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Zelda Art The Legend of Zelda: Urban Legacy (fanfiction, PG-13)

Octo Rocked

Dr. Octorokapus BLAAAAAH!
Joined
Dec 8, 2009
Location
The American Midwest
One minor technicality out of the way first - I think there is a typo in the following line. Not it this world, with all its politics. Should "it" be "in"?

Anyway, I kinda squee-ed happily when I saw Navi was in it. Is she going to remain Link's companion, or is she mainly taking him to the mapmaker? (I think I know who it is, and if so, HA HA.) Also, you probably don't want to spoil too much, but if Zant's in it, will Midna be making an appearance too?

I have to admit, I wasn't sure what I'd think of an "urban" legend of Zelda, but I'm glad I checked it out, and I look forward to updates. I've mentioned it before, but you're doing nice work including so many different elements of the game in it.

Oh, yes, that's a typo. That's the sort of thing that you don't notice typing, so you don't notice rereading it, but everyone else notices. *is embarrassed*

And yes, don't worry. Navi does stay in the story, and she does play an important role. If you hadn't caught on, she is his guide, so she'll be acting as the companion in this story, just like she did in her original, OoT appearance. And it shouldn't spoil too much, so I'll go ahead and say that, yes, Midna is in it, and has as much importance to the story as Zant. However, imp-form Midna fans will be a bit disappointed, as she's in Twilight form, and Link/Midna shippers will be a bit disappointed, as she's Zant's wife.

Anyway, I'm glad you like the interpretation. An urbanizing really does kill it for some people, and while I think a steampunk Zelda would work, a modern Zelda probably wouldn't make a good game. It's fun figuring out what the different characters' roles would be (a minor change is Sakon's role shifting from theif to assassin, a more major one would be Malon and Talon as mechanics/bikers), though I draw inspiration from a lot of places in that regard. Like I said, a large ammount of inspiration was from "There Will Be Brawl," which did something similar, but with the characters from Brawl (Olimar as a crazed prophet obsessed with the "End of Days," Kirby as a canibal (grr, no spellcheck on Explorer), Ganondorf as a smooth-talking mafia boss, DeDeDe as a pimp, etc.), and Epona as a motorcycle was inspired by a hoax for an actual modern/futuristic Legend of Zelda game. It's still really fun figuring out what to do with everyone, though. Navi's intepretation is completely original :cool:.
 

February Eve

ZD District Attorney
Joined
Mar 21, 2010
Location
USA
Oh, yes, that's a typo. That's the sort of thing that you don't notice typing, so you don't notice rereading it, but everyone else notices. *is embarrassed*

Oh, not a problem! I just didn't know if you'd be making edits and I thought I'd make it easier for you just in case.

Anyway, glad to hear Navi will be Link's companion - she's one of my favorite characters. Don't get me wrong, I did get the impression from their meeting that she'd be a guide in a way that was similar to OoT, but since you had so many different characters involved, I wasn't sure if there would be any partnership changes. Nice to have her involved!

I also meant to say that I caught the "secret to everybody" reference. :xd:
 

Beeker

Wild Card
Joined
Jun 14, 2010
Location
Canadia
Loving what you're doing with this!:D I find it really cool how you're making other characters fit in the modern day world. And I love the fact that Navi is like some supersmart kid(After all, that was what she did in OoT;)).
 

Octo Rocked

Dr. Octorokapus BLAAAAAH!
Joined
Dec 8, 2009
Location
The American Midwest
Hey, everyone, chapter 5 is here! This is a landmark chapter for several reasons. First of all, it's halfway point to the end of Act 1. Second, it introduces two characters who I think people are going to enjoy (and don't worry...it's nt the first two introduced!). And finally, it's the last update I'm going to have before heading back up to college, where I will, ironically, have more time to write. So, here's chapter 5!


Chapter 5: Legacy of the Master Sword



“You don’t have to hold on so tightly,” Link told the girl. Navi just squeezed tighter in response.

“I’ve never been on a motorcycle!” she yelled over the roar of the engine. “Only been in an automobile a few times! This is really fun, but it’s also kinda scary! Take a left here!”

She squealed in fear and delight as he took the corner, and he shook his head in response. “Do you ever stop talking?” he asked.

“Sometimes! Next turn is in a few blocks!”

He finally slowed the cycle in front of a large building, somewhat resembling a tower. Though it looked like an old style, it was painted in very bright shades that made it stand out quite a bit, even at night. A giant, red balloon was attached to the top.

“How have I never seen this place before?” he muttered to himself.

“Okay,” Navi said, holding out her hands and walking backwards, “he tends to work late, so I’m sure he’s up, but I’m going to have to apologize in advance again. He’s kind of a strange man, and—”

“I know how to deal with strange, Navi,” he chuckled, knocking on the door. Navi bent down and waved as a slot opened, a pair of eyes peering out. The slot was only about halfway up Link’s torso.

“Navi!” a tiny voice squeaked. “It’s been a while! Just a moment!”

“He’s a midget?” Link said, glancing over at Navi. “Why are you apologizing for that? I’m not that insensitive.”

Navi looked off to the side, absently pressing her index fingers together. “Well, it’s more than that….”

The door opened with a “Welcome!” from the small man. Link looked down at him. The man was dressed like a—well, Link wasn’t entirely sure what exactly he was dressed like. He wore green spandex, red underwear on the outside, that gradually came to a point above his head. Around his neck was a clock, and his rosy cheekbones and nose would have been notable had the rest of his face not consisted of a goatee, thin mustache, thick eyebrows and buck teeth.

Link shot a glance at Navi. She shrugged sheepishly.

“Navi! It is so good to see you again after all this time! Tingle has been working twice as hard on all his maps, now that his assistant is gone!”

“It’s good to see you again, too, Tingle,” she said, though the statement sounded a bit strained to Link. “This is Link. We need your help with something.”

Tingle looked up at Link, as if noticing him for the first time, and gasped. “Green clothes!” he squealed. “Are you, sir, by any chance, a fairy?”

Link blinked. “Pardon? Oh, you mean the magical beings, right!”

The man giggled. “The same! Now, keep this quiet, but....” He leaned forward conspiratorially. “Tingle believes he is the very reincarnation of a fairy! Isn’t that wonderful, Mr. Fairy?”

“You know,” he said, arms crossed, “somehow I’m not all that surprised.”

“Yes, it is very obvious, isn’t it? Now, Mr. Fairy, how can I help you?”

“Tingle,” Navi said, we’re looking for something called the Master Sword. I’m sure you’ve heard of it. Do you have any maps that could help us out?”

The small man nodded. “Follow me!” He led them into a very large room—obviously the tower part of the building Link had seen from outside. The entire room was round, filled floor to ceiling with old books, charts, and other random documents. In the room sat a desk, to which a large red balloon was floating, and at the desk sat a green-haired, bespectacled man.

“Dr. Left,” Tingle said, “the Master Sword, please?”

The man nodded, thought a bit, and then jotted down a few notes on a piece of paper before handing it to Tingle. Tingle took the paper, then tied the balloon around his waist, floating around the tower to the various shelves.

Link craned his neck back to watch the little man. “How exactly does he get the balloon to do that?”

“You know,” Navi responded, “I never quite figured that out.” She shrugged. “Maybe he really is the reincarnation of a fairy.”

“Oh, yeah, what’s up with that? I don’t look anything like a fairy, do I?”

“Don’t worry, you don’t. Just a little feminine. Besides,” she continued before he could protest, “I’m pretty sure fairies don’t really wear green.”

“Excuse me,” said the man behind the desk, “but as much as I’m enjoying this gossip about the strange little floating man, time is of the essence, and you won’t find the Master Sword with just that map.”

