World Tree MUSH

  Although spring is slowly unfolding elsewhere in the Kingdom of Hyrule, there are still a number of places where one wouldn't know the difference. There are many high mountains within the kingdom's bounds. The areas ravaged by the curse of the Twilight are also slow to change, the colour leached from those places, wildlife twisted into strange and aberrant monsters. Those places are unsafe, desolate and unpopulated. They can be identified from a distance by the eerie orange tint of the sky and the strange, black-burning embers that flit skyward from the cursed earth.

  High up from the valley floors, the tallest mountain range of Hyrule unfolds along its northwestern flank. They're something of a landmark, visible from anywhere else in the kingdom; still very much capped in snow. There are Vines that open there, too, although no one could say when that happened.

  Down from the summit there is a secluded valley, with a raised plateau. On that plateau lies the ruins of a manor. Ordinarily it might seem completely abandoned -- holes in the roof, snow drifting into its once-elabourate halls, and silence in its courtyard. Yet smoke pours from one of its chimneys, towards the central part of the structure... and the snow in the courtyard has been trodden down.

  Well, it seems someone is living here.

  In fact, there's a figure down from the courtyard, on the mountain pass road near where the Vines actually open. It's just a single figure walking, wearing some sort of hooded black robe, carrying some kind of rucksack over a shoulder, which has a few edible-looking greens sticking out, as well as a few bulges suggesting fruits and other forage. The figure looks like it's headed back uphill towards the broken-down estate, walking slow.

    A snow-capped mountain means one thing to Peach: Winter. Sports.

    So the moment it came back to her that this particular vine lead to a snow-capped mountain peak... well, she had been looking for an excuse to get away for a while.

    A woman of average height, wearing bright pink cold weather gear and carrying a set of skis and poles, wanders her way from one of the many vines that dot the landscape. A sudden shiver signals that the other end of the vine is probably not very cold at all.

    Adjusting her crown, Peach grins in wonderment as she gazes around herself - and then she spies a figure bundled up in a black robe against the cold, and her expression freezes into a goofy, slightly-unsure grin. Oh my, is this owned land? Maybe she should get permission first...

  Pausing in its trek, the lone figure hikes the rucksack higher up over a shoulder, turning to look back down the path and stiffening at the sight of another traveller. The robe shifts subtly -- is the figure reaching for a weapon? -- before pausing.

  Somehow it's hard to imagine that Zant would send his agents across the breadth and depth of Hyrule clad in a screamingly pink ski suit.

  Yeah. Nah. Pink just isn't the Twilight King's style.

  The figure hikes the pack up over its shoulder again, head tilting a little as though studying the approaching figure of Peach, and trying to figure out what to make of that. Well, if it's not an agent of Zant... who is it?

  "Can I help you?"

  The voice that issues from the hooded figure is at odds with how sinister that black garb looks. It's a young woman's voice, soft, though lifted just far enough to carry. Suspicious, too. The crispness of each word's pronunciation suggests a certain aristocratic touch. This is no dirt-farmer. Then again, there's not even any dirt to farm up in these goddess-forsaken mountains.

  The figure takes a step closer, still watching intently. "Are you looking for something...?"

    The blue-eyed, blonde-haired skier tilts her head to one side as the black-garbed figure approaches. She doesn't seem at all apprehensive despite the thoroughly spooky black cloak - like something out of a horror story involving cultists, or something. After a few moments, the agressively pink woman gives an exuberant, over-head wave. "Hello!"

    "Is this your mountain?" she asks, in a gentle voice that still manages to carry itself quite a distance. The voice is musical, carefree, obviously used to laughter. Quite at odds with what's been going on in Hyrule lately, all told. "I heard there was fresh-fallen snow! That's the best sort of snow to ski on, you know."

  The hooded head raises a little at the exaggerated wave, though whether to see better or whether out of acknowledgement, it's hard to say. One hand raises hesitantly to return the gesture, albeit with much more restraint. Whoever or whatever it is, they're probably human or close to it; breath can be seen fogging from the open hood, over the violet scarf tied around the figure's throat.

  By voice and by what little is visible of the face, it's /probably/ a woman. You just never know, in these strange realities.

  That is a slightly complicated question, but the hooded figure only shakes its head.

