CANDIIAPPL

CV04β

(no illustration available)

Current Status: Assumed canceled/abandoned

Also known as simply CV04

A masculine Japanese vocal that Crypton Future Media began developing during the VOCALOID2 era. As the name implies, this would be an addition to the Character Vocal series (currently consisting of Miku, Rin, Len and Luka).

Crypton decided to prioritize updating their existing Vocaloids over making new ones.

The unexpected popularity of Hatsune Miku caused many of Crypton's other projects to be set back.

By the time VOCALOID2 was retired, they had not been able to further develop CV04.

REV

Current Status: Confirmed canceled; may move to new engine moved to DeepVocal

REV was made to be a male counterpart to CUL.

Just as CUL was used as a mascot for VY1 during VOCALO Revolution, REV was to be used as a mascot for VY2.

Hiroto-P, who was mainly responsible for CUL's development, wanted to give REV his own voicebank, but for unspecified reasons, was unable to do so.

Depending on the success of upcoming CeVIO voicebank ROSA, development on REV may be picked up again, though likely for CeVIO (just like ROSA) rather than VOCALOID.

UPDATE: REV has a free DeepVocal voicebank currently in beta. This voicebank was released in May 2021. Thanks @utau-bowl for the correction!

Zhanyin Lorra

Current Status: Confirmed canceled

Planned to be a VOCALOID3 release along with Yuezheng Ling.

The two were originally companions. Lorra's biography as told on Vocaloid Wiki is as follows: "a quiet and reticent 16 year old girl who came to the human world from a magical dimension with a mysterious mission. Due to dimensional turbulence, the exit was displaced and she happened to crash into Yuezheng Ling's house. The first time Lorra came to the human world, she was very unfamiliar with her surroundings. [...] With Ling's help, she became a VOCALOID. Lorra has an "eye awakening" ability which can give her an insight to which person has a musical potential and she can activate this potential through her voice, giving it the equivalent of magic."

Lorra was intended to be part of Vsinger, then known as VOCANESE.

A contest was held for her voice provider. Out of four contestants, Gui Xian Ren was chosen, and recording for Lorra was soon completed.

After several months of development, there was an issue found in the voicebank that needed to be fixed.

More time passed, and after VOCANESE rebranded to Vsinger, it was confirmed that the holder of Lorra's character rights was no longer interested in the project. Her rights were bought by a video game company called Joyme Network. For now, she is exclusively used as a character for their games.

Ring Suzune and Hibiki Lui

(sorry. i don't know why they crop like this.)

Current Status: Assumed canceled/abandoned

Born from a 2011 contest called Everyone's Vocaloid. The goal was to bring official Vocaloid products and fan content together by using two fanmade designs to create official Vocaloids.

Finding a voice provider for Lui was difficult, and they never confirmed any voice provider for him. It's assumed that no voicebank ever began production for him.

Ring's voice provider was Japanese singer MiKA. Unlike Lui, her voicebank had reached enough progress for demo songs to be made. A small amount of people received a beta copy of her voicebank set to expire in a month.

Ring was set to release in 2012, but was never sold. It seems no reason was given for this.

Their company, Vocaloid Next, suddenly ceased all activity and their website became inaccessible in 2013. No news or explanation has surfaced.

Lucía and LUAN

(from @AkiGlancy on Twitter; no illustration available for LUAN)

Current Status: Confirmed canceled

Two Spanish VOCALOID4 voicebanks being developed by Giuseppe, who had experience helping develop Vocaloids with Voctro Labs.

Giuseppe attempted to contact several companies to help with the development, including Voctro Labs, but they were not willing to help pay for a VOCALOID license.

Both received a lot of negative feedback. Lucía was criticized for sounding too similar to Clara, and LUAN was criticized for being too low quality.

It was also found that LUAN's voice provider was someone who was subject to a lot of controversy in the Spanish Vocaloid community.

The stress combined with the criticism drove Giuseppe to lash out at Vocaloid fans. He soon deleted his angry comments, LUAN's demo, and any posts related to him or Lucía. Afterward, he closed his social media and retired from Vocaloid, confirming these voicebanks to be canceled.

Zing

Current Status: Assumed canceled/abandoned

A trilingual (Japanese, Mandarin, English) Vocaloid being developed by EXIT TUNES in collaboration with aquatrax.

aquatrax is a video game company. Zing is the mascot of their rhythm game Zyon. At the end of 2016, development began on her VOCALOID4 voicebank.

In 2017, Zing was announced to be an expected Spring 2018 release. No news has surfaced since then. Additionally, her origin game, Zyon, shut down its servers in February 2020 and is no longer playable.

H

Current Status: Confirmed canceled; possibly moving to CeVIO

First teased in 2016 during IA and ONE's anniversary livestream. The only information given was the letter H and a VOCALOID4 voicebank in development.

After four more years of no updates, H was confirmed canceled in 2020.

However, in 2021 during another anniversary livestream, H was teased again, this time with a design.

Along with IA and ONE, she is part of the ARIA ON THE PLANETES project. Her real name was revealed later in 2021 as HIPPI.

While unconfirmed, if fully developed she is likely going to be released for CeVIO like her sisters.

Yao Luniang

Current Status: Assumed canceled/abandoned

A Chinese voicebank to be developed for VOCALOID4 by Shanghai Wangcheng.

Shanghai Wangcheng's other Vocaloids, Zhang Chuchu and Yuecheng, are private, so it's very possible Luniang was never intended for commercial use.

She was a collaboration with NetEase Comics, for which she served as a mascot.

Production for VOCALOID4 started in 2017. Her voice provider was to be chosen through an audition. While six finalists emerged, the winner was never revealed.

In 2020, an authorized user of Yuecheng and Chuchu reported that the pair's serial codes ceased distribution and their voicebanks were no longer available. Shanghai Wangcheng also closed their websites and accounts and seem to have ceased activity, leaving Luniang abandoned.

COCOROBO

Current Status: Assumed canceled/abandoned

Cocorobo-chan was originally featured in exclusive models of a cleaning robot developed by SHARP.

While operating as a vacuum, Cocorobo-chan was also meant to provide conversation so that the owners could feel more connected by communicating with her.

An updated version was debuted in 2016, marketed as a musical A.I. vacuum with a voice powered by the VOCALOID4 engine. COCOROBO's voicebank development was to begin soon after.

In 2018, SHARP stated that COCOROBO was not canceled, but internal circumstances caused them to be unable to give a clear update on her development. No news has surfaced since then.

ALYS

Current Status: Confirmed canceled; moved to Alter/Ego open source, available for Alter/Ego and UTAU

She was to be the first French Vocaloid, developed for VOCALOID3 and voiced by French utaite Poucet. She would also have a Japanese voicebank.

