#gremlin time

“Before or after your time?” Time inquired calmly while coming closer. He didn’t check the Slate as his notion was fully in his boy.

“Um… I….” The Champion still stammered.

“It’s your time and yet it’s not. Familiar but still odd. So, check the map and tell me: Before or after your quest.” The Chain’s leader pointed out the obvious little notions calmly and gently.

Wild nodded firmly before taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly. After that he began to really check the map and see the differences what he knew his era to be like and how things were in the screen. “After. I still remember things having been pretty much the same before and after I woke up at the Shrine of Resurrection. Things have changed too much for the jump to future to be short.”

The one eyed male nodded while looking around. “In that case I’m pretty sure your counterpart’s not here anymore.” He observed before raising an eyebrow as he looked at the over hundred years old youngster. “Or, do you get knowledge or feelings of your counterpart?”

“No, no feelings or memories. Might be just me and my era instead of my counterpart’s.” The Champion slightly bit challenged and Time jus nodded in understanding. “Anyway, Gerudo Town’s closest. Don’t know how they’ll react to outsiders and males this time around but…” He shrugged with a slight grin. “…it’s the closest possible safe place in this area.”

“Alright, let’s get going then. Lead the way.” The oldest Link half commanded and Wild swiftly began to show the road towards the well protected Gerudo Town.

Soon enough they reached the place but the two guards swiftly crossed their spears to deny the entry from them. The Champion tried to talk things through and appeal into the matter of helping them. Yet, all his attempts only resulted into those spears being pointed at them.

Time snatched a hold of the cook’s tunic’s neck part and pulled him back. “Forgive our attempts. We shall leave now.” He apologized to the guards as calmly as he could before ushering his boys behind the closest wall. “Okay, so no entry. What now?” He half queried while thinking through how he had snuck around Gerudo back during his first quest.

The whole Chain was trying to figure out an answer to the problem. “Um… Hear me out before you shoot his idea down.” Wild started bit nervously while slightly slumping as everyone’s gazes fell into him. “We could, um… Sneak in…?” He more of asked than suggested the idea.

Before anyone could start to throw in arguments against such idea, the one eyed male raised his hand to shush everyone down. He started to grin mischievously while thinking the idea through. “Actually… I like that idea.” He grinned and quite well got the others baffled about his words. “Show the map of the place.” He half commanded and Wild took the map out.

“Take a check and choose your going. We’ll meet here.” The Chain’s leader told out the rules before pointing to the lookout pillar from where all the water was poured all around the town. And, luckily, that place was right in middle of the Gerudo Town.

Once everyone had taken a check on the map and started to plan their ways, Time pulled off while still having that mischievous grin on his face. “Good luck, boys. See you in middle of the place.” His grin only widened as he pulled out the Stone Mask and put it on. His chuckle was the only thing the boys heard after their startled and baffled shouts when they saw their leader just vanish from their sight. Warriors facepalmed and shook his head while feeling like he should’ve seen it coming.

There wasn’t any of competition or bet going on but each of them wanted to reach the place before the others. Legend was next one whom suddenly vanished from their sights as he put the Magic Cape on. He simply wished he had enough of magic to uphold the invisibility.

Right after him Hyrule took out his fairy form and already flew up to get over the high going wall. Next was Wind as he left the place to search for a place he could use to sneak into the place from different side. Wild gave his Sneaking Gear to the Captain before taking few steps backwards to be away from the others. After that he struck out Revali’s Gale to get high into the air and, hopefully, glide unnoticed into the target place. Warriors groaned but he changed his clothes a bit in hopes of getting into the town unseen.

Four began to climb the wall while knowing he’d take up on the Minish Magic once he’d figured out his way just so he could be even more out of sight on his actions. Sky and Twilight sighed but they started to round the place too in search of way inside. Neither was the best at sneaking but both had done such. Eventually, though, the rancher brought out Wolfie and hoped he could go unnoticed while just being a huge dog instead of wolf. The Chosen Hero just hoped he could fool others by faking to be asleep while hiding underneath his Sailcloth.

With the plans set and the Chain having dispersed to their own roads, their luck was varying. No-one saw or then just no-one put notion into the fairy as the Traveler just flew straight into the right place. He changed back to his Hylian form once he had sat down and could be quite certain of being out of sight.

The Veteran had used the higher ground to make straighter road for himself. The magic luckily held and he got into the place a while after his successor. He too sat down to be out of sight and notion. “I guess you won.” The Weapon Specialist just signed as he didn’t dare to speak in worry of getting found out. Hyrule just shrugged as an answer.

Third one whom came to the chosen place was Wild. He was fully grateful of how high the Rito Champion’s skill struck him. He also had used the sun for his aid to keep it harder from others to notice him. He took the chance when no-one was looking at his way and quickly landed into the lookout pillar. He too sat down and stayed as low as possible afterwards.

