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TatlTael is the family ship between Tatl and Tael from The Legend of Zelda fandom.
Canon[]
Past[]
Tatl and Tael were both siblings who lived in Termina throughout their lives. During their expedition through Termina Field, they came across the depressed Skull Kid sitting under the log, shivering and have each kept him company and learned that he had a major fallout with his friends earlier. They became friends with him, and they would often play together, even to the point where the Skull Kid made a drawing of himself and the fairies. As the Skull Kid reveals his mischievous side, the two fairies would go along with his antics. It wasn't until the Skull Kid stole Majora's Mask from the Happy Mask Salesman and upon putting it on, the cursed mask takes control, and his typical mischievous pranks evolve into malicious intent.
Majora's Mask[]
At the beginning of the game, Tatl and Tael help the Skull Kid to startle Epona which throws Link off of her, and as the Skull Kid was inspecting Link's inventory for anything interesting and finds the Ocarina of Time and plays a few notes on it, Tael wanted to try it as well, but Tatl objects to him doing this and that he might end up dropping it and breaking it and argue for a while. When Link wakes up, Skull Kid gets on Epona and take her away with Link chasing them. Once Link falls through the chasm within the tree, Tatl and Tael are with Skull Kid, who taunts him over his horse having been gotten rid of and turning Link into a Deku Scrub which, they all laugh at his expense. However, as Tatl is still scoffing at Link, unaware that the Skull Kid and Tael are leaving, but Tael realizes that she is being left behind and calls out to her, but it happened too late, and the door shuts behind them before she can catch up. Tatl gets mad at Link for what happened that separated her from Tael, but she soon apologizes to him for her behavior earlier. Since then, Tatl teams up with Link and are both given the mission by the Happy Mask Salesman to bring back Majora's Mask for him within three days' time, due to its dangerous power potent enough to destroy the world. Tatl's mission is not only to save the world from Majora's malice, but also to return to her brother.
During the first confrontation with the Skull Kid at the top of the Clock Tower after it becomes accessible at midnight on the Final Day, Tatl and Tael briefly reunite as the latter drops a hint on their crucial mission that they must complete to save the world from the falling Moon, but the Skull Kid snaps and swats Tael for speaking out of line, which shocks and angers Tatl. Link, still in his Deku form fires a bubble at the Skull Kid which makes him drop the Ocarina of Time, which Link recalls Princess Zelda's words with a panicked Tatl telling him to do something and they need more time, which Link plays the Song of Time which brings him back to the First Day where everything was as it is when they first arrived and traveled to four regions to free the Four Giants and breaking the curses on those regions.
Once all Four Giants are saved, Link and Tatl confront the Skull Kid again where Tael repeats his hint about the Guardians, before the Skull Kid smacks him, with Tatl being angered again. Link plays the Oath to Order to summon the Giants to stop the Moon before it made contact with the tower. Tatl and Tael finally reunite, and the former tells the Skull Kid to stand up, but Tael tells her not to blame him and explains that he was under the mask's control the whole time that made him perform all the horrible deeds to the residents. Tatl comments that the Skull Kid has a weak will and has no strength of heart on top of him being a fool. As Majora reveals itself and detaches itself from the Skull Kid and takes control of the Moon to make it crash, Tatl was about to insist on staying with her brother, but when he wants to tag along, she changes her mind and joins Link on the final battle with Majora.
Once Majora is destroyed for good, Tatl and Tael reunite and check on Link, who wakes up but completely fine. As the Skull Kid and the Four Giants make amends in their friendship, they fly over to him and watch on as they leave. As the Skull Kid befriends Link, the Happy Mask Salesman was happy to get back Majora's Mask, which is now free of the curse and tells them that farewells don't have to last forever, but they're normally temporary before leaving. Tatl says good-bye to Link while she, her brother, and the Skull Kid go to the Carnival of Time. As she watches Link depart, Tael comforts her.
Fanon[]
TatlTael has some level of being common among the Zelda community, but it does have its fans. The fan fics are rare with only one ship in Archive of Our Own thus far, but they are very common in their appearances in fan art as it was very rare for them to be depicted alone and are sometimes given humanoid appearances, and they are also depicted with the Skull Kid on many different occasions. Fans have also grown to love the relationship between Tatl and Tael and it helps that Tatl herself has an expanded background and personality compared to Link's previous companion, Navi, even though Tatl and Tael spend most of the game apart from each other and find them relatable in regard to their familial bond as well as their sibling rivalries that they have.
Trivia[]
Tatl and Tael's names are the split version of tattletale, a very common scenario among siblings when drama between them occurs.
Fandom[]
- FAN FICTION
- Tael & Tatl tag on AO3