  "No. I cannot lay claim to this place."

  She winces internally. Ughhhh. Link is so much better at this sort of thing than she is. She couldn't pass for a commoner even if she had several lifetimes to practise.

  So she settles for shaking her head. It's clearly in reference to skiing, which draws as much of a blank look as someone wearing a hood can show. "I am not familiar with that. What is 'skiing?'"

    This pink-clad woman, meanwhile, could absolutely pass for a commoner - in fact, she has such a casual air to her that it's quite frankly ridiculously easy to look past the crown on her head, or her ridiculously expensive earrings. She lets out an almost-cartoonish gasp and approaches the figure with a hurried gait. "You don't know what skiing is?! But it's one of the most ancient sports in the world!"

    Zelda swiftly finds the strange woman right up in her personal space, giving a look that seems halfway between genuine concern and excitement. She's pointedly NOT trying to look under her hood at her face - if she wants to hide her identity that's her own business!

    "See it derives from a method of long distance travel by many disparate peoples from colder climates. See, they'd attach these planks - skis - to their feet," she explains, holding up the skis slung across her neck. "These would let them skim across snow and ice very quickly and efficiently, greatly improving the distance they could travel or hunt. Over time people started to carry spears or poles to aid in steering, and then, well, like most ancient survival techniques it turned into a sport when it wasn't really necessary for survival anymore~"

    She sounds practically giddy as she monologues. This is... her area of expertise, it seems.

  Getting into the hooded figure's personal space results in the hooded figure taking a politely deliberate but still pointed step backward.

  "Perhaps in your world. That is not always so, for other realms." The hood tilts, thoughtfully, at the explanation and breakdown of what skiing is. There are probably people familiar with this nonsense up here in these goddess-forsaken mountains, but the hooded figure is not one of them. 

  Apparently the explanation isn't too confusing, because the only question that comes forth is simple.

  "Fascinating." It's diplomatic. And not entirely genuine. In fact, it's a little dubious. "But I do not have the time or the inclination, I am sorry. Not just now. Perhaps later. May I ask who you are, that you come here to such a remote place? Do you not know the dangers of this realm, or do you simply not care...?"

    The pink-clad woman continues with her almost-vacant smile. "Oh, I'm Peach. I like to explore outside of the kingdom, because... well, home is wonderful, of course, but it can get a little stuffy sometimes y'know?" She tilts her head to one side.

    "Dangers? What sort of dangers?" she begins to ask, while looking out over the landscape. "Monsters, maybe? We have those at home, it's no big-" she begins, before she suddenly stops as her eyes fall on something in the distance. A patch of sky and the landscape below it look... different. "...Something's wrong. What's happening? Is your world under attack?" She suddenly sounds incredibly serious.

  "It would behoove you to have a care, Miss Peach, when you explore beyond the safe territory of your own home." The hooded figure's voice is soft. "One never knows what one may find. In fairer times, I might welcome you formally to the Kingdom of Hyrule. Now, it would be kinder to warn you away from it."

  One leather-gloved hand is stretched out, to point toward the distant Hyrule Castle. Far below in the heart of the plains, it rises like a tiny model, its graceful towers broken and misshapen; smoke lies like a pall over it and the tiny mediaeval city around it. The sky is eerily orange at the furthest horizon behind the citadel; and even from here, the effect is somehow wrong.

  The figure is silent as it stares down the distant citadel.

  "That is Hyrule Castle. I would advise against venturing any closer," she adds, softly. "At present, it seethes with the curse of the Twilight, and that abomination against the goddesses spreads ever outward. Peak Province, where you have come, is safe for the time being. But I cannot guarantee for how long that may be. Hyrule's throne is claimed by an usurper, and he has little care for the lives he has ruined in his search for power."

  The other princess is eyed, thoughtfully, though her own eyes are little more than reflected light from the depths of the hood. "It is safe to say that yes, it was under attack. The threat of danger is not gone, but the attack is over. And the Kingdom of Hyrule has lost."

    Peach's eyes follow Zelda's pointing hand towards the distant castle. The fair woman's face seems troubled, her ever-present grin having faded to a concerned expression now. She seems almost pained, as though seeing and hearing about this desolation has actually physically injured her.

