A/N: I have FINALLY come back to upload this chapter. I'm sorry if it isn't as good as some of my others. Too many jokes and stuff. Sorry... Also, there will still be some delays in my posted chapters. I cannot guarantee I will return every week. I keep going out to work on a personal project and it's absorbing so much time; I go out to do it at ten, and return for lunch, then come back to do some more and, surprisingly, it's six! So I cannot even give you an estimation of these chapter update days. Please be patient with me… I really appreciate you all reading this story, and I WILL finish it for you. Just give me time. As usual, I do not own the Legend of Zelda or Nintendo.

Ocarina of Time Link's Perspective.

Chapter Thirteen

Link Chaos

Death Mountain Trail was still as long as Link remembered it being. However, somehow it had become even more annoying since he last saw it. Instead of crawling with Tektites, it was now full of boulders. Of course, with the Hero of Twilight around, it was slightly more interesting.

The other Hero charged right up to a boulder after murdering the only Tektite in sight. His metal boots clinked as he slung his feet forward. He then crouched slightly, ready to pick a fight with the sphere.

Link, deciding that his friend was a moron and about to get himself flattened into a nice green rug, leapt beside one of the immobile boulders and watched the spectacle. He was more than surprised as the Hero of Twilight skidded back only a few feet, his metal boots dragging into the ground and stirring up dust. His friend had caught the boulder; his fingers were locked between the tightly-packed bricks. He growled, then let out a "Tssyah!" as he flexed his shoulders and spun around.

Link's eyes widened as the boulder zipped past his head and went flying down the path behind him. His mouth dropped open in surprise.

The Hero of Twilight began running over to the next boulder. He caught it too, getting knocked back only slightly. He grunted again, swinging the boulder to the side, dusting off his hands, and continuing up the path. But now his pace was slower, and he was staggering slightly. He stepped before another boulder, ready.

"What are you doing?!" Link demanded, grabbing his friend by the back of his tunic and dragging him behind an immobile boulder. "Your method's going to slow our progress significantly; it'll take us all day to ascend this mountain!"

The Hero of Twilight seemed stunned. "How do you propose we climb it then?" he asked.

"Ignoring those boulders and hiding behind these," Link said, lightly rapping his knuckles on the reddish stone before him.

The Hero of Twilight sighed, then rose to his feet and dusted himself off. He had a disappointed look on his face, as if he actually wanted to fight the boulders.

"Your method was pretty cool however," Navi said, bouncing up and down.

The Hero of Twilight wasn't sure what to make of that compliment, especially considering that it came from Navi.

"But before we go," Link began, "do you want to teach me how to throw boulders too? In case it becomes something required later on?"

The Hero of Twilight was silent for a moment, before he shrugged. He walked to the open part of the path again.

"You crouch down slightly…" he began, demonstrating how Link needed to hold himself. "Then you spread your hands so that, if the object moves to the side, you are still able to catch it." He spread his hands. "Then, hook your fingers into any available crevices and use those to help you pull it to the side!"

The boulder slammed into him, pushing him back slightly. He jammed his fingers into the holes, then swung the sphere to the left, causing it to bounce of Link's protective slab and roll down the mountain at a different angle. "Throw it where there's more space," he commanded, walking behind the slab for Link to step out and try himself.

Link marched into the open part of the path, ready to execute the technique. Unfortunately, everything went wrong the moment his fingers touched the rock. Either the Hero of Twilight weighed a hundred pounds more, or Link really needed to dig his toes into the dirt. He was thrown back instantly, as if he'd been hit by a horse.

"Haaaaaa…!" Link cried as he flew eight feet back. He grunted as his back slammed into the ground. He stared up at the blue sky above him, slightly confused, trying to process why he couldn't keep the boulder held back. He noticed the rock roll past him, barely avoiding crushing his arm. His eyes widened. He bolted to his feet and ran back to the Hero of Twilight.

"Oops…" the other Hero said. He leapt out of his metal shoes, revealing his leather ones. "I should have let you wear these. I forgot that happens…"

Link stared daggers at him, then jumped into the boots. He was determined to try this again and get it right. He tried to take a step forward, only to stumble and land on his hands and knees. He could feel the toes of the boots dig into the dirt, then slowly began to tip forward, ready to crush his legs.

