Now with the true enemy revealed, what will Link and Saria do? Let's get started and find out!
"What the hell is going on...?" Link whispered as he, Saria, Ilite and the fourteen children were sitting in the Gerudo schoolhouse classroom, only to see the new teacher on duty, the aide Nilonu, just put out the lights and started speaking strangely.
"Now class, how about we begin the final lesson of the day? We're gonna be covering the evil regime that's ruling over our town, and what's being done to fight it!" Nilonu said cheerfully.
"Huh? What's this about?" asked one of the kids.
"This is really scary..."
"Ms. Nilonu, what do you mean?"
"I need to warn you all of the false king, and his evil deeds, as well as the horrible things he has in store for the people of Gerudo Town!" Nilonu stated.
"Yeah, he's a big bad dude and got a big bad attitude! Bowowow!" her sock puppet Bow-Wow stated.
Nilonu continued, "The false king Link came to this town 'bout a little over a year ago, chosen by Lady Nabooru as the new ruler after the great King Ganondorf was wrongfully captured. Well, it turns out it was all a plot by the evil Link, who lusted for power and control over our people, and wants to take everything for himself; stripping our town of it's money, killing people who disobey him, and forcing himself onto women for his own sick pleasure!"
"A crook, a killer, and a womanizer, all in one!" Bow-Wow stated.
Meanwhile, Link whispered to Saria, "I can't believe it... Nilonu was the rebel mole all along!"
"And here we thought it was Ms. Fareafu, what should we do?" Saria asked.
"Not sure at the moment. If we try to speak out it could be dangerous. We don't know what she's capable of, and we can't risk the lives of these kids. Let's just wait for an opportunity." Link said.
Saria nodded as the two listened to Nilonu along with the rest of the class.
"There's also the matter of the war from about eight years ago." Nilonu said, "You were all too young to know anything about it, but in that war, our beloved Gerudo sisters fought to save our poor king. Sadly, in the end they were no match for the Hylians... and a lot of them died for nothing..."
The kids were all saddened from these words, "Did... you lose anyone from that war Ms. Nilonu...?" one of them asked.
Nilonu just stood there, grimacing, as Bow-Wow spoke up for her.
"She had a sister that meant the world to her, but she served in the war to save our great king, and those bastard Hylians struck her down!" the puppet said.
"Oh no, that's so sad..." another one of the students said.
"Poor Ms. Nilonu..."
"And it was King Link who caused it...?"
"So she lost someone too." Link whispered looking down. He remembered when he saw the plaque at Hotaig's Mausoleum with Reirousa, and all the names engraved on it to honor those who fell in the war.
Saria looked sadly at Link, as she recalled Nabooru telling her how much he blamed himself for what happened. She pat Link's hand reassuringly.
"Bow-Wow, no need to say that to the kids." Nilonu said.
"Erm, sorry about stepping over my boundaries, Maam." Bow-Wow said, bowing his head to his owner.
"Nah... it's alright..." chuckled Nilonu lightly, "You can't step over anything without any feet after all."
"Bowowowow!" laughed Bow-Wow, "Good point!"
Even the class, as sad as they were to hear of Nilonu's loss, laughed a bit at the joke.
"Even now as I'm telling you this," Nilonu continued to the class, "The evil false king is plotting his next equally evil scheme; convincing the Goron and Zora tribes into joining his army! But you don't need to worry, cause there's a great big team of heroes fighting against him; the Ebony Sisterhood and their leader the great Mother Eclipsis!"
The class was surprised and started talking among each other.
"Mother Eclipsis?" asked one student.
"I've never heard of her..."
"She's a strong and proud Gerudo who's going to save you all from the evil false king and take our true king back from those darn Hylians!" Nilonu said proudly, "The great King Ganondorf, along with Mother Eclipsis will make everything better again!"
Link gulped, the leader of the rebels, Mother Eclipsis was stepping up her assault on the town as of late, and it seemed she was going so far as to having the undercover mole indoctrinate the children of the town now.
"Just how does she plan to get away with this...?'" Link whispered to Saria.
"I don't know..." Saria said.
"Bowowowow! Mommy Eclipsis will save us all, and the evil false king will suffer and fall!" Bow-Wow sang proudly.
"Come on class, say it with us!" grinned Nilonu, "Mommy Eclipsis will save us all, and the evil false king will suffer and fall!"
"Um... I don't know about this..." said one student.
"Yeah, I thought the king was a good person." said another.
"But he did say he got King Ganondorf captured, didn't he...?"
"And that he caused the big war..."
"Link.." Ilite whispered, putting a hand to her chest as she thought about her dear friend, unaware he was currently sitting right beside her
Saria frowned, Nilonu was putting doubt in the minds of the children, it even seemed to be affecting Ilite, and the Kokiri girl had just about enough of this.
