Chapter Text
General Armand said that they would be sad to see her go, but would prepare an appropriate parting gift. He asked Chat not to tell her so, suspecting she might not accept if she knew.
He was probably right. Chat wished he could tell her, though. It seemed he was wrong about how Ryuko had been conducting herself here, as she’d gained the affection and respect of her fellow Hateno Guards during her time with them.
He brought her back to the house, to introduce her to Link and Aryll.
Of course, they welcomed her with open arms, with Aryll being particularly excited that another girl was joining them even as Ryuko herself was very uncomfortable with the little girls’ assertion that they would have fantastic tea parties with absolutely no boys allowed, which genuinely seemed to bum out Viperion, pouting in the tree above.
Link offered a place for her at their table for dinner, but she declined. She had only come to introduce herself, and would return for her remaining shifts at the guard immediately. She had one tonight and one more tomorrow, and she’d join them after her final night shift.
At the very least, Link sent her back with some rice balls and a few stam potions, as her sleeping schedule had been meddled with somewhat by Chat’s appearance and tonight would no doubt be a slog.
She mounted her horse, and rode off.
Thus, they had the rest of the evening more or less free. Chat and Adrien spent it grooming the horses as Viperion sang them songs to provide background music.
“I never did get around to asking,” Chat said as Adrien reluctantly shampooed the green dye out of his horses’ mane. “What’s your horse's name?”
“Bing Bong,” Adrien answered.
“Bing Bong?!” Chat asked, snorting with laughter. “Why would you curse a poor horse with a name like Bing Bong?”
“Forgive me, I was 7 when I got her as a filly, I was not exactly an expert at naming horses!” Adrien scoffed with a roll of his eyes. “When she was tiny, she’d sway her head and it looked like a ringing bell to me, so I called her Bing Bong!”
“Bing Bong,” Chat whispered under his breath, still half laughing at the name as he combed out Noir’s mane.
“Grow up,” Adrien scoffed. “What, is ‘Bing Bong’ hilarious in your language, like ‘The British are coming’?”
Chat sputtered at the memory, putting his forehead to the damp, freshly cleaned chest of his horse.
“What strange humour,” Adrien said with a shake of his head.
“He used to be worse, believe it or not,” Viperion said from where he sat against the apple tree. “He’d pun with every other breath back home. Why’d you stop, Chat?”
“Kinda hard to pun in Hylian when I’m still learning the language,” Chat said simply. “I’m aiming to get good enough to pun again before we hit Zora’s Domain! Ladybug needs to see I’m a man of the world now.”
“Show you could be a man of this world?” Viperion asked, this time in French.
Chat sighed softly. Caught. “Maybe that too.” He said in Hylian, reaching up to brush a hand over Noir’s face, the horse nudging him slightly for scratches.
“Big Brother, Big Brother, Vipey!” Aryll came running out the door, still decked out in her piggy tails that Chat had done on her earlier that day. “Daddy says dinners’ ready! It smells really tasty today!”
“It usually is,” Hummed Chat, shaking his hands from the wetness of washing Noir, wiping his wet hands on his tunic before picking up Aryll and putting her on his shoulder. “Let’s see what he cooked up!”
-
After a delicious dinner of cheese covered meat on rice and a ridiculously delicious tomato soup, they gathered up for a trip to the bath house before tomorrow’s fancy event at the Hateno Hall.
“Hawkmoth, we’re off to take a bath, feed your kwami!” Chat called into the cart where the man had been sleeping. “Link left a meat bowl on the table for you!”
There was no reply. Likely, Hawkmoth would not be willingly eating anything made by Link for a while.
“I really should've taken his Miraculous while he was high off his gourd,” Sighed Chat as they walked on.
“Why didn’t you?” Asked Viperion.
“A lot was going on, slipped my mind,” He said with immense regret.
-
They returned a while later, squeaky clean and with a bowl of meat n cheese still on the table, untouched by Hawkmoth.
Link just sighed, sending the kids up to bed as he picked it up, going to ferry it directly to Hawkmoth himself, and perhaps even apologise for drugging him.
“I’m not looking forward to tomorrow,” Adrien said, laid out on the bedroll next to Chat.
“Are any of us?” Viperion asked.
“Hilly’s excited,” Aryll insisted.
“Maybe Hilly can dance with Chloe all night,” Chat suggested mildly.
“Hilly might be the only one who could stand listening to her all night,” Adrien sighed.
With a collective, ever so slight reluctance, everyone turned in for the night…
-
Link was angry that morning.
At what, the kids couldn’t say as they all quietly sat down for breakfast, which Link gladly supplied in silence, placing omelettes down in front of all of them.
“Dad, what happened?” Adrien asked.