Link and Navi looked at the man, his presence registering for the first time. “My name is Dr. Left,” the green-haired man said. “I’m certainly no cartographer, but I do (naturally, as my title would suggest) hold a few doctorates. You’ll need directions, I’m sure, but I’m the man you’re really here to see.”

“Thanks, Doc,” Navi said, “But I already know all about the Master Sword.”

Dr. Left chuckled. “I find that hard to believe. Do you know where it is?”

“Yeah, some sort of Temple or something…look, Tingle’s giving us the map there, what more do we need?”

The man shook his head. “You don’t even know about the three pendants, do you?”

The girl blinked. “The what-now?”

“The pendants. Magical artifacts from the day of the Master Sword. I’m not sure the sword is sentient, exactly, but records indicate that it was at one point, and it will not lend its power to one unworthy—one without the pendants.

“And where do I find these pendants,” Link asked.

“Well, they’re not particularly hard to find or obtain, really. The goddesses have entrusted them to the Gorons, the Zoras, and the Deku Tree. Or so the histories say, at least. No problem. Of course, if the histories are correct, there’s a good chance that you’ll encounter some form of resistance. After all, they’re not going to just give artifacts from the goddesses to just anybody, are they?” He laughed. “It’ll probably be some sort of task you’ll have to do for them, to prove you’re worthy. If they still have the pendants, that is. It’s possible they’ve been lost to history.”

“And Tingle is finding us information on that, too?”

“Indeed.” He glanced up. “And it looks like he’s just about finished, too.”

“So how exactly did you start working for him?” Navi asked. “I don’t remember seeing you around when I worked here.”

Dr. Left burst into laughter. “Oh, dear child! Oh, goodness, I would never dream of working for him! No, I simply work with him, temporarily. As eccentric as he is, and as much as I absolutely cannot stand him, the man has a vast collection of information. That’s what I’m here for. I help the customers, and he lets me study. It’s just a mutually beneficial relationship.” He looked at Navi, honest sympathy on his face. “And I am terribly sorry you had to work for him, miss. You truly are a brave soul.”

The balloon floated back down to the floor. “Here you are, Mr. Fairy!” Tingle told Link, handing him the map. “Thank you for the business! But that map is very rare, you know. Tingle only has two extra copies. So, with Mr. Write’s help—” The green-haired man rolled his eyes in disgust at the mangling of his name. “—and the maps, together that comes to…398 rupees.”

“Three hu—what? That’s an insane price!”

“Don’t worry, I’ll pay it for you,” Dr. Left said. “Consider it a gift. If you’re going after the Master Sword, you’ll need all the help you can get. And besides, prestigious professor I am, I easily have enough.”

“Oh, well, um…thank you. I’ll find a way to pay you back someday.”

After the transaction was taken care of, Link and Navi headed back outside. “So,” Navi said, bounding down the steps, “back to Kokiri Park?”

Link nodded. “Back to Kokiri Park.”

***​

“Listen, Ganondorf,” came the voice through the receiver, “I don’t know what you’re up to, but I will find out. And when I do, I will use every resource available to stop you.”

The Gerudo chuckled. “Thank you for your call, Senator Zelda. I’ll keep that in mind. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have important matters to attend to.” He placed the receiver back on the telephone, leaned back in his chair, and looked at the two in his office over his folded, gloved hands.

“Senator Zelda is becoming…a nuisance,” he said. “Which is why I’ve called you two here.” The two who sat before him were the two senators most loyal to him. They were the only two he trusted with his plans. Fortunately, they were also exactly the two that he needed.

The men were polar opposites in almost every way. The one to the left, dressed in his purple senatorial robes, was tall and wore a bored, blasé expression as he stared, uninterested, at his hand. His hair was a pale gray shade, almost white, and rolled down past his shoulders. The other man, dressed in green, was short and aggressive, an eager, menacing grin on his face. Bits of red hair poked out from beneath his top hat, which looked rather small compared to his oversized head.

“Now, I don’t believe the two of your are acquainted,” he said. He turned to the short man. “Senator Vaati here is the head of a large spy network. And Senator Cole,” he said to Vaati, “has a fair number of assassins at his disposal. The two of you will be working together for me from now on. Now, while it is evident that the two of you probably will not see eye-to-eye—metaphorically speaking, of course,” he added with a glance at Cole, “—you both have one important thing in common: you got to where you are today through a combination of my influence and your
aforementioned networks.”

“And you expect me to work with this pretty boy?” Cole demanded.

“Of course he does, dunce,” Vaati answered. “He told us so himself. And trust me, thrilled as I am to be working with an imbecile like yourself, I trust Mr. Ganondorf here to make the right judgement.”

Ganondorf shook his head. “Gentlemen, please. I need you both to listen for just a moment. Senator Zelda has become nosy and inquisitive, and I can’t afford for her to find out what’s happening. She’s in the way. And what’s worse, she’s sent someone called Link to stop me. Vaati, I need you to track down this man, find out anything you can about him.”

Vaati nodded. “Understood.”

“And Cole, I need you to take care of both of them. I’m sure you have a few men up to the job.”

“Eheeheehee,” Cole cackled. “Do I ever! I’ve already got a man in mind for the senator.”

Ganondorf nodded towards the telephone on his desk. “Well, call him up.”

Cole dialed the number, looking indignant when the Gerudo plucked the receiver out of his hand. “Yes?” asked a cheerful man’s voice on the other end.

“Hello,” Ganondorf said. “You’ve been recommended to me by your employer, but I thought I’d talk to you in person. I have a job for you.”

“Anything, sir,” the man said. “Sakon the Assassin at your service, as long as you have enough rupees.”

Ganondorf glanced over at Cole, who flashed him a smug grin. “Tell me, Sakon,” he said, “have you ever killed a senator?”
 

Octo Rocked

Dr. Octorokapus BLAAAAAH!
Joined
Dec 8, 2009
Location
The American Midwest
Well, I think that this came relatively quickly, considering that it's quite a bit longer than my other updates. Four updates left until the end of Act 1, but this chapter packs a bit of a punch itself. But anyway, after Act 1, I'm going to be doing a bit of a Q&A/Behind the scenes, so if you've got questions about why I've done what I've done with the series, feel free to ask them now.

Chapter 6: The Pendant of Courage

Zant sat in his hotel, staring straight ahead, lost in thought. He was so filled with awe, with hope, with inspiration after meeting with Ganondorf. Just one meeting with the man! That’s all it had been! But still, so impactful!


It was during his reverie that a woman entered the room, dressed in a black nightgown, bright red hair hanging unadorned behind her. “Zant?” she said softly. He didn’t respond. “Zant, honey, are you okay?”


When he looked up at her, she noticed that there was a strange glint in his eyes. “Oh, Midna, I’m feeling wonderful,” he told her. “When I met with Ganondorf today, I met with a god! The power this man has…it’s incredible! And he wants to help us! Help the Twilit! Can you believe it, Midna?”


She shook her head as she sat on the bed beside him. “No, Zant, I can’t. It just doesn’t sound right. It’s all too easy, too good to be true. I’m not sure you should trust this man. If he can sway your opinions this easily, there’s no end to what he might be able to do.” She closed her eyes, laying her head on his shoulder with a smile. “Besides,” she added as he started absently running his fingers through her hair, “I know you have a weakness for redheads. Just make sure you don’t do anything stupid or reckless.”


“Midna,” he said, “If you met him, you’d understand. I’d do anything to help that man.”


She sat upright, looking at him seriously. “You haven’t done anything yet, have you Zant?”


He remained silent.


“Zant, honey, what did you do?”


“I did what I had to, Midna. The Twilit have been oppressed by the people of Hyrule for too long. Ganondorf can change that. We’re not starting a war, but he has our help if we need it.”


“You pledged our armies to him?” she asked, dumbfounded. “Zant, what the hell possessed you to do such an idiotic move without consulting anyone else?”