"Now wait a minute!" Saria shouted, standing herself up, "You're part of the rebellion then, aren't you Ms. Nilonu? What you're doing is not just treason against the Gerudo throne, but you're saying a bunch of lies! Link would never do anything to hurt the people! He cares deeply about each and everyone of them, and he's a great king because of it!"
"Saria..." Link whispered.
The kids all looked to Saria in surprise of her open defense of King Link, and found themselves questioning just who was in the right in that moment.
"Hm, looks like we need a little more oomph to convince em." Bow-Wow said.
"Alright then, I hated to have to resort to this, but go for it Bow-Wow." Nilonu said.
"Bowowow, here goes!" with that, Bow-Wow closed his mouth tightly, then opened his mouth wide, revealing a strange disk inside of his mouth. The disk had a sort of spiral shape on it, and as he kept his mouth open, the disk started spinning, and a strange wave started spreading out across the classroom.
"Huh...?" one of the kids muttered.
"What's happening...?"
"My head feels dizzy..."
"What is she doing...?" Link asked, looking around at the kids.
"Now kids, shall we start over?" grinned Nilonu, "Mommy Eclipsis will save us all, and the evil false king will suffer and fall!"
"Mommy Eclipsis will save us all, and the evil false king will suffer and fall!" said Bow-Wow.
After a few moments, the children all started speaking out, in a way that shocked Link and Saria.
"... …Mommy Eclipsis will save us all, and the evil false king will suffer and fall..."
"Mommy Eclipsis will save us all, and the evil false king will suffer and fall..."
"Mommy Eclipsis will save us all, and the evil false king will suffer and fall!"
"They're... all repeating after her..." Link muttered, he looked over at Ilite who was trembling.
"Mommy... save... all, evil... false... suffer... fall..." Ilite stammered softly.
"How is this happening?" Saria exclaimed.
Link paused on that note and took a look at Ilite carefully as she was muttering to herself. He saw the look in her eyes; it was a somewhat hazy and spaced out stare. It came across as fairly familiar to him...
"...I... think I know," Link said, "I think the kids are being hypnotized by Nilonu!"
He looked over to Bow-Wow and saw the disk spinning in his mouth.
"That sock puppet has something that's causing the kids to look just like you did when Kesuta and Korume put you in that trance." Link said narrowing his eyes.
"Oh my gosh... !" gasped Saria, but then added after a thought, "But wait, if that's the case, why aren't we affected then?"
"Dunno, maybe because we're older then the kids?" Link pondered, "Either way, let's pretend to be hypnotized as well, until we can come up with a new plan."
"Ugh, I guess it's our only choice at this point..." Saria groaned, before repeating the chanting Bow-Wow was saying.
"Very good class!" grinned Nilonu, "Now let's continue!"
Link and Saria just watched and contemplated their plan to escape as Nilonu continued with the new lesson, consisting of various encounters Link had made with the rebels in the past, showing Link just how carefully the rebel had been monitoring him. Naturally Nilonu fabricated the stories to make Link come off like the one who provoked each situation. She even drew goofy cartoonish drawings on the chalkboard of Link as an angry villain of sorts, complete with some stink lines emitting from him.
Nilonu continued with her 'lesson', "...and despite our efforts to fight against him, the false king has hurt us in a lot of tragic ways as well... He struck down two of our beloved sisters, the brave warriors known as The Slicer and Boss Faurugo, as well as our cherished pet Molderm..."
"We'll never forget you Moldy!" cried out Bow-Wow.
'It's name was Moldy?' Link thought.
"Is King Link... really like that...?" asked one of the kids with that same dazed look in their eyes.
"What a terrible man..."
"How could Lady Nabooru choose him as our king...?"
"Yes, it truly is a shame." sighed Nilonu, walking down the aisle, approaching where Link, Saria and Ilite were, "But I can assure you, the Ebony Sisterhood won't allow their deaths to be in vain, we'll continue to fight for the greater good, and crush the evil false king Link!"
"Yaaay! Fight the evil king!" cheered one of the kids, and some others cheered along with her.
"This is really bad." Link muttered.
"Now I don't expect any of you to put your lives in danger for the sake of defying the evil false king," Nilonu said, "I also don't want you telling your parents about what I'm saying here, so you don't get treated as traitors, but I just want you to take to heart what I'm saying. Soon the great Mother Eclipsis will storm this town, take it back from the false king, and save everyone!"
With Nilonu so close to them, Link was breaking out into a cold sweat. If he had a weapon he might have stood a chance to fight her, but as he was now he couldn't do much at all...
"But... Link..."
Hearing a voice speak up, everyone turned to see Ilite, who was hanging her head down.
"Link... he's.. he's not a bad person... he's a good king!" Ilite said, raising her head up and looking to Nilonu, "And he's my friend!"
"Hahaha, you don't need him Ilite, I'll be your friend, and so will Bow-Wow, and all the kids here!" Nilonu grinned.