The man huffed, putting a hand on the counter, hunching slightly as he raised a hand and started signing over his shoulder, back to the kids so only Adrien could see his hand as he spoke.
Adrien took a sharp, wincing breath through his teeth. “Ouch…Is he alive?”
Link continued to sign.
“...What happened?” Chat asked, immensely confused. His limited Hylian Sign only told him that there’d been a fight.
“Dad punched Hawkmoth and dragged him out of the cart last night while we were sleeping,” Adrien said. “They got into an argument about parenting and Hawkmoth said he was raising no good hoodlums, and Dad took that personally.”
“The man gains a new language in hours and that’s how he uses it,” Snorted Chat. “Where is he?”
“Dad threw him out to fend for himself until he starts acting right,” Adrien said. “Told him to meet at the gate tomorrow night if he wants to continue travelling with us.”
“I can’t believe Hawkmoth got spanked,” Chat chuckled.
“It really puts into perspective the fact he’s been fighting teenagers, and probably wouldn’t win if we’d been adults too,” Viperion mused.
“It’s only a matter of time till we catch up with him,” Chat sighed.
They ate their breakfast in silence then on, and went down to New Hateno for final preparations.
-
“Lailai isn’t here at the moment,” one of the assistant seamstresses said in apology. “She left a note, saying she had some family emergency to deal with, so it’ll just be us assisting you for today, but rest assured you are in good hands!”
“That’s unfortunate, but thank you regardless. I know you’ve been trained by the best,” Adrien said, nodding as they piled into the store to get ready.
The corsets with the stiff rods against their spines were in use again as they tried on their suits for the evenings’ activities for final preparations.
Their choices for the Zora and Citadel balls were approved by Link, and they were shown to the back room, where the Hylian Royal Family jewels had been delivered- the Prince Consort Circlet, the Princesses tiara and the Princes’ Crown.
Chat wore his long waisted vest in green with golden accents. Adrien in a shorter vest with a matching green overcoat but matching hues. Viperion had found himself in a baggier off white shirt (a puffy pirate shirt, he called it) with leather laced bracers, and a laced doublet with black silk and cyan velvet designs along the front, and a half cloak over one shoulder with a silver chain to keep it closed.
Aryll was in an adorable poofy dress, with shades of pink and a white cloak and cowl that she was doing spins in all around the shop floor, with Hilly in a matching dress, while Link was dressed in a formal light blue suit, coat and jacket with a red and gold sash across his chest, and a circlet across his forehead.
Chat managed to replace the wooden rod against his back with his staff, just to keep it close.
Once finished, The royal family piled into an open carriage, driven by Nathalie, and Link and Viperion got onto horses (Viperion borrowing Bing Bong for the event).
“I’m going to be very angry if I die because I’m riding a horse into a party I did not want to attend,” Viperion said, gripping nervously to the horses’ reigns as the well tempered horse trotted on.
“You can relax, Adrien has slept on Bing Bong before,” Chat said as they rode into town, with the people of Hateno lining the streets to call out well wishes to the prince as he smiled and waved.
The didn’t at all seem to ease Viperion’s anxiety as they arrived at the long, looping driveway that led to the front of the Hateno Dance Hall, which was now decked out in bushels of flowers and banners and streamers, with Andre and Chloe front and centre at the carpet.
Chloe was dressed in a marigold yellow dress, and covered in gold and glittering jewels, and a big white fur pashmina.
To Chat, she looked like a glittering golden window curtain.
The carriage drew to a stop, and the royal family exited as throngs of Hateno citizens all called out, held back by fences and guards as they arrived. Chat and Viperion dismounted, a few steps behind as Andre and Link exchanged polite pleasantries.
Chat could only wince in sympathy as Chloe was immediately all over Adrien, holding onto his arm in a death grip, giggling and cooing about how handsome Adrien was in his suit, asking if he’d known her favorite colour was green and if he’d dressed explicitly for her.
They walked into the hall, escorted by the father/daughter duo into the hall.
Once they were out of the public line of sight, Viperion reached into his vest pocket, pulling out a purple cookie and snapping it in two, offering half to Chat, who slyly took it and ate it before anyone had noticed.
It would be a loooong night.
-
The party was attended by many of Hateno’s business elite, import giants and fashion magnates. Chat had to admit, if this world was a one-to-one paralel like he’d been seeing, he was a bit surprised that the Hylian Gabriel was not here…but then again, he was a part of the Yiga Cult that had abandoned Adrien. His path had probably taken a far worse turn.
Dinner was held, and it felt like such a show. Link insisted on Adrien staying to his right side, with Andre to his left. Which meant to keep the table even, Chloe had to be on her fathers’ left, sparring Adrien from having to interact with his daughter all dinner long.
Viperion and Chat were seated a bit far from the main table upfront on the stage, where they were soon approached by a familiar face.
