Chapter Eight: Gold Clatters To The Ground
Usagi remained still and Link lowered his head, "Don't worry, Usagi. They'll
pay for what they have done," He assured her.
Usagi slowly shook her head no and winced in pain, "Link, don't hurt them,"
She whispered.
Link looked at her confused, "Shh, don't speak you'll only make it worse for yourself. I promise to come back to you..."
"Hero Of Time," Link looked up startled and was confused when he realized the voice belonged to Sheik.
"Sheik?"
Sheik knelt by Usagi's body and closed his eyes. He made a motion with his hand above Usagi and Link watched amazed as golden light surrounded the two. Sheik stepped away and nodded in approval at what he had done, "Hero Of Time, she should be alright, now. Your fairies will not be able to heal her but if she is hurt that badly again take her to one of the great fairies.
Link nodded and watched Sheik pull out a Deku nut. "Wait! Why did you save her?" Link asked.
Sheik paused and looked like he was about to say something. He shook his head and threw the Deku nut to the ground covering the area in smoke so that he could make his get away.
Link turned to Usagi and was overjoyed to see her eyes flutter open, "Link," She whispered.
Link knelt down beside her, "Usagi, I want you to stay with a friend of mine while I go into the Water Temple."
Usagi frowned, "No, Link I didn't go through the Ice Cavern just to be told I couldn't go with you into a Water Temple."
Link frowned, "Usagi, I just don't want you to get hurt and you can come with me on my next mission, but you have to understand you've just been through a rough experience that could have killed you." Usagi sighed. "Besides," Link continued, "I only have one pair of Iron Boots, the only item that can weigh you down under water," He explained.
"But, Link if those weigh you down under water how will you breathe?" Usagi demanded.
**
Sailor Mars stood frozen staring at the place where Usagi and Link had been before they had vanished. Sailor Mercury was looking for Usagi with her computer and Sailor Jupiter and Sailor Venus were glaring at Mars.
"You could have killed her!" Sailor Venus screamed. Sailor Mars ignored her, and kept her eyes trained on the spot where a pool of blood was.
**
Link smiled at Usagi, "I bought a Zora's tunic when I was a kid. I couldn't use it back then but I can use it now."
Usagi sighed and kissed Link's cheek. "Be careful," She cautioned.
Link smiled at her and brushed her bangs out of her eyes, "Usagi, I have a friend that lives in the house on the hill over there, or if you're feeling adventurous take the giant leaf beside his house and it will take you to the fishing pond."
Usagi's face crinkled into a frown, "Fishing?"
Link nodded, "Maybe if you try hard enough you'll beat my record," He gently teased.
Usagi smiled sadly at him, "Please Link, just don't get hurt." She whispered.
Link smiled and kissed her forehead, "I'll hurry back as soon as I can. I would leave Navi with you but..."
Navi fluttered in front of Usagi, "I'm sorry but I have to go with Link to help him fight. The Great Deku tree ordained this and it shall be so."
Usagi watched Link adorn the Iron boots and the Zora tunic. She watched as he sunk underneath the water and used his hookshot to open the temple door. "Be careful," She whispered softly as he vanished.
**
Sailor Jupiter's eyes were full of anger. "Mars, did Link really brainwash Usagi?"
Sailor Mars looked up her eyes flickering with unreadable emotions. "We need to find Usagi."
Venus raised her hand and pointed at Mars. "Why, so you can try to complete your job of killing her!?" She accused her light blue eyes wild with anger and a tinge of insanity.
**
Usagi sighed, "I have to follow him. I know he'll be mad but if I don't he might get himself hurt... Besides maybe my fuku is waterproof?"
Usagi closed her eyes... "I forgot I don't have my brooch anymore...." She lowered her head and a tear slid down her smooth cheek and hung at the tip of her chin for a moment before slipping off and crashing to the ground. "I have to help him," Usagi said in a sigh,. "Even if it means my death I'll do it for Link."
Usagi turned and strode into the water. She gasped at the coldness but did not have time to adjust to it when a giant colorful spider attacked her. Usagi's first thought was to scream and run, but just as she was about to follow her instincts she remembered the boomerang Link had given her. She stood to her full height and masterfully pulled the boomerang out of its hiding place. She was about to throw it when an impish expression took over her features. "Moon Tiara Action!" She cried while throwing the wooden weapon at the spider. She watched the boomerang glide to it's target and successfully paralyze the spider. Usagi picked up a stick from the ground and howling a war cry attacked the spider.