"Yay for friends!" Bow-Wow cheered.
"I... um..." Ilite stammered.
"Come on Ilite, wanna join us in fighting against the evil false king?" Nilonu asked.
"Yeah, please Ilite!" said one of the students.
"We wanna have fun playing with you!"
"Uh..." Ilite gulped.
"We might even be able to help you with your asthma, we have better resources for it then here, including a really smart doctor!" Nilonu added, "In fact they're so good at what they do, they might even be able to cure you!"
'A doctor...?' Link thought to himself.
"Yeah, just say the word and no more coughing for you Ilite! Bowowow!" Bow-Wow said.
"I.. could..." Ilite muttered.
"Ilite..." Link whispered softly.
It was then Ilite looked over to Lifeaf, someone who despite her only having been met that day, felt like a good friend she had known for a long time. Ilite looked into her eyes, then looked to Saria.
"Ilite..." Saria whispered very faintly so as not to let Nilonu hear, "Please, remember who your real friends are..."
Despite the young Gerudo being in her hypnotic daze, in that moment Ilite saw a tear fall from Saria's cheek. She paused, closed her eyes for a few seconds, and then looked up angerly at Nilonnu.
"No... no I won't, you meanie!" Ilite shouted out, "I'll never turn my back on Link!"
The class gasped out.
"But Ilite... don't you want to make friends?" Bow-Wow asked, "Don't you want to be cured of your asthma and be free to do whatever you want, bowowow?"
"Of course I do..." Ilite said, the hazy expression in her eyes seemed to be clearing up ever so slightly, surprising Nilonu, "But if that means making Link my enemy... then I'd rather be stuck back in the clinic!"
"Hey, why would you defend someone like the false king?" Nilonu asked shrugging, "Especially after all he's done to our people?"
"Because... I know he's a good person." Ilite said, "He saved my life..."
Flashback
"Are... you okay?" Link asked, kneeling down to Ilite in Dr. Sarami's medical clinic.
Ilite looked up to see Link smiling a big goofy grin. She saw Link's hand, which was bleeding from a knife he had gripped to save her from being stabbed by a cruel thief named Dakas. Said thief was sprawled out on the floor outcold from Link punching him just a second ago.
"Y-Yes Mr. King Link," Ilite stammered with tears in her eyes, "I'm fine... but... y-you're injured!"
"Don't worry about that." Link said smiling, not even seeming to be reacting to the pain of the gash wound on his hand, "I'm just glad you're okay."
Tears started to run down Ilite's cheeks, and she threw her arms around Link's neck, hugging him tightly and crying her eyes out, while Link hugged her back with his good arm.
Ilite continued, "I had never met a man my whole life... Mommy used to tell me that all men were terrible people who do nothing but hurt you... then that mean thief kidnapped me... and I thought what she said was really true... But that's when Link saved me, and he smiled at me despite what had happened... After that he started coming to visit me. He's a really kind man, nothing like what everyone's told me... and especially not like what you're saying about him!"
"Don't fall for it, that's all a trick Ilite. He only wants power, and to have his perverted way with our people." Nilonu said, "The Gerudo are suffering, and'll just keep suffering until we save our true king!"
"Come on, join up with the winning side! Bowowow!" Bow-Wow said cheerfully.
Ilite just stared up at Nilonu, and frowned, "No."
"What?!" exclaimed Nilonu and Bow-Wow in unison.
"I'm going to support King Link no matter what. Lady Nabooru choose him to be our king for a reason, and he's proven that by being a great hero to everyone! Link's going to marry a lot of girls and make them his queens; not because he's forcing them, but because they all care about him! I've even seen the way Dr. Sarami looks when she talks about him, and I can tell she wants to be his wife too!"
Link rubbed the back of his head a bit sheepishly as she spoke about that.
"Link has... even told me about a childhood friend of his that's living with him now a while back..." Ilite said, "And when he talks to me about her... he always looks so happy, she really means a lot to him, and I'm sure he wants her to his wife too!"
Saria blushed red at that mention of her, and couldn't help but smile lightly, looking to Link who was looking pretty embarrassed by Ilite's praise.
"There's no way someone like Link could be the monster you say he is... I should know, he's my friend!" Ilite shouted, as she did, the haze in her eyes went away, and everyone saw a strange yellow mist was starting to drift out from her mouth, Ilite herself not seeming to notice.
'Huh...?' Link looked in confusion.
Nilonu meanwhile just stared down at Ilite. There was something that bothered the rebel about the way the girl looked... it seemed all too familiar to her...
"Ugh, what a pain." Nilonu soon sighed, putting her free hand to her forehead, "I don't know how you're fighting it off, but Mother Eclipsis isn't gong to like hearing this..."
"We better keep an eye on this kid so she doesn't escape!" Bow-Wow said, grabbing Ilite by her top and lifting her up into the air.
