Chapter 6 - First Impressions
The trio found themselves in a castle basement similar to the one they just left. Only the
decor proved that they weren't in the same place.
"Any of this look familiar to you, Anthony?" asked Mario.
"Not really...wait, one of those tapestries there...it has a pattern I think I recognize."
Anthony took a closer look. "Yes...this triple-pyramid symbol. It looks like the Triforce, the
symbol of the kingdom of Hyrule...uh oh...guys, if THIS is here then were in..."
"YOU THERE, HALT!!!!"
The trio turned towards the source of the voice to find a warrior brandishing a large sword in
his left hand and highly polished shield in his right hand, and with several soldiers behind
him backing him up. Mario and Luigi prepared to fight, but Anthony was first to act...
"WAIT, Link, we come in peace!"
The warrior was stunned by this reply. How did he know his name?
Link walked forward and looked at the intruders, particularly at Anthony. "How did you know my
name, and how did you get in here?"
"Well," answered Anthony, "if you can arrange an audience with Princess Zelda, we will tell you
everything."
"Yeah, right," said Link, suspiciously. "For all I know you could be assassins..."
"Actually, my brother and I are plumbers," piped up Luigi.
"Luigi..." said Anthony with a tone of disdain, "he's NOT going to know what that is in this
world." He then turned back towards Link. "We aren't assassins. Here, you can even take my
sword and whatever else you want to confiscate from us, just arrange an audience with the
Princess."
Link sighed. "Fine," he said, taking Anthony's sword. "Follow me...and DON'T try anything!"
The four of them walked towards the stairs up to the main room of the castle. Mario was
cursing under his breath, and Anthony could sense the actual words being spoken, even though he
was sure they were being spoken in Italian.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Anthony and company finally arranged an audience with Princess Zelda Wayfarer, descendant of
Zorin, after first spending significant time in the dungeons while they had to wait. Anthony
told her and all present about the Arcadian portals and of the events up to when they were
found by Link. Link was having a hard time believing the story, but Zelda...
"Well, Anthony," started Zelda, "you sure picked an odd way to introduce yourselves, breaking
into our castle basement like that."
"Couldn't be helped, unfortunately. The portal leading from Gardenia ended up there. I
apologize for any problems."
"Oh, it's no problem, especially since it looks like Arcadia will be reformed," Zelda said.
"So, this Princess Toadstool told you that in order to revive the Descendancy Powers all the
portals had to be opened."
"Yes, and I am also charged by my government to find out as much as I can about these worlds of
Arcadia, including information about those powers."
"Well, we will be glad to help you in any way we can, Anthony. Or should we call you
Gamemaster?"
"Please don't," said Anthony, with a slightly depressed tone. "I'm not QUITE ready for that
responsibility!"
"Very well then, Anthony. You should probably go to the Kokiri Forest first. The portal that
goes to your world of Earth is there. This should make travel between the three worlds a
little more accessible. In the meantime, I think I should meet with this Princess of Gardenia
so we can get better acquainted. Can one of you escort me there?"
"I'll escort you," said Luigi.
"PRINCESS!" piped up Link. "What are you doing? How can you listen to them?"
"Because, Link, I've learned how to TRUST, something you should learn. Besides, I'm giving you
a chance to get to know them because I want you to accompany them to the Kokiri Forest. After
all, one of your ancestors grew up there, so the people know you."
"WHAT?!? But princess..."
"No buts, Link."
Link looked towards Mario and Anthony with a mean look in his eyes. "Follow me then."
Mario looked towards Anthony as they were walking with Link and whispered, "I think we're going
to be in trouble going with this guy."
"Calm down," Anthony whispered back. "he's just doing his job. He's to Zelda what you are to
Toadstool. He's just watching out for his princess."
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The three of them rode on horseback towards the Kokiri forest. During the ride, Anthony tried
to start up a conversation with Link.
"Listen, Link. I'm sorry for any trouble we've caused. I just want you to know I've been a
fan of your games in my world and..."
"Save the pleasantries, Bault. I still don't quite trust that you are who you say you are.
I'm just escorting you to where the portal is, and after that I intend to part ways."
Anthony sighed at his failure to make piece. He was also shocked at how Link was acting, this
wasn't, EXACTLY, how he expected the hero of Hyrule to act, especially to those that want to
make peace. Anthony could tell Mario felt the same about Link, because he sensed Mario's
thoughts as his mind said "What a JERK!"
They arrived at the entrance to the Kokiri forest, and Mario was shocked at what he saw.
"Eh? I see nothing but kids here. Where are the adults?"
"The Kokiri are forest children, born of the Deku tree." Link explained. "They never grow up
to adult forms, and live their entire lives as children with only their fairies as constant
companions. My ancestor lived here, even though he wasn't Kokiri." He then turned towards a
entrance into deeper forest. "The portal you want is in there, in the Lost Woods. In order to
go through to it, you need to..."
Suddenly the trio heard a scream from the outskirts, and watched in horror as a large group of
muscular creatures started to attack the Kokiri.
