Link tossed and turned in his nightmarish sleep. Horror filled pictures flooded his mind making a cold sweat breakout over his body. Every instinct in his body demanded that he wake up but he couldn't free himself from the tendrils of unconsciousness.
He woke with a start to see Sheik shaking him. After he saw that Link was awake he sat back on his heels, but the same worried expression stayed on his face.
"I'm fine now... Just a bad dream." Link murmured after he stopped shaking.
Link looked down at the ground while he tried to slow his beating heart. After a few seconds he felt Sheik's bandaged hand against his forehead.
"No fever either." he assured him with a tight grin. After a few more minutes of silence Link said somewhat sheepishly. "Sorry to have woken you."
Sheik shook his head and replied. "I was already awake."
Link looked around. Judging by the darkness he figured it was sometime after 2am. He looked back at Sheik in confusion. 'Why would he be up at this time of nig-' he began to wonder when he saw the expression on Sheik's face. His scarlet red eyes mirrored the haunted expression that was portrayed in Link's blue ones.
"You too?" he asked quietly
Sheik looked away slightly and nodded. When Link looked like he was going to say more Sheik quietly told him to try to sleep if he could. Then he got up and returned to his bed with his back facing Link. Link turned over onto his back and looked at the sky, but he knew he wouldn't be getting anymore sleep that night.
Auru and Shad knelt next to the sleeping form of Ashei. They looked at each other, their faces twisted with indecision and worry. Link walked over to them as he groggily pulled his tunic over the thin chain-mail he wore.
"What are you guys doing?" He asked as he rubbed the last of sleep from his eyes
Shad looked up at him with fear evident in his face. "We can't decide if we should wake up Ashei or not."
Link looked at him in surprise. "She's not up?" Link had assumed she would be one of the first ones awake.
Auru sighed and said "No, and now we're faced with the decision whether or not to wake her."
"If we wake her she will probably be super angry, but if we let her sleep she'll probably be even angrier." Shad explained in a somewhat shaky voice.
Link hummed his understanding before leaning forward to look at Ashei. He almost burst out laughing when he saw what she looked like. Her hair which normally was bound in tight pigtails was tangled and flopped all over her face while her arm was propped under her head which made her face smosh to one side.
"You could just drop something large so it would make a big crash." Link suggested after thinking for a while.
They both brighten considerably at his solution and Shad hurried off to find something to drop.
"Just make sure that you're not within range of her fists when you drop it or things might not be pleasant for you." he called after Shad. Shad paused momentarily and nodded his understanding before resuming his search. Link chuckled and moved off to collect together the rest of his equipment. He was securing his shield to his back when he heard Shad dropping what sounded like all of the pots and pans they had. Link then winced at the screech that followed. He strapped on his sheath and sword and jogged back to where the group had slept. The first thing he saw was Ashei crouched in a fighting stance, dagger in hand, and teeth clenched.
"Don't ever do that again!" she yelled
"I-I-I'm sorry! We didn't know what to do!" Shad stuttered.
"What do you mean 'you didn't know what to do'?!" she asked in a dangerously low voice as she advanced on Shad with her dagger pointed at his neck.
"Whoa Ashei. Easy on Shad, he was just doing what he was told." Auru told her trying to ease her tension.
"Oh?" she said as she turned to face him. "And who was it that was telling him to do that?" her voice still as steely as it was before.
"That would be me." Link said as he came into the clearing.
Ashei glared daggers at him but they lacked the venom they had a few moments earlier.
"And why did you tell him to do that?" she asked carefully.
"To wake you." he answered simply.
"Humph." Ashei blushed ever so slightly and turned away.
"I'll be ready to leave in five minutes," she announced. "Everything better be packed up and ready to go by then."
As she finished saying that she stomped off to her packs and began to rummage through them. Link, Auru and Shad looked at each other and shrugged
"I'll go look after the horses." Link offered and began to walk off.
As he neared the horses he noticed Sheik lounging in one of the nearby trees staring at the castle. Link smirked and went back to checking over the horses and packs that they would be leaving for Telma. As he turned he looked over to where Sheik had been but saw that the tree was empty. He frowned and turned to walk back to the camp when he found Sheik standing directly in front of him.
