Day 132 ;; introduction (open)

[forhyrule]

Who: Zelda and ANYONE
Open: Open
When: Day 132 (gently backdated)
Where: The Skyway
What: New arrival!
Format: Any
Warnings: Excessive wordiness, emotions, heartbreak



The last thing Zelda remembered wasn't a battle. It wasn't the decimated throne room that stood atop the highest tower in Hyrule Castle. It wasn't evil magic prickling into her skin like thousands of tiny needles. It wasn't two strong, fiery hands that grabbed her and squeezed, as tightly as if they were wringing out a wet rag. It wasn't fear, chaos, disbelief, and anger.

It was the moon.

A quiet moon, hanging low in the window of her tower. It was the first moon she had seen in what felt like months, trapped in ever present Twilight, which never brightened and never faded. Its light was soft. It calmed her as she drifted away, fading into unconsciousness. She had given her life to save another, and the moon told her that it was okay.

The moon wasn't there to reach her when her consciousness returned.

Or perhaps it was and she simply couldn't see it. She couldn't see much. But it wasn't dark--not after she blinked a few times and her vision began to swim. Blurs of color appeared, then shapes, drab in browns and greys and greens. She was aware by now that she was lying down, and the surface underneath her was uncomfortable. She should sit up... but the thought didn't quite reach her arms. She blink, blinked again, and willed herself to move. Two gloved hands slid up against her shoulders on either side, pressed firmly against the ground, and pushed her upright.

A wave of dizziness sloshed against her head. She held herself steady with both hands, blinking rapidly to clear her vision. Things were starting to come into focus. Beneath her were large, flat grey stones, each bigger than she was wide. Between their cracks poked up a few shoots of grass, seeking the warmth of the sun. Further away from her was rubble, broken stones in piles atop or next to crumbling remnants of walls, chipped and flaking. Shattered statuary was scattered about--a piece of a face here, a hand missing three fingers there.

Beyond the rubble, everything dropped and Zelda's eyes followed down. Dizziness struck again, and she was forced to close her eyes. Below was nothing. Clouds, fog, indistinguishable shapes, but otherwise nothing. She felt suddenly nauseated, as though she were aboard a little boat tossed about by an angry sea. She lowered herself back onto the ground and closed her eyes again. If she waited, it would go away.

She awoke several hours later with a headache and no way to know how long she had slept. But this time, she was able to sit up without trouble and her vision cleared quickly. She could focus more easily on her surroundings, enough to realize that they looked rather familiar, but she still didn't know where she was.

Comments

[croceamors]

Staying still feels like a waste, so it is no surprise to anyone who knows Saix that the Nobody is constantly at work. Regular trips to the Skyway are made, and Saix doesn't content himself with just picking up shards and eradicating monsters. He also gathers whatever salvageable items he can find. Today had been a clothing trip, gathered up in a big bag held by the Berserker Nobody following him. They can't wear the same thing everyday, after all.

With the towering Lesser behind him, the trip back had so far been uneventful. Saix knows that he should have expected something would go wrong, and the first sign is when the Berserker pauses. Saix does as well, looking about carefully. "What is it?" The answer doesn't seem to be verbal and he gives a sigh before diverting his path. There's no reason not to investigate. It could be something useful, after all. Worst case scenario, and he can easily abscond using a Corridor of Darkness.

What he finds isn't so much as a useful thing as someone far off on a floating patch of land. Saix narrows his eyes, distrustful just on instinct before he catches himself. He clears his throat and calls over to her. "Can you walk?"

[freedom_engineer]

Though, Saix hadn't exactly gone with just the Berserker. Colin is always looking to make trips out to the Skyway, and he knows better than to go alone. And truth be told, some more clothes were going to be useful. Especially now that he had the shards to get his Workshop made. All that work was going to get messy, after all.

All that said, the sight of someone else out on the Skyway was starting to be a common enough topic of conversation back at the base.

"Hello, over there!" he calls out, waving high over his head.

