The golden light of the sun cut through the veil of fog and cleared the dark skies, the shining being of radiance slowly making it's way above the horizon of jagged mountains and bathing the entirety of Pallet Town in a gilded light. The treetops of Viridian Forest glowed orange and yellow and red, all the colors of the dying leaves enhanced in an almost heavenly manner, as if the divine angels of Heaven themselves planted the seed, knowing a beautiful sunrise like this would come.
Indeed, the sunrise over Pallet Town was a beautiful sight, something rarely beheld by the likes of men, and rarely appreciated by the likes of others. To witness such an event on a polluted realm such as Earth was a little miracle in it's own right, and was not to be taken for granted.
Jet grunted, pulling the curtains of his bedroom window shut with one hand. He couldn't believe he had only gotten minutes of sleep the whole night. He was tired, but much too excited to care. The whole night had consisted of his thoughts about the previous day's events. The way Link and Zelda had described Hyrule made it sound like a wonderful place to be. People seemed to be safe, carefree, happy, and open to adventure on a whim. All of these things Jet desired in his life more and more with every bland, ordinary day he had on Earth. His thoughts migrated toward his longtime girlfriend, Kari.
When they first fell in love so long ago, back when Jet was only twelve, nothing could separate them. They had everything in common, and Jet's love for adventure and danger only seemed to excite Kari more. Lately however, Kari seemed to want nothing more than to live a peaceful life with her friends and family in Pallet Town. She didn't wish for any of the things Jet felt he needed to be normal. Ever since the final battle in the Digital World with the ultimate dark Digimon MaloMyotismon, Kari's will to fight had been utterly destroyed, and Jet couldn't figure why.
Kari had a peaceful, content look about her face as she slept, loosely holding onto Jet. He stroked her hand lightly and she winced a bit. He sighed, laying back down. For awhile now, Kari had been slightly unwelcoming toward affection. He knew it was nothing serious, but at times, especially when she slumbered, Jet's very touch triggered a reaction you'd expect from being struck lightly.
He stared at the ceiling of his bedroom, the loose plaster roofing falling down in pieces here and there from age and lack of attention, the cobwebs hanging in the corners from disuse and neglect, the hole in the wall stained with blood and covered with a bookcase from a time when Jet's frustration had boiled over. His room, as well as his house, were full of memories. It was the same house he had lived in his whole life, and it was a treasure trove of memories. Some good, many bad. From time to time Jet still had nightmares about the murder of both of his parents that he was forced to witness, nightmares about running through Viridian Forest and hiding there for days. Nightmares detailing every painful memory of the event.
A slight grin tugged at the corner of Jet's cheek as he thought to himself the irony of some things in life. The happier a memory, the easier it was lost. The darker, more painful, and more tragic a thought however, the more and more detailed the sketches of it are in your mind. Like an intricate painting, every stroke holding with it meaning, every color used to convey a feeling. These things, the bad things, were the things which inevitably stuck with you. And the good, well, the good melted away far too quickly.
Jet glanced over at his desk, the same desk that housed his alarm clock, the large blocky, loud alarm clock with the ugly orange digital read-out that had pestered Jet since the day he bought it many years ago. Atop the same desk sat his Digivice, his Crest, and his brown leather bag filled with all of the Poke'balls in his collection. His Digivice would prove as his life line soon, his connection to other worlds. This place that sounded too good to be true, the land of Hyrule, every thought in his head was somehow linked to it. The idea excited him so much that he almost forgot the dangers he had faced in the battle with Phantom Ganon the day before. He could of lost his life. Kari could have lost hers.
He looked at Kari once more, turning to face her. She was beautiful, one of the most beautiful people he had ever seen. Her eyes were the most beautiful color he had ever seen. Her skin was soft as silk to the touch, and seemed to take the sunlight around her and absorb it, sending it back out a million times more radiant and beautiful than when it first shone. He loved her, and didn't want to lose her, ever. Likewise, however, he didn't want to lose himself. One of the few things Jet's father had ever said to him that truly stuck were to stay true to oneself, through everything. He fondled the ying-yang necklace about his neck, the necklace he never took off, the last memento given to him by his father. He stroked Kari's face gently, and her eyes opened
"Ungh…..Jet? What time is it?" she asked groggily.
