(Bruh has Ganondorf never ridden a horse? The amount that you move in the saddle would definitely jostle Link around and aggravate that…)
Link shook his head. "I think that'd probably just make it worse. It'll be fine, just get Zelda to wherever Fi's taking us before…" He trailed off and looked over at his friend, worried. She wasn't getting any better just sitting around. At this rate, they might run out of time…
"There is a 74% chance that you will not be able to keep up if you are not being helped, but our chance of making it to our destination in time would go up by 20%," Fi commented.
"Then we gotta do it! Getting her there is more important right now," Link pressed.
(Yo Fraust we should be coming to the DestinationTM pretty soon, I think once this is decided we'll just do a "the group traveled on" type thing and I'll set the scene, you should be able to come back pretty soon after that. I feel bad about it but also I want things to look somewhat ✨natural✨ so kslvagk. If you're not able to come back in soon find me and shoot me I'm sorry)
(I can come in whenever! I've been watching from the sidelines lol dw about it)
(true, but so will walking. The logic I though was: horses will also get them to the car faster, which would allow for them to get to help sooner. So even if it might cause more pain it would also get them help sooner)
"I…" Ganondorf trailed off. "If you don't make it, Zelda's gonna kill us both." Still, Ganondorf set Link down carefully. He shifted Zelda so he was cradling her close to his chest. He was much faster now, turning back to Fi to follow after her. Ghirahim didn't bother offering to help Link, giving a coy smile before following after Ganondorf.
Link furrowed his brows at the look that Ghirahim gave him, but didn't say anything. The group traveled on, the music of the woods still clearly audible. It may have just been all that went on, but the tune sounded less cheery and more urgent in Link's ears now.
Eventually, they came to a large clearing. Wildflowers and mushrooms seemed plentiful, and there were even more fairies here than there were at the ruins. In the center of the clearing, a large green bud towered over the group. Fi stopped in front of it and turned to face the others. "The Great Fairy of this spring should be able to help Zelda recover. However, she will need an offering of rupees."
"I've got some on me," Link said and dug his wallet out. He pulled out about all that he had inside it and wondered for a second where the Great Fairy that Fi was talking about was. All he saw around here were regular fairies, still incredible but probably not what they needed. "Unless this Great Fairy accepts debit, all I've got is thirty-five. Is that enough?"
"Great Fairies are unable to accept anything other than physical payment. That is not enough–you will need at least one hundred rupees."
Link looked to Ganondorf, clearly panicking a fair bit about that. "Uh… you wouldn't happen to have an extra however many more rupees we need, would you?
(Yeah I k n o w it's inconsistent but also we don't know for sure that there isn't a Great Fairy fountain in the Lost Woods)
Ganondorf looked around as they came to the clearing. Why weren't they going to a hospital? That was the most reasonable place to take someone after they've been injured. He didn't quite like what was going one.
"Ah… I think I have enough." Ganondorf carefully moved Zelda to one arm, pulling out his wallet.
"Ahh… Yeah! I've got enough!" Ganondorf liked to impulse buy things for his lovers, so it made sense he'd have cash. One never knew with thrift stores of street side venues. Why the hell did a 'Great Fairy' need money like this? Still, he offered the rupees to Link. Anything to get Zelda better.
Link took the rupees and looked at Fi. "So, now what…?" he asked.
"Offer the rupees to the Great Fairy," Fi said simply. Link looked at the bud.
"…In there? Or one of the smaller ones?" He had never dealt with something like this before.
"Yes, in there. Hurry, we do not have much time."
Link walked up to the bud. "Uh, Great Fairy? We have rupees for you, our friend needs help. Badly."
"…Hm? Oh!" A giant hand with golden painted fingernails poked out from inside of the bud. "It's been quite a while since I've received an offering! Hand them to me, and I'll be right out." Link deposited the rupees into the hand, which withdrew into the bud. The thing then burst open right in front of him, causing Link to stumble backwards and almost fall on his ass. The flower turned out to be yellow and white on the inside, with a pool. Inside the pool was a giant woman, olive-skinned with extravagant blonde hair. "Oh dear, did I startle you? I suppose I should have warned you before I… Oh! Link, it's been lifetimes! And I see you three have finally set aside that silly grudge, hm? But what happened to poor Zelda?"
"I don't–" Link stopped before he finished. He wanted to say, 'I've never met you in my life' but… Not the priority, he told himself. "She got hit with something, and it's… not good. Is there anything you can do?" he asked instead.
"Of course! Bring her over and I'll see what needs to be done."
(Oh yeah in case it wasn't obvious, I'm going off of the Great Fairies in botw. I was kinda vague bc g r e a t f a i r y c l o t h e s but if you want to comment on that then go ahead)
(confirmed- hundreds of years of war and bloodshed is just a silly little grudge XD)
Ganondorf was more than startled by the giant woman before them. That did not look like a fairy, not like any he had seen. Dear goddesses she was giant!! And well endowed, too… No. Ganondorf internally smacked himself. Now is not the time for things like that.
