[Open] New Tick event log

[newmemorywhodis]

WHO: Link and you!
WHERE: The Glitter Food, Noth, the Agrii ship
WHAT: Link returns, zoops through the floor, gets some gifts, and runs around as a kid
WHEN: Just before and during the New Tick event
WARNINGS: None so far


i. A quiet return

For a few days - ever since his desperate post on the Network, looking for Zelda - Link was nowhere to be seen. He was simply gone.

It won't be until they're on the Glitter Food that people might even realise that Link is back at all. But he is, and there's been a few changes. He's noticeably older now, having gone from his late teens to somewhere in his early to mid twenties (give or take a hundred years).

And then there's the arm.

With the warm winter clothes everyone is wearing, only the hand is visible. But the skin on his right hand is now midnight black, with long claw-like fingernails. Strange copper-coloured bars wrap around it in intricate patterns, while on his fingers are thick jade rings adored with mysterious symbols.

As they make their journey, it's not hard to run into this older Link as he wonders around the ship, quietly looking at everything. Like he hasn't seen it for a while, and is reminding himself what it looks like.


ii. Lullaby for Zelda

Usually, the one barging into other people's homes unannounced is Link. But this time, it's a four armed pink and purple robot, somehow carrying a gift that is as big as Link into his cabin.

Link's not used to be the one barged in on. It's a bit of a strange experience.

He's even more surprised to open the gift, and find a Goddess Statue. Just like the ones back in Hyrule. And in her hands, another small gift. But this time, it's something he doesn't recognise - a small instrument. And yet, it's...familiar. He knows this.

Fragments of memories flicker through his mind. In the years since he was last year, his memory isn't as blank as it once was. An ocarina. His ocarina, from when he was a child. That's what this is.

Holding it carefully, he goes outside the cabin. Sits down on the open threshold. And begins to play a song, one that reminds him of Zelda.


iii. Eating mysterious foods never ends in tears...right? [closed to Keith]

It takes very little time for Link to eat the gelt.

There's sweets, in his cabin. Of course he's going to eat them! And not just some of them, but all of them. So now Link's made another drastic change...if one in the other direction.

So now there's a small, blonde, pointy-earned child instead of a young man with a strange arm. But he doesn't know where he is. This isn't his house. This isn't his town. There's strange looking creatures outside, which normally Link would be oh so curious about, but...where's his family? Where's his Mama, and his Papa, and his baby sister?

He'd wondered, trying to find them. But the longer he looks, the more he realises that they're not here. And as Link realises that he's lost, and alone, the only thing left to do is start to cry.


iv. Tears over, time for exploring

Once Link knew that this was just a temporary thing - just a short magical trip, after which he'd soon be back again - his mood had quickly improved. Because now he wasn't lost, he was on an adventure! He's in this amazing weird place, and Link's going to run all over and explore all of it.

Young Link takes the Sword that was in his Cabin with him. He doesn't know why it was there, but he feels weirdly compelled to take it with him even though it's bigger than he is. Like it wants him to carry it. But even with the Sword, he still manages to clamber into some strange places - up in trees, on top of buildings. Apparently, Link's tendency to climb everything started early.

He also spends a lot - emphasis on a lot of time at the pseudo-gingerbread cafeteria. He's goes at the food-laden tables like a Labrador, and seems utterly unphased by the fact that everything tastes like peanut butter.

Finally, he can also often by found by the Temba Fountain Tree, playing the ocarina once more - although this time, it's with a rather jauntier tune.


iv. The best way to explore is through the floor

Link, thankfully, does not remain a child forever. And when he's back to normal, he finds his way onto the Agrii ship, dutifully holding out his communicator to have a map added.

When it comes to exploring, however, Link is rather less dutiful. If he comes across a locked door - or even if he decides he just can't be bothered getting to somewhere interesting the long way - he decides to take a shortcut or two. Namely, by...phasing through the floor?

Who needs stairs, when you can just Ascend through the ceiling?

