The Legend of Pucca: Twilight Fiends
Midna walked down into the dungeons, wondering what Link's plan could be. Surely he wouldn't try to force his way through the bars, she thought. They were sealed with magic, and could only be opened by a key or some extremely powerful force. And they took all his weapons too.
Midna stopped when she reached cell 23. A guard was standing by the door, watching Link. He looked up when the princess reached him.
"Hello Princess Midna," said the guard.
"Hello," Midna replied, scrutinizing the cell to find a weak spot that she could blast open with magic. Finding none, she turned to the guard and noticed a key hanging out of his back pocket.
"How has the prisoner been behaving?" Midna asked, thinking of a plan to get the key.
"He's actually been pretty quiet," the guard said. "We took all his weapons away, so he should be almost harmless."
"I see," Midna said. "And, where did you put the weapons again?"
"Where we put all the weapons," the guard replied. "In the artillery."
"Right," said Midna. Suddenly, she reached out and gave the guard a big hug.
"Thank you for taking such good care of the prisoner," she said, grabbing the key from the guard's pocket.
"Uh, i-it was n-nothing, Princess," the guard replied after Midna released him, startled by her display of affection.
"I'd like to have a word with the prisoner in private," Midna said, putting her hands behind her back.
"Y-yes, Princess Midna," the guard replied, still bewildered by Midna's behavior.
"Oh, and if you tell anyone about this, I will have you personally executed," Midna warned.
"Understood, Princess," the guard said. He turned and ran up the steps and out of the dungeon as fast as his legs would carry him.
"Glad that's over," Midna muttered, turning to Link. "What's wrong?" she asked when she saw Link's expression.
"What the hell was that for?!" he exclaimed, looking slightly angry.
"What? The hug? I had to get the key from his back pocket." Midna held the key up and swung it back and forth in front of Link.
"Oh," Link said, looking down.
"You're not jealous, are you?" Midna asked, surprised as the realization hit her. Link seemed to take an interest in his shoes at that moment. "Ha! I can't believe it!" she said with a laugh. "The Chosen Hero is jealous of some guard because he got a hug for the princess!"
"Just let me out, okay?" Link said. Midna slid the key into the keyhole and the door opened. Link stepped out and started walking, but Midna touched his arm, making him pause.
"Seriously, why were you jealous?" Midna asked softly. Link turned to look at her.
"Well, it's just, I didn't understand why you gave him a hug and not me, after all we've been through," Link said, not quite meeting Midna's eyes. "And, I guess, I sort of . . . like you." He looked up to see Midna smiling. It wasn't a devilish smile, designed primarily to freak people out; it was a real smile, something Link had rarely ever seen.
"Oh, Link," Midna said, touching his cheek. "I guess I sort of like you too." Link smiled the biggest smile Midna had ever seen. Just then, they heard a noise coming from the entrance to the dungeons.
"Uh oh," Midna said. "Sorry Link, but we have to move." She grabbed Link's hand and pulled him down, into the deep recesses of the dungeon.
A few minutes later, they reached the cell containing Pucca and Garu.
"Now that's a sight I never thought I'd see," commented Link, looking at Pucca and Garu wrapped in each others arms and fast asleep.
"Hey, wake up guys!" Midna said, banging on the bars to the cell. They both jumped up and Garu reached for his sword, but then he realized he didn't have it.
"Midna! Link!" said Pucca, running up to the bars. "Are you guys okay? What happened to you?"
"We'll tell you as we go," said Midna, putting they key into the keyhole. "Oh, good. It's a skeleton key." The door swung open and a very grateful Pucca and Garu came out.
"Did you see where they took Charlotte?" asked Link.
"They took her down that way," said Pucca, pointing to the stairs leading deeper into the dungeon.
"Alright, let's go!" said Midna, running down the stairs.
"Oh! It wasn't as far as I thought," remarked Midna, coming to a skidding halt as she almost ran past Charlotte's cell.
"Hi guys!" said Charlotte, coming up to the bars and smiling. "How did you all get out?"
"With this," said Midna, opening Charlotte's door with the key.
"Yay!" Charlotte said, stepping out of the cell. "Now let's go find Vendetta!"
"Okay, my guess is they took her to the kitchen," said Midna. "Which, unfortunately, is on the other side of the building." Everyone except Charlotte made a face.
"Well, let's not waste time then," said Garu. "Lead the way, Midna."
She did, and about five minutes later, they reached the top of the dungeon steps.
"Okay, you guys wait here while I check to see if the coast is clear," Midna said. She stepped out of the dungeon to find that everyone was in a panic.
"What's going on?" she demanded, grabbing the arm of a servant running by.
