I had the thought, 'what would Link be like if he actually talked more in Twilight Princess?' and somehow, this monster was born. If you haven't seen them before, check out the Zelda cartoon from the late 80's. This chapter is loosely based off episode 5 of the series.

I don't own the game or the cartoon, the circus, or anything else of great importance.

Enjoy!

Why? Why her?

Perhaps it was... something she had done? Or said? Was this a cruel means of payback?

Or had he finally cracked? Had the events of the past year finally gotten to him, breaking his seemingly indestructible outer defensive shell...?

Or... was this the real him?

She shuddered at the thought.

A loud TWANG from outside the balcony caught the ears of the distraught princess, violating her thoughts. A grimace. Out the balcony, an arrow had been shot right through her favorite flower pot, imbedded in the cracks along the stone wall. A rope was tied to the end.

It was him.

"Heeeeey princess!" the smug voice carried from the adjacent tower's balcony where he stood, bow in hand, ready to proudly strut the tightrope he had created. "Are you watching?"

As much as every fiber of her being desired to sprint before he had crossed and began hassling her into kissing him, she chose to stay. He could fall... and then what?

Walking closer to her ledge, she sighed. "This is hardly safe, you know..."

"Safe?" he laughed defiantly. "Do I look like a safe kind of guy to you?" He began taking steps of ease across the rope.

"Well, you use to... but I have no idea what's become of that."

Now that she thought about it, how had this all started? It seemed such a blur to her... Watching his sly wink sent her direction as he inched closer, it all came flooding back.

Oh yes; she had thought it was a dream. And rightfully so.

...A week earlier...

The castle hallways were near pitch black as the princess stalked them. The only light came from the stars which were barely noticed through the thick pillars of the corridor. Her eyes had yet to adjust. Restless, unable to sleep and inconveniently hungry as it would be- where else would her feet take her but the supplier of food? Wrapping her shawl over her head in case anyone who happened to be conscious at the ungodly hour should spot her, she snuck into the empty kitchen.

"I know there's cake in here somewhere..." Her eyes scanned from the barren, spotless countertops to the shelves; the search was on.

Rummaging through the cupboards with high, fervors hopes kept her naive to the footsteps behind her and the shadow blocking the exit. Finally emerging with her dessert, both her attention and fingers in the cake, she walked straight into the body. Had she known what universe she had just walked into, she would have opted to stay hungry in her room that night.

But she didn't know.

"Ooof!"

She fell with a thump to the floor, perplexed and embarrassed, barley catching the cake before it toppled onto her lap. A man with questionable, tight orange pants and a green tunic stood tall in the doorway. Disbelief over took her face, for my goodness he looked a lot like...

"Excuse me, princess!"

She blinked. The voice was his; even with the little she had heard of it, she could distinguish it a mile away. But... the tone wasn't. He sounded a lot more like... Aladdin? And the clothes!- or lack of, more so. She hadn't thought it possible for his tunic to get any shorter.

"L-Link? What are you doing here at this time of night? And how did you get past the-"

"I know you love your cake, but now is hardly the time!" He swapped the plate from her hands. "You're in danger!"

"I am?" she jumped up. She wouldn't doubt his word, regardless how... uhh, off... he seemed.

"Yeah! Thank goodness you're not walking around in the open! He could have swooped down and carried you right off! Oh, and by the way," he stopped to hand her three pink daises, each slightly wilted, "I got you these!"

She took them half heartedly. "Who Link? Who could swoop down from this high up? These castle walls aren't an easy feat to get over."

"Seesh," he frowned at her lack of attention to his gift; he had hoped it would at least score him a kiss... even a thanks would have been nice. The cake would be his consolation, he decided. "Ganon, of course. Who else?"

"Ganon!" the intensity in her voice doubled. "But how?"

He licked his fingers. "Well I don't know how he did it, but he's got this white unicorn and he can just fly around like its-"

He rambled on, but she wasn't listening anymore.

