A Hyrule Historian
Chapter III
It's Dangerous to Go Alone
I had officially been in Hyrule for 3 days now, and I think I was handling it well. Thankfully, there were enough odd jobs on the ranch to keep me busy for the most part. It was nice to have the monotony of manual labor to help keep my hands busy while my mind buzzed with all of the information I had gathered in these first few days.
I now had a little leather-bound notebook, courtesy of Parcy, which really helped me with not thinking about how I was technically stuck in another dimension with no way to ever get home. I decided to use the first couple dozen pages to write down all of the info and meanings of my Tarot deck. I still had a good handle on all 78 cards right now, seeing as this had been one of my side hustles for the past couple years, but I knew that there was a chance that wouldn't be the case forever. I had my cards in their little velvet pouch in my purse when I played the Eclipse Game, so thankfully they had made it over here with me, but I hadn't thought it necessary to bring my tarot book with me, so I would have to settle for my hand written notes on the various meanings and my preferred spreads. With those notes completed, I had decided to write down all of the Zelda related songs for the ocarina that I could.
It was a nice afternoon, not too hot but not too windy to write. I was sitting on the bench in the corral with Parcy. I was busy writing down my notes, while Parcy seemed to be spending her time watching Ramona leading the horses back to the stable. The wooden awning above us was kindly keeping the sun off of our skin as we relaxed. It was peaceful, if not a little boring.
That was a good description of the past few days, wasn't it? Peaceful, but boring. I should be grateful to not have had any run ins with monster or the like, but I really felt a bit stir crazy just sitting here. There is a whole world out there, one full of history that the games had really only ever hinted at. I know I need to prepare myself as best I can to face whatever is out there, but I couldn't help but feel impatient at my own hesitance. I wanna go now!
It hasn't helped that I really can't get much information from the immediate area surrounding the Ranch. In fact, the majority of the things I had learned were from a lack of notable sights from the game. So far I had become increasingly concerned about the lack of:
1. Sheikah towers. Though that could be attributed to Link not being awake yet. So that was pretty easily explained and was actually a little helpful, considering it gave me a general timeline for this.
2. Sheikah Shrines. This was a bit more confusing. From the flashbacks in the game it was pretty apparent that the shrines were clearly visible long before Link could actually use them. But, the one that should be somewhere around here is nowhere to be found.
3. My phone. Okay, so this one wasn't really that concerning. But, when I went back up to the hill and couldn't find it, I had an unfortunate thought of maybe a Bokoblin using my phone kinda made me sad. Maybe, a Poe stole it. That did actually make me feel a little better. That Poe probably deserves some good solitaire time.
4. The Guardians. Now, this one had some conflicting emotions attached to it. I was at first relieved to not see those nightmares so close to our little safe haven, but then the weight of the situation hit me. Because, those things should be everywhere. I had a very good view of the ruins of Hyrule Castle and the town around it and I could not see a single Guardian. So now I was a bit paranoid, mostly because I worried that maybe they were somehow invisible and I could not emotionally handle that.
And, that was mostly it. So, over the past few days my confidence in knowing what game I was in was more than a little shaken. Because really, the absence of Sheikah technology mixed with the presence of Lon Lon Ranch and monsters such as Stalchildren made for some conflicting data.
I was startled out of my thoughts by a light tug on one of my curls, making it bounce up in recoil. The accompanying comment of, "You okay, Alien?" made me look up to Parcy next to me. She looked concerned, obviously guessing that something was worrying me at the moment. The visible concern and usage of my new nickname that the two girls had started made me slightly more than a little embarrassed. It was the first time I had ever really had a nickname. Well… that is to say, a nickname that wasn't people trying to pick on me. I was 5'8" by the time I was out of primary school, so I was a rather easy target for bullies. It took me a long time to gain any kind of comfort with my height. Whatever. That's the past.
"Something on your mind? You stopped writing." Parcy continued when I didn't immediately answer. I could feel my face get noticeably warmer at the comment. I hadn't realized she had been paying that much attention to me.
