Sorry it took so long! But here it is: chapter 7!
By the way, The Legend of Zelda: The Prince of Ny-Potho is out. It's the sequel to Four Swords Plus and it TIES IN WITH THIS STORY! Yes, Ny-Potho and Sister are connected! Read Ny-Potho!
AND REVIEW THIS CHAPTER. AND NY-POTHO. 'CAUSE IT NEEDS MORE REVIEWS.
Chapter 7 -- Woe to the Children
"Ugh...how long has it been now?" groaned Link, sagging on the back of his horse.
Ever since the engagement party gone wrong, an air of despair worse than that any felt before loomed over everything. The sky was always gray; thunder and lightning were present more than half of the time. Link, Pike, and Tetra were anxious, exhausted, and depressed. They feared for Arnav, the maidens, Aryll, and Bambi (though Link didn't really care about that). The Fairy Queen had reassured King Arnav's safety, but the others' went unknown.
"You expect me to have a WATCH, Link!" Tetra growled.
"Well...I was sort of hoping..." Link mumbled.
"Don't fight," sighed Pike. "We'll be at the forest soon... And hey -- there's a town on the way. We'll probably be reaching it in a few hours."
"Do you think Majora has fucked up the whole of Oceana?" Tetra asked.
"Wouldn't doubt it," Link snorted.
"Well, we'll be seeing how far his actions have spread..." said Pike grimly.
"There they are. They weren't exactly hard to find. Well, not for me, anyway. I'm so cool, you know. I have such stealth, I could be in the Olympics. My navigation skills are so great that I --"
"Ok, stop it now!" Shadow begged Vaati. "We came here to do a job, you know!"
Vaati sighed and played with a lock of his long, silver hair.
"Yeah, well...in my opinion this job isn't very efficent unless someone gets killed," he said.
"Oh...don't worry. Someone WILL die. Majora has hired us to kill Link's horse! That must mean he thinks we're REALLY smart!" Shadow said enthusiastically as he picked up a bow and quiver that sat on the ground next to him.
"I'm the smart one," Vaati said.
"No you're not, I am," replied Shadow, glaring at Vaati for a moment before turning back to the bow. He tried to put the arrow on it properly, but found himself unable.
"Vaati, how do you set this thing up? Is there an 'on' button?" the young boy said frustratedly, turning to Vaati desperately.
"Tch...let me see that," Vaati huffed, snatching it from his partner. He attemped too.
"Jeez, does this point of the arrow point up or down...?" he wondered aloud.
"You can't do it either!" Shadow said.
"Yes I can, you nipple!" snarled Vaati, hastily resting the arrow on the bow so that the tip pointed to the sky.
"That's not right, it's not aimed at Link's horse! How are you supposed to shoot that thing?"
"Of course it's right, I'm always right!"
"USE IT THEN!"
Vaati tried to fire the misplaced arrow, but naturally, it didn't work. Tears welled up in his eyes.
"But it's riiiiight!" he sniffled in a whiny tone.
"Shut up, neither of you can get it right..." a new voice grumbled. Dark Link stepped out behind them, took the bow and arrow, and placed the arrow properly on the bow.
"Dark, why are you here?" Shadow asked his twin, looking surprised.
"Majora sent me to make sure you two could position the arrow properly on the bow. Our assumptions were right -- you couldn't. Tsk, tsk, tsk."
"So...he doesen't think we're smart?" Vaati asked.
"Well, actually, he just said that Shadow was his concern." Dark shot a sympathetic look at his brother before continuing. "But he never ever has anything bad to say about Vaati. Never... I don't know why he likes you."
"Because I'm awesome," replied Vaati, who was unable to hide his flushing cheeks.
"Great for you. Now let's just get this on with and kill the damn horse..." muttered Dark, rolling his eyes as he aimed the bow at Link's horse. He slowly moved parrallel to his light self to keep in position. Shadow and Vaati waited tensely, and at last, Dark fired.
Link uttered a gasp as his horse made a frightened grunting noise and fell to the ground.
"What happened!" Tetra asked, stopping her own horse, dismounting, and walking over to Link as he recovered from the fall.