"It's still early," Jet answered slowly.
"You really wanna go through with this?" Kari asked.
"Going to Hyrule? Yeah…..yeah I do," Jet said in a faraway voice, the mere mention of the name "Hyrule" sending his thoughts into the cosmos.
"Mmm…..I don't want to get up just yet," Kari said slowly.
"Why not?" Jet asked.
"You never know…..when a moment may come again," Kari answered slowly.
"What do you mean?" Jet asked, somewhat confused by the words.
"Just….let me have this moment…..for a bit longer," Kari said in a pleading voice, holding Jet tightly.
"I love you," Jet said slowly.
"I….love you too," Kari said, her back to Jet, tears welling up in her eyes.
-
Death Mountain Crater. Home of the Great King of Evil's new kingdom. His demons had recently cut him a throne of black stone, and he seated himself atop the old Warp Pad Link had used to reach the Fire Temple so long ago. Ganon and his minions gazed into the fiery pits of glowing red magma intently. Beneath them the lava bubbled, bursting into the air every once in awhile. The sound of gagging and choking could be heard, but only when the screaming stopped.
"Milord," a Stalfos said in his native tongue, bowing before Ganon.
"What is it?" Mandrag asked with a scowl.
"The Hero of Time has not been seen since your Phantom sent him away in Termina," the Stalfos answered.
"And what of the princess?" Ganon asked.
"Zelda has not been seen either, lord," the Stalfos answered.
"Hmm….perhaps the Phantom I instructed to follow them really did the job," Ganon mused to himself, somewhat surprised at his good fortune.
"What are you doing?" the Stalfos asked, gazing into the bubbling lava.
"Creating…..my first commander for the new army," Ganon said.
"Creating?" the Stalfos asked.
"Or reviving, rather. A great asset he will be to us….and he has been aching for revenge in the pits of Hell…..ever since Link killed him. He will only be at roughly a quarter of his original strength….when he is full powered….however, magic, and time….can fix that problem. His determination will drive him to victory. He is the perfect creature for what I have in mind," Ganon said with a smile.
"Which is?" the Stalfos asked.
"Killing the king of Hyrule…..and taking the castle as my own," Ganon answered, smiling.
-
"So, you're sure this'll work?" Link asked.
"If all of the information is right, you got it," Jet answered.
"And if it's not?" Link asked.
"Then we'll all be lost to oblivion or somethin'….did anyone ever tell you that ya' think too much?" Jet asked.
"Impulsiveness is a flaw in it's own right," Link declared, somewhat flustered.
"Naw, it just depends on how ya' use it is all," Jet said, smiling.
"Let us make haste. We do not have time to idle and banter about nonsense. The King of Evil is about in the land of Hyrule, and if he is not stopped soon, then the land will lay in ruins and it's people will be murdered. Let us pray that such a fate has not already come to pass!" Zelda yelled, impatient.
"Look, Zelda, I know you're worried about Hyrule being the princess and all, but trust me, the two of us….err….four of us together….we'll clean house," Link said, pointing his thumb to his chest and winking.
"I hope you are correct in such an assumption," Zelda said doubtfully.
"Well, I guess that's good a go-ahead as any, let's do this!" Link yelled.
"Digi-Port open!" Jet yelled, moving his left arm about in a semi-circle and thrusting it forward. A blue spinning vortex of light formed out of the air, a cut in the dimensions, linking Earth to Hyrule. The group slowly walked in, Jet first, followed by Link and Zelda, and finally Kari. the spinning blue and white tunnel they had stepped into seemed to spiral off forever, only fierce winds and darkness for several miles followed by light, though distance had little meaning in a place like this. They were actually traveling through time itself. The warp portal seemed to go on forever, and all sense of distance and time was lost. Had they been there for ten seconds? Or for ten years? This was the first time Link had traveled through one conscious, and it was a truly terrifying experience for the Hylian.