"Sheik! Goddess don't do that!" Link said with a start.
Sheik smiled under his cowl and said teasingly. "What? The Hero of twilight is scared of a simple Sheikah?"
"Ok first of all, anyone in their right mind should be at least a little scared of Sheikah and their skills, and second, I'm not overly fond of having someone randomly appear right in front of me." Link said frowning trying to hide his embarrassment.
Sheik grinned again and replied "Alright if you feel so strongly about it I will try to appear in front of you in a less abrupt way."
Link rolled his eyes. "It's fine, just a little unsettling. Now I assume you came to tell me something, and not just to rub your ninja skills in my face."
Sheik giggled slightly and then as if remembering himself quickly answered. "I would never think of 'rubbing my skills in your face' as you so poetically put it, rather I came to inform you that Ashei is wanting to leave," he paused frowning slightly. "She seems quite irritable today."
Link laughed. "Yeah I noticed that too. Oh well I guess we had better head off then, wouldn't want to get on her bad side now would we?" he said with a wink.
The group walked along the small path next to the rushing river. Link and Auru lead from the front, followed by Sheik and Shad while Ashei brought up the back.
"It shouldn't be too much farther." Link called back to them. "After we pass the canoe rental and fishery it's only a few more minutes."
Everyone nodded but kept their eyes on the ground so they wouldn't trip. The only ones who didn't seem bothered by the uneven ground were Link and Sheik. Sheik seemed more interested in looking at the scenery as opposed to the road ahead. Shad had been talking almost nonstop during the trek until Ashei told him to shut up. Now Shad was absolutely silent for fear of what Ashei would do to him if he spoke. After about twenty minutes of walking they came to the cave that lead to the throne room. Link looked at the path.
"We're going to have to go singlefile for the rest of the way." he told them.
They barely indicated they had heard but simply rearranged themselves to accommodate the smaller conditions. As the cave opened out into the light Auru, Shad and Ashei all stopped dead in their tracks to gawked at the beauty of the Zora's domain. Link smiled to himself. Every time he came to visit he was always amazed at unique architecture and interesting setting of the waterfalls. From one of his earlier discussions with Prince Ralis he had found out that a few years back the Zoras had discovered a way to pump the water back up to the throne room from the river and along the way clean it as it went. Link hoped that later he might also be able to build something like that for Hyrule castle. After letting everyone look around for a while longer Link gently shook them out of their daze by saying,
"The throne room is this way." As he said this he pointed the direction they were heading. They met a few Zoras on the way but most were in the lower level of the domain. As they neared Prince Ralis' throne Link bowed low to the ground as was the custom. The others imitated him.
"Link! Welcome, I had hoped to see you today." Ralis greeted him
"We apologize for the delay we were held up." He responded with another bow.
"Please Link, you needn't to be so formal, we're friends and honestly I'm not overly fond of all the formality that comes with being a ruler." the young prince told him with a wiry smile.
Link grinned and with an overly dramatic bow said with a thick ceremonial accent. "Whatever your highness commands."
Ralis laughed happily. "Oh Link, you always have a way to make me feel better." he sighed contently. "How is Ilia?" He asked suddenly. "I've received her letters, and I'm very happy to hear that she got home safe."
"Yes she's doing well, she speaks of you often." Link assured him
"How nice, if there is ever anything I can do for her, or for you for that matter, please don't hesitate to tell me. It's the least I can do."
"I'll be sure to pass you message on to her." Link promised
"Thank you, I would be most grateful. All the same, I do wish you would visit more often. Palace life becomes awfully boring without you around to light things up."
Link rubbed the back of his neck and apologized.
With a wave of his hand he replied "Don't worry about it. I'm sure you busy; which is also why we should get down to business so as not to delay you and your group any further," he said as he folded his hands over his lap and was suddenly back in his formal princely state.
"We had a visit of a very unusual sort; he says that he's from a town across the border in the province of Norachre, and he has been causing us a great deal of trouble." Ralis told him.
"What kind of trouble?" Link asked
The young Zora considered that for a moment then said. "I think it's easier if you just meet him." he gestured to the Zora on his left and he went off to get the man.
