Mask Madness

Chapter 9: We're where?

"No..."

The heat radiated from the spreading flames of the fire, making her feel as if she were actually being engulfed in its fury.

"No, not again... It can't..."

She stood petrified, watching people dash out of their precious homes as they screamed out to each other, their faces scarlet and lit up by the blazing monstrosity. Out of tune with the screaming, a deep, billowing laugh erupted from behind like the sound of a whip cracking on someone's back. Zelda quickly turned around to spot a hovering figure in the smoke-covered sky, and screamed, screamed as her subjects did all around her.

Zelda sat up abruptly in her bed, breathing heavily. She glanced around the room, then closed her eyes to focus and relax, 'It was just a nightmare...' She opened her eyes slightly, 'Well, that and a terrible memory...' She clenched her eyes shut and shook her head, 'No more! I must forget about it. It's done and over with, and will not happen again...'

Elsewhere

Creak. Ganondorf froze, then thought to himself in frustration, "Damn! What is with these floors? He sighed, then slowly continued his way down the hall. Then he turned around a corner, and continued down yet another stairway.

'Almost there...' "Pika..." Ganondorf's eyes widened, and he quickly faced the noise. He saw Pikachu coming up the stairs, carrying something in his mouth. The gerudo backed up into the shadows, watching Pikachu cautiously. As the pokemon came closer, he saw that Pikachu was holding a large chunk of cheese in his mouth.

Ganondorf looked up at the roof in irritation and continued to wait for Pikachu to leave. Unfortunately, Pikachu sat down on the carpet and took the cheese out of his mouth. Ganondorf grinded his teeth as Pikachu happily took a bite. He chewed it slowly, savoring the flavor as the gerudo only barely managed to stop himself from pulling out what hair he had left in frustration.

Finally, quietly and carefully, Pikachu stuck the cheese back into his mouth, glanced around, and disappeared around the far corner. Ganondorf then continued his way in the opposite direction, and neared his destination.

At the sight of a certain door, Ganondorf smiled, 'Finally...' He carefully opened the door, then entered the room. Even though it was dark, this room was probably the brightest out of all the others in the mansion. As the white walls surrounded Ganondorf, the gerudo stared at the hylian sleeping in one of the many beds.

Ganondorf shut the door behind him, then brought out the necklace of the golden thief. With the golden stone shining, he unlatched the necklace, then lowered it down toward Link's neck. As Ganondorf reached around the back of Link's neck to latch up the necklace, one of the front metal spikes scratched Link's skin.

"Aaahhh!" Link woke up immediately to the horrible burning sensation on the front of his neck, sitting upright and pulling away the piece of jewelry. Ganondorf cussed as he went to catch the necklace, and Link looked at him through watery, slanted eyes.

"What the --?"

Ganondorf growled and pounced, pinning Link to the bed and lowering the necklace to his neck once again. Link struggled furiously, kicking, hitting, and twisting around in Ganondorf's grasp. The door flew open and slammed against the wall.

"Link!"

"Get off of him!"

Zelda, Roy and Marth rushed over to the bed as the necklace latched into place. Link screamed in blinding pain as all of the spikes dug into his skin, burning him, stabbing him, draining him, and, stealing from him... As Link desperately tried to rip the necklace off, the rest of the Smashers came into the room in small groups, all worried and confused.

Zelda attempted to near Link, but he was too hysterical. Falco and Fox rounded on Ganondorf, yelling, "Take it off!" NOW!" A golden light appeared in Link's chest, and gradually made it's way up to the shoulders.

"What's going on?" "What's wrong?" "What's happening?" The Smashers stood around nervously, eager to help but not knowing how. Zelda was crying, desperately trying to make Link's pain go away.

She screamed, "He's had enough! Let him go, Ganondorf!"

He smirked, "Don't worry, it'll be over soon."