It seemed as if the very things he dreaded and hated were embodying themselves in the boundless shadows all around them. Losses, enemies, battles, every single negative thing in his mind took form and shape and hungered to destroy him here. This place didn't need a time or location, for Link knew very well what it was. This place was fear. It swirled around him and shrouded everything until his sight was blinded by the ever encompassing darkness. The fear crept closer and closer to his mind until it was lashing out at him like a thousand whips, a thousand blood thirsty hounds, wanting to rip him apart into gobbets of bloody flesh. He screamed as loud as could, not realizing he didn't make a single noise.
The shadow dispersed suddenly, and a small pin prick of pure bright light appeared in the distance. A sense of warmth came over the Hero of Time, distant as he was from the hole, for in his heart, he knew, this was home. This….was Hyrule.
-
The four appeared in the middle of a seemingly endless field, beautiful green grass and wild plants and flowers nearing four feet in height at some places. Animals scuttled about in the thick underbrush of the areas toward the center of the field, and a large dirt path linked what was obviously the castle to another circular shaped stone structure situated in the very middle of the field. There was a large tree in front of the stone structure, a massive "L" shaped stone wall several feet to the side. The skies were an endless blue, the bright yellow sun beaming down on the field. Jet could hear the distant sound of a stream, the sound of fresh pure water flowing making his mouth water. The clouds were white as rice, few and distant, the pure rich unpolluted blue the richest color Jet could ever remember seeing.
The castle walls were amazing looking as well. A large wooden drawbridge, reinforced by tempered steel and large bolts, secured by stainless chains, all hooked to pure white stone walls rising close to thirty feet into the air. The moat was full of clear water, emptying in through a stream nearby and exiting through metal grating placed into a hole in the ground. There were two torches, one on either side of the drawbridge, and they were unlit, black staining the wall behind them, signs of near constant use. The inside of the castle was lined with cobblestone streets, and Jet could see several brick and clay houses in the distance.
Due east of the castle was the large stream, cutting a small gap in between the land, a stone bridge set into place, leading across to a large stone arch with a wooden fence lining the edge to save the less observant from an untimely end. A stone staircase led upwards past a wide stone crevice and into what appeared to be a village, a large mountain with a white ring of smoke around it barely visible in the far, far distance. The stream led around the bend and into a large river, the bank composed of uneven grassy land, dotted with trees, fences, and even boulders.
The stream continued west of the castle gates as well, into an open courtyard of sorts next to the castle walls, lined with trees and bushes, several species of Squirrels hastily stashing Deku Nuts for the Winter. The stream hit a large stone wall at this point, emptying into a tiny crevice in the wall and flowing elsewhere.
Past the circular stone structure situated in the center of the field Jet could see that the trees became more numerous, and thicker together. One large dead tree stood at the corner of a bend in the massive stone wall which created the perimeter of the seemingly endless field of Hyrule. To the west, Jet could just barely make out a large fence lined hill, covered in sand and red dirt. He assumed a desert of some sort lay in that direction. The field was amazing. It was truly something that one had to experience to fully appreciate, and for the first time in years, Jet felt alive, truly alive.
This place was real, truly real. If he was cut here, he would bleed, not a digital image of blood composed of memories and data, actual blood. It amazed him. It was hundreds of times better than Link had made it sound. Even the air, unpolluted and clear, was like a high to Jet. This place was something the likes of which he would have likely dreamed of back when he was a child.
"So….home sweet home. Whaddya think?" Link asked, hands on his waist.
"This is……this is awesome!" Jet yelled, jumping in the air, his fist thrust high.
"You're really that excited?" Link asked.
"Haha! This is incredible!" Jet yelled, looking around, his bright blue eyes like those of a child, still taking everything in.
"Everything still appears to be in one piece as well," Zelda said, more relieved than her guarded tone would lead one to believe.
"I guess…we should walk a bit. If we stand around here too long we could draw attention to ourselves. And….you aren't ready for that at all yet, either of you," Link said, staring at Jet and then at Kari.
"Right….let us travel west, toward Gerudo Valley, we can use the camp site there," Zelda suggested.
"Good idea," Link said.
"Isn't this great Kari?" Jet asked.
"Yeah Jet….it's…..wonderful," Kari said in an unsure voice.
"Let's go," Link said, motioning the group to follow him as he headed west.
-
"Ganon! I have grave news!" a Stalfos said, rushing toward the Gerudo King, out of breath.