"Leggo of me you jerk puppet!" Ilite shouted, thrashing around, only for her asthma to come back and she started coughing again.
"Hey, let go of her!" Link shouted, deciding enough was enough, as he and Saria both jumped up and lunged at Nilonu, knocking her over and releasing Ilite.
"Get offa me!" Nilonu shouted, as Link and Saria were trying their hardest to punch and kick at her.
"I'll help you Nilonu!" Bow-Wow said, the sock puppet turned to the class and opened his mouth wide, exposing the hypnotic disk "Okay kids, defend your beloved teacher!"
The children sat there with their eyes spiraling in a daze from the hypnosis, before all getting up and slowly lumbering over to Link and Saria, grabbing and restraining them, giving Nilonu the chance to stand up.
"Phew, I don't know how you two resisted my hypnosis as well, but I can't have any of you gettin' in my way!" Nilonu said.
"And how exactly do you plan to not get caught doing this?!" Saria said, "The kids' families are going to be worried about them!"
"Relax kiddo, I plan to let them all out. After I'm done using my hypnosis they won't even be the wiser of what was going on here." smirked Nilonu, "The important thing is I sow the seeds of rebellion into them all, and soon they'll start revolting against the false king!"
"She can do it too, Nilonu's a master hypnotist! Bowowow!" Bow-Wow laughed.
"Hardly a master, your tricks didn't work on us or Ilite!" Saria pointed out.
"Just a setback. The question is what should I do with the three of you then...?" Nilonu said.
Link struggled, but it was to no avail. The kids were decently strong despite their age, and they had him tightly restrained thanks to their numbers.
'There's got to be something we can do...'
Meanwhile a few blocks away at a bar, a certain Gerudo was laying against the counter, holding an alcoholic drink in her hand. Surrounding her was about four more discarded cups. The Gerudo herself had an annoyed scowl on her face, as well as faint remains of chalk dust smeared on it.
"Another one, Fareafu?" the bartender asked holding a bottle.
"Please." Ms. Fareafu said holding up the cup.
"Wow, sixth cup and it's not even the evening yet, you have a rough day?" the bartender asked, pouring her another cup-full.
Fareafu just laid against the counter, her mind in that moment was focused on the girl in green named Saria, and the words she spoke to her...
"All I see is a stubborn insensitive jerk who's living in the past! These children need to have their minds stimulated and kept engaged, so they can comprehend things easier! All you're doing is making them not want to learn!"
"...damn that girl, she went and had to say those things..." Fareafu groaned, putting a hand to her head.
"Fareafu? Is that you?" spoke up a mature but silky sweet voice, "Oh my, six drinks already? I have a hard enough time getting Nabs to cut down."
Fareafu looked beside her to see the top medical doctor in town, Sarami, sitting beside her and placing an order for two glasses of water.
"Whadaya want Sarami?" Fareafu muttered.
"I was going on an important search, but I saw you here, so I thought I'd take a small rest." Sarami said with a smile, taking one of the water cups and giving it to Fareafu, "Judging from your drinks and your accent slipping again, I assume you had a bad day at class?"
"You could say somethin' like that..." Fareafu sighed, "I was made a fool of in front of them all, and I even got told off by one of the students about my work as a teacher... I've been adamant about the way I teach my class, just doin' what I was told growing up, but some of the things she said are naggin' at me..."
"Let me guess, you spent most of your lesson time discussing history again?" Sarami asked, taking a sip of water.
"Y-Yeah..." sighed Fareafu, "You remember I was pretty sickly as a kid, and I never had a chance to go to school, so my mother hired a personal tutor to teach me. I learned a lot from her, but she was also a total hard-ass, and I guess it just sorta rubbed off on me, it's all I've ever known..." Fareafu said.
"Yes, and after you got better, you became quite a warrior, we worked well together before I left the team when I was chosen to become Ganondorf's child-bearer." Sarami said nodding.
Fareafu continued, "I had to sit out the war against the Hylians due to me breaking my leg in an accident, but it gave me time to think about the situation we were all in. Lady Nabooru was an inspiration to me, that we Gerudo could change from the thieves and killers we used to be. So I thought if I spent my time teaching the children our history, they would be able to move on from our old ways."
"It's very admirable you've done such a thing for everyone Fareafu, but I think you're going at it the wrong way." Sarami nodded, "Back when I was exiled, I came to meet my mentor who helped me become a doctor. She treated me well, and didn't beat me into submission with lessons and lectures. The way she was able to teach someone like me; a retired thief, transformed me into what I am today."
"Yeah, the kids have told me how good of a doctor you... are..." Fareafu then grimaced, thinking about how badly she treated Ilite earlier. Having been sickly as a child, she herself had been isolated and lonely... and yet here she was trying to do the same to Ilite...
Sarami just continued, "Much like my mentor, Nabooru's leadership has allowed her generation to advance and grow from our own generation's old ways as thieves and killers." she then turned to her friend and smiled warmly, "...and you have a responsibility to instruct the future generations of our people. But I think you just need to think with the feelings of the children in mind more."
