Next chapter done!

Enjoy! ;)

Chapter 6: Befriending Horses and Zoras

Shortly after exiting Kakariko Village and heading back to Hyrule Field, they spotted something in the distance that caught their eyes.

"Hey, what's that over there?" Yoshi wondered. "I don't think we've checked that place yet."

"No, we didn't." Link shook his head. "Let's head there, because I'm curious now!"

They made their way to the place at the heart of Hyrule Field: Lon Lon Ranch.

Lon Lon Ranch is known around the kingdom for producing the most delicious milk ever tasted, among other dairy products like cheese and eggs. But this ranch is known for more than its products and cows, too. Word has spread around the kingdom that the best horses are bred here.

"Oh, it's a ranch!" Peach exclaimed.

"I hear singing…" Luigi spoke up. "Is it coming from over there?"

The group then made their way to the horse corral at the middle of the ranch, amazed by all of those majestic horses running around. At the very middle was someone rather familiar to our heroes.

"Malon!" they exclaimed.

"Oh, it's you all again!" Malon stops singing and replies. "I heard you found my dad! How did you like the castle? Did you see the princess? Hee hee! Dad came home in a hurry after you found him."

"We witnessed just that back then." Mario smiled. "By the way, you have a pretty singing voice."

"Thank you! My mother composed this song. And it is a song that my friend likes! Oh, yeah – I have yet to introduce her to you!" she directs them to a young horse with blue eyes, reddish-orange fur, and white mane and tail. "She's this horse. Her name is Epona. Isn't she cute?" she said while embracing Epona, making her let out a happy neigh.

"She's really cute." Link smiled. "Can I pet her?"

"Sure!" Malon leads Epona to Link, only for the little horse to back away in fear. "Oh… It seems like Epona is afraid of you… The only way to charm her is by singing the song you've been hearing."

"Really? If that's the case…" he takes out his ocarina. "I don't sing, but I do play!"

"Oh, cute ocarina! Are you going to play this song with that ocarina? OK, this is the song…" she sings the song to him, and he copies it on his ocarina. Link thus learns Epona's Song.

Immediately after hearing her song, Epona comes rushing to Link and nuzzled him, catching him by surprise.

"Oh! She likes you now!" Malon chirped.

"Eh heh heh… Easy, girl." Link chuckled as he pets Epona.

"Aw…" Peach smiled. "Now I wish I had a horse for myself too."

"Hmm…" Malon pondered for a bit before something came into her mind, "You know what? Peach, was it?"

"Yes."

"Come with me! I have something to show you that you might like!"

Peach follows Malon to the horses' feeding area, where there was a young horse at the same age as Epona with light-blue eyes, white fur, and light-pink mane and tail.

"Oh my goodness!" Peach gasped in amazement.

"Do you like her?" Malon smiled. "She's the rarest horse species that has ever breed in Lon Lon Ranch! Because of that, I made sure to take good care of her. I haven't given her a name yet, so you can think of one if you like."

"Don't worry, Malon. I'll make sure to give her a good name."

"Great!" Malon then looks up at the sky; it was now sunset. "It's getting late… How about you all spend the night here in the ranch? Even travelers need to rest, right?"

"Yeah. That's actually what we've been looking for; a place to rest."

"Then you're all lucky! I have to go see my father now. Feel free to explore our ranch as much as you want!" she leaves while waving.

Peach waved back and looked back at the white horse. She looked so sweet and adorable; that horse could really relate to Peach herself. And the fact that she had her mane and tail pink, which is Peach's favorite color, really helps. The horse let out a happy neigh that sounded so cute that Peach couldn't help it but gently pet her.

"She's really adorable, isn't she?" just then, Mario's voice came from nearby. Peach looked around to find her favorite plumber hero with his back leaned against the corral's fence with a soft smile on his face.

"She is." Peach replied, mirroring Mario's expression. "You know, I wonder how my life would turn out if I lived in a ranch?" she wondered while looking back at the horse.

"Very differently, that's for sure. For one, I don't think you would be crowned princess."

"Definitely not. Even that, I don't care if I'm a princess or not. At least I have some freedom."