"I don't know. It just made this weird noise and fell over," Link said. Pike was quick to join them and inspect the horse.
"Well, here's the problem. There's an arrow sticking out of its head..." said Pike. Indeed, she was right. The horse had been shot.
"An arrow? Someone was shooting at us!" Tetra exclaimed, turning suspicious blue eyes to the bushes. Link followed her gaze and glared at the plants.
"I didn't like the look of those bushes from the start..." he hissed. Pike looked at him.
"Yeah, someone was probably hiding in them..." she commented.
"No, I mean I think it was the bushes..."
Tetra opened her mouth to say something that would most likely be rude, but Pike interrupted.
"We have to be careful. We have many enemies now... This was obviously deliberate. The culprit was most likely aiming for Link," she explained.
"Is the horse gonna live? I mean, this arrow's pretty deep. It probably went into its brain or something," said Tetra. But then the horse started to stand up!
"IT'S ALIVE!" cried Link.
Dark, Shadow, and Vaati watched the horse beginning to stand.
"That was supposed to kill it!" Dark said through clenched teeth.
"Oh, don't worry. I can fix the problem," said Shadow. He pulled out a hand gun and shot the horse repeatedly. It finally died.
Link, Pike, and Tetra watched in horror as many bullets flew from the bushes, piercing the horse, which died pretty quickly after that.
"Holy crap!" Tetra cried.
Pike blinked in surprise.
"Ok, maybe the victim really was Link's horse... But regardless, we mustn't take a chance. Let's quicken our pace to the Great Forest," she said, standing abrubtly and heading for her white mare. Tetra copied with her Paint.
"What about me?" Link whined.
"Get on my horse with me," Tetra commanded. Sulking, Link shuffled over and mounted behind her, clutching the pirate's waist.
"I wanted my own horse..." he whimpered.
"No chat, let's get moving!" Pike said in a gruff yet concerned tone as she set off at a gallop. Link and Tetra were quick to follow, and off the group sped.
Pike had mentioned there being a town earlier, and that there was. The trio rode into it and slowed their pace. If the wilderness they had just come from was eerie, then the town was far worse. Heavy fog consumed it, the streets were full of mud, and creaky old wooden houses lined the deserted streets.
"Ok...this place is weird..." Tetra said quietly.
"Can we rest here for a moment? I'm really thirsty..." said Link.
Pike said nothing. She got off her horse and walked down the street absentmindedly.
"Pike...?" Tetra called. Pike didn't reply for a moment, but after a few seconds, she turned to her companions with a face clouded with confusion.
"These buildings...do you see how old they look?" she asked. Link and Tetra looked around slowly.
"Well...yeah. Why?" questioned Link.
"This town is called Casterwaul. It was a normal town; my father and I rode through here just a few weeks ago. It doesen't make sense for everything to look so aged. This whole place seems abandoned..." Pike turned bitter. "Majora's wrath's been through here, I presume."
"Do you think it's completely abandoned?" Tetra inquired.
"Looks like it," Link stated.
"I don't know... It's risky to go picking for answers, but we need to find out. No shouting though. Goddesses know what could be lurking here... Just search the buildings..."
Link and Tetra dismounted and began peaking through windows. Each house possessed similar qualities -- everything was ransacked. They searched every building of Casterwaul, but there was no sign of life.
"Death has been through here... Damn you, Majora!" hissed Pike to herself. "So many innocent people..."
The sound of giggling rose through the mists.
"Did...you guys hear that?" Link asked nervously.
"Yeah...creepy horror movie-type giggling," said Tetra, searching for the source with wide eyes.
"Nevermind the spookiness factor of it! This could mean survivors!" breathed Pike, bounding off through the heavy fog in the direction the noise was coming from.
"Pike, wait! We could get lost!" Tetra called, running after her sister.
Link hesitated.
"I...I don't...I DON'T WANT TO BE ALONE! DON'T LEAVE ME!" he wailed, dashing off after the girls.
The childish laughter lead them to a small alleyway near where they had entered the town.
"Hello?" Pike called out. The noise stopped.
"Ok, I'm not thirsty anymore, so can we please get out of here!" Link squeaked.
"Not if I know that there's possibly a lone child out here!" Pike retorted, searching around.