Next to reach the place was surprisingly Warriors. He had quickly realized how good the Sneaking Gear of the Champion’s was. He still needed to use all skills he had to sneak but the clothes really kept him unnoticed. It was thrilling feeling and he partly hoped he could get to either keep this set or at least Wild would tell him where he could get similar attire for himself.

Soon afterwards Four climbed over the railing and changed his size back to normal. He had originally thought about going on the walls and roofs like Legend but his form was too small for the gap he would’ve needed to jump. That had forced him to climb down to the streets and dash past the people and climb back up once he reached the pillar.

Next to arrive was the Sailor. Wind had found a hole in the wall and crawled through it. He put all his sneaking skills into usage as he moved through the streets and hid to anywhere he could. Getting past the market area was trickier part but, for once, he partly hoped the fact of him being “a kid” would aid him in being unnoticed. He was bit surprised of the few bigger and longer chances of people turning their notion elsewhere and so giving him a chance to cross longer parts of the market area before he was already climbing upwards on the pillar’s side.

Unexpectedly the Skyloftian arrived to the lookout point only a while after the pirate-Hero. He had snuck through another hole in the wall and moved through the streets as slowly and quietly as he could. Whenever he heard someone approaching, he leaned against the wall and pulled the white fabric over him. He made sure the crest of Hyrule was unseen before starting to fake calm snoring. Luckily the people didn’t pay attention to him and once they were gone, he continued forward. As with Wind, the market area was harder part for him. Still he used the Sailcloth as much as he could while using any surface to lean against to fake having fallen asleep. It felt bit of a miracle when he reached the pillar and began to climb as quickly as he could.

Twilight took bit longer than Sky before he got to the right place. He absolutely hated to fake being a domesticated dog. He chased his tail. He rolled over. He let the women scratch his belly and pet him. He did all the dogs did to drag suspicion and fear off of him. He was fully grateful of the shadowed side the lookout’s pillar had so he could change forms and climb up.

While the Chain made their way through the town to reach the place, Time made sure they managed with it. He had simply walked past the two guards and began to look around the town. As long as he had the Stone Mask on, no-one saw him. He restocked on their arrows and potions while just snatching the things and leaving the money on the counter. He created a distraction to catch people’s notion whenever they were too close of catching one of his boys. Hyrule and Legend didn’t need such but the rest did.

A slight metallic clang and playing with the light of the sun on arrow’s tip to give the needed distraction for Wild. Screech of arrow’s tip against rocky wall to pull too close gotten people away from Warriors. Pulling Four backwards when he was going to get crushed either by some item or one’s foot. He would’ve loved to pick him up and carry him to right place but it would’ve been too clear notion of his aid. Playing with a fireball to give Wind enough of time to reach the right pillar. Moving right next to Sky and hiding him behind his own magic to keep him from being seen. Pulling the notion off of the wolf whom was acting like a dog by unexpectedly freezing one of the small water areas.

Yet, once he had gotten the Chain to the right place, he didn’t straight off go to meet with them. Instead, he searched out the Inn and, like a voice in a wind, queried for one room’s price. When no-one was noticing, he swiftly wrote everyone’s names up even though he knew one would’ve charged him with forgery for that and paid for the stay of few days. Only after that he made his way to the lookout pillar.

“Good, everyone’s here.” Time simply said while pulling off the mask and quite well startling all eight boys of his. The one eyed male tried to stifle his laughter while still grinning mischievously. He glanced once around the market below them before his mischievous look only got wider. He ignored the pleading looks of his boys as he suddenly gave out a whistle and caught the notion of the people around the area.

Obviously, the nine Heroes were swiftly arrested and forced out of the town. The Chain’s leader was hardly holding back his laughter while the others were looking either defeated or angry of the situation. Once there only were the two guards by the doorway, Time just calmly approached them. “Hi, you might want to let us in as we’ve already booked the biggest room from the Inn. Nine customers by the same name of Link.” He simply told while grinning knowingly. He just nodded as the other one left the check the situation and get someone else on her place to guard the entrance.

The Gerudo Guard came back soon enough while looking entirely baffled. The trio unwillingly let them inside and Time just led the way straight to the Inn. They were quite a sight for the people of Gerudo Town but they had booked a stay so they couldn’t exactly throw the guys out of there either. Once in the safety of the biggest room the Inn hand, the oldest Link shared off the things he had restocked on and fully took his group off guard by that.

Few days later the Chain’s leader would’ve gladly taken day or several more to stay at the Inn but the keeper refused. The nine swordsmen barely had enough of time to gather their stuff before they were already kicked out of the Gerudo Town. At least they had had enough of time to plan their next moves and which way they would head towards. Yet, the boys, with Time’s acceptance, wanted to do one more sneaking into the town. Though, this time without any items or magics that could help to keep them unnoticed.