**
Sailor Mars shook her head but was interrupted by Sailor Mercury, "First, I want to help that king creature. Perhaps he knows where Link could be. Then we'll find Usagi and I'll run a test on her to see if she is indeed brainwashed.
Mars looked up her exotic violet eyes haunted. "Usagi," She whispered as the scene of Usagi throwing herself at Link and in front of the fire replayed in her head.
Usagi wiped a sweat drenched lock of hair out of her vision and grinned at the remains of the spider. She sighed and wielding her stick made her way into the water. She took a deep breath and dived as deep as possible until she entered the gate to the water temple. She wondered just how long she could hold her breath as she entered the place.
**
Sailor Venus led the group out of the room and back into the main part of the cave where the blue fire burned. She frowned in thought. "We don't have a bottle or anything to carry this in!"
Sailor Mercury picked up a giant chunk of ice, "Mars, can you control your fire to produce a small flame to hollow this ice into a bottle or cup of some sort?" she questioned.
Sailor Mars came out of her mild trance and nodded in agreement, "I can do it," She held her hand onto the center of the piece of the ice and concentrated her hand glowed a ghostly red color as she closed her eyes and concentrated on the image of the cup in her mind. "Fire Soul," She whispered. Fire leapt from her hand and hollowed out the ice and formed a ice bottle.
**
Usagi gasped as she finally came to the surface inside of the temple. She took greedy gulps of air before she back underwater and she grinned as she saw Link enter an underwater corridor. She followed him and forced her mind away from her lack of oxygen.
**
Sailor Venus grabbed the bottle from Mars and passed it over the blue flame capturing some of the magical fire inside of the bottle. She smiled slightly. "Lets get this thing to that king then we'll find Usagi!" The others nodded in agreement with her and the group made their way from the Ice Cavern to Zora's Domain.
**
Usagi entered the corridor and made her way to the corner just out of Link's sight. She suppressed a cry of surprise as she saw a gorgeous creature talking to Link. "You're a horrible man making me wait these seven long years," Princess Ruto berated Link. Usagi's face wrinkled in confusion and she listened on. "I've been waiting for you ever since we were engaged."
Usagi paled and she gasped aloud inhaling a large amount of water. Link turned around startled just in time to see Usagi fleeing the scene. "Usagi!" He called out as she left the corridor. He dimly wondered if he should go after her when Princess Ruto spoke and instructed him how to operate the water level switches.
Usagi came to the surface choking and coughing. Tears trailed down her porcelain cheeks and she wiped them away with her hand. She took a deep breath of air before she left the water temple. She came to the land and more tears trailed down her cheek.
"Link, why didn't you tell me you were engaged?" Usagi demanded of the air. "How could I fall in love with someone that is engaged to someone else?" She demanded of herself.
Usagi wiped her tears with the back of her hand and sighed as she looked at her surroundings. "I know the Senshi are still here perhaps I should go back with them. Link obviously doesn't care for me if he didn't tell me he was engaged to that gorgeous..." She paused as she tried to think what exactly that creature with Link reminded her of. "Woman I guess you could say..." She said sadly.
Usagi shook her head and turned to the Water Temple, "Goodbye, Link," She whispered as she unhooked her necklace and dropped it to the ground.
**
Sailor Mars spilled the blue fire onto the red ice and held her eyes as bright light surrounded the area. King Zora shook himself off and stared at the people in front of him. "Thank you for breaking the spell cast upon me by the evil wizard Gannon. In return I will give you four Zora tunics."
Sailor Mars took the offered items, "Do you know where Link could be?"
King Zora put one chubby finger on what Mercury assumed was his chin, "My daughter Princess Ruto went to the Water Temple, I assume Link went to visit her there."
Sailor Jupiter frowned, "Why would Link visit her?"
King Zora looked at her one eye brow slightly raised, "Why would he not want to visit his fiancée?"
Sailor Mercury gasped, "Fiancée??"
King Zora nodded, "They were engaged seven long years ago." The Sailor Senshi thanked him then left the kingdom heading back towards Epona.
**
Usagi ran until she found herself back in Hyrule Field. She noticed Epona in the distance and a familiar cat keeping guard. She sighed deeply and lowering her head walked towards Luna.
Luna looked up startled as Usagi came into view. She was about to yell at the girl when she noticed the heartbroken look on Usagi's face. "Usagi," She whispered in shock as Usagi fell to her knees and began to cry. Luna walked over to Usagi and put one paw on the girl's shoulder.
