Holy crap... it was so incredibly hard to write this chapter, and you can probably really tell. I think Senkel's going through some writer's block... Damn.

Considering how turbulent the last 12 hours of his life had been, Danté walked with quite a spring in his step as he climbed the stairs of West Clock Town. He was filled with the same excitement he had felt when he had first seen the town light shining on the horizon. The late morning sun was shining on him, and the air had a touch of chill, but was also somewhat humid. The early morning market bustle had cleared up to give way to pleasure walkers and postmen, and children played, unafraid, in the streets. The overall effect filled Danté with such a feeling that, before he had left the Zoras, he'd felt only when he'd played his guitar for hours. Now, as he wandered the streets, taking in all the smiles and laughter and different faces, he felt he had never been better off. He had a pleasant home, his best friend as his hostess, and he lived in a wonderful city.

All he needed now was work.

All around him, men and women were calling to him about their various wares. He almost didn't know where to look. At every side they were there, drawing his attention, if not vocally then with their bright, welcoming signs. He wondered if the whole town was this way. He looked about him, and saw something odd... a sign over an enormous gateway. He made his way to it, and saw a sign beside it.

This way to Terminian Waters

'Forgive me if I'm mistaken, but that is where you are from, is it not?'

Danté jumped, and turned to his right side. There, a town guard was just coming out of the shadows of the gate. Danté wondered how he hadn't even seen him before. Not wanting to seem rude, he spluttered a quick 'yes'. The guard smiled.

'Ah, a lovely place, the Ocean. I've seen it only once. I was just a child.'

'Uh... that's nice.' said Danté, a bit awkwardly. He hadn't expected conversation from the townsfolk this quickly. The guard looked around before leaning forward slightly, beckoning Danté closer with one finger. Danté obliged.

'I saw what you did last night, son. Saving that girl.' Danté felt an odd cross between fear and pride. 'I just thought I'd tell you that what that girl does, her job, that's illegal. She could be arrested for that.' At these words, Dant's blood ran cold. 'I haven't said anything to her yet, though,' continued the guard, 'because I know it's all she's got. All she has going for her. I've seen where you two live. Not exactly a nice place. I just hope that you're going to do something about her life. Why, you wonder? Because now that job is NOT all she has. So you'd better do your duty and help her, young man. Because if I see her around here again doing what she does, I won't hold my tongue.' The guard leaned back again, and smiled as big as before. 'The weather IS lovely, isn't it?'

'Uh... yes, yes it is.'

'Well, best be on your way...?'

'Danté.'

'On your way, Danté, or you'll never get anything done today! So long.' The guard then gave a hearty laugh.

Danté turned and walked away as quickly as he could without seeming out of place.

'Sorry, nothing here, son. If you'd come maybe a week or two ago...'

'Well, I've got one position left, but it involves a shower room floor, soap, and a toothbrush.'

'Yes, I've got something... tell me, do you enjoy life-threatening encounters with rabid Wolfos in enclosed spaces? Oh, what am I saying, who doesn't??'

Danté was beginning to lose any hope of finding any employment in this town. Most of the answers were the same, but occasionally he came across one or two that he had to bite his tongue so as not to laugh in their faces. Even the postal office didn't need any help. The postman seemed a bit off his rocker to Danté, so he didn't really mind that so much.

As Danté wandered the streets, his hope the main casualty of the morning, he found himself at a place called the laundry pool. He looked down into the water for a moment, and within seconds his trousers and cape lay abandoned on the grass as he sank into the water. He hadn't been totally underwater since he'd left the ocean, and he'd felt the effect in his general temperament. He'd been more tired, less energetic, and felt generally dehydrated. As he slid further into the water, it was like the difference between night and day. Almost instantly he felt alive again. He rested his head against the brick wall and closed his eyes as he let himself float on the surface of the water. Danté didn't know how long he'd floated there, but his eyes were brought sharply open by the sound of a shrill shriek. He immediately turned to see a woman covering her face with an open red umbrella.

'S-sorry!' she stammered. 'I- I didn't mean to-'

Danté could almost see the steam rising from his face as he scrambled to dress.

'No, no, I'm sorry, I- I lost track of time. I didn't... uh...'

She tentatively lowered the umbrella halfway down her face. He could see she had red hair, just slightly edged with gray and big blue eyes. She couldn't have been older than forty years old.

'I'm Anju.' Without lowering the umbrella any further, she mechanically thrust a widespread hand out, as if afraid he might actually shake it. He did, and smiled kindly at her. She was obviously still somewhat startled at finding a blue man floating in her laundry water.

'Danté.' He smiled more widely. 'You can put that umbrella down, Anju, I don't bite.'

She examined him again a moment before slowly closing the umbrella. Once she'd done this, he could see she was wearing a white button up, long- sleeve blouse with purple embroidery around the neckline, sleeve hems and bottom edge of the blouse. Her skirt was a wispy, light-looking three- quarter-length purple wrap, with white embroidery in the same jagged patterns as the purple on the blouse around the bottom hem. Purple open-toe high-heel shoes finished the color-coordinated look, and showed her to be a woman of high standing. She was a very attractive woman, even in her age, and she seemed to have deemed Danté as somewhat safe, as she was inching her way closer so as to reach the water. He stepped back and held his arms toward the water, inviting her to help herself. She did so quite quickly, kneeling by the water and opening up her bundle of clothing.