"True." Mario then looks at the horse. "Boy, it's too bad she's not old enough to be ridden on."

"Yes…" Peach cresfalled. Surprisingly enough, even the horse looked saddened by that. "It's a shame, because I've already came up with a name for her."

"Well, if you could one day ride her, what name would you give her?" Mario asked.

Peach looked at the horse's eyes, who were filled with curiosity about which name she would be given. Smiling, Peach said:

"Pearl." after hearing this name, the horse, now named Pearl, neighed happily and nuzzled on Peach, making her giggle.

"Pearl? That's a beautiful name." Mario smiled. "And it looks like she really liked it!"

"I can see that!" Peach exclaimed. Then she laments, "But too bad that tomorrow we'll have to leave… I'm sorry, Pearl." Pearl looked saddened. Mario felt pity for the two. "Unless… I could give you something that'll make you always remember me." Peach's smile returned while reaching out her hand for something.

To Mario's surprise, Peach removes the blue brooch from her dress and straps it to Pearl's mane. "There. Pearl, just by looking at my brooch, I can guarantee that you'll never forget about me, no matter how many days or even years pass." Peach said. Pearl gave another happy neigh to her as she hugged her neck.

"Wow, I never imagined that you would one day remove your brooch…" Mario said with a hint of surprise.

"Neither do I." Peach then looks at the sky to see that it was getting darker. "Maybe we should head to Talon and Malon's house. I can see that the others already went there."

"Yeah, we should." Mario agreed. "Plus, I can't wait to find out what we'll have for dinner!" he rushes out of the corral.

"There goes Mario thinking about food again." Peach thought with a playful smile as she follows Mario, but not before waving goodbye at Pearl.

When it was dinnertime, everyone had pumpkin soup and later grilled apples for dessert. Then, Malon helped her father set up some extra beds in the bedroom for the heroes to sleep on. They all rested for the night.

The next day, everyone had scrambled eggs with cheese and Lon Lon Milk for breakfast. The Mario cast found out that life at the ranch was very simple, even when it comes to food. The ranchers' diet mostly consisted of daily products, fruits and vegetables, which was the reason they were always so healthy.

But now, it was time for the heroes to take their leave.

"So you're going already?" Malon asked a bit saddened.

"We have to, I'm afraid." Mario replied.

"Don't worry, Malon. We'll come back here someday." Link assured. He was back at equipping the Deku Shield, since it was much more lighter and comfortable for him than the Hylian Shield.

"Let's go, everyone!" Navi exclaimed before the group began to leave the ranch.

"You all better come back, guys!" Malon called out as she saw the group leave until they were nowhere to be seen.

"Well, then… Back to work!" Talon exclaimed. "Malon, take care of the horses."

"Yes, father…" Malon went to the horse corral.

"I'll have to clean up the barn as usual, right?" Ingo guessed with a grumpy look.

"Yes, you have." Talon ordered as he walks towards the barn's entrance. "I've got a lot of work to do today, so you better keep the barn nice and clean!" he went inside.

"Hmph! Yeah, right! You'll probably snooze off during your work as always!" Ingo scoffed. "Ugh, I hate always being the one to do all the work while that lazy bum is napping all day! I should have been the one in charge! Not him!" he grumbled some words under his breath before going inside the barn.

With the heroes…

"Well, we're all rested." Yoshi said. "So… where to now?"

"No idea…" Link shrugged. The Mario cast and Navi would have face-faulted if Link didn't continue, "We still don't know where the last Spiritual Stone and Platinum Star are!"

"Perhaps I can help." Kaepora Gaebora's voice suddenly came as he lands on the sign pointing to the ranch. "Hoo hoo! I see that you are all rested and good to go!"

"Yeah…" Toad replied. "Do you know where the last Spiritual Stone and Platinum Star are?"

"Brave ones, the Spiritual Stone of Water and the third Platinum Star are in Zora's Domain."

"Zora's Domain?" Peach asked.

