Emerging from the forest after about an hour, Samus saw a suspiciously familiar looking towering quasi-tri-surfaced black stone temple. It was not surprising that this was the first thing she saw of the world outside the forest as it took up most of the horizon when looked at directly. What Samus found odd, other than the nagging familiarity, was the fact that the ground surrounding the thing (building did not quite sum it up) undulated, almost as if the thing had been pushed up from underground.
Unknown to Samus was that that was exactly what had happened almost a year ago.
She scanned the big black thing and a description popped up on her visor:
The Palace: A big black thing.
Scans indicate it is a huge weapon of some sort. How it works is unknown.
Avoid.
As her full attention was on 'The Palace', Samus failed to notice the source of the sound that shall soon happen. In fact, she was looking straight at it and didn't see it until it spoke. Such is the complexity of the human brain that it can completely ignore things it doesn't want it's consciousness to worry about.
The source of the sound was Link and the sound was this:
"I take it you are the woman clad in armour stronger that my blade then."
The human brain can even negate the body's sense of touch and Samus' one did in the few seconds before Link spoke when he was attacking her with his sword.
"Excuse me?" asked Samus. Raising her arm cannon at the green-clad youth, she charged her power beam.
At that instant, Link was possessed by Farore, as within seconds otherwise he would be dead. Link's body said the one thing that would protect itself.
"Samus, don't shoot!"
And she didn't. She raised her cannon and let it fire upwards, hitting some sort of Hylian pigeon.
At the same time Link was dispossessed.
"How did you know my name?" asked Samus, now looking slightly apprehensive.
Link, whose memory of the incident was preparing to be vanquished, said plainly "divine communication" and forgot all about it. Samus also instantly forgot what Link just said and a false memory of her telling Link her name was implanted in both of them.
"By the way, I'm Link. I was sent here to greet you."
The Old Man was standing on the summit of The Palace. He had, for the past half an hour, been watching Link and Samus through his Monocle-DigiZoom Magnifier which Ridley had provided him with. Apparently they were standard issue for all Space Pirates.
Ridley was nowhere to be seen, though the Old Man knew he was in the west tower. He left just over twenty minutes ago – after being informed that the targets had met – saying that he was going to get a few enhancements for his armour.
The Old Man however, did not feel the need to shield himself further for two reasons. The first was that history said he killed Samus and the second was that the targets did not seem to be joining forces but rather were busy fighting with each other.
He was also very confident in the plan they outlined at the dawn of Chapter Eleven and tried to get Ridley to think the same way.
Link and Samus had only known each other for just over an hour now but already they had seemed to take a disliking to each other. However, Link had explained that it was of great importance that she must follow him.
It was with reluctance that Link had shown Samus to his temporary home just inside the crater of Death Mountain. 'Just inside' was probably not the right word to choose as it was deep enough to conceal the summit of The Palace and a good hundred metres of empty air above it.
This place was not where Link had been staying for the past year, that had been a room in Kakariko, but it was where he had become aware they must stay.
Samus' suits cooling systems must have been working on at least three-quarter power as they entered the crater as scans had shown that the air temperature was close to the temperature of the molten lava pools at the base of the crater. Miraculously, and Samus added the word unfortunately, Link did not seem to be even sweating in his insulated tunic which slightly less miraculously had turned red.
They came to the entrance and Samus made a short laugh that was intentionally audible to Link.
Turning round, Link gave Samus a callous look and uttered "What are you sniggering at, swalshi?"
If Samus knew that a swalshi is the female variant of a popular breed of Hylian dog then she would have been more inclined to charge her super missile and make that the penultimate thing Link said, the last being along the lines of 'Oh, crap.' Luckily, she had not been bestowed with that piece of information and instead simply retorted with "I just thought that a cave like this is a fitting place for you to call home, being so primitive in technology and intelligence and all."
Link was tempted to fire a fire arrow into her head but resisted, knowing that it would probably mean his doom. He had seen the fury of her arsenal taken out on a few creatures on the way here.
They entered the cave and saw that there was for some reason a small bed near the back.
"Any particular reason for bringing me to your humble abode?" Samus asked, trying to sound annoyed.
"Two things before I begin," started Link who looked as though he was planning on pushing Samus into the lava, "One, this is not where I usually live and two I claim the bed." Samus was about to object to the latter statement before remembering that she had a bad experience with irrational pieces of furniture.
"I have brought us here because it is a safe place for me to plan our entrance into The Palace."
"Why do we even need to go into that place? Why do I even need to listen to what you want to do? If it were up to me, I would be off this stupid planet as soon as I can find a way back to the future."
Ignoring her objections, Link continued "apparently you have experience fighting the enemy who is overlord there."
"Oh is that apparent?" jeered Samus, "Well I'll tell you something else that's apparent. The only enemy I can see around here is you, so if you don't mind I shall be leaving."
Samus headed for the entrance but Link got between her and the outside world. "I cannot allow you to leave," he was saying.
"I cannot allow you to leave," mocked Samus and then added "well I cannot allow a child like you to get in my way."
She fired a charged power beam shot at him which was going to hit him straight in the stomach. However, it stopped centimetres away from him, hitting the now visible barrier that looked like an advanced force-shield. She knew this kind of thing would not allow her or her weapons through but did not know how it got there. She resigned that she was stuck here until further notice.
"I am no child Samus Aran," said Link, "I am seventeen and have saved the world twice. If the goddesses do not wish you to leave my side, you will not leave my side."
He got into the bed and fell asleep. Samus however, found that the floor was not as doze-inducing and got her suit to inject her with a general anaesthetic.
She was asleep within seconds.