She was expected to release in early 2015. However, in late 2014, her company VoxWave announced that she was going to be developed for CeVIO instead. While they preferred this direction, this also meant that they needed to raise much more money for her.

In December 2015, it was finally announced that ALYS would be released for Alter/Ego, and she was successfully released in March 2016.

𝐲𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐞!𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐫𝐬 controls nearly all of his reactions to a terrifying degree. in private around you and the others, he lets his cockiness and smugness come through if there's no harm. the only other natural expression you'll see outside the battlefield is the piercing, icy way he looks at you and the tick in his jaw from when you've done something wrong

𝐲𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐞!𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐫𝐬 likes to use intimidation, but refrains from doing it. if he does, it's only through subtle body language. you both know you can't beat him in a fight, outrun him, or sneak away in the night if he's anywhere close. a part of him revels in how helpless you are against him. also, there's no bothering with escape if the others are also around; they don’t want you leaving either

𝐲𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐞!𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐫𝐬 never threatens you directly, never. but every request he asks of you—whether it's if you'll sleep next to him or if he can accompany you around a village—has the underlying message that saying no will have consequences

𝐲𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐞!𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐫𝐬 does not, however, have any qualms with threatening others (outside the chain) to control you. it's such a shame that woman had to die because you tried to run away, isn't it? why were you asking some other man for help? watch, now he's dying a slow and painful death because of you

𝐲𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐞!𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐫𝐬 will always punish you for bad behavior. taking away your bedroll for the night, only giving you a half portion for dinner, not allowing you to talk to the others. and if something worse is needed? that's when he begins to take it out on other people

𝐲𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐞!𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐫𝐬 only rewards you for good behavior that has developed from being punished for bad behavior. when you are reaching out for his hand first, when you stopped talking to strangers and travelers, when you started staying within his field of vision at all times

𝐲𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐞!𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐫𝐬' favorite and preferred way to reward you is with gentle, soothing affection. he wants you to learn that peace is possible and normalcy is achievable; you just need to be good for to him. combining it with the tactical use of intimidation, he will make you crave his affection

𝐲𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐞!𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐫𝐬 does not take it well if you betray him. not bad behavior, betrayal. because that means he trusted you, and you had used it against him. you had manipulated him. you had played him for a fool. and succeeded

𝐲𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐞!𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐫𝐬 does not loose control of his emotions, ever. but he does now. played him for a lovesick fool, have you? took him for a weak man? made him lower his guard. he swore to himself that he would never lay a hand on you, but that will not stop him from unleashing hell in other ways

𝐲𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐞!𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐫𝐬 will restart your conditioning from the ground, and this time he will shatter you first before methodically and precisely assembling the pieces of you back together so that you're the way he needs you to be, the way he wants you to be

𝐲𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐞!𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐫𝐬 is aware that what he's doing is not normal and vaguely wrong; this was not knightly behavior in the slightest. but you belong with him, to him, and he's strong enough to ensure you don't leave him, so why wouldn't he? you're much more important than any denizen

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“that trial was rough,” said boy admitted with a tired sigh. “i seriously thought we were going to get stuck halfway through that logic.”

“yeah,” your response came just as fast, lingering nerves from early finally dissolving now that everything was over. “but you and kyoko managed to save us all once again.”

words overlapped with his in how conversations sometimes did when both people were too relieved to slow down, and before the moment could even settle—your arms wrapped around him.

the hug looked spontaneous, the kind of thing that happened when the adrenaline of a trial burned off all at once. makoto froze for half a second, cheeks tinting in pink when he awkwardly returned the gesture, clearly just as surprised by it.

from the other side, byakuya stopped walking.

silence fueled around him in a way that had nothing to do with the courtroom itself.

lapis blue eyes narrowed slightly behind the reflection of his glasses as he watched the scene unfold. of course it was makoto naegi. the same naive optimist who somehow managed to stumble his way into the center of every situation, gathering appreciation and loyalty from people who should know better.

how predictable.

a quiet scoff left him.

“ridiculous.”

the word was spoken under his breath, though the sharpness behind it was impossible to miss. arms folded across his chest as he turned his attention away from the pair near the doorway, posture tense with faint irritation that had absolutely no logical justification.

makoto wasn’t important.

the hug certainly wasn’t important.

and yet his eyes looked back again anyway.

makoto had stepped away by then, still looking embarrassed while he scratched the back of his head and laughed nervously, still a bit flushed. you seemed to pay no mind to that, resuming the chatter like nothing happened. like nothing was wrong.

byakuya watched the interaction for another moment before speaking again, this time sharper than usual.

“if you’ve finished celebrating mediocrity,” he started, directing the comment toward you without bothering to hide his displeasure, “some of us would prefer not to linger in this courtroom all day.”

makoto blinked, confused by the sudden hostility.

“uh… what?”

byakuya didn’t answer him.

instead, his gaze settled squarely on you—unmistakably displeased.

“try to keep your priorities straight,” he added, tone clear with disapproval. “throwing yourself at the first person you see after a trial hardly reflects well on you.”

the remark landed cold and in subtle irritation before he turned away again, already heading toward the exit like the conversation had never mattered in the first place.

only the faint stiffness in his posture betrayed that the image of that hug had lingered in his mind longer than it should have.

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relief didn’t arrive all at once after a class trial. instead it crept in slowly, piece by piece, as the tension that had wrapped around everyone’s nerves finally began to loosen.

a quiet laugh slipped from nagito as he stepped aside from the main group.

“wow...that was incredible,” he murmured to no one in particular, eyes shining with that familiar, unsettling excitement. “even in the middle of such despair, everyone’s hope still managed to shine through. isn’t that amazing?”

the statement drifted harmlessly into the background of the room, mostly ignored. but nagito didn’t seem to mind, watching people move around the room like this—relieved, hopeful—was entertaining enough for him.

the moment he noticed you, his expression brightened calmly.

“ah, there you are. i was starting to think you might’ve collapsed from all that stress. that would’ve been tragic, don’t you think?” he said lightly, carrying just enough enthusiasm to reach across the space between you. “hope works best when everyone’s still around to nurture it—”

before he could continue rambling, another figure stepped into your path.

“hajime!”

the ultimate ??? looked just as worn out as everyone else, but he managed a small smile when he heard you call out his name. “hey. tired after that trial?” he greeted casually. “i really thought we were going to miss something important halfway through.”

nodding in agreement, your response came in swift, to which he chuckled softly in return. for a moment the two of you simply stood there sharing the same exhausted relief as the rest of the class.

without thinking, you moved forward and hugged him.

anyone with eyes could tell it was not hesitant at all.

the arms around hajime gave him a quick, impulsive squeeze, the kind people give when they’re grateful someone else had made it through another trial alive.

hajime froze instantly.