Tetra sighed and watched Pike scout, but she grew alarmed by a prickle running down her spine. It was the feeling one gets when they are being watched...
Tetra spun around. There, sitting against the building directly across from the alleyway was a little girl who looked to be about Aryll's age, give or take a year. She was wearing an elegant grey and black dress, though the color combination was neither warm nor inviting to the eye. The lone child had red hair cut to just below her chin. However, Tetra could not glimpse her face: she had her head buried in her arms, and her arms on her knees.
"Link, Pike, come!" Tetra barked softly as she quickly ran to the child. Link and Pike hurried after her.
Tetra kneeled besides the little girl and punched her in the arm.
"Hey, kid! Are you alive?"
"Tetra, don't PUNCH her!" Pike groaned.
The girl did not react to Tetra's physical approach.
"Are you ok, little girl?" Pike cooed softly, gently touching her shoulder. The kid's head snapped up to look at Pike so quickly it frightened the trio.
The little girl had a pale face and big, round gray eyes. There was something odd about her...she didn't blink, and her expression was bare. She showed no emotion.
Despite her discomfort, Pike dared to question the odd youth.
"Do you have a name, sweetie?" she asked motherly.
The girl stared blankly at Pike, long and hard. It seemed she would not reply, but finally she did.
"...Isabella," she answered in a tone as blank as her face.
"Freak...cough...fr-cough-eak..." Link fake-coughed. Tetra nudged him in a scolding fashion, but she was smiling at his joke.
"Isabella...that name... Oh...! You're the daughter of the mayor of Casterwaul, aren't you? I met your father, he mentioned you!" said Pike. Yet again, Isabella stared.
Pike shifted uncomfortably.
"He...is your father...right?"
Isabella nodded.
"Is he here?" Pike asked.
Isabella shook her head. Link and Tetra exchanged glances.
"Umm...is anyone here?" Pike asked, more quietly.
Isabella nodded.
"Can you say anything but your name?" Link asked rudely. Isabella turned her scary stare to him. Link flinched and backed up, but she kept staring.
"Who all is here?" Pike questioned.
"My brothers, sisters, and Old Man Demise," Isabella said blankly.
"Old Man Demise? Doesen't 'demise' mean, uh, death or something?" Tetra asked. Isabella gazed at the pirate.
"Please...show us where they are," requested Pike.
Isabella slowly stood up and grabbed Pike's hand in her own. Pike shuddered...Isabella's hands were deathly cold. The little heiress of Casterwaul lead the group down the street until they reached what appeared to be an old bar/hotel.
Link, Tetra, and Pike looked around with shock and discomfort when they entered the bar. It was packed with children who held similar expressions to Isabella's. When they entered the bar, the young kids turned to stare expressionlessly at them.
"M-may we see this Old Man Demise you spoke of?" Pike asked, glancing at the children nervously. Without a word, Isabella lead them to the very back of the large bar.
This part of the building was drastically darker. A lone chair stood in the dustiest, dankest corner, and upon it sat a dark figure. He was hidden in the darkness, but Link, Tetra, and Pike could here his raspy voice as he softly spoke to a circle of children around him.
Isabella pointed at the man and slowly turned her head to look at Pike.
"There..." she said.
"Thank you..." Pike murmured. She looked at Link and Tetra, who hung back uneasily.
"You were the one who wanted to meet him, so meet him..." Link croaked hoarsely, shoving Pike towards the man and the group of children. The children turned their emotionless faces to stare at her, but the old man kept talking.
"Guests..." said a young boy in a creepy tone, pointing at Pike.
A soft chuckle floated from the figure on the chair.
"Well well well, if it isn't the princess and some friends... What brings you here, young mistresses and master?" Old Man Demise asked.
"Kind sir...what happened to this place? It used to be so full of life!" said Pike.
"Things are as they were meant to be," said Demise.
"But --"
"Sometimes things are better left untold," the old man said dismissively. Confused, Pike shut her mouth.
"Yeah, sure, but how come no one around here blinks?" Link asked.
"We don't need to blink..." said a young girl.
Tetra was about to make a comment when Old Man Demise interrupted.
"My my, it is awfully dark in here. Jimmy, won't you light a candle?"
