Just as Prince Sidon predicted, he and (Y/n) were yet again heading out to do further investigating on the Ocean Zora. Since (Y/n) was familiar with the Faron region in particular, she made the perfect guide for leading Sidon to Martha's Landing, where the Ocean Zora said they would be.
This time, they had a specialized boat on wheels made for them, to make the trip faster as well as to hold all of the belongings they needed to take with them. They had no idea if they needed to bring anything back, or if they would need to proceed on land, so it was the perfect mode of transport. Traveling by water was faster than by land, so it was the preferred mode of travel.
However, knowing the truth that (Y/n) was actually a Hylian in a cursed state made Sidon particularly keen on taking a bit of a detour when they got to the Faron region, going to pass familiar sights they had seen prior on their way down to the south.
"Okay, we should be reaching Lake Hylia any moment now." (Y/n) murmured, going to look over her map, oblivious to the prince's intentions, as he was the one steering the ship.
"I heard Mei went here one time to fish. It is quite the faraway fishing site from the Domain. I am surprised she made the journey." (Y/n) commented with a smile as she continued to look over the map.
"I see..." Sidon hummed, his golden eyes looking forward as he still had his detour plan in the back of his mind.
"You'll know it's Lake Hylia when you see a great big bridge going across. The view of the lake from up there is actually quite nice." (Y/n) commented, as the prince merely nodded in response.
This was soon making her suspicious. Sidon was not the type to be so silent on a trip such as this. She was surprised she hadn't received a lot of questions about the lands they were passing by.
"Sidon, is there something bothering you? Are you worried about that Morfran guy?" (Y/n) decided to ask, as Sidon then shook his head.
"No, not at all, it is just... Where is Lurelin Village from Lake Hylia?" He asked, which immediately made (Y/n) look at him incredulously.
"That is what you are thinking about? I thought we agreed we would go there after we find out the deal with those Ocean Zora!" She pointed out, which got a laugh out of Sidon.
"My apologies, it is just... I really want to see what your hometown looks like, what you look like as a Hylian. That and... I am not sure what will happen once we get to Martha's Landing. If we have to report our findings immediately to my father, then we wouldn't have time to go to Lurelin." Sidon reasoned with a hum.
"That... May be true, yes, but this business about the Ocean Zora is kind of more important than my personal woes." (Y/n) reasoned.
"But this involves your life, and I take that just as seriously. We will not be there long, just long enough to resolve everything and let everyone know what happened." Sidon told her, as (Y/n) stood silent for a bit, before nodding.
"Alright, if you are sure that its okay... Then when we reach the very bottom right of the lake, it's to the east, past the rainforests, and then down a slope. We will be on land for a bit before getting back in the water, so the wheels we got are pretty handy." (Y/n) informed him, though she felt herself smiling brightly at just how much the prince cared for her.
She did want desperately to go back to Lurelin, but she also didn't want her personal issues to get in the way of the issues of the Domain. Sidon was it's prince, after all, so it was his duty to tend to all matters related to the Domain.
"Rainforests?" Sidon repeated as he cast a curious look back at her. There he was, the inquisitive Sidon (Y/n) knew, which made her giggle.
"They are called rainforests because it tends to rain a lot there. It is a different type of greenery than the one we have been seeing up until now, since the Faron region tends to be very warm and humid compared to the rest of Hyrule." (Y/n) explained, as Sidon slowly nodded, digesting this information.
"Sounds like this will be a very interesting environment to travel through. Zora have to be careful where we go if we choose to travel, since we aren't made for a lot of areas. We do not do well when it's too cold, when it's too dry, and when it's too hot. There are elixirs that can help, of course, but it is still not a pleasant experience." Sidon explained with a frown.
"When Morfran was having an audience with my father... The way he talked about the Kingdom of Hyrule troubled me. I want to be an optimist, of course, but there are some times where you do have to exercise a fair bit of caution." He murmured, which made (Y/n) wince. "You mean that guy decked in gold? Yeah, he gave me the creeps."