"I do apologize in advance for his mannerisms, I don't believe I've ever met anyone as strange as he is." he lean forward to whisper "I don't think he is completely right up here." he said as he tapped his head.
"I understand, but how can I help?" Link asked
"Well he has been hanging around here asking nonstop to see princess Zelda, and I honestly don't know what to do with him. He's becoming quite a headache." Ralis said as he rubbed the sides of his head.
"And what would you like me to do with him?" Link asked slight frown
The prince simply sighed.
"I don't have any idea. But you were the only one I could think of that might be able to help." Ralis sighed again and after resting his elbow on the throne arms, he propped his head in the palm of his hand.
"Well I'd be more than willing to help in any way that I can" Link reassured him.
Prince Ralis smiled gratefully then quickly righted himself when they heard the guard returning.
In the distance they heard someone chattering away.
"But I just don't see how you did it; does it have to do with those masks that you wear? Or the earrings, is it the earrings? There must be something..."
The entire time the guard was walking back the man who was with him was asking questions or muttering to himself. As he got closer Link saw that he was quite old yet his mannerisms indicated that he was still very sprightly. His head was bald but he had large white bushy eyebrows and a white beard that reached down to his knees. He wore a long blue gray robe that reached to just about an inch above the ground in the front but trailed for a bit behind him. Under his robe he wore a pair of worn brown walking shoes that curled up at his toes.
"Link, I would like you to meet Arnold, the man I was telling you about."
Arnold glanced at Link briefly but then began talking animatedly to Prince Ralis.
"Oh your highness, have you finally decided to tell me the secrets of how you and your people breathe underwater?" he asked, rubbing his hands together in anticipation. "Because that boy you sent to get me was of no help at all." he put his hands on his hips indignantly as he frowned at the guard. The guard just responded with a roll of his eyes.
Ralis glanced at Link and whispered with an apologetic expression. "He's an arcanist." Then he turned back to the man.
"Master Arnold, as I have informed you repeatedly there are no magical properties associated with us or the objects we carry that allow us to breath under water. It's simply how we are made, we're born with it." Ralis told him with a shake of his head.
"That is preposterous," he responded with a humph. "There must be! Things like that don't just happen."
"Well they do." the prince said shutting off any further conversation. "Now, I would like you to tell Link what you told me when you first arrived here."
"Fine, if you're going to be that way about it," Arnold said as he crossed his arms. "Link was it?" he said turning to face him. "I suppose I should introduce myself. My name is Mervin Arnold Fabian the first, arcanist extraordinaire." he said with almost as dramatic a bow as Link had done earlier but he was being completely serious about it.
"Mervin? Don't you mean Merlin?" Ashei asked from behind Link.
"No! My name is not Merlin! Why does everyone ask me that?!" The arcanist said grabbing his head with both hands and shaking it back and forth. "There is no rule saying that all arcanists MUST be named Merlin! We have other names you know!"
"Whoa, sorry I didn't realize that it was such a big deal." she said put up her hands in a surrendering motion.
He sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose.
"No, I apologize; I shouldn't have lost my temper like that. It's just an issue that comes up often. Anyway," he said spreading his hands outward. "That's why I go by Arnold instead, it causes less confusion."
Link glanced at Ralis but he just shrugged in such a way to say 'Yes, he's been like this the whole time.'
"But all this is besides the point, you wanted to know what my purpose in being here was don't you." Arnold said engaging their attention once again. "Well the reason is quite simple actually, I want to meet with princess Zelda." he nodded as if he were very pleased with his own explanation.
"Why?" Link asked
"Why? My dear boy to discuss things of course. Magic things, for it is very well known that the princess is well versed in the art of magic; and I believe that a conversion on such subjects would be of great benefit to us both." he said as he stroked his beard.
Link looked behind him to Sheik. 'Do you know what he's talking about?' he asked silently. Sheik shrugged his shoulders; then after a few seconds his eyes widened and he pointed at the back of his left hand.
'The power of the goddess? That's what he's talking about?' Link thought in disbelief. 'Well no wonder he hasn't been able to talk to her about it, Zelda doesn't talk to anyone about her powers.' Link thought to himself.