The boy who had announced their arrival slowly got up and walked to a nearby table. An unlit candle and a box of matches sat upon it, so he lifted the candle and brought it over to Demise who took it gently in his own hands with a nod of thanks to Jimmy.
Link, Pike, and Tetra could see him more clearly now. He had pale, gnarled hands. Most of his body was hidden in a large overcoat, and his face was shadowed from view by a large black hat.
"What brings you here, children?" Old Man Demise croaked.
"We're on our way to the Great Forest..." answered Tetra.
The elder's dry lips curled into a frown.
"That is a fair distance from this place. Maybe you should spend the night here."
"Umm, I've watched enough horror movies to know to say no..." said Link, inching backward. He squeaked when he backed into some children who had mysteriously appeared there.
Old Man Demise stood up.
"No, no, I insist!" he exlcaimed.
Pike backed up a bit too.
"We really must be going," she said hurriedly. The princess gasped when she felt a hand close on her wrist.
"He insisted you stay, bitch..." hissed a little girl who had grabbed her.
Pike gulped.
"We'll stay..."
Old Man Demise grinned, showing off his crooked yellow teeth.
"Good...I'll have some of the children show you to your room."
Link sat on his lumpy cot, antsy with nerves. Tetra paced around the room, and Pike stared out the window.
"Pike, you said we'd make an escape! When are we gonna leave?" Link whined.
"What does the clock say?" Pike asked.
Link looked at it.
"10:00 P.M.," he answered.
"We need to wait longer." Link and Tetra groaned.
"That old guy was creepy. Do you think he had something to do with the wrecking of the town and the behavior of the children?" Tetra wondered aloud.
"No doubt," Link grunted.
"So what do we do about it?" asked Tetra.
"I don't know... We don't really have much time to waste. Who knows what's happening to the maidens. I think there's a time limit on this mission, you know," replied Pike.
"Whatever. I'm going to the bathroom..." Tetra grumbled. She got up and left the room.
After Tetra finished the bathroom, she opened the door and nearly screamed when she ran into the blank stare of Isabella.
"Oh! Uh...Isabella, right? Something like that, I'm guessing. Shouldn't you be in bed or something instead of walking around and scaring people while not blinking? That's awfully rude," Tetra snapped.
"I was looking for you," said Isabella. Then she began to smile.
"Ummm...why?" Tetra asked suspiciously.
Isabella's smile turned into a full grin, showing off unusually pointy teeth.
"Old Man Demise requested a word with you..."
Link and Pike were jerked out of their thoughts when Tetra's scream pierced the air.
"Oh, crap! Tetra!" Link gasped, bursting out of the room. Pike was hot on his heels.
"TETRA! WHERE ARE YOU?" Pike yelled. Nothing but silence met her ears in turn.
"Start searching!" Link commanded. He and Pike got right to it -- but it took quite a bit of time, as they were on the top floor of the bar/hotel, and there were a good many rooms...
The pair searched the upstairs without sight of Tetra. They pounded down the stairs to the bar area, and that too was completely deserted.
"This place was packed earlier!" Link cried. "Where could everyone have gone in such a short amount of time?"
Pike stopped and grabbed Link's shoulder to get his attention. She gestured towards a door at the far end of the bar.
"We haven't checked there..." she pointed out. With a feeling of dread, she and Link bustled over to it.
They opened the door quietly, but everything was pitch black.
"We can't get anywhere if we can't see!" Link groaned irritably. Pike bounded over to where the matches and the candle sat. She lit the candle, then returned to Link's side. The light revealed stared beyond the door, so they slowly made their way down...
"I knew you were weird!" Tetra hissed. She was tied down to a stone table.
Old Man Demise chuckled and played with a strand of her hair.
"Don't talk. It will all be over soon, my dear. You see, I feed off of people your age and older. What do you think happened to all the adults in this town? ...I ate them all."
"THAT'S GROSS!" Tetra struggled.
"And I'm sure that a pretty girl such as yourself will taste mighty fine... Besides, your death will spite Majora...idiot that he is."
"Why do you hate him? You're evil too!"