"Oh. Um. Not really. Well, I mean yes. I was thinking about the differences I've noticed between this world and the one from the Legend." I rambled nervously, grateful, at least, that I had already talked to her about the "Legends" from our world about this one. It was much easier to talk to them without having to worry about keeping up any lies about where I was from and all of that. In fact, everyone at the ranch seemed very interested in any of the stories I have told them so far. We had even begun a nightly ritual of eating dinner together and sharing stories or sometimes even reading Tarot for the various inhabitants. It was nice. While I couldn't say I was exceptionally close with any of them, after all it had only been 3 days since I arrived, but everyone seemed really nice here. Maybe, since they were all technically part of the service industry, functioning as an inn for travelers and all that, it was just their form of customer service. But, could I really be called a customer? I've only had to work for my stay, even then it was nothing exceptionally hard, the music store I worked at had me lifting heavier boxes than they did here, and they would even pay me for card readings.
So, I guess whatever the reason it was nice here.
"But, how do you know the differences in this world from your stories if you have barely been outside this stable? The real world can be far different than the one people talk about." Parcy chuckled good-naturedly. She was right of course.
"I know that, and trust me- I want to get out there and see it for myself so terribly, but it's not like I have the supplies or skills to do so. No map, compass, food, weapons, or enough money to purchase said goods, I'm kinda dead in the water. I'm working on it though. I'll figure out a way. It's only a matter of time." I explained a tinge whinier than I had intended. It got a chuckle out of Parcy and a snort from Ramona, who had decided to come over when she heard us chatting, so it was fine.
"Where will you go first, once you start travelling? Maybe, to the mystical forest that your Hero is from?" Ramona goaded playfully. Which, in all fairness I probably deserved. I had just started to tell them about the events of Ocarina of Time and Ramona had already picked up on the fact that I cared a great deal more for the characters of it than some of the other games. She had even called me out on it right before we parted ways last night, her to be the night lookout and me to sleep in her bed. Her comment of, "It's sweet, the way you talk about them, almost like they're old friends instead of heroes of legend," had flustered me all the way to bed. It was embarrassing that someone who had only known me for a few days could clock me like that, but it was true I guess. I had spent so much time obsessing over that game growing up that in a weird way it did feel like a childhood friend.
I considered the question seriously, though. Where would I go first? The Lost Woods, like she had guessed, were actually a pretty bad idea. I know what happens to adults who wander in there and it was not high on my list to become a Stalfos, even if I did want to see the Great Deku Tree terribly. That's my tree dad after all. If not there…
"Probably Kakariko Village. It's the smartest and safest bet I think I could go for starting out. Besides, if I go there, maybe they have a way I could get up onto the Great Plateau." I mused allowed, happily letting myself consider the adventure to be had.
"Why do you want to go to the Great Plateau?" Parcy asked so swiftly that I almost didn't comprehend the question being asked. Why did I… Oh!
"You know the legend I started to tell you last night? Well, supposedly, there is a place up there that's really important to it... important to me. Even if it's barely there, I still want to see it, at least once." I said wistfully, because that was it. If I could go anywhere, see anything, it would have to be the Temple of Time. It was so important to me as a kid. Even, if this one looked a bit different and was in quite a state of disrepair, I still had to see it for myself.
Ramona shot Parcy a suspiciously conspiratorial grin, to which Parcy only shot back a confused one. I could feel my hackles rise with panic, unsure what all this meant.
"Well, we may not have any way to get you up the Plateau, if there is a way to get up there it's been lost to the ages, but we might be able to help you achieve that first part a little sooner…" Ramona said with a smooth sort of glide in her voice. I was still a bit on edge, every nerve in my body screaming that she was planning something and I had no way of knowing if it was going to be detrimental to me.
I chanced taking my eyes of Ramona for a second to see what Parcy's reaction to the statement. She seemed, rather cutely, confused for the most part, the gears spinning in her head almost visible from the look on her face. The confusion quickly shifted as the metaphorical light bulb lit up above her head in understanding in its place a large much less scheming smile instead.
"Okay…" I offer up suspiciously.
"Well, you see… Once a week, good ol' Parcy here accompanies me on the milk delivery to one of our four distribution stables across Hyrule, and it just so happens that the day after tomorrow, we are heading to the Dueling Peaks Stable!" Ramona gestured grandly as she dramatically voiced her thoughts.
Parcy chuckled before adding, "It would only add a day or so to our trip if we swung up to Kakariko Village. That is if you wanted to come with?"
The suspicion that had dug deep into my bones melted to warm gooey gratefulness.