Ganon + Unicorn...?

"... and so I told that moblin, 'tell Ganon that Link sends his love!' and he just..."

Something wasn't adding up.

"'Oh boy!' but I swear it's always interrupted right when we're about to..."

Ganon couldn't have escaped the hold of the master sword. She hadn't sensed a disturbance or power surge throughout the land; not even a whiff of danger.

"We get so close, I swear its half the plot for crying out lou..."

No, there wasn't a chance he was free. Something was off.

"Kiss me, princess!"

Her eyes blinked sequentially, and it hit her. "I'm still sleeping... how strange." Yes, she concluded this was all a dream, the result of her previous late night snacking. Somehow.

"Well this is rather... peculiar. I really should stop eating so late at night." Looking to the clean-licked plate, she allowed half a frown. "So thanks, I guess, for polishing off my snack... Not that it matters. It's not real."

Now Link looked confused. "Geeze, the cake wasn't that bad. Princesses are so spoiled!"

Had it been reality she would have chosen to take offence to that, but right now she just wanted to get back to her bed and escape this terribly uncharacteristic dream.

"Hey, where do you think you're going?" She tried to side step him but he eyed her, displeased.

"To my room..." she returned the look.

"Well it's totally not safe! I'm gonna have to escort you there myself if you really need to go."

"Why in the-" she groaned. "Never mind. Let's just go."

Victorious, he hung his arm around her shoulder in the most sly way possible. She gave him a strange look. Even in her dreams, it was unfathomable of him. "That's what I'm here for, so don't mention it! Unless you want to... I won't stop you."

Yes, she would seriously reconsider before she ever thought about munching at midnight again. Silent as they walked back to her room, she contemplated if it was worth it to hold a 'fake' conversation. Her eyes were so heavy that she worried that she'd fall asleep even as they walked.

Then a thought hit her drowsy state. If none of this was real...

"Link?"

"Princess?" he took his observant eyes from the empty skies.

"What inclines you to wear that dress?"

He frowned. "Dress?"

"Yes, who made it for you? Don't you have any other clothes?" Her questions were a mile a minute, unfiltered and honest. Why not? "No one else in Castletown wears clothes like that, you know... It's just so short. What if there's a strong wind or something? Has that ever happened? And why the sudden orange? Orange and green clash terribly."

"Well excuuuuuuuuuuuse me, princess." His arms flew to the air. "If my 'dress' is so offensive then-"

She hadn't even seemed to hear him. "And why don't you visit me more? You're so distant... and quiet." She stopped to think that through better. "Well in reality you're quiet, anyway. You seem to be a very different person in my dreams."

"I am pretty dreamy, aren't I?" A smile. "And you mean you actually want me around here more? Not just to guard the Triforce?"

"Well... yes. I do." There was no use filtering her words, she decided- although the Triforce bit confused her a little. "I like it when you're here. It can be so boring... otherwise..."

If he could have clapped himself on the back in congratulations, he would have. His smirk grew.

"You're telling me! But hey... I could definitely stick around." She stopped at her door, seeming to be thinking through something- this was his chance!

Wrapping his arms around her waist, her head shyly and slowly fell to his chest. Glad his charms were rubbing off, his fingers moved to her chin, lifting her face to his. "So, if I'm gonna stick around, I hope that you can reward me properly for my bravery-"

Her head fell back to his chest. She was asleep, and had been since he started talking.

He groaned. "OH! They just keep getting more and more creative, don't they?"

But at least he had got some truth out of her. He had always known she loved him, even if she didn't directly say it.

Yes, he would get that kiss.

Tomorrow.

Fun fact of the day: the cartoon series Link was voiced by Scott Weinger – the voice of Disney's own Aladdin. Cool beans? I thought so.

Anyway, helpful critique of the story is always welcomed! It wont be terribly long. Next chapter is on the go.