#il mouse

In the time of Zelda 2: Adventure of Link, fields could only be as big as someone could afford to have them guarded. Monsters would want nothing more than to pillage and destroy the precious produce, even trying to raze the fields to the ground.

The results of these limitations are small individual gardens (or sometimes larger community gardens) within the relative safety of the city. The grain fields outside the city are much smaller than what someone from a more prosperous era would expect to see. It's not worth the expense of planting a big field if the guards you can afford to hire are unable to protect it. Too many have lost their crops to senseless burning.

Mouse with Fae… ^

…Gen with Moon… ^

…Aspect with Sea… ^

The forest is dim, but not dim enough for our heroes to need any lanterns. Trees tower over them, not enough to where their tops are all out of sight, but tall enough to be notable… at least in the opinions of our heroes, including their tallest, who isn’t that tall in retrospect.

Up in the front of the group are Cap and Mask, and in the very back are Aspect and Echo. Of course, everyone else is in between, and that’s how their tiny hamlet of a group travels among the foliage.

Oddly, though, the forest is rather quiet, save for our heroes’ footsteps and occasional chatter.

“I wonder why,” Mouse hums.

“It’d probably be a good idea to keep on our toes, whyever it is,” Gen points out.

As if on some sort of cue, there’s a new sound - specifically the sound of something rustling in a nearby bush. The group stops, and with more rustling, something emerges, but all it is is a little pink Chuchu. Given that it’s a monster, the heroes draw their swords; unusually, the Chuchu begins trembling on the spot.

“Hey, wait, wait… That Chuchu is pink.” Wild notes, “That’s not normal… is it?”

“No,” River says thoughtfully, lowering his sword, “and they don’t tend to shake like that, either.”

One by one, everyone lowers their weapons; even still, the Chuchu shakes and shudders, not daring to move an inch outside of its shivering.

Mini steps forward, crouching down in order to seem nonthreatening and in order to make some kind of eye contact.

“What’s the matter?” he asks, “What are you so scared of?”

“Mini, why are you trying to reason with a Chuchu?” Vet asks blandly.

“Because she’s scared we’ll hurt her or put her in a cage or something,” Mini replies almost matter-of-factly.

That gets the Chuchu’s attention. It (she?) stops trembling, at least as much, and it looks up at Mini with wide eyes - which is quite a feat for a monster with already bulging eyes.

“Yeah, I can understand you.” Mini nods, “I ate a Jabbernut… My name? Oh, Mini’s just a nickname, because we’re all named Link.” After a brief pause, it’s time for Mini’s eyes to widen. “Your name is Link? But… What do you mean, a curse?! Slow down… Evil wizard… Ritual… Wrong place at wrong time… And now you’re like this?”

The others look at each other with their own wide eyes, with confusion and worry to go with it. Could this Chuchu be telling the truth? If this really is a curse, how can it be broken?

Finally, Mask steps forward. “I have an idea. Mini, tell the Chuchu to hold still.”

Mini doesn’t have to, for the Chuchu stops its trembling even more. Mask pulls out a blue ocarina, and by bringing it to his lips, he plays a song. It’s a haunting yet comforting sort of song, and the Chuchu seems to think so, too.

As the song plays on and on, the Chuchu begins to change. Before everyone’s eyes, its form changes from that of a little pink Chuchu to that of a young Hylian girl, one who couldn’t be that much older than Mini. Oddly, her hair, right down to her eyelashes, is pink, but not in the same shade Vet’s is; instead, hers is more of a pastel pink.

The girl - Link - opens her eyes as Mask finishes the song. Her eyes are yellow, just like they’d been as a Chuchu.

“Did it work?” she asks uncertainly. She blinks before looking down at her hands - her Hylian hands. She gasps. “It did? It did!” With a great big smile and happy tears bubbling from her eyes, she all but tackles Mask in a grateful hug. “Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you! I’m me again! Well, I mean, I’ve always been me, but… I-I have hands, and legs, and a nose, and hair, and…”

She trails off, getting off of a very confused Mask and sitting up. She brings a clump of her hair to her face, and her eyes widen.

“Pink?! That’s not supposed to be pink!” she cries, “My hair’s supposed to be black! Please tell me this’ll wash out or grow out or fade or something!” She skips a beat and looks sheepishly up at Vet. “Errm… No offense.”

“None taken,” Vet shrugs.

“Maybe it’s a side effect of the curse?” Twilight ponders, “I mean, I’m sure you already knew this, but you were pink as a Chu…chu.”

Link sighs, defeated. “Just one more thing to have to explain to my aunt and uncle the next time I see ‘em. And lemme guess, my eyes are still kinda Chuchu-y, too.” At everyone’s nods, she just sighs again. “Just my luck. Well, thanks again - for not attacking me, for understanding me, and for turning me back to normal.”

She seems to look them all over, furrowing her brow in curiosity. “Say, how come you’re all traveling together? Tiny traveling hamlet?”

The heroes all look to each other. How are they to tell her?

Version without the kids' drawing: