A panel on the floor of the castle lifted. A pair of blue eyes darted back and forth, making sure that there were no guards nearby. When he was assured that the coast was clear, Link rose out from the hole in the floor, then reached down to take Amaterasu's hand and help her up. When the two heroes were finally on the surface, Issun bouncing gratefully on Ammy's shoulder, Link closed the panel and motioned for the goddess to follow. They crept through the castle, each pair of eyes watching for any guards. They soon came across a forked path.
"This way," Link said as he went to the right, which took them up a flight of stairs. They ascended the steps quietly, though Link said that there were rarely any guards in this particular area. They eventually came across a set of large double doors that were made from fine oak. Link turned the knob on one of them and ushered Ammy in.
When the sun goddess entered, her sight fell upon a young woman who was sitting on a large windowsill, looking out at the expansive fields of Hyrule. Her hair was mostly brown, with streaks of blonde here and there. Her eyes were blue, like Link's, but lighter. She wore a royal dress of white and purple, with symbols of royalty embroidered on it, and had elbow-length gloves on her arms. She also had long, pointy ears, like Link did. They must have been of the same race then.
The young woman turned and faced them with a curious gaze. She rose from her seat and stood almost rigidly. "Link," she said, addressing the green-clad Hylian. "It is good to see that you've returned." She looked over at Amaterasu with a slightly raised eyebrow. "Is she the one?"
"Yeah, she is," Link said with an affirmative nod. He gave a respectful bow to the woman. "I'm guessing you've already heard about the murders that she and I have been framed for."
"Yes," the royal woman said with nod. Her focus fell on Ammy. "I am Zelda, Queen of Hyrule." She gave a curt bow. "I am honored to meet you, Amaterasu."
"You're the queen?" Issun piped up. Zelda gave the Poncle a curious look and nodded.
"But…" Amaterasu started. "You're just… you're so young."
"I can't say that I know how things work where you come from," Zelda admitted, "but in Hyrule, when the crowned heir turns eighteen, they are to be crowned the official monarch of the kingdom." Her eyes suddenly gained a suspicious look. "Forgive me, but you bear an uncanny resemblance to the messenger that was sent from Nippon. The one who stole the Royal Family's sacred heirloom."
"Amaterasu was with me the whole time, Zelda," Link said in Ammy's defense. "She didn't steal anything."
"We heard from a woman named Telma that something was stolen from the castle," Issun said. Ammy could tell that he was fighting off the urge to make innuendos regarding Zelda's appearance. "We also heard that you guys were accused of stealing something from the emperor."
"We stole nothing," Zelda said defensively. "That Nipponese messenger stole an invaluable treasure that may only be carried by those who are blessed by the three Golden Goddesses. It is an affront to all of Hyrule to take it without observation by the Royal Family."
"What was stolen?" Link asked before Zelda go into a rant.
The young queen looked at Link almost angrily. "The Ocarina of Time."
"The WHAT!?" Link exclaimed, a look of shock on his face. "How the hell could anyone have gotten that!?"
"Um… excuse me?" Amaterasu interrupted. "Care to fill me and Issun in on this little gossip of yours?"
Zelda took a deep breath. "The Ocarina of Time, a precious instrument once carried by the original Hero of Time, is a tool capable of many incredible things, depending on the song that is played on it."
"So… it's a musical instrument?" Issun surmised. Zelda nodded. "Then what makes it so important? Just get another one."
"We can't 'just get another one,'" Link stated seriously. "The Ocarina of Time is a one-of-a-kind flute-like instrument. Whoever holds it can create storms, turn night into day and vice versa, collapse mountains with a single note, and even manipulate the flow of time itself. It's said that the Ocarina was crafted by Nayru, the Goddess of Wisdom, who also rules over time."
"It can do all that?" Amaterasu asked, hoping that they were just exaggerating.
"And more," Zelda said. "If the Ocarina were to fall into the wrong hands, it would be a complete catastrophe." She then glared at Amaterasu. "I'm sorry, but unless it is returned, I will have no choice but to declare war against your country."
"Could you at least tell us what you were accused of stealing?" Issun asked.
Zelda thought for a moment. "The messenger said that it was something called the 'Fox Rods.' Does that mean anything to you?"
Ammy's eyes went wide, as did Issun's. "The Fox Rods!?" Ammy shouted. "Those were supposed to have been sealed away! I did that myself! How on earth could anyone have gotten to them!?"