He stared at her, the conviction in his eyes cutting into her. “Come with me, Midna. Meet with him. I made the right choice. Trust me, you’ll understand.”

* * *​

The Children of Kokiri looked up as Link’s engine cut the silence of the park, most of them with clear distaste. Saria—Link could tell it was her, even at a distance, by her green hair—stood, quickly making her way over to him.


“I’m glad to see you’re well, Link,” she said, Makar rattling with glee by her bare feet. She glanced at Navi. “And I see that the Guide has found you.”


“I have a name, you know,” Navi muttered under her breath.”


“Good to see you again, Saria,” he said, welcoming the green-haired girl with an embrace.


She stepped back once he released her. “We know why you’re here,” she said, suddenly serious. “You need the Pendant of Courage.”


He chuckled. “You guys are good. The Deku Tree tell you that, too?”


“No, Link. Ganondorf knows. He’s determined to stop you. And he got here first.”


Link froze. “Ganondorf is here?”


“Not quite. But one of his minions arrived just before you.” She pointed to the giant tree’s foliage. “It’s already up there, searching for the pendant in the highest branches.”


Link looked up and swore. “How the hell do I get all the way up there?”


“Yeah, there’s no way he’ll be able to carry me up,” Navi added.


“The Deku Tree will provide,” Saria answered with no hesitation.


“No, Saria, honestly, there’s not even any branches until about halfway up the trunk. There’s no possible way I’ll be able to climb that. Also, no,” he added, glaring at Navi.


Saria gestured back at the giant tree. A thick vine had started unfurling, dropping almost to the ground. “As I said, the Deku Tree will provide.”


Link sighed and sprinted over to the vine, Navi on his heels. “Navi, what part of ‘no’ didn’t you understand?” he asked as she jumped onto his back.


“You’ll need me,” she said, clinging tightly as he started climbing the vine. “I know all about this sort of stuff, and I can help with the fighting.”


“But you’re too heavy—” he started, a moment before the vine retracted, yanking them both upwards. Navi’s arms tightened around his neck as they shot up, cutting off his air supply.


The vine came to a stop right above a thick upper branch. “Dammit, Navi,” he groaned as she dropped onto the limb. “You don’t have to cling so tightly, you know.”


“I didn’t want to fall off,” she said, as if that excused everything. “Come on, let’s start climbing!”


He grabbed the back of her dress, halting her, and cocked an ear into the air.


“What are you—”


“Shut up for just a second, would you?” Off to the left, there was a faint scratching sound. “This way,” he said, motioning her to follow.


The branches weaved around, making a bit of a maze out of the foliage, but they were also large enough to walk on easily. Link had no problem keeping his balance. Navi didn’t either, actually doing some skipping along the branch. The scratching noise was coming from up above, but it would pause, and when it started again, it was louder. It was obviously searching for something, and they were getting closer to it.


Whatever they were following was directly overhead now. Link slowly drew his sword from its sheath, looking up as the skittering stopped.


There was nothing there.


“Watch out!” he heard Navi scream, half a second before something slammed into his side. He fell, just barely managing to wrap his arms around the branch, sword clenched tightly in his fist, dangling hundreds of feet above the ground.


“Link!”


“I’m okay!” he yelled, swinging his body forward and wrapping his legs around the branch. “I’m fine, just grab my sword so I can get back up!”


“Uh, yeah, about that! It’s sort of right above you.”


Link looked up, a giant, crablike creature staring down at him with its single eye. He swore, pulling his sword arm off the branch. “Navi, what the hell is this thing?”


“It’s a Ghoma,” she yelled to him. “Nasty things. You’ll probably want to go for the eye.”


“You think? It does sort of only have one.”


“No, I mean it’s armored pretty well. There’s still a strong glassy film over the eye, but that’s where the armor is weakest.”


It snapped a claw at his arm, and he let go to dodge, now dangling only by his legs. “Well, I’d do that, but I can’t really get a good swing like this. Could you at least distract it or something?


“Hey, Ghoma!” Navi yelled in response. “Over here!” The giant eye turned from Link to the small girl in annoyed surprise. A second later, a few shots rang out, driving the giant crab back. It really must be armored well, Link thought, if even bullets can’t get through.


He swung his body upwards again, catching hold of the branch with his right hand and driving his sword into the bark with his left. Grabbing the blade, he hoisted himself back up onto the branch. He quickly yanked the blade back out, watching as the Ghoma staggered back under the gunfire. Then it blinked, shook its head quickly, and reopened the eye once more. The protective lens didn’t even look scratched.


“No!” Navi wailed behind him. “I could have sworn I was doing some damage. It looked like it was cracking and everything!”


Holding his sword defensively in his left hand, he motioned Navi forward with his right. “Navi, try that again. At the very least, we can distract it for a bit.”


“Okay,” she muttered, “But if it didn’t work last time, it probably won’t now, either.” She stepped forward, unleashing a round on the eye as the Ghoma approached. It paused, held up by the bullets, and Link was certain that he did, in fact, see something starting to give. But when it closed its eye, reopening it just a few seconds later, it was as if they had never attacked it in the first place.


“It’s regenerating,” Link muttered to himself. “Navi! Get down on one knee. Don’t let up with the bullets!”


“But I’m wasting them,” she moaned before throwing a quick glance back at him. He had already started sprinting away. “Hey! Hey, Link, I can’t do this myself!”


He stopped, turning around. “Trust me,” he said.


She turned back to the monster, gun wavering unsteadily as her hands trembled. The Ghoma charged, determined not to let the girl’s bullets slow it again. “Link?” she screamed as she fired. “Link! It’s gonna kill me!”


Link sprinted as quickly as he could towards the girl as she fired. It was working. The protective lens was weakening. Just a few feet behind her, he jumped, vaulting over her, and jamming his sword into the Ghoma’s eye with all his strength. The lens cracked as the tip pierced it, plunging deeper inside its body. It tried blinking to heal the wound, but the blade kept the eyelid from closing. “Take that, you bastard,” Link muttered to it, shoving the blade in further as blood and goo started seeping from the wound. Then, the eye went dim, and the body went limp, slumping to the limb before toppling out of the tree, sword still lodged in its eye.


“You, uh, sorta dropped your sword there,” Navi told him.


“It’ll still be there when we head down. The pendant should be there too; it had it in its claw.”


“Right, and what do we do, just jump?”


Link nodded at a vine that had started unfurling behind the girl. “The Deku Tree will provide.”

* * *​

Pendant safely in a pocket, sword cleaned and back in its sheath, Link headed back to his motorcycle. “Thanks, Saria. For all your help.”


“Come back anytime,” she said. “I’ll be right here.”


He waved as Navi hopped onto the back of the bike. “I’ll see you later, then.” He started to climb onto the bike, but a ringing stopped him. He pulled out his phone, frowning as he saw that it was an unknown number. “Hello?” he said as he answered the call.


“Hello, hero,” a man’s voice replied. “I see you’ve killed my Ghoma. And I can see that I’ve underestimated you.”


“How the hell did you get this number?” Link demanded.


“I have my ways,” Ganondorf said. “Now, listen carefully, I have a question for you. Whould you happen to know who is staying in house 139 on Kasuto Street?”


Link’s heartbeat doubled in speed. That was the address Senator Zelda had given him. “Sorry,” he said, his voice the only calm “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”


“Interesting. Very interesting. Because you see, I have some very good sources that indicate that there are currently two people residing there who happen to be very close to you.”


“Listen, you bastard, I don’t know what—”


“Boy, you’ve made the mistake of standing against me. I would have been more than willing to just let you live your life like a normal person. Hell, I would have even stood for you killing my Moblins. But when you decided to actively fight against me, just because that ***** of a senator asked you to, you crossed a line. When you started off that stupid quest of yours, you crossed another one. Killing my Ghoma and retrieving the Pendant of Courage? That was the third strike against you. You need to learn what happens to those who stand in my way.”