"I... see..." Fareafu muttered, deep in thought, "Thanks for that Sarami..."
"Fufufu, anything for my old friend." Sarami nodded, then wrapped her arms around Fareafu, pressing her breasts against the teacher.
"Okay, okay, just keep those things offa me!" Fareafu exclaimed with a heavy blush, pushing the giggling doctor away.
"Sarami, we have a situation!" shouted out a voice. Sarami and Fareafu both turned to see Nemisa, gasping out of breath from running around town trying to keep up with her companion Togau. The rancher was still in her Lynel form, bouncing up and down clomping her hooves, still full of her endless energy.
"Howdy Dr. Sarami!" Togau said grinning.
"Did you two find Link yet?" Sarami asked anxiously.
"Wait, you mean it's the king you're looking for?" Fareafu exclaimed in surprise.
"Yes, he's become lost in town, and thanks to an accident I was responsible for, his body has become that of a child." Sarami explained, knowing Fareafu well enough to be able to trust her with that information.
"Wha- what...?" Fareafu muttered, as she thought about the child she had caught in the hallway of the schoolhouse trying to leave...
"We still haven't found Link yet, but Saria seems to have vanished as well, we can't find her anywhere!" Nemisa said.
"I swear if that gosh-darn rebel does anything to either of em they're gonna getta Lynel thrashin'!" Togau snorted, stomping her hoof down.
"S-Saria...?!" Fareafu exclaimed.
"Hey Sarami, your friend looks as if she's turned seven shades of pale." Nemisa pointed out.
"This... Saria... she wouldn't happen to be a child-like person herself would she... with green hair...?" Fareafu asked in an uneasy tone.
"Yeah, she's a Kokiri, not to mention me'n Link's best friend!" Togau said, "She's on the short side, but she's the biggest sweetheart I've ever known!"
"What's the matter Fareafu?" Sarami asked.
"I... I've made a big mistake." Fareafu groaned.
Back in the schoolhouse; Link, Saria and Ilite all found themselves sitting in a corner of the classroom, all with pointy 'dunce' caps on their heads. Standing over them was Nilonu and Bow-Wow, as well as the fourteen other students, all of which still under mind control.
"I'll just have to figure out how to erase your memories of this later in detention." Nilonu said, "As for everyone else, let's continue with the lesson!"
"This is her way to keep us confined?" Link asked.
"It's not like we have a way to escape the room at the moment, we're cornered." sighed Saria.
"I just can't believe Ms. Nilonu is a rebel, and she even hypnotized everyone..." Ilite said sadly.
"I still wonder why me or Lifeaf weren't affected, or how you snapped out of it." Saria said.
"Yeah, and what was that weird yellow mist you breathed out Ilite?" Link asked.
"Dunno, maybe it was something I ate? Mom made garlic cucco last night." Ilite said.
"Something you ate..." Link pondered, when a thought occurred to him, "Wait a minute!"
He reached into his pocket and pulled out the small round yellow candy Nilonu was handing out earlier.
"Hey, that thing looks just about the same kind of yellow that Ilite breathed out." Saria said.
"Remember that power tonic the miner rebel had drank back at the Hall of Knowledge? She had breathed out something similar." Link whispered to Saria.
"Oh that's right! So you think whoever made the power tonic made this as well?" Saria asked.
"Yeah, you and I are the only ones who didn't eat these things, I think whatever they are might be laced with some kind of drug like the power tonic to make the kids more vulnerable to hypnotism!" Link said.
"So she's drugging the children with this? That's terrible!" Saria said in a fit.
"That tears it, we need to deal with her somehow." Link said, glaring at the aide.
As Nilonu continued her discussion, Link looked over at the desk where Saria's guardian fairy Faete was still trapped in the bottle. She had long ago woke up and was trying to escape. Thinking she might be their best means to escape, Link took a deep breath and then crept slowly up to the desk. Saria and Ilite both looked on at Link as he moved the bottle off the desk and started trying to open it. The cork was sealed on pretty tight though, and he struggled with it, only to accidentally drop the bottle and it made an audible sound hitting the ground.
"Oops."
"What th-" Nolinu said, turning to see Link, "What do you think you're doing?" she said, stomping towards them.
Link realized they were in a bind. He then noticed something sticking out from the teacher's desk, it was a slingshot, the one he had been using to play Berry Blitz with Saria and Aviel earlier. Ms. Fareafu had confiscated it from Link back when she captured him. He took the yellow candy Nilonu had given him earlier and used the slingshot to fire it through the air with pinpoint accuracy, beaning her right between the eyes.
"Hey!" Nilonu shouted.
"Bullseye!" Ilite cheered.
Link grabbed a few more objects from the desk and started using his slingshot to fire them off, smacking Nilonu around.