“Hey, mind if I sit here?” Sabri asked as she approached. Unlike their little bonfire party, she was fully decked in a midi-length gown and elbow scarf.
“By all means,” Chat said, gesturing to the empty chair at their table. “I take it you know Chloe?”
“My father is head of the personal guardianship her father hires,” She sighed, fingers threading together under her chin. “Apparently, that makes me her ‘employee’.”
Viperion snorted. “I am so sorry.” He chuckled in sympathy. “How do you deal with her?”
“Honestly, I just ignore her.” She said with a shrug. Someone passing caught her attention, and she raised a hand. “Nathie, over here!”
“Sabri!” The guy, a bright red Rito (a cardinal?), called back, hurrying over and taking up a seat, setting his leather bag on the back of the chair before he sat. “Man, fancy party, huh? I feel so underdressed.”
“You look fine, Nathie,” Sabri assured him, smiling. “Vipes, Chat, this is Nathie. He’s a rising artist, famous all over Hyrule!”
“Oh, you flatter me.” Nathie chuckled, somehow visibly blushing beneath those scarlet feathers. “It’s nice to meet you two!”
“It’s an honor, Mr.Famous Artist,” Chat greeted. This had to be Nathaniel. “Just flew in?”
“I did, as a matter of fact,” Nathie chuckled. “I heard Luka was supposed to be here too, but I guess he couldn’t make it.”
“Luka?” Viperion asked. “The Luka?”
Chat tilted his head towards the snake hero, did he know this worlds’ version of Luka…?
“Are you a fan too?” Nathie asked.
“Not at all,” Viperion chuckled. “I’m just bugging with you, I have no idea who they are. Who is he?”
“A famous Zora Singer,” Nathie said, chuckling himself and reaching into his bag to take out a sketchbook, flipping through it to show Chat and Viperion. There, he had sketched a pair of Zora, one with a dark cyan skin tone with an Orca patterned head and a deep violet one with a lion fish head, both with arm and leg fins similar to their respective marine animal. They were posed from behind, silhouetted as if under a spotlight, hands on their chests, belting out to a dark audience. “He and his sister Juleka are a travelling duo, it takes months to book them, they have residence in Hyrule Castle to perform on demand for the Queen, she calls on them at least once a week. I’ve heard them perform, they’re amazing.”
“You know, I heard that the Queen doesn’t actually keep him around for his voice,” Sabri said.
Chat raised an eyebrow. “Are you suggesting something, Sabri? The Queen’s husband is here, y’know.”
The redhead laughed, shaking her head. “Oh, Hylia, no! Nothing like that! I meant that I heard he’s her court soothsayer. Y’know, a prophet!”
“I’m sure he’s just a singer,” Said Nathie. “My Mother was the court artist when he arrived like, almost a decade ago, and he’s only been a singer as far as I could tell.”
“You were raised around Hyrule Castle?” Chat asked, curious. “Did you know the Prince, growing up?”
“We went to the same school!” Nathie chirped. “We didn’t really run in the same social circles or anything, but of course I was aware of him.”
“It would’ve been great if Luka and Juleka had come,” Sighed Sabri. “But I doubt Andre could’ve gotten them, I heard they’re due back in Zora’s Domain for the Princes’ birthday there.”
“We’re actually headed to the Domain ourselves,” Viperion said. “Heard the ride there is a slog and a half.”
“Oh, Hylia, is it ever,” Nathie said with a shake of his head. “I’m lucky enough to be able to fly over all that mess, it’s terribly long.”
“As people about to make that trek, that certainly isn’t encouraging,” Viperion noted dryly.
“It’s a fair warning,” Sabri laughed. “You’re going to need some soft saddles!”
“Or, as the Prince once told me, bigger butts!” Chat said, and the table burst into immature laughter.
-
Adrien sighed, wanting to slouch but entirely unable to with the corset and rod against his back, seeing Chat and Viperion having a riot with a Rito artist he remembered from school and Sabri in the distance during dinner.
He wondered what such a dinner would be like, if Chat Vi Hyrule were sitting beside him. But, who was beside him, his father and sister, were in silent solidarity with him.
For that, he was grateful.
-
Dinner was shorter than anticipated, as they all ate on Link’s schedule. Once he’d finished, plates were whisked away, and Link ate fast.
Once that was over and done with, the crowd gathered for a speech from the birthday boy himself.
Adrien stood, a hand on his chest as he spoke.
“I’d like to thank the people of Hateno, New and Old, for welcoming me so warmly. It cannot be overstated that while this village, nay, this wondrous city has much to offer, its greatest export is its people that make every day so full of life and charm and boundless kindness. The future of Hateno is bright and it’s past illuminating. May we continue to see its progress and honour the traditions of old, and never forget that what truly makes Hateno a gem within Hyrule as a whole is the people that built it. Thank you all.”