"These weigh a ton!" Link declared, trying to pull his feet out of them. Unfortunately, due to their angle, he was thoroughly stuck in them. "What are they made of; stone?"

"Iron," the Hero of Twilight replied. "They're known as the Iron Boots."

"How do you walk around in these like they're nothing?!"

"Oh, they're still heavy to me. I just jump out of them when I want to run."

Link growled something indecipherable as he managed to tug one foot free. He pulled the second loose, then pouted on the ground as the Hero of Twilight retrieved his shoes and put them into the pouch on his belt. The other Hero then offered him a hand. Grudgingly, Link accepted it and was pulled to his feet.

The Hero of Twilight gave him a puzzled look, before he began to laugh. He put his left hand on his head, then moved it in the air above Link's. Still chuckling, he said, "Maybe the reason you can't wear my boots is because you're smaller than me; there's less of you to assist in carrying the weight!"

Link batted his hand away. "You're only two inches taller than me!" he protested, folding his arms.

The Hero of Twilight ceased his snickering, but his grin remained. "Yeah, but I'm only sixteen. I still have plenty of time to get taller. What about you?"

A feeling of defeat started to settle on Link. "Nineteen…" he muttered.

"Ha!" the Hero of Twilight declared. "You're past your age of growing, but I still have plenty of years. So those two inches might be another foot by the time I'm your age!"

"I need to drink more Lon Lon milk…" Link muttered. He glared at the Hero of Twilight, then spun him around and began pushing him up the mountain. "Get moving!" he snapped, forcing him up.

The Hero of Twilight laughed and began sprinting. They raced up to the top of the first hill, only for the other Hero to stop and examine a large cave. He pointed at it, asking with his eyes, Do we go here?

No, Link thought. He noticed the large plant growing in the mouth of the cave, and he studied it, confused. He stepped on it. Is this a switch?

Instantly, he was brought to the ground, dropping to his knees as the plant launched into the air. It carried him on top of it as if he weighed nothing, flying him around in a circle before bringing him in front of a Heart Piece. His eyes widened.

"Mine!" he shouted, dragging himself forward and shooting off the plant. He landed on top of the cave, then rolled into the Heart Piece. He picked it up and held it triumphantly over his head.

I got a Piece of Heart! Link thought. Collect four pieces total to get another Heart Container! More containers mean more life energy! He glanced down, spotting the Hero of Twilight on the ground watching the flying plant settle back into its place. The other Hero glared at it, then knelt down and poked it. It twitched.

"Link!" Link called down at him.

The Hero of Twilight looked up, backing away from the plant.

"Catch!" Link jumped from his place, preparing to land on top of his friend. He expected the Hero of Twilight to move, because he was simply going to roll and end up safe on the ground.

Unfortunately, the other Hero actually waited for a moment in his place, like playing a game of Cucco. He reached up a split second later and caught Link, then spun and threw him at such an angle that he rolled on his side and ended up on his feet, unharmed. Link looked back at his friend, who was dusting himself off and beginning to jog up the rest of the Trail, avoiding another boulder rolling toward him.

"Wait!" Link called, sprinting to catch up. He ran alongside his friend. "How did you know how to catch and throw me like that so I wouldn't end up hurt?"

The Hero of Twilight wore a smug expression. "Ilia jumps out of trees all the time. The first time, she flattened me. Second time, I kind of learned to catch. Third time, I gave up trying to perfect my catching technique and just threw her into the water. She rolled on the ground before slipping in, but due to the trajectory of the throw, she was fine."

Link considered it. "Teach me so I can use that as a kid and make sure Saria doesn't flatten me!"

The Hero of Time just laughed and began to sprint, rolling for a burst of speed. He began running down the next section of the path: a small outcropping of land bordering the left half of the mountain. A tattered red flag rippled in the breeze, tied to a pole just beside the path. Link took that as a warning now; don't proceed past this point or you'll be bashed off the mountain by some Goron.

"Link!" Link called, slowing down. "Look out!"

The Hero of Twilight skidded to a halt, then turned. "What?"