    "...That's horrible," she says after a few long moments. "I can't imagine how it feels to lose your home like this... Is there nothing that can be done? Surely there must be some sort of... resistance movement, or... or something. Right? A-although..." She hesitates. "Perhaps asking a kingdom's peasantry to defend it without the aid of its monarch's army is asking a lot... Not every kingdom can be saved by a handful of destined heroes."

  From what's visible beneath the hood, the foreign woman's expression is also grim. Her mouth is set into a hard line of what is presumably displeasure, given the solemnity of her voice.

  "The royal family is dead." The hooded figure gestures toward the lowlands, where the spreading stain of the Twilight is barely visible. Even the plains are faded, as though all the light and vitality were leached out of them; trees left twisted and barren in its wake. "So is the royal guard. All that remains are the citizens of Hyrule, and they cannot act."

  The hand shifts slightly, to indicate the town in ruins around the castle's base. "The people are transformed into helpless spirits. They cannot act on the world around them, and do not know what has befallen their beloved kingdom. They know only fear, fear of a nameless evil; and the uncertainty of the future. Some few are aware of the usurper, those who have seen him, but he spreads the miasma of the Twilight around him like a curse. Where he goes, the land withers."

  "So. No. There is no rebellion. Not that I am aware of... but I expect it will only be a matter of time." The hooded figure looks out toward the ruined field, so far below. "Everything will happen as the Goddesses ordain. We need only listen well. The usurper will be cast out. He does not have the sanction of the Goddesses to sit the alabaster throne; he does not have the love of the people. He seeks only power... and such that he seeks is not to be found in this kingdom."

  An errant breeze swirls the hem of the robe; tugs at the hood, but a hand raises to catch it before it can reveal the face that lies beneath. "Hyrule's citizens would gladly defend it... if they had but a way to do so. They cannot be asked. It falls instead to others, to save Hyrule from her predicament," she murmurs, quietly. "And so the shall... in time. Whether they succeed, though, even the Goddesses could not say."

    Peach exhales slowly through her nose. "That's sad. Most of the royal family of my home died when I was very young. The kingdom took it terribly, and we didn't even have some horrible metaphysical darkness warping the land to contend with." Peach shrugs the skis off her shoulder, leaving them planted upright in the snow, along with her two skiing poles. She takes a few steps closer to the Twilit vista, stretching before placing her arms behind her head.

    "I don't know anything about these goddesses. But if their will must rely on outside help... I'm sure they won't begrudge me adding the light of my Stars to the fight, hm?"

    There's a long pause. "Oh!" She pats at her ski outfit, fumbling about for her cell phone for a few moments before pulling it out. She raises a finger towards Zelda in a 'one moment' gesture before talking. "Captain! Hi! Yes, sorry for- yes, I know you were- yes, listen- I promise I'll follow your instructions in the future now LISTEN!" Her raised voice is the voice of someone very used to shouting above the din of an arguing room to get their attention. Like some sort of politician? "Captain, would you please gather your men and travel through the Vine that recently- yes, that one. Yes. Thank you. Bundle up now, it's quite cold out here. Ciao~"

    Peach then turns around, arms behind her, smiling pleasantly. "I forgot to actually properly introduce myself, didn't I? My deepest apologies, miss. My full title is Princess-Regent of the Mushroom Kingdom, Princess Peach of House Toadstool, Defender of the Stars, Star Child of the Mushroom Kingdom, and... a couple of others than aren't really important."

    A few moments later, a line of... short, mushroom-capped people begin to empty out of the vine. They're holding halberds and are dressed in military uniforms that look to be an odd blend of modern and traditional style. "Princess!" one of them calls - the one with the most gaudy uniform so probably the captain.

    Peach smiles, and gestures to the dozen-or-so uniformed mushroom people. "My Royal Guard is at the disaposal of the Kingdom of Hyrule. At least, until I can convince the Parliament to approve a larger detachment of the army be sent."

  The figure doesn't move other than to shrug one shoulder. Such a gesture could be taken as apathy. How Hyrule took to losing its sovereigns, or whether they might have found it sad or not, the hooded stranger doesn't clarify.

  Neither does the stranger clarify what her connection to the royal family might be, either. Perhaps this one was a handmaiden. She sounds aristocratic enough to qualify for royal service.

