A Heroes Job

Warrior's P.O.V.

After that fiasco in Wild's Era with the Yiga. Our next stop was My Hyrule but once again the entire group was separated. It was now my turn to be with Strider. I saw the picture of Tony that she'd given Wind of Tony celebrating his daughter's third birthday. I was happy about that. I didn't have a problem with Strider it was just a combination of jealousy of her being so accepted and liked by her peers. Meanwhile, I only had a few people behind me who I could trust including Tony. And when we met face to face after hearing so much about her from Tony and how quickly Wind seemed to take to her despite knowing her for only a few hours when it took me nearly a month... Well, you can imagine how well I reacted. Not great.

I kicked her off a cliffside and into a nest of Moblins. I was reprimanded by Time for doing that and he dislikes, really dislikes her. She's avoided being alone with me ever since. This would be the first time we'd have been alone since that day. "Any idea where and when we are?" Strider asked flatly.

"Yeah we're just south of Castle Town in My Era," I answered as I looked at the apparent marks of the nearby mountainside that Tony left behind from when he fought Cia's/Ganon's forces solo and won. Something told me that Strider would be able to do the same if given the chance.

I shivered before I noticed that Strider was walking away from me. "Hey wait!" I shouted before running to catch up with her.

"Sorry didn't want to be kicked off another cliff," She snorted.

I wince, "Look I'm sorry about that can we start over?"

She glared at me and kept walking. Right, Tony did say that she didn't forgive easily. "Look I was going through a lot of things that week when you joined us. So when Wind, Wild, and Hyrule took an instant shine to you when it took the rest of us a while..." I started to explain to her

"Fine we can start from the beginning, but don't think that' means I've forgotten about the cliff thing," Strider told me after a few beats of silence.

I couldn't help but sigh in relief when she said that because it was better than nothing. "So we should reach Castle Town in about three hours' time. So I heard from Tony what your era is like, but I kinda want to hear it from you," I told her as we continued to walk along the path that would get us down from the mountainside.

"So long as you tell me what Tony got up to while in this era because I get the feeling that I'm going to have to correct a lot of opinions about me because of Tony's everything," Strider responded back with a sigh.

"That's fair," I chuckled remembering how different Strider was from Tony.

We spent the rest of the trip to Castle Town just talking amicably about Earth and about Tony. It was such a relief to hear that not every human on Earth was like Tony but they could be like Tony under the right circumstances. I even told her about some of Tony's shenanigans here in Hyrule most of them made her groan while Strider held her head in her hands the parts that were more private between Wind, Young Time, and I made her smile. "Tell me by chance did he call the three of you his kids?" Strider asked a smile forming on her face.

Even though I couldn't see her eyes because of the mask that covered her eyes leaving only white emotionless lenses in their place, I had a feeling that there was something else afoot, but I still answered, "Yes he did he only started to do that about a month after we met though"

"Ha Half of the League and several others owe me $40 now," Strider cheered in happiness.

"What?" I asked a bit confused.

"Everyone back on Earth in the American Heroing community has an ongoing bet about whether or not Tony adopted the three of you or not. And let's just say that Batman, Hank Pym, and I just won a lot of money," Strider cackled

"Not what I meant," I told her but, I was happy to at least get a partial answer.

"Oh right um hang on one second," Strider told me before doing conversions in her head since the currency is different between the two worlds.

"Take your time," I replied as we walked only to come upon Four who was stuck in a tree.

"I'll get him down wait here," Strider said, and before I could say anything she'd already climbed up the tree and had released Four from where he'd been entangled by branches and vines.

She carried Four back down with ease. "Thanks," Four grumbled slightly annoyed once Strider set him down.

"Anytime," Strider said to him as she stood back up taking a few of the leaves that had gotten into her hair out, "Oh by the way $40 USD converts to about 800 rupees and I have over 130 people who are paying me that amount of money. Mind you if rupees were sold outright to like a jem dealer it would be more, but what can you do"

My jaw went slack at the final number of what she earned from that bet alone. "What are you two talking about?" Four asked us as he brushed off the dirt from his tunic.

I got him caught up on our earlier conversation. Four's mouth also went slack when everything clicked for him. Strider laughed at our expressions.

"So how many pantheons does Earth have?" I asked Strider once we continued into Castle Town.

"Too many. There are the Greeks, Egyptians, Nordic, Chinese, Japanese, Indian, Aztec, Mayan, Norther Native American Gods, the tribal gods of Africa, and many more much smaller pantheons," Strider answered, "Honestly Earth is a Mess and just about everyone who's ever been to Earth and even everyone who lives on Earth will agree with me on that statement."

"Ouch," Four winced

"Tell me about it," Strider sighed, "But it's home and I wouldn't want it any other way"

We soon found the rest of the Chain (Strider coined the name since we're all named Link) just outside the bakery of my Hyrule's Castle Town. "So you ready to meet your first Zelda from the past?" I asked Strider since she hadn't met Tetra or Flora when she was in Wind's or Wild's eras.

"What are we calling her then?" Strider asked since each of our Zelda's went by a particular nickname since there were (excluding First since his Zelda was Hylia herself) twelve Zelda's all told.

"Artemis, so what do we call your Zelda should we meet her?" I asked her

"I've never been to my eras Hyrule as such I've never met my Zelda before so meeting her will definitely be an experience," Strider answered as were led inside the palace by several royal guards.

"What do you mean you've never met your Zelda?" I asked her

"I'm from Earth she's from Hyrule we wouldn't have had many opportunities to meet one another since I don't tend to leave Earth unless it's for either emergencies or during school breaks and vacations," Strider answered

"What's school...? Oh wait never mind," I reiterated remembering that Tony said that in the States where he and Strider lived kids were obligated to attend school till they were at least eighteen or got into an early graduation program something Strider wasn't part of as not to raise eyebrows so she can have a normal life outside the mask.

"Yup and I'm just so glad that this so far has been taking place during the summer break or else I'd be in deep trouble," Strider groaned.

"Nice to know your priorities," I sighed

"Hey if I don't graduate from high school at the very least I'll be in trouble," Strider retorted as we entered the grand hall that lead to the throne room.

"But you're well you?" I told her gesturing to herself.

"True while wearing the Mask I'm Strider, but without the mask, I'm just your average nobody that you pass by on the street without a second thought that still has obligations to the government I'm a part of as one of the citizens," Stider responded.

"I see," I replied as I thought over her answer just as the doors opened.

Well time to see how well Strider does with her first Zelda. Hopefully it won't go horribly.