"Ow! OW! Ow! Yeow!" Nilonu shouted in pain as she was whacked around by the flying objects.
Link fired off everything he could reach for, but soon enough however ran out of things to shoot.
"Well crud, I was hoping to knock her out." Link said eavesdropping.
Nilonu scowled, rubbing at her face, "Okay you little twerp, that's it! If time out isn't enough to deal with you, then I'm going to have to do something more extreme to subdue you! Bow-Wow, offensive maneuvers!"
"Bowowowowow!" laughed Bow-Wow, "With pleasure Nilonu!"
"So what're you going to do? Sic your sock puppet on us?" Link asked sarcastically.
With that, Bow-Wow closed his mouth tightly, then in that moment, opened it to reveal a set of pointy steel teeth. He snapped his mouth open and shut, making a loud clanging sound.
"Oh right, concealing weapons inside of ordinary objects..." Link realized, recalling what Aviel said about Sheikah techniques.
"Oookay, that might actually be dangerous." Saria gulped.
Nilonu charged at Link as he ran right at her; Link tried to throw out a fist, but Bow-Wow lunged at Link with his steel teeth, forcing him to pull back and dodge it. Nilonu kept taking a step forward, sending Bow-Wow to snap at him while Link sidestepped and dodged each attack. However Link had soon backed up enough that he hit his back against a wall.
"Now I gotcha!" Nilonu said as she did another attack.
Before Bow-Wow could bite Link though, he brought up his arms and caught the sock puppet with both hands, surprising him and Nilonu. The Hylian then started trying to twist the rebel's arm to subdue her.
"Gack! Help! Air!" exclaimed Bow-Wow.
"You don't even breathe!" Link pointed out to the puppet in annoyance, yanking on Bow-Wow to pull Nilonu come towards him, then quickly kicked her in the stomach.
"Nilonu, I'll stop him!" Bow-Wow said, then lunged out and snapped at Link, scratching him across the arm, causing him to yell out in pain, before bashing him across the face, knocking him down to the ground.
"Ugh..." Link groaned, while Saria and Ilite both gathered around him to be if he was okay.
"Now to deal with you brats..." Nilonu said, as she and Bow-Wow were glaring down at the three kids.
"I can't believe this, the one who captured the king was you?!" Nemisa shouted to Fareafu as as the two of them were charging off to the schoolhouse. Along with them was Togau dashing along with Sarami riding on her back.
"I'm sorry, I had no idea that was the king!" Fareafu gasped, "He looked just like a young girl, what was I supposed to believe?!"
"In her defense, Link does make for a cute girl!" Sarami pointed out in amusement.
The group soon arrived at the schoolhouse, where they saw a group of Gerudo women all crowded around speaking frantically to each other.
"What's going on here?" Nemisa asked.
"Oh, it's Ms. Fareafu!" said one of the women recognizing the teacher, "Where's my little Eibet?!"
"Yes, it's well after class hours, I have dinner waiting! I didn't spend an hour cooking the Lanmola I hunted down and slayed just for it to get cold!" said one of the mothers.
"Ugh, you're everyone's parents, aren't you?" Fareafu sighed, a little dizzy from her drinking and running over there, "Look, it's no big deal, they're all safe in the schoolhouse, they're under the care of my aide Nilonu."
"But we just looked around the schoolhouse, we can't find them anywhere in the classrooms!" said one mother.
"Yeah, where's my daughter you bitch?!" shouted another mother, pulling out a two-handed battleaxe.
"Huh? But how is that even possible?" Fareafu asked, "They're in class C-2 like usual!"
"We already checked but there was no room like that up there!" one mother said.
"If you don't tell me where my little Ilite is, you'll be wearing those glasses of yours on your pancreas!" said one mother cracking her knuckles.
"The parent-teacher conferences here must be rough..." Togau said sweatdropping.
"But that can't be right, the classroom should be where it always is, you can't just move a doorway!" Fareafu said.
"Strange, how is it possible for an entire classroom to disappear?" Nemisa muttered in thought, "There's no way a large group of children could just vanish."
"Hm... if it can't be seen..." Sarami pondered, when an idea occurred to her, "Wait Fareafu, is Ms. Nilonu by chance a half-Sheikah?"
"Huh? How did you know that?" Fareafu asked in surprise.
"We have sources that state the undercover rebel mole hiding out in this town is a half-Sheikah, if what the parents here say is true, it's likely she's using their shadow magic to disguise the classroom!" Sarami said, recalling what they were talking about during the meeting with Nabooru and Ruto regarding the Lens of Truth.
Fareafu's eyes widened at this news.
"What?! Our daughters are being held captive by a rebel?!" exclaimed a mother.
"Fear not, we'll go immediately to rescue them!" Nemisa said, "Fareafu, show us where that classroom is supposed to b-" but she was cut off upon seeing that Fareafu was already gone.