[forhyrule]

Still trying to recognize the eerily familiar stones, Zelda was turned away from the three figures that approached her and didn't notice their presence until they called to her. She turned, and revealed to them a beautiful young woman with sallow skin, more green than yellow, and black veins creeping up her exposed skin. Two brilliant yellow eyes, wide with surprise, stared back at the newcomers. Zelda was yet unaware of the visage that greeted Saix and Colin, having no reason to assume that she looked anything less than her normal self.

She opened her mouth to speak, but no words came forth--only a heavy rasp. Long-unused vocal cords were useless to share the confusions and questions forming in her now-wakeful mind. Instead, she attempted to push herself to her feet, her legs wobbling violently as she stood. She held her arms out in front to steady herself, or catch herself if she were to fall.

Again, she tried to speak, at least to ask where she was and who were they. Her lips moved, but her voice remained a series of rasps.

[croceamors]

After dealing with trolls and other inhuman beings, Saix doesn't blink at the woman's strange appearance. That doesn't mean he trusts her, of course. A proper good samaritan would go to her side immediately, but Saix instead nods to the Berserker Nobody to put down the supplies that had been loaded into its arms. "Go."

Obedient as ever, the hulking Lesser makes its way carefully to the woman and offers one large hand for her to steady herself against.

[freedom_engineer]

Colin tilts his head as Zelda rasps, and he frowns. He switches his cybernetic eye to a sonic resonance display, and he sighs after a second of interpreting what he sees.

"She's rasping her words. She's probably hurt. Or at the very least, tired," he tells Saix. "I'll get her some water and run a medical scan while your partner assists her."

He turns his head back towards Zelda, and he smiles. "We'll give you a hand, let that one assist you over to us!" he calls out to her.

He then sets his bag down and pulls his canteen from off his shoulder.

[forhyrule]

Zelda nodded in affirmation to Colin's observation and again to his offer for help. She was hesitant of the Berserker at first, noticing uncomfortably that its featureless armored face and silent obedience reminded her of the way the Shadow beasts heeded Zant. However, she wasn't really in a position where she could refuse the Berserker's aid, as her aching, uncooperative body was quick to remind her. With one gloved hand, she gripped the hand outstretched by the Berserker, carefully steadying herself. With the Lesser's support, she found she could stand up straight and get a better look at her other two rescuers.

Aside from Saix's hair, Zelda noticed first off that both men were human (as best she could tell) and one appeared to have heterochromia. Their manner of dress was... different, although not outlandishly odd. She did not recognize the styles in order to ascribe a location of origin. In fact, she could observe no telling details that would give any hint to where they were now either. Though her head still ached, she was cognitive enough to realize that her current location was definitely not Hyrule. And yet, it still seemed somewhat familiar.

[freedom_engineer]

[Colin didn't waste any time waiting for the Berserker to bring her over. Once she was safely past the falls, he moved to meet them, and he held out the canteen to her.]

Don't drink too fast, miss. Your vitals aren't exactly giving me confidence that you can handle too much at once.

[forhyrule]

Zelda took the canteen carefully between two gloved hands, looking over it briefly, as if she was uncertain what to do with it. She lifted it to her lips and took a few drinks, each punctuated by a breath.

Through his scan, Colin would most likely notice that Zelda is fairly dehydrated and that the muscles in her legs and arms are slightly atrophied. Her pulse is a little too slow, but her breathing is normal. Other symptoms are things that would be seen with someone confined to bed rest for weeks. Otherwise, she has no apparent illness.

As she drank, she slowly became a bit more alert.

[freedom_engineer]

Colin watched her drink, and he kept monitoring her vitals with concern. She'd definitely seen better days, and getting pulled here? She must have had some of the worst luck in the multiverse.

But she was alive, at least. That was a point in her favor.

"We should get you back to home base, it's not particularly safe out here," he said. "Keep the canteen for now. Small, slow drinks. We'll be able to get you a hot meal when we get back to the Bastion."

[forhyrule]

Zelda found that her stomach was more sour than hungry, but nodded in answer. The canteen remained clutched between two hands as Zelda waited for Colin to lead the way.

From the direction in which Colin and Saix had arrived, Zelda could see motionless gray figures, although she couldn't make out any details about them. There were three of them, each standing amidst the same rubble Zelda had awoken beside.