'Do you mind if I have a seat?' he asked, indicating the grass beside her. She shook her head, but said nothing. He took this as permission granted, and sat down cross-legged by the water.

'So, Anju, was it?'

'Mm-hmm. You're... Danny?' She continued washing as she spoke.

'Um, no, Danté. Have you lived here long?'

'Used to live here.'

'...oh. Um.. why did you leave?'

'I got married. He lived with his parents and I lived in just a small room, so we decided to get a whole new place of our own. We moved to the farming land out past Milk Road.'

Danté decided he'd just pretend he knew where that was.

'That's nice... do you run a farm, or just live in the area?'

By now she had finished on what seemed to be her clothing, and was now washing a man's shirt.

'We've got a ranch. It used to be run by the family that founded it, but the girls that used to run it must've gotten sick of the farming life; they practically gave it to us. I don't know where they are now... our daughter enjoys the ranch life, though. Adores horses. Do you like horses, Danny?'

'It's Danté, Miss. And yes, I think they're very nice.' Danté wondered if he could find work with this Anju woman. After all, what ranch couldn't use a bit of help here and there, right? And she seemed kind enough... a bit slow in the mind, or maybe just a bad listener, but kind just the same.

'Uh... pardon the intrusion, but do you, by chance, need any help around your ranch, Ms Anju? I just came to Clock Town, and haven't had much luck finding work, so...'

He waited hopefully. She paused in her washing, and seemed to size him up for a moment.

'Well... we could use some help with the deliveries we make to town...' Dant's excitement rose. 'We always make them in the middle of the night, so there are fewer rotten folk waiting around town to jump our wagon before we can get the milk safely inside the bar... but the trip is still rather dangerous for our daughter... My husband used to go with her, but it's just getting to be too much for him to stay out so late and do so much around the ranch, too... Well, Danny, if you're looking to work, come down to the ranch tonight for 5:30 to drive the wagon to town with my daughter and husband. You won't have to do much, so don't worry. We just need you to sit there and look imposing so that people don't touch the wagon. I imagine a man on the wagon will be a bit more intimidating than just our girl, and she could use the company anyway... there aren't many people way out where we live, and the wagon trips can get lonely. We make our usual deliveries every Tuesday and Thursday, but we'll try you out just for tonight and talk about it from there. If you do well, we'll hire you as a regular. If we decide to hire you, you stay overnight at the ranch after the deliveries and we give you a ride back to town in the morning. Sound alright to you?'

Danté was trying very hard not to jump up and dance. He had a work trial, and the job wasn't even all that difficult! Just ride a wagon four times a week, and he'd even get a look at some of the world around the town as well.

'It sounds fantastic to me.'

'Good.' She smiled in a way that made him feel he was her son

'I'll see you at 5:30, then, Ms Anju?' he asked as he stood, anxious to tell Telia the good news.

'Absolutely, Danny.'

'Um... Danté.'

'What?'

'Never mind.'

'A job? At a ranch?' She looked doubtful. 'Danté, are you sure you want to? I mean, you don't have to if you don't want to... I make enough for both of us to get by.'

'I don't deny you do, Telia, but it's getting to be too hard on you. I can see it. You don't need to be out at crazy hours of the night to feed me when I can support us just fine myself.'

She didn't seem convinced, but didn't say anything else. She simply pursed her lips and crossed her arms in a way that reminded Danté of his mother. He didn't want to tell her about the guard he'd seen that afternoon. He didn't quite know why - he just knew he didn't want her to know about it. Maybe it would embarrass her to know that someone had been watching her. Maybe it would upset her. Still, it didn't matter. All that mattered was that she stopped working. Even if maybe she now made more than he would with his potential job, he didn't want her in danger anymore. He'd find a way to make it up.

'Oh! I almost forgot to tell you!' said Telia, her mood changing instantly from black to white. 'A few friends of mine will be coming to visit tonight... I've told them all about you, and they want to meet you. They're about ready to disown me; I haven't let them come by in ages because I didn't want them to disturb you.'

'But... Telia, my job tryout is tonight... I just told you.'

She smiled. 'I know. They want to meet you so badly, and if you're not around the first time they've come here in seven weeks, it will up your mystique! None of them have ever met a Zora before. You're going to be diary-worthy material, I guarantee it.' He chuckled as she giggled slightly and headed to the bathroom. 'I'm in the bath. If you have to go during the next half hour, you'll just have to hop around for a while until I'm done.'

He laughed and went to his bedroom. He needed to catch some sleep before going to his work trial. He wanted to be at his best.

Through the wall, he could hear Telia humming happily in the next room as the tub filled. Her tune was somewhat off-key.

He couldn't help but smile. It was the perfect lullaby.