Chapter 172 - Digging for Clues - Part 3
Summary: Sheikah scientist Aldora from North Hyrule joins Purah as they prepare to search for ancient relics. Mipha and Link retrace Link's steps after he awoke from the Shrine of Resurrection, hoping to jog his memory about a notorious bandit.
It was morning at the Royal Ancient Tech Lab, as Purah welcomed Aldora.
"We're so thrilled to have you, Aldora," said Purah. "It was very considerate of Master Saldon to offer your help."
"The thrill and pleasure is mine, Dr. Purah," said Aldora as they shook hands. "I finally completed my apprenticeship and am eager to put my knowledge to further use."
"Let me go over all we've learned and see if you agree with our selection of fruitful places to search for ancient technology," said Purah as she prepared to go over everything they had learned from the Sheikah Slate recovered from Eventide Island.
Meanwhile, in Zora's Domain, Mila had awoken early and joined her parents for breakfast as Mipha and Link prepared to leave for the Great Plateau.
"Can you go over what you plan to do?" Mila asked. "Just to put my mind at ease."
"We plan to retrace my path after I awoke from the Shrine of Resurrection in hopes I recall something useful about the thief, sweetheart," said Link.
"Yes, Dad, you already told me that part," said Mila. "But what if you do remember something useful? What happens next?"
"I guess it depends on what I remember," said Link. "The best case would be to discover who the thief might be, or at least where they might be found. At a minimum, I would like to recover the stolen items."
"And if you learn where the thief might be found, do you plan to capture them yourselves or summon help from the authorities?"
"I know you're worried about our safety, sweetheart, but it depends on the situation," said Link. "You have to trust our judgment. If we can accomplish our goal by calling in the authorities, I certainly will. But there might be no time for that. Or the presence of guards could alert the thief, and they would end up evading capture. So, I can't really say."
"But we will look out for each other, sweetheart," said Mipha, taking Mila's hand. "We've been doing it for a long time now, and we're good at it. Now we should be going. Go back to working on your history chapter, and please don't worry about us, okay?"
"And I'll Tab you when I can," said Link.
"And I'll remind him," said Mipha.
Mila sighed, then they stood and kissed goodbye. Mila accompanied them outside and watched them walk, holding hands, toward the plaza, and then disappear from view. She knew her father would want to apprehend this thief if he could, and perhaps even hide in wait for them. Then she suddenly remembered something and took out her Tab.
It was early morning at the Royal Ancient Tech Lab, and Midon was checking his messages when his Tab went off, and he saw it was his sister Mila.
"Hi Mi, everything okay?"
"Yes, but I need you to do something if you can," said Mila.
"If I can, I will. What is it?"
"You heard about the thefts from the Royal Museum?"
"Yes, we talked about it here. Purah thought their security was too lax."
"Well, Mom and Dad just left this morning to fish for clues about this thief. I'm worried about them that they may try to bait this person out of hiding or net them in an ambush. When caught, a person like that can be dangerous."
"Okay," said Midon. "I agree that could be dangerous."
"Can you disable that proximity rune you rolled out some time ago? I don't want the thief knowing they're nearby."
"Oh, I see," said Midon. "That's good thinking, Mi. I'll check with Dr. Purah. I'm pretty sure she would agree to disable it temporarily for a mission like this. We can always announce we're working on an update or something."
"Good," said Mila. "I know from experience, like when Dad rescued me from Sopha in North Hyrule, that he is quite skilled at stealth. But I don't want him at a disadvantage, that this thief could detect his or Mom's presence. Let me know if you're able to do it, and I'll let them know. They promised to message me."
"Yeah, fine, Mi, and let me know if I can do anything else," said Midon as they ended the call, and Midon went off to speak with Purah.
Meanwhile, Mipha and Link walked from their house to the plaza and then to the end of the Great Zora Bridge, where they prepared to mount a motorized cycle.
"I'll drive the first part," said Mipha. "You can't claim you're more familiar with this area than me."
"Fine," said Link. "Please just remember the road curves a good deal around here, and we don't want to end up in the river or the lake. It's not like piloting a Divine Beast, you know."
"Do you think piloting a motorized cycle is harder? Trust me, dear," laughed Mipha as they got underway.
Mipha began driving and negotiated some of the sharp turns a bit more swiftly than Link would have liked. But he had to admit they made it through the Domain in one piece without incident.
"Can I take over from here?" said Link after they crossed the Inogo Bridge.
"Fine," said Mipha, and they switched places. "Did you admire my driving?"