And surely the Agrii won't mind, if he manages to accidentally pop into any of their private residences. So when he wriggles through the floor, and hops up right next to an unsuspecting Agrii or fellow He Row, Link just waves his odd right arm, and says, "Hi."


v. Wildcard!

[[OOC: Choose your own adventure! Let me know if you'd like to set up anything not covered by the above]]

Comments

iii

[tempredmental]

[Link wasn't the only child running around the village. But, this time, instead of being stuck completely as a kid, Keith still had his memories and personality intact.

That helped to prevent a repeat of the trouble he had last time, at least.

But, as always, there was that chance that someone else turned into a child would lose all their memories of this place, and not know what was happening, and Keith just found one. He kind of recognized that it was Link... the blond hair, the pointed ears, the lack of Altean face markings that might have meant someone else... So, he approached.]

L-link...?

[Keith's voice was a bit higher, but still his usual slightly raspy tone... not that Link would recognize it anyway in his current state. He was also a lot shorter, missing the large scar on his face, and his hair was a tad bit less shaggy.]

[newmemorywhodis]

Link sniffs, and looks at the other child, wary. This kid isn't his family, or anyone from his village. Link doesn't know him. Now is not the time when Link wants to make new friends.

"Who are you?" he says, sniffing again as another round of sobs threatens to burst.

[tempredmental]

"Me?"

It took Keith a second, and then... oh...

That would be why he was crying. He could vaguely remember the same thing from the last time they had something like this. He and Lance had been turned into kids and didn't remember anything at all about Drift Fleet or Temba... which is probably what had happened to Link.

For the moment, Keith was glad he'd kept his memories this time.

"I'm Keith," he said. "I um... I'm stuck here like you." He offered his hand out. "Come on... I can help you find somewhere safe, okay?"

[newmemorywhodis]

"You're lost too?" Link hiccups. One hand takes Keith's, the other tries to wipe away some of the tears.

Being lost with someone else would be better than being lost alone, at least.

[tempredmental]

Keith took a breath, but gripped Link's hand, hoping it helped him feel a bit less alone. He nodded.

"Yeah... I'm lost, too. But I've got a cool place where we can stay warm and safe, okay?" On arrival, Keith and Lance had commandeered one of the cottages for themselves. Keith didn't know if Link had done the same on arrival or not, but, if he didn't remember, then Keith would just deal with Lance about having a guest for a week later.

"You want to see it?"

II

[stitch_witch]

"That is quite the beautiful song."

It had been the sound of it that had led Lark here, Little Bear at her side on his leash and what looks like a thick sweater and doggie booties that she's clearly made for the large animal. Of course she had waited until he had finished playing to approach, but she was here now, and looked upon the young Hylian with a thoughtful gaze.

"Have you always been so musically inclined?"

[newmemorywhodis]

Link tilts his head to one side, uncertain.

"Maybe?" Does Lark know about his memory problems? From his perspective, it's been a long time since he last spoke with her. He can't remember if it ever came up.

There's some irony in that.

"I think...this was mine," he says, looking down at the ocarina.

[stitch_witch]

"Well then, it is good to have it back?" she suggests.

But he seems so uncertain. How unexpected.

[newmemorywhodis]

Link pauses for a moment, considering. Was it good to have back?

Flickers of fragmented memories in his mind. He can't pull them together completely. But the emotions of them were...happy ones.

"Yes," he says, firmly. Less uncertain, now.

Then his eyes flick back inside the cabin, to the other part of his gifts. "I have a Goddess Statue too."

[stitch_witch]

A what? Lark's eyebrows raise. That's definitely something she's more interested in.

"May I see it?"

IV

[ziedrich_bearer]

The tree really is a marvelous thing, isn't it? A younger Gladio had come to look at it in awe (they didn't tend to get purple trees in Insomnia). Of course his attention was almost immediately pulled away by another kid nearby, one playing a weird looking thing. It was making nice music though. Bouncy.

"What is that thing?" he asks. Because, of course, there isn't anything like it that he's ever seen at home. And the number of stupid music recitals he's had to go to at some noble's house or other has been pretty impressively high.