"I would love that thank you so- Wait. Parcy you go too? Parcy do you work here?" I ask in confusion. I knew Parcy was a more permanent resident here, but I hadn't ever seen her doing work here, just going out to adventure and coming back by nightfall.
"Oh, not really no. They just hire me to protect Ramona on the weekly milk runs. The roads are usually pretty quite, especially if you're on them during the day, but every now and then some monsters make camp a bit too close and Ramona can't out run them with the wagon full of milk. So, they figured they could use some muscle." She explained while flexing her arms for comedic effect.
"Oh. Cool. Makes sense." I nod, "Well, then, I would love to come with the two of you! Thanks so so much for inviting me." I cheer, excited at the prospect of getting to travel.
"Yay! This will be fun! I haven't been to Kakariko in so long!" Ramona clapped her hands excitedly, "Oh! I'll go let my father know that you'll be coming with." With a bounce to her step she runs off.
"She seems really excited." I comment quietly to myself.
"Yeah. She gets like this. The combination of going somewhere that isn't here and the fact that she wont have to leave her new friend is pretty big for her." Parcy mused from besides me.
Friend? They already think of me as a friend? Or, I guess, Parcy didn't include herself, so… Ramona thinks of me as a friend? I smiled, only slightly embarrassed. I guess that wouldn't be bad though. A road trip with friends.
Sounds nice.
Time seemed to pass in an instant and before I knew it a whole day had passed and Ramona and Parcy were waking me up just before sun up to prepare to set out. I was always a pretty easy riser in the morning, too many years of anxiety nightmares for me to be too good at sleeping, but this morning it felt like I was up and out of bed before I was even fully awake. We were going to have to ride with little stopping for the whole day in order to make it to the Dueling Peaks Stable before sun down. We spent the majority of the day before going over what to expect on the journey. What to do if we saw monsters, what formation we would be riding in, where we would be stopping, going over the map, and other such necessities were the focus… Well, that and showing me how to get on and off a horse. Specifically, Epona.
Right, that was a thing now. Once Timon, Ramona's father, had seen her cozying up to someone that wasn't just his daughter, he had been more than a bit shocked. The short Mario looking man had been swayed to change his opinion on the horse, even letting us go so far to name her. The now officially dubbed Epona was comparatively nicer to the other workers, but that really only meant that she hadn't tried to bite anyone now that she was getting her music fix. It did mean that the only condition Timon had when it came to me going on this trip was that I took Epona with me. I couldn't say I wasn't thrilled at the thought of getting to go on a small adventure with the horse of my dreams, that was until I remembered I had never been on a horse in my entire life.
Just a small thing like that.
But none of that mattered right now. Because, it was time to set off on an adventure. I was already set up on Epona with the basic needs readily available to me: some fruit if I needed a snack, a wooden post to smack monsters with if they came to close to the cart, and lets not forget the Magic fucking Bottle that kept it's contents at the same temperature that they originally up in as. No wonder the bottles in the game were such a big deal. I would also covet magic refrigerator bottles. Mine was only filled with water for the journey, but still that was cool as shit.
Ramona and Parcy came out to join me soon enough, Parcy first on a horse of her own, and Ramona after in her horse drawn, covered wagon full of milk. With a few tips on posture and some rather futile words on how to control your horse, we were off as the sun rose.
Hyrule field was truly a divine sight. I had been worried about the large chance that I was going to be mind-numbingly bored while we travelled, coming from a world where you sped down highways or flew to travel any kind of distance. I was pleasantly surprised that it didn't feel the same at all. Maybe it was the fact that I wasn't cooped up in a tiny compartment for god knows how long, but most likely it was from the truly breath taking views Hyrule had to offer.
I had lived many places in my life. But even the French countryside hadn't prepared me for this. In fairness though, that probably had more to do with the fact that I haven't lived in France since I was like 6, so I can only barely remember anything about it.
The road that we were taking was not much more than a well-trodden dirt path that had maybe at one time long ago been outlined in bricks. We passed by a beautiful river, a babbling brook if you will, and many fields of wildflowers. Meadows long ignored and left to invade any space that they could reach. In the distance, through the early morning mist, I could make out the shapes of mountains. It was a land so untouched by humans that it really had an unexplainable sense of fairytale wonder to it.