"Yes...that is true. In fact, the darkness and hatred he spread caused me to be created. He does not want you killed. But I do...you are the keeper of the Triforce of Wisdom, not to mention the princess of Hyrule. You'll taste better than anything else I've ever laid tongue on, hehehe... But all-in-all, I hate him just because I hate him," explained Demise.
"THIS IS GETTING REALLY WEIRD! SOMEBODY HELP ME!" Tetra screamed.
"No one will help you, pirate... The only ones here to hear your screams are myself and my children," said Demise, pointing at the posessed children gathered around him and Tetra.
"They aren't your's! These are children of the town!"
"They were before I killed their parents and used mind control powers on them..."
"You mean you orphaned all these kids?" Tetra gasped.
"Sure did, lil' lady. Now...prepare to be eaten, bitch!" crowed Old Man Demise.
"NEVER!" Tetra cried defiantly.
"LET HER GO!" exclaimed Pike as she and Link jumped down the last few stairs.
"Pike! Link!" Tetra shrieked.
Old Man Demise hissed and turned to look at Link and Pike. Then his lips curled into a twisted smile.
"What are you doing to her?" Link yelled.
"I was just going to eat her," Old Man Demise answered.
"WHAT?" barked Pike.
"I'll tell you. I eat those people with pure souls your age and older... That's what happened to the adults of this town. Now there children are my slaves until they come of age. And after I eat your little friend here, you two are next!"
Angry and scared, Link pulled the Master Sword from its hilt and gripped it tightly.
"What ARE you?" Pike asked.
Old Man Demise laughed evilly and removed his hat. Pike, Link, and Tetra let out horrified screams. The bottom half of his face was normal, but the top half was just bones.
"I am a demon created by the evil Majora has spread. But do not be fooled, my chilren -- I am no ally to him. Now shut the fuck up while I eat this girl..." hissed the demon elder, baring his teeth and leaning toward Tetra. She screamed loudly.
For once in his life, Link wasted no time taking action. He lunged at his girlfriend's attacker, and slashed him with the Master Sword. Demise howled in pain and fury and leapt back, clutching the new wound on his arm.
"YOU LITTLE BASTARD..."
Link pointed the sword at him.
"Not...another...word," he hissed.
"Fine. I'll make you a deal: we take this little fight outside. If you win, I'll release my hold on these children and set this girl free. But if I win...you're mine. Meet me in the middle of town..." And with those words, the demon vanished.
"Go...and win!" Tetra hissed.
The children gathered in the room glared at them as Link made to release Tetra from the stone table.
"Don't bother, nipple-brain..." snarled Isabella. "That's magic..."
Pike looked at Tetra for reassurance.
"It's true. Only your victory in the battle can save me...now go!"
Nervously, Link and Pike crept out of the bar/hotel, Link clutching the Master Sword; Pike clutching her shamishir.
"COME OUT, DEMISE! WE KNOW YOU'RE HERE, I CAN FEEL YOU!" Pike screamed angrily. She was furious at him for her sister's capture, and even more infuriated by what he had done to her people.
The temperature in the air suddenly dropped. Link and Pike could see their breath misting...
"Ok, it just got really cold..." Link squeaked.
"No duh!" Pike snapped.
"Well, it appears you showed up. I wasn't sure if you would...hehehe..." echoed Old Man Demise's voice.
"REVEAL YOURSELF, COWARD!" yelled Pike.
A black cloud appeared a good distance away, and it slowly morphed into the foe.
Link and Pike stared at Demise, and he stared back. The good guys had absolutely no clue who would make the first move.
"If you're gonna come, come!" Pike commanded.
"Well, if you insist..." Demise literally flew at Link, dealing him a blow to the head so hard he fell unconcious. The Master Sword clattered away.
"Link!" cried Pike.
Demise rounded on the Oceanan princess.
"You have an awfully rude mouth, little girl. I'll teach you to disrespect me... HYA!" The demon attacked Pike with a cry, but she ran at him too, stabbing at him with the shamishir. Strangely, it began to glow gold... Pike and Demise both held off out of sheer shock.
"What's going on...?" Pike uttered.
Up in the air, the darkness of the hour parted, and a golden beam of light shone through above Pike's head. Down from the beam floated what looked like a sword... A golden, gleaming sword. A cutlass to be exact.