"Luna," Usagi whispered before hugging the cat close to her. Luna consoled the heartbroken teenager and wondered what had happened.
Sailor Mars gasped as she saw Usagi curled up into a ball hugging Luna. "Usagi, your okay!" She yelled in shock. A tear of relief trailed down her face.
Usagi looked up her crystal blue eyes polluted with pain. "Rei-chan, I know you didn't mean to do what you did earlier..." She said softly.
Usagi set Luna down and walked over to her friends, "Please take me home," She whispered. The Sailor Senshi looked at each other in shock but numbly nodded. Sailor Venus handed Usagi her brooch. Usagi smiled slightly and held the item into the air, "Moon Crystal Power Make Up!" She screamed her inner pain vibrating with each word.
Sailor Moon stood and grabbed Sailor Mars and Sailor Jupiter's hand, "Moon Crystal Power," She whispered.
Sailor Mars nodded, "Mars Star Power!" red light surrounded her while pink light surrounded Sailor Moon.
Sailor Mercury made sure Luna was in the center of her circle before she spoke, "Mercury Star Power!"
Sailor Jupiter trembled with fury and as Mercury was beginning to glow blue her thoughts turned to Link as she wondered what he had done to hurt her friend, "Jupiter Star Power!" She howled. Sailor Jupiter started to glow a vibrant green and her aura was intense with her anger.
Sailor Venus glanced at Sailor Moon and noticed that the golden necklace was gone from her neck. She lowered her head and closed her eyes in concentration, "Venus Star Power!" She began to glow a golden color and the whole group concentrated as they gathered their powers.
"Sailor Teleport!" They chorused. There was a bright flash and the Senshi, and Luna vanished.
Sailor Moon dropped her friend's hands as they returned back to their world. She powered down and without speaking picked up Luna and started her walk home. Sailor Mars detransformed and Rei watched Usagi for a moment. The other sailors detransformed and watched as Usagi walked home without acknowledging their existence.
Minako looked down at the ground and noticed Usagi's most treasured possession the ocarina was lying on the ground abandoned. She picked it up before her friends noticed and sighing made her own way back home.
**
Link came out of the Water Temple shaking with the realization that Princess Ruto had been a sage. He wiped the sweat and blood from his eyes that had occurred after his fight with Morpha. "Usagi?" He called out in confusion as he didn't see her familiar form anywhere. His eyes fell upon the necklace and a sudden chill made him shiver and the hairs on the back of his neck stood on end as he sensed something not right with the situation.
"Usagi??" He called out in desperation. He raced to the scientist's house and prayed that Usagi would be there. He opened the door and looked around his eyes grew wide in panic as he couldn't find her. He left the house and went back into Laky Hylia. "Usagi!" He yelled into the sky.
**
Minako noticed Artemis watching her with worry and she managed a weak smile. "Minako, what happened?"
Minako sighed, "Usagi met someone named Link and I believe she fell in love with him," She whispered.
Artemis frowned at his charge his white tail twitching with his frustration. "She can't have fallen in love she's destined to be with Mamoru."
Minako shook her head in denial, "No, Artemis I believe everyone is entitled to choose their destiny."
Artemis tilted his head to the side, "Then why didn't she stay with this Link fellow?"
Minako sighed sadly, "Because I think she found out that he was engaged."
Artemis frowned at the wistful tone in his friend's voice. "What are you sounding so sad over? With Usagi back here we can continue life normally... What's that?" He demanded as Minako pulled out the ocarina.
"I think that Link loved Usagi."
Artemis frowned at her, "Minako, if he loved her wouldn't he have told her about his engagement?"
"Artemis, he loves her and she loves him. It doesn't matter about his engagement according to King Zora that took place seven years ago, I'm going to get the two back together. After all I am the Sailor Senshi of love."
Artemis sighed in defeat and lowered his head, "I don't have to worry about you learning how to operate that thing you couldn't play an instrument if your life depended on it." He commented dryly. Minako shrieked and hit him over the head with a pillow.
Chibiusa was searching through Usagi's things when the door opened and Usagi entered the room. The young girl froze and waited for the yelling. She was confused when Usagi sank down onto her bed and began to cry. Chibiusa bit her lip as she watched the older girl cry. "Usagi?" She asked.
Usagi ignored her and continued her soft heart rendering sobs. Chibiusa frowned, 'Maybe Mamoru would know how to cheer her up. I'll ask him in the morning,' she thought as she went to her own room and got ready for bed