  Peach's offer of help is acknowledged by the barest tilt of the head and a murmured, "Perhaps."

  When Peach calls her reinforcements through a nearby Vine, though, that gets more of a reaction. The hooded figure goes very still, and stares very intently at the Royal Guard trooping up the road from the Vine. It's close. Very close, by the short delay between calling for them and their appearance.

  "Skies, seas, stones, and sand," the figure breathes, horrified. She takes a step away from the advancing army of halberdiers. They aren't frightening, of course. In fact there's something oddly charming about them. It's the ramifications of their appearance that disturbs her more deeply than their appearance.

  If the Mushroom Royal Guard can get through there, who else can?

  How long can she keep this place a secret from outsiders; from the usurper and his allies, if someone from another world entirely can waltz in and start bringing their army through the portal?

  "I would respectfully ask that you withdraw your troops. Immediately. While the generosity of such a gesture is most appreciated, you do not know what you call them into." Half a glance is cast downhill, and then uphill; before she turns her attention back to Peach, hood pointing directly at the Mushroom Princess. The figure then gestures to indicate the distant form of Hyrule Castle. "Their mere presence here may have more dire consequences than we can know..."

    Peach's smile falters a bit. "...Uuuh, okay maybe that was a little hasty- okay everyone back through, fellas." There's complaints galore as Peach just ushers the guards back through the vine like she's herding children. "Yes I know you just got here I'll be along shortly no need to worry- yes if something happens I'll call you right away come on just-"

    And they're gone again, just as quickly as they arrived. Peach coughs, then turns around, hands behind her back and head tilted. "Sorry~ I got a little caught up in the moment. Maybe I should just give you a way to call for reinforcements instead?"

  The hooded figure doesn't so much as move as the gaggle of halberdiers are herded back through the portal from whence they had come. Their complaints fall on deaf ears, and in fact she watches them go with a little bemusement.

  That was different.

  "While I appreciate the offer, I do not consider it especially necessary at this time. Strength of arm will not win back for Hyrule her freedom. It is not with weapons that this war must needs be fought." The hood jerks in an abbreviated shake of the head. "And you do not even know who I am, let alone what my relation to all of this is. I am an agent of the usurper, for all that you know."

  It wouldn't be too hard to believe, considering that black-on-black getup.

    Peach's face breaks into a pleasant smile. "I mean, sure, you COULD be, but why would an agent of the usurper be spending so much time explaining to an offworld stranger the state of the kingdom? I clearly have no idea what's going on, after all. Shouldn't you be trying to convert me to the usurper's cause, if you were his agent?" She keeps up that serene, carefree smile.

    "...And you'd be surprised the sorts of crises that can be solved through force of arms. Really, sometimes it seems that nine out of ten emergencies can be solved simply by punching the right guy in the face enough times~ You just have to find out who's responsible!"

    "...Also you sound far too cute and aristocratic to be an agent of evil. ... I mean, aristocraticness and cuteness can both be attributes of evil, but both together? No way. Now can we go inside? It's cold out here."

  "An agent of the Twilight King may perhaps explain the situation. Certainly they would have no reason not to; as the 'situation' is quite visible even from a distance." The stranger gestures towards the faraway citadel. "Anyone with eyes can puzzle that much out themselves."

  She shrugs a black-clad shoulder. "Would I? Perhaps I might wait. Earn your trust. Feel out your temperament and general character, and see if you might be a good fit to the Twilight King's intentions for Hyrule. You may perhaps find little in this place that is wholly cast in either black -- or white."

  The lack of movement from the hood suggests a flat stare, or at least a steady regard. Finally the arms fold. Although the hands are gloved in stout work gloves stitched from rawhide and dyed black, they're slim enough to suggest a woman's hands.

  Fortunately, the ruins are still around a bend. It's not close enough to actually see them, and the towers and roofs are piled up with enough snow to dismiss as distant rock outcroppings.

  "I will agree to disagree with that interpretation," the stranger says, evenly. She gestures to indicate the desolate trail. "Are you always so forward with the strangers you meet on the road, Your Majesty? Come with me, if you must be so insistent, and perhaps I can give you more information to temper your generous, if somewhat misplaced, inclinations. I will warn you that it is somewhat of a hike."