"So, are you going to be the one who finally allows me to meet with her or are you just the next irritating babysitter?" the arcanist asked Link
"Well I'm not able to speak for Zelda but if she hasn't agreed to meet with you I'm sure she has her reasons." He answered carefully
"Hmm, what you say is reasonable, I suppose." he stroked his beard some more. "In fact, you speak as if you know the princess very well." Arnold said leaning in to peer at Link closer.
Link blushed then quickly coughed to disguise the fact that he was embarrassed. "I'm not sure if I know her 'very well' but we have spoken in the past."
'Isn't that the understatement of the year' he thought to himself. 'But really, I don't think it's any of this person's business to know what my relationship is with Zelda.'
"I see." Arnold hummed somewhat disappointedly.
"I believe that the relationship between Link and the princess is irrelevant to our discussion Master Arnold, and I would really not want to delay our visitors from their quest any longer than is needed." Prince Ralis broke in, trying to bring back some order to the conversation.
"A quest! Oh how interesting!" he broke in excitedly. "And what does this mission of yours involve?" he asked with genuine interest.
Link hesitated to answer but then thought why not, it won't hurt any to tell him.
"We're going to deal with a dragon problem in the east." he explained
"Ah, is that the one I heard about that's near the border of Norachre? Big one that is, you think your lot is up to it?" he asked skeptically
"I have confidence the five of us will be able to deal with it." Link told him with a smile and a glance back at the rest of the group.
"Oh I mean no disrespect I was just curious, seeing as none of you seem to have any magical properties about you. Unless I am mistaken?" his words were harmless enough but Link felt his eyes carefully searching over the group.
"No, I don't believe that you are mistaken," Link said with a wary expression.
"Ah well, those are discussions for another time," he said as he leaned on his wooden staff
Link blinked in surprise. 'He didn't have that before did he?'
Arnold noticed him looking at the staff and grinned mysteriously.
"Now you must tell me, how did three knights, a Sheikah and a scholar get assigned a quest as dangerous as this?" He asked with a small smile
Link frowned again, unsettled by the fact that he seemed to be able to pick apart each individual at will.
"We were asked if we would do it." Link answered
"By whom?" the man inquired further
He clenched his teeth and answered.
"By princess Zelda."
The arcanist's eyes brightened considerably at this. "Ah what a coincidence." he said though his eyes spoke volumes more. "Well then, the solution is obvious, I will accompany you on your quest then return with you to meet with princess Zelda."
"What?! You can't just invite yourself to come along with us like that!" Ashei said coming up next to Link.
"I'm afraid I don't understand, what do you mean?" Arnold asked with fake innocence. Or at least Link hoped it was fake.
"What she means is that we are unsure if it's the best course of action for you to accompany us." Link interjected tactfully
"Oh! Well you don't have to worry about me my dear, I may not look it but I'm quite capable of taking care of myself." he beamed
"Thats n-" Link began to say
"Now enough talk I will go collect together my things and we'll be off!" Arnold then waltzed off in the other direction.
"Wait-" Link called after him but he had already left.
He slumped in defeat. The grimaced when he saw Ashei glaring at him.
"Nice move genius, now he's coming with us." she said a scowl
"Well what was I supposed to do?" he shot back.
"Not let him come along obviously!" She said throwing her hands up in the air.
"I'm truly sorry about the way this has turned out." Ralis said sadly, "I didn't realize that he would impose himself on you like that."
"It's not your fault; you had no way of knowing that he would act like that." Link reassured him
"And that applies to you too Link. So don't beat yourself up about it." Auru said coming up next to Rails' throne. "So instead of thinking about what happened, let's decide what we should do next."
Link nodded and smiled ruefully.
"So what are we going to do with him?" he asked
"Ditch him?" Ashei said hopefully
"That sounds so mean, how about we say 'leaving him somewhere accidentally'?"
"Well it amounts to the same thing so why not say it as it is?" she asked crossing her arms.
"Fine," Link said resignedly. "So where are we going to 'ditch' him, it can't be here, I wouldn't do that to Ralis."
