Numb ✧ Ghirahim x Reader ✔

chapter 41

[Name] glanced around, arbitrarily selecting one direction to advance toward. If her memory served her right, Lake Hylia should be nearby. She pushed her way past the dunes, feet sinking into the soft sand.

This is pointless, she thought after a while. Wandering through the hot desert wasn't exactly something she enjoyed, especially not when she had no sense of direction.

She rarely used her teleportation ability, as means to preserve her magic, but that seemed to be the only reasonable option now. She might as well go find [Mother]... Her letter pitted her as much, much more caring than she appeared earlier, so four years must've done something, at least.

And so [Name] vanished then, opening her eyes again only to greet the entrance of the Hidden Village. This is where her parents met their untimely deaths... Where she lived for the first six years of her life.

Her eyes widened as a rather cute scene was splayed out in front of her. [Mother] was here-- but for once her gaze seemed gentle. And a man stood next to her, his arms outstretched as he played with a young girl. [Name]'s own self.

She squinted, seeing the tiny frame of the red-eyed infant stumble over to her father. Her gaze then drifted over to Impaz. The elder Sheikah sat in a rocking chair near her house, petting a small calico kitten. The aged woman observed the young family in front of her, an unconscious smile gracing her wrinkled lips.

[Mother] glanced up at that moment, prompting the older [Name] to tense up. They stared in silence for a few moments, before the Yiga motioned for her daughter to approach them.

This is so weird, screamed in [Name]'s mind as she obliged. Upon hearing her footsteps, both her father and Impaz stared at her. She felt their eyes drill into her soul, judging her, suspecting her. Even the two-year-old [Name] stopped babbling to curiously gape at the stranger.

"..." The Sheikah girl stopped a comfortable distance away from them. [Mother] smiled brightly, walking over openly, without any defenses. She took her daughter in for a warm embrace, stroking her {h|c} locks.

"I'm sorry... for four years ago," she murmured. Her voice was soft and cooing, a whisper now. "I'm sorry.."

[Name] felt the muscles in her jaw tighten. She wasn't sure if she believed this or not-- was this really the same woman?

"I don't expect you to forgive me, [Name]," she continued. By now, her daughter felt tears prickling at her eyes. "But I will protect you till the end of my life... I still feel deep regret for everything I told you four years ago."

"[Mother]," the man's voice spoke out. "Who is that?"

"This is Maeraky," [Mother] introduced, moving aside so that the entirety of [Name]'s figure could be seen. "She'll be the one who's going to save us."

•

[Father] was the name of that Yiga man, [Mother]'s lover and [Name]'s father. He acted cordial and welcoming, however there was an unrelenting glint in his eyes that didn't go unnoticed. It reminded [Name] of her mom, four years before. He didn't trust her quite yet.

"Listen, dear, if you have anything you'd like to ask meーI will speak kindly with you," [Mother] beamed, and an inexplicable warmth spread throughout [Name]'s chest. Sure, she had both Impaz and Telma growing up but somehow being with [Mother] sparked a much different effect. Sheer happiness.

"...I do, actually," [Name] mumbled. "About certain abilities. No one could teach me how to control them, and I can't do much."

"Elaborate?" [Mother] urged, raising a brow.

"Hypnosis," the younger Sheikah responded. A knowing smile crossed the older woman's face. "I can do it on certain people, but not, say," her voice quieted, "Impaz... I tried, though. And usually I faint afterwards."

"It's a matter of natural resistance," her mother explained. "The Sheikah tend to have an exceptionally high magic immunity, especially Yiga. Gerudo and Hylians too. Gorons and Zoras, not so much, and certainly not humans."

That merchant must've been a human then, [Name] thought, recalling the poor man she robbed before. But the bananas were worth it; she had no regrets.

"...What about demons?" She questioned, prompting the older woman to laugh.

"I don't know, they probably are much stronger though," she continued to chortle, and [Name] awkwardly glanced to the side. Her thoughts drifted to Ghirahim. Part of her wanted to ask for him, but what would [Mother] know?

She was a bit concerned, wondering if the Gate happened to obliterate as he was passing through it. Her heart pounded at the possibility, the fear slithering its way into her. It burned away any happiness she felt before. She could only hope he was alright, somewhere.

"B-Blaegh!" A giddy, high-pitched voice pulled [Name] from her daydream. Looking down, the Sheikah met the wide red eyes of her younger self.

"...Hello," she smiled. This is still so weird...

"Hello!" the younger child grinned, voice elevating as she jumped up and down. "Play wis kitty!" She held out a tiny black-and-white kitten, waiting for her futuristic self to accept it. Taking the animal in her arms, [Name] realized the toddler was waiting, expectantly. For her to do what, exactly..?

"Pet it," [Father] called out, noticing the Sheikah's clueless expression. Mouthing a "thank you," she began to stroke the kitten's soft fur. Satisfied, the younger [Name] burst into giggles and ran up to her, grabbing the cat. However upon nearing the older girl, her smile faded. Her eyes still shone, though, with sheer fascination for something. Teenaged [Name] tilted her head to the side. Children confused her.

"Mae-rocket, smells beautiful!" The infant complimented, before carelessly tossing the kitten to the ground. [Name] yelped, stumbling forward in concern for the creature, however the child halted her by encircling her arms around her. The cat seemed fine, at least.

"[Name] likes Mae-rocket's smell..." The tone little [Name] used frightened big [Name], somehow. "I wanna smell it, always."

"O-Oh... Um, thank you..." I was terrifying as a kid, holy crap...

"[Name], don't you think you should let Maeraky go?" [Father]'s voice scolded, before he bent down and scooped his young child up, prying her off the matured girl's waist. He then turned to the Sheikah. "I apologize for her. She means well."

"No, she's fine!" She said, sending her younger self a genuine smile. In response the infant beamed, boasting off her two front teeth.

"It's bedtime, anyways," he stated, and the child in his arms began to protest.

"Noo! I wanna stay with Mae-rocket!"

"She'll be here tomorrow, sweetie."

"I will?" But as the older [Name] spoke, her father began walking away, and [Mother] was left to respond to her.

"I figured... you might want to stay with us, just until whoever supposedly kills us later on arrives. With you here, perhaps we might be able to... change the course of our fate." The woman smiled, before taking her daughter in for another embrace. "Raising you... will be my chance to redeem myself."

[Name]'s eyes fluttered shut. Her heart was pounding in her chest. In a rather drastic turn of events, her parents actually turned out to be amazing people. So caring, so perfect...

Almost too perfect.

•

a/n

And iiiiii wanna knowww, have you eveeeer seen the raaaiiin

Coming down on a sunny day