The path we were on did have a rather long detour around a light density forest of what might have been apple trees or dogwood trees or both… neither? Who knows? But despite the picturesque light filtering through the trees, I was promptly informed that I shouldn't blindly trust any kind of wooded areas, as they were a particular favorite hiding spot for bokoblins and chuchus. I couldn't say I minded taking the scenic route, after all it gave us the optimum lunch picnic stop, the base of The Great Plateau.
It was sometime around midday when our path curved enough that The Great Plateau was no longer obscured by the trees. It was honestly even more breathtaking in real life than it was in the game. Huge ancient pillars and archways decorated the impossibly tall cliffs. No mountain hike could have prepared me for the presence of this massive feat of architecture. Just seeing this incredibly impressive monument to Hylian architecture made me both desperately want to see what was on top and also go see what the Lanayru Promenade looked like in person. The architecture must be similar after all. It did strike me how much this sight really gave credence to the theory that this was Ocarina of Time's Castle Town picked up and switched with the Lost Woods. It was very clearly a fortress structure that had been forcibly removed and placed here. The real question was why though. Maybe, since I was here now, I could find historical texts about this.
We eventually found a rather decorative column that mostly reached the ground to stop by and unpack our picnic lunch. I made the executive decision to eat while standing and surveying the massive pillar instead of sitting on the blanket with Ramona and Parcy. Ostensibly, it was so I could spend as much time as possible looking into the ancient architecture, but in actuality I just wasn't sure if my incredibly sore ass and thighs would be able to handle sitting and standing back up again. Riding a horse takes a lot more out of you than I thought.
The pain did make me regret the decision to wear my outfit from home for the trip. The light fabric of the flowing pants were not as cushioned as one would hope for while having their legs stretched out across a horse's back. But, I was no stranger to muscle pain, years of track, weightlifting, and boxing made the burn familiar and I knew with enough time I wouldn't have this same problem.
I just wished the ache would subside faster. I also wished I had brought a bottle of ibuprofen. I hope one of the inconsistencies from this world and Breath of the Wild is the existence of Red Potions. I doubt eating food is going to give me the sweet medical relief that a potion of modern medicine would provide.
Well, no use dwelling on things I can't change, that's for middle of the night panics attacks are for. And hey, I do have things that are nice to have here, like my Tarot deck, the large round sunglasses that have been a blessing in the bright daytime hours, heck I even had a small collection of makeup that had made a home in my bag over the years. Small comforts of home really made a difference in this case I think. Also, it was fun to draw stupid little hearts underneath my eyes and make up different stories about why I do it. I didn't even want to begin to try and explain what an E-girl was to them, let alone why I specifically started doing my makeup this way because fuck anyone who tries to shame girls for wanting to be cute.
Soon enough our sandwiches were gone and a good deal of the apples we had packed as well. With an amount of clumsiness that would have thoroughly embarrassed my childhood gymnastics teacher, I miraculously made it up into Epona's saddle.
The next few hours were similar to the first few of the day, the sights just as mystical and friendly conversation came and went with much more ease than it rightfully should have. They told me stories of their past trips. I told them of more "legends" I had of this world.
By the time the sky was noticeably changing color, signifying the oncoming night, we had officially made it to the gap between the Dueling Peaks. The peaks truly were a geological wonder. Had we been back home they absolutely would have been one of the Seven Wonders of the World. I wonder what event could have split them in two like this. The further into the mountain we got the darker and more surreal the path seemed to get. Looking straight up the cracked cliffs gave such a strong sense of vertigo that it almost made me feel like I was going to fall right off Epona's back.
I was just getting over one of these dizzy spells when I heard Parcy quietly call for our attention.
"Ramona. Lazarie. Stop." She waved at us to further get our attention. We both pulled back on our reigns quietly until we came to a stop, with Epona only backing up a few paces because of my pulling back for too long.
We both sent her questioning glances, noting her tense posture and grip on her sword. I anxiously pat around until I can feel the wooden post strapped onto the saddle behind me. I tried to remember what enemies that were found in this gap between the peaks. There was a camp of bokoblins, right. Which bank were they on though? North? South? Oh shit. Were there Octorocks in the river too? Those assholes were everywhere in the game. We really haven't run into that many monsters yet. Shit.
