The Legend of Zelda: The Return
Chapter 26
"I still don't like this," Rue says darkly.
"So you keep reminding me," I reply, rolling my eyes. "Every time you see me. And you haven't left my side." She frowns at my flippant tone. I sigh. "Rue, I'll be fine. All right? Just fine. Nothing's going to happen, and if something does, Hunter and Jinni and I are more than prepared to deal with it, all right?" I reach up and scratch my head, momentarily surprised by the lack of a hat before I remember that I've traded in my usual forest garb for a set of black riding leathers at Jinni's insistence. She said something about me being too recognizable. So she bullied me into putting these on and covering up the hilt of the Master Sword.
And she took my hat.
She better not have done anything to it.
I happen to be very fond of that hat.
"Speaking of Jinni, are you sure it's wise to be taking her along?" Rue asks.
"Rue, hardly anything I do is wise, all right?" I say. "That's Zelda's department, and Zelda's been captured. So, all things considered, I'm sure it's not wise to be taking Jinni along, but my gut tells me that it'll work out. And my gut's not wrong very often."
"Naturally. There are two things men think with," Rue mutters. "Their stomachs, and their –"
"Don't finish that," I say with a frown. She smirks at me.
"Yes, highness," she says. I growl at her.
"Name, Rue. I have a name. Let's say it together shall we? Link! That's my name. It's only one syllable. That's it." I raise an eyebrow at her. "You can handle that right? One syllable? Shouldn't be too hard." She growls back at me.
"If you weren't the King I'd beat you," she says.
"And for once the title comes in handy," I mutter under my breath, shielding my eyes from the sun as we step out of the fortress.
"Hey, Link!" Hunter shouts, waving at us from where he and Jinni stand. "You're late!"
"Usually am," I reply with a grin. I break into a jog which Rue matches easily and run up to them. I scratch my head (once again momentarily surprised by the lack of a hat) and look at Hunter. "Has, uh . . . has Neesha . . ." He shakes his head.
"Nope," he says. "Sorry Link. Haven't seen her since you guys . . ." He casts a sidelong glance at Rue and Jinni. "Since yesterday." He finishes. I sigh.
"Guess she's really mad at me," I say. Hunter says something under his breath that I don't catch and I frown at him. "What was that?" I ask.
"Uh, nothing," he says. "Nothing important." He looks at my new garb and grins widely. "Nice to see you in something other than green," he comments. "This outfit's a little easier on my eyes." I punch him.
"How come you didn't have to change?" I demand, eyeing his bodysuit. "It's not like you don't stand out." He shoves me in retaliation.
"Because there's more than one Sheikah who looks like me," he replied. "But as far as I know there's only one guy who goes running around Hyrule pretending he's a Kokiri."
I grin widely.
You know what?
He just threw the fact that I'm not a Kokiri in my face . . .
And it didn't even phase me.
I laugh and he grins at me.
"Maybe you should wear black more often," He says. "Seems to have made you a little happier than usual." I shake my head.
"It's not the clothes," I say with a grin. "Trust me. Speaking of clothes," I turn to Jinni. "What did you do with my hat?"
"I threw it out," she says flatly.
"What?" I cry, panicking. Hunter rolls his eyes.
"Relax, Link," he says. "I took it from her before she could and put it with the rest of your stuff in my room. No worries."
"Thank the goddesses," I mutter, shooting a dark glare at Jinni, who avoids my gaze and shrugs.
Hoo boy . . .
Definitely gonna be a long couple of days.
"So what's our battle plan, here?" Hunter asks.
"We're going to hit Kakariko first," I say. "The Sheikah should have sorted themselves out by now, right?" Hunter nods. "So we'll fill them in and get them on their way to Lake Hylia."
"Why Lake Hylia?" Jinni demands with a frown. "Why not here?"
"Because it's not just the Sheikah coming," I answer. "After the Sheikah we'll hit Goron City and then Zora's Domain and get them on their way. The Goron and the Sheikah might be able to handle the desert, but the Zoras would die. Kakariko and Goron City are too close to Castletown to be of any use to us, and if we try and take the Gorons to Zora's River, then they'll die. They can't swim. They can't even float. So the only other place that's far enough way, and big enough to hold everyone is Lake Hylia. So to Lake Hylia we go."