"Mobilns!" Anthony and Link yelled in unison as they drew their swords. The three of them
advanced to attack the moblins and protect the Kokiri. Mario managed to grab a couple of the
citizens and jumped to pull them to safety before a moblin's sword crashed down on them. Link
and Anthony were managing to cut down the rest, and Anthony even sent a psionic blast towards a
couple of them.
Suddenly, Link was knocked off his feet by one of the moblins and about to face the business
end of its spear. Before the moblin could attack, however, Anthony used a paralytic psi power
to freeze it in place while Mario jump attacked it to the ground.
"You alright, Link?" asked Anthony as he pulled Link up.
"Yeah, thanks," said Link, as he joined Mario and Anthony in cleaning up the rest of the
mobilns, Link and Anthony with their swords and Mario with the occasional fireball. When the
moblins were no more, the Kokiri thanked them and wished them luck in the Lost Woods.
"Hopefully, we won't have any more problems like that in the Lost Woods," Link said. "Let's
go. Oh, and Anthony, Mario..."
"Yeah, Link?"
"I'm...sorry about how I first treated you guys. Anyone that can beat up moblins like you two
did are alright in my book."
"That's alright, Link." said Anthony. "Now, lets go find that portal."
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The trio made their way through the Lost Woods, letting Link dictate which way to go since one
wrong turn meant magically ending up near the beginning of the woods. Anthony knew how
annoying that was in the games, especially since he's been lost several times in his first
times playing them. Eventually, they arrived at a clearing with a large building overlooking
it.
"Is that the Forest Temple, Link?" asked Anthony.
"Yes, played a game with that in it?"
"Indeed. I think a friend of your ancestor also frequented this spot. Is the portal inside
the Temple?"
"No, its actually ON the Temple. Look there," said Link, as he pointed towards a stone arch
below the entrance.
"Boy, finding these portals are getting easy on this end." Anthony remarked. "Every one is on
a stone arch."
"Probably tact onna the Companions part," remarked Mario. "They probably used magic to
reposition the portals."
"Well Anthony," said Link, "there's the portal. I believe you have you have the key to that
door?"
Anthony nodded and said he did. Asking the two of them to stand back, he let loose another
psionic wave which created a shimmering blue portal. Link looked at it in amazement.
"Link, Mario," Anthony said, trying to regain their attention. "Would you like to visit my
world? Who knows, you might meet other fans of your games, and the look on their faces should
be priceless!"
"Why not?" "Okie dokie!"
The three then entered the portal.
The trio found themselves in a castle basement similar to the one they just left. Only the
decor proved that they weren't in the same place.
"Any of this look familiar to you, Anthony?" asked Mario.
"Not really...wait, one of those tapestries there...it has a pattern I think I recognize."
Anthony took a closer look. "Yes...this triple-pyramid symbol. It looks like the Triforce, the
symbol of the kingdom of Hyrule...uh oh...guys, if THIS is here then were in..."
"YOU THERE, HALT!!!!"
The trio turned towards the source of the voice to find a warrior brandishing a large sword in
his left hand and highly polished shield in his right hand, and with several soldiers behind
him backing him up. Mario and Luigi prepared to fight, but Anthony was first to act...
"WAIT, Link, we come in peace!"
The warrior was stunned by this reply. How did he know his name?
Link walked forward and looked at the intruders, particularly at Anthony. "How did you know my
name, and how did you get in here?"
"Well," answered Anthony, "if you can arrange an audience with Princess Zelda, we will tell you
everything."
"Yeah, right," said Link, suspiciously. "For all I know you could be assassins..."
"Actually, my brother and I are plumbers," piped up Luigi.
"Luigi..." said Anthony with a tone of disdain, "he's NOT going to know what that is in this
world." He then turned back towards Link. "We aren't assassins. Here, you can even take my
sword and whatever else you want to confiscate from us, just arrange an audience with the
Princess."
Link sighed. "Fine," he said, taking Anthony's sword. "Follow me...and DON'T try anything!"
The four of them walked towards the stairs up to the main room of the castle. Mario was
cursing under his breath, and Anthony could sense the actual words being spoken, even though he
was sure they were being spoken in Italian.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Anthony and company finally arranged an audience with Princess Zelda Wayfarer, descendant of
Zorin, after first spending significant time in the dungeons while they had to wait. Anthony
told her and all present about the Arcadian portals and of the events up to when they were
found by Link. Link was having a hard time believing the story, but Zelda...
"Well, Anthony," started Zelda, "you sure picked an odd way to introduce yourselves, breaking
into our castle basement like that."
"Couldn't be helped, unfortunately. The portal leading from Gardenia ended up there. I
apologize for any problems."
"Oh, it's no problem, especially since it looks like Arcadia will be reformed," Zelda said.
"So, this Princess Toadstool told you that in order to revive the Descendancy Powers all the
portals had to be opened."
"Yes, and I am also charged by my government to find out as much as I can about these worlds of
Arcadia, including information about those powers."