"Looks like a small camp of Bokoblins. We'll need to just try and get past them swiftly. Lazarie, you go first, get Epona to run as fast as you can straight through the center. Hopefully that will confuse them long enough to let Ramona get the wagon through the camp as well. Hit any on them you can with the post. I'll take up the back and keep them from following. Okay?" She whispers intensely.
We nod in confirmation, "How do I make Epona run?" I panic realizing there isn't just a button to press to go faster. In movies and stuff they just kick them or hit their butt right? But I don't want to be mean to Epona, she's a good girl.
"Crack the reins, push you heels into her sides, and then press tightly with your thighs to let her know she needs to keep going." Ramona quietly offers trying to smile encouragingly.
I nod my head along with her instructions and hope that the insecurity and panic aren't apparent on my face.
By the looks they're giving me I'm fairly certain I failed.
"Okay Epona, we gotta go fast alright?" I whisper as I try to position myself to hold the wooden post and her reins at the same time, "Please don't buck me off." With a steadying breath, I kick once at her sides and snap the reins. I try to squeeze her with my legs and thighs, which all together gets her to go at a fast trot. I was fast approaching the outcropping of rocks that hid whatever camp Parcy had seen from my view but I knew I would need to go faster if Parcy's plan was going to work.
I give Epona a firmer kick than before, still terrified of hurting her, she's such a big animal but I still would rather be gentle with her. Squeezing as tight as my sore legs could she finally takes off. Running in a full sprint we pass the rocks and are immediately amidst the bokoblins. We're going to fast for me to count how many there are, but Epona seems to understand that we are being rough and tumble kind of girls so she tramples some of them without question. I hold out the post and manage to smack one of these upsetting goblin babies across the face, unfortunately causing me to loose my grip of the post.
Within seconds I'm already past the camp heading towards the other side of the mountains, the wooden post merely a dream of the past. I turn my head to look at the chaos behind me. As according to the plan, Ramona and the wagon were already making their way through the screaming rage filled mess of a camp. Her horse and the wheels of the wagon crushing more of the bokoblins that were in the way. I tried to steer Epona to run closer to the river and slow so the wagon could reach us. I had moderate success in my endeavor. I manage to get Epona to splash around the shallow bank of the river, out of the way maybe a bit too much, but we end up slowing down so much the wagon passes us.
As I try to get Epona to move faster again, me flicking the reins and squeezing her sides seem to get the message across, I do manage to get an amazing glance of Parcy, sword drawn and silhouetted against the setting sun, galloping after us felling any bokoblin that tries to follow us with such ease it was apparent she had years of sword fighting experience.
We didn't slow down until we had fully exited the mountain and were certain that no one was following us anymore. By that time, it was well and truly night time and the only light around were the stars and the soft lantern light of the Dueling Peaks Stable, maybe half a mile away.
"That was mildly thrilling." I remarked a little out of breath from how fast my heart was still beating. I have been in a couple real fights within my life, never mind how many fake and practice fights I'd been in for boxing, but they never made me quite this anxious. Maybe, because they had only happened when I had been incredibly furious, one when a grown ass adult was trying to grope what looked like a preteen girl at a comic convention and the other when I happened to stumble upon a Neo-Nazi shouting filth outside a mall. While the two that I have been in since coming to Hyrule have been with monsters that entire intention is to kill.
I guess that was it. Back home when I fought it was against figurative monsters. Humans who believed that they were allowed to treat other people horrifically and not have to pay for their actions. But that's not been the case here. Here there are monsters. Creatures that would mindlessly play their part in bringing about the end of the world and all life as we know it. Creatures that wouldn't think twice about killing me. That don't care about any repercussions to their actions.
It scared me. Nine years of boxing and two real fights didn't mean shit when you average enemy had swords or claws and were looking for blood. It really just drove home the fact that I needed to learn how to use a sword A.S.A.P.
The Dueling Peaks Stable had always been one of my favorites. Maybe it's because it was the first one I ever came across in the game or because it seemed like it was the homiest of all of them. Whatever the case may be, it was nice to be within the somewhat familiar tent. We ate a simple dinner of some kind of hearty beef stew and bread and were now winding down from the day in the safety of the tent. Ramona and Parcy were entertaining the to children, Shibo and Darton, while I made a show of reading the Rumor Mill book at the small table. The two girls were obviously very familiar with the young boys and Ramon especially seemed to easily be able to distract them with overly dramatic tales of wonder from around Hyrule. I was grateful to not be obligated to join in because, while I didn't mind children in concept, I was rather bad at taking care of them and it made me uncomfortable.
