Summertimemusician - To You, A Thousand Years In The Future

TEARS OF THE KINGDOM SPOILERS (Kinda?)

One thing I find delightful about TOTK (well, one of the many things), are the few theories going around that BOTW and by extension TOTK might just be a separate branch of Skyward Sword due to all the time traveling shenanigans that went down on that game, making it in a roundabout way that most of Wild's traumas and headaches directly linked back to Sky like how half the problems in the Adult, Downfall and Child timelines that Wind, Legend, Hyrule and Twilight deal with almost directly connect back to Time in some way, something about that makes me cackle hysterically.

I honestly dunno where I stand in that camp but I find that possibility absolutely hilarious. It's almost enough to forgive the implications that Twilight/Wolfie's freaking died and just meat remains.

The Unending Storm

Your name is Link. And the skies have been gray for as long as you can remember.

'The world wasn't always like this,' comes the whispered lament of a princess with hair like spun gold, the cold seeps into your bones from the chilling tempest above. As she looks up at the sky, you wonder if her hair would look like the thing the queen had described as the 'sun' if the clouds didn't cover everything, 'The monsters were supposed to be gone, you know, my mother told me so. And the skies were clear and blue and you could see all kinds of light up there.'

You can barely even begin imagine, the wet, choking cold was all you'd ever know, the chill seeping into your lungs, the humidity always a constant. And now to join the water comes your own blood

...The water level still rises, the last of the Zora had long died out, the forests have long been submerged by the hungry, endless jaws of the deep. The Gorons and Gerudo are gone. The remaining people barely hang on, you've lost everyone, you've failed everyone. As you bleed out with the princess weeping over your body, and the king attempting to stand tall against the malice wearing a Gerudo face, you can't help but think about the uncaring gods up above, so called powerful Din who stands by as one of her worshipers stand against her creations supposedly courageous Farore stands silent as every piece of life she created die and ever watchful Hylia as she does not even deign to give her descendant hope, and ask why. How did this happen? Why did the Hero leave when instead of ending the cycle for good, he merely allowed this world to leave on borrowed time? Why did the queen pass the burden onto her descendant, knowing it was hopeless, but allow her to live a torturous lie that this could be turned around?

Why, why, why?

... Not even wise Nayru can answer you. Or maybe she does not deem it worth answering.

After all, what right did a mortal have to question the will of the gods?

You were never meant to attempt to pick up the sword, this world lived on borrowed time and was just waiting to die. Your failure and attempt at trying to finish what the Hero of Time started prolonged it's suffering, and at the end, you and your predecesor both failed. You'd never be free of this wretched, torturous, unending torrential downpour for sins none of the people should have to have to bear all because of a divine spat and the greed of men.

...You couldn't keep your promise, that once this was all over, you'd gaze upon the stars with Zelda in the green fields of Hyrule.

Your name is Link. People once told you to be a hero as the real one had to leave and in the end, you couldn't save or protect a single thing. No matter how hard you tried.

And in the end of all things, you can't help but think that for your failure, it's fitting that you drown.

*is rereading the Four Swords Adventures Manga again to refresh self after replaying Pocket Mirror (RPG Maker Game)*

*Almost drops coffee* Oh holy Hylia. Enjel and Shadow could talk.

Created by the person who's basically the main antagonist? Check.

Fifth secret part out of a protagonist split into four? Check.

Is forced to follow after the protagonist in shadow/reflection like fashion and hates every second of it to the point they're willing to lie and manipulate to take their place? Check.

Wants that specifically because they're jealous and never were love or wanted in their life, so they desperately want someone, anyone to look at them like they're worth something, no matter what they have to do for it desperately craving the love they've seen someone else get even if it's not real because they've just taken over/are pretending to be that person? Check.

Dies tragically due to shattering? Sometimes only getting the care they've wanted through that death after being swayed into not fulfilling their original purpose and returning to the protagonist? Triple check.

That or it's the sleep deprivation making me see parallels between two artificial beings created from the shadow of the protagonist and has a strong association with mirrors.

... Now I want a Zelda/Linked Universe Pocket Mirror Au, with Four/Four Swords Link as the protagonist (or Green as the protag) and Shadow in Enjel's role, or maybe Lisette's (though I feel Blue or Vio would be better for Lisette), Vaati can be the Pumpkin King he's dramatic enough for it, though I dunno which colors would best fit Fleta and Harpae. Maybe Link's Father or Dot made the deal this run around? I can absolutely see Shadow describing Four as "Mr.Goody Two Shoes" through a mirror, or any of the endings being played out by them.

*sips coffee while sleep deprivedly rereading the Four Swords Adventures Manga

*Suddenly, Ribs by The Crane Wives comes in on the playlist

*Has to mentally remind self not to either A: tear up at Shadow's sacrifice, B: Go on a rant on why it compels you so much, C: Write, and D: How Shadow likely relates to personhood and how that affects Four and the Colors.

*sighs, closes Four Swords Manga and goes to read the OoT manga

The theory that Ghirahim is Lorule's equivalent to the Master Sword? *chef's kiss*