“w-wait, what—?”

his confusion made the moment even more awkward as he hesitantly returned the hug, caught off guard by the sudden contact.

several steps away, nagito stopped speaking. shock didn’t quite reach his face right away. his usual soft smile remained perfectly intact, almost serene as he watched this unravel from where he stood.

how wonderful. two students, celebrating survival together after overcoming despair.

that was exactly the kind of hopeful interaction he loved to see.

...so why did something feel unpleasant twisting somewhere in his chest?

nagito tilted his head slightly, studying the feeling with quiet curiosity rather than trying to push it away. emotions were strange things, after all. even someone like him occasionally stumbled across reactions that didn’t immediately make sense.

“ah,” he said softly after a moment.

of course. that explained it.

a small laugh escaped him, light and self-aware.

“i see… so even someone as worthless as me can feel jealous sometimes.”

the realization didn’t sound bitter. if anything, nagito seemed fascinated by it, muted olive eyes drifting back toward you and the unnamed talented one as the hug finally broke apart.

hajime still looked confused, glancing between you and the rest of the room like he expected someone to explain what had just happened.

nagito walked over before that silence could stretch any longer.

“hinata,” he greeted cheerfully, stopping just close enough for both of you to hear him clearly. “it seems you’ve become quite popular. receiving hugs like that after a trial… i’d almost call it a symbol of hope.”

hajime frowned immediately. “what are you even talking about?”

“oh, nothing important,” nagito replied with a soft shrug. “i was just thinking about how lucky you are.”

his gaze shifted briefly toward you, smile still gentle.

“after all,” he continued, calm and almost thoughtful, “if someone like you chose to hug me instead, i’m afraid i might’ve misunderstood the situation entirely.”

the comment lingered in the air for a moment before he added,

“and that would’ve been terribly embarrassing, wouldn’t it?”

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footsteps echoed loudly against the polished floor as everyone began leaving the trial room, the orderly lines that had existed during it changed into scattered movement. above it all rose one very familiar voice.

“excellent work, everyone!” kiyotaka declared with booming enthusiasm, posture perfectly straight as he addressed the group like a proud hall monitor after a successful inspection. “despite the immense pressure placed upon us by such a terrible situation, we upheld the principles of cooperation and rational discussion! that is exactly the kind of discipline required to defeat despair!”

a few ultimates winced at the volume.

but taka didn’t notice—his hands were planted firmly on his hips while he continued speaking with the unwavering conviction of someone who fully believed the class had just demonstrated the finest example of moral conduct imaginable.

what he did notice, was you weaving through the small clusters of students. your pace slowed once you reached him, shoulders visibly relaxing now that the trial was finally over.

“taka,” you said, letting out a breath that sounded halfway between relief and exhaustion. “you were really intense back there.”

“of course i was!” he replied instantly. “a class trial demands our absolute focus and dedication! anything less would be unacceptable under such circumstances!”

the sharp declaration softened just a little when he looked at you more closely.

clearing his throat with sudden awkwardness he added, “however, i must admit i am glad you emerged from the ordeal unharmed.”

you smiled at that.

before kiyotaka could continue his speech about responsibility and moral integrity, someone else approached him from behind you.

white loafers. loud presence.

mondo.

“tch...finally over,” he muttered, rolling his shoulders like he’d just finished a long fight instead of a courtroom debate. his gaze turned toward you next. “you good?”

“yeah,” you nodded. “honestly, i thought we were all doomed for a second there.”

mondo grinned. “nah. we’re tougher than that.”

you took a step closer to him, the leftover anxiety sitting in your chest since the start of the trial now cracking at his casual confidence. “still, thanks for backing me up earlier.”

a second later, your arms swung around him in a brief, grateful hug, making the biker freeze.

“...huh?”

it wasn’t something he had expected. after some moments of stunned silence, he lightly patted your shoulder careful not to hurt you, though the way he did it was like someone who had no idea what the correct response was supposed to be.

taka stopped moving entirely. for several seconds he simply stared.

his brain, normally so quick to organize thoughts into firm conclusions about rules and discipline, struggled to categorize the sight in front of him. a hug between classmates after a stressful event was not inherently improper. in fact, expressions of camaraderie could even be interpreted as healthy bonding.

and yet—

why mondo?

a strong, unfamiliar irritation flared somewhere in his chest.

“w–wait just a moment!” taka suddenly burst out, stepping forward with dramatic urgency. “physical contact of that nature immediately following such a serious proceeding is—is—”

he stopped mid-sentence.

because he had absolutely no idea what rule had actually been broken.

you pulled away from mondo, blinking at the dark haired male in confusion. “uh… taka?”

mondo scratched the back of his head. “what’s with the yelling?”

kiyotaka straightened abruptly, face flushed with a mix of frustration and something far less dignified.

“i simply believe,” he said stiffly, trying to regain composure. “that if you are going to express gratitude… it should be directed toward all classmates who contributed to the successful outcome of the trial!”

the declaration sounded suspiciously like a complaint.

owada raised an eyebrow. “…you jealous or something?”

“i–i most certainly am not!!” taka shouted, scandalized by the very suggestion.

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“man...i’m done.”

the words left hajime the moment the trial ended, shoulders sagging as he leaned back against one of the podiums like the entire debate had wrung every last drop of energy out of him.

too many arguments, too many accusations, too many moments where the wrong answer could’ve doomed everyone.

a long breath slipped out as he rubbed his face with one hand.

students were already starting to talk again. some about the investigation while others expressing their relief the whole nightmare was over—for now, at least.

hajime’s attention drifted when he heard your voice.

“really, i thought we were about to miss the most obvious clue,” you were saying, sounding between exhausted and amused.

the comment wasn’t directed at him. because nagito was standing in front of you.

“ah, but that’s exactly what makes hope so fascinating,” nagito replied with his usual unsettling cheerfulness. “even when the situation looks completely hopeless, someone always manages to find the light hidden inside the darkness.”

hajime resisted the urge to groan.

that guy could turn anything into a speech about hope.

you didn’t seem bothered by it, though. “still,” you added, shaking your head. “if you hadn’t pointed out that contradiction earlier, we might’ve been stuck arguing for another hour.”

nagito tilted his head slightly. “really? i simply said what anyone else could have—”

your response cut him off when you reached out and embraced the snowy haired guy in a hug. nagito’s reaction was a slow blink at first.

“...oh.”

the sound held a rare note of genuine surprise.

one of his hands hovered in the air before slowly settling against your back, unsure of what the proper reaction to this should be.

meanwhile hajime stared. his brain didn’t quite register what he was looking at—until it clicked.

