CHAPTER 12

That same night on another beach, Zelda and Naranjo washed ashore. Zelda is the first to stir. She notices Yashil, Peach, and Link are gone!

"Where are the others?!" Zelda wonders aloud.

Zelda looks around but sees nothing but boat wreckage.. She tries to wake Naranjo. "General! Wake Up! We got separated from the group! Where are the others?!"

Naranjo doesn't answer.

"Naranjo?" Zelda calls again.

"Ugh...I'm awake!" replies Naranjo groggily.

"Where are the others?"

"How should I know? I just woke up, Miss Bossy Pants!"

Zelda glares at Naranjo. "Whatever! We need to find the others!"

Naranjo stands up and stretches. "I'll go scout out the area then! I'll find the others and come back to let you know where they are! In the meantime, it's best you set up camp while I'm gone. We may be here a while."

Zelda nods as Naranjo heads out searching for the rest of their team.

"I spotted some large footprints heading that way," Naranjo says, pointing at a cave in the cliffside.

"Let's check there." says Zelda.

Zelda and Naranjo move towards the cave. Naranjo puts his hand to his ear, seeing if he can hear any recognizable sounds.

"What's that?" Zelda asks.

"It's faint..." replies Naranjo. "I think that's a whistle"

"That's odd," Zelda mutters. "Why would someone be whistling?"

"You got me, advance ten paces" whispers Naranjo.

They march ten paces. Naranjo raises his hand. "Hold!"

A loud screech comes from the cave, three figures appear from inside it.

"Be ready for combat if this gets ugly" Naranjo warns Zelda.

The trio moves forward. They seem to be acting strangely. One of them is holding a torch in front of them. One of them has a mask on their face. The other two have bandages wrapped around their faces. They are all of immense size.

"Redeads" Zelda whispers! "Don't look in their eyes! That's how they can paralyze you!"

"Retreat! Retreat!" Naranjo whispers.

Zelda and Naranjo run back the way they came.

"Where are they?" asks Naranjo.

"I don't know," replies Zelda.

"Hey, you're back!" says a familiar voice emerging from the shadows of the woods to reveal it's Yashil.

"Yashil!" Exclaims Zelda, hugging him. "Thank the goddesses!"

"What happened?" asks Yashil.

"We found a strange group of giant Redeads who seemed to be trying to find their next meal!" replies Zelda.

"What do you mean?"

"Hostiles, You Giant Hippie!" Yells Naranjo. "Why'd you go AWOL when we washed up on shore anyway?!"

"Uhhh...Well, I uhm...I was looking for the others!" replies Yashil defensively. "I thought you were just asleep!"

"Were you able to locate Peach and Link?" Naranjo asks.

Yashil shakes his head. "No, however I was able to collect some fruit. At least we won't starve while we go searching for them."

"Fruit?" Zelda questions.

Yashil reaches into his satchel and shows them some fruit.

"That's a Melon," explains Yashil. "Pretty rare here on Mido Island, but it's a delicacy to us Yoshis."

"How did you know which island this was?" Inquires Naranjo.

"My mother is from this region. She taught me the language when I was young. This is my home island."

"Your mother's a redead!?" asks Naranjo.

"What!? No!" Yashil answers, shocked. "She's a Hylian! She heals the townsfolk".

"So that means" Zelda understands. "You're actually from Hyrule."

"Yes, but I left years ago with my father," Yashil explains. "My father died during the The Great Toad War, so I remained on Yoshi Island to honor his memory and help drive off those evil creatures."

"The evil creatures meaning Peach's Red Toad Army" Zelda says.

"Yes." replies Yashil. "...Please don't tell her I referred to her army as that."

"Well that's our job though isn't it?" states Naranjo. "We're the ones who bring out the worst in people."

"I suppose you're right", Yashil says sadly. " Come, we must head back to camp. It seems to be getting dark".

The group walks back to camp and finishes dinner.

"I hope we happen upon Peach soon," Naranjo tells Yashil and Zelda. "I wanted to give her these"

He shows Yashil and Zelda some letters and a locket respectively.

"What are these?" asks Zelda.

"Those are letters from Peach's mother," replies Naranjo. "She wrote them to Peach and her father before she passed away while they were on the battlefield. My mother was the Orange Toad's head mail lady before she was tragically killed on the battlefield, delivering letters for the Red Toads".

"You never told me about either of those things" Yashil says.

"I repressed it, didn't feel the professional thing to bring up".

Yashil says. "No one could have known that would happen. I am sorry for your loss"

"Thank you…" Naranjo says, mournfully, before snapping back into his usual persona. "I mean let's focus on the mission!"

Zelda notices something in the distance in the water, she grabs Naranjo's binoculars and spots the top of the Blue Toads castle.

"I see it!" exclaims Zelda. "I see the lost Blue Toad Castle! It's underwater!"

"Can you breathe underwater?" asks Yashil.

"No need!" replies Zelda. She uses her magic to create three Zora tunics. "With these we can breathe underwater!"

"This is great," Naranjo says.

"I wonder if Peach and Link are down there somewhere" Yashil says.

"Only one way to find out," says Zelda.

After the crew changes, they go into the ocean. The water is warm and feels refreshing. Zelda swims slowly until she reaches the top of the Blue Toad Castle.

She signals Naranjo and Yashil who follow "Ok now all we have to do is swim down".

"I can't believe we finally made it!" says Naranjo. "My mother told me about in stories, I always dreamed of seeing this place."

"Me too," adds Yashil. "I heard stories about it too when I was younger."

The trio dive down, but soon hear a strange rumbling.

"What's that?" asks Naranjo.

"Sounds like a landslide" replies Yashil.

"Maybe it's an earthquake?" suggests Naranjo.

"Don't worry," says Zelda.

"Uh guys...I think I found the cause of that!" yells Naranjo.

Suddenly from the depths of the ocean rises the Morpheel!