Wild surprisingly declined from the idea as he knew to rely on his Sneaking Gear more than he dared to admit. Time pulled out of the thing as he knew he could’ve snuck around his own era’s Gerudo area but not here. It was too well crowded for him to be capable of going unnoticed. Warriors shook his head too while telling that sneaking wasn’t within his abilities.

Legend, Hyrule and Wind were more than eager of going with the idea. In fact, it had been the Sailor whom had suggested that they’d give one last going in sneaking around the Gerudo Town. The Veteran and the Traveler were straight off in the plan.

Four thought for a while before he nodded and joined into the attempt of sneaking through the town. Sky and Twilight glanced at each other but they eventually backed away from the idea. Time hadn’t given any of words out about having caused distractions to aid them but some of his boys had a feeling there had been more going on that met the eye. Still, as they hadn’t seen a thing, they couldn’t prove it either.

And so, the sneaking into the town and going through it to the other side of the place was started from the two spots where the holes in the walls were. Legend and Hyrule used the place Sky had used while Four and Wind took the other one which was bit smaller hole. Wild, Twilight and Sky waited at the side where the entrance to the place was while Warriors and Time went with the two other teams. Though, the duo returned to the main area once the second of the two sneaking members of the Chain had gone into the hole in the wall.

The Chains top command chose the order the boys went off , one by one, to try their sneaking abilities. Legend was sent off first while hoping he didn’t need to get into the market area at all but that wasn’t give to him. There wasn’t a chance for any of them to get through the town without having to cross parts of the market. Yet, unlike the four attempting with the trick, at least Wild and Time had given full check around the town while they had had the chance. Still, considering the amount of people living in there, both knew it would be either impossible or at least extremely hard attempt at any given time no matter if it was night or day.

The Veteran put all he got into his attempt but he ended up caught from the edge of the market area. He tried to escape getting caught and hide to give it, in a way, another chance but in a place where everyone was a warrior, such wasn’t a possibility. Sooner than he would’ve wanted to admit, the Weapon Specialist was thrown out of the town. Wolfie gave out a howl to inform of Legend having gotten out of the town.

Four was next to try. He hoped his shortness would give him the advantage into the attempt. He put on all he had learned from the Minish about sneaking around one’s house while doing their best to avoid catching the notion of cats. He actually managed to get through the market place which was bit of a miracle for him. Yet, he had bad luck when he entered the last part of the road. He had been bit too occupied to check no-one saw him enter the corridor that he failed to check his road forward which resulted into him walking straight against one of the Gerudo women.

Once Wolfie gave the heads-up about Four being with them, Warriors send Hyrule off into the attempt. After that he moved over to the side of where Time was with Wind. The Traveler’s skills were better than his brothers’ were as his whole life had been about survival and sneaking around to avoid monsters and cultists catching him. He got the entrance into his sight but now he had a bigger problem at his hands. How was he going to get through the guarded doorway without being noticed? He was certain that if he caused a ruckus at elsewhere, only one of the guards would leave the spot. While thinking his actions through, the half-fairy ended up caught from behind.

Wind left to the road and the one eyed male and his big brother returned to the others. Wild had borrowed Time’s Stone Mask and followed from higher ground the road his brothers took. It was partly to keep everyone safe but mainly to give out that none of them would claim anything else than the actual truth of when and how they ended up caught.

Sailor, being master of sneaking, knew perfectly well what he was doing. Getting through the alleys was easy. Getting through the market was trickier thing but with right timing and usage of all possible obstacles gave him the road forward. Soon enough he was in the place where Hyrule had gotten to before getting caught. Even though he hadn’t checked around the place, he had watched the training the Gerudo did with their higher ranked warriors. And through that he had learned one specific and sharp whistle. He didn’t hesitate using it and getting the duo to stand straighter and snapping their gazes forward. That short moment gave him perfect chance to sneak past the duo while being extremely careful of not touching either of them.

With the winner of the little competition known, the Chain of nine Heroes left the desert. By the late evening they reached the closest possible Stable. Luckily the place still was as friendly and welcoming towards travelers as all the other Stables in Wild’s own time.

After the evening meal done by the Champion, the one eyed male pretty much sent his boys into the huge tent to pick their beds. He grinned a bit when he heard the eight Heroes pushing the beds together while pulling stuff away from between. The action luckily took long enough for the oldest Link to prepare a simple treat for the Chain.

“So, the sneaking around was quite successful today as it was few days ago.” Time started while putting the tray down between them all. “Hence, this.” He continued and pulled the dome off of the way to reveal mugs of hot chocolates and two cookies for everyone. “Before anyone asks, yes, the cookies are done by Malon.” He confirmed with a slight grin. The Chain bit blushed as they all really loved their leader’s wife’s cookies the most. Wild had tried to copy them but he always felt like he was missing something from them. Either way, it was perfect ending for their little adventure of sorts in the Gerudo Town. At the next day they’d move forward but for now…