Summary: Mipha and Link continue life together as a Zora couple, with Link now emotionally as well as physically transformed. They spend a final day by Lurelin Village and plan to return home the next morning. Link discusses his feelings about fame.

Seagulls squawked as the sun rose over Lurelin Village. Some villagers were getting their fishing gear together, unpacking nets and oars, preparing to head out to catch today's quota of fish. The tourists who vacationed in Lurelin Village expected fresh fish for meals, and tourism was an essential part of Lurelin's economy. But two of Lurelin's current tourists were quite content to do all their own fishing, and they were quite skilled at it, too. When they were awake, that is.

Link woke up first to the sound of a nearby seagull. He and Mipha had been asleep in the pool of freshwater near the village. They had settled on this pool as a perfect place to sleep while staying here. It was a little off the beaten path but still right near the village and lit by a couple of torches at night. The water was clean and fresh, fed by a steady waterfall from the cliff above. And the sound of the waterfall helped Link fall asleep. Love of the sound of rain or a waterfall had apparently carried over from his Hylian self.

Mipha was still asleep, and he had a powerful urge to reach over and kiss her. He had to control himself not to wake her up. It was the morning after his feelings as a Zora had finally surfaced, and he was still in a state of what he could only describe as a mild euphoria.

As he waited for Mipha to wake, he recalled what had happened the day before. They had spent the whole day in the sea together, and it was great fun. They went exploring areas he never knew existed, playing silly games with each other, and just having a fun time. Swimming in the water was so natural to him now, like walking through a Faron forest.

And then, after swimming back closer to the village, it started getting late. He had a romantic underwater dance with her, and then they had risen to the surface together. He remembered the moon was bright and shone across the water, a bright light that reflected off Mipha's eyes. Her eyes looked more golden than amber then, and as he gazed into them, she had smiled that cute smile of hers.

And then, suddenly, some aspect of Zora psyche his transformation hadn't fully tapped into yet connected in his brain. And all at once, his attraction to Mipha jumped off the scale to a new level of intensity. He suddenly saw her as one Zora to another. And it happened so suddenly and unexpectedly that the shock of it left him dazed.

She had watched him when all this happened, and she must have realized it from the way he stared at her, his mouth and eyes wide open. She blew him a kiss, but he didn't react. He was speechless. And, of course, she couldn't resist a chance to tease him in a sweet innocent tone of voice.

"You promised to be more outspoken about your feelings, sweetheart. So? Tell me."

He tried to answer, but all that came out of his mouth was some incoherent sound. Then she giggled and gently stroked his cheek with the back of her hand.

"I'll translate that noise as 'I love you, madly.' But you can still kiss, right?"

Well, she got the translation right. Then they had kissed and finally made love. And the ecstasy of making love only compounded his emotional overload with sensory overload. Afterward, they held each other in their arms, resting their heads on each other's shoulders as they floated in the sea and watched the moon cross the sky. He didn't want to leave, but she finally said they should get back.

It was when they had started walking back to the pool they were in now that he finally found his voice and was able to express how his feelings for her now were beyond anything he had ever felt before. And she seemed to know exactly what he meant and said she felt the same for him. Then they had reached the pool, and he collapsed and fell asleep.

Mipha finally stirred and opened her eyes, then saw Link staring at her. She smiled.

"Good morning, sweetheart," said Mipha. "How do you feel now?"

He didn't answer, but reached over and kissed her. He had been waiting since he woke up to do that. She kissed him back.

"You can talk now, right?" said Mipha. "I mean, I liked the kiss, I just want to make sure you're alright."

"Yes, I can talk," laughed Link. "I still feel the same as last night. It's just that I'm beginning to adjust to it."

"It's your new normal, huh?" said Mipha. "That's good. I wanted you to have the full Zora experience, and it sounds like you finally did. Enjoying it?"

"You even have to ask that?" said Link. "I don't think I'll ever forget last night. It just hit me all at once."

