Luminescence

Bait

Scattered in the distance he could see some trees and maybe an oddly shaped mountain, but against all the darkness it all sort of melded together. Jasmeen's silvery-blueness soon melted away into the shadows as well, and Link found himself very alone. It was neither hot nor cold or too dark or too light, but forever lined with shadows. At one point he thought his vision was beginning to blur, like it did in a dream, and he blinked hard in attempts to clear it.

For some reason, Luna came to mind. When he started to feel crushed by the heavy silence edged with indistinct tinkling, he started talking to himself.

"Gosh, I never even got to know you. What your favorite color was. What you liked to do. What your favorite food was...but do immortals even eat? They don't need to eat. But then, you're not really like them, are you? Probably never were." he took off his hat. The one Luna had rescued had been forever lost. This copy had been quickly made by the castle tailor, but of course it wasn't the same. He fingered the professional stitches, thinking. After a bit more aimless walking, he smiled a bit to himself as an epiphany hit him. "Mortality, you said, is a gift. After meeting your wonderful brother and his fallen star I think I know what you mean now. Mortality is suffering, but that's just the gift, isn't it? We learn compassion and empathy through suffering. We learn to appreciate happiness and learn what's really important through it too. That's why the sun and star are such bastards. They're immortal. They can't emphasize with us 'mere mortals' as they say. They can't appreciate love, because they've never had a need for it or have suffered for it. In a way, it makes me pity them. They must feel everything so shallowly. They even need the goddesses to tell to keep the earth safe otherwise they wouldn't even care."

Link slipped his hat back on. He looked up, imagining he could see the night sky past the dark clouds. With a sensation as though his heart was swelling, he stopped, smiling with a hand resting casually on the hilt of his sword.

"But not you. You're different, aren't you? Now that I think about it, the moon has an awful lot of craters and scars. Is that why?"

"Who are you talking to?"

He flinched and whirled around. Midna stood there, black cloak rustling about her in a breeze he could not feel.

"Midna?"

"Good job, you know your shapes. Now what are you doing here?"

"Looking for you, actually."

"Oh." she said, though instead of looking surprised she just smirked. "In that case I'm sure you have a whole speech of apology ready. I graciously accept it. Shall we return to more comfortable settings and continue where we left off?"

Actually, Link wasn't entirely sure it was even safe to go with her back to her palace, if that was what she was insinuating. Midna held grudges close and back in the palace he would be surrounded.

At least he was completely dressed this time. Wonderful, beautiful shirt.

"By the way, you look like a baked potato."

He scowled, uncertainty forgotten. "I know, you don't have to point it out."

"It's okay. The sun came and visited me too." At this she lifted her cape to show the pink burns blotching across her two toned skin. "Wanted me to give your Luna her immortality back and tried to lift his barrier when I refused. At least you got to deal with him with the barrier on."

He stared at the pink contrasting with the rest of her black and white colorings. So, she really was immortal.

"Oh, don't worry," cooed Midna, "you're princess didn't suffer too much. Sure, it burned, but I started healing almost just as soon as it happened. I'm sure you're very angry with the sun for attacking me, though, so! I have one last thing I want to do before we get underway with the Triforce."