"What now?" Ganon asked atop his throne, annoyed.
"The Hero of Time and the Princess of Hyrule have arrived, and they have two unidentified people from another realm with them," the Stalfos answered.
"Another realm? How do you know this?" Ganon asked.
"They're clothes…..and….their magic….the male….he used a weapon which had the same transportation magic you posses milord," the Stalfos said.
Ganon's eyes widened and he slammed his fist through the Stalfos head, the creature bursting into green flame. "Stalfos! Assemble! I want eight of you to travel to Hyrule and kill the Hero and his allies! Let no one live! Bring back Link's shield as proof of this feat!" Ganon yelled. The Stalfos obeyed, traveling through Ganon's Warp Portal toward Hyrule Field. The bubbling had died down, yet Ganon continued to stare into the lava, a grin tugging at his vile face.
-
"And so you live in the Lost Woods?" Jet asked.
"Well, yes and no. A bit past the Lost Woods. Kokiri Forest. It's a small village, best place you could live in this world. Always cool and shaded, a bit dark, fresh forest water everywhere, almost no hostile wildlife…it's perfect," Link answered.
"Sounds awesome…." Jet said, awestruck.
"Sounds like….a very nice place," Kari said, her mind elsewhere.
"How about you Zelda?" Jet asked.
"She's a prin-," Link was cut off.
"I live in Kakariko Village," Zelda answered in a rushed tone, cutting Link off. He gave her a scowl, confused as to why she blatantly lied. She lived in Hyrule Castle, she was the princess. Why didn't she tell Jet and Kari?
"Ah, and that's…..east of Hyrule Castle past the stream, right?" Jet asked.
"Yep," Link answered, smiling despite his friend's dishonesty.
"So….why do you wear that mask?" Jet asked.
"As a sign of respect for my race," Zelda answered.
"Your race? Ha," Link chimed in, laughing at Zelda lying once more.
"What….race are you? Isn't everyone here a Hylian who's a human?" Jet asked.
"There is….a dying race. A race surrounded by lore….they…that is, we….are the Sheikah. Bathed in shadow and trained in the arts of stealth and assassination….however…our skills long ago came with a price; overconfidence. We went into battles at the drop of a hat, trying to conquer territories. Nearly all of us were wiped out by the superior race, the Hylia," Zelda answered.
"Don't you mean Hylian?" Jet asked.
"Nope….the Hylia were our ancestors. The only difference between them and us was their superior ability in magic. We even have the same native language, Hylian," Link answered.
"I was wondering why you spoke English," Jet said, more to himself than anything.
"English? That what you call it on Earth? Here it's called Common-Tongue. Hylian language is spoken only in ceremonies and small states that broke away from the major kingdoms," Link explained.
"Different kingdoms? They aren't all just Hyrule?" Jet asked.
"Nope. Most of the Hylians are ruled by our King, Harkinarian, and our princess…." Link's voice trailed off.
"Princess? How old is she?" Jet asked.
"Eighteen," Link answered.
"What's she like? You're the hero of Hyrule, you must know her!" Jet exclaimed.
"Haha….she's very determined…..very strong, loyal, proud….but don't get me wrong. She's every ounce a woman. Beautiful, graceful, intelligent….however, she's a bit nervous about being herself around others for some reason," Link said, staring at Zelda.
"What's her name?" Jet asked.
"Look, we're nearly at the campsite," Zelda said, glad to interrupt the conversation about her.
"Yeah…I've got a tent in my side pack," Link said.
"Ha, just like a camping t-," Jet was cut off by an unearthly growl.
Standing less than twenty feet from the group were eight humanoid skeletons, completely animated. Their eyes glowed a faint red, and they wore blue armored caps with blue armored shoulder and knee pads. They wore red belts with tattered blue fabric, leather boots and gloves about their hands and feet. They held red bordered round buckler shields composed of black metal, and they carried gnarled swords nearing four feet in length, the blade made of red metal. These were Stalfos warriors, eight of which stood before the group.
