Providence, Somewhere

Battleships

The trio ran after Mellori, barely being able to catch up. Finn eventually lost her, but noticed a hole in the wall a bit too late after he passed it. He stopped, turning around when Sunset and Zelda caught up.

"There's a hole in the wall," he said.

Zelda picked up her leg, leaning on the wall to keep her balance. That quickly ended as she felt a searing pain through her hand. "Is it usual for the walls to burn like acid? Or rather, the floors?"

Sunset shook her head. "Yeah, no, I think it's the Distortion. It's known to eat at organic stuff, so hopefully it stays that way."

"Yeah," Finn replied. "Can't get metal enhancements for everyone other than, like, teaching folks how to use a sword. You girls know how to use a sword, right?"

"Does fencing count?"

Finn shrugged. "Not sure how using a fence picket as a sword helps, but you do you." He walked through the hole in the wall.

Zelda chortled briefly before walking ahead of Sunset. "Come, before we're separated."

"You see something in him, don't you?" Sunset teased, following Zelda.

Zelda stepped through the hole. "I am not sure what you're talking about, Sunset Shimmer."

Sunset rolled her eyes. "Of course you do. Blonde, one-armed adventurer boy. Don't think I don't know; it's an open secret to those who play videogames."

"Well, the legends of the Hero of Time are something everyone knows and should know, so don't color me surprised if—" She instantly cut herself off, noticing the absolute strangeness of the chamber they just walked into.

Globs of viscous slime coated the walls of the three-tiered chamber, a metal staircase connecting the three layers. Several devices were covered in the stuff.

And below, Mellori was coating Finn in the slime, placing him on the wall, already sealing his mouth. He glanced up, eyes already screaming panic.

"Mellori!" Sunset yelled. "The heck are you doing?!"

'Mellori' looked up at the pair, then placed her hand on the wall, melding with it and disappearing. She then lunged at Zelda, who dodged with a sidestep.

Sunset glanced at the walls, panicked. "Mellori..."

"Distract the Distortion," Zelda said, running down the stairs. "I'm getting Finn!"

"What?!"

Yet the Distortion shot itself at Zelda, blocking the path in front of her as it formed into Mellori. "I wouldn't do that if I were you."

A dart got stuck to 'Mellori's' head. It glanced up as Zelda took the time to hop off the landing.

"How about you pick a fight with me?" Sunset said angrily.

'Mellori' shrugged, melting into the floor and meeting Sunset on the same level, tossing the dart back to Sunset.

Zelda quickly ripped into the slime that covered Finn's mouth, ignoring the burning feeling that came with touching it. Eventually, it got unstuck, the area over Finn's mouth and cheeks red and irritated. Then he screamed.

"Goodness, you're loud," she noted, wincing briefly.

"Yeah, dealt with lots of things, but not this," he replied. "Need to build my pain tolerance for this."

Once again, she clawed at the slime covering Finn, trying to pull at least one limb out so the rest of him could come out, but it didn't seem very easy. She pulled out his left hand before they both heard a whistle. Looking behind, both Finn and Zelda noticed Link staring back at them.