"No, I imagine you won't," said Mipha. "I could see you had some kind of emotional rush. But you looked so cute, all flustered and staring at me with your mouth and gorgeous blue eyes wide open like a little boy who just discovered a surprise. I guess Zoras feel things differently than Hylians, and the part of you that controls your emotions was still in a state of transition between the two. Then it finally became all Zora. Parts of the mind must transform themselves gradually to allow your memories and feelings to migrate."

"Yes, that makes sense," said Link. "The Sheikah didn't really explain that aspect. But whatever the reason, I must be mentally more Zora now than before. It certainly feels that way. I have to control the urge to kiss you as soon as I see you."

"That's nice," laughed Mipha. "But perhaps it would be a good idea to practice controlling these new feelings of yours. I don't want you to start trying to kiss every female Zora you meet."

"I agree," laughed Link. "But speaking of feelings, what do you feel like doing today?"

"I think we should explore the sea a bit more," said Mipha. "Maybe we could visit the area north of Soka Point and perhaps as far as Eventide Island if you feel up to it. Then I think we will have seen most of what Lurelin Village has to offer, and tomorrow we can go home, catch up with the family, and start planning our next trip."

"Sounds fine," said Link. "Fresh or saltwater breakfast?"

"Definitely salt!" said Mipha. "I love the porgies here. Let's go."

They started walking toward the sea together.

"You know, we're probably not the most desirable tourists here," said Link. "We don't spend rupees on food or lodging or anything, really."

"You can make a donation if you feel guilty," said Mipha. "But the air and sea and land here don't belong to Lurelin Village. They're all part of Hyrule. They were here before Lurelin Village and will be here after it. It belongs to all of us. And being in harmony with nature has always been the way of our people. We only take from it what we need to live. Other than our natural diet, we respect living things and don't own them or use them for our purposes. As long as there is water, we can live. We don't need houses. We worship Nayru, the Goddess of wisdom and love, and that's how we try to live our lives. My power is one of healing, not combat. We're a peaceful, spiritual people who only fight to protect, never to conquer. So, I don't feel any guilt doing what we do. But I understand why the villagers do what they do as well. Sorry for the lecture. You did hear me, right? Your mind's not still floating away on the tide someplace?"

"No, no, I heard you perfectly," laughed Link. "And you're right, of course."

By now, they had reached the pier and walked to the far end, dove into the water, and soon enjoyed a Mighty Porgy each.

"Ready for another day in the sea?" said Mipha.

"Never felt more ready. Lead the way, Princess."

They swam from the harbor and along the south coast of Cape Cresia. The sea was calm, and the water clear. They swam underwater the whole time, and their progress was invisible to anyone looking out at the water. They both swam normally for a while, but then Mipha decided to swim upside down an arm's length below him and started making faces at him. He had to laugh, which messed up his rhythm and forced him to the surface to laugh out loud sputtering water. Then she came up to the surface next to him, laughing as well.

"Can't control yourself?" said Mipha. "It does take some effort to handle the urge to laugh underwater. Just helping with your training."

"What makes you even think to do something like that?" said Link, still recovering from laughing. "You looked so funny. Next time I'll have my Tab ready to share how silly their Mom is with the children."

"They already know," laughed Mipha. "But I'll stop teasing you for now. Let's keep going."

They reached a small rock formation just off the northeast tip of Eventide Island that had some colorful coral formations near it, which they stopped to explore. Then they swam ashore.

Eventide Island was empty now and contained nothing but wildlife. Part of the island was a jungle, and they could hear the call of the birds that lived there. But it was hard to imagine how some of the larger animals, such as a Water Buffalo they saw on a hilltop, had managed to make their way there. They walked through the forest area and arrived at an abandoned Bokoblin outpost just as a sudden thunderstorm started to move in. They quickly huddled together under a rock outcropping just south of the empty camp.

"This is cozy," said Link as they squeezed together. The storm was very intense, with lightning strikes nearby and loud crashes of thunder.

"It's cozy, but I hate storms like this," said Mipha. "Electricity frightens me. And it should frighten you now too. I worry that you'll underestimate its potency based on your Hylian experiences. Don't take it lightly!"