Instead, I let Ramona's voice drown out to a fuzzy part of the back of my mind as I idly trace the Hylian script on the page in front of me. That was a strange revelation for me come to think of it. The morning after I first arrived in Hyrule I had taken one look at the large sign above the entrance that read "Welcome to Lon Lon Ranch" and promptly had to sit down to process the fact that I could read the Hylian script as easy as I could English or French. That left some huge questions to be answered, because before I came here I was able to do that. Sure, I spent a lot of time deciphering the Hylian, Sheikah, and Gerudo text within the games but I always had a cipher someone else had made for that. I could never just read it. Did that mean I could read the other languages? Did a part of my brain change when I did the ritual? There were so many possibilities and no readily available answers.
Speaking of questions without answers, I now had more evidence to file in the "this is probably Breath of the Wild but also I am concerned" category. While the lay of the land was almost exact to the game, there were still no Guardians or Sheikah Shrines in sight. The meadow just behind the stable, the one that should be littered with dead Guardian shells, the one where Link died and Zelda awakened, was completely empty. There wasn't a single Guardian in sight. Then there was the shrine-less pond across from the stable. While she might have been able to pass off the missing Riverside Shrine as her forgetting the location, there was no way she was mistaken about this one. It just wasn't there. But, Breath of the Wild is almost completely about the Sheikah technology in it. So where was it?
Hopefully, Kakariko Village might contain some answers.
The morning came swiftly and we were off to Kakariko bright and early. We left the wagon and the horse pulling it at the stable to both let them rest, but also not have the cumbersome wagon on the narrow mountain trail.
I had originally thought that Ramona might just ride the horse up, but she wanted to let him rest after a day's hard work. Instead, she merely hoped up behind Parcy with practiced ease. Now that we weren't on official ranch business, she had changed into a more casual outfit, not more ridiculous hat. The simple dress and ever present hibiscus flower in her hair made her all the more reminiscent of Marin.
The trail was beautiful as ever. The tall mountains encapsulating us with their smooth grey stone sometimes blocking out anything but the sky, and other time opening up and showing us gorgeous valleys of green hills and flowers.
We all had a definite air of giddiness surrounding us. Our giggles and chatter making the rather empty road seem so much livelier than it was.
"Oh! And when we get there you'll have to try this food that they make, there are these little fried pancakes shaped like fish! They're filled with red bean paste or sometimes custard. They're so yummy! You have to try them." Ramona joyfully explained to me obviously wanting to gesture wildly but hand to occupied by being wrapped around Parcy's waist.
"Ramona tried to eat her weight in them the last time we went." Parcy gleefully added, causing said girl to flush and bury her head in Parcy's back. Ramona then proceeded to lightly run her fingers across Parcy's sides and abdomen causing the girl to twitch and giggle uncontrollably. The three of us settled comfortably into quiet chuckles as we took in more of our surroundings.
As my eyes wandered back to my companions I noticed the cute position the two had settled into. Ramona was still loosely clutching Parcy's waist, while resting her chin on the other girl's shoulder. Parcy seemed to be leaning back casually into the embrace with one hand on the reins and the other softly cupping Ramona's. It was incredibly sweet and seemed so natural between the two of them. They must be really close.
Wait…
Oh!
Oh!
Oh my god! They're lesbians, Harold! Okay, calm the fuck down, Lazarie. They could be just friends. It ain't none of your business, young lady. But, also consider if they aren't straight maybe more people aren't and also I won't be the only Bi in this place. Until this very moment, I hadn't really realized that this was a concern for me. I knew that the idea I had of Hyrule wasn't very straight centered, but I also knew that a lot of people over the years have had kind of alarmingly straight thoughts about it. I couldn't help but have just a little bit of hope that something so important to me might not be as inherently biased against me.
I guess time will tell.
We didn't make much more conversation on our way up, but it didn't feel as awkward as it could have been. The silence was peaceful and still charged with excitement. There was just no need to fill it.