Zelda tugged Colin's shirt sleeve and pointed toward the figures, hoping he would draw the connection between her indication and her inquisitive expression.

[freedom_engineer]

[Colin looked at Zelda when she pulled his sleeve, and he followed her gesture towards the figures. He couldn't make them out at first, but after zooming his vision, his eyebrow twitched slightly, and he looked at her.]

It's bad news that you may want to wait for. I don't know if you want the shock right now while you're still not feeling well.

I can tell you, but I promise you that you're not going to like it.

[Unfortunately, Zelda, Colin lacks empathy. He knows what emotions are, and he knows there's such a thing as breaking the news gently... But it's still something that he gets wrong more often than he gets right.]

[forhyrule]

Colin's warning did nothing to abate Zelda's curiosity. The pervasive thought on her mind is that those figures might hold some answers to the flurry of questions that she was currently unable to ask. She didn't heed his warning, whether because her mind was still a bit foggy or because her questions overwhelmed her sense of caution.

She clung to his sleeve still, looking plaintive. Bad news or no, she wanted to see the figures. She wanted to know what was going on.

[freedom_engineer]

Colin sighed and lifted his hand to pat hers.

"Don't say I didn't warn you," he told her. "Follow me, you're probably not going to believe what I tell you unless you see it for yourself. Just... don't touch it when you get there. It never ends well."

For all of his empathic impairment, he at least wanted to try and spare her for what's to come. He left Saix and the Berserker behind, leading Zelda back towards the figures in the distance.

viola can totally scold her for going out on her own later--

[astras]

Despite knowing she shouldn't be going out onto the Skyway alone, Polka had still taken it upon herself to go out and help those who may have needed it. Her ventures to the Skyway had been very hit-or-miss; only on rare occasions did she actually find anybody, though she had been staying relatively close to the entrance to the Bastion in case any monsters popped up. She could fight, but taking on one of those monsters didn't seem like something she could handle herself ...

Today, though, she ventured a little further. After several trips without seeing anything, she was feeling a little more confident that she could go out a bit farther. She traveled for a while, not really seeing anything out of the ordinary (though to be fair, the Skyway was anything but ordinary), until ...

Was that a woman up ahead?

It was, wasn't it?

Polka's pace quickened. She ran toward the woman.

"Miss! Miss, are you okay?"

Here, Zelda, have a 14 year old fretting over your safety.

there will be much scolding

[forhyrule]

Zelda turned slowly, comprehending Polka's words with a bit of trouble, and found a young girl with twin braids rushing to her side. A human, Zelda noticed immediately, and dressed in clothes not unlike what could be found in a boutique in Castletown. It was Zelda's appearance, unbeknownst to the princess herself, that was startling: sickly green skin, rigid black veins visible on the surface, and gleaming yellow eyes. Had Zelda known what Polka would see, she would have hidden her face.

Zelda held out a hand as the girl reached her and opened her mouth to speak, but found herself surprisingly unable. Placing that hand on her throat instead, she tried again, but to no avail. The only sounds she managed to croak out were rasps and wheezes.

but big siiiiiiiis there are people out here!

[astras]

Polka did see her face once she came closer, and saw how she tried to speak, but couldn't. This immediately brought a sense of alarm to the girl. She didn't know what was going on with this woman, but she knew she needed help. Fast.

"M-Miss, I want to try to heal you ... I don't want you to be surprised by it, though, so please don't panic?"

She had to deal with that sort of problem back in her own world for a long time, too ... people cowering in fear from her ability to heal, as though they would catch whatever disease was killing her. The memories are still fresh in her mind, despite the last case of this happening such a long time ago. Even now, there were people clinging to that way of thinking back home ...

It was best to let people know beforehand if she was going to heal them, unless of course they were bound to die in the next moment. This woman, though ... sickly as she looked and sounded, she was still able to stand and at least make an attempt to talk. Perhaps she was able to understand that she only wanted to help, too.

strange and potentially dangerous people

[forhyrule]

Zelda nodded in both affirmation and understanding. Her mind grew sharper with each passing moment, but her body did not recover half so quickly.