Adrien bowed deeply at the waist as the entire dining room burst into applause and cheers, some even wiping away tears.
With that, the cake was wheeled in- a massive five layer monstrosity made with white frosting and rosettes of all colours.
The gathered crowd began to sing and clap around the cake. Chat recognized the beat, it was the same song sung at the Lurelin party, the Hylian Birthday Song, though now he understood the words.
“May you live, a hundred years,
Oh yes please, one hundred years!
May you live, a happy life,
Oh yes please, a happy life!
Its’ time, it’s time, it’s time!
May your star of fortune,
Never die, never die, never die!
To our Dear Friend, Adrien~!
May you live one hundred happy years~!”
As they were singing, Chloe’s butler gently lifted the top-most tier of cake, and handed it to Chloe who ferried it to Adrien’s table. He stabbed it with a fork, and very demonstratively ate the chunk with everyone staring at him, who cheered when he finished.
Everyone else filed back to their tables as servants’ sliced up the remaining cake to serve, Adrien sitting to share his top tier with Aryll, though even with their fathers’ between them, it was obvious Chloe was a bit sad and annoyed she would not be sharing cake with the prince, an elbow on the table and cheek leaned against her closed hand, pouting as she ate forkfuls of her own slice.
Adrien left behind his coat on the chair when everyone was moving over to the ballroom for dancing, damn near sprinting over to where he saw Chat and Viperion.
“Finally,” He breathed out in relief. “That was nerve wracking…”
“Was that speech on the spot?” Chat asked, patting the other blondes’ back.
“Yes! Nobody warned me I’d have to talk! That’s just rude, asking me to say something. I was so caught off guard!”
“Well, you nailed it at least,” Said Viperion. “Total grace under fire, man.”
“Thanks,” he sighed, head rolling on his shoulders slightly. “Dad said we could leave at eleven, so it’s two hours worth of dancing to get through.”
“Lets’ get over with then,” Chat hummed, arm in arm with Adrien as they made their way to the ball room just across the hall.
There were stacks of gilded silk fans on the table, with paper inlaid on the inside, with tiny gold chains attached to tiny pencils at the end.
“Oh, good, dance cards.” Adrien said, relieved. He picked one up and started scribbling on the papers. “Chat, Vipes, put me down for the second and third songs, I’ll have to ask Sabri for the fourth spot.”
“What are these?” Viperion asked, picking one up.
“The musical programme and a souvenir,” answered Chat. “This is the list of songs they’re playing in order, and you can claim or reserve a dance with someone by putting their name in. Adrien’s trying to fill his before Chloe can get to him.”
“I can put Aryll as first, she’s probably going to start falling asleep soon…You were sitting with Nathie, right? The red Rito.” Asked Adrien. “Maybe he can take fifth?”
“Put Chloe as last,” Viperion suggested. “Maybe we wiggle out before the last song comes up, say we’re exhausted.”
“Brilliant idea,” Adrien commended him, writing her down. “I’ll say something about best for last, that’ll get off my back.”
They set out for the night, Adrien expertly dodging Chloe’s insistent advances, even showing her the dance fan that listed her as last on his card. His card did fill up quite quickly, as everyone wanted a chance to dance with the lauded Prince of Hyrule.
It was a glittering affair of candle light and music, shining gowns and well worn suits as the new money aristocracy had their joyous pomp and circ*mstances.
As predicted, Aryll did soon fall asleep, but Link was unable to take her home due to social convention, and Viperion instead escorted her home, carrying her on his back rather than attempt to ride Bing Bong again for the long walk home.
Chat was tempted to join him, but didn’t want to abandon Adrien to the extreme fance of the evening, so stayed back.
The attack happened just as the pair were in the middle of their dance, an uncoordinated spinning that was only to make each other dizzy and laugh in the middle of the dance floor.
Chat couldn’t see what had been thrown, but there was suddenly a foul smelling white smoke at both their feet, followed by a disorienting miasma of scent. He swung a fist blindly, connecting with something that fell but soon felt himself being whisked off his feet, dragged away with a scream from the smoke.
Suddenly the entire dance hall was filled with Bokoblins! Each one throwing wild hands at each other or running away, screaming to the high heavens, and where Chat had punched there was one on the floor!
He blinked hard, eyes stinging and tearing up from the smoke, and like an after image the reality set in just as he was dragged limply away from the party. A vision of the party as it was, with guests in fancy dress, overlapped with the vision of what he thought he’d seen, a party of bokoblins in riot.
The thing he’d punched had been Adrien, thrown to the dance floor just in time for Chat to be taken by an unknown abductor instead.