“...seriously?”

both of you looked over.

you released nagito, confused by the tone in hajime’s voice. “what?”

hajime pushed himself away from the podium with a quiet huff, arms crossing over his chest while his expression settled into something between annoyance and disbelief.

“nothing,” he muttered.

except it clearly wasn’t nothing.

his stare turned briefly toward nagito before returning to you again, annoyance creeping into his voice whether he meant for it to or not.

“you could’ve hugged literally anyone else in the room,” he said bluntly. “why him?”

nagito’s eyes widened slightly.

“…hajime,” he said softly, almost touched. “are you worried about me?”

“i’m not worried!”

the denial came a little too fast. he ran a hand through his hair with an aggravated sigh, already regretting opening his mouth in the first place.

“i’m just saying,” he continued with lingering frustration, “that guy spends half his time calling himself trash and the other half talking about hope like he’s narrating some weird documentary. it’s confusing.”

nagito smiled faintly at that.

“how harsh,” he murmured.

hajime ignored him, choosing to place his attention back to you, expression still stubbornly irritated even though the reason behind it was becoming embarrassingly obvious.

“…next time,” he muttered, looking away toward the exit, “pick someone less weird to celebrate with.”

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shuichi remained near the doorway.

hands loosely clasped together, shoulders slightly hunched, he watched the others walk out one by one. detective instincts never let him rest, along with the uneasy feeling that he’s grown used to following every trial.

at least it was done with. but who knows for how long the peace will last this time..

a small voice nearby broke through his thoughts.

“kokichi, stop.”

shuichi looked up.

you stood somewhat away, facing kokichi oma, who had his arms behind his head, gleeful like the trial had been nothing more than an entertaining game.

“but i’m just telling the truth!” he insisted with exaggerated innocence. “you should’ve seen your face during the debate earlier. it was priceless!”

“that’s not comforting,” you sighed.

“aw, don’t be like that.”

despite the teasing tone, the conversation didn’t sound hostile. if anything, it seemed oddly relaxed compared to the tense atmosphere left behind by the trial.

shuichi shifted slightly where he stood. watching kokichi joke around like this always left him unsure how to react. half the time it felt like the boy was deliberately trying to stir things up—and yet somehow he still managed to pull others into his orbit anyway.

then you laughed—catching the detective off guard.

“okay, okay,” you shook your head. “maybe it was a little ridiculous.”

“see?” kokichi hummed. “you get it.”

to make things worse (for shuichi)—you pulled the self-claimed supreme leader into a hug. who was taken by surprised for like half a second, then his arms came up lazily back around you as if he expected it all along. “well this is new.”

on the other hand, shuichi hadn’t realized he was staring until the moment stretched too long.

something tightened uncomfortably in his chest.

it wasn’t logical. people hugged all the time after class trials. the stress, the fear, the relief of surviving—it made sense that someone might act on impulse like that.

still...of all people.

kokichi’s gaze drifted over your shoulder.

right toward the raven haired detective.

a slow, knowing smile spread across his face in mischief.

“…wow,” he said casually, not letting go just yet. in fact, the menace squeezed his hold on you a little more. “shumai’s making a really interesting expression right now.”

you pulled back slightly, unaware of kokichi’s antics. “huh? like what?”

shuichi straightened immediately, heat creeping up his neck when you looked over, attempting to fix his expression for one of full calm despite the knots of bad feelings warring inside him right now.

“i–i wasn’t making an expression,” he said quickly.

oma’s grin widened.

“oh, really? so i’m being the liar here?”

the teasing tone was unmistakable.

you glanced between them, clearly confused by the sudden tension.

shuichi looked away, doing a poor job of hiding his emotions. “i just meant…you looked relieved,” he added awkwardly. “after the trial, i mean.”

“yeah,” you replied slowly. “i guess i was.”

kokichi tilted his head, studying him with open amusement.

“nishishi~ hey, saihara-chan,”

shuichi stiffened.

“if you want a hug too,” he continued, voice dripping with playful mischief, “you could’ve just asked Y/N. i’m sure they’ll gladly give you one so you don’t feel lonely~.”

shuichi nearly choked.

“what—i—that’s not—!”

kokichi laughed, clearly delighted with himself.

meanwhile the detective avoided your gaze, trying—and failing—to ignore the lingering twist of jealousy sitting stubbornly in his chest.

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rantaro leaned against the railing overlooking the main hall, turning a small coin he found between his fingers.

he’d slipped out of the room earlier than most.

class trials always left this buzz in his head—endless conflicted voices, too many accusations thrown like knives. getting a little distance afterward helped clear the noise.

your voice drifted down the hallway just as he flipped the cool object.

“...i was so worried that vote was going to go wrong.”

rantaro glanced over his shoulder.

you were walking beside shuichi saihara, both of you still looking worn out from the trial. shuichi had that familiar crease between his brows, like he was still replaying the debate in his head even though it already ended.

“yeah,” the detective admitted quietly. “i kept thinking if there was something we were missing.

“well, good thing you didn’t miss it.”

before shuichi could respond, you moved forward to catch his sleeve, tugging him close for a hug. it happened fast—less dramatic celebration and more pure relief breaking through.

he froze the instant he felt the warmth of your arms envelop him.

“i—um—”

the poor guy looked like his brain had completely shut down.

watching all of this happen in real time, rantaro chuckled softly under his breath.

guess he wasn’t the only one feeling the leftover tension from earlier.

still, something about that moment made him push away from the railing.

he crossed the distance between you with easy steps, stopping just close enough to join the conversation as you finally released shuichi.

“looks like someone beat me to it.” rantaro said casually.

you blinked, caught by surprise to his sudden appearance. “beat you to what?”

“that,” he replied, gesturing lightly to the other male.

and said male instantly looked ten times more flustered.

“it wasn’t like that,” shuichi insisted quickly.

rantaro smiled, keeping his chill with ease. “relax, i’m not accusing you of anything.” then he turned slightly, expression calm but noticeably more focused now that he was standing in front of you.

“just thought i’d get a hug too,” he added.

the request came out so casually it almost sounded like a joke.

you laughed, not sure if he really meant it or not.

“oh, seriously?”

rantaro lifted his hands slightly in surrender. “hey, surviving a class trial deserves some kind of reward, doesn’t it?”

shrugging a little, you stepped forward without much hesitation and wrapped your arms around him as well, feeling him return the hug easily this time, one hand settling lightly against your back.

from the corner of his eye he noticed shuichi still standing there, awkwardly pretending not to watch.

a faint smirk tugged at rantaro’s mouth.

after a second he leaned down, voice low enough that only you could hear it.

“…though,” he murmured, “i’ll admit i was hoping i’d be first.”