"Makes sense," Hunter says.
"So why are we still here?" Jinni asks. "Why haven't we left yet?"
"I . . . uh . . . because . . ." I pause. Hunter raises an eyebrow at me.
"Still waiting for Neesha, Link?" He asks. Rue frowns ever so slightly and I shake my head.
"No," I say quickly. "Of course not. If she doesn't want to come and say goodbye then neither do I. Let's get this show on the road." Muttering darkly to myself I reach into my pouch and pull out the Ocarina of Time.
"Hey, this'll work right?" Hunter asks, suddenly nervous. "I mean . . . you've done this with other people before, right?"
"Nope," I say brightly. "Just me and Navi. But it should work. What's the worst that could happen?" Hunter's face darkens as he considers the implications of that. Jinni's expression doesn't change. "Just make sure you're touching me somewhere and it should be fine." Hunter and Jinni both put their hands on my back and I set the Ocarina of Time to my lips.
"Jinni!" Rue barks as I start to play. "Your life for his, understand? If he doesn't come back I'll be holding you responsible. And I'll not be so lenient as he." I roll my eyes as the last few notes of the Nocturne of Shadow fade into the air and we're swept up in a sea of color and light. When the light fades we're standing on the ledge overlooking the Graveyard at Kakariko Village.
Hunter's grin is at its widest.
"Finally!" He says with a relieved sigh. "I'm out of that goddess forsaken pile of sand and back home, where I belong." Jinni's mouth twitches down into a frown at this. "Come on!" Hunter cries, climbing up the fence and leaping over it easily. I start to follow, but Jinni stops me.
"Me first, Highness," she says flatly. I cross my arms and frown but give no further protest.
This is gonna get old real fast . . .
Maybe appointing her as bodyguard wasn't such a hot idea after all . . .
Jinni leaps the fence with a single jump, but instead of hearing the soft thump that would tell me she's landed safely I hear a string of explosive curses from both her and Hunter.
"Dammit, Sheikah!" She growls. "Why didn't you move?"
"Get off me!" Hunter snarls. Frowning darkly I climb the fence and jump down, landing beside them as they disentangle themselves.
"What happened?" I demand. Hunter picks himself up and stares at the tombstone behind us in shock.
"Something's wrong," he says. I glance over at it as I offer Jinni a hand up (a hand she ignores).
"What?" I ask. "It looks the same as always." I take my hand back as Jinni picks herself up and brushes herself off. Hunter walks up to the tombstone and trances the runes carved into the bottom of it with a dark frown.
"What does this mean," he mutters to himself. "I know what this means . . . what is it?" I raise an eyebrow at him.
"Maybe if you'd paid more attention during class . . ."
"A fact for which I'm kicking myself now, I assure you," Hunter answers, staring at the runes in concentration. I frown.
Something really is wrong . . .
"What is it? What do they say?"
"They're . . . a warning," he says. "They weren't here before. They're recent. Something's gone wrong. This . . . it means . . ." His eyes widen as understanding suddenly dawns in his eyes. "Oh crap," he says, whirling around to face us. "We have to leave! Now!"
"What?" I ask. "What is it? What does it mean?"
"There are no friends here," Hunter says hurriedly. "Those runes are carved in warning. There's nothing here but enemies. We have to go."
"But how?" I demand. "This is the Sheikahs' home. There shouldn't be anything but friends he–"
I'm cut off by the sounds of guttural shouting behind me. We whirl around with a gasp and Jinni rips her scimitars out of their sheaths.
Sweet merciful crap!
Moblins! There's Moblins in Kakariko!
"Link! Get us out of here!" Hunter shouts.
I set my Ocarina to my lips and start playing but I only manage three notes when Jinni suddenly decides that Moblins are too close to risk them getting any closer and takes off.