"It was quite skilled," said Link. "I think you hit a couple of frogs back there in the tunnel, but that was understandable. We couldn't see them in time."
Link took over the driving as they made their way across the Lanayru Wetlands.
"This is a shortcut versus following the road north and then heading back south," said Link. "We can rejoin the main road by the Millennio Sandbar."
"Is any of this coming back to you? Or has the land changed too much?"
"I remember this place was crawling with Lizalfos, but not much else," said Link as he followed the interconnected path across the shallow water.
When they rejoined the road, they headed north at the fork. And it was nightfall by the time they reached the Wetland Rest Area and stopped for dinner and to stretch their legs as well as spend the night.
"You want a fresh fish?" Mipha asked as she headed toward the Hylia River.
"Sure, I used to cook my food at these places, so doing it again might help remind me of something," said Link.
"Then maybe you need two fish?"
"Very funny. I didn't always stuff myself."
Then they both laughed as Mipha walked over to the riverbank, dove in, and returned with two Hyrule Bass. After dinner, they walked to the edge of the river just west of the rest area and watched the water as it flowed south.
"There's a nice gentle current here," said Mipha.
"Yes, I used to take Astra boating along this river, though we didn't always go this far south," said Link. "Unless the wind was favorable, I ended up doing a good deal of rowing on the way back."
You could clearly see Hyrule Castle straight across the river, and to the right stood the Rebonae Bridge. Link thought there was some rather unimportant detail about that bridge, but the thought eluded him. Maybe after a night's rest, it would come back. Just then, it began to rain.
"Shall I rent a bed for the night, or are we sleeping in the river?" Link asked.
"A bed is fine. I can't expect you to fall asleep with rain falling on your face, and anyway, a bed sounds cozy right now."
They kissed once, then walked back to the lodging area. It was quiet inside, nobody but the person behind the desk present. Mipha stood in the doorway, looking out at the rain as Link requested a bed for the night.
"Not very busy?" Link asked.
"We usually don't get many overnight guests," said the proprietor. "We're so close to Castle Town that most people prefer to continue onward to there. If there's a big event going on that draws a crowd to Castle Town, we might get some overflow lodgers. So, I guess you and your companion are not headed to Castle Town?"
"No, we're not," said Link. "My wife and I are headed south instead."
"I see," said the proprietor. "Just press okay on your Tab to approve the charge, and have a good night."
Link did as asked, then returned to Mipha at the entranceway, and they stood with their arms around each other, watching the rain. You could see the raindrops rippling the water in the Hylia River.
"I love it when it rains, especially at night," said Mipha after a few moments.
"I used to hate the rain when I was trying to climb," said Link. "But I love it now and especially the sound at night."
"I'm glad you developed a love of water."
"How could I not?" laughed Link. "I'm immersed in it every night with the love of my life. And I know that Zora transformation affected me somehow. When I see water, I sometimes feel this urge to jump in and splash about, just for the fun of it."
"I know the feeling well," laughed Mipha as she hugged him and then leaned over for a kiss. "I guess you're permanently part Zora now, at least mentally. By the way, speaking of mentally, aren't you forgetting something, sweetheart?"
"I used to joke that the answer to that question is an automatic 'yes,'" laughed Link. "But you mean Mila, right?"
Link pulled out his Tab and sent Mila a message that they were fine and staying at the Wetland Service Area for the night. Mila messaged back a good night and explained that the proximity rune no longer worked. Link checked, and indeed when he pressed the proximity rune, there was a pop-up message indicating it was temporarily disabled for maintenance. He returned to looking out at the rain.
"We should get to bed," said Mipha finally. "Cuddle time!"
They awoke the following day and, after breakfast, began making their way across the Rebonae Bridge. Then Link suddenly recalled what used to happen here.
"Some things are coming back to me," said Link. "There was a girl named Leekah I ran into almost every time I crossed this bridge. A Bokoblin was always attacking her, and I had to rescue her several times. She never gave up wandering around alone, though, and always eventually made it back to the stable."
"It's encouraging that you're recovering some memories here," said Mipha. "I find it interesting that the first one is about a girl you rescued. Did you two ever meet socially afterward?"
"No, of course not," said Link. "I was way too focused on my mission saving the kingdom and the Princess."
"Your memory is very clear about that?"
"I'm pretty sure I would have remembered dating someone cute like her," said Link, who immediately realized that was probably not the smartest answer to give. But Mipha luckily ignored it, and they resumed their journey.