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

“boooring.”

the complaint echoed loudly through the hallway connected to the dining hall.

everyone who had survived the exhausting nonstop debate barely reacted anymore. most were already used to him announcing his opinions like the world existed purely for his commentary.

kokichi walked down the hall, fingers fiddling with the ends of his scarf, looking far too relaxed for someone who spent the last hour accusing half the class of murder.

“seriously, you guys are no fun,” he continued, glancing around at the others. “a class trial ends and everyone just wanders off like zombies. where’s the excitement? the drama? the—”

your voice cut him off.

“kokichi.”

he turned immediately.

you were standing a few steps behind him with your arms crossed, giving him the same unimpressed look you usually reserved for his more ridiculous antics.

“what?” he asked in feigned innocence.

“you were insufferable during that debate.”

“that’s a lie,” kokichi replied without hesitation. “i was entertaining.”

“can it be called ‘entertaining’ when you accused three different people for no reason??”

“hey, it worked, didn’t it?” he grinned.

the irritation on your face lasted all of three seconds before a tired laugh slipped out instead.

kokichi’s grin widened.

“oh? looks like someone survived the trial without completely losing their mind.”

“barely,” you muttered. “next time maybe try not throwing random accusations around every five minutes.”

“no promises.”

looking over kokichi’s side, you noticed shuichi had stepped into the hallway, still looking a hint overwhelmed but more relaxed now that it was over—making you light up on the spot.

“shuichi! you were amazing back there,” you said, abandoning the short menace (and ignoring his “hey!”) as you walked over to him. “the way you caught that last contradiction basically saved us all.”

shuichi flushed, surprised to see you here. “it wasn’t just me—everyone helped.”

“still!”

refusing to let him retreat into his usual awkward modesty, you pulled him into a tight hug, making him stiffen.

“ah...”

except kokichi didn’t let the moment linger too long, though.

“oooh~?” he sang, strolling closer with exaggerated joy that secretly held annoyance behind it. “what’s this? shumai’s getting special treatment now?”

releasing shuichi, you looked at oma confused by the random teasing tone. “what are you talking about?”

kokichi leaned forward, forcing a smile that did a poor job hiding his displeasure.

“that looked like a pretty enthusiastic hug,” he pointed out. “did i miss some secret development during the trial?”

on the other hand, the raven haired detective looked like he wanted the floor to swallow him.

“uh—it wasn’t like that!”

that didn’t stop the supreme leader from causing a scene, however.

a small pout tugged at his lips as he tilted his head. “you know, i solved plenty of things during that trial too.”

“you caused half the confusion.”

“details.”

kokichi placed a hand dramatically over his chest.

“and after all my hard work, this is the thanks i get?” he sighed. “watching you hug shumai right in front of me. my poor heart.”

“you’re so dramatic,” you said.

“am not.”

“yes you are.”

he huffed, clearly offended.

“fine,” he declared suddenly, launching himself into your arms before you were given time to react—legs tight around your waist and arms draped firmly around your shoulders.

the hug was completely uninvited.

“there,” he said smugly, purposely keeping eye contact with the young detective as he snuggled deeper, rubbing his head against your chest. “now it’s fair.”

“kokichi, get off—”

shuichi looked like he’d just witnessed a crime.

yet the leader of dice only grinned wider, clearly pleased with himself.

☆ You were only vaguely aware of Ratio's work, given that he wrote your textbook, but how did he know someone that powerful in the IPC? Who knows

☆ It was just a selfie of the two of them. That's it. Literally two guys side-hugging at a vacation spot. The only notable feature was how Ratio was actually smiling in the picture, with his mask off

☆ Sometimes you forgot that the guy was handsome....

☆ Holy shit.

☆ Checking your bank account and yep....it was real.

☆ As promised, you posted the image to the profile. With the added caption "Spent the most wonderful night at the @officialmargazehotel with my dear friend Aventurine. I hope we can do so again ;)"

☆ It absolutely blew up. For one thing, Aventurine added it to his public story, and that added to the attention. The other was the fact that it was friendly....which Ratio was certainly not.

☆ The comments were honestly really funny. There was a war between some girls in the Ratio fan club, since one of them had claimed that this meant that Ratio was gay. Apparently, that subject was worth 300 comments of paragraphs and petty insults

☆ Unfortunately, this now opened your DMs to even more IPC executives. And even more horny comments from random users

☆ Honestly you felt a little bad for him. Out of 3000 DMs, only 20 of them were those trying to have actual conversations. If any man could say that they understood what it was like to be a woman, it would have to be Ratio. The sexual harassment was unreal.

☆ It was also a little awkward - you've been in a meme exchange with Topaz, and it's hard to tell if she knows you're a faker or not. Neither of you have texted a single word, just videos of cute cats and warp trotters doing silly tricks.

☆ Obviously, this couldn't go on forever.

☆ You said that, but it did not stop you from posting. No, if anything it was emboldening you to see how far you could get away with the charade - your tags had become even dumber and you had started to make up even worse stories in your captions

☆ Once you uploaded one of the bad photoshop edits you and your friend had made and you thought that people were finally catching on. At least, you hoped

☆ Unfortunately, it had the opposite effect. Some idiot at a news organization had decided that it was a reference to one of his upcoming research projects. You didn't even know shit about topology but apparently they thought it was a big deal that the photoshopped image of Ratio as a pyramid was an insult to the importance of hexagons.

☆ You were pretty sure the guy was insane, but it was honestly shocking the amount of DMs you got arguing over shapes. Apparently, it's a big thing in the realm of engineering

☆ Did this stop you? No. Of course not

☆ Yes you had an exam due but no. you instead spent the night photoshopping Ratio into even more bizarre things - your favorite was the city you made entirely out of photoshopped ratios. Gotta put your art degree for something at least

☆ For some reason, that wasn't really the straw that broke the camel's back. No, what it took was you posting a photo you took at the Robin Concert for someone to say anything

☆ Maybe it was because you put the tag #lesbiansex on the post....

☆ In your experience with this account, you learned that there were other people trying to garner the same success that your account had by impersonating Dr. Ratio. You've learned to respond accordingly.

☆ Looking at the profile, and sure enough, another blank that was made literally 30 seconds ago. An obvious faker.

☆ Pffff. As if that means anything

☆ Actually, you were starting to feel worried now. How the hell did he know your IP address?

☆ With your head in your hands, you began to accept your fate. Dr. Ratio himself was going to appear in your apartment and kill you or something.

☆ It was far too embarrassing to say anything. What were you gonna do, face the consequences of your actions? Like a mature adult?

☆ No....surely not.

☆ To be fair, this was entirely your fault. It was inevitable that you were going to have this situation on your hands.

☆ Your solution? Getting shitfaced.

☆ The pro of being a paperfold student is that you had penachony at your fingertips. Which meant that you could drink as much as you want and still not feel hungover.