The golden light traveled even higher, until finally it reached the point where the necklace grappled Link's skin, the points now spilling a little blood. The golden light faded into the necklace, Ganondorf's eyes glittering as he watched it make progress. When the golden, triangular stone on the front of the necklace flared brightly, Link stopped screaming, thinking, 'Is it over...? The pain's finally gone, but, I feel... I feel weak... Something's wrong... Something's missing... Why do I feel so empty...?'

Link collapsed onto the ground, groaning, wrapping his arms around his chest. As everyone stood in shock, Ganondorf walked over to the fallen hero. His movement, however, triggered everyone else's.

"Get away from him!" Zelda jumped between Link and Ganondorf as Samus jumped onto the gerudo's back. Angered, Ganondorf threw out his arms and blasted everyone back, slamming them into the walls of the room.

He then quickly kneeled down next to Link, who was shivering on the ground now, and unlatched the necklace. Ganondorf tucked the necklace into his pocket, then lifted Link by the collar as the Smashers recovered.

Link gasped as many of the room's occupants narrowed their eyes. Ganondorf smiled at them, "Now, don't move or I will kill Link." He snorted, then added, "Easily."

'It shouldn't be like this...' thought Zelda as she sadly watched Link struggle in Ganondorf's grasp, though it wasn't even much of one... Ganondorf took out the luphira stone and held it out, causing it to reflect the moonlight. As he began to chant, however, the stone began to glow with its own source.

The Smashers watched in anticipation as a vortex appeared on the floor below the stone, shining blue as it swirled around. Ganondorf stopped chanting, then smirked at his audience, "Goodbye. I have a land to rule." he tossed Link onto the ground like a rag doll, then jumped down into the portal.

Before anyone could do anything, a wind picked up out of nowhere, and began to drag them into the shrinking portal. "Hey!" shouted Ness. "Woah!" yelped Marth. "Make it stop!" screeched Peach.

They tried to hold onto something or each other, but the wind was too strong. Beds and tables scraped the floor as they were pulled toward the portal. The Smashers screamed as they were sucked into the vortex, and disappeared from the world they knew in a flash of light. They all fell through a tunnel of colors, images blurring together. Eventually, the end could be seen, and they all fell through, falling out of a sky and landing hard on a stretch of grass.

Most of them groaned as they regained their footing. Marth rubbed his head as he looked around blearily, "Where are we...?"

"No way!" Many of the Smashers turned their attention to Young Link, who was looking around with wide eyes. The field stretched on in all directions, stopping only at a small river on the right and at a moat straight ahead, where there was a large stone wall. In the far distance behind the wall was a large white castle. "We're in Hyrule!"

Falco gaped, "Wait, so we're in the medieval times?"

Young Link nodded absently, and Falco frowned, "Damn! I can't use a sword!"

"But why are we here?" asked Samus.

Zelda looked as if she was on the verge of tears, "Ganondorf must be here! To terrorize and rule again! And after everything... How could this have happened?"

Lying on the ground, Link moaned, and everyone focused their attention on him as Zelda knelt down by his side, "Oh, Link... What did he do to you?" Link barely opened his eyes, then looked up at Zelda, "I think... that he took... something..." He shivered, "I'm so cold..."

Zelda had a flashback to the golden light traveling up from Link's body into the necklace, then gasped, "Link, let me see your left hand." Link lifted his arm a little ways, but could not get very far, and Zelda gently held it up as she slid off the glove. She hoped against all odds that she wasn't right, but...

"Oh, Link... What are we going to do?" He took the triforce of courage!" Link gasped, 'That was it! That was why he was feeling so empty!' Sure enough, when he went to check by looking at the back of his hand, where there was usually a symbol of the triforce with the bottom left triangle lit up and showing that he owned the triforce piece of courage, it was blank.

'But,' Link thought to himself, 'How powerful is Ganondorf now...? Will I be able to defeat him?' His eyes widened further, 'Will he be after Zelda's triforce of wisdom now even more than before?'

"Link...?" called Zelda in concern, as he was breathing laboriously. Link returned his attention to her, but didn't know what to say. Finally, he sighed, and said, "I... He'll be after you now, Zelda. But... I can't..."

Zelda finished quietly, "Stop him."

