Chapter Text
It was a very intense dream. It felt like someone was trying to cram a hundred years into an hour at most, details whipping past like hurricane winds, only the major things staying clear enough to really understand. Machines, dread, a heavy weight, inadequacy, glaring eyes and angry words, fear, black smoke, screaming, machines, fear, horror, a feeling of loss, waiting waiting waiting waiting waiting waiting finally hope and peace and exhaustion and rest, and then a woman. She looked so much like herself, but older, shorter hair and wiser eyes and a smile that came easily, something she could not even imagine for herself but there it was. "I wish I had been more determined..."
The early sunlight glowed behind her eyelids for a minute as she stayed curled up in her blanket, giving herself time to process. One nice thing about dream logic is that perspective isn't limited; she could look at her older self the same as a reflection in a mirror, briefly knowing what the older knew, understanding from that point of view.
'I wish I had been more determined...'
She would've thought hearing that would devastate her, but it didn't. Quite the opposite, actually. Zelda suddenly felt more sure than she had in years, perhaps her entire life. She knew exactly what dream-zelda meant, and it had nothing to do with goddess powers or prayers. And so, that morning, Zelda made a Decision. She was going to kick ass. Kick ass calamity style.