"I hope that with this meeting, we can bridge the gap between our factions... But if not, then I will do all I can to protect both the Domain and the Kingdom of Hyrule." Sidon said firmly with a nod, before he was then looking at (Y/n).
"Since I am not too sure about his true nature, it is this reason I want you to keep the fact you're a Hylian a secret from him. You could be in danger if you reveal your true nature." He told her with a grave look, which made her slowly nod. Sidon also wasn't the type of be overtly serious without reason, and Morfran not knowing her true nature was a good call.
When (Y/n) went to check the map again, she then noticed that they had arrived at the lake.
"Here we are. At Lake Hylia!" She declared, as their small ship was then sailing through the lake.
Sidon was taking in the sight with awe, a big grin on his face. He felt as if he was in a miniature ocean, how massive the lake was.
When his eyes went to look at the bridge, he was even more amazed. The bridge was so long, stretching right through the big lake. It reminded him of the many bridges that made up the Domain, and suddenly, he had the urge to see how long it would take him to run through the whole length of the bridge.
"It's not that fun to run on the bridge as it is to enjoy the view. You lose your breath once you get to the other side." (Y/n) mused with a giggle, as if she was reading Sidon's mind.
"Maybe... But it is quite the thought." He admitted, trying to not let it show that he was thinking of just that.
The two would then ironically go straight to thinking about what would happen when they would get to Lurelin Village. Would this crazy situation surrounding (Y/n) be believed by the locals? If it wasn't for everything the prince experienced thus far, it would have took quite some time for him to even believe it himself. It was just so fantastical and something that he had never heard of happening before.
"...Are you nervous, (Y/n)? About when we get to your hometown?" Sidon asked with a soft voice, as (Y/n) sighed.
"Yes, very much. I left so abruptly, and I didn't tell them the truth to start with. I thought it was so ridiculous, they would have thought I was some strange Zora who did something wrong. Admittedly, I was quite freaked out, and just wanted to get to the bottom of this curse. Yet, here I am, barely any closer to the answer to how to return to my original body. The chief of the village is watching over my body, and I have a lot to give back to him for helping keep watch over it for all this time. I feel guilty, but it just seemed far too risky to take it with me, anything could have happened to my original body out on the road. It seemed much safer to keep it at the village." (Y/n) reasoned with a ramble, starting to pace anxiously back and forth.
Was she being too selfish? Was she doing the right thing? She was not quite sure of any of this.
"There is no need to feel guilty for what has already been done, (Y/n). Besides, we are heading there right now to clear the air, and if there are any problems, I can handle it. Think of it as thanks for helping me yet again on this expedition." Sidon gave her an encouraging smile, which made (Y/n)'s nerves ease up. He was such a ball of positivity, it was impossible to stay negative for long.
Even when they struggled to get their specialized boat up the hill after they got out of the lake, Sidon was still just as chirpy all the while. How could someone with so much on his shoulders have such a sweet, bubbly attitude all the time? It made (Y/n) just as cheery, just being able to go on another journey with him, especially to visit her hometown.
When they entered Faron Woods, (Y/n) then recalled a tidbit she probably should have mentioned to Sidon earlier.
"Er, and by the way... Once we enter the rainforest, the area with red rocks... We might get a lot of storms, which means... Lightning." (Y/n) let out a weak laugh, as Sidon merely shook his head with a sigh. "Lightning... Why is there so much lightning in Hyrule? To my knowledge, none of the races are completely immune to a shock, even with an elixir..." He pouted softly.
"Not sure, but at the very least we will have plenty of coverage with the forest, unlike when we were in Hyrule Field. Nothing is scarier than when you have nothing to stand under." (Y/n) shuddered, with Sidon nodding in agreement.
The two then saw a river, and upon checking the map, (Y/n) suggested they take the river all the way to Lake Floria, which was quite the sight for Sidon when they got there on their ship. The waterfalls that were present were huge, and also reminded the prince of home.