She then looked up, her eyebrows drawing closer to each other, "Not yet, anyways." She looked around at the staring Smashers, then said, "I know this isn't your problem, or your world, or even your own time period, but since you're all stuck here anyways..."

Falco rolled his eyes, "Of course we're going to help you. We're kinda out of choices anyways." Fox added, "Besides, in the end, Ganondorf still has that luphira stone, and could end up destroying all of our worlds in the end."

"Let's-a go!" perked up Mario. Zelda smiled, observing how those who had originally been brought together to fight against each other were now set together to fight with and for each other. It's amazing how things can change in so short a time.

"So," started Roy awkwardly, "Where do we start?" Zelda frowned in thought, and Link said quietly, "Nabooru..." Zelda smiled down at Link, "Yes, that's probably the best." Then she frowned, "But, what about you?"

Link breathed deeply, "I need to go to the Kokori Forest and find some fairies." "Okay, so let's go there first." said Zelda. Link shook his head, "No, you can't come into the forest, you'll be cursed." Zelda looked worried, "But then...? I mean, you can't walk..." Young Link's eyes lit up, "I could take him in!"

Samus laughed, "Talk about another awkward moment!" Young Link paused at his, imagining how the children of the forest, or rather the Kokori, would react. As it is, the Kokori are a race where everyone never grows up, but remains a ten-year old child. Each of them have fairies to look after them, along with the Great Deku Tree (which is, in fact, a talking, living tree), and they cannot leave the forest without dying.

While Link is a hylian, he was raised in the forest as a Kokori, having been brought in as a baby by his mother right before she died, and so he can enter the forest as he pleases. Though, it took a lot of work to be recognized as an adult, and so seeing both the child and adult version of him at the same time would be even more confusing. Young Link could just see the Kokori freaking out, running for their wooden weapons and attacking what they would consider to be a trick.

Even though it was unlike her, Zelda groaned in frustration, "Why does this have to be so complicated?" "Don't worry," started Young Link, "I could contact Saria through the ocarina and have her meet us on the bridge. She'll understand." Link agreed, "That should work."

Young Link then took out the ocarina, and played Saria's Song. Had it not been for all of the tension, some of the Smashers may have even danced along to the catchy tune, but instead they stared at Young Link as he seemingly stood there, in a type of trance. After a bit, he spoke, "She said she'll be there as soon as possible." "All right, let's go." said Zelda as she climbed up to the feet.

"Here, I've got him." said Captain Falcon as he picked up Link. Falco rolled his eyes as he whispered to Fox, "Show off." Thankfully, the forest was not too far away behind them, and it took them only half an hour to reach it. Captain Falcon set Link down on the ground outside the tunnel, and Young Link then proceeded to drag Link through it. Zelda watched them leave, then turned to face the Smashers. "So, welcome to Hyrule."

On the Bridge

The melody of the forest reached Young Link's ears, and he sighed in content. He looked around for Saria, but she had not yet arrived. He looked down at Link, "It's nice to be back in the forest." Link replied, "Yeah, I just wish it was under better circumstances. I'm not even going to be of much help..."

Young Link sighed, "You will be later on..." Link groaned, "I still can't believe this... When I see Ganondorf again, I'm going to kick his --"

"Link...?" Saria, a Kokori dressed like Link who had green hair and a fairy circling her head, and Link's best friend, appeared on the bridge. She then spotted the adult Link lying down on the bridge, and gasped.

She rushed over to him, "This is worse than I thought it would be!" Link smiled at her, "Thanks for coming Saria." She raised an eyebrow, "Of course I'd help!" She then smiled, though still looking a bit concerned, "Come on, let's get you fixed up."

"I'll see you in a bit, then." said Young Link. Link nodded, "Be careful with the gerudo." Young Link nodded, then waved goodbye. As he was leaving, he heard Saria shout, "If you get yourself injured too, then I'll kill you!" Young Link smiled to himself, "It's so nice to have people care about you so much."