Without a moment of hesitation, Link and Zelda ran ahead. Link readied his bow, stringing an arrow and letting it fly through the air. It bounced off of the first Stalfos shoulder armor, not harming the creature in the least. He strung another arrow, this time hitting the Stalfos in the chest. Green blood sprayed from the wound, the Stalfos grunting and continuing on. Zelda did numerous flips, landing in front of the Stalfos an knocking it to the ground with a leg sweep, punching it in the face. It bashed the princess in the face with its shield, and she stumbled backwards, stunned.
Link ran forward, ramming the now standing Stalfos with his own Hylian shield, sending him back. A Stalfos behind Link raised its blade to strike. "Link, behind you!" Zelda yelled, shaking her head, still dazed. He spun around quickly, bringing up his shield, the weight of the blow sending him to one knee. He delivered a quick slash with his Master sword to the lower section of the attacking Stalfos, the first now going after Zelda. She stood, her right arm behind her back, her left hand open, beckoning the Stalfos toward her. It obliged, awkwardly running toward the princess. She punched it in the face several times and it struck her in the chest with its hilt. She backed away, only to jump forward, head butting the Stalfos and backhanding it with her left hand. She backed away, waiting for the Stalfos to take the bait. Sure enough it did, and the princess finally revealed her right hand, lined with five razor sharp needles. She punched the Stalfos in the face, then flung the needles into its skull. The creature burst into flame.
"One down, seven to go!" Kari yelled.
"You guys can do it!" Jet yelled, feeling useless and hating it. Link had his hands full with the other seven Stalfos. He kicked the closest hard in the abdomen, rolling to the side of a wide swipe by another. Link was surrounded. Another Stalfos behind the Hylian hero readied his blade into a stabbing motion, ready to strike. Jet picked up a nearby stone, throwing it with all his might at the Stalfos' head. It created a large dent, green blood pouring from the wound. Link stood and faced opposite the wounded Stalfos, spinning around and landing on one knee, the quickness and accuracy of his blade quicker than the human eye could see. He smiled to himself as the Stalfos' head fell to the ground, bursting into flame a second before the rest of the foul demon.
A Stalfos made its way toward Jet, enraged, slashing its blade wildly. Jet back away, frightened, losing his footing on the uneven desert ground and falling. The Stalfos chuckled in a deep tone and dropped its shield, holding its massive blade with both hands above its head. Suddenly a chain wrapped itself around the demon's left leg and pulled hard, the Stalfos falling. Jet rolled to the side of the collapsed skeleton, kicking it in the head as hard as he could with his cheap tennis shoes. The Stalfos grunted and began to stand, five razor sharp needles finding their mark in the creature's forehead as it burst into flame.
"Zelda….you saved my life," Jet said, in slight disbelief of being saved by a woman, and of being put in danger this soon after entering Hyrule.
"It looks as if you owe me one, novice," Zelda said in a cheerful tone. Jet nodded.
"How many of those you got left?" Jet asked in regard to the needles she had used so potently along with the Chain Whip that had saved Jet's life.
"Not many more. Want some experience?" Zelda asked, looking over her shoulder. "Then take this, and help us fight," Zelda instructed, unsheathing the longer of her two daggers and offering it to Jet, handle first with one swift motion. He nodded, taking the weapon and balancing it in his hand several times, not used to the weight of a real weapon.
"Jet, be careful!" Kari yelled, in tears. The Earthling didn't notice her as he ran ahead. Link had sheathed his blade and was wielding a hefty silver hammer, the Megaton Hammer to be more specific, the weapon of myth from the Goron tribe. He held the tool with both hands, smashing into one of the Stalfos' ribcages, using the Megaton Hammer as if it were a battering ram. The Stalfos bled profusely, on it's knees. With a smile, Link brought the head of the hammer down, exploding its head into thousands of broken shards of bone, each bursting into green fire upon contact with the dusty ground.
Zelda kicked one of the demons in the face, spinning around and repeating the attack with her opposite foot, then slugging it with a heavy fist to the jaw, followed by a dagger stab to the mid section. It grunted, swinging its blade toward her. She ducked, pulling three needles from her hip sheathes and lodging them in the Stalfos' spine. It fell over, unable to move. The princess stabbed it in the head, ending its life.