"No, I hear you, I'll be extra careful," said Link. "I respected it even as a Hylian and would quickly seek shelter or put away anything metal I was carrying."

Link rubbed his arm up and down her shoulder.

"You're shivering," said Link. "Are you cold?"

"A little," said Mipha.

"It's too wet for a fire," said Link. "Let me try to warm you. Now I wish I had a cloak or something for you."

Link pulled her closer and massaged her upper arm and shoulder to warm her.

"This reminds me of that time we were stuck in the rain at Ralis Pond," said Mipha. "But now you don't even have a tunic to dry off. Speaking of your tunic, I assume you've gotten comfortable not wearing clothing?"

"Yes, parts of our bodies cover everything. I don't even think about it," said Link. "Living among Zoras must have made me used to it."

"While we're sitting here waiting for the storm to let up, why don't you tell me what you did here," said Mipha.

"Alright, but I'll keep it brief," said Link. "It was an interesting challenge. I had to survive by living off my own resources. I started off with no food or weapons or armor. I had to find everything I needed on my own, and the goal was to retrieve three orbs guarded by Bokoblins, Moblins, and a Hinox. The end result was another shrine. Afterward, some Rito showed up and offered me a paragliding game, flying through rings in the air. I did that a few times, and it helped my control. This was actually the last shrine I worked through. The monks then offered me a nice set of clothing back at the old Forgotten Temple. I upgraded it and actually had to search near Lurelin Village quite a bit to find all the beetles I needed. That's about it."

"Rings in the air," said Mipha. "That's interesting."

The storm started to let up.

"There's really not much else to see here that I remember," said Link. "It takes some climbing to get to the top of the island, and the rocks are all still wet, so I don't recommend it. There's another rock formation with some coral to the east of the island, but it's not much different than the one we saw, just a bit bigger with a ring of water in the middle."

"Speaking of coral, I look forward to seeing the coral in the Akkala Sea," said Mipha. "I'm told it's very colorful, more so than the coral here. Alright, then, if there's nothing else worth seeing, let's head back to the village and enjoy our last night under torchlights."

What struck Link as incredibly funny about Mipha was how playful she became when they were in the water together. It was almost like she had never grown up then, and that he was once again a child playing with her like he used to do in the Domain. Yet obviously, she was a mature person who took her responsibilities very seriously, serving as Zora Champion and living as a parent.

So, when Link dove into the sea with her for the swim back to Lurelin Village, he expected she would do something playful. And this time, she ended up blowing bubble rings at him by blowing a bubble then manipulating the current around it with her fins to form a ring. It felt weird when one popped on his face. And one was so well shaped he could actually swim through it, upon which Mipha clapped her hands and fins together. Just more fun in the water together.

When they finally reached Lurelin Village, it was getting dark, and the torches were all lit. They had time for a stroll. Some fishermen were pulling their small boats ashore and putting away their nets and other equipment for the night. They noticed some other couples walking arm in arm. No one paid Mipha and Link any attention.

"You know, I wonder if I was still a Hylian, would anyone here recognize me anymore?" said Link.

"Why? Were you planning to give out autographs?" said Mipha.

"No, I just wondered," said Link. "The Hylian me is a figure in a history book now. Twenty years ago, strangers would come up to me to congratulate me and offer thanks. We didn't have Tabs back then, or I'm sure they would have wanted a picture together with me or something like that."

"Are you saying you think you're giving up fame and recognition by being a Zora?" said Mipha. "Is that important to you now?"

"No, I think I'm saying the opposite, but not expressing it very well," said Link. "I meant even if I were still a Hylian, no one would pay me any attention, especially younger people. So, I'm actually not giving up any fame by being a Zora. And, you're right, it's not that important to me now anyway. It was just an observation about how fleeting being famous really is. I mean, we're all historical figures now, even legends maybe, and always will be. But hardly anyone thinks about what we did anymore. And I guess that's fine. People should get on with their lives, and letting them have the chance to do that was exactly what our fight was all about. Just some idle thoughts."