"Hyrule maybe?" Auru suggested
"No, then he would be able to go cause trouble for the princess without any of us to help her." Link said frowning.
"What about leaving him with the shaman in Kakariko village?" Auru asked
Link considered the thought for a moment. It would make sense; after all he would be well cared for, plus the Gorons could keep him from any real trouble. He sighed; he hated the thought of ditching anyone, given his protective personality.
"Well I guess that's the best solution, at least there Renado will be able to keep him under control." he said with a shrug. He then looked around curiously for Shad.
"Hey, where did Shad go?" he asked
Everyone else looked around too, Ralis then pointed
"I think he went over there, near the new shop."
"New shop?" Ashei asked curiously
"Yes, one of your friends," he indicated to Link. "The small one that opened the shop in Kakariko, he also came to install a place of business here." he smiled to himself. "To be completely honest I'm not sure how he got up to our village, but it seems that he is willing to do anything to make a profit."
Link nodded understandingly.
"It's true, he's even got a shop going in Ordon." he replied. "Well I suppose I should go have a look at this new shop, Malo would be very disappointed if I didn't."
As they walked along the outside rim of the throne room they met up with a few other Zoras who Link greeted with the customary greeting. As Auru and Ashei followed along behind they asked how he knew all the formalities that were associated with the Zora culture.
"I've spent a lot of time here over the past year or so. They're culture makes them easy to get along with, so I like visiting. I guess the customs just rubbed off on me." he told them with a smile and a shrug
As they continued walking the sound of the shop music got louder and louder. They rounded the corner into the new Malo shop. The room glowed with a wide variety of colors and lights. As Link looked around he saw one other human along with the two Zoras, one that was leaning the counter while the other was stocking the shelves. The human was performing the ridiculous dance that had become so popular after the opening of the shop in Hyrule.
"Welcome!" he crowed as he caught sight of them. "You're smart if you shop at Malo Mart!" he told them with a forced smile. As they got closer he leaned in and said.
"Ugh, I'm getting so tired of dancing! Malo brought me up here to dance in place of these Zoras. I guess they refused to sing and dance."
Link smirked inwardly. Only Malo would pay someone to dance at his shop he thought, then said aloud. "Is Malo here?"
"*huff, puff* yeah he's here, he just went in the back with a kid with floppy red hair and glasses, I didn't catch what they were talking about though." The man said between breaths
"Oh, that must have been Shad." Link said half to himself
He turned back to the others.
"I guess we might as well look at what the shop has to offer, seeing as Shad might be a while." He said a small shrug
Ashei and Auru nodded and began to look at the different products. Link wandered over to the Zora that lounge behind the counter.
"Link! Good to see you. It's been a while." The Zora greeted him
"Aqura, you're looking well." Link replied politely
"You don't come to visit me very much anymore." She said coyly
Link cleared his throat. "I have had other things on my mind lately." He said somewhat pointedly
The female Zora laughed musically. "Well I guess I'll have to let it go this time then, though," she said after a moment, "I do miss our diving competitions." a small smile played at the corner of her mouth.
"You mean you miss being able to beat me every time." Link said also smiling
"Well that too." She agreed, widely grinning now. Aqura leaned forward on the counter and looked up at him
"So I assume you came over here for some other reason than just to chat with me?" She said raising one eyebrow.
Link rubbed the back of his neck nervously
"Kinda." He said not meeting her eyes
Aqura laughed again.
"Oh fine, I guess I better do my job then." She said in a playful tone.
She straightened and gesture to the objects behind her.
"Malo just released a new line of products, so you're just in time." She told him conversationally
"And do they have a crazy 'new release' price tag attached to them?" Link asked as he leaned forward to get a better look at the items.
Aqura made a show of freight shock.
"Of course not! Malo Mart would never stoop to making our wonderful customers pay more than is absolutely necessary for our amazing products."
Link chuckled.
"I can see why you were picked for this job." He said smiling openly.
Aqura began to respond when Ashei came up behind Link.
"Wow, I don't think I've ever seen you smile so much at one time." Ashei said with a teasing punch on his shoulder.
"Ah, one of your friends Link?" Aqura asked with a strange glint in her eyes.