The rain had stopped during the night, and it was a clear sunny day, great for travel. They switched drivers twice as they rode south across Hyrule Field, and eventually, Link slowed as they made their way through Gatepost Town.
"I still have that outfit I bought here when we were sent back in time by Vera, and you met both your parents," said Link. "Wow! That must be a hundred years in the past now. It's incredible how many places in Hyrule hold memories for us."
They rode through the large entrance, and it was early afternoon by the time Link finally drove the cycle up to the small mesa outside the entrance to the Shrine of Resurrection. They stopped and dismounted there, and Link sent Mila a quick message that they were fine.
"Come, take a look at the magnificent view, sweetheart," said Link as he took Mipha's hand, and they walked to the edge. "It was the first thing I saw after waking up."
It was indeed a spectacular view. Majestic Hyrule Castle stood straight ahead, and just to its right in the distance was fiery Death Mountain. To its right, you could make out the tall Akkala Citadel. And still further right, you could see part of the Zodobon Highlands where Divine Beast Vah Ruta once stood, ready to do its part to defeat Calamity Ganon.
Link had not been back to this location in some time, as there was no reason to. The entrance to the shrine was sealed shut, Purah having been the last person inside some twenty years ago when she inspected it for signs of corruption. That was before they knew about Dark Link. Impa's husband Palan had recovered a recording from the Yiga Clan of what sounded like Link's voice. It seemed to implicate him in a Yiga Clan plot and called his loyalty into question, perhaps unwittingly. The Sheikah had feared malice might have infected the restoration device and corrupted his mind, causing him to act against his will. But Purah investigated it, and, thankfully, that turned out not to be the case.
"It all started here," said Link as he squeezed Mipha's hand and thought back. "I awoke to Zelda's voice, and after retrieving the Sheikah Slate, I ran outside and stood right here, gazing at Hyrule for a moment or two. Then I noticed an older man who turned out to be the spirit of King Rhoam in disguise. He and the Zelda of that time got me started. She guided me to the Sheikah Tower, and he guided me to the four shrines that enhanced the Sheikah Slate. Then I met him for the last time at the Temple of Time just down the road here, and he finally told me who he really was, who I was, and what had happened to Hyrule and his daughter. It was a lot to take in! He went on to warn me that rushing directly to Hyrule Castle would be reckless, but I should instead first visit Impa in Kakariko Village. Then, as promised, he gave me his paraglider so that I could leave this plateau. The entranceway had been destroyed back then, completely blocked by dirt and a large pool of water. The only way to leave the plateau was to jump."
"It is a beautiful view of Hyrule from here," said Mipha as she looked out over the landscape. "Do we need to visit the four shrines on the plateau?"
"No, there's no need to visit them. I wouldn't have learned anything about the thief until after I left the plateau," said Link. "I just wanted to start here to help me get into the right frame of mind."
"I find it interesting that King Rhoam's spirit worried about you being reckless," said Mipha. "Your reputation obviously preceded you. Or is it followed you?"
"Probably both!" laughed Link. "In flashbacks, you reminded me I was a reckless child, and Zelda cautioned me about the fine line between courage and recklessness. Fortunately, over the years, I've learned to keep well to the courage side of that line."
Mipha smiled at him.
"Well, mostly," laughed Link. "Old habits die hard."
"Where to next, sweetheart?"
"We should take the road that runs south of and parallel to the Squabble River through the Dueling Peaks," said Link. "We can stop by the Dueling Peaks rest area for dinner and the night if we want."
"That's fine, and I can get in some water time in the river along the way in case we sleep in a bed again tonight," said Mipha.
"There's also a waterfall and pool of water near the rest area," said Link.
"Good to know. But please let's take our time as we travel. We don't know what, if anything, might trigger the flashback you're looking for, and we're supposed to be relaxing together on vacation, anyway."
"Yes, good point," said Link. "Let's go. I'll drive this part since I know the area well."
They hopped back on their motorized cycle, Mipha sitting behind Link and holding onto him, and they followed the road down the hill and then across the plain and back to the Great Plateau entrance gate. They turned right to the East and followed the road across the Proxim Bridge that spanned the Hylia River. A small group of Pink Herons foraged for food amidst the grass alongside the road as they passed north of the Hills of Baumer.
"It might be good if we walked or swam for a while, stretched our legs, or spread our fins," said Mipha. "We've been sitting all morning. And going slowly might help your memory."
"True," said Link as he stopped, they dismounted, and he dematerialized the motorized cycle into his Tab's compendium. "Why don't we walk first."