Back in the schoolhouse, Link and Saria were staring down Nilonu and Bow-Wow while doing their best to protect Ilite. Link had a few injuries from fighting the teacher aide and puppet, but he wasn't going to let it get to him in that moment.
"Alright, now that you're subdued, I'm going to use one of my hypnosis techniques on you three. Don't worry, I won't hurt you anymore, just gonna put you to sleep for the rest of the day." Nilonu said, "Then I'm escaping this town using my Sheikah cloaking techniques."
"You're not going to get away with this!" Link said.
"And who's gonna stop me kid?" grinned Nilonu, "Bow-Wow, give em what you got!"
"Bowowow! Time to start counting sheep!" the sock puppet said, opening his mouth and showing the spinning hypnotic disk sticking out of it.
But before it could have any possible effect on any of them, a blade sliced through the air and cut through the disk, making it fall harmlessly to the ground. Nilonu stood there in surprise as Bow-Wow yelped out.
"Bow-ow-ow-ow-ow!" cried the sock puppet, "My hypno-disk was cut off!"
"Who did that?!" Nilonu shouted as she turned to see it was a familiar face.
"Ms. Fareafu?!" Link, Saria and Ilite all exclaimed.
"I got through your little shadow trick Nilonu, I've been down this hallway so many times I could remember exactly where the door is!" Fareafu said, brandishing the blade concealed in her ruler. Nilonu looked to the door and realized she just sliced the doorknob off to get in even without the key.
"Heh... uh, h-hey there old lady, forgot something?" Nilonu asked in a failed attempt to feign innocence.
"D-Did you forget your age cream or something, bowowow...?" Bow-Wow asked nervously.
"Enough of this Nilonu," Fareafu said narrowing her eyes, "Give yourself up and we'll talk this out."
"Sorry Fareafu, but there's nothin' to talk about." Nilonu said sighing, "I'm a rebel, and you all oppose us, if I give up I'm letting my sisters down, now beat it or I'll let these three have it!"
Bow-Wow barked out, "She'll do it too!"
"I will not allow you." Fareafu said, "These children are my precious students, and I won't let any of them get hurt because of you!"
The children, still in their hypnotic state, all curiously looked up at Ms. Fareafu as she spoke.
"Wow, and here I thought you gave up on them a while ago." shrugged Nolinu.
"I did give up..." admitted Fareafu with a sigh, "At first I was just fed up with them, never treating me with the respect I felt I deserved. But after Ms. Saria chewed me out earlier, it made me think about just what I've been doing... and the reality is it's me who didn't respect them..."
"Ms. Fareafu..." Saria whispered.
The teacher continued, "I may not be a good enough teacher for them, but that doesn't mean they don't matter to me! I'll do what's necessary to protect them all!"
The kids continued to stare at Fareafu, despite their trance, they seemed to be listening to what she was saying.
"Not bad." grinned Link.
With that, Fareafu charged forward at Nilonu, who blocked her blade with Bow-Wow's teeth. The two started clashing left and right with their weapons. Fareafu swung with deadly swiftness, but Bow-Wow provided an excellent defense against her attacks. The teacher was already beat from her tiresome day and drinking from earlier, and she was starting to weaken.
"Looks like you've just about had it, old lady!" Nilonu said, bringing up her leg and kicking Fareafu away, knocking her to the ground by Link and Ilite. Her ruler blade fell to the ground some distance away.
"I-I'm sorry..." Fareafu said, as the two looked her over, "I let you all down..."
"It's okay." Link nodded with a small smile, "You did your best."
"Yes, thank you for trying Ms. Fareafu!" Ilite said.
"Okay, now it's time to deal with you all." Nilonu said approaching them all, only for a small ball of light to suddenly swoop down and bash her in the face.
"Not a chance!" Faete said, the guardian fairy having been freed by Saria while the two teachers were fighting, "You're not gonna hurt my friends!"
"The butterfly is talking?!" exclaimed Bow-Wow, "That's so bizarre!"
"This coming from a sock puppet?" Link pointed out.
Faete started flying around Nilonu wildly. The rebel tried to attack her with Bow-Wow, but Saria then lunged at Nilonu and jumped on her back, squeezing against Nilonu's neck with her arm in an attempt to choke her.
"I won't let you hurt Link again!" Saria shouted.
"Hey, get offa me!" Nilonu gagged, reaching out to try and grab Saria.
Link quickly collected himself and got himself up. Running forward, he bashed his shoulder into Nilonu with all his strength. The rebel staggered back, but narrowed her eyes, grabbed Saria off her back and threw her into Link, sending her crashing and falling back against the wall.
"Heh, now we're going to-" Nilonu started, but realized something was missing on her arm, "Huh? Bow-Wow?!"
"Looking for this?" Saria asked, holding up the sock puppet she had snatched off Nilonu while she was on her back.