The largest of the last three Stalfos dropped both of its weapons, opting to punch Link in the face. He sprawled backwards, blood running from his nose once more. The Stalfos laughed in the same menacing voice the rest of his species used. It picked Link up, hitting him in the face three more times before throwing him. The Hylian struggled to his feet, desperate to keep the fight up.
There were but two Stalfos unattended to. The first went after Zelda. She smiled beneath the bandages covering his face and did several back flips into the air, ready to slam her foot into the Stalfos' face. It caught her in mid-air however, and she fell awkwardly on her spine, dropping her dagger numerous feet away. She writhed and contorted and pain, the Stalfos leering over her. She searched for more needles, but to no avail. She closed her eyes, in too much pain to move, hoping death would catch her quickly.
The last Stalfos bolted at Kari swinging madly. Jet looked from Kari to Zelda, then to Kari and back again. He had no clue whom to help. His mind went a thousand different places in a matter of five seconds.
"Jet! Help me!" Kari pleaded, running as fast as she could away from the Stalfos, tripping and landing hard on the ground. Jet dashed forward, stabbing the Stalfos attacking Zelda in the head. The force of the attack not only killed the Stalfos in one blow, but sent Jet to the ground next to Zelda. She exhaled deeply, exhausted and frightened.
"It looks like….we are even," Zelda said, short of breath, eyes on Jet. He nodded, taking a moment to regain his breath. With a shriek from Kari, he came spiraling back to reality however.
"Kari!" Jet yelled, standing. It was over. She had to be dead. He had failed. Everything was in vain. His heart sunk. His thoughts were interrupted by another cry, from Link.
"Triforce of Courage!" Link screamed, holding his left hand in front of him and then forward, his palm facing the Stalfos atop Kari. The golden light of his Triforce piece shone forth, a beam of intense golden light shooting out of his hand, lighting up the darkening Hylian sky and blasting the Stalfos to pieces. The demon attacking Link hit him hard in the chest. Angered, the Hylian unsheathed his blade and stabbed the Stalfos' in the chest, twisting the blade around and bringing it up through the shoulder of the Stalfos who fell to the ground, exploding into flame just as the Wolfos howled far away on a mountain top, signifying the arrival of night in Hyrule.
"Looks like he's got spies," Link said, wiping the blood from his sword.
"A lot of them at that," Zelda said, her outfit torn, blood pouring from her forehead.
"Let's get to the camp site….we've got a lot to discuss," Link said, out of breath.
-
"Hmph….so the Stalfos failed after all. No matter. I will give them but a moment's time to rest…..soon," Ganon said, not worried in the least. The bubbling and noise was gone now from the expansive cavern. Only the sounds of chattering demons could be heard. The sound of darkness.
-
"So…..the Triforce is the symbol of providence left by the Goddesses after they completed Hyrule. There were three pieces. One left by each goddess. Din and the Triforce of Power, possessed now by Ganon, our enemy. Nayru and the Triforce of Wisdom, held by Zelda, and Farore and the Triforce of Courage, which belongs to me," Link explained.
"And….they can be used offensively?" Jet asked.
"Yeah….but it takes a lot of energy…..more than I usually have. Sometimes it can be used offensively in times of extreme emotion or desperation, like tonight," Link explained. Jet only looked at the ground.
"Normally, when you touch the Triforce, you get a wish. But if someone with a weak or unbalanced heart touches it, it will split into three pieces and go to those chosen by destiny to wield them. Ganon touched the Triforce, and all but the Triforce of Power left him, and came to us. And that's how we all became to intertwined. Ganon wants nothing more than the Triforce pieces he misses. It's all he lives for….and if you hadn't saved Zelda tonight, he may have been even closer to reaching that goal," Link said.
"Jet….I-I need to talk to you," Kari said suddenly, standing.
"What's up Kari, something wrong?" Jet asked.
"I need to talk to you….in private," Kari said. Jet nodded, and the two walked off into the near distance.
-
The two came to a small area directly underneath the stone arch atop which they were camping. The moon was just rising into the sky, casting the field in a beautiful light. Jet would have noted so to Kari, had he not felt so bad about his choice earlier.
"You….wanted to talk?" Jet asked, sensing it wouldn't be a good conversation.
"Jet…how have you liked this place today?" Kari asked.