There was a silence. “I’d hurry, boy,” Ganondorf told him. “You just might get there in time.”

* * *​
Aryll sat at the kitchen table, chin rested on her hand, staring off into space.


“You’re really worried about him, aren’t you?” Ilia said, glancing back at her as she washed the dishes.


Aryll shook her head. “I just can’t stop thinking about him. Wondering if he’s all right. Hoping he’s safe. Worrying that he’s not.”


Ilia chuckled. “You really are in love with him, aren’t you?”


She moaned. “Ilia, we’ve had this conversation already.”


“I know, I know. I just think you need to face the truth.”


“Ilia!”


“Oh, calm down, Aryll, I’m just teasing. Mostly.”


Aryll sighed. “I just feel so useless here. Like there’s something I could be doing to help him. I mean, I grew up on the streets. I know how to fight when needed. I just don’t see why this is something he has to do on his own.”


Colin emerged from his room, wearily rubbing an eye. “Hey, Colin,” Aryll said as he approached. “What’s the matter, buddy? Couldn’t sleep?”


Colin nodded. “I’m scared,” he mumbled. “What if Link doesn’t come back?”


“Aw, come here,” she said, sitting him on her knees and pulling him into a hug. “It’s all right,” she said. “He’s fine. You just have to have a bit of courage, Colin. You can’t go through life scared all the time. Hey, remember that time you almost drowned? You finally got bold enough to take baths again, didn’t you? And now water barely scares you at all. It’s kind of like that with this.”


Colin nodded. “Okay,” he said quietly. “I’ll try.”


There was a knock on the door. “Excuse me,” Ilia said, slipping out of the room to answer it.


“Maybe that’s him now,” Aryll said to Colin, bouncing him on her knee. He nodded eagerly, jumping off her lap to follow Ilia. Aryll sighed and hurried after him.


“Hello?” Ilia said, as she started to open the door. A powerful blast forced the door open, and a large, monstrous man—not really even a man at all, stepped into the house, pulling out a sword, thrusting it into Ilia’s chest. The woman staggered, clutching at the sword, and collapsed to the ground as he removed it.


Aryll looked down at Colin, who was trembling with fear. “Colin!” she hissed. “Run! Don’t worry about me.”


Colin ran, but only to the fireplace. He grabbed a metal poker, holding it out defensively like a sword.


“Colin, just go! I’ll hold him off!” She turned back to the beast of a man. Now that he was fully in the light, she could see that he had a greenish skin tone, bull-like appearance, and stubs where horns had been filed off. This man was definitely not Hylian. And he would definitely not be easy to fight.


She spat on the floor, mentally slipping back into her street habits. She was fighting for her life now, but she was fighting for Colin’s life too. This wasn’t a fight she could afford to lose. If that meant falling back into her old street self, so be it. With a yell, she threw a punch into his large belly. She probably hurt her own hand more than she had hurt the man, as he simply shrugged the blow off without even flinching, headed for Colin.


“I’m not going to let you get away with what you did to Miss Ilia,” he said, trying to sound tough and failing. The man looked at him, puzzled, before grabbing the poker, plucking the boy out of the air and effortlessly tossing him aside, sending him sliding across the floor in a crumpled heap.


Aryll jumped on his back, fingers desperately searching for his eyes. “Don’t you dare touch him, you son of a *****!” she screamed as he tried to toss her off his back. “You understand, you mindless brute?”


The man stopped struggling, as if she had hit a nerve. He reached up, grabbed her wrist, and yanked her over his back. The air rushed out of her as her back landed hard on the floor. With almost no effort, he grabbed her by the neck, gave her an angry glare, and slammed her against the wall. Her head collided with the wood, and she gasped as darkness invaded the edges of her vision. She fell to the floor as he let her drop. She attempted to stand, but couldn’t even pull herself onto her hands and knees. Her awareness came and went, and she had no idea how long she lay there or what was going on.


Heat, she thought once, in her more aware states. She tried lifting her head, and could just barely see the flickering light. Fire. The house was on fire. She was going to burn alive. She had to get out. She had to save Colin.


She struggled to her feet with a yell, managing to go a whole two steps before collapsing back to the floor, slipping into unconsciousness for good this time.

* * *​
By the time Link arrived, the house was already in flames. He stood at the end of the block, dropping to his knees as his legs gave out under him.


“Link, what’s going on?” Navi asked, legitimate concern in her voice.


“Just stay on the bike, Navi!” he snapped at her. “Stay on the damn bike and leave me alone!”


Pulling himself to his feet, his legs feeling like rubber, he started into a stumbling run towards the house. A gloved hand grabbed his shoulder as he approached, yanking him back into the deserted street.


“I warned you, Link,” Ganondorf said solemnly, no hint of victory or joy in his voice. “I’m truly sorry it had to be this way. But since you insisted on continuing with this, I did what I had to.”


“What the hell did you do to them?” he demanded, voice wavering. “Tell me what the hell you did!”


“A mercenary by the name of Bulblin. He’s the best at this sort of thing. Keeps his silence. No one will find out he works for me.


“Look,” he continued as Link glared at him. “I’m sorry. I didn’t want to bring them into it. But to stop you, I have to crush your spirits. The kids are gone, Link. You have nothing worth fighting for anymore.”


Link, enraged, rushed Ganondorf, tackling him to the ground, throwing punch after punch into the man’s face. “You think this will stop me? Do you, you bastard?”


Ganondorf laughed as Link continued his savage beating, merely shoving the youth away. He stood, spitting up blood. “You’re not ready yet, child. Give up now, before I get serious about this. This is your last chance to walk away from this foolishness. Cross me again, and you will die.”


“You think I’m afraid?” Link spat. “You thought that a senator was sending me on a fool’s errand, so killed the two people I love most in the world. That’s not what you wanted to do. I was never really fighting against you. It was for them. But now that you’ve killed them, that sure as hell isn’t the case anymore.” He stared at the senator. “I’ll take this chance to walk away, but only because I know I can’t beat you yet. But you’d better be careful, Ganondorf. Because now, this is personal.”


He turned and headed back to the bike, where the barefoot, blue-dressed girl sat gaping. “Come on, Navi,” he said. “We’ve got a long trip to Death Mountain.”
 

February Eve

ZD District Attorney
Joined
Mar 21, 2010
Location
USA
I don't know if this will make any sense, but I like the Deku Tree's characterization. It's still alive in the sense that it seems conscious of what's going on around it, even if it doesn't speak like in WW or OoT.

Also, yes, King Bulbin did have a penchant for fire. -_-'

You don't have to answer this - this is just thinking aloud - but I'm wondering if Aryll and Colin are truly gone. I'm not sure how they would be saved, but if they blacked out, they may not have seen their rescuer. Or it may have just been a merciful way for them to not feel the pain of being burned alive. I will obviously figure it out by the end, depending on whether they show up again or not.
 

Octo Rocked

Dr. Octorokapus BLAAAAAH!
Joined
Dec 8, 2009
Location
The American Midwest
Well, it's been a while, and the thread has slipped to the second page. But it's not dead! No, really, it's not. It's just that I have about five projects (more, actually, I think) that I'm working on, and I don't have time for anything. Plus, college and cross country are getting in the way. Either way, I think you'll like Chapter 7: Bombing some Dodongos


Link glared at his opponent, a huge mass of rippling muscles. The creature he faced glared right back. Slowly, Link nodded his head, and the two charged.


He met the creature in a grapple, and immediately realized how difficult this would be. His opponent had incredible power, strength, and grip—not to mention a major weight advantage. Link was struggling just to remain upright.


His hands squeezed tighter around his opponent’s biceps, digging deeper for hidden reserves of strength. How fitting, he thought, that this was his test for the Pendant of Power. It seemed helpless, but he held on, refusing to give up.