"Care to explain why a bunch of rods are so important?" Zelda inquired.
"The Fox Rods are a collection of nine rods," Ammy explained, "each imbued with great and terrible dark power. They were wielded by a demon called Ninetails, who Link and I encountered on our way to Hyrule. You remember, right, Link?"
The green-clad hero nodded. "Yeah. The bastard."
Issun continued Amaterasu's explanation, saying, "Ninetails can use the Fox Rods to unlock his full power. But since Ammy beat him at his full strength once, I'll bet that he's going to try and give the rods to his master; that freak Yami."
There was a momentary silence then.
"OH, HELL NO!" Ammy suddenly screamed. "It was bad enough when Ninetails used the Fox Rods, but if Yami absorbs their power…" She hesitated. Link and Zelda seemed to get the picture.
"He and Ganondorf are definitely behind this," Link said, his suspicions confirmed. "Ganondorf gets the Ocarina of Time, and he uses it to manipulate time to the point where he can never lose."
"Yami gets those Fox Rods," Amaterasu said, apprehension lacing her voice, "and he gains enough power to destroy the sun, i.e. me."
Zelda cursed in ancient Hylian. "I'm such a fool. I should have expected a plot like this from Ganondorf. If only I saw it coming, I could've done something to prevent it."
"It's not your fault, Zelda," Link assured the young monarch. "Ganondorf's a tricky opponent. He might be a powerhouse, but he's intelligent, too. We're just pawns on a chessboard to that son of a bitch." Amaterasu pinched him on his arm. Her angry glare reminded him that she was a wolf once, so that choice of words probably wasn't the best. "Sorry," he muttered.
Zelda sighed and sat on the edge of her bed. "I've been the queen for three days, and already the kingdom is being threatened. And now another nation is caught up in our troubles."
"Yami is Nippon's problem, Your Highness," Amaterasu said. "I'll make sure that he stays dead this time."
"You know, I've been wondering about that…" Issun said with his tiny arms crossed, cocking his from side to side. "Even if you didn't destroy his soul, how did Yami regain his power after just a year? That kind of power should take way longer to recuperate. Centuries at least."
"Hey, yeah," Link said, he face going into a thoughtful expression. "The Master Sword went right through Ganondorf's heart. His piece of the Triforce was taken away as well. How could he have come back from that?"
Zelda thought about it for several seconds. She sighed quietly. "I feel as though there may be more to this than we initially believed." That statement hung in the air, each mind in the room practically sprinting to try and figure out what was going on.
-o-
Ganondorf paced back and forth in the large chamber where he and Yami met. His partner eventually appeared in his usual smoky form. "Where have you been?" Ganondorf inquired.
"I have been spreading my darkness into hearts throughout Nippon," the Dark Lord replied in his smooth rasp. "What of you? Have you been doing your part?"
Ganondorf nodded. "Of course. I had our two specialists kill off a few people and frame our enemies. The people of Hyrule will be demoralized at the thought of their precious 'Hero of Twilight' being nothing more than a common criminal and a murderer."
"Very well done!" called out a voice from seemingly nowhere, followed by a loud applause from a single, unnoticeable person. "Everything is going exactly according to plan, boys! I knew I could count on you two!"
"How you reveal yourself now?" Ganondorf asked the voice. "I don't appreciate it when someone speaks to me the way you are now."
"Sorry, but not yet," the voice replied. "You'll have to spread a lot more chaos if you want to see me."
"Then we will simply start the war between Hyrule and Nippon," Yami suggested. "Will that be enough for you to reveal your true self?"
"Maybe, maybe not," the voice replied with a laugh. "All my other little plots are still in motion. Once they're all done, whether they succeed or not, and once we're done here, only then will I show myself. Won't that just be marvelous?" The voice faded away before either overlord could reply.
"I don't trust him," Ganondorf stated with a sneer.
"Neither do I, Ganon," Yami admitted somewhat grudgingly, "but he did revive us. We owe him for this new opportunity."
"I suppose you're right," Ganondorf agreed, his sneer slowly disappearing, being replaced by a sadistic grin. "Regardless, I'm looking forward to ruling Hyrule. And you are just as eager to conquer Nippon, I presume?"
"Of course," Yami said coldly. "The darkness cannot be stopped."