"When I have some off time, I have to come here to climb those waterfalls!" Sidon chuckled with a toothy grin, looking at the waterfalls with wonder in his golden eyes, a sight (Y/n) found precious.
"Yeah, lots of travelers come down here to see the waterfalls. I also hear there are caves there popular with them." She told him, which made Sidon nod. "Another thing to add to the bucket list!"
Then sailing to the southeast of the lake, the two rolled the ship up a hill, getting it out of the water since there would be no rivers that led to Lurelin Village.
When they were passing an intersection, past the rainforest, Sidon then found himself staring up at a mountain. "Is Lurelin past this mountain?" Sidon questioned (Y/n), who followed his line of sight. "Yes, that is the famous Tuft Mountain, very popular for romantics for a tale surrounding what lies at the top." (Y/n) nodded, bittersweet memories resurfacing at looking at the mountain.
"Really? Why is that?" Sidon looked back at (Y/n), who then proceeded to explain it to him.
"There is a pond at the top of the mountain, called Lover's Pond. Legend has it if you go up there, you can find your soulmate there. Hasn't worked yet for me..." (Y/n) murmured that last tidbit to herself, as Sidon was then glancing back at the mountain in wonder. "Is that so?... There are so many interesting locations down here. It is just such a shame there is such a risk for lightning in the area. If not for that, this region would have been the perfect location for another Domain." Sidon mused in wonder as they continued to press on.
Finally, down the slope, was a very familiar seaside village, one that made (Y/n) suddenly find herself overcome with emotion.
They were here, at her hometown of Lurelin Village.
"Well... We are here..." (Y/n) gave Sidon a tight smile, as he stood close to her, taking the sight of the town. The homes the residents lived in were certainly different than what he had expected to see, and he highly doubted he could fit through any of the doorways with his height.
"I see... Where is your body?" He asked in a murmur, as (Y/n) then pointed to her home. "Probably there..."
With anxious steps, (Y/n) walked to her home with Sidon by her side. When she got close to the open doorway, her eyes then spotted a sight she did not anticipate.
Her body still had that strange green light emitting from it, and it looked just as it did the day (Y/n) left it. It made her worries cease a little to see she wasn't coming back to a corpse, though it made her predicament all the more stranger. Her body really did appear asleep, with her chest rising and falling gently, despite her spirit not even being there anymore.
However, there was something even stranger than her body that had caught her full attention... A big burly man sitting next to her body, seeming deep into some scroll as many types of scrolls and books were laid strewn all across her home. Was this man a doctor, perhaps?
"Um... Greetings?" (Y/n) attempted to catch the man's attention, all the while Sidon was in a daze.
Right before him stood (Y/n)'s true form. The answer to a question that was nagging him the entire way to the village was finally answered. There she was, looking asleep as her Hylian body was laid on the flat bed. He was able to see the green light that only (Y/n) was able to see prior, but what really had his eye were her features. The shape of her lips, of her nose, of her eyes, of her eyebrows... Then there was her hair. He took notice of the color of her hair, the texture of it, the length, and the style that it was in. It seemed someone has been caring for her, since her hair appeared well kept, and not in a tangled heap. He found himself fascinated with her, all the while (Y/n) had continued to try to get the stranger's attention, before snapping.
"HELLO!" She screamed, causing both Sidon and the stranger to jolt.
"O-Oh, were you calling me? My apologies! When I get wrapped up in my work, I tend to space out." The man gave an embarrassed laugh, before he was then bowing his head. "Tauro, at your service! If you have business with (Y/n)'s shop, it is unfortunately closed until I can figure out what illness is causing her coma." He stated to her in a rather formal way, as (Y/n) then stared at him for a long while. That name sounded familiar...