    Peach continues to look back at the black-clad woman, head still tilted slightly to one side, face still set with a friendly, patient smile. "Wow, the bad guys in this world much be far more scheming and diabolical if they'd do something like that. I'll have to keep that in mind!" She then gives a wink. "Although anyone trying to get me to work against the common good is in for an uphill struggle."

    Peach then looks over the landscape again, and gives a little sigh. "I'm sorry for being so eager. But... I really do just want to help. What's the point of privilege if you can't use it to help people?" She gives a wan little smile. "Look at me. I can handle political maneuvering and tyranical turtle wizard kidnappers with the grace befitting my crown, but when I meet new people I end up acting like a teenager." She turns to face Zelda again, and laughs. "A bit of a hike? I came here to SKI. Bring it on."

    Her skis and poles seem to have vanished. Probably taken by the Royal Guard.

  "Which side is in the right and which side is in the wrong is a matter of debate for scholars, of that I have no doubt." The hooded figure brushes past the Mushroom Princess, boots crunching thorugh the snow.

  She pauses for a long moment, turning to stare off into the woods off the trail, where they plunge into deep valleys and ravines. There doesn't seem to be anything there... although was that a slight movement from the shadows? Something big; wolf-like? No, surely just a figment of the imagination. The sun is waning. It's hard to see into those prickly, frozen shadows.

  Apparently she saw something that satisfied her, though, because she turns and starts along the uphill path, beckoning for Peach to follow with a gloved hand.

  "Come. I advise that you walk where I do. The safety of the trail is not guaranteed, as there are chasms, and they are not always immediately obvious." The stranger's breath fogs before her. "As another precaution for your own safety, I advise not making any sudden movements."

  "Come."

  If she has anything to say in response to Peach's impulses to help, she doesn't comment. At least, not right away. For a long few moments the only sound she makes is the crunching of her boots in the snow. Her hood is pointed straight ahead, as though concentrating on the trail. It does demand attention. Sometimes it fades so much that it's no more than a deer trail winding its way through the stone.

  There might be something big and dark flitting between the trees, keeping pace with the two young women, but it might also just be the imagination.

  "It is one thing to want to offer help. I think that there are many who would be inclined toward such altruism. However, forcing that help on others when they may not be prepared for it; that is as damaging as not extending the offer in the first place," the hooded figure states, voice muffled a little by the hood. She keeps pace with the Mushroom Princess. "The presence of troops in this place would serve only to draw attention to it."

  It's true that the restoration of Snowpeak will take a certain amount of care to handle without drawing any attention from Central Province, but that's a different matter entirely than housing a bunch of foreign soldiers and their equally foreign sovereign. People talk, even if there aren't that many of them up here near the roof of the world.

  "We will be there soon, but I will not be able to host you for very long. I still have much work to be done for the day."

  As it turns out, it pretty much is a brutal uphill slog. Through the snow. The skies are leaden, as though threatening more, but there aren't any drifts just yet. It is fiercely cold, though. The stranger must have some warm clothing on under that hooded robe.

  Presently they come to what looks like a ruined manor up on a plateau over a forested valley. Some of the trees down below almost look like they could have been orchards, once upon a time; the faint ghost of lines visible in the way the trees are growing.

  The stranger strides right up to the front door and through it, but that's not difficult. The front door is staved in and doesn't even close. Picking her way over old rubble, she wends her way deeper into the estate, through a door that necessitates a good sharp kick to open, around a corner, and into a hallway.

  From there it's into another door, and... into a library, which boasts four walls that do not have holes in them, a hearth with a fire blazing in it, and floor to ceiling books, faded Hylian glyphs delicately picked out in flaking gold on their spines. The topics vary wildly -- history, poetry, religion, cultures, and manuals of war and tactics; just to name a few. Whoever this place belongs to, they're well-read.

  The stranger waits until Peach is inside the library before shutting the door, and shutting out the cold air. The library is actually quite comfortable inside.

    The princess appears to be totally oblivious to any wolf-like figures following them. She's too busy focusing on the climb! She moves deftly along, practically walking in the stranger's footprints as she follows her up along the trail. Every now and then she'll make a comment about something - this landscape is fairly pretty, and she's not afraid to point it out.