"I understand," said Mipha. "But you will always be remembered as the Hero of Hyrule, so forget about that and look to the future. And the future includes our last night together here. So, lighten up. They're having what the villagers call a barbecue for the tourists near the pier tonight. Want some Hylian food? There's some music too, mostly drums, I think."

"Sure, let's go," said Link. "It should be fun."

The boat from Lanayru Bay had recently arrived that afternoon, and some new tourists were there now. The ship would remain there overnight and would be the boat Mipha and Link took the next morning. It gave the crew a chance to enjoy some time here as well.

The barbecue was a buffet-style meal, and Link finally helped the local economy with some rupees. When Mipha had told him about it, he had thought he would love a chance to eat the variety of dishes served, which included fish, pork, and beef, all cooked on spits over a fire, along with steamed crabs and fruit. But when he got there, all he could stomach was the fish and crabs, and they both tasted way too dry. Mipha looked at his sad face as he picked at the small pieces of food on his plate.

"Forget discovering Zora love and all that," laughed Mipha. "When I see the hero famous for his appetite unable to eat like before, I know your transformation to a Zora is finally complete."

"Very funny," said Link. "But you're right. My taste in food is completely ruined now!"

"Cheer up," said Mipha. "You're eating healthier now, and you should be grateful instead of complaining. I heard about some of the things you used to eat, and dignifying them as 'taste in food' is much more than they deserve."

They met some other couples there and exchanged some pleasantries about where they were from and what they liked doing at Lurelin Village and so on. Just light party talk, no real personal information. One woman they met who had just disembarked from the boat and was new to the island, said she thought she recognized Mipha and wasn't she the famous Zora Champion? And this must be her husband. How fortunate he was to have such a renowned wife! Mipha acknowledged she was the Zora Champion, but quickly changed the subject and moved on to speaking with someone else as soon as it was polite to do so.

The music was primitive, consisting mostly of drums. Mipha and Link sat together listening to it as they leaned against a palm tree a short distance away from the party.

"The music has a nice beat and rhythm to it," said Mipha. "It seems to fit the atmosphere here, a quiet fishing village where people live off the land and water. Technology hasn't really caught on here much."

"Right, which is one reason it's so popular," said Link. "Besides the nice weather, seacoast and scenery, it's a chance for people to get back to a quieter, simpler life, more like it was when we were growing up."

Link paused for a moment.

"You know, I wasn't upset at you being singled out as famous and me being only identified as your husband," said Link. "I noticed you seemed anxious to change the subject. But really, relax. I don't want you to feel nervous about my reaction to situations like that. I was actually happy to see she recognized you. I am very content with all I've done in life. I don't need any more recognition from strangers now. I shouldn't have even brought the topic up before, because I think I gave you the wrong idea. It was just me thinking about how much times have changed. What we all did together twenty odd years ago was so momentous, a once in a ten thousand year event! But even so, memory fades, and life goes on afterward. In the end, Hylia knows who I am and what I've done, and so do those I love. And that's all that matters to me now. I hope you hear what I'm saying and believe me."

"I believe you, sweetheart," said Mipha. "And I'm proud of you for being so gracious. I never thought you craved fame and recognition, so I'm not surprised about what you said. But I am surprised and proud of you for something else."

Mipha paused.

'What?" said Link.

"For setting a new record for outspokenness," laughed Mipha.

"Now who's playing the clown?" laughed Link as he gave her a gentle pinch on the shoulder.

After sitting under the tree for a while, they decided to head back to the pool. They planned to be up early for the boat back to Lanayru Bay.

As they passed along the torchlit path on the way back to the pool, Link spoke up again.

"At the risk of being even more outspoken, I want to tell you that I will always remember how special this trip was for me," said Link. "I'm going to write about it in a bit more detail than usual when I update my journal. I want to recall as much as I can when I look back at it someday. On this trip, my love for you jumped to a whole new level."