☆ With this situation, you were certainly going to need it. How were you going to get out of this terrible, no-good pickle? The one that you had chosen to make yourself....

☆ You had the bartender make you a 'smart drink'....how well it worked was rather debatable

☆ It did help you do your assignments. You were packed since it was midterms, but this didn't solve your real issue -- what the hell were you going to do with this account?

☆ You were thinking about faking your death. Maybe make it a big spectacle for one last giggle. But that didn't solve the issue of Ratio possibly knowing who you really are.

☆ Maybe you could just quietly deactivate the account. Or simply drop it and hope that no one will ever remember it happening

☆ It might be your best option. The man was going to be at a conference at Paperfold soon, so you needed to make sure that you weren't on his radar when he came

☆ With the time you spent impersonating him, you learned that he very much had a stick up his ass and had no problem coming for your academic career

☆ On top of all of that, you were going to have to be present for that same conference. You should've been ecstatic to have your art viewed at such a big event, but knowing that real-life proximity to the man was soon.....yeesh.....you were going to need another drink

☆ Maybe 2 more....and one on top

☆ Fuck you were going to vomit. Here you were, sitting at a dingy bar and forced to type in normal sentences

☆ This must be karma from a previous life or something

☆This was strangely a thing that made you almost pity the doctor. As in, made you sympathize with him.

☆You were talking your heart out in those messages. To the best of your inebriated ability, you tried to apologize. Maybe dig yourself out of the hole you had dug

☆And like that, your night blanked out

☆You were not free from your consequences however. Because while you were drunk and crying to the man you were parading yourself to be as, you had found the time to post a story on that account

☆Terrible idea.

☆It was just a bad, dingy photo at the bar. But it spread like wildfire that Dr. Ratio (not you) was drinking there

☆There was a crowd that appeared faster than light (to the drunk brain), and in that time you had found yourself wandering the streets of penachony. So, worst place to wonder around drunk.

☆Some people had taken photos at that bar while looking for the man, and you had seen yourself in some of those photos....you were a terrible drunk

☆Now, at least you were not hungover. But on the opposite side, it was clear that the account was reaching it's end

☆You needed to delete it. Or do a reveal. Or something.

☆But again, you were stupid. Ignore the fact you're in university, your brain was basically pea sized.

☆So you instead pretended it didn't exist. No DMs, no posts, no photoshop

☆In fact, you just decided to not use your phone at all. You went into full study mode.

☆It was only on the morning of the conference that you realized that the account was still in fact a problem

☆A big, ugly problem

☆You just woke up??? This attack was fully provoked but you were offended anyhow

☆This conference was actually a nightmare as well. There were hundreds of people, and since it was penachony, everyone there was dressed as eccentrically as Ratio.

☆Hopefully you could just blend into the crowd. You were just one student showcasing their work, there was no way that he would know its you

☆What a terrible game of cat and mouse you had gotten into

☆What was scary is how you hadn't seen him yet. You had seen his art, but you had not seen the man himself

☆Like a bad habit, you had finally opened your phone to just....avoid the situation

☆New likes on a post, random Dms, a meme from Topaz...nothing to look at. Except one message, from the man you've been terrified of all day

☆You looked up from your screen, trying to discern what the hell this could have meant

☆Bad idea btw, as standing not even a yard away from you, the man was staring at you. The alabaster head was intimidating in person. It felt as if his eyes were looking directly at you, even when you knew he couldn't see you

☆He approached you. In this strange, gliding way - perhaps because his legs were longer, so he took far fewer steps than you would

☆A hand on your shoulder, so tight as if he was going to crush it. His head piece was still on, so you could not tell what expression he was making underneath. You imagined something horrific, honestly

"Enjoying the conference, Dr. Ratio?" His voice was the same that you had heard on video, but his strange accent was made all the stranger when he said his own name like that.

"...but your name is Dr. Ratio...." You let out a poor laugh, hoping to convince him of your innocence.

☆Task failed, as the man was now dragging you away from the main hall. He took you down a random hallway, passing by the busy conference rooms until the noise died down. The rooms were seemingly endless, but he found one that he seemed satisfied with shoving you into

☆The man was obviously muscular, but you could feel his strength in that moment. By god you were a starving art student, so there was no shot at winning a fight with him

☆And forget about fleeing. He had already blocked the door the moment you both entered, his large body blocking any chances that you could run away

"Give me your phone. Unlocked."

☆With the way he spoke, you did not dare and try to play with your life. Slowly, you opened your phone, typing in the password three times as your fingers shook in nervousness

☆Despite the shove he had given you earlier, he had taken the phone out of your hand quite gracefully. It matched the way he took off his alabaster head, as it was placed underneath his elbow like a helmet

☆His face had a perfect facial symmetry, which did nothing to ease you. It made him seem almost as fake as his head.

☆It was interesting watching his facial expressions however. He furrowed his brows, his face stone faced as he tapped through your phone. Obviously, he was looking at the account.

☆Specifically the DMs. He scrolled through them scarily quick, so fast that you were not even sure that he had read them all. The only tell you could see was the way his lips would quirk up occasionally, twitching like it was a glitch you were not supposed to see

☆They went up more and more as he scrolled however. There was a point where he laughed.

☆....should you be scared?

"Um. Can I have my phone back?"

"No. I'm going to delete this." His thumb was typing and swiping through the settings terrifyingly fast. You knew that he had experience with speed reading but it was ridiculous how quick he went.

"You can't delete accounts on mobile. That's only on desktop."

"...I see."

"I can give you the account information," You didn't have any pen and paper on you, but it was the only thing you could think of. Honestly, you should have done so earlier when he first confronted you about it. "I'm sorry. I'm done with this now."

The man still had your phone. It was now by his chin as he began to think, looking at you like you were a canvas waiting to be painted.

"You've given me an idea."

☆His smile was downright terrifying. Probably because he had come up with a punishment made from hell. The idea he had was to make you, yes, you, write a philosophic paper on this

☆You study the arts. You draw. You do not know jackshit about philosophy

☆He didn't let you get an out. The man had decided to colonize your DMs, returning every draft you made with marks that were longer than the paper itself

☆With him now having full control over the account, it was little solace to you - no more stupid posts, no more weird dms, now it was all work.

☆Even when you tried to log on, he would quickly found out and chewed you out

☆Nightmare. This was akin to writing an apology a thousand times on a chalkboard as a child. Horrible.

☆But eventually, you did finish it...somehow. Only took years off of your life

☆What came after you had no idea. The man had deleted the account by the time you finished and after approving of your paper he had seemingly ghosted you....