"Oh, Princess Midna, you must get out of the palace!" the servant said urgently.
"Why? What's happened?" Midna asked.
"One of the prisoners created a terrible monster that only she can control, and she's using it to destroy the palace," the servant said.
"Where is she?" demanded Midna.
"She was last seen by the artillery," the servant replied.
"Alright, thank you," said Midna, releasing the servant and looking over the panicking crowd.
"You're not going there, are you?" the servant asked nervously. "You can't Princess! We don't want to lose you again!"
"I can and I will," said Midna. "Alright guys, come on!" Link, Garu, Pucca, and Charlotte all came out from the dungeon.
"Ah! It's the prisoners!" the servant exclaimed as they ran past her.
"What happened?" asked Link, catching up to Midna running full speed. "Why is everyone freaking out?"
"Apparently Vendetta decided to make a fiend, and now it's terrorizing everybody down by the artillery," Midna replied.
"So that's where we're going?" Garu asked.
"Yes," Midna replied. "You guys might as well get some weapons while we're there."
The group of five ran until they came to a crowd of people running towards them. They jumped to the sides just as a huge black beast came around the corner, tearing a chunk out of the wall in the process. The thing looked like a cross between a giant tiger and a wolf, and Vendetta was riding on its back.
"VENDETTA!" Midna called, cupping her hands around her mouth. "DOWN HERE!"
The fiend was yanked to a stop as Vendetta looked down and caught sight of Midna.
"There you are!" Vendetta yelled. "I have been looking for you for a long time! I don't know how to get out of here!"
"Oh, Vendetta, I'm so glad you're okay!" Charlotte said, looking at Vendetta.
"Of course I'm okay you- ah! Don't touch it!" Vendetta exclaimed, yanking on the fiend so it would move out of Charlotte's reach.
"But Vendetta, it's so cute and fluffy!" Charlotte said, smiling.
"That is cute?" Link asked, staring up at the creature. It was taller than Midna.
"Don't let her touch my fiend or she'll turn it good!" Vendetta yelled. "And then it'll be worthless!"
"Charlotte, don't touch," Garu said sternly.
"Tee-hee! Okay," said Charlotte. It was then that the group noticed the crowd that had gathered around them. Everyone was silent for a moment, and then someone said:
"Princess Midna, are you alright?" This was followed by more similar cries, until the whole group was yelling at once.
"ALL OF YOU SHUT UP!" Midna roared. The noise ceased instantly. "I am alright. These five, including the girl on the fiend, are my friends, and they won't hurt me. Now, we're going to go into the artillery, and if anyone tries to stop me, I give Vendetta permission to release her fiend. Got it?"
The crowd nodded while others murmured a "Yes ma'am."
"Alright, let's go," Midna said. "Vendetta, you stay on the outside of us, just like you are now." They started walking along the wall and stopped when they came to a door around the corner. Midna used the skeleton key to open it, and they all stepped inside except for Vendetta. While the group was in the room, a man made a move to step forward.
"I really wouldn't do that if I were you," Vendetta said, flashing a wicked smile. The man stepped back.
A few moments later, the group came back out. Link was carrying the master sword and his shield on his back, Midna was carrying a dagger, and Garu found a sword that was similar to the one he had at home. Pucca was carrying a small knife, and the group had agreed that Charlotte wouldn't carry anything because she'd probably hurt herself before she could hurt an enemy.
"Okay, now we're going to go outside, and the same rule applies," Midna said. "If anyone tries to stop us, the fiend gets released."
The group started to walk towards the door, Midna in front and Vendetta in the back, still on her fiend. The crowd followed helplessly as their beloved Princess strode out of the palace doors and over to where the sols were kept. When they reached the sols, they stopped, and Midna turned to face her people.
"My dear people, I'm glad to have come back to the twilight realm, if only for a short while," Midna said. "But, I must return to world of light." The crowd started to protest. "Remember my warning and don't try to stop me," Midna continued, and the noise died down. "I will return, I swear it. But, even if I stay, the threat of Zant still hovers overhead. I must confront him with the help of the Chosen Hero," she gestured to Link. "and the rest of my new companions. I must go now. But I promise, I will return and peace will be restored to our realm and theirs. Vendetta, you need to come down now."
"I still have control over my fiend," said Vendetta to the crowd. "So until we leave, don't try anything." She jumped down off the fiend and came to stand by Midna.
"Just go through there," Midna said to her group. "You'll be fine, I promise." Link, Vendetta, Charlotte, Garu, and Pucca all stepped into the light made by the sols, and they vanished in a flash of light.
"Goodbye for now," Midna said, giving one last reassuring smile and a wave, before stepping into the light and disappearing yet again, leaving the helpless twili to wait for her return.