That’s when the Pendent of Courage, hanging from around his neck, reacted. It suddenly felt very hot—not a burning or searing heat, but a passionate one. A sort of glow of energy. It filled him with strength, the power expanding proportionate to his courage, and with a cry, he thrust his opponent back.


The Goron tumbled to the ground, falling out of the fighting ring that had been constructed. Above the pleasantly surprised and almost grudging cheers of the other Gorons rose Navi’s enthusiastic yelling.


He shook hands with Dangoro, the Goron he had been his opponent. “You truly are an impressive Hylian,” he said. “If anyone is deserving of the Pendant of Power, it is you.”


Without the heat of battle to distract him, Link could more clearly see why they were often referred to as “rock men.” The Gorons, while relatively similar in appearance to Hylians, had some distinct differences. Apart from the huge muscles that even the young Gorons had, which were strong and solid enough to quite possible be made of actual rock, they all had onion-like heads. In order to display their tribal markings, Gorons wore a minimum of clothing, something Hylians found culturally shocking and more than a little awkward. Even the Goron senators remained shirtless, opting instead for something similar to a kilt. No one but the Gorons knew if Gorons had the markings from conception, or if they were tattooed on, which was in part because no one knew exactly how the all-male Gorons were conceived. The other races were too polite to ask, and the stoic Gorons never offered an explanation. Goron reproduction was one of Hyrule’s greatest secrets.


The trip to Death Mountain (or, as the Gorons called it, the less ominous-sounding “Mount Kakariko”) had taken the better part of a week. Traveling always took longer in the mountains, and near the end, the terrain had become too unstable for Link’s bike, and they had to continue on foot. At first, Navi had asked a lot of “seriously, what the hell was that about” and “did you just punch out Ganondorf” and “why were you at that burning house” sort of questions, but after his repeated insistence that he didn’t want to talk about it at the moment, she fell mostly silent. Mostly.


The Kakariko Gorons were extremely hesitant to allow him into their village, however. Gorons were, by nature, extremely tribal but otherwise solitary. After briefly explaining his purpose, they decided that they would, at very least, give him the test for the Pendant of Power. They had never expected him to win.


And now he had.


After the initial shock wore off, the Kakariko Tribe’s chief and acting Senator, Darunia, shook his hand. “Now, Link,” he said, “you are our brother.”


“Uh…thanks…” Link managed before the chief lifted him from his feet and squeezed the air out of him in a huge hug. “You are now part of our tribe. Naturally, we don’t expect you to embrace our culture, but we’d like you to think of us as your brothers.”


Link smiled. “I’ll certainly do that. And I’m sorry, while I’d love to stay and celebrate, time is of the essence. Would you mind if I just took the Pendant of Power and ran?”


The murmuring and applause in the room died completely, replaced with an air of awkwardness. “Erm…yes…about that….”


“Darunia,” he asked hesitantly, “where is it?”


“Well,” the chief replied, “it’s not that we’re not agreeing to what you say. It’s that Ganondorf sort of has us all under his thumb right now. He is a master of mixing threats and promises. King Dodongo, for example. He promised that, since we had shown support to him in the past, he would send Dodongo, a horribly strong lizard creature, to protect the Pendant of Power. Unfortunately, it was only later that we realized that he was defending the pendant from us as well as everyone else. Dodongo seems almost specifically designed to keep us away. His breath is just hot enough to scorch us, his teeth just strong enough to pierce our skins, and his armor just strong enough that our punches have no effect. I’m sorry, Link. I truly am. But we can’t give the pendant to you, simply because, well…we can’t.


“I see,” Link said, unfazed. Of course there was a guard. Ganondorf was always one step ahead of him in one way or another. Why wouldn’t he have a guard for the pendant? “I guess it’s up to me to go get it, then.”


“What you’re suggesting is suicide,” Darunia said. “Going and facing Dodongo alone would be about as effective as running yourself through with your own sword, and would probably achieve the same result.”


“He’s not alone,” Navi piped up. “I’m going with him.”


Darunia glanced at Navi and sighed, shaking his head sadly. “Link, please, rethink this.”


“I’m sorry, brother. I can’t.”


He nodded. “I didn’t suppose you would. I’ll take you to the mouth of the cavern Dodongo resides in, but that is as far as I will go.” The other Gorons watched in solemn silence as the young man and the tiny girl followed their chieftain away.


“Goodbye, then, Link,” Darunia said as they reached a cavern. “I don’t expect to see you again, but certainly hope that I will.” He gestured into the darkness, lit only by a dull, green glow. “Dodongo’s Cavern lies down this way. It’s dark now, but there are quite a few bright gems that light the cavern itself. It’s also something of a maze. Don’t get lost in the twisting passages, and be careful for traps.


“Oh, and one more thing.” He produced a small pouch from within his robe. “This is a bomb bag. There’s probably quite a bit of rubble in there that you’ll need to clear. Since you’re not a Goron, you won’t have the strength to just dig through it. There are only ten bombs in here, so be resourceful. Good luck, brother.”


Link nodded. “I’ll be back. Come on, Navi.”


Navi grinned and saluted. “You got it, Link! Let’s go!”


* * *

“I still don’t see why Ganondorf has us running around looking for some kid,” Cole grumbled as he stepped out of the car.


“I didn’t suppose you would understand,” Vaati responded.


“Oh, like you understand this any better than I do!”


“Irrelevant,” Vaati snapped. “Orders are orders, and not to be questioned.”


“You only say that because you’re too damn proud to admit you’re just as in the dark as I am!”


The two were on their way to an orphanage to look for a specific child at Ganondorf’s request. The orphanages had been filling steadily over the years, and most of the buildings were overfilled and dilapidated. Ganondorf had been one of the most vocal senators when it came to improving the situation. Thanks to his charisma, people had listened. The orphanages went from being merely homeless shelters for the numerous, nameless, street-dwelling children in Hyrule to actual homes. Children no longer just came and went, briefly providing one more face and mouth to feed. They were accounted for, and they stayed, because the orphanages gave them a chance to take some control of their lives. Sure, they were still scared, but at least they had hope.


All of that because Ganondorf was trying to find some kid Ganondorf had once run into.


“Really, though,” Cole grumbled, “I don’t get what the boss is trying to pull here. It’s a kid. How exactly could he be so important that we’ve got to come down to the slums and grab him?” He shot Vaati a dirty look. “Isn’t finding that ‘Link’ guy more important?”


“Gathering intelligence takes time,” he responded coolly. “Besides, what about your assassins? They haven’t done much this past week.”


“Nnng!” Cole squealed, his fists clenching and his eyes narrowing. “I’m relying on you for that information, you stupid useless pretty boy! I can’t exactly take care of him if I don’t know where he is!”


“What about the Senator? If this Sakon guy is the best, why is she still around?”


Cole crossed his arms his face becoming instantly sour. “You obviously have no clue how assassinations like this work. He can’t just waltz into the Senators office and kill her, can he? He has to make sure it’s the perfect crime. He’s an assassin, not a thug. It’s a delicate process, a skillful thing…I’d even say it’s an art. It’s beautiful, a masterful assassination.”


Vaati tossed his hair. “Mm hmm. Whatever. We’re here, so let’s just get this over with. And please, let me do the talking.”


“And why should I leave this to you?”


“Because you’re a stupid little man.”


Cole glowered, but said nothing.


They pushed through the doors, and the woman behind the counter glanced up. She was a busty redheaded woman, slightly overweight, with a curious three-dotted tattoo beneath each of her eyes.


“Hey, there,” she said as the two approached. “What can I help you with, honeys?”


“We’re looking for a child who looks like this,” Vaati said, producing the sketch Ganondorf had given him.


The woman glanced down. “Sorry, hon, never seen him before.”


“That’s impossible,” Cole snapped. “He has to be here.”