Link, a far enough distance away, jumped the table to try and run after him as Chloe ran to tend to Adrien, out cold on the floor. “Son!!” He shouted, trying to reach for Chat.
But Chat couldn’t keep his eyes open, something in that smoke, where both he and Adrien had been at the epicentre of, was causing him to lose consciousness.
Eyes fell unwillingly closed, and he went limp.
Link ran after the perpetrators who stole Chat, mounting the nearest horse, unfortunately it had a two wheeled cart on the back he didn’t have time to detach, while focused on the back of the Yiga bastards who held the limp boy over their shoulders as they ran. But Link didn’t have a weapon on him, not even his Master Sword as he galloped towards the retreating back of the footsoldier who had him, urging the horse faster, faster, fast-
He was thrown, slammed into the grass just outside the gates of Hateno as the unknown kidnapper leapt over the Hateno wall and towards the Cliffs of Quince, where he knew the road would diverge either towards Fort Hateno and Blatchery Plain, or towards Marbold Plain.
Chest heaving, Link dragged himself to his feet and tried to run, but the footsoldier didn’t spend literal hours dancing with random people, and didn’t have his body restricted by fancy and tailored clothes, and they were soon gone and out of sight.
“No…” he gasped, sucking down lungfuls of cold night air as Hateno guards ran to assist him. “No, my boy-!! Son!! Chat!!”
-
[LOCATION NOTES: ????, ????, -????] - Yiga Hideout
“-moron!! That dance floor had two blondes in green coats and you managed to grab the wrong one!!”
“Forgive, my Lady. It was an honest mistake.”
“An honest mistake that has ruined years of planning!! How dare you even continue to breathe!! You should have killed yourself the moment you realised your error!!”
Chat’s eyes blinked slowly open, fingers twitching behind his back where they were bound, inhaling slowly and feeling the air so dank and humid, almost mouldy. He stirred, and from the darkness he saw a familiar back.
Adrien, dressed in his fancy coat again. “A…Adrien…?” He called.
Had he been rescued while he was out of it?
The blonde in front of him glanced back, and Chat saw a look of utter contempt etched into a familiar face.
‘Felix,’ He thought, jolted into waking and sitting up quickly, only to hit his head on the roof of a steel cage.
“Let me out!!” Chat shouted, thrashing against his bindings but finding them too strong. Metal cuffs chained his arms behind his back, and lashed him to the inside of the cage.
“Chat!”
Chat looked to the source of the voice, and saw Lailai, the seamstress from the store, in similar circ*mstances as he was, chained and bound and caged, though it was obvious she’d been here far longer, with the black of her dress smeared with mud from where she was kneeling, her colourful braids loose and unkempt.
“Lailai…? What are you-?”
“T-they made me make another,” she whispered, tears in her eyes causing her make up to drip down her cheeks. “Of the Princes’ birthday outfit, they threatened to-”
Felix, dressed as Adrien, walked over and kicked the cage she was in. “Enough talking,” He said coldly as Lailai whimpered, head lowering in an effort to shield herself as best she could with how little mobility she had. “You’re about five minutes away from another beating, seamstress.”
“Don’t touch her!!” Chat snarled, chains rattling as he thrust forward.
“And you,” Felix turned to Chat, kicking his cage as well. “You’re lucky you’re still breathing. I wouldn’t put it past that bitch of a queen to have put you there for a decoy, we fell for her tricks but we won’t let her win.”
“Foul boy,” Lailai whispered poisonously under her breath, teeth grit as she glared with tear filled eyes.
Felix turned again to her, kneeling in front of the cage, reaching behind him and pulling out a curved sickle from behind his replica coat, putting an arm into the cage and holding the edge to her neck as he gripped her hair. “Speak again,” he dared her, making her look up at him. “I am King Ganondorf’s Champion, you loathsome worm. I will bear the Triforce of Power, I will rule this land in his name, may he rise again through me.”
“Foul brat!” Lailai snarled back, glaring.
“Hn.” Felix grunted, mildly impressed by the woman. Rather than slicing her neck, he sliced at the clump of hair he held, cutting the tip of her pointed ear in the process. She hissed in pain, recoiling from his hand. “You’ll worship me,” he promised Lailai, standing with the hair in his hand. “All in Hyrule will. Eventually.”
He backed off, going back to his post just outside the door.
“Lailai, are you okay?” Chat whispered, alarmed. “How long have we been here?”
She was breathing heavy, stifling sobs. “F...fine…Me, two days, you…I think a few hours.” she whispered back, horse. “M…Maybe it’ll be a new trend. Cropped ears…” she tried to laugh through her pained tears, though it was painful even to hear.
“Don’t worry, we’ll get out,” He said, shoving a shoulder against the cage to cause it to clatter loudly “You hear me, you bastards!? We’re going to get out!!”