"Jinni!" I cry, shoving my Ocarina into my pouch. "Goddess dammit! Hunter! Let's go!" Our swords clear their sheaths at the same time and we leap into battle after Jinni.
Well . . . Hunter leaps . . .
I get one leg off the ground when a rope descends around me and I'm suddenly jerked backwards onto the ground, my arms pinned to my side and my sword falling just out of my reach. I look up from my upside down position and meet the lopsided, toothy grin of a Moblin.
Great.
Just great.
I struggle against the rope, trying desperately to reach my sword.
"Highness!" Jinni calls. A blur of red flies over me and the Moblin goes down with a grunt. Jinni drops to one knee beside me and slips her scimitar under the rope, cutting through it.
"Thought you could take care of yourself," she says flatly. I mutter something darkly under my breath as I grab my sword, and twist around and to my feet. My eyes widen when I spot the Moblin shaped shadow looming up behind Jinni.
"Watch . . .!" Too late. It wraps it's tree trunk arms around her and squeezes. She gasps and struggles furiously. "Jinni!" I start forward but more ropes descend out of nowhere and I'm suddenly jerked towards the ground again. "Let . . . go!" I cry between gritted teeth. Hunter suddenly lands on top of me – well what do you know. He's tied up to. He glares at me out of the corner of his eye.
"'Relax, Hunter!'" He quotes me darkly. "'It'll be fine, Hunter! What could go wrong, Hunter?'"
The Moblins surround us and I give up struggling.
"Shut up, Hunter," I say flatly.
xxx
"Hey!" I shout, throwing myself against the door just as it shuts in our face. "Where are you taking her? Bring her back!" I throw myself into it again but it doesn't budge. "Damn . . ." I step back from the door and rub my shoulder, turning to look at Hunter. "What are we going to do now?" I demand. "We've been captured by Moblins and they took our weapons and Jinni somewhere!" He scratches his head.
"On the upside we're not in the desert anymore," he says. I stare at him.
"That's the best upside you can come up with?" I cry. He thinks some more.
"They didn't recognize us," he adds. "That's on the upside too." I stare at him for a moment more then shake my head. "What?" He demands.
"Nevermind," I say. "We have to get out of here."
"And just how are you planning on doing that?" He demands. I frown and cast a look around, taking in our surroundings. We're in a building filled to the brim with people, bustling here and there and pretty much ignoring us as they go about their tasks. There are Zoras and Gorons and Hylians and the odd Sheikah. Looks like some kind of kitchen setup. Apparently we've been added to the kitchen slaves. And at the head of the kitchen slaves, directing the melee with shouts and threats and curses . . .
Hunter's and my eyes widen simultaneously . . .
"Bruiser!" I cry at the same time as Hunter goes:
"Dad!"
We break into a run and leap at the startled Archery Shop Owner, tackling him together and knocking him over. The three of us go down in a heap . . .
xxx
I hand the plate over to Hunter from my soapy hands.
"And that's the story to date," I say. Bruiser's face is dark.
"Wait a minute," he says. "You two took on Detsu together?"
"Uh . . . yes," I confirm.
"And you fought him in the Quisrol?" He demands.
"Uh-oh," Hunter says, wincing as he dries another dish.
"You went into the Quisrol together?"
"Uh . . . yes," I say, focusing on the plate in my hands suddenly.
"And neither one of you are eighteen?" He cries, his voice getting louder with every word.
"Uh . . . uh . . . uh . . ."
SMACK!
He cuffs us both on the back of the head.
"Ow!"
He launches into a very long, very loud lecture about tradition and respect and rules . . .
Hunter and I just blush right to the tips of our pointed ears and keep washing dishes as Bruiser rants.
"On the upside," I whisper to Hunter as I hand a plate over to him, "at least we don't have to suffer through these lectures on our own anymore." He flashes me a grin.
"True enough," he says.
Bruiser growls at us.
"Have you two heard a word I just said?" He demands.
"One or two," I tell him with a crooked grin.
"Here or there," Hunter adds. He stares at us for a moment, then shakes his head and sighs.