Link hesitated, his eyes urging his friend to return. He looked left and right at the path, waiting to see if the Goron would come. He didn't see any sign of trouble, so he chased his friend. "There was a…" he began, but he faded to silence. After a moment, he said, "There used to be Gorons everywhere… One of them knocked me off this cliff one time. I guess it's not here now…"

The Hero of Twilight nodded. "It is surprisingly empty for Death Mountain. Come on, let's go in." He pointed to the opening he had spotted. Two stone columns were embedded in the walls. Square pieces of cloth were strung between them, with the symbol of the Goron tribe painted on them: a red upside-down triangle with three smaller triangles above it, like toes of an animal paw print. The wooden gates were pushed against the walls. All the two Heroes could see of the structure's interior was blackness.

"Let's go," Link agreed, entering the darkness with the Hero of Twilight.

As the nothingness cleared before their eyes, Link became aware of the familiar sight that was Goron City. The walls were made of carved earth, packed together so tightly he could barely scratch them with his fingernails. The room had large descents making each individual floor, causing the structure to be four stories high. To his left and right, a wide path had been built, and several entryways could be seen from where the two Heroes stood. Several wooden beams jutted out of the ground where it had been carved to make the next floor. Thick ropes were tied to the beams, suspending a dirt platform high in the air. A tombstone-shaped object of dirt rose out of the platform, and the Goron symbol was pressed into it.

On the next level of floor, Link could see railing bordering the path. A small Goron rolled around it like it was a race track. Below that, a doorway led to some stairs that would allow him to ascend or descend to the next floor. The final floor was made of dirt or clay bricks; he wasn't exactly sure. It was barren, probably because he blew up the enormous spinning pot that used to be in the center. He spied another doorway, but it was closed off. A stone door covered in red markings sealed the entrance, but that was alright; all Link would have to do was jump down and play Zelda's Lullaby and it would open. However, disturbingly, the shop door beside it was sealed as well. The Bomb Flowers growing out of the wall beside it gleamed in the light.

The Hero of Twilight whistled as he took a step forward. "Wow, Death Mountain sure changed. I can't believe it lost so many floors!"

Link gave him a confused stare. "It had more floors?"

The Hero of Twilight stopped in his tracks. He looked down at the drop below him, then changed the subject by asking, "Where are all the Gorons?"

Link's eyes widened. He looked to his left and right, trying to spot his friends. His eyes passed over the walls, stairs, and doorways. He didn't see them.

"They used to be right around here…" Link affirmed, taking a step forward. "One here…" He pointed to the ground to his left, right next to the ledge. "One there…" He pointed at the stairs on the level below them. "One the…" he trailed off.

"We should probably go to our marathon roller down there," the Hero of Twilight said, indicating the little Goron racing around.

"I suppose," Link agreed, jumping down to the next floor. He hit the ground and rolled, watching the Goron fly around the path, heading for him.

The Hero of Twilight leapt down as well, then walked a short distance away from Link to examine the staircase that led to the floor below them.

Link ignored his companion, then waved and called out to the Goron, "Hey!"

"Nice vocabulary, Link," Navi said sarcastically.

"Thanks. I learned from the best," he muttered.

"You forgot 'Listen'."

"That's because I'm too busy watching out."

"Hello, look around you."

Link hesitated. "You stole two. Not fair."

"Look!" Navi shouted.

Link obeyed, turning his attention onto what was before him and disregarding his fairy companion. He had three seconds to comprehend what was happening.

The Goron slammed into him. The rocks on its spine dug into his arms, drawing blood and ripping through the thin white fabric that accentuated his muscles.

"Haaaa!" Link cried as he went flying back. "Ungh!" His back scraped across the packed earth, and he skidded over the coarse surface. His eyes widened as the Goron went flying past him, not even stopping to consider him. Link frowned and got up, dusting himself off as his outfit began to magically repair itself. He watched with a scowl as the Goron hurtled around the floor, out of control and unable to be reasoned with.

"Should've listened," Navi said, bouncing up and down for emphasis.

"Should've silenced yourself," Link muttered in irritation under his breath. He saw the Hero of Twilight standing in the path of the reckless Goron. The Hylian Hero was crouched slightly, his hands ready to catch the rock man. His Iron Boots glinted wickedly in the lighting.

The Goron hurtled toward the Hero of Twilight and knocked him back slightly. The Iron Boots kept him from sliding back too far. They dug into the ground, stirring up a cloud of dust.