"No...it can't be..." the princess gasped. Demise watched in terror and back away.
The cutlass floated down into Pike's hands.
"The Light Cutlass... One of the six Tools of the Gods...! And...it's...mine?"
The light from the sky faded, but the cutlass still glowed gold. Pike put away her shamishir hastily, feeling the warmth of her new blade. Recovering from the shock of the honor she had just been given, Pike smirked and turned back to Demise.
"You have an awfully rude mouth, sir. I'll teach you to disrespect me..." she mocked. Demise meant to escape the attack, but Pike lunged suddenly. She took no time in piercing him with her new weapon.
"NOOOOOOOO! I WAS SO CLOSE TO CANNABALISM...! AAAAGGGHHHH, BITCHES!" The demon exploded. Demise had been ultimately vanquished by Pike.
Link groaned softly and sat up slowly.
"What'd I miss...?"
Pike's eyes were bright with excitement.
"Link! Remember what I told you about the six Tools of the Gods?"
"...Sort of."
Pike showed the Light Cutlass to him.
"This is the Light Cutlass, and it is one of those six tools! We are one step closer to defeating Majora!"
"But there are many, many steps to go, ya know..." said a voice. Link and Pike turned to see the Fairy Queen floating by them.
"Oh...it's you again," Link snorted.
The Fairy Queen ignored him.
"Remeber -- you must seek the other five Tools, save the captured maidens, awaken the two new maidens, find the Second Prophecy, and seek the Four Masks of Termina, to name a few."
Link and Pike frowned.
"Oh, but don't worry," said the queen, "The Gods saw it fit for Pike to be given the honor of being the wielder of the legendary Light Cutlass. This tool will be of great use to not only Pike, but for everyone else as well.
Tetra has been saved, and the curse on the children has been broken. Sadly, nothing can bring back their parents...they are orphans now. But rest assured, I will see to them (eventually). This place will thrive again in time..." The Fairy Queen turned to Link.
"Time is a key, Link. You are the Wind Waker, and not to mention a good looking one at that; that is true, but there are other destinies you will fulfill. You will reach the Great Forest some time tomorrow. Lazerus is the maiden you will save, and you will need the Ocarina of Time to do it. Free Lazerus as soon as possible; she will be your biggest aid at this point in your quest."
Link, Pike, and the queen heard a voice from nearby.
"You did it!" cried Tetra, running up to them. Link hugged her tightly.
"Tetra! You're not eaten!" he exclaimed.
"Demise is dead, right?" Tetra asked. Link, Pike, and the Fairy Queen nodded.
"I thought so. My bindings disappeared, and then all the children fell asleep..."
"They are free once more. But it's like I told Link and Pike here: they are still orphans, but I will see to it that they are taken care of...I'll get around to it eventually, I suppose."
Pike showed the Light Cutlass to Tetra.
"Tetra, the gods have gifted me the Light Cutlass! It's one of the Six Tools of the Gods!"
"Woah, dude!"
"In time, all of you will have one of the tools. But there are six, and each needs an owner... Five are left, and of course, two of those five will be taken by Link and Tetra. In time, Bambi shall recieve one too. However...that leaves two left. This is when you must listen to certain pieces of the Prophecy to find these two wielders. Pay special attention to:
The children of darkness will come forth
To lend aid to those true
To lay hand on the six Tools of the Gods
To help small girls find their way
Look for their red blood amongst the black
Seven heinous souls
One who reigns
Four who are weak-minded
And two who come forth to do what the gods see right
Spare the two
And leave all else to die."
"Wait..." said Tetra. "Does that mean that the two unknown wielders are members of Majora's army?"
The Fairy Queen shrugged.
"I 'unno."
Dark and Shadow walked through the halls of the Dark Ones' manor.
"Why did we have to kill Link's horse anyway?" Shadow asked.
"It's part of the plan. I'm gonna fill in as the horse with my animal transformation, and you and I are gonna create a trap for Link, remember?" replied Dark.
"I don't get it... Majora makes us do all this elaborate crap when we could just shoot the bastards."