They walked, holding hands along the southern bank of the Squabble River, following the road as it passed between the two summits of the Dueling Peaks.
"I don't remember if I had a horse yet back then when I first came this way," said Link as he glanced around as they walked. "I might have caught one after leaving the Great Plateau, or perhaps I picked up my first horse by the Dueling Peaks stable up ahead. Anyway, walking's a good idea."
After walking a short way, they heard the noise of an approaching cycle from their rear and stepped to the side of the road as a young Hylian couple waved and sped past them. Nothing triggered any particular recollection in Link's mind, and it was evening by the time they reached the Dueling Peaks rest area.
Link stopped to look around when they arrived. Like other former stables in Hyrule, what had once been a pure stable had changed a good deal over the years. It could still accommodate the infrequent horseback rider, but almost all such people rode horses for pleasure now, more a pastime than for serious travel. Most of the activity there comprised servicing motorized vehicles, offering meals to hungry travelers, and overnight lodging to weary ones.
"No memories yet," said Link after a moment. "But I always work better on a full stomach."
They were both hungry, having eaten only a light lunch. After dinner, Link tabbed Mila, and then they strolled about the area for a while.
"I could use some water time," said Mipha finally, and they made their way to the nearby pond and waded in.
"Did an excellent dinner help your memory?" Mipha asked as they floated in the water together.
"Not yet," said Link. "But I have a feeling something important happened here."
"Another damsel in distress?"
"No, no, I'm serious," laughed Link. "This was the first stable I stopped at. Let me concentrate."
It was a clear, quiet night with only a mild breeze. Link kept trying to recall his first trip here. But after a short while, they both fell asleep.
"What the!" Link exclaimed as he opened his eyes to a sunny morning and the loud quacking of a family of ducks who had apparently joined them in the pond for the night. The ducks flew off as he stirred awake, but the rest and concentration paid off. He remembered something now. Mipha was waking up too, and he turned to her in excitement.
"I remember something!" said Link. "It's important!"
"Tell me before you forget again," said Mipha.
"I was just starting out on my mission and was not exactly flush with funds. I collected gems from ore deposits I came across on the way here, mostly amber with the occasional opal or more rare precious stone. Then I overheard two guys here discussing a fabulous treasure a famous bandit had hidden. Naturally, I stopped to listen, and it was clear these two were not the brightest candles in the room. To get to the point, they offered to sell me the riddle to the treasure's location for 100 Rupees. It was a lot of money for me at the time, but I thought I could outsmart them both."
"So, you paid them?"
"Yes, and they told me the riddle," said Link. "I'm pretty sure I located the treasure."
"Great! What was the riddle, and where was the treasure?"
"Well, that part I don't fully remember," said Link, shaking his head. "But I think it wasn't far from here. And I have a vague recollection of a waterfall nearby."
"We can explore after breakfast," said Mipha. "If there's a waterfall, it must be along the river somewhere."
They ate a quick breakfast as Link was eager to begin searching. The obvious thing to do was to work their way along the river, past the Little Twin Bridge and onward through Hickaly Woods. They stayed alert in the woods as they heard some growling that sounded like bears, but then spied a waterfall upon reaching the southernmost tip of the woods.
"This is it! I'm sure of it!" said Link quietly. "There's a cave in the cliff wall. If you look carefully, you can make out the opening. A rockfall covered it when I located it back in the day. But we need to be cautious. That could serve as the thief's hideout."
"The waterfall is too shallow to swim up," whispered Mipha. "We'll have to climb."
"I'll go first," said Link. "But stay ready."
They climbed slowly and quietly. The noise of the waterfall hid the sounds of their movement. But it would also hide the sounds of their adversary if they were present. The climb was uneventful, and Link held out his hand when they reached the cave entrance. He quietly drew his sword, still listening for any movement. Then he rushed into the cave, sword at the ready.
But the cave was empty. Nobody was there.
Link put away his sword and saw that Mipha had already followed him inside. Aside from some items showing someone was living there occasionally, there were several chests in the cave, and they opened and then closed each one. Inside the chests were the jewels listed as stolen from the Castle. There were also several articles of clothing, including uniforms of various types of Hyrule Castle employees. There was no sign of any other stolen items, however.
"This must be the thief's hideout," whispered Link, and Mipha nodded.
"What's our plan? And remember, you're supposed to be on the courage side of the line, not the reckless one."
"I think we should wait for the thief to return and ambush them," said Link. "It could be a long wait, though, and we can't both afford to fall asleep. I suspect the thief won't return until the evening if they return at all today."