Hyrule Field

"Well...?" asked Marth. Young Link smiled at the Smashers, "He'll be fine. So, off to Gerudo Valley now, right?" Zelda nodded, while Fox asked, "So, where is this place and how far away is it?" Young Link frowned, "Well, it's pretty far away, actually..."

Captain Falcon rasied an eyebrow, "Is it really that important that we talk to this Nabooru person?" Zelda nodded, "Yes, she is one of the seven sages and the most likely to know of Ganondorf's whereabouts, especially since he may have went to his people first."

As Zelda explained this, Young Link once again took out his ocarina, then began to play Epona's Song. The Smashers stared in awe as a chestnut mare came galloping toward them, kicking up dust as she ran toward her owner. Young Link patted her affectingly as she snorted in contentment, "Hey, girl. How are you doing?"

"Okay," started Samus, "That's nice, but she can't carry all of us." "We'll have to separate." said Zelda, approaching Epona with her hand stretched out. Mario also came closer to the horse, and whispered, "Hello-a, girl." Epona's ears flattened. "Well, Zelda will have to go, being a princess and knowing Nabooru." pointed out Marth.

Peach, who was finally getting used to this new world, perked up, "I'm a princess too! So I should go as well!" Zelda kept herself from replying while Fox said, "Well, while you are a princess, Peach, you are not a princess in this world." Peach huffed, "This Nabooru should still listen to me, though!" Zelda shook her head, "Nabooru is a leader herself, and will definitely not take orders from an outsider." "How rude!"

As Mario took a few more steps closer, Epona pawed at the dirt. "So..." started Luigi cautiously, "Who else-a should go?" "It should probably be someone from this time period." said Samus reasonably. Zelda nodded, then looked over at Roy and Marth, "Yes, it's just that, well, they're men..."

Falco raised an eyebrow, "Why does that --" Mario gasped, "Mama mia!" He had suddenly jumped up onto Epona's back, seeing her as being tame, but now regretted it as she neighed and jumped back on her hind legs.

"Epona!" shouted Young Link, but he couldn't calm her down, and she took off with Mario holding on for dear life, heading towards Gerudo Valley. "Dammit!" shouted Falco. "Hurry, play the song!" said Marth.

Young Link shook his head, "She won't hear it." They all stood watching Mario bounce up and down on Epona's back, over the horizon and into the setting sun. "Well," began Captain Falcon after a few minutes of Mario's fading shouting, "Maybe he can pull it off." Zelda slapped her forehead as Peach said, "Of course he can! You just wait and see!"

On a Horse

"Mama mia! Steady-a girl! PLEASE STOP-A!" Epona raced across the field, ducking under low branches of trees in an attempt to rid herself of this horrible stranger.

"Ouch!" yelled Mario as he was smacked in the face with a tree branch. Epona looked behind her, and looked at Mario as if to say, "Damn, you're still there?" When Mario saw Epona look back at him, then take off even faster before, he felt like crying. He really wanted to jump off, but judging how blurry the ground looked at the moment, he knew it would be a bad move.

"Please-a stop, horsey! I'll-a give you a mushroom!" Epona snorted, then continued toward the base of Gerudo Valley, sending birds flying out of the trees. When Epona ran out of trees to try and brush Mario off with, she instead caught sight of a small body of water covered with a plank.

She came to a quick stop at the edge of the water, "Aaahhh!" looked back to see that Mario was barely on, but still there, and looked back down at the water. Mario braced himself for the worst as the horse turned away from looking at him. He wanted to get off, but he didn't know if she would suddenly take off again. As he thought about this, he felt Epona's body suddenly turn from beneath him as she began to fall.

He gasped, "Mama mia!" before quickly jumping off just in time to avoid being rolled over. As the now happy Epona rolled in the water, she looked back up at Mario, her eyes seemingly saying, "What? You're still here? Get going already!" At this look, Mario paled, then turned around and took off across the plank. "Okey-dokey, then!" Anyone observing Epona's expression would have sworn that she rolled her eyes at the plumber before standing up and trotting in the opposite direction.

