— JUST GETTING STARTED ❈ joining

[guts]

[align=center]

She couldn't have kept it up forever. That prison would have broken eventually, her magic growing too weak to contain him as he regained his power, and through all that, she kept the hope that her knight would return. He would come back, slay Ganon, and Hyrule would be at peace once again, without the threat looming over them.

But that wasn't how it had happened. She didn't get such a happy ending. Instead, Link never came and, eventually, Ganon did break free. He terrorized the kingdom, killing her in the process. Even now she could feel the phantom pains of being torn apart in her last stand to protect her home, the hopelessness leaving a mark deep inside her that she doubted would ever go away.

Not to mention the guilt that hung heavy on her.

A dread that was like lead in her stomach, Zelda took a deep breath, assessing her surroundings. She hardly noticed how she had changed, no longer a human, but instead a canine. She didn't realize until she tried to stand up despite the searing pain in her skull, able to feel how off the way she stood was. She felt wobbly, nearly falling over before she caught herself, a cry ripping itself from her throat at the sight of her paws.

"What--" she stops, plopping down on her rump to inspect her new paws further, a confused frown on her face.

Well, wasn't this just great? As if she hadn't gone through enough.

— IF LOVE IS SURRENDER *✧･ﾟ

[arcy]

➵

When Link up, he was alone. He didn't know who he was, why he was here. He didn't even really know his name until he ran into the Zora and Dorephan recognized him. That was the first time Link realized he had a life before waking up -- just like everyone else did. But it was so long ago and why didn't he remember?
Nobody understood his questions. They didn't tell him what he was here for, who was he, what happened? So he was foisted off to tame a beast without really understanding. And that was fine with Link. He was ... he was a hero, he knew that much about himself, even before his name. He liked how he felt when helping people, when they thanked him. And that ... that mattered.
Just earlier today, he got a blinding headache. He doesn't know why. There were flashes behind his eyes, and something unfamiliar has rooted itself in his head. He doesn't like it. It's tugging him towards something. He goes without complaint, curious, if a little off-center. What greets him is a cocker spaniel resting there, looking confused. His head pounds, but Link vigorously shakes his head to try and dispel it like he thinks other people did sometimes. It doesn't help.
He steps closer, eyes round. There's that pinched feeling of recognition that makes his nauseous to acknowledge. His approach is near silent, and he circles to her front, ears lying back. Once he stands in front of her, he tilts his head. There's no recognition in his eyes, just a flicker of pain and curiousity. Very softly, he yips, chirp-like in sound, a prompting for an explanation of some kind. Anything at all.

"we will not be torn" —-- link / ascendants / misc

[AMBROISE]

[align=center][div style="max-width: 500px; text-align: justify; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.5pt; line-height: 1.4;letter-spacing:.1px"]Why was he the first reasonable person here? Ambroise had only wanted some damn space, and instead, he wound up finding a little dog looking like her whole world had just been inverted and sat on in the process. Ambroise was the very last person on the planet who could help with any kind of personal crises or existential troubles; he could fix up pretty nasty wounds when he was needed, but anything beyond that -hell, bedside manner, even- wasn't in his skillset. Likely never would be, so the lion stood a moment, debating turning around and letting someone else find her. Wasn't like he was bound by the rules of social etiquette like ninety percent of the people here. Wasn't like he gave enough of a shit, but two kids standing around like confused ducklings were two kids too many.

"You lost? Any injuries?" Didn't look like it, but could be something internal.
[align=right][url=https://beastsofbeyond.com/index.php?topic=9216.msg56850#msg56850]INFORMATION

[guts]

[align=center]

Suddenly her head is pounding even worse, if that was even possible, blood flowing through her ears. She can feel the rapid beat of her heart, her throat growing dry. She only took her eyes from her paws when someone appeared in her vision, startled for a split moment until she took a moment to study them, recognizing a small flicker of something familiar. She can't hear the chirp, but she knows he made a noise by the movement, her head tilting to the side. She hoped he hadn't actually said something, because she wasn't able to make out any words on his lips.

Before she could ask, someone else is there, this time actually speaking. Zelda watches his lips, finding it harder to make out than on a human's. But she can still grasp the gist of it. "I'm fine." she manages, not yet trusting herself to be able to stand. Instead she stays seated, casting yet another glance around.

"Where am I?" she assumed at least one of them would know.

— IF LOVE IS SURRENDER *✧･ﾟ

[dead chars]

[glow=#000,1,400]monika. ??? months. she / her. ??? difficulty. — ｡+ﾟ.[/glow]

[div style="width: 480px; height: auto; text-align: justify; font-family: verdana; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 13px;"]
The feeling was a familiar one. Of being ripped from one world and thrust into another. In fact, it had happened to Monika herself quite recently. But now, she was more used to being... not a human. She almost preferred this life. At least now she knew she had blood flowing hot in her veins. When she had simply been a computer game, she hadn't felt that. Her pain had all been programmed, it wasn't real. In this life, when she got hurt, she could feel it. It was exhilarating.

The auburn feline strolled daintily after Ambroise. In truth, she hadn't taken to exploring the territory on her own. While working hard was what she had been known for, this was a new Monika. She did what she felt like, and exploring... wasn't that. Until today, at least. This morning a sudden urge to get out and about had gripped her and she couldn't sit still much longer. And, once she happened upon the scene, a grin sprouted and grew. Reading Zelda's face brought an amusement she hadn't felt since arriving here. She could tell that the other had gone through something similar to herself. Arriving in a strange world, not quite knowing how to use your own body. It was almost comforting.

"You're in Ascendants territory," she responded. Her voice was smooth, like water flowing over rocks. "By the way, I'm Monika. It's a pleasure to meet you, and... well, are you sure you're alright? You seem a bit stressed."

[arcy]

➵

'i'm fine' -- questionable. Link scrunches his nose at the cocker spaniel, scrutinizing. For some reason, he gets the impression she can't hear him -- he doesn't know how, or why he thinks so. It's just ... an impression. It doesn't stop him from vocalizing regardless, though. It's ... it's comforting, in a weird, contradictory way. It was just .. words. He makes an odd sort of low sound, like a huff or a growl. A complaint, maybe.
Link momentarily inclines his head towards Monika in a sort of agreement motion, and then, in a smooths few steps, he steps uncomfortably close to the Spaniel. Ducks in his head to sniff her somewhat suspiciously. And it's ... kind of headache-inducing, in a familiar way. He hates running into familiar things. They expect things of him that he doesn't understand and they hurt his head. He blinks a few times, shakes his head just a little. And then Link bounces a step or two back, because people have complained about personal space to him a few times. Even so, it's not nearly enough. His expression is a little too intense, like it always is, champion's bandanna lopsided over his chest, but he blinks again. He chirps questioningly, mostly out of habit, and tries to convey a question over his softening(just less intense, really) expression -- where did you come from?

"we will not be torn" —-- link / ascendants / misc