"You know, there's a reason I never told you two about each other," he says. "Because I knew you'd insist on meeting each other. And if you ever met you two would spend your days raising more Hell than you and Sheik ever managed to pull off." He crosses his arms and glares at us. "At least Sheik would hold either of you back. You two just seem to encourage each other to get into trouble."
"What are cousins for?" Hunter asks with a wide grin.
"Speaking of Sheik," I say, slowly. "Is, uh . . . is she all right?" Bruiser's face turns serious and he nods.
"As well as can be," he answers. "Unhappy and miserable, but she's not dead." I breathe a sigh of relief, echoed by Hunter.
"And the rest of them?" Hunter asks. "Impa? Is Impa all right?"
"Ha," Bruiser says. "Like any of those Moblins could ever touch Impa. She's fine. The rest of the sages are fine." He looks at me. "It's a bit harder on Saria than on the others, but she's a trooper."
"And Malon?" I ask. He blinks in surprise.
"Malon's here!" He says. I drop my dish and it crashes loudly, cracking into several pieces. The Moblins guarding the door look up at us and growl and I hurriedly begin picking the pieces up.
"She's here?" I demand. "In Kakariko?"
"She was taken along with the rest of us here," he gestures at the others in the room, "to work." He raises an eyebrow at me. "That's not quite the reaction I was expecting." I break his gaze and turn back to washing the dishes.
"I, uh . . . Zelda and I . . . I just thought I'd have a bit more time is all," I say finally. "Before having to break up with her. I mean . . . this isn't exactly the best time to be dumping this on her."
"So don't," Hunter suggests. "It's gone this long, it can wait a little longer, right?" I shake my head miserably.
"I can't do that to her," I say. "Malon's one of my best friends. I can't lead her on like that. It's not . . . it's not right. And it's not fair."
"Malon's a tough girl," Bruiser says, slapping my back. "She deserves more credit than you're giving her. Besides," he adds, scratching his chin, "she and Zelda were assigned to the same duties back at the palace, and I'm pretty sure you were a frequent topic of conversation . . ."
Oh man . . .
Of all the emotions people are capable of feeling . . .
I think dread is one of the worst of them.
It's heavy and oppressive and makes you want to just die rather than face what's coming, because as bad as death is, what's coming is worse . . .
Hunter was right.
This really is going to be a miserable trip.
"Where, uh . . . where is she now?" I ask, hoping I don't sound as meek as I think I do.
"She's been assigned to Vicea's lodgings," Bruiser answers. "Probably the same place they took your Gerudo friend."
"Friend is such a strong word," Hunter says with a frown. I elbow him in the ribs.
"You're just bitter because she landed on you," I reply.
"Common sense would tell you to look before you jump over a fence after someone," he replies.
"It would tell you to move out of the way when someone's jumping down after you, too," I point out.
"Yeah well," he says. "That's beside the point."
"I thought it was the point," I say.
"Not anymore, 'cause I'm changing the subject," Hunter replies easily. "How are we gonna get out of here?" We look over at Bruiser who rubs his head and sighs heavily.
"Impossible," he says. "At least to get everyone out. There's too many Moblins and not enough of us. However, there might be a chance for a few of you to get out. Specifically I'm thinking the two of you, Malon, and what's-her-face."
"Jinni," I supply, then frown. "What about you?"
"I'll stay," he answers, his expression unchanging. Hunter turns around.
"Dad, you can't," he argues. "You have to come with us." Bruiser shakes his head.
"No," he says flatly. "The less of you there are, the better your odds of getting out. Besides, someone has to take care of the rest of these slackers," he gestures again at everyone else in the room, "and so far I'm the only one who's stepped up for the job." Hunter frowns, suddenly looking upset.
"Dad, I'm not leaving you here," he says. "Bad enough I've spent the last two months wondering if you're all right, I'm not going to spend another two doing the same!" Bruiser's eyes narrow.
"I must be imagining things," he says. "Why does it sound like my own son's giving me lip?"