As Mario crossed a long, wooden bridge, he looked nervously down at the rapids below him, flowing furiously far down below between the steep, rock cliffs. He gulped, then continued across toward a tent. He thought about entering it, but then decided to just keep going.

A bit further ahead, he reached Gerudo Fortress, where rough stone buildings rose high out of the ground on the right, and a large gate laid on the left. He looked carefully at who he believed were the gerudo; tan, stern looking women with flaming red hair pulled up into pony tails and wearing loose purple pants with a small top that revealed their muscular arms and stomachs.

Self-consciously, Mario looked down at his more round belly, then looked back up at the gerudo with a gulp. Then, however, his face became more determined when he thought back to what he had accomplished, 'I have-a saved Mushroom Kingdom countless times-a! And-a fought against-a horrible monsters in-a the process! This-a should be easy!'

However, Mario did not know that it was not only the appearance of the gerudo that was tough. In fact, the gerudo are female warriors who are led by a new male-born gerudo king every century. Currently, that was Ganondorf's role, but since he took off, Nabooru was the temporary leader. Being made up of mainly females, the gerudo believe in 'girl power' and see their gender as superior to that of the male. In fact, they thought that men were just downright filthy and pathetic. As it is, men, besides the king, are not allowed in fortress unless they somehow attain a membership card by sneaking in and defeating their best fighters (as Link did). So, as Mario confidently approached one of the gerudo guards, he was spotted and shouted at, "Halt!"

Spear points came racing toward Mario, and he was surrounded in a matter of seconds. As the gerudo dressed in purple waited for their commander, who was dressed in white, they looked around at each other and Mario with raised eyebrows. When the gerudo in white arrived, she said strictly, "Who are you, intruder?"

Mario simply gaped back at first, but then threw his determined face back on, "I am-a Mario, and I have-a come to speak with-a your leader Nabooru!" One of the gerudo snickered a bit before being given a stern look. She stopped immediately, and the head gerudo faced Mario once again, "All right then, Mario. What makes you worthy enough to speak to our leader?"

Mario, a bit offended, replied, "Worthy? Well-a, I am the savior of-a Mushroom Kingdom!"

The words echoed throughout the silent fortress and reached the ears of all of its watching inhabitants. That was it. The line had been crossed. This short, fat man with a stupid mustache and strange speech proclaiming that he was a hero in Mushroom Kingdom, and so thinking himself to be better than everyone else? It was too much, even for a well-trained gerudo who had been taught strictly since birth, learning how to control emotions, how to fight with no mercy, how to be a warrior.

The corners of many of the gerudos' mouths twitched as they stared at this frowning man with a funny red hat. A few of them began to snicker, then some began to outright laugh, and in only a few second's time the whole fortress was laughing hysterically as Mario stood looking bewildered and offended.

"Hey-a, what--"

"HA HA HA HA!" "Mushroom Kingdom?" Some of the gerudo actually began to hold their stomachs as their eyes teared up, while others collapsed to the ground and laughed still harder. Mario was fuming, "What-a is so funny?"

As the commanding gerudo began to recompose herself, trying not to laugh in Mario's frowning face, one of the smaller gerudo in the background rolled off of the top of one of the towers. She looked like she was screaming as she fell, but once she rolled upon impact with ground, landing unharmed, she took one look at Mario and began laughing again.

"All right, enough!" shouted the gerudo commander. The gerudo shut up immediately, and Mario exclaimed, "That was-a extremely unappropiate-a! I demand an apology!"

The gerudo simply stared back at Mario with a straight face, turned to the guard on her left, then said, "Take him to jail."

"What?" shrieked Mario.

She looked back at him with a smirk, "As amusing as you are, we do not permit lying intruders in our fortress." She then turned on her heel as Mario was dragged away toward the jail, shouting, "Mama mia!"

A/N: Okay, I know I'm really diving into the Zelda world now, so if some things are unclear because I'm not explaining well enough, please let me know. Or, even if I'm going into too much detail for Zelda fans. Or even if you just have any questions at all! And please review!