“Shut the door, I don’t care to hear that caterwauling any longer!!” A person on the outside screeched.
Whoever it was, Felix obeyed, shutting the door and putting a metal bar over it, presumably locking it from the outside.
Breathing heavily, Chat took stock of the situation.
Behind his back, Chat started fiddling with the cuffs slightly, winding the middle chain around itself, hands moving slowly in circles to tangle that small centre chain within itself. ‘Thank you, Felix,’ He thought, though he did mean it for his actual cousin somewhere in Paris rather than this delusional Hylian with his same face.
He’d never been so grateful to have learned some of his cousins’ magic tricks.
It took a few minutes of twirling and fumbling, but soon the chains locked in on itself, and using that leverage, he pulled as hard as he could, harder, and harder and-
Snap!
The centre chain broke off the cuff itself, freeing Chat. Hands now mobile, he reached for the locked cage door that kept him in.
Plagg had said in Pagos Woods that he doubted his cataclysm could do anything here…But maybe…
“Whatever divine being has been helping me here, please, just a little more help.” He whispered into the dark, feeling the keyhole that held the door shut.
Chat breathed in slowly, though he wanted to avoid breathing in too deeply with the disgusting mildewy feel the air had, focusing his power on the tip of his finger. He wasn’t sure if this would work, but if it did he had to make the most of it. “Cataclysm.” He whispered, and the familiar rush of power ran down his fingers from his ring, but he concentrated it only into his finger, creating a little ball at the tip of his pointer, pressing it into the keyhole itself.
It took a moment longer than normal,but he could hear the inside of the locking mechanism decay, clattering into rusted shreds inside, and he was able to push his shoulder against the door and snap the heavy duty latch that held it closed.
“Chat, how-?” Lailai asked, eyes wide.
“Shh, I’ve got this.” Chat promised, crawling out.
He looked around, trying to find a weapon. Crouching, though, reminded him that his staff was still with him, acting as the rod to maintain his posture.
“Ms.Lailai, sorry about this,” Chat whispered, ripping his vest off rather than waste time unbuttoning it, tearing the top three or so buttons to reach behind him and untucking his shirt to unlatch his staff from the cloth mechanics of the corset he was in, loosening the bindings around his tummy in the process.
“Boy, if you don’t rip that shirt faster and get us out of here I will be far more angry at you, far more than just ruining that vest,” Lailai said, exasperated.
Freed from the corset, he stood slowly, peeking out from a hold in the shed he’d found them in. Outside opened into a large dirt paddock with sharpened logs acting as a fence and barrier, covered in red flags with an eye emblazoned on it with the only source of light being torches. In the centre of it all was Audrey, the Hylian Audry and mother of Chloe, berating Nathalie with several red uniformed people standing at attention.
‘Nath…’ Chat thought, teeth gritting. ‘How could you…?’
He shook his head. Focus.
He looked around, hoping for some landmark so he could place their location, but nothing. Even the sky was unfamiliar, with spikes going down like a cave, though they were so high up there seemed to be clouds floating by. He was sure it’d been a full moon and a clear night when they arrived at the party…but, the weather couldn’t have changed so fast, could it? Or could it? Lailai had said he’d been here a few hours…Shouldn’t dawn be around the corner?
“Do you know where we are?” Chat asked as he felt along the walls.
“No,” Lailai shook her head. “I’ve only seen the inside of these walls in two days.”
He was able to find a panel in the shed that was loose enough to be pushed aside silently, where he could slide out.
“I’ll get us out,” Chat promised before sliding the panel back into place, peeking around a corner and looking around. If he could get those torches out, he’d have the advantage with his night vision…But there were so many, maybe…
With his staff, he tried to call Viperion, whispering. Hopefully his power would work in Hyrule…
-
[LOCATION NOTES: ] - Link and Zelda’s House.
Viperion was busy tending the fire. He wanted to stay up for a while longer, until the others were home. But, it was getting rather late, he wondered if they would be partying till dawn.
“So much for not dancing with Chloe,” Viperion said softly in the glow of the embers.
He got Aryll into bed, and so far things had been quiet. He’d just been plucking and humming some melodies on his lyre by firelight as Aryll slept soundly on the bed above.
But, his kindling was getting low and the fire was on the verge of dying, so Viperion stepped out for a moment, grabbing a bundle of wood from the pile Link had chopped earlier to place in the central oven when, while outside, his lyre phone began to ring.
Reaching back to where it rested on his hip, he picked it up, not looking at the video feed as he pulled a bundle from the top of the pile.. “Hey, Chat. Party getting boring yet?”
“Vipĕ̸̟r̵͚̎i̷̠͆o̸̙̾n̵̫̈́,” Chat’s voice carried.