"Well, we will be glad to help you in any way we can, Anthony. Or should we call you
Gamemaster?"
"Please don't," said Anthony, with a slightly depressed tone. "I'm not QUITE ready for that
responsibility!"
"Very well then, Anthony. You should probably go to the Kokiri Forest first. The portal that
goes to your world of Earth is there. This should make travel between the three worlds a
little more accessible. In the meantime, I think I should meet with this Princess of Gardenia
so we can get better acquainted. Can one of you escort me there?"
"I'll escort you," said Luigi.
"PRINCESS!" piped up Link. "What are you doing? How can you listen to them?"
"Because, Link, I've learned how to TRUST, something you should learn. Besides, I'm giving you
a chance to get to know them because I want you to accompany them to the Kokiri Forest. After
all, one of your ancestors grew up there, so the people know you."
"WHAT?!? But princess..."
"No buts, Link."
Link looked towards Mario and Anthony with a mean look in his eyes. "Follow me then."
Mario looked towards Anthony as they were walking with Link and whispered, "I think we're going
to be in trouble going with this guy."
"Calm down," Anthony whispered back. "he's just doing his job. He's to Zelda what you are to
Toadstool. He's just watching out for his princess."
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The three of them rode on horseback towards the Kokiri forest. During the ride, Anthony tried
to start up a conversation with Link.
"Listen, Link. I'm sorry for any trouble we've caused. I just want you to know I've been a
fan of your games in my world and..."
"Save the pleasantries, Bault. I still don't quite trust that you are who you say you are.
I'm just escorting you to where the portal is, and after that I intend to part ways."
Anthony sighed at his failure to make piece. He was also shocked at how Link was acting, this
wasn't, EXACTLY, how he expected the hero of Hyrule to act, especially to those that want to
make peace. Anthony could tell Mario felt the same about Link, because he sensed Mario's
thoughts as his mind said "What a JERK!"
They arrived at the entrance to the Kokiri forest, and Mario was shocked at what he saw.
"Eh? I see nothing but kids here. Where are the adults?"
"The Kokiri are forest children, born of the Deku tree." Link explained. "They never grow up
to adult forms, and live their entire lives as children with only their fairies as constant
companions. My ancestor lived here, even though he wasn't Kokiri." He then turned towards a
entrance into deeper forest. "The portal you want is in there, in the Lost Woods. In order to
go through to it, you need to..."
Suddenly the trio heard a scream from the outskirts, and watched in horror as a large group of
muscular creatures started to attack the Kokiri.
"Mobilns!" Anthony and Link yelled in unison as they drew their swords. The three of them
advanced to attack the moblins and protect the Kokiri. Mario managed to grab a couple of the
citizens and jumped to pull them to safety before a moblin's sword crashed down on them. Link
and Anthony were managing to cut down the rest, and Anthony even sent a psionic blast towards a
couple of them.
Suddenly, Link was knocked off his feet by one of the moblins and about to face the business
end of its spear. Before the moblin could attack, however, Anthony used a paralytic psi power
to freeze it in place while Mario jump attacked it to the ground.
"You alright, Link?" asked Anthony as he pulled Link up.
"Yeah, thanks," said Link, as he joined Mario and Anthony in cleaning up the rest of the
mobilns, Link and Anthony with their swords and Mario with the occasional fireball. When the
moblins were no more, the Kokiri thanked them and wished them luck in the Lost Woods.
"Hopefully, we won't have any more problems like that in the Lost Woods," Link said. "Let's
go. Oh, and Anthony, Mario..."
"Yeah, Link?"
"I'm...sorry about how I first treated you guys. Anyone that can beat up moblins like you two
did are alright in my book."
"That's alright, Link." said Anthony. "Now, lets go find that portal."
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The trio made their way through the Lost Woods, letting Link dictate which way to go since one
wrong turn meant magically ending up near the beginning of the woods. Anthony knew how
annoying that was in the games, especially since he's been lost several times in his first
times playing them. Eventually, they arrived at a clearing with a large building overlooking
it.
"Is that the Forest Temple, Link?" asked Anthony.
"Yes, played a game with that in it?"
"Indeed. I think a friend of your ancestor also frequented this spot. Is the portal inside
the Temple?"
"No, its actually ON the Temple. Look there," said Link, as he pointed towards a stone arch
below the entrance.
"Boy, finding these portals are getting easy on this end." Anthony remarked. "Every one is on
a stone arch."
"Probably tact onna the Companions part," remarked Mario. "They probably used magic to
reposition the portals."
"Well Anthony," said Link, "there's the portal. I believe you have you have the key to that
door?"
Anthony nodded and said he did. Asking the two of them to stand back, he let loose another
psionic wave which created a shimmering blue portal. Link looked at it in amazement.
"Link, Mario," Anthony said, trying to regain their attention. "Would you like to visit my
world? Who knows, you might meet other fans of your games, and the look on their faces should
be priceless!"
"Why not?" "Okie dokie!"
The three then entered the portal.