The woman gave him a pointed look. “Sorry, sugar, but I can’t tell you he’s here if he’s not.”


“Wait,” Vaati said. “He…he may not show his face. The man who’s looking for him…he mentioned a gift he left him. A mask. The man said that he really loved the gift. If he’s never taken it off….”


The woman looked up and bit her lip, racking her memory. “Oh, him,” she said finally. Yeah, I know who you’re talking about. Here, let me take you to him.


She led them through a set of doors to where a bunch of young children were playing with various toys. “That’s him, off in the corner,” she said. “Come get me when you’re done.”


The boy sat on the ground, his face buried behind his knees, which he was hugging to his chest. “Come on,” a young girl in a baggy yellow t-shirt told the kid, hands on hips as she looked at him. “You have to play with more than just the two of us.”


“She’s right,” said a boy, about the same height, dressed in a similar purple shirt. The two had a strong resemblance, and judging from their ages, were probably twins. “We can’t be your only friends.”


“Let me handle this again,” Vaati said. “No offense, it’s just that…well, you’re so much more frightening to look at.” Cole grumbled as the taller man stepped forward.


“Excuse me, children,” he told the twins. “Can I talk to him for a moment?”


The girl appraised him critically before giving her analysis. “You’re creepy, mister,” she said, before she and her brother headed off to play with other kids, Cole snickering at him.


“Hey, there, kiddo,” Vaati said in what he thought was a gentle voice. The boy shuddered. “It’s okay, I’m not gonna hurt you.”


The boy looked up, revealing his masked face. The mask was a durable plaster one, shaped like a skull. It was no wonder the other kids avoided him.


“That’s a pretty neat mask. You remember who gave you that mask? Well, we’re friends of his.” The boy remained silent. This was turning out to be more difficult than Vaati thought. “He’s got a really nice place, with lots of neat little toys. And he wants you to come stay with him. He’s a really nice guy, and he can get you anything you want! How’s that sound?” The boy looked at the senator, his eyes peeking out of the mask in fear. “You want to come with us?”


Slowly, hesitantly, the boy nodded. Vaati sighed in relief. “All right, you have anything here? No? Okay, you want to go right now? Let’s go.”


The boy stood, nervously grabbing the man’s hand, allowing himself to be let out of the room.


“Aw, you’re going?” the boy in purple called as he and his sister watched. “Bye, Skull Kid!”


Vaati looked at Cole. “Does anyone even know his name?” The short man shrugged.


The woman behind the counter looked up as they came through the door. “Wait, is he coming with you?”


Cole nodded, peering over the counter. He slapped down a form. “We’re picking up for a man. He’s adopting.”


The woman looked down at the form, looking it over. “Okay, everything seems to be in order…wait, is this signature…?” She looked up at a pictograph on the wall, dumfounded, gesturing at it. The man in the pictograph smiled amiably down, hiding his true intentions.


“It sure is,” Vaati answered.


“Wow, the senator himself,” she murmured. “That’s…wow, after all the work he’s done improving these places, he still…wow. He sure does have a heart.”


“He sure does,” Cole said, trying not to snicker. “Thank you, and goodbye!”


Unnoticed, Senator Zelda Hyrule watched from her car as the three drove off, waiting for them to disappear before driving off.


* * *

“So, Navi,” Link said, climbing over a pile of rubble, “what can you tell me about this Dodongo guy?”


“Well, actually, it’s King Dodongo. He’ll be bigger than most other Dodongos. Darunia described him pretty well—big lizard, really scaly and tough. Breathe fire. I really don’t know how you’ll beat him.”


A cave-in had created another dead end. “Thanks for the vote of confidence,” he said, taking out a bomb. “Stand back.” The crumbling wall collapsed, creating a hole for them to climb through. He only had half his bombs left now, but he was almost there.


As he stepped through the hole, a laser fired at the ground near him. He leapt back, gasping at the near-miss. “Okay, Navi, what was that?”


“Um…oh! Well, that’s probably a Beamos. They’re sort of pillars or statues of some kind the Gorons built to fend off intruders. I don’t think you’ll be able to get close enough, but one of those bombs should do the trick.”


“And how do I hit it if I can’t see it without it shooting beams of death at me?”


“You could try rolling the bomb.”


“Rolling it. Really. That’s the dumbest thing I’ve ever….” He shook his head, then pulled out a bomb, lit it, and rolled it around the corner. After the explosion, he peered around the corner warily. A small pillar was in ruins.


“What did I tell you?” Navi beamed.


“Okay, so it works. It just feels…I don’t know, sort of undignified rolling it along the ground.”


“You complain too much,” Navi said. “Let’s go.”


They trudged through the cavern, pausing at a statue. “I’m hearing some pretty heavy breathing coming from behind here,” Link said, reaching out towards it. “Dodongo must be behind here….”


“Link, don’t!” Navi yelled. “That’s—” the stone statue creaked beneath his hand, standing up so that it was a full head taller than Link. Behind it was an open door. It was dressed in stone armor, carrying a stone shield and sword. “That’s an Armos Knight. A living statue.”


Link pulled his sword out in time to barely deflect a blow. The strength the Armos had still sent him flying backwards, slamming against a wall. He rolled to the side as the sword came smashing at him again. Evidently, the stone it was made of was fairly solid, as the sword didn’t even chip when it hit the wall.


“Navi, a little help here?” he yelled.


“Bombs! There’s no way your sword’s gonna do anything!”


“Yeah, okay, distract it or something!”


Navi fumbled with her gun, hastily firing a shot, which bounced harmlessly off of the Armos Knight’s helmet. The statue paused a moment in confusion, looking at the little girl who had fired the shot. “Link, don’t do this to me again,” she said, trembling.


“Hey, big guy!” Link called, bringing the knight’s attention back to him. He flicked a tendril of magical flame from his finger, lighting the bomb’s fuse. “Don’t pick on my guide.” He hurled the bomb into its helmeted face, obliterating it entirely. The headless Armos tumbled to the ground, sending a vibration through the cavern floor.


Navi laughed. “All right!” she yelled, giving him a high five. It was the least he could do to accept. He slumped down against the wall and reached into his trench coat pocket, pulling out a cigarette and quickly lighting it.

Link, you really shouldn’t smoke, came Aryll’s echoed voice in his mind. He had promised to quit for her and Colin, hadn’t he? But what was the point? They were gone now. He stood, heading into the room the Armos had been guarding.


“Link? Link!”


“What?” he snapped at the girl.


“Didn’t you hear me? You really shouldn’t be smoking.”


He forced a chuckle. “Why the hell not, Navi? If you hadn’t noticed, I’ve been a bit stressed lately. I really, really need this right now. You worry about living your life, I’ll worry about living mine.”


“Well, yeah, but…Dodongo dislikes smoke.” Link froze, the cigarette falling from his mouth as he saw the giant sleeping lizard-beast. Its eyes opened as he entered, glaring at him angrily. “Dodongo really dislikes smoke.”


“Any advice?” Link asked, eyes fixed on Dodongo.


“Run,” Navi answered.


Link ran as the beast charged, looking back to make sure Navi was following him. “How do I kill this thing?” he demanded.


“I don’t know! You expect me to know everything? If a tribe of Gorons couldn’t kill it, what makes you think you can?”


He heard a deep, growling noise behind him, and looked back to see that King Dodongo was inhaling deeply. “Navi, didn’t you say something about him breathing fire?”


The girl swore. We’re too close! He’ll kill us!”


At that moment, a shape flew overhead, landing behind the two of them. They couldn’t help but instinctively turn, watching as a small, muscular figure clad in a tight blue outfit held up a hand, creating a magical barrier that deflected the flames. The figure turned, revealing unkempt blonde hair and red eyes looking back at him from behind a masked face. The figure gave a quick nod, and then tilted its head at his bomb bag. As the flames died, the mysterious ninja shot forward, leaping into a somersaulting flip onto the creature’s back.