"It's not lip, Dad, it's a statement of fact," Hunter says angrily. "I've spent the past two months sitting back and watching helplessly as people I love get taken, or hurt, or killed, or a thousand other unpleasant things. And now I finally manage to get one of them back, and you're telling me to just leave?" He clenches his fists and glares at Bruiser. "I won't do it, Dad. I won't!"
Farore . . .
He looks like he might cry . . .
I had no idea how much he'd been affected by this . . . I've been so wrapped up in my own hurt and confusion I didn't even notice his . . .
I suddenly feel very small, and very selfish.
"Don't talk to me about losing people you love!" Bruiser cries, then abruptly lowers his voice when the Moblins glower over at us again. He glares at Hunter. "I lost your mother to the Moblins, Hunter. I'm not going to let them have you too. You're getting out of here if I have to knock you out and tie you to Link's back."
"If you stay," Hunter says flatly, trying to keep his emotions in check, "I stay."
Sweet merciful Din, he's got guts . . .
Not many people could stand up to Bruiser like that . . .
Bruiser's eyes narrow and he draws himself up to his full height.
Aw man . . . Hunter's gonna die . . .
"Bruiser," I say quietly, distracting him from Hunter. "Please . . . Hunter's right . . . we can't just leave you . . . you can't ask us that."
"I'm not asking," he says darkly. I frown at him.
"You can't tell us that, either," I reply. "Our friends are getting picked off, one by one. Dark Link's been whittling us down to nothing. Right now we're down to three. Me, Hunter and Neesha, and Neesha's not even talking to me at the moment, so it's more like two and a half. We can't just leave you here if we can get you out."
"Why are you being so stubborn about this?" Hunter demands. "One more person isn't going to make a difference. Fine, we can't take everyone else, I understand that, but I don't understand why we can't take you."
"It's called responsibility," Bruiser growls. "You two have a responsibility to each other and to the rest of your friends and allies who are out and free. You have a responsibility to keep yourselves alive long enough to get the rest of us out when you can."
"So we'll start by getting you out," I interrupt.
"I have a responsibility to the people still captured," Bruiser says, glaring at me. "I can't just leave them. Most of these people haven't got a clue how to defend themselves, and sooner or later they're going to have to. They're going to need help, boys. And I'm it." Hunter's looking desperate now.
"But . . . what about us?" He demands. "We need you too." Bruiser's face loses some of its angry tint.
"Hunter–"
"Never mind," Hunter says suddenly, spinning around and focusing on the dishes again. "I'm sorry I brought it up." I stare at him in concern.
"Hunter . . ." I try.
"Just . . . forget it, Link," he says, shaking his head. "Just . . . forget it." I open my mouth again but Bruiser shakes his head and pushes himself to his feet.
"I'll be back in a bit," he says. "We'll . . . finish this later." He moves off through the crowd, shouting orders and oaths more fervently than before.
Probably taking out some of his frustrations . . .
Hunter and I continue washing dishes in silence for a moment.
The speed at which Hunter works increases exponentially for a moment, until . . .
"Why is he being so selfish about this?" Hunter demands, slamming a plate down onto the pile. He turns around and glares at me, his teeth clenched furiously. "Why is he . . . why won't he . . ." He shakes his head and turns back to the dishes, drying them off again at a furious pace. I struggle to keep washing them fast enough that he doesn't run out and start turning his anger on other things. "He's . . . he's copping out! That's what he's doing! He's taking the easy way out! He'll stay here, perfectly content with the knowledge that we're free and safe, and meanwhile we'll have to sit and stew and wonder where he is, and if he's safe or even still breathing anymore! It's selfish, and cowardly, and . . . and . . ." He clutches the rag in a white knuckled grip, his breathing rough and ragged and his whole body trembling.
"Hunter? Are you okay?" I ask softly, surprised and taken off-guard. He shakes his head. A few drops fall on his hand. I can't tell if it's from the sink, or if he's crying . . .