Quite contrary to Polka's experience, doctors and healers in Hyrule were respected members of the community. Magic was somewhat commonplace, enough so that people did not fear it in itself--fearing its misuse instead. Zelda tucked her legs beneath her and settled into a more comfortable sitting position.

but what newcomer would want to be dangerous in a place like this ...

[astras]

With that nod of understanding, Polka set to work. She concentrated and was quickly able to produce a Blossom Shower spell, the strongest of her healing abilities. She wasn't sure if this would help her, but it was better to try than to not do anything at all, right?

After it was done, she looked a bit tired, but still managed to kneel next to the girl and look up at her questioningly.

"How do you feel now?"

one that had a death wish, considering the whoopass viola would bring down

[forhyrule]

Zelda felt a flood of warmth wash over her, as though she were momentarily bathed in sunlight. The aches and pains she felt all over her body evaporated, rising like mist from her skin. The fog in her mind lifted too, as well as the rasp in her throat. The only things not cured by Polka's spell are Zelda's skin and eyes, although the princess herself is not aware of this.

She drew in a long, deep breath and then exhaled slowly. "Better, thank you." Though it was her own voice, it sounded somehow foreign, as though it had been a long time since Zelda heard herself speak. "If I may ask... what is this place? What happened here?"

big sis violaaaaaa ~

[astras]

It was a relief to hear her voice, finally, to be able to talk with her. Polka smiled brightly at the news that she had been able to help this woman. Her smile fell a little as she asked about the place they were now in.

"... This place ..."

Oh, jeez. How does one explain that this place was the place people were sent to when their world had just been destroyed? How does she even begin to explain that?

Not to mention, the Skyway was absolutely not the place for explaining all of it.

"I know you want answers right now, but we need to get to where it's safe first. This place has some very powerful monsters. Once we arrive in the Bastion, I'll do my best to explain what I know."

She stood, brushing the skirt of her dress off a little before offering a hand to the other woman to help her up.

[forhyrule]

Zelda placed her hand in Polka's and stood. Her gaze went beyond the young girl to the surrounding area, casting over rubble and tatters, grasping for answers as to why it seemed so very familiar to her.

But this 'Bastion' struck no recognition in Zelda. Her brows knit together, her expression troubled. There was no place with such a name in Hyrule, of this Zelda was certain. It wasn't fear of the unknown that prevented Zelda from agreeing to Polka's suggestion, but a desperate cling to the few wisps of familiarity that this place held.

"I cannot leave this place." And she shook her head in emphasis. "I must..." She didn't exactly know what she must do, but she couldn't leave. Not yet.

[astras]

Polka could understand wanting to cling to familiarity ... when she had first arrived here, it looked like the remnants of Tenuto, almost. It was terrible.

"Miss, I know it's difficult, but ... we need to get somewhere safer. There are things out here that can hurt you really bad!"

[forhyrule]

Zelda shook her head, unwilling to heed Polka's suggestion. Her mind was too many questions, all whirling about in an infuriating mess. Where she was, what had happened, why she was hurt, where was Hyrule, where were Midna and Link-- the onslaught continued faster than Zelda could even comprehend.

"Please," she implored Polka, expression turning steadily to panic. She couldn't fully explain why she was filled with such fear, but the unknown nagged at her. "I must..." Her breathing grew short. "What has become of Hyrule?"

[astras]

This ... really was not the place where she wanted to explain this. This was not something she wanted to explain at all. Still, she wanted to know so badly ... and she would have to tell her the truth anyway.

Polka took a deep breath. She assumed Hyrule was her world ...

"Your world no longer exists ... I'm sorry. This is the place where the survivors are taken to ..."

[forhyrule]

'No longer exists.' Those words echoed harshly in Zelda's mind as all other thought died away. She felt her heart stop. Hyrule, gone. Lost forever. It couldn't be possible. All had been well when she gave her life to Midna. She knew Midna and Link would succeed in defeating Zant and restoring both worlds he had tainted. There was no way Midna could have failed, not in such a way that Hyrule was lost. Even Zant didn't have the kind of power to destroy entire worlds.

"... How can that be?" Zelda managed to ask.