“I think I get it,” Navi murmured as the ninja distracted the lizard. “Your sword and my gun aren’t going to do anything, so he wants us to use the bombs.”


“Well, I’ve only got three left,” Link said. “Better make them count.” He charged forward, lighting one of the bombs and tossing it at the creature’s underbelly. Dodongo staggered as it went off, throwing the figure on his back off-balance. The ninja shot an angry glare at Link.


“Okay, that didn’t work,” he muttered.


The masked figure pulled out a flechette, driving it into the creature’s snout. As it yowled and thrashed in pain, the ninja threw a hand into Dodongo’s open mouth, unleashing a blast of fire into it. The creature roared in pain, tossing the ninja to the ground. Link, understanding what his ally was trying to do, ran forward and lobbed a bomb into the creature’s open mouth. The giant lizard unthinkingly swallowed it. A moment later, a muffled explosion was heard, and the Dodongo simply fell over and lay still.


“Is…is it dead?” Navi asked.


Link cautiously examined it. “I think so. And we’ve got one bomb to spare, too.” He pried the fallen creature’s mouth open, stuffing the bomb inside. “If he wakes up and tries breathing fire, that one should take care of him.”


The ninja stood off to the distance, clenching a small orb on a string in his hand. As Link looked over, he tossed it to him.


“The Pendant of Power,” Link murmured, gazing down at it. He looked back up to the masked figure. “Hey, thanks for your help,” he said. “Who are you, exactly?”


The ninja reached to his belt, grabbing something and quickly throwing it at Link and Navi’s feet. A deku nut. It let off a small flash that would blinded and paralyzed the target for just a few seconds. When the light cleared, the figure was gone.


“Huh,” Link muttered. “Navi, who the hell was that guy?”


She shrugged. “You know, I really have no idea.”


Link nodded. “Well, let’s just hope he’s on our side.”








So, what'd you think? It's (hopefully) obvious who the ninja is, but what about all the other unnamed characters (i.e., the three at the orphanage)? What are Ganondorf's plans for the Skull Kid? And who exactly is Sheik (as if you didn't already know)? I love to hear your ideas!
 

February Eve

ZD District Attorney
Joined
Mar 21, 2010
Location
USA
Heh, are you not looking forward to bowling with bombs in Skyward Sword? That made me laugh. I also liked the way you threw in the "Dodongo Dislikes Smoke" catchphrase. So now he has to get the Pendant of Wisdom, huh? I wonder if there will be a traditional twist to the story after that... (You don't have to answer, just thinking aloud. :))
 

Octo Rocked

Dr. Octorokapus BLAAAAAH!
Joined
Dec 8, 2009
Location
The American Midwest
Yeah, I really do love working in as many references as possible. I really wanted to have Link say that he "can't wait to bomb some dodongos," but couldn't use it without shoehorning it in. Which is why I made that, and not "The Pendant of Power" the chapter title. On a related note, I actually like the idea of bomb bowling in Skyward Sword...I'm just making a jab at the unpleasable fanbase.

Update on the next chapter: I'm still sort of thinking things through. I feel like I got the Gorons down pretty well, but I'm not sure I know what I want to do with the Zoras, or even if I want to include them at all. Of course, since I'm thinking of trying to at least briefly include all the OoT sages (I've got four in the story already, with just three more to go!), I'd like to have Ruto in there, but...I dunno. Anyway, apart from this little snag, I've got a good idea of what I'm going to be doing for the next three chapters (after which, act 1 will end), and I've got a rough idea of what I want to do throughout act 2. For the record, the next three chapters are also probably going to be, on average, a bit shorter than the last two.

As for a twist...well, I'm not going to give too much away, but let's just say that some things at the end of act 1 might be...unexpected.
 

Octo Rocked

Dr. Octorokapus BLAAAAAH!
Joined
Dec 8, 2009
Location
The American Midwest
Okay, here's Chapter 8. It definitely needs some work, but that's because it was rushed, but that's because there are only 3 weeks until National Novel Writing Month, and I want to be done with act 1 by then. Hopefully, the next 2 updates will come pretty quick because of that.


Chapter 8: Ballad of the Windfish

The boy in the skull mask shook continuously with fear as he sat in the seat. Ganondorf didn’t blame him. He was, after all, in unfamiliar surroundings. He was used to a simple life, and now, surrounding him on every side, was grandeur. It was, understandably, a bit much to take in at once.


“Hey there, Skull Kid,” he said with a smile, addressing him by the only name anyone knew. “How are you? You remember me? I’m the one who gave you that mask.”


The masked face bobbed up and down.


“You’ve had it hard, haven’t you? Well, how about this? Would you like to live with me?”


Again, the mask nodded.


“Well,” Ganondorf said, “I’d love to. On one condition. You have to do a few things for me first. You think you can do that?”


The Skull Kid hesitated a moment, before finally nodding once more.


Ganondorf gave the kid his most disarming smile. “I thought you might. Now, here’s what I need you to do….”


***


“Do we really need to be here?” Navi whined.


“Of course we do,” Link told her. “Senator Zelda told me that we’re meeting our contact backstage.”


“But do we really need to sit through the whole concert?”


“Don’t you like the Indigo-go’s?”


“Not really, no.”


He looked at her. “Tough. We got in free, so we’re watching the show.”


It was the first time he had ever seen the band live. Evan, Tijo, Japas, Lulu, and Mikau…they were all up on the stage. They didn’t have very good seats, but he would actually be meeting the band backstage later. He was actually going to meet the Indigo-go’s. He couldn’t believe it.


He closed his eyes, listening closely to Lulu’s voice. When he heard the Zora sing, he could remember her more clearly. More importantly, it wasn’t painful when Lulu sang. It somehow managed to bring him peace.


They finished with “New Wave Bossa Nova,” quite possibly their most famous song. Navi squinted at him after it ended. “Are you crying?” she demanded.


Link shook his head, wiping his eyes on his coat sleeve. “Nah,” he said. “Eyes are just a bit dried out. Come on, let’s go.”


A large, burly Zora wearing a “Security” t-shirt grabbed his shoulder as he pushed through the crowd and approached backstage. “Hey, buddy, you can’t go in there,” he said.


Link froze. He hadn’t really expected anything like this. “I’m…um, We’re going to meet the band….”


The Zora chuckled. “Yeah, no you’re not.”


“It’s okay, they’re with me,” came a female’s voice. Link and the security guard turned to see a Zora woman in a black half-shirt and jean shorts, leaning casually on a doorway.


The guard shrugged and let go, going back to standing near the stage and looking intimidating as Link jogged past. Navi followed, rolling her eyes. “You must

be Ruto,” he said.


She grinned. “Yep. I’m your contact here.”


“So can I ask what you do with the band?” he asked as she led them backstage. “Costuming and makeup?”


“I’m on the tech crew, believe it or not.”


“Really? Never would have guessed.”


“Yeah, it surprises most people when they first hear it. Anyway, I got a tip from Senator Zelda that you’d probably like to meet the band.”


“He won’t shut up about it,” Navi groaned from behind them. Personally, Link found it a bit hypocritical.


“She mentioned something about that, yeah. I still can’t believe that I’m actually getting to meet them, though.”


“It’s all right with them. Senator Zelda and I are good friends. She and my father got along well, and once I become queen of the Zoras, We’ll both be senators.”


Link looked at her quizzically. “You’re going to be queen?”


“Wait, you seriously didn’t know who Ruto is?” Navi asked. “Really?”


“Navi, do I look like the sort of person who cares about politics?”


“I’m just saying,” she said, shrugging.


Link looked back to Ruto, who was shaking her head and chuckling. “So you’re seriously going to be queen someday?”


