It was with a peculiar sense of inhibition that Zephyrus perused the manifold of stalls and kiosks which made up the bulk of The Hero of Time festival, stalking betwixt them with protracted movements, and silently drinking in all he saw through his cardinal lenses. Yes, beneath his calm features- Unrelentingly soft and neutral, save for a small smile he wore only for the sake of politeness whenever some passer-by offered him theirs- there was a prowling unease. Because, although they did their best to remain deferential, Zephyrus was aware of the lingering eyes of those Hylians which passed him by, and they made him feel bare. It was an uncommon union, that of Sheikah and Hylian: To them, his culture was an enigma, a mystery living amongst them. “Shadow Folk”, that’s what they called him. “Red Eye.” And that was problematic, because for every pair of prying eyes, Zephyrus felt as though his presence were taboo: As though their seeing him somehow betrayed centuries of foregone wisdom and confidences. Of course, he knew this wasn’t truly the case: Their curiosity was understandable, and no crime, nor was his being there. His brother’s, on the other hand… “C’mon!”, Archer enjoined from his flank, having been forced to follow his elder sibling through veritable warehouses of cheap, pointless tchotchkes, “All I’m saying is that if you were to work that shadow voodoo that you do, I bet we could [i]triple[/i] the amount my act usually pulls in.” Zephyrus came to a stop before a stall that alleged to sell antique scrolls, and glanced back over his shoulder, to meet Archer’s eyes. “I’ve no interest in helping you commit petty crimes.” “Who said anything about crimes?”, the Hylian gasped, feigning offense, “Are you calling me a crook?” “Our meeting was not, on your part, a lawful one.” “Hey, that was then! But then you showed up, and [i]brother[/i], you sure set me straight.” “… still no.” “[i]Damn[/i] it. You’re such a killjoy!” “I’m trying to teach you responsibility, Archer. There’ll come a day when I’m not around to shield you from the consequences of your actions.” “You kidding? Your ghost’ll be nagging me until we’re both dead and buried.” “That’s the best I can hope for.” They lingered there for a few moments more, as Zephyrus took in the scroll stall’s stock, estimated it to be illegitimate and moved on, Archer in tow. “What are we looking for, anyway?”, the younger brother asked, sliding his hands into the aegis of his leather jacket. “I cannot readily say,” Zephyrus replied in turn, “All I know is that whomever called us here said-” “That we need to be here today, and that Hyrule’s wellbeing depends on it,” Archer paraphrased, earning a concurring nod from his Sheikah brother. Yes, both had heard it vividly: It had been a message spoken in a whisper, but had travelled through them like a great shout. Zephyrus had risen that moment, for ‘twas the nature of the Sheikah to become active when danger was about: But upon inspecting his quarters, he’d found them devoid of any troublesome whisperers. When Archer had awoken several hours later, he didn’t even need to inform his sibling of what he’d heard. Somehow, both knew. “So, we’re just going to stand about until the universe explains itself, are we?” Zephyrus nodded, “If that’s what it takes. The stream needn’t ask questions to find its way to the ocean. It takes only patience.” “That’s your problem, Sethy-” “Zephyrus.” “-You’re all watery, and passive. I’ve gotta ignite a [i]fire[/i] in your heart.” “You are welcomed to try, should you ever stop wasting your powers on simple trickery.” “Hey, magic is an ancient tradition!” “You know very well which tricks I’m referring to. The lawless sleight of hand.” “O-Oh,” Archer chuckled, nervously, “That one.” Zephyrus stopped, and frowned at him for a long couple of moments, before the two moved on again.