Viperion actually looked, but saw no video feed. It was only grey static. He dropped the wood to put his full attention on the lyre. “Chat…? Is this regular bad signal or…?”
“S̴̨͉̟̊̑̌ǒ̵̡̦̞ḿ̵͍͇̜̍̽̒ě̵̱͂͑͗thing bad̸͔̫͔̓̈́̒̕…V̶̧͔̪͛͜͠ȋ̸̧̞͚͋̀͠p̶̩͚͂̎͒̚e̵̢̲̟̜͘ş̵̫̾͂̈́͋,̵̩̾͝ ̷̟̞̩͂̊̋”
“Something bad…? Chat, what happened, are you okay? Where are you?”
“D̷͕̀̊͜͝á̷ͅr̸̜̠̅̆̈̚k̷̼̼͉͋̅̋̈́,̶̖͆͒̈́̀ ̶̢̪̾̊ț̵̑o̵͐͋͂̕ͅò̶̯͌̂̎ ̷̙̩̓b̴̖̔̈́̐̈ï̵̫͋ġ̶̫̪̠̗͊̏͌…cav̸̱̙͋ę̶̃̍̍̓. C̴̭͚͇̜̓͊́̈l̶̳̼̀̀̍ó̸̠͠uds.”
“Cave…clouds…?” Viperion tried, thinking. He could barely understand through the static!
“Ṡ̷̪͉̀͝ê̷̦̳̈́̓͜c̷͍̟̏o̸̡̨̤͒͆ṋ̸̭̾̿̽̓ḋ̵̨̦̥͉̾̊̿ ̴̳̺̼̱̀Ĉ̶̰͕̒͌ḧ̵͖́́̔͜a̸̜̯̔͛ň̸̞̫̦̓̉͠c̸͙̓e̷͓͂!” He said.
“What?”
“S̶̱͘e̴͖̅̇ͅç̴̏o̵̲̘̎̍ṉ̴̒̎d̴͎̤͂ ̷͇̤̐C̸̡̈́̇h̷̝̒a̸͔͑̽ǹ̴̞͊ͅc̵̟̈e̷͓̰͊!” Chat repeated.
“I-I don’t know what-”
“Second Chance!”
Viperion twitched, dropping the lyre as he reached for his bracelet, sliding his finger along the edge. “Second Chance!”
-
The entire Yiga Fort was engulfed in darkness, seemingly all at once as someone spoke in some foreign language.
“Cataclysme!”
Blobs of darkness shot out toward all sources of light in their fort, and they were suddenly in a fight with someone they couldn’t see.
This person, whoever they were, seemed to know their every move before they were made, and had taken out three out of thirteen total in a second.
It was a scramble, and nobody could see an inch in front of their faces as they reached for their weapons, slashing whatever was in reach in the thin hopes it was the enemy that had thrown them into darkness, most often slashing friend rather than their one foe.
Minutes passed, and those few still standing stood, back to back around Audry, Felix and Nathalie, the only ones yet unharmed.
“Champion of Ganondorf?! I think you mean Ganondork! Y’all are losers!!” A voice howled in laughter, and everyone ran in the direction it came from. But then they felt a slight breeze as, behind them, a door locked.
“What the-?!” Felix snarled.
“I did it. I did it, Vipes.” A voice echoed in the darkness from high above.
“Bastard!” Felix shouted, running towards that voice. He was on the tower!
He leapt, trying to get higher, though feeling his way through absolute darkness as he tried to scale the way.
“I could feel it…” Chat whispered softly, leading Felix closer still. “Every death. It doesn’t work the same here. I remember.”
Felix was nearly there when, from above, a flaming form emerged.
“Dinrael…?” The footsoldiers outside the gate whispered in horror as the dragon soared down from the Meda Mountain Chasm, trailing fire from glowing horns.
Felix stopped dead, hanging off the tower, so close to leaping and attacking Chat, to stop and stare at the approaching dragon.
And above his head stood Chat as he too stared up at the false sky and the clouds, dispersing from the heat and haze of the dragon’s fire.
“What is it doing here…? We’re so far from Death Mountain!” Someone cried in distress, about to try to turn back into the fort, but finding the gate firmly closed, and with the spikes they’d strategically placed, they couldn’t jump over without risking impalement.
“It’s Plagg.” Felix could hear the other blonde speak, though his voice was strange and distorted as the dragon flew closer. “The kid passed out, but it’s okay. A distant relative is here. We’ll be back topside soon.”
It flew closer, it’s maw open, teeth like obsidian, and drool like lava, and snarl like an erupting volcano caused those on the outside of the fort to scramble. Chat watched it fly, circling around the fort like a dog circling its bed, the flames flying off its horns catching on the torches and lighting them back up.