"It's been great. This place is incredible, even better than I imagined. I could live in a place like this, I totally could see it," Jet answered, his spark returning.
"Exactly," Kari said, arms crossed.
"What do you mean?" Jet asked.
"I mean…Jet. Look at us. We've grown apart so much recently," Kari said.
"I know….sometimes I don't even know you," Jet said, eyes fixed on the ground.
"I don't know myself either," Kari said.
"But so what? What's it matter?" Jet asked.
"You love this place. You love adventure, all of this…..it's all made for you, but I can't! not anymore! This isn't me!" Kari yelled, shaking her head as if she could just close out the world.
"But you used to love adventuring! You lived for this too!" Jet yelled, not understanding Kari's problem.
"But not anymore….I want a house, a television, my friends, family, comforts of everyday Earth life," Kari said.
"Why are you so different! What did you do with Kari! ever since the fight with MaloMyotismon-," Jet was cut off.
"MaloMyotismon? MaloMyotismon! Do you even remember that fight? I was surrounded by darkness…..everywhere….he told me my friends were dead….he told me my family was dead…..he told me…he t-told me you were dead! I was so scared! All I wanted to do was die! I was so alone, and so cold….I couldn't believe that someone could be that evil! I never wanted anything like that to happen again! I didn't even want to think about the possibility of losing someone I care for again. When I was in the darkness, away from you, all I could think about was how much I loved you! How I'd give anything to see you, to know you were okay….and tonight…..tonight you almost got taken away again! I almost died!" Kari yelled.
"So what! What the hell are you trying to say?" Jet yelled. Kari fell to her knees, sobbing. The tears wouldn't stop flowing from her cheeks. Jet's will died down. When Kari wept, Jet felt like hell. He tried to help her up but she pushed him away, standing, looking him in the eyes fiercely with the same eyes that had gazed into his lovingly hours before.
She took his hand, still sobbing, making the same whimpering noise under her breath, trying desperately to hide it. She looked into his eyes and then kissed him. It was a kiss unlike anything they had ever shared before. Suddenly he remembered why he loved her so much, how much she meant to him, how he never wanted to break their embrace, and how he never wanted this moment to end. And more than anything, he realized what was happening. Their lips slowly parted, and she stepped back.
"I-I…..love you, Jet," Kari said, the tears flowing down her beautiful face, her radiance stronger than ever.
"Kari…." Jet said slowly.
"Please don't try to change my mind, Jet…..don't follow me…..don't look back at me…..and please…..please don't say my name…." Kari pleaded, her voice weak.
"What…..what should I say then?" Jet asked, his tone low.
"Just…..tell me….tell me you love me…once more. No hug, no kiss….just let me leave knowing how you feel, once more, please," Kari said.
"I love you…." Jet said slowly, eyes closed.
"You mean the world to me Jet….which is why I'm doing this," Kari whispered to herself as she turned her back to the man she loved. "Digi-Port Open!" Kari yelled, her voice weak and cracking. Jet slowly walked away to meet the others. He wasn't mad, nor in pain, he felt dead.
-
"Where's Kari?" Link asked, oblivious to the situation.
"She's gone….and um….she's not coming back," Jet said emotionless.
"Are you alright, Jet?" Zelda asked.
"I'm…..I'm starved! Let's eat something!" Jet exclaimed, changing his tone quickly.
"I'll go catch us a Guay! Be back in a few minutes!" Link said.
"Naw, I wanna come, too!" Jet exclaimed.
"Alright, come on," Link said, motioning Jet on. He nodded, following Link toward the field again. Zelda sat around the fire they had built, staring into the glowing embers, still completely disguised. She had to talk to Jet.
-
After hours of torment and pain from being reformed, the silver armored knight, a demon known as the Iron Knuckle, stood before Ganon, breathing heavily, visibly angered, despite the helmet disguising his eyes.
"What is your wish, my master?" the Iron Knuckle asked.
"Find Link, Zelda, and whatever other rats they brought with them, and destroy them! There are four. Kill every one of them," Ganon instructed.
"Yes, master," the Iron Knuckle answered.
"Good, now go….and you will be one step closer to becoming a General once more…..Onox," Ganon said, smiling.