    Once they reach the manor, Peach stares up at in in wonder. Despite being a Princess and likely having a private home as fancy or even fancier. And probably still in one piece to boot. "Oh, wow! I didn't think there would be something like this all the way up here... Does this belong to you? Or... well it's in pretty dire repair so maybe not..."

    She doesn't seem at all out of breath from the grueling hike. Though she IS somewhat cold, and glad to be within the warmth of the library! "Brr! Much longer out in that and I think my HAIR would freeze..." She rubs her gloved hands together as she looks around the library, eyes practically lighting up. Books! So many books...

  "It has been generations since this place belonged to anyone." The Hylian proceeds to sort out the contents of her rucksack, putting the things away in various containers; the perishables are put into clay pots, which presumably seal. Then again, it's so cold even at the edges of the room that they're probably kept safe. "As you can see, most of the estate has fallen into a state of severe neglect."

  "Snowpeak is not kind to travellers," she adds, with some sympathy, gesturing as though to indicate the mountain as a whole. "What the Twilight lacks in threat at such a distance, the mountain more than makes up for. Peak Province is savage in winter. Resupplying this place is treacherous, but it is not impossible."

  "My time is short." The statement is given, perhaps to catch Peach's attention back away from the books. "The simple answer to your earlier questions is that yes, there is something of a resistance in planning, but we must be careful in how we conduct it. The usurper is cunning, although I hesitate to complement his intelligence; he will know if there is too much activity here."

  "I am a servant of the royal family, such as there remains of them. My name is Sheik." A fleeting smile, although it seems an expression more of irony than anything else. "I was an attendant of the late queen."

  The truth may be bent all to hell, but it's not a complete lie.

  'Sheik' pours tea for both of them, passing a cup to Peach; her own she takes and settles down, cross-legged, before the fire. "We are conducting our rebellion from here, where we will go unseen by the Twilight King, far from the threat of the Twilight or his violent-minded lackeys."

    Peach accepts the tea with a grateful nod of her head, settling down into whatever seating is available and sitting up fairly straight - suddenly in full on formal mode, at least with her body language. Tea is serious business! "Sheikh? I thought that was a title..." Hm. "Well, I suppose it's just a name that sounds like something else~ Very pleased to meet you, miss Sheik." Teasip.

    "I suppose simply heating this place electrically and setting up a few greenhouses to grow food isn't exactly on the cards... Flying supplies in would also be fairly conspicious, hm.." She smiles. "Well, I'm sure you'll get this place sorted out. You seem like a very capable woman! The resistance is lucky to have someone like you~" Peach continues to have an air of unconcerned ease about her - while she obviously feels deeply for the people of this world she is absolutely certain things will turn out for the better.

    "I'll leave whenever you ask if you're THAT busy. I can make my way down the mountain myself just fine, don't worry~"

  "A title? Not that I am aware." 'Sheik' shakes her head, cradling her teacup in her hands. The spreading warmth feels good. She can almost feel her fingers. "It is an old name, and one largely honourary."

  "We shall see. Hyrule finds itself in interesting times. There is some power afoot, but we do not yet know what it is. At present, we must wait, and see," 'Sheik' states quietly. "I am honoured," she adds, dryly, in response to Peach's introduction. "I will keep you informed. Safe travels down the trail."

  "If you visit again... I would recommend speaking with me first. Those who stay here... well, we do not take well to sudden intruders."

  'Sheik' is already busting herself with tidying up more supplies, whenever it is Peach takes her leave. "May the Goddesses watch over you," she'll add.

    Once Peach has finished her cup of tea, she stands, and gives a flourishing bow - she would curtsey but she's wearing a miniskirt and leggings, and that would feel... wrong. "I was delightful to meet you, miss Sheik. If you ever need help..." She flips her hand over, and suddenly she's holding a... a business card.

    A bright pink business card. That claims, among other things, that this woman is a professional go-kart driver and tennis player. It also has a phone number and mailing address, which is probably why it's being offered...

    "I should... probably take my leave, yes. Until we meet again~" She gives a two-fingered salute, before taking her leave.

    She then promptly leaps off the mountain pass and takes the short way back down: gravity. And levitation.

    Zelda probably doesn't see this part.