[newmemorywhodis]

"It's an ocarina!" Link says, with the kind of excessive enthusiasm of a kid who's really, really keen to tell someone else something. "You blow in it to make music!"

And then, because obviously that explanation can't go without an explanation, he raises the ocarina once more to his lips to make one long, loud note.

[ziedrich_bearer]

Blow in it to make music, huh.

"Like a horn," he suggests. That much Gladio would understand. "Sounds nice."

[newmemorywhodis]

"You can play too!" Link says, before holding the ocarina out towards him. The ocarina might be his - but he's still eager to share it, all the same.

[ziedrich_bearer]

Can he? Gladio cautiously takes the instrument.

"What do I do? To play it?"

[agrii]

The Agrii in question makes a loud shocked noise. Of course he does. Suddenly there is He Row in his room! Then his eyes brighten up and he makes a very excited noise. Because of course he does. It's a He Row in his room!

"Greet He Row Ink!" the orange eyed Agrii says, voice bright and cheerful and Clearly excited.

[newmemorywhodis]

Link shakes his head, as if shaking out the sensation of swimming through the floor, and blinks at the Agrii.

"...Hi," he says. Did they just call him...Ink?

"Link," he adds, to clear that up. Then he looks around the Agrii's room, curious to see what their living space is like.

[agrii]

It is a cluttered space, with clothing about, and little decorations. This is not an Agrii that cleans up after themselves much. Or well. But they seem very excited about Link being here.

"Good meet Ink! Good He Row. Plore many time."

[newmemorywhodis]

Link's eyebrows furrow. He's not the best at conversation - but that's usually because he tends not to talk so much. Usually, he understands everyone else just fine.

Apparently, not so much with the Agrii. (And why can't they say 'Link'? It's not a hard name!)

"Plore?" He says, hoping for an explanation. What is plore? And who was this Agrii? "You're...?"

[agrii]

"Oh yes. You plore much! Go far!"

He's clearly impressed. But that isn't a matter for now.

"Am Mu Ly. Good Agrii. Give He Row Ink sword. Make sure have sword. He Row Buck Ee say have swords am port ant."

iv. Tears over, time for exploring

[madginger]

Bundled up, gratefully, in the more human long-sleeved clothing, Max frowns, not when she hears the tune, but when she sees where it's coming from. She takes off her headphones and stops her walkman to get a better listen.

This kid looks oddly familiar. Curious, she walks forward. Yeah...this kind of looks like the guy that soared out of her window that one time, but it can't be.

She doesn't say anything, just walks over to sit by him and just listen, eyes closed.

[newmemorywhodis]

They do look rather similar, don't they? Funny how that is.

At first, Link doesn't realise anyone was listening. He has his own eyes closed, as he plays. But then just as the song is ending, he opens them - and one of the notes goes a little off as he starts in surprise.

He's got an audience!

"Hi," he says, with the ever-boundless enthusiasm of a child. "I'm Link! Who are you?"

[madginger]

"Hi," Max says cautiously as she opens her eyes when the music stops and the kid speaks.

"I'm Max, Link." Beat. It's an off the wall chance, but she decides to ask anyway. "By any chance do you grow a little bit taller" she puts her just a little above her height while sitting down, not sure if it's accurate or not, it's been a while, "and fly out of peoples' windows on a glider?"

[newmemorywhodis]

Link frowns, faintly. Does he...grow taller?

"...Yes?" He says. He does not sound confident about this answer. But he's going to grow older, isn't he? He'll be taller than. "I'm seven!"

That, at least, is said much more confidently.

"I don't have a glider. But flying out of windows sounds fun! I want to try!"

[madginger]

"You don't sound like you know," Max realizes. This could be another person altogether. Right? Seven? Oh.

Max shakes her to the next part. Is this is how her mother felt when she started skateboarding?

"Best not to do it until you have a glider. And you're older than seven." Max looks around. "Is anyone watching you?"