"We can take turns napping," said Mipha. "Then we will both be alert come nightfall. And we need to silence our Tabs."
The cave was small but comfortable, and the sound of the waterfall restful. Link took out his sword and placed it beside him. And Mipha had her trident close at hand, too. It was easy to take turns dozing off and live off rune-made food by day. By the time the sky turned red at sunset, both Mipha and Link felt rested and ready.
The night grew dark as clouds covered the face of the moon. They needed to stay clear of the cave entrance, but you could make out the glow of Silent Shrooms below. Time passed slowly, as they needed to remain silent and still. It was almost midnight when they finally heard some movement. Link quietly picked up his sword and Mipha, her trident. Then in the blackness, a figure blotted out the entrance for a moment and took out a Tab for light when Link sprang forward and put his sword to the person's chest.
"Don't move!" said Link, and the figure froze. "Now, slowly move away from the entrance and up against the wall here."
There was no struggle, and the figure complied with Link's order. Mipha used her Tab to light the cave, and before them stood someone wearing a disguise.
"Well, you got the drop on me, and no mistake," said the figure. "How did you find this place?"
"Never mind that. Who are you?"
"Misko's the name, and thieving's my game," said Misko.
"Well, your thieving days are over, Misko," said Link.
"Perhaps," said Misko. "But what do you want?"
"You're responsible for the Hyrule Castle Museum thefts?"
"Yep, and proud of it!" said Misko. "It's not easy stealing artifacts from the Castle Museum, you know."
"You face a long prison sentence, Misko," said Link. "Mipha, would you please notify the authorities?"
"Mipha? The Zora Champion?" said Misko. "Wow! I'm honored. And that means you must be Link. I thought you looked somewhat familiar from my history class, but the lighting here is not the best. But hold on first and hear me out. You want to recover those precious artifacts I stole, right? Arrest me, and you'll never find them. I hid them very well in various places throughout Hyrule. But if you let me keep my disguise and release me, I'll tell you where they're all hidden."
Mipha paused, looking at Link.
"I can't decide that," said Link. "A decision like that has to come from Her Majesty."
"Fine, check with the boss," said Misko.
"I will, but not in the middle of the night," said Link. "I'll do it first thing in the morning. Why do you do it, steal these precious artifacts?"
"Mostly for the challenge," said Misko. "I didn't intend to keep them but to ransom them back to the Royal Family at some point. But since we're sharing secrets, tell me how you found my hiding spot?"
"It's a long story and not worth my breath," said Link. "Besides, we still each have our secrets. You keep your identity hidden, and I'll keep my knowledge of how I found you secret. That way, you'll have to wonder if I could find you again if I wanted."
"Fair enough," said Misko.
They sat in silence for the rest of the night, and when it was morning, Link contacted Queen Zelda and explained the situation.
"Nice work, Mipha, and Link. You both deserve a medal," said Zelda. "I insist you stop by the Castle before you return home. As for the decision, I hate to let this miscreant loose, but the artifacts are quite unique and precious. I'll reluctantly agree to this person's terms."
"I'll put you on speaker so Misko can hear you, Your Majesty," said Link.
"I give you my word that you will be released if we recover all the stolen artifacts," said Zelda. "Now, I will transfer this call to our head of security so you can inform him of the locations."
Misko gave the locations the items were hidden, and once Link received confirmation that all of the stolen items had been successfully recovered, he stood up.
"You're free to go," said Link. "Until we meet again."
"Which I hope is never," said Misko.
With a bow to Mipha, Misko left the cave, and Mipha and Link watched as Misko disappeared into Hickaly Woods.
"Well, a partial success, I guess," said Link. "It proves my memory is not so bad after all."
"No, not so bad," said Mipha as she reached out, and they embraced. "You remembered our love, after all."
"Once I remembered it, I couldn't forget it, sweetheart," said Link as they kissed several more times. Finally, Link spoke up.
"Shall we hurry to Hyrule Castle and get our medals from Her Majesty?" said Link. "We also need to return these stolen gems we found here."
"Are you ready for some good-natured teasing from Zelda and me? You know we can't resist."
"As ready as I can ever be," laughed Link, and they kissed again.
"We both like to surprise you, sweetheart," laughed Mipha. "It's part of the fun."
"Some things never change," laughed Link, shaking his head. "And you know, I'm kind of glad."
Then they both laughed and began kissing again. Maybe there was no hurry to leave after all.