"Oh, yeah Aqura, Ashei. Ashei, Aqura." Link introduced
"Hey." Ashei greeted
"Please to make your acquaintance" Aqura answered coolly
Link frowned slightly in surprise at the Zora's response. From the look on her face it was clear that, somehow, the change of attitude was directed at him. But for the life of him, Link couldn't figure out what it meant.
"So did you find anything you might want to buy?" Ashei asked breaking the awkward silence.
"Not yet." Link responded, "You?"
She shrugged and pulled out a bottle. "Just a potion refill and a dagger."
"A dagger? I didn't know that Malo sold those." Link said with a slight frown.
"They must be new then." Aqura told him
Ashei rolled her eyes
"I special order these dummy, Malo can't make these available to everyone." Ashei snorted condescendingly
Link simply shrugged off her attitude and continued looking at the items behind the counter.
"Why don't you get that weird mask?" She asked pointing at one of the things in the shelf
Link smirked and began to answer when Aqura cut in.
"It's not just a mask, it's called a hawk eye mask, it's to help you see farther when you're shooting arrows." She told Ashei in almost as condescending an attitude as Ashei had used earlier. "And besides Link already has one, don't you Link." She finished
Link glanced worriedly between the two. The looks they were giving each other made were so severe it seemed like there was electricity shooting between them. Link quickly tried to figure out what he could do to calm the situation when he heard voices from behind where Aqura was standing.
"I'm telling you it's a great potential business!" He identified Shad's voice.
"Too specialized." Malo replied with a tone of finality. "My business is for large groups of people. I'd waste more money than I'd gain for the small group of customers that would use the service."
Shad's eyebrows furrowed in contained frustration.
"What if," he suggested suddenly, "there was already a business set that you could just add this service to?"
"Well that would change things but unless you know of a place I doubt there's any reason for us to continue this conversation." He replied callously but with a slight note of interest in his eye.
"Oh but there is, down by Lake Hylia there's a man who owns a shop where he sells canon rides and canon repairs, you could buy his company then add your part to it." Shad told him
"Really? I suppose it's worth looking into but I don't see why people would be interested in being shot out of a cannon in the first place." He said crossing his short arms across his chest.
"You never know until you try." Shad pointed out
"Fine." Malo said resignedly "I'll consider it if you really think so highly of it."
"You won't regret it I promise!" Shad replied eagerly
Malo turned away from Shad and seemed to notice the others for the first time.
"Hello Link, welcome to my humble shop. Now I assume you're here to buy something." Malo said in his typical style of greeting.
Link smiled and replied "Well what would you recommend?"
"I'm glad you asked, I actually just got something in that I think would be well suited to you." He said with a small smile playing at the corners of his mouth.
He pointed at the Zora restocking the shelves.
"Hey, go get the item on reserve from the back." He said rudely.
The Zora unbent and stared at Malo with a look of 'you've got to be kidding me' but then just rolled his eyes and went into the back.
A few seconds later he returned with a large rectangular object with a cloth covering it. Malo took it from the Zora and handed it to Link. He uncovered it and looked at the item in surprise. It was a shield, that much he could tell, but there was a strange bulky device on the front of it. He looked at Malo for some explanation.
"It's a shield, although you'd have to be pretty stupid to miss that." He said rolling his eyes. "This thing on the front of it is an embedded portable cannon, like the one that your friend has." He said flicking his eyes at Auru.
Link appraised the weapon with great interest. Being a mix of defence and offence the shield weight a bit more than he was expecting, but that was of little concern, the benefits being far superior. He was already beginning to think of ways to use it when he looked back warily at Malo.
"How much?" Link asked with a small grimace at the thought of the answer.
Malo pretended to consider it though Link knew that he had decided the price long before. "Well, since we're friends I suppose I could lower the price." He dallied, but with a dangerous glint in his eyes. "How about we say 750 rupees."
Link sighed and began digging around in his pockets to delve deep into his wallet. Just then Ashei put her hand up in protest. "750 rupees?! Are you kidding? If that's the discount price, I'd hate to see what the normal price would be." She said indignantly
"I believe that this was a discussion between Link and I, and if you're not the one buying I don't see why this should be of interest to you." Malo said this harshly but Link could tell he wasn't trying to make Ashei stop talking; rather it seemed that he was trying to make her speak more. 'It will work too.' Link thought, pausing in looking for the funds and watching how the encounter would play out.