We rode nonstop up the trail, though to be fair it was only just past midday by the time we got to the gates of Kakariko Village. The sight was breathtaking. Unlike the game, the entrance gates were a long stretch of tightly placed Torii, the red wood beautifully carved with Hylian characters instead of Japanese. I've never been to Japan or a Shinto shrine before so I had never seen one in person before, but they were just as beautiful as I had imagined. It was such an unexpected but incredibly welcomed sight.
We had to dismount our horses and lead them one by one, apparently there would be a place to board them right inside the village. But it only made walking through the corridor of gates so much more magical.
After the gates, there was a long stone staircase up to the village proper. Flowers and trees meticulously placed and manicured made what would have otherwise been a plain path, dream-like in nature. I could hear the girls chuckling behind me, though whether it was at me or each other I couldn't fathom. I could bare to take my eyes of the scenery to check. I didn't want to miss a single detail.
Though the staircase was long, it was actually a rather fast walk to the top of the hill and before I knew it we were at the top. The valley stretched out, waterfalls, rivers, and tall mountain peaks forming not only most of the perimeter but also the layout of the village itself. It looked strikingly different from the game, despite the presence of many pagoda styled buildings. There were two things that really struck me however. There was a large windmill on top of one of the large hills, it's top raising up above the peaks to better catch the mountain winds. Then, even from over vantage point far away from it, in the center of the town was a well.
My heart nearly beat out of my chest at the sight of those familiar but different sights. I knew that moment I would need to go take a closer look at them.
Once we had set up the horses for the night, we made our way through Kakariko. There were more buildings than Breath of the Wild, and surprisingly many of them were actually very old looking ranch styled homes. The extreme difference in architecture was shocking but so seamlessly integrated that it was obvious that these buildings were built around each other possibly hundreds of years apart. But it was more than just the building that didn't follow the streamline of the games. People out and about enjoying their days, but most of them didn't look Sheikah at all; that and the fact that most all of them weren't wearing the distinct Sheikah clothing style or anything with the symbol on it at all. This was a much more diverse Kakariko Village than Breath of the Wild. It was almost reminiscent of Ocarina of Time.
I had to actively remind myself not to run towards the town center like a maniac. Curiosity fueling my tired legs better than any energy drink I ever downed in desperation did. Eventually, the three of us made in to the center of the town, where I had spotted the well. There was a large very official looking building that almost matched Impa's house to the finest detail from the game. There wasn't a goddess statue and spring in the middle though. Instead there was that well, with a it's little wooden roof keeping the sun off of it. From where I was standing I could see that it had a plaque on it, but I was still to far to read it.
"Lazarie, are you okay?" I'm not certain if Parcy or Ramona asked. In fact, if I tried to recall our trip down here, I believe both of them have asked this question multiple times now.
"Yeah. Um. Well." I state as I slowly approach the small plaque on the well. I can feel my arms and legs trembling, but in this moment it doesn't matter, because I am just about close enough to read the etched words on the shiny metal surface.
"Well, Holy Shit." Comes from somewhere behind me, but I don't pay it any attention even though my brain flags that something is off about the exclamation. The only thing that matters is that little plaque.
"One of these things is not like the others-," a smooth, smug to the point of almost being sinister voice sang out from behind me. That did catch my attention, that familiar song of countless people's childhoods; a song that is so out of place in this world without television or Sesame Street.
In wonder, I slowly turn around to look at the singer. At the bottom of the stair to what's is definitely Impa's house, is a teenage girl. She's visually intense to look at, her mixture of sewage green and banana yellow hair, her rather revealing and almost too bondage-y to be considered Goth outfit, and the many tattoos and piercings on display making her against all odds very strikingly attractive in an intimidating way. But, most telling is the Cheshire grin stretched across her face, manic and vicious in a mockery of the normally friendly gesture. As we make eye contact her smile gets impossibly wider as she opens her mouth,
"One of these things just doesn't belong."
Notes:
Oh man! I've been so excited to get here. There are so many revelations to be had in Kakariko and it's one of my favorite locations from any Zelda game. I loved Kakariko in Breath of the Wild but I will admit I was a little sad to not see some of the familiar landmarks from Ocarina to so I'm here to amend that!
Thanks so much for the review and new favs and followers! I get really excited whenever I see any messages especially.
As always please leave me and questions of comment or anything in the reviews. I'd love to hear what you guys are thinking.
Thanks for reading!
