The First Champion | BOTW Link x GN!Reader

Mark of the Champions

You and Link sneak past the Guardians in silence. The rain pummeled the grass, forming puddles of marsh and soaking into your clothing. It became really cold, really quickly.

You head back in the direction to Kakariko Village to tell Impa you remembered.

On your way, you come across Lake Kolomo, where the rain starts lighting up. You decide to stop there and ring out your clothing. Link follows you, but stays unusually silent. You look up around you when the skies are clear and the sun comes out, casting a faint rainbow in the distance.

"Woah," you say under your breath as you stare at the view. "It's so beautiful." You let out a sigh, then something comes to you. "Hold on... Is this the second photo?"

Link takes out the Sheikah Slate and looks at the gallery.

"Yeah... it is," he says, then he looks up. He concentrates and observes the area around you, squinting his eyes before gasping. 

"What?" you ask eagerly to which Link doesn't respond. "Link?"

"Yeah," he snaps out of the trance, "I'm fine." He looks down and pauses for a second. "I remember," he says. You raise your eyebrows in surprise.

"Really? I'm not getting anything," you say, a little jealous.

"You weren't there," he says. He replays the scene in his head with his eyes closed. "Zelda and I were on our way to... Oh no, what's the name? Gor-- Go-- Goron City. Yeah, wherever that is, to meet you and... Daruk? Then she... she asks me about a voice inside the Master Sword..." He trails off and runs through the memory again. 

"The Master Sword...?" you mutter. The words felt familiar on your tongue, and you knew they were extremely important, but you fail to remember why.

"Let's go to Impa," you suggest. "We should tell her about our memories." He nods in response, without eye contact, and follows you to Dueling Peaks. Link didn't expect to find out that he and the Princess weren't close.

~

"Huh? I heard Purah was giving you the runaround, but you seem just fine," Impa laughed and patted her knee once you entered. Her smile died and turned serious as soon as it came. "Now then, let me see," she instructed.

Link held up his Sheikah Slate to Impa, showing the gallery.

"Aha! This is without a doubt the Camera that Princess Zelda used 100 years ago," Impa confirms, prompting Link to put away the Sheikah Slate. "It could be that if you locate the locations with these pictures, you will be able to restore some of your lost memories," she says to both of you.

You nod, "yes, we already visited the first two."

Impa raised her eyebrows. "Well done, young ones. You managed to do the very thing I was going to recommend without you even being told." She relaxes and says very seriously, "there is something I wish to give you. I will give it to you now before I forget."

She reaches behind her and grabs blue, folded fabric. She hands over a tunic and an undershirt to Link, and a blue hood to you.

"Princess Zelda made the Champions each an article of clothing. These garments were the mark of the champions. One hundred years ago, neither of you would be seen without the signature. I insist you wear these with pride," she nods.

~

You walk out of Impa's house with Link to head towards the clothing shop to change. Link goes in the back to change fully, leaving you alone in the main room. You unfold the hood and see a golden pin was wrapped inside. Observing the hood, you can see white accents lined the fabric, and on the back is the triforce symbol with wings. You wrap it around you and clasp the bindings together, similar to the hood in the Hylian set. You then take the Sheikah Eye brooch and pin it onto your clothes. You turn to the mirror and study your image.

You smiled and pulled the hood over your head then fluffed your hair. You examined your appearance from different angles, then your smile died as a familiar feeling came over you. 

You look closely at the hood, and all of a sudden, you remember.

--~--

"Welcome, warriors," King Rhoam greeted the seven leaders before him in the royal Sanctum. "I'd like to thank you for joining me today, and for your bravery in accepting this... fateful task. I officially appoint you Hyrule's Champions and bestow upon you this sacred garb. That blue is a symbol of the Royal Family, one that has been passed down for countless generations. Those garments you now wear were all crafted by my daughter, Zelda."

"Zelda, I trust you with the task only a daughter of the Royal Family can fulfill. Lead our Champions, Princess. And together, protect our Kingdom from the threat of Calamity Ganon," the King announced.

~

(Y/N) sighed while staring at the prepared notes illustrating a trek across Hyrule. The plan was almost complete to set up training with the other Champions, but this also needed to include seeing the warriors of each of the races and also seeing to (Y/N)'s own, as head of the royal guard.

(Y/N) frowned in exhaustion, but quickly recovered after hearing the door open. Out from the doorway stepped (Y/N)'s close friend, who entered the study while concealing something behind his back.

"Congratulations, (Y/N)!" he smiled brightly. "You are now officially cooler than me." (Y/N) laughed. "Actually, wait a minute. We already knew that."

"Thank you," (Y/N) smiled. "I know this is a celebration, but if they really wanted to reward me, I feel like letting me take a day off would be better." (Y/N) touched the Champion garb, "but this is good too."

"Well, I don't have a day off for you, but..." He brought his hands out from behind his back. "I did make you a little something for-- to-- uhh... to congratulate you."

(Y/N) took the wrapped gift with interest and unfolded the cloth to reveal a gorgeous brooch made of gold and jewels. (Y/N) looked at the gift in wonder, admiring it in the warm light of the study's fireplace. 

"What?" (Y/N) breathed in awe. "This is gorgeous. Did you make this?"

"Oh, gods no," he chucked while trying to obscure his nervous fidgeting. "I had someone from Gerudo custom make it for you. It did take effort to get, though," he bragged. 

"Thank you so much," (Y/N) said.

He took a breath and stepped forward. "May I?" he offered. (Y/N) nodded and let him take the brooch and pin it onto the Champion garb. 

--~--

You gasp at the memory and replayed the scene in your head. 'Who was that?' you wonder with concentrated eyes fixed on the floor. The name was at the tip of your tongue, but you just couldn't put a finger on it. It wasn't Link, you knew that for sure. But he wasn't in the memory recovered at the castle either. 

Your eyes trail back up to your pin in the mirror. You lift a hand and touch the cold metal, heavy familiarity washing over you. You remember the importance of your quest. It was your destiny to save Hyrule, and you must never forget it. It is a part of who you are, whether you know who you were or not.

Link stepped out of the changing room, wearing the tunic. You look up and take in the new appearance, the same which he appeared in the memory that just resurfaced. The white accents formed the outline of the master sword on the collar. You both look each other up and down.

"Wow," Link smally smiles, "the hood really suits you." 

"You too," you say, impressed that he looks exactly like he did in the memory of the ceremony. 

"Where shall we head next?" he asks you.

"Let's head to Zora's Domain," you say as you recall the closest of the races. "I think we're ready to get back the divine beasts."