Shadow and Dark made their way down to the basement of the manor, where Ganondorf had "Zelda" pressed against the wall as he mocked her. These sessions had been quite frequent for the disguised Bambi. Still, only one person knew her secret...
Dark watched angrily, but Shadow giggled.
"Ganondorf, there is no need to abuse prisoners," Dark said sternly as he and Shadow strode up to their fellow dark side member.
"Shut up, you little brat. Why so defensive? And besides...you can't tell me what to do. You're one of the lower ranking members of this army, remember?" scoffed Ganondorf. Bambi turned her eyes on Dark, but he would not meet them.
Ganondorf looked at Shadow, and a seductive grin lit his features.
"But YOU could tell me what to do, kid..." he purred, stroking Shadow's thigh and up to his hip. Shadow Link looked down at Ganondorf's hand, confused. Dark rolled his eyes. Sometimes it was just appalling that his brother could be so naive... He didn't even know he was getting mollested. Bambi seemed to share his thoughts, as she gave Ganondorf and Shadow a look of disgust and exasperation.
"Well, then I tell you to keep picking on the princess," Shadow declared stupidly. Ganondorf winked at him and turned back to Bambi.
"Very well, my dear Shadow."
Ganondorf roughly grabbed Bambi's chin and pushed her head hard against the wall. Bambi winced. Dark's anger flared, and he was about to say something, but Shadow beat him to it.
"She has the Triforce of Wisdom, right?" he asked.
"Yes," answered Ganondorf.
"I wanna see!" Shadow grabbed Bambi's right hand and pulled the elegant glove from it. Ganondorf glanced, but then something caught his eye. He released the girl's face and snatched her wrist away from Shadow.
"She has a Triforce alright...but this...it isn't the Triforce of Wisdom! It's the Triforce of Power!"
Bambi felt her heart nearly stop beating. She had been found out...
"THIS WAS SUPPOSED TO BE MY TRIFORCE PIECE FOREVER! NOT ONLY IS THIS GIRL AN IMPOSTER OF THE REAL ZELDA, BUT SHE IS A THIEF!"
"No I'm not!" cried Bambi.
"SHUT UP! YOU SOMEHOW MANAGED TO TAKE WHAT'S MINE!" Ganondorf roared, grabbing Bambi by the arms and chucking her down on the floor with great force.
"What's going on here?" Ciara was bounding down the stairs, attracted by the noise. Vaati was right behind her, and Agahnim was holding up the rear.
"THIS ZELDA IS A FAKE! LOOK AT HER HAND...THAT IS THE TRIFORCE OF POWER, NOT THE TRIFORCE OF WISDOM!" Ganondorf explained loudly.
Vaati looked at Bambi and sneered.
"Well, wouldn't you know...it's Bambi. Playing decoy for the real Zelda, eh girl?"
Bambi glared defiantly up at them, not saying a word.
"You know her?" Ganondorf asked.
"Know her? HA! She killed me!" Vaati snarled.
"We got the wrong girl?" Ciara said shrilly. Agahnim seized Bambi's wrist to take a look.
"Leave me alone!" Bambi growled, trying to pull away from Agahnim.
"Look at her! If she knew how to even USE those powers, she could pull away easily! She can't control the stolen Triforce piece!" announced Ganondorf.
"I DIDN'T STEAL ANYTHING!" Bambi screamed.
Ganondorf studied her face.
"Oh...I know you. You're the one who foolishly brought me above the ocean!" he said.
"Yes...that's right. She was in my occult when she did it. I formed an occult back on Windfall, and she joined... She was always useless though," said Ciara, smirking at Bambi.
"Long time no see, Bambi," sneered the Gerudo.
"Ciara..." hissed Bambi, her silver eyes narrowing to slits.
"Would you guys just lay off?" snapped Dark, standing in front of Bambi.
"Ooooh, Dark likes Bambi!" sang Vaati.
"I...I just think we should get Majora to settle this..." retorted Dark.
"Settle what?"
Everyone turned to see Majora standing at the top of the stairs. He descended and slowly paced towards his underlings.
"Majora, this isn't the real Zelda! This is that little rat I was telling you about: Bambi!" said Vaati.
Bambi flinched as all eyes turned on her...