“Probably. My father’s the king of the Zoras, so he’s Lake Hylia’s senator. I’m first in line for the throne once my father gives it up.”


“And…you’re doing technical work for a band?”


She shrugged. “I like it. Why shouldn’t I do what’s fun? Besides, I’m just his daughter. I don’t have any sort of power yet.”


She stopped at a door. “Well, Link, are you ready to meet the band?”


“No,” he said.


She laughed. “Of course you are. They’re really great people, and not at all intimidating.”


Navi groaned. “Come on, Link, you’ve faced Ghoma and King Dodongo. I can’t believe you’re being such a wimp about meeting a band.”


Link took a deep breath. “All right, I’m ready.” The door opened on the Indigo-go’s, casually lounging around. Japas stopped plucking his bass strings and looked up. “This him?” he asked. Ruto nodded.


“Hey, buddy,” Mikau said, grinning at him. “Love your hat.”


Japas shook his head and returned to playing his bass. “Don’t mock him, man.”


“No, I’m serious. I kind of like how it looks. Besides, it’s green.” He looked over at Lulu, who was sitting beside him. “Wouldn’t you say that green’s my color?”


“Whatever you say, Mikau.”


Japas laughed. “Don’t you let him think that. His fashion sense is bad enough. Hell, remember that time he tried wearing that skirt at the concert?”


“It was a kilt!”


“Could you guys please keep it down,” the piano player asked. “I’m trying to listen to the feedback for the concert.”


“Ah, relax, Evan, ya stiff,” Mikau groaned.


“Um, guys, the, uh…the guy’s still here,” Tijo, the drummer, said. “Shouldn’t we be, um…talking to him or something?”


Evan nodded, bounding down to shake his hand. “Link, isn’t it? Thanks for coming. Ruto’s told us that you work for Senator Zelda.”


“Something like that, yeah,” he said. “I’m…wow. It’s—it’s just so great to meet you all.”


“Well, Ruto insisted.,” Mikau told him. “Great girl, Ruto. Don’t know where we’d be without her.”


Ruto shook her head. “You guys flatter me too much.”


“No, seriously, you’re—wait, who are you?”


Navi crossed her arms, leaning against the wall. “I’m with him,” she said, jerking her thumb at Link. “Don’t worry about me.”


He shrugged. “Anyway, Link, I’m expecting you’d like autographs?”


Link hesitated. “Actually, I have a request. Could…could I play a song with you guys?”


They looked at him a moment. They all still had their instruments out. “I…I suppose,” Evan stuttered. “Which one?”


He pulled out his ocarina. “Ballad of the Windfish. I’m pretty sure I’ve got it down.” He was positive he’d got it down, actually. He had managed to learn it and had played it every night since receiving the ocarina. After all, it was their song. It was her song.


He closed his eyes as he played, allowing the memories to wash over him. It was tough, but it was worth it to be with her one more time. For just a few moments, he was back with her, taking walks along the beach, feeding the seagulls. And then, as the music died away, so did the dreams. She was gone again.


“Goodbye, Marin,” he whispered to himself.


He shook hands with the band again, then headed outside to meet with Ruto.


“I knew it!” Navi said as he passed her. “You are crying! You’re freaking crying!”


“Shut the hell up, Navi,” he growled. She froze. “Look, I’ll…I’ll explain later. I promise. Just…just give me a moment for now. Stay with the band. I’m going to talk with Ruto alone.”


As the door shut behind her, she turned awkwardly to the band. They all stared back at her.


“You didn’t really like the concert, did you?” Tijo asked.


She hesitated. “Not really, no.”


They all shrugged and went back to talking amongst themselves. Evan looked at her. “Excuse me, but what exactly about our performance fell flat?”


“I just don’t like jazz.”


Evan made a little noise, as if he pitied her for her shallow music tastes, and went back to his keyboard.


“Link,” she muttered under her breath, “I am going to kill you for this.”


***


“So, you have a tip for me?” Link asked Ruto once they were outside. “Senator Zelda told me that you had a tip.”


“Oh, I have better than that,” she said. “Here, follow me.”


She led him to a dark room and flipped the lights on. “This is my office.”


“You’ve got an office?”


“Yeah, well, head tech staff and all. We practice here quite a bit, and the band members don’t live too far away. Anyway,” she said, rummaging through a desk drawer, “here.”


She reached in and pulled out a small blue orb on a string. The Pendant of Wisdom.


He stared at her for a moment. “Okay, what’s the catch?”


“No catch,” she said. “Usually, there should be, and I don’t exactly feel right just giving it to you, but Zelda told me herself that it would be better this way.”


“Are you sure?”


She led him into the hallway, locking the door behind her. “Of course I am. I trust her.” She stopped, looking a few feet down the hall. “Hey, there, kid. Are you lost?”


A small boy turned to face her. The first thing Link noticed was that he wore a skull mask. The second thing he noticed was that he was really, really quick, noticing almost immediately afterwards that he had snatched the Pendant of Wisdom and was halfway down the hall already.


The fourth thing he noticed was the blue-clad ninja, who had appeared out of nowhere and was already hot on the heels of the masked kid.


“Later! Thanks for the help!” he yelled to Ruto as he shot off after them.


***


Navi looked around the room for the fifth time. The band paid her no notice.


“So, um…I’m gonna head to the bathroom….” she said.


“Two doors down on the left,” Mikau said offhandedly.


“Okay, well…see you guys later,” she said, slipping quietly out the door. As soon as she was out, she leaned against the wall and sat down hard. “Praise Din,” she muttered. “Pretention-free air.”


A small kid shot past her, followed by the ninja she and Link had seen while fighting Dodongo.


“What the hell?” she muttered, standing.


“Navi, run!” Link yelled from further down the hall. “Don’t let them get away!”


“What the hell is going on?” she demanded as she struggled to keep up. He grabbed her hand, pulling her up onto his back in an impressively fluid motion. “Ow!” she whined. “I landed on your sword!”


Link said nothing. She felt kind of guilty. Whether she was on his back or on foot, she was still slowing him down. He was fast, but not as fast as the kid or the ninja. The two of them slipped through the crowd easily, but she and Link were slowed by the bustle. By the time they pushed through the crowd and made it outside, it was dark, and there was no sight of either person they were pursuing.


“I’m sorry, Link,” she said as he set her down.


“It’s…it’s okay, Navi. I should have known that something like this would go down. We just…we just start from square one again, I suppose.” He gave a forced chuckle. “It’s not like the goddesses are supposed to be on our side or anything.” He kicked a rock on the ground as far as he could. “Of course not. Why the hell would they help us? It’s not like they helped Marin. It’s not like they helped Aryll and Colin.” He fell on all fours and started punctuating his rant by pounding on the ground. “We couldn’t just get one stroke of luck now or then, could we?”


She couldn’t stand to watch him when he was like this. She had decided to travel with him because he was strong. She had decided to travel with him because he could take anything that was thrown his way. But now, seeing him on the edge of despair? She couldn’t watch. She turned away.


“Uh, Link?” He looked up at her. “Um…look.” She pointed off. A masked figure appeared out of the darkness. It was the ninja.


Link stood. “What’s going on?”


The ninja turned, gesturing for them to follow.


“Okay, question,” Link said. “If you’re taking us to where the pendant is, why didn’t you just bring it here?”


The figure turned, raised blonde eyebrows and annoyed red eyes seeming to say “look, are you going to follow me or not?”


Navi looked up at Link. “Think this counts as a stroke of luck?”


He shrugged. “I don’t know yet, Navi. But we’ll see.”




Okay, so...I dunno, any comments at all are welcome. I'd also like to mention that I'm starting on some character sketches, so you might be able to see my (very poorly done) sketches. Also, with the Act 1 interlude, I'm giving some background on a few things, so if you have any questions about the story, ask away now, and I'll see if I can get them answered.
 

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