On the dragon’s head sat a woman, arrayed in robes of red and white, no shoes or finery except for a flaming gold circlet with three triangles upon it, though only with the top centre segment filled with a glowing ruby. Her skin a deep, burnished brown, hair aflame in beautiful scarlet reds that glowed with holy light.
Felix froze as the dragon circled overhead, carrying the Goddess of Power, Din, with it.
“Avatar of Destruction, I see you. My kin from another world.” The goddess spoke, and Felix could hear her as if she was whispering into ear directly, and tears sprung from his eyes. He couldn’t stop staring, enraptured by her beauty. She was more than strength, more than fire, more than life itself. He burned her visage into his mind, and prayed he would never forget.
She stepped off the dragon’s scaled head, reaching for the bastard atop the tower. Chat reached for her in return, and her slender hands held the frame of his face, he held her arms as she floated above. “You are not my Champion, but I lend you a fraction of my power. Use it well.”
She raised his knuckles to her head, and the fire held in her extinguished in a ring of flame and fire, leaving Dinrael floating, nestled around the fort, the goddess herself now nowhere to be seen.
Chat was arrayed for true battle, dressed like a king, a cloak of flame over his shoulder with a crown of golden teeth upon his head, a tunic of scarlet red, and gloves with rubies on the backs of his palms, lobstered metal providing strength and protection.
Chat stepped off the tower, and Felix fell to the dirt as a pressure wave of power hit and dislodged him from the tower. Chat, though, floated down to the dirt earth of the Yiga Hideout. His every step left behind an ash footprint and cracked earth in his wake, as if every atom of him was now flame and power itself.
Audry, Nathalie and Felix, the only remaining who hadn't foolishly followed the mocking voices, could only cower on their knees as he walked past, into that shed they had kept him in. Nobody could even move, even with weapons in hand and his back to them.
Chat returned after freeing the designer Lailai, and returned with chains.
“We’ll be returning to Hateno,” the boy, armoured like a king, announced. His voice was booming, unearthly, beyond human and brokering no argument as he held the iron shackles. “Where Prince Consort Link will decide your fates.”
The three were lashed together, hands together, chained to collars, which connected each one together. He led them out of the gate with Lailai, mounting the dragon who seemed to consciously lower his heat so they could ride undeterred. Dinrael, however, did not let the three Yiga onto his back, instead collecting them in one claw to carry rather than give them the honour or dignity of riding him back to the surface.
And so they flew, back up the chasm and onto Hyrule proper, breaking through a construction of earth.
-
Viperion bit his lower lip, kneeling in front of a cold stove as Aryll, for what felt like the hundredth time, got half way down the stairs to ask if he was okay, having been woken by his shout for a second chance.
He’d only get a pained gasp or scream from his lyre before he’d do it again, and repeat the time. This time, it was silent.
“...Ǐ̵̧̠̎ ̴͋͜d̴̤̈́̍id it. I did it, Vipes.”
“You did? What did you do? Are you hurt?” Viperion asked, breathless and tense.
“I could feel it…” He said. “Every death. It doesn’t work the same here. I remember.”
“I…I’m sorry, I…Where are you?”
“...” A heart pounding moment passed, and a new voice answered. “It’s Plagg.” He said, in a voice very much not like Chat’s. “The kid passed out, but it’s okay. A distant relative is here. We’ll be back topside soon.”
The call dropped there just as Aryll reached the stairs bottom landing. “Vipey? Is something wrong?” She yawned.
“Aryll, I’m sorry,” Viperion said quickly, rushing up the stairs to grab a blanket to wrap her in. “We have to go back to the hall, I think something happened, something bad! We’ll take your Dad’s horse and the cart!”
“Something bad?” She blinked, suddenly far more awake. Viperion picked her up and rushed her out to the cart, putting her in and taking up the seat. He was in too much of a rush to be nervous about driving a cart for the first time, but at least the cart was empty as they rode back into town.
So focused on the road, he didn’t notice a dragon rising into the sky…
-
[LOCATION NOTES: 2302, -2344, 0173]
Dinrael floated near a grassy outcrop of land near a hot spring, allowing the blonde and designer to slide off his white scales, rising slightly to deposit their captives.
The blonde stood, facing the dragon.
He bowed at the waist, his silent thanks to the dragon and its master. It snorted black smoke, head tilting away, and flying up into the sky, past a cloud until it was seen no more.
“Chat…?” Lailai called. “Are you…okay…?”
He inhaled deeply, and burst into red and gold fire that seemed only to burn away his kingly array.
The fire extinguished itself, and Chat stood in his same clothes as before- a fine but torn shirt Lailai herself had tailored, pants and boots. He stood only for a second, before he collapsed to the grass just as the sun began to lighten the sky as dawn arrived.
“Chat!” Lailai shouted in alarm.