☆Until your own personal social media account was flooded. Over night you had gone from some no name artist to instead a sensation

☆The evil doctor had apparently published it - and now it was hailed as a brilliant look into the human psyche. Sociologists were freaking out about it

☆A very weird thing to add to your resume you suppose. An artist portfolio and an academic article with a famous doctors name right besides yours.....

I have no idea how to finish this I just want to clean out my drafts finally. lol.

"Yeah!" Wind chimed in, grin nearly threatening to split his face. "You look great!"

You tried to smile, but it probably came off as extremely forced from the amount of willpower it took not to fall to the ground, gasping for breath. Moreover, the others were just staring at you, which made the exchange all the more ridiculous. "Remind me why we're sneaking into the castle in the first place?"

"Because I'm a wanted here," Hyrule shrugged and it was a battle unto itself not to deadpan in his face. "I know Zelda will be able to help us, but it's the rest of the castle that's the problem."

"Uh huh..."

Twilight cleared his throat, seeming to break from whatever stupor he had fallen into when you first entered camp dressed in the ridiculous attire. "Ah get what yer sayin', but," he gestured somewhat specifically to your chest, and you crossed your arms over yourself, but the corset got in the way, unintentionally pushing your boobs up even further. "ain't it dangerous to go without armor?"

"I was thinking the same," Time joined the conversation from his place of brooding against a nearby tree. He had been quiet for most of the morning while everyone prepared to leave, and you wondered why it had taken him so long to pitch his thoughts. You tried not to bristle when his eyes scanned your form, also lingering on your very exposed chest. Hylia, what had you done to deserve this? "It would be dangerous to make you go without any sort of protection; we're not in an era without monsters."

"And that's where you're wrong," Warriors interjected, smile sharpening into something vaguely sinister. "In the right clothes, anyone can pass for nobility," he paused to glance meaningfully at you, "or royalty."

"I'm not sure whether to feel insulted or complimented," you said with the expression of someone seconds away from felony murder.

"Well, it's either that or a guard," Warriors shot back, and you perked up.

"A guard, you say?"

"You're really going to say that after all the work I put into getting that for you?"

"Wars, sweetie, you pulled it from your bag," you countered, and he rolled his eyes.

"That's effort."

"The fact that you said that with a straight face astounds me," you pinched your temples. "I can't believe I'm saying this, but we're running out of time and I really don't want to change again--..."

"Oh, good," the Captain said in mock relief. "For a moment, I thought you were actually going to be sensible."

"Watch it," you hissed before turning on your heel. Literally, because of course the asshole had included them in the getup. "If I trip, I'm taking you down with me."

"Wouldn't have it any other way, princess."

"Do you kiss your mother with that mouth or just Legend?" you shot back, ignoring the scandalized gasp from the veteran and joining Time at the helm of the group. At this point, he was the only one you trusted not to stare incessantly or make any smart remarks.

"Are you alright?"

You blinked, wobbling a bit as you struggled to keep pace with the eldest hero. "Barely," you joked before noticing just how serious his expression was. "I mean— it's fine, I would have said no if I wasn't comfortable."

"Good," there was a pause. A long pause. Was he purposefully averting his eyes or was that just your overactive imagination again. "You look nice."

Your jaw clicked shut, not because of the words themselves—you already knew you looked nice—but from the fact that it was Time himself who had said them. "I

Your jaw clicked shut, not because of the words themselves—you already knew you looked nice—but from the fact that it was Time himself who had said them. "I— thanks?"

"You're welcome," another beat passed as his gaze flicked over you once more. "I don't suppose you have any weapons on you?"

"I wish," you huffed before lifting the hem of your dress to reveal the dreaded heels. "Actually, I think these are pointy enough to do some damage... don't tell Warriors though, I fear his ego would never stop growing."

Time chuckled, laying a hand over his heart. "You have my word."

Time didn't know how much more of this he could take.

They had arrived at the castle nary a few minutes ago, and he was already regretting allowing you to go out in such an... outfit, both for his own conscience and... well, he'd rather not question the other reasons his mind screamed when you strutted up to the soldiers at the gate.

"Look at her go," Wild whispered as he watched you run your hand down a guard's chest from the safety of the forest line. "You'd think they'd never seen a girl before."

"'S 'cause they ain't," Twilight muttered from two feet over. "Not one of 'em."

"And you have?" Legend interjected with a raised eyebrow.

"More than ya, ah'd reckon."

Time had to agree. Time also had to stare when your hip cocked flirtatiously, wondering where in Hyrule you had learned to do this.

"What do you think they're talking about?" Wind asked, squinting through his periscope in an attempt to read your lips, and Time had an inkling to seize it for himself.

"No idea, but it's working," Warriors answered, eyes glued to the scene before him. You did a little twirl for the men and jolly laughter was heard.

Sky's face was bright red as he watched, half riveted and half scandalized. "I can't watch this."

"Oh, please," snorted Four. "You're just as curious as the rest of us."

"Still..." the Skyloftian had enough decency to look away when you pressed a hand to one of the guards' chests, lashes fluttering in a frankly spectacular impression of a damsel in faux distress. Time's hand tightened on the hilt of his sword.

"What happens if it doesn't work?" Hyrule piped up, tone high with worry. "We can't let her get arrested."

"We won't," Twilight promised, eyes flashing fiercely, and Time was compelled to agree. The only reason they were doing this is the first place was because a fight wasn't necessary, but the second it was... well, he wasn't sure he could be blamed for his actions when one of the guards set a hand on your lower back.

"We're killing that guy, right?" Wild asked with dark eyes, and a chorus of "obviously" and "yup" filled their hiding place.

Time would be lying if he said the situation didn't grate at his already tense nerves. You were strong—a fighter if he had ever seen one—but the sight of the guard's fingers sliding along your waist like a snake about to ensnare its prey did unimaginable things to his mind. And, by the looks on the other heroes' faces, he was far from alone.

You squealed suddenly, batting at your arm like a large bug had landed on you, and Time didn't miss the way your eyes scanned the treeline during those precious seconds, gaze sharper than any blade. Your eyes met and he felt a tiny bit better when your mouth quirked up, only to fall back into faux horror as the guards rushed to your aid.

"I can't watch this," Sky said again, burying his face in his hands. Time had half mind to agree with him.

"I dunno, I think she's doing great," Hyrule said, though there was an underlying waver in his tone.

Sky raised his face enough to half-glare at the other hero. "That's not the point— this is wrong!"

Silence.

"She shouldn't have to do this," the Skyloftian continued, looking seconds away from throwing his hands up in exasperation. "Let alone for us, of all people."

"It's her decision," Time said, and it was the closest thing to a lie he had told in quite some time. "We can't do anything unless it's what she wants."

"That doesn't make it right!" Sky hissed.