"Link . . . I just . . . maybe you can't understand . . . you know what happened to your parents. Maybe it wasn't happy, but at least you know. I didn't." He looks at me suddenly and it becomes painfully obvious to me that the water wasn't from the sink. "Do you have any idea what it's done to me? Wondering for two months if he's all right? If he's even breathing anymore? If I'm an orphan or not?" He turns back to the plates. "Half the reason it was so easy to decide to go into the Quisrol after you when I didn't even know you was because I didn't know if Dad would even be able to be there for my Quisros so it didn't seem like such a big deal. The not knowing has been killing me, and now I know that he's okay, and he's telling me I have to go back to wondering again . . . I can't do it, Link. I can't." I pick up another plate and continue washing in the tense silence for a moment.
"You know what's funny?" I ask, setting the plate down and scratching my hatless head in sudden realization. Hunter blinks and looks up at me in surprise.
"What?" He asks.
This is way off topic . . .
But . . .
"Of everything we told Bruiser . . . everything from I'm actually your long lost brother's – who's not so lost anymore, just crazy and homicidal and possessed – son, to I'm the King of the Gerudo, and you're the Ambassador from the Sheikah . . . . even after all of that . . . the one thing he decides to comment on is that we broke the rules of the Quisrol." I look up thoughtfully. "And then he lectured us on it. Like he didn't even hear the rest of it."
Hunter stares at me incredulously.
I look at him out of the corner of my eye.
His lip twitches.
I grin at him.
He starts to laugh and after a moment I join him.
He flashes me a thankful smile and we settle back down to doing the dishes.
It probably didn't solve anything for him except calming him down some . . .
He still looks upset and angry . . .
But at least we're not doing the dishes at hyper speed anymore . . .
The companionable silence is broken however, by the arrival of a new Moblin at the door. He grunts something at his compatriots and they in turn move into the room and start rounding us up and shoving us out the door.
"Where's Bruiser?" I hiss, trying to twist around and look for him. A Moblin jabs me with its crude spear. I wince and turn back around.
"Relax, kid," says a gruff voice from behind me. "I'm right here."
"Dad, what's going on?" Hunter asks, his voice terse. Bruiser shrugs and frowns darkly.
"I don't know," He answers. "But it's probably not going to be good."
xxx
A Brief Interlude
Rue leaned up against the door frame of the training center and watched as the child threw herself at the punching bag with all the fervor of a Red trying to prove herself worthy of the White.
The King is right about one thing, she thought to herself. She won't be a child much longer . . . In a few month's time Neesha would turn thirteen and would be granted her Rite of Passage mission. It won't take her long to reach the red when she does. Even though she was only twelve Neesha could out-fight most of the Purple – even those with twice her age and experience. What she lacked in discipline, she made up for with sheer ability. Neesha had the possibility to be the best fighter the Fortress had seen since Natalia had left.
With the exception of Link . . .
His fighting was careless and more often than not haphazard . . .
But he had an insane kind of luck that at times seemed to border on divine intervention . . .
Neesha threw herself at the punching bag with a shouted battle cry. Her fist struck the bag and she sagged against it, panting for breath.
"I think that's enough for the day, little one," Rue said. Neesha gasped and looked up in surprise.
"R–Rue!" She said. She straightened abruptly and stood at attention. "I . . . do you need something?" She frowned suddenly. "I finished my punishment! I'm allowed to be here." She hesitated. "I . . . right?"
"You've done nothing wrong, Neesha," Rue said, then raised an eyebrow. "Yet anyway. Or is there something you're not telling me?"
"No! Not at all!" She insisted, shaking her head fervently. "I haven't! I swear! Why?" She demanded suddenly, her eyes narrowing. "Did someone say . . ."
"No, no, nothing like that," Rue said, turning around and gesturing for her to follow. "I just want to talk to you for a moment." Neesha followed – nervously. For a moment they walked and no sound was made.
"With . . . with all due respect, Rue, what did you want to talk about?" Neesha asked for a moment.
For a split second Rue wondered if this was a good idea.
He was impatient, and so was she.
He was impetuous and so was she.
He was temperamental and so was she.
But . . . he didn't exactly leave her many other options.
"I have a job for you, Neesha," Rue said. "A very important one."