The Gerudo carefully made his way over when he was told to, holding Zelda out to the fairy. He was genuinly concerned for her, and he just wanted her to get better.
(All I got to say on them is they all look like drag queens and I am here for it–)
(lmao yeah she's a little clueless)
"Hmm… this is no good at all…" The fairy examined Zelda with a frown, hovering a slightly glowing hand a few inches above the Princess's body. "It seems like there's some kind of spell sapping her energy. Yes, I should be able to reverse it." Her hand started to glow more brightly, and a soft glow enveloped Zelda as well. She started to look better, but the process would probably take a few moments.
Zelda stirred and awoke a minute later with a sharp gasp, beginning to breathe heavily once she was conscious. Her chest felt painfully heavy, but the fairy's magic was making it lighter and easier to breathe. She curled up on the grass when the process was finished, trembling a bit as she tried to figure out what had happened to her.
"Zelda!" Link rushed to get to his friend's side. "Thank the goddess you're okay!" He wanted to hug her so badly, but she was shaking so much… maybe it wasn't the best idea right now.
Ganondorf had watched with worry as the fairy worked on Zelda, but when she woke up he let out a sigh of relief. He knelt down next to her, close but giving her space to breath.
"Zelda," he said softly. "How are you doing..?"
"I-I'm fine, I think…" She replied weakly, closing her eyes so she could take a quick breather. "What happened…?" She asked. "How… how long have I been out? Has it been a while? Like… days? Or just a few hours or something?"
"That weirdo–Yuga–he shot something at you, then you passed out. I–" I'm sorry I put us into that situation. I'm sorry I couldn't protect you. Link looked at the ground. "I don't know exactly how long you were out, but it wasn't days."
"You were unconscious for approximately forty-five minutes," Fi said, monotone as ever. "Your energy was drained and you were deteriorating rapidly. Had we gotten here much later, the outcome would have been most unfavorable."
(Sorry for sparse responses btw, I'm doing my best but school's really picking up ;-;)
"So I… I could've died…?" Zelda asked weakly, shifting around a bit on the head to surely to get more comfortable. She was still completely exhausted, but she was at least stable, and her energy was no longer dangerously draining out of her.
Ganondorf had been silent, but he spoke up now.
"Maybe. But it can't happen now." He glanced up at Ghiraham and Fi, not entirely sure the two wouldn't try anything. Especially Ghiraham.
Link hesitated, then nodded. "I'm sorry," he said quietly. "I didn't think–again–and it got everyone hurt." He realized that there was something wet on his face and oh shit, those were tears. "I couldn't protect you when he attacked. If he hadn't left when he did…" Link wiped his face with his sleeve.
"Hey… don't beat yourself up about it too much, Link. I wanted to come too. Let's just not go running into potentially dangerous ruins again, yeah?" Zelda pushed herself up into a sitting position and winced. "Hylia, my hair's a mess…"
Ganondorf looked between the two, letting out a soft breath.
"You were protecting us, Link. This was a new encounter, for all of us, there was no way you would have known what was coming." The Gerudo reached over, putting a hand on Link's shoulder.
"But I must agree, let's not do something like this again." He offered a small smile to the man.
Link closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and nodded. "Y-yeah…" he said. "Yeah. Definitely not. Sorry." He fiddled with the bottom of his jacket, still not looking up. It was clear that he was still displeased with himself, but the tears weren't coming anymore.
Zelda nodded a bit, staying on the ground for the time being. Although she was now stable, she was still very weak and drained, which made getting up and walking considerably more difficult. "S-So, um… what's the plan now?"
Ganondorf left his hand on Link's shoulder a moment, then pulled it away.
"I don't know. I have no idea what's going on. Why we were drawn here, why that man attacked us, why these two-" Ganondorf motioned to Ghiraham and Fi- "Are following us around and have referred to Link and myself as master separately and aparently we're supposed to hate each other? It's weird…" Ganondorf shook his head some.
When Ganondorf took his hand away, Link realized that he immediately missed the contact. Weird… he thought. Yeah, he was a pretty physical person, but they'd just met!
"Yeah, that's…why do you guys think we're trying to fight each other?" Link asked, turning to face the duo.
"When your predecessor struck him down millenia ago to ensure peace for the land, Demise laid a curse on those with the spirit of the hero–yourself–and those with the blood of the Goddess Hylia–Princess Zelda. An incarnation of his hate would plague Hyrule for all time: Ganon, typically taking the form of the sole male and king of the Gerudo. As such, the three of you are destined to fight for eternity." Fi looked Ganondorf dead in the eye and said, blunt as ever, "I am quite surprised you have not attempted to destroy the kingdom yet."
Link furrowed his brows a little. There was no way that was true, right? Ganondorf hadn't been anything but help them! He shook his head. "There's no way that's true, right? I mean he's been really–waITAMINIUTE YOU'RE ROYALTY TOO??" he exclaimed, getting completely sidetracked.
(Blunt Fi and "derail the conversation" Link lmao)