"Nothin's always right, Sky," Twilight added, though Time noticed the dangerous drum of the rancher's fingers on his knee. It was good to see that he wasn't the only antsy one here. "It's our best bet fer a safe entry—"

"Fuck a safe entry!" Sky interjected, unsheathing the Master Sword with a terrifying look in his eyes. "I'm not going to stand for this any longer."

And, with that, he began to make for the guards, only to be pulled back by Time at the last second. "Let go," Sky growled, trying and failing to yank his wrist from the eldest hero's iron grip. "Now—"

"No," Time rose to his feet. "If we're doing this, we have to use every advantage we have. What do you think they'll do if they see you marching over with a sword?"

Sky's expression softened some, though he still looked rather inclined to thoughtless murder. "Then what—?"

"Wild, how many can you take out at a time with your bow?" Time asked, and realization flashed across the cook's face. He pulled his bow from his back and nocked an impressive three arrows.

"As many as I can," the Hero of the Wild said with a wolfish grin, pointing the bow straight at the guards. You had already bent over for some innocuous reason, so it was laughably easy to take aim at the guards surrounding you—

CRACK!

—only for you to reel up at the last second, slamming the pointed heel of your shoe into the eye of the closest guard. Wild let his arrows fly at the same second, each one hitting their mark, and Time wished he had time to blink in shocked awe as the men fell around you, groaning.

"What are you doing?!" you whirled around to shriek at the treeline, still holding the bloody heel in your right hand. Wild emerged from the trees, grinning ear-to-ear as the others followed him. Your expression twisted in frustration as they approached. "What the hell, guys?! I had that!"

"We know," Time responded, and the glare you gave him would have killed a weaker man.

"Then why—?"

"We wanted to help," Wild interjected as you pinched your temples with an exasperated growl.

"Fine, but we need to go now."

"Right," said Time, placing his hand on your shoulder. You looked at him and scowled, but held your tongue. "How long do you think before they raise the alarm?"

"Long enough," you huffed, pulling something small and glittering from your bosom. It was very distracting. And question-raising. "Come on, I have the key."

"How—" Wild stopped himself, clearly torn between curiosity and concern as to why you would keep the item in such a place. "Nevermind."

"Good choice," you snorted, bending down to put the bloodied heel back on your foot. It's disgustingly cold and fits a little differently due to you stabbing someone with it, but you'd rather not walk barefoot on the streets. "I think this one is for the servant's quarters, but—"

"HALT!"

The group of heroes turned to face a squadron of approaching guards. There was a pregnant pause.

"We're going to need more shoes," Legend whispered.

"And you call me daft," Four hissed, irises flashing a brilliant blue as he drew his sword.

"Enough," Time growled, turning to you. "You have the key?"

You reached into your bodice once more and pulled out the key. Time tried not to stare. Again. "Right here."

With a stoic nod, Time removed the Biggoron sword from its holster, aiming it at the approaching men with a grave expression. "Get to the castle, I'll hold them off."

"But—"

"Now."

To your credit, you didn't argue, grabbing Hyrule's arm and dragging him to the entrance, slipping into the town as your skirt billowed behind you. It was mesmerizing, the eldest hero concluded, though he didn't watch for long before the men got too close for comfort.

Not when he had a job to do.

The ensuing battle was blissfully short, not that he expected mere palace guards to be any real challenge to them. Hylia, even Wind was holding his own against two at once, while the others tackled the rest. Sword stained with crimson blood, Time watched as Wild finished off the last soldier, kicking the lifeless corpse to the ground.

"We need to get to the castle before more guards show up," Four announced. "Time?"

"Agreed," Time responded, leading the group into the city. No one dared come close as they marched down the main street. The castle loomed ahead, as dark and imposing as he felt. The thought of you wandering those halls alone send a deep twinge straight to his heart, and it was only when they pushed the doors open did he realize it.

Time was scared for you.

He had always been, from when you first fell through a portal before their very eyes to now, when you had been forced to use your body for their goals. It wasn't right, and he applauded Sky for acting when he didn't. There was no doubt in his mind that he would have to make it up to you, but Time didn't dare consider the options. He had lived many years, seen many things, and bore the weight of his many sins. He was a warrior, a leader, and there was no place in his life for the folly of the heart.

Until he met you... and everything changed so inexplicably that he could hardly stand to look at you without wanting to gather you in his arms and never let go.

"Any sign of them?" Sky asked, tearing the eldest hero back to reality.

"Not yet," Legend replied cautiously. The main hall was disturbingly empty, splitting into countless different passages. "We should split up, they could be in trouble."

And so they did; Legend, Wild, and Wind went left, while Sky, Twilight, Four, and Warriors went right, leaving Time to the shadowy middle passage.

His boots clunked against the stone floor, ringing through the tunnel and reminding him just how much he hated being in the dark. The fact that it had taken them less than ten minutes to reach this point sent chills down his spine, but he was confident you and Hyrule could handle

"Time?"

The Hero of Time, destroyer of deities and mortals alike, jumped like a child when the sound of his name filtered through the dark. His hand found the handle of the Biggoron, nearly drawing it until a familiar silhouette approached from the other side of the passage. Time could recognize the sway of those hips anywhere, so he was only partially surprised when you stepped into the faded light.

Your name slipped from his lips like the finest silk as he rushed forward to examine your form, checking for any injuries. "Are you alright?"

You snorted, hands dropping down to rest on your hips. "I'm fine. Hyrule and I found the princes, but," you peeked behind him with a confused expression. "Where are the others?"

"We split up," Time responded, refusing to acknowledge the way your breasts rose when you crossed your arms under them, expression crinkling in mild disappointment. He was better than this, for Hylia's sake!

"For Hyrule's sake, Time, didn't anyone tell you not to go into dark passages alone?"

"Only once," he responded with a quick wink, and was immediately pleased when you stopped to stare at him.

"You're impossible." You turned on your still-bloody heel, and he had the astoundingly inappropriate thought to flip your dress over your h—

No, nope, he was a grown man. With a conscious that only yielded enough to allow the occasional deployment of harmless pranks, not to mention the self-appointed role model for a gathering of mostly late-pubescent young men.

Repeat after me, Time thought to himself in spectacular adult fashion, you are better than this.

A moment passed. The hem of your dress danced a few inches upward, revealing a sultry peek of ankle.

Sweet Nayru.

The Hero of Time came to the abrupt and startling realization that he was not better than this.

"I'm going to miss this," you mused after a bit of silence, glancing at him over one fabric-puffed shoulder. "Not the fighting, but the dressing up... being helpful."

"You're always helpful," Time blurted, managing to hide his burgeoning grin by sheer willpower alone.

Your smile was knowing as you sashayed down the corridor.