"Not of interest to me?" She answered angrily, putting her hands and her hips and leaning down so she was closer to Malo's height. "This is daylight robbery. 500 rupees." She countered
Malo didn't seem at all intimidated by Ashei word or actions; rather he let a smirk crawl its way onto his face.
"700."
"520."
"690."
"550."
"660."
"570 and that's my final offer." Ashei told him forcefully.
Link noticed that he had unconsciously been holding his breath, being so wrapped up in the bartering of the two. Even now he could feel the tension growing thicker by the second along with the subtle spark flying between Ashei and Malo.
Malo eyed her to see if she was going to stand by that offer. Then his expression lightened and he answered.
"Fine 570... Just because you're a regular customer, so I want you to come back." He smirked and turned to Link. "I see, your girlfriend wears the pants in your relationship. You should be so grateful to her."
Link blushed darkly and quickly told him that Ashei wasn't his girlfriend.
Malo pretended he hadn't heard him and just continued.
"I wonder what Ilia would say, although I must say she really never had a chance against this one." his smirk growing even wider.
"Malo don't you dare." Link told him as firmly as he could given his flustered state. "You know that there's nothing going on between Ilia and I or Ashei and I so just knock it off." Link finished trying to will his blush to go away.
Then Ashei came up behind him and put her arm around his neck in a joking headlock.
"It's ok Link darling, you can tell him about us, I don't mind" she said in a mocking sing-song voice
"You knock it off too." He told her seriously, but at the same time was trying to hold in a laugh.
"I don't have any idea what you're talking about silly." She replied in the same sickeningly sweet tone
Link sighed, rolling his eyes. He looked over to Auru and Shad for help but they were both doubled over with laughter.
Malo was the one to eventually break them up saying. "Enough of this foolishness, I have a business to run and you carrying on like this is bad for scaring away customers." His demeanour all business once again.
Ashei released Link and gave him a noogie before going back over to over to be with Auru and Shad. Link turned back to Malo
"Thank you for the shield I'll make good use of it." He then put the shield in to his bottomless pocket and smiled at Malo
Malo returned the look with a thoughtful one of his own.
"If only I could figure out how that works, I would be able to make myself richer than I already am." He mused to himself, referring to Link's pocket.
Link chuckled. "You sound a bit like Arnold." He told him.
Malo look up at him, confused.
"Arnold is a arcanist that will be accompanying us for a short time." He explained.
Malo simply shook his head. "You did always keep strange company." He said rolling his eyes.
"I suppose." He answered nonchalantly; he glanced over to the rest of the group. Trying to see what they must look like to others. 'A knight, a scholar, a arcanist, a Sheikah, and himself, yeah definitely a strange group.' He thought to himself with a small smile.
He stopped himself and made himself do a double check, thinking his eyes had tricked him somehow. Nope. He had been right the first time. Sheik had disappeared again. Link sighed, then turned to Malo to excuse himself but found that he was over discussing things with Aqura at the counter.
Walking over to Shad and Auru he asked them if they had seen Sheik. Neither had, but Auru assured him that Sheik seemed more than capable to take care of himself.
"Oh I'm sure he can," he agreed quickly. "I just thought we might want to head out soon so..." He let them fill in the blank. Link felt if the person he was speaking to could figure out what he was going to say anyway, there was no point in talking more than necessary.
They both nodded and Shad said "I'll go tell Ashei." He volunteered; he then walked over to where Ashei was talking to Aqura again. And from the look of Aqura's face, Ashei was teasing her again.
"I guess that leaves me with the crazy arcanist." Auru said with a wide smile. "Have fun finding the evasive little sucker." He said referring to Sheik, then walked out of the shop whistling to himself.
Link followed soon after, deciding to head toward the throne room. After changing into his Zora outfit as he walked he dived into the warm water. After letting himself adjust to change he began to swim towards the waterfall. With only a few Zora's around Link let a wide smile cross his face as an interesting idea began to form.