Word got around the cartridge, and within an hour, rumor had it that characters were dead, the game was deteriorating into nothing, and the world was ending as a whole.
Ganondorf was in a bad mood. If ONE more character got panicky in his face again... He'd be showing a little in-game wrath in the halls.
He was sick of the hearsay, and wanted some information from the source.
He glowered upon hearing some murmuring as he passed. The five Kokiri 'twins' were huddled together, exchanging rumors.
(Play the game, check it out. There's one in the house of twins, one sitting on the shop awning, one in the shop, one near the waterfall pond, and one closer to the training area.)
One broke from the group to approach him.
"Ganondorf, I hear that..."
A seething glare that outdid even his better in-game fury stopped the girl in her tracks.
"I'm sick of hearing it." he said firmly, and walked on.
He crossed paths with Sheik, who looked intent on conversation.
"Don't you start." He growled, and went to bustle his way by.
Sheik stood firmly in his way.
"Where are you going in such a hurry?" Sheik asked.
"To clear up some things."
"Zelda thinks that the Links are sick because they're innately connected with the game itself."
"Really?" Ganondorf replied with interest.
"Is that what you were concerned to know?"
"Mostly I just want some hard facts to stop this gossiping storm." Ganondorf said with now lukewarm anger, gesturing roughly around.
"I understand. Zelda's gone to the know-it-all brothers in the observation room. That's the best place for answers."
"Great. Thanks." Ganondorf said with rough gratitude, and moved on. This time, Sheik didn't bother to stop him. He was on another mission.
Sheik approached the perimeter of the game area. He walked past the entryway and activated a panel in the wall. It folded outward, revealing a small observational apparatus within. It was a connection log between the game and the cartridge itself. The log took a more detailed look at the basic components than the brothers could manage in the observation room. Starting it up, he scoured the inside. The game data itself seemed sound, but something was obviously wrong with the file data. It seemed confined to the files, though. Sheik released a small sigh of relief. At least it didn't seem to be spreading.
Ganondorf briefly popped his disgruntled head into the observation room for information before heading on to the infirmary with purpose. If his best buddy was sick, he would be there to find out what he could do about it. On the way, he milled over his findings in his head. Gameshark data. It was all kind of fishy. But as explainable as a natural disaster within the confines of the cartridge. You could blame it on 'Destructo-child', you could call it a fluke, a virus, or a player attack, but all there was to be known for sure on the inside was that something was wrong. The extremist characters (mostly those who had little to no contact with others, like those Great Fairies) thought of the players as almost deities. If they started rumors, there'd be a crusade. But nobody listened to those wackos. But then again, you never could know, especially during a crisis...
In mid-thought, Ganondorf came upon the Infirmary. Once inside, he looked around in bewildered concern.
All six Links, both the kids and the adults, looked pale as they sat or lay on beds lined up against one wall. Okareena and Okareena jr. looked like they were in comas. Doc was white as a sheet and shaking, while his younger counterpart was sleeping fitfully. Link, also pale, was looking around in half-delirious worry at his woozy younger self and the others.
Link turned, and smiled halfheartedly upon seeing his friend. He tried to stand, but immediately regretted it.
"Gahn...uhwhoa..."
Kotake was there in a flash, urging him to sit back on his bed. He didn't argue, and landed dizzily with a thump.
Koume stuck her head out from around a corner and eyed Ganondorf critically, but said nothing and went back to whatever she was doing. Her twin moved on, also, checking on the Okareenas on her way by.
Ganondorf approached Link.
"How are you feeling?" he asked, mentally stabbing himself for asking such a ridiculous question.
"Nnnhh..." Link groaned in reply, screwing his eyes shut against the spinning room, and hoping the vertigo would stop.
"I went to the Brothers. They say it's only you six who are affected. The game is stable, everyone else is fine."
"Yay for them." Link muttered thickly. "Nobody has any idea what's happening to us." He said with a twinge of fear. He closed his eyes again as his stomach swooped at the fear of the unknown.
With a lack of anything to say that would better the situation, Ganondorf put a comforting hand on Link's shoulder. His long-time friend smiled drowsily at the gesture.
There was a flump nearby as Doc and his junior slumped suddenly, and lay still.
Link and Ganondorf looked on in shock, and then stared wordlessly as the alert went up.
Attention. System powered on. ....t.....ry..o......