"It is a place inhabited by the Zoras, a race of aquatic people. The Zoras serve Hyrule's Royal Family by protecting this water source." Kaepora Gaebora answered before turning his head to the flowing river at the distance. "Just follow that river over there. It'll lead you to Zora's River. However, the domain's door will not open for anyone except those who have some connection with the Royal Family. Let them hear the melody of the Royal Family! Hooo hoo hoooot!" he then leaves.

"He definitely helped us." Luigi remarked.

"Absolutely." Link nodded. "Come on! To Zora's Domain!"

They went to the direction Kaepora Gaebora directed them to reach Zora's River. They followed up the river's trail, having to deal with some Octorocks in the way. Once they finally reached the end, there was a waterfall in front of them and a Triforce symbol below their feet. Remembering Kaepora Gaebora's advice, Link played Zelda's Lullaby on his ocarina.

Eventually, the waterfall splits into two, revealing a passageway between them. The heroes went into the passageway to reach Zora's Domain. The immediate thing the heroes felt when entering the tunnel leading to the domain was the air; it was humid and hot, but unlike the smothering hot air of Dodongo's Cavern, it was a pleasant humidity like if they were near a Goron's hot spring.

Zora's Domain, the home of the Zoras, is a watery paradise that is insulated to keep most out, but in these troubled times, even the private Zora are willing to accept help from outsiders. This place was for the most part a grotto, with crystal-like pools filling it, each body of water glowing with a soft blue light that reflected off the sandstone walls. There was another waterfall at the far end pouring over a ledge, possibly the most common place for Zoras to dive.

Speaking of the Zoras, they, for the most part, were just enjoying their privacy time swimming around their domain, diving with grace into the water, sometimes coming to the surface, but mostly staying submerged.

"Wow… This place is beautiful!" Peach exclaimed in amazement; everyone was just awed by this place alone.

"I would love to live here just to swim all day!" Yoshi beamed.

"Maybe we should ask around." Navi suggested. "Perhaps one of them knows where to find the Spiritual Stone and the Platinum Star."

The heroes nodded and walked forward, where there was a Zora standing at the end of the path.

"Outsiders? What brings you all to Zora's Domain?" he asked. "If you're here… Then are you the messengers of the Royal Family?"

"We are." Link nodded. "We're here to look for the Spiritual Stone of Water and the Platinum Star. Do you know something about those?"

"Hmm, I don't know much about these. Perhaps our King might know."

"Your king?" Toad asked.

"King Zora De Bon XVI. We Zoras happen to have our own Royal Family too. I can lead you to him."

"You can? Thanks!" Yoshi thanked.

"You're welcome. But… considering the situation he's in right now, I don't think he'll be willing to talk to you right now."

"Why not?" Luigi asked.

"You see, his daughter, Princess Ruto, has vanished mysteriously and no one here knows what happened to her. We searched around the waters of Hyrule, but we found no trace of her."

"Oh no…" Peach lamented.

"Well, I can still try to lead you to our King, anyways. Come with me."

The Zora then led them to King Zora's throne, where he kept mourning about the loss of his daughter.

"Your majesty." the Zora said. "The messengers of the Royal Family have arrived."

"…Is that so?" King Zora replied unenthusiastically. "Tell them to go talk to me some other time. I'm in no mood for that now."

"Wow, he really is upset…" the heroes thought.

"Oh, my dear, sweet Princess Ruto… Where has she gone? I'm so worried…"

"See? I told you." the Zora said to the group before leaving.

"We have to make the king talk to us somehow…" Mario mused.

"But how?" Peach asked.

"Well, anyways, I'm feeling kind of dry. I'd like to swim a little bit in the Zoras' water." Yoshi said as he went back and leapt into the water as the rest of the group watched him swim. Even if the Zoras were still swimming around, they didn't seem to mind seeing a strange green dinosaur-like creature swimming in their waters, so long as they're not being bothered.

Just then, after swimming for a while, Yoshi spotted some sort of passage underwater near the lonely platform on the water.

"Guys! Guys! Come down here!" Yoshi called out for his friends. With a shrug, the rest of the heroes leapt down to join in with Yoshi.

"What is it, Yoshi?" Link asked.

"Look what I found!" Yoshi pointed at the underwater passage.

"A hidden passage!" Toad exclaimed. "What are we waiting for? Let's dive in!"

