes land on Sky, sweet, kind, loving Sky, who currently looks about two seconds away from becoming a god-slayer twice over.
“Uh, Sky, you okay there bud?” Four tentatively asked, slowly inching away from his position next to the furious god-slayer.
“No.”
“Ooooooookay then, forget I asked. I’m just gonna not be next to you now, nope, don’t mind me.” Four sprints behind Time, squeaking a pitiful sounding “Shield me oh powerful elder.” And promptly gets smacked in the back of the head by said “elder.”
Rift busts out laughing at Fours squawk of protest,
“Well, if these are the idiots I’m taking to the castle, I think I’ll be okay,”
“Are you not going to at least let your husband know that you’re here?” Wild, promptly named squirt by his older counterpart, asked.
“He’ll be okay, besides, that’s where we’re headed after the shit hits the fan, and you two are coming with,” Rift points an accusatory finger over to her Papaw and Uncle, “He’d been bemoaning y’all’s absence before I left, so you’re not getting out of it on my watch.”
“Alright, alright, stop scoldin me dammit, where did ‘respect your elders’ go, huh? Sheesh Kit, yer as bad as Cub!”
With their moods lighter than before, save one of their member, they set to the castle, where only three truly knew what was about to go down, and a fourth ready with looks to kill if ‘The Queen’ even dared speak ill of his sister in his presence.