A wanderer returns... but none knew he was ever gone.

[doublehelixhero]

[He wakes up to the feel of a breeze and the smell of grass and dew. That's a bit odd; he could've sworn he was inside that old farmer's barn. How did he get outside? Did someone decide to walk around while he slept?

[No. Several voices all chorus, each from a different part of his mind. You haven't moved since you fell asleep, adds the stronger

Comments

[captainviscen]

[Viscen's strolling nearby, keeping an eye out for possible shenanigans. (old habits die hard?) In a minute he'll be close enough to notice Link, if Link doesn't notice him first.]

[doublehelixhero]

[Someone's coming. He turns towards the motion and sighs. A guard. Interesting. No people, but there is a guard. He shakes his head. There are some people here, just not very many.]

Is there danger that I should know about?

[captainviscen]

[Viscen starts ever so slightly at the noise, and redirects himself in Link's direction.]

Nothing more than the few beasts that populate the field. I am simply walking my patrol route.

[doublehelixhero]

I didn't think there were enough people in this Hyrule to warrant patrols...

[Not just a normal guard; the armor seems too... ornate. Something about this man seems familiar.]

This might be an odd question, but do I know you?

[captainviscen]

It's more habit than anything. [He admits with a shrug.]

I don't recall meeting.

[But now that Viscen is close enough to really look, there is something familiar about the man...and a very familiar likeness hangs from his belt.]

...Say, what's that mask there?

[doublehelixhero]

I see.

[He laughs.] Well, if we ever did meet, I was a lot smaller at the time.

[He puts a hand on the mask and smirks.] It is a present from a very dear and fierce friend on mine. It's to aid me in battle.

[captainviscen]

[Viscen's eyebrow disappears into his helmet. A lot smaller? People didn't seem to change very much in this place...]

Had a growth spurt, did you?

[And give him a minute to connect the 'fierce' part. Hmm...oh...there it goes.]

Fierce--the Fierce Deity? [He sounds surprised.]

[doublehelixhero]

[He chuckles at that.]

A growth spurt.. Yeah, you could say that. Time is relative, after all.

[Hmm? He actually figured it out.

[He grins.] Yeah. He's the one who gave it to me. I take it you know him?

[captainviscen]

I...yes, he's my Lord, I run errands for him from time to time.

[This man seems more than a little familiar, but Viscen just can't place him.]

[doublehelixhero]

Your Lord?

[Intriguing.]

[He remembers this man, but he can't remember his name. Maybe it will come to him in a few minutes.]

I do know you. You're from Termina, aren't you?

[captainviscen]

[Now Viscen is starting to put it together. There were only two others from Termina that he's met, one is the mayor's brat and the other...but it couldn't be...]

...Link?

The little boy from the mayor's office?

[doublehelixhero]

[He smiles weakly and sighs.] Yeah, it's me.

I'm not so little anymore, am I?

[And now it makes sense. He knows why this man is so familiar.]

And you're Captain Viscen, right?

[captainviscen]

No, you're not small at all.

[He looks like he wants to reach out and touch Link, but stops himself.]

I am. You remember me?

[And all the ridiculousness we got into?]

[doublehelixhero]

[Hmmm.]

Yeah, I do. You were worried about the people still in town when you first got here... and we... [Oh, damn. He'd forgotten all about that until right now.] ...We were going to take care of each other. I didn't do so good on my part of that, did I?

[You did what you had to do. That is all any of us can do.]

[He sighs.] I must sound crazy to you right now.

[captainviscen]

No, I--

[Well, this is kind of awkward.]

Obviously, if you've gone off and had time to grow up, I didn't do such a great job either.

[Regrets, he now has one more of them.]

[doublehelixhero]

That's true.

I don't know how it happened, I don't know why it happened, and I don't know why I'm back here now.

I mean it... it doesn't seem like that much time has passed here. Not as long as what passed for me...

[He shakes his head.] But that doesn't matter. I'm here now, right? Maybe we should try that taking care of each other thing again.