They did just that, and this passage happens to lead them to Lake Hylia.

"Golly, that's a huge lake…" Luigi looked around after they all emerged into the surface.

"I wonder if there's anything around here…" Peach wondered. Then, Navi saw something in the water:

"Hey! Over here! I can see something shining in the water!"

They swam to where Navi was and Mario dove into the water to pick the object the fairy saw. He came back up at the surface holding a bottle with a letter inside on his hand.

"Well, it's neither what we're looking for, but this bottle has a letter in it, so it could be important." he said.

"A letter?" Navi asked. "Well, let's go back to Zora's Domain and we can read it there."

The gang went back into the passage to return to Zora's Domain. There, they climbed up the lonely platform.

"So what does the letter say, Mario?" Navi asked. Mario then opened the bottle, dropped the letter on his hand, and read it:

"Help me. I'm waiting for you inside Lord Jabu-Jabu's belly. Signed, Ruto. PS: Don't tell my father!" everyone gasped after that.

"It's from Princess Ruto!" Navi exclaimed. "I know she told us to not tell her father but… We have to show this to King Zora!"

They wasted no time in heading back to King Zora's throne and showed him the letter.

"WHAT?! My daughter's inside Lord Jabu-Jabu?! That's not possible!" he exclaimed once he read it. "Our guardian god, Lord Jabu-Jabu, would never eat my dear Princess Ruto!"

"Maybe something happened to him that made him do that?" Peach guessed.

"Hmm… Now that you said it, this could make sense. Since that stranger, Ganondorf, came here, Lord Jabu-Jabu has been a little green around the gills… The evidence seems clear."

"Ganondorf?!" the heroes thought.

"Since you're the messengers of the Royal Family of Hyrule, I can give you permission to go find Ruto. You can pass through here to the altar of Lord Jabu-Jabu. Please find my dear Princess Ruto immediately!"

"We'll do it, your highness!" Link replied, with the Mario cast nodding.

With that, King Zora began to move out of the way. As you expect, it took quite a while, but thank goodness our heroes were patient. Once the King stopped moving, the heroes went into the path he just opened for them, allowing them to reach Zora's Fountain.

The first thing that caught their eye was definitely the huge fish, Lord Jabu-Jabu, resting at the heart of the fountain.

"That is the biggest fish I've ever seen in my life..." Link breathed in amazement as they approached him.

"No kidding." Navi agreed.

"Is he supposed to be Lord Jabu-Jabu?" Yoshi wondered.

"Probably." Mario nodded. "He has to be big enough to swallow a person whole."

"So… How do we get him to open his mouth?" Luigi asked.

"Well, he's a guardian spirit, isn't he? Perhaps we can make an offering to him." Peach suggested.

"Okay, but what offering?" Toad asked.

Link looked around the waters of the fountain for a little bit, and saw a small fish swimming nearby, giving him an idea.

"I think I have one." he said before successfully catching the fish using the bottle that had the letter previously.

"Good thinking, Link!" Navi praised.

Link then approaches Lord Jabu-Jabu while holding the bottle with the fish inside.

"Lord Jabu-Jabu, please partake of this." he said politely while dropping the fish in front of the huge fish guardian.

Then, all of a sudden, Lord Jabu-Jabu snaps out of his stasis trance upon seeing the fish and opens up his mouth to inhale it. Only problem was… the heroes were in the way, so they were also getting sucked into his mouth too.

"WAAAAGH!" Link screamed. "JUST THE FISH! JUST THE FISH!"

After everyone was eaten alive, Lord Jabu-Jabu closes his mouth, not even bothered about what just happened previously.

To be continued…

Yes, Pearl is going to become Peach's horse just like how Epona becomes Link's horse (Pearl was based on the same horse Peach rides in the Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games series). I decided to add another main horse since I wanted to have more room for the heroes for riding around Hyrule (just imagine having poor Epona carry six people all at once?!). Since there are six heroes in total, three of them will be riding Epona while the other three will be riding Pearl.

Our heroes were eaten alive by Lord Jabu-Jabu! Little do they know that this is actually their third dungeon! See you next time! Please review!