"I am sorry, are you a doctor?" (Y/n) asked, as he shook his head. "No, but I am a researcher, especially with old texts pertaining to the long extinct Zonai. I was asked to come here to study (Y/n)'s case from the village's chief, but so far I haven't had any luck in finding out why she is in this state and how to snap her out of it." Tauro sighed with a shake of his head, as (Y/n) then went to nervously look up at Sidon, who gave her an encouraging nod with a soft smile. No matter what anyone thought, he would be there for her.
Taking a deep sigh, (Y/n) then proceeded to tell Tauro the whole truth. The fact that he seemed to be a researcher in things relating to the Zonai was also something that she wanted to press him on more later. Maybe he knew some more information about Rauru and Mineru, or even the Secret Stones themselves.
After she was done talking, Tauro looked stunned. "...Just like in the slab I found in the Zonai Ruins! This is huge, we have to tell the chief!" He grinned, going to get up and rush out of the hut, as Sidon then was running with (Y/n) after him.
When she spotted the chief, that guilt hit her tenfold as Tauro then went to repeat what (Y/n) had just told him to the chief, who looked at her in shock.
"I... see... I have lived for quite a long time, but it is the first I am hearing about an out of body experience... Caused by that family heirloom of yours, no less! Dear, why didn't you just tell me this is what happened to you in the first place?..." Chief Rozel spoke, which caused (Y/n)'s voice to tremble with emotion. "I-I thought no one would believe me like this... I was so scared, I still am... I-I am so sorry for what I did!" She was then fishing something from the pouch she had attached to her belt, getting out an item that really surprised Sidon.
It was her first golden rupee that she was now holding, going to hold it out for Rozel to take. "I-I know I frightened you all, and put you in a difficult position! Please, take this as an apology!" She bowed her head respectfully, her body trembling as the fear became clear as day to see.
Seeing herself outside of her Hylian body made the reality of what was happening to her sink in even more, which made her fear jump out of her body. The guilt hit her like a spear, and she felt lower than a crab buried in the sand.
When she heard soft laughter, (Y/n) lifted her head slowly in confusion, only to see Chief Rozel was the source of the laughter. "There is no need for that, child. I am just relieved to know that you are alright." He smiled softly to her, causing (Y/n) to get even more emotional, before she was giving the chief a hug. "Do not fret, (Y/n). We will find a solution to returning you back to your original body. We have a highly esteemed researcher that can help find the answers." He reassured her, all while Sidon watched with a relieved smile.
The people of this village seemed just as kind as (Y/n) had described them to be. He also noted that (Y/n) had that similar kindness, as evident with just how quickly she was ready to give up a gold rupee, with no hesitation at all. He knew how much that gold rupee meant to her, which made the act even bigger in his eyes.
The people of Lurelin Village really did look out for each other, a trait the prince found admirable.
"Oh, how rude of me. Who is this companion of yours? Welcome to Lurelin Village, I am it's chief, Rozel." The old man then turned to Sidon, causing the prince to blink, registering himself being addressed suddenly.
"I am Sidon, and I have came to know (Y/n) when she came to Zora's Domain." He bowed his head in a formal fashion, hands behind his back, as the chief merely chuckled. "Heh heh, you act just like a prince. I am happy to see (Y/n) have such a faithful companion in bringing her back home." Rozel grinned, as (Y/n) was then pulling herself together.
"About that, Rozel... I was thinking of bringing my body to the Domain, so I can watch it on my own. Now that I have Sidon for company, it would be safe to make the journey with it. I have some... unfinished business back in the Domain." (Y/n) told him, as he slowly nodded. "I understand. Being a Zora now, I'd imagine you do. May you find the answers you seek to return back to your Hylian body, and please, don't be a stranger. You should talk with Tauro further about your case, he may have another lead." Rozel suggested, which the two noted with a nod, before facing the researcher who was once again nose deep in another scroll.
At least they had a reputable researcher on their hands. Maybe he held in his possession another key to this strange puzzle. He did mention that (Y/n)'s case was like something he had read on a slab, and the two were curious to know exactly what he meant by that.