"Damnit... I didn't want to do this." the rebel muttered, she then quickly darted off and picked up Fareafu's ruler blade, "But this is all for the good of the Gerudo's future... I'm sorry, but I have to deal with the four of you. May the death goddess Nerif see your spirits to the next life." Once she had the blade in her hand, the rebel charged right at Saria with it.
"Nilonu, stop!" shouted Fareafu, she tried to get up but was too injured from the fight to move.
Faete flew out and tried to distract Nilonu, but the rebel smacked the fairy away and ran forward. She then pulled back the blade and thrust it forward in an attempt to impale the Kokiri.
"Saria!"
It was then though that Link ran forward and jumped out in front of Saria...
…and the blade was embedded right into the center of Link's Gerudo chest top.
"LINK!" screamed out Saria.
"L-Link?!" exclaimed Ilite in a combination of confusion and horror.
"NO!" shouted Fareafu.
Link just stared down, not moving a muscle, and with his facial features darkened...
…but that was when he rose his head up with blank white eyes bearing an angry glare. Nilonu's own eyes widened in shock at the terrifying look on the small child's face.
It was then she heard a strange ripping sound, it was from the child's Gerudo outfit starting to come apart, because remarkably their body was growing.
"What the hell?!" Nilonu exclaimed.
The strange effect that had occurred on Link's body that made him into a child was finally going away, and he soon grew back to his original height in his lean adult form. his top had came apart exposing his bare muscular chest, which strangely didn't look the slightest bit injured from the blade. The belt sash came off, and the pants ripped, unable to contain his legs. He was now back to his normal self, albeit in the nude.
"L-Link?!" Saria exclaimed, relieved he was alright, but she was flushed bright red at seeing him without his clothes.
"It... it was Link.." gasped out Ilite.
"By the goddess Aifet..." Fareafu stammered.
Nilonu gulped as she gripped the blade ruler to attack Link again, but he simply stepped up to the rebel. Nilonu paused and took a glance down, blushing bright red at the close range sight of what exactly laid between Link's legs, and completely threw off her concentration to fight back.
The young Gerudo King then brought his fist back before punching Nilonu across the face. The rebel groaned out with spiraling eyes, before collapsing to the ground unconscious.
Seeing it was finally over, Link let out a deep breath, as his eyes flickered from white back to the typical gentle blue as before.
"Whew. Glad that's over." Link said with a sigh.
"Link you're okay, and you're an adult again!" Saria exclaimed, dropping the sock puppet Bow-Wow to the ground and rushing forward, hugging Link around the waist, "I'm so relieved, I thought that woman stabbed you!"
"Yeah, that was a close one." Link said, he knelled down and picked up a certain familiar looking object that had fallen off him when his outfit tore open, "Good thing I had this."
Saria gasped, it was the wooden medallion she had made Link for his birthday. There was a small cut on the tree picture where the blade had impacted, but remarkably it wasn't too worse for wear at all.
"My medallion... you had it on you this whole time?" Saria asked.
"Yeah, I kept it on me for good luck." Link said with a goofy grin, "It's no Shield of Hotaig, but it sure protected me just fine."
Saria sat there looking at Link in surprise, before she smiled and hugged him, to which he hugged her right back. The warm feeling between the two melted away the intensity from just a little moment ago.
Fareafu herself just stared at the king, and was bewildered how far he had gone to protect the girl, and took in the sight of his strong body and the compassion he had for Saria and the kids...
"Link you big doofus!" Faete shouted, flying up and buzzing in annoyance, "Don't worry Saria like that again!"
"Ha ha, I'll try not to." Link chuckled, "Thanks for backing us up, Faete."
The fairy floated there for a second, before her light turned a reddish color and she turned away, "O-Okay, just don't let it happen again then!"
"Link...?" Ilite asked, tilting her head as she looked him over, "Is... that really you... Link?"
"Ah heh heh... hey Ilite." Link grinned innocently, "I know this might seem a little weird, but..."
It was then Nilonu's Sheikah shadow magic went away, and the door and window reappeared. They could hear someone shout out, "Wait, I found the door!" before a group of people piled into the room. It was Nemisa, Togau and Sarami along with all the parents of the students.
"Link, sorry we're late, Ms. Fareafu ran off ahead of us, and we had a hard time finding the doo-"
Nemisa was cut off by the sight of the classroom; she saw Saria, fifteen Gerudo child students including Ilite, an unconscious adult Gerudo laying on the ground, Ms. Fareafu, and Link himself. Link was now back to his adult form, and standing there completely nude.
Link just looked to the lot of them standing there, and suddenly feeling very awkward in that moment, especially at the sight of the students' parents.
"Uh... I can explain?"
And that's the end of the chapter... and with that awkward situation, quite possibly Link's physical health as well.
Hope you guys liked this chapter, there's still a little more to go before this particular arc is over, but bare with me as it's taking me some time to get out.
As always, leave a like, follow or comment if you choose to!