"Tsseh!" The Hero of Twilight spun around, fingers locked into the Goron's stony back. He released the rock man, watching with a scowl as the little boulder rolled away. The Goron continued his speeding as if he hadn't been disturbed.

"Why didn't you stop him?" Link asked, walking over.

"He was moving too fast," the Hero of Twilight commented, glaring disdainfully at his fingers. "Had I not released him, he would have ripped my fingers off." He looked at Link. "We could always search this place and look for someone else who would be willing tell us where the rest of the Gorons are."

Link grinned. "We could ask Darunia."

"Who?"

Link pointed to the sealed door on bottom level of Goron City. "Follow me!" He leapt down to the next floor, then rolled and jumped down to the next one, leaving a stunned Hero of Twilight standing on the second highest floor. With a sigh, the Hylian Hero also leapt off the path, then soared through the air, heading straight for the lowest level instead of taking each individual path. He slammed into the ground and rolled, before he shot to his feet to join Link at the door.

Link pulled the Ocarina of Time from his belt and hesitated. Why couldn't he picture a musical score? He always could when he needed to play the Ocarina. Shrugging off his unease, he began to rattle off the familiar melody of Zelda's Lullaby, the notes drifting through the empty air.

The door remained closed before him. He did not hear the sound of turning gears as before, nor the scraping of stone on packed earth. The door was still fixed in place.

I did not incorrectly play the melody, Link thought, touching his fingers to the dry red paint. So why won't it budge? He began to play the song again. Perhaps I wasn't close enough.

He still could not imagine the musical score, so he put his Ocarina down and stepped closer. Once more, he brought the Ocarina to his lips and played the first three notes.

Horrifyingly, he heard the Hero of Twilight behind him humming along. Link narrowed his eyes as he played the second segment of the song.

"Hm, hmm hmmm," the Hylian Hero echoed.

Link removed the Ocarina from his mouth and pinched his eyebrows together with his right hand, gripping the blue instrument in his left. "Link…what are you doing?"

"Harmonizing. I've nothing better to do."

"Why not play my Ocarina?"

"You drooled on it."

"Never stopped you before!" Link said. He pointed to the door. "It won't open because your singing is terrible!"

"Three comments: I still didn't like your drool on it; it never opened before I started harmonizing; and it's not singing…it's humming."

Link sighed. "Very well then. Why don't you play the melody yourself?"

The Hero of Twilight took out Saria's Ocarina from the pouch on his belt and began to copy the lullaby. His pitch was slightly higher, with more of an echo. Link finally understood why.

"You play it like you sing!" he declared.

The final note was distorted by the Hero of Twilight's snort. "Are you implicating that I am not a worthy instrumentalist?"

Link would have denied that accusation if an idea hadn't sparked within him. He grinned smugly.

"Yes."

The Hero of Twilight put away the Ocarina and turned to the door. He pressed his hands to it, scowling, then flexed his shoulders. The door groaned, trying to budge, but it was bound in place by magic that prevented it from moving.

The Hero of Twilight released the red and trudged off in the direction of the stairs. "We're separating. Whoever finds the Gorons first is the better instrumentalist!"

"What does that have to do with anything?" Navi asked.

"You are so on!" Link declared.

Navi sighed as the Hero of Twilight sprinted up the stairs and began ducking down every doorway he encountered. "Link…" she murmured.

Link snorted and held out his hand. "I'm not entirely bothered. It's a competition so we work faster and more productively. It's a game."

Navi fluttered over to him, landing on his gauntlet and staring at him. "Your whole life is a game…" she sighed.

Link chuckled. "Well, if we convinced Link into thinking that he needs to race me, we may find the Gorons significantly quicker than if we weren't competing.

"FOUND ONE!" they heard. Both looked up.

"Brilliant strategy…" Navi muttered, but she sounded impressed.

Link grinned as he searched the floors for his friend. "I love his enthusiasm."

"Get moving before he wins the whole competition."

"SHOULD I OR SHOULD I NOT BUY A SWORD?!" the Hero of Twilight called.

"Aww, he still asks for your opinion on things…" Navi said.

"HOW MUCH IS IT?" Link called back.

"TWO HUNDRED RUPEES!"

"LEAVE IT!"

"WHY? I'M RICH!"

Link sighed. "ARE WE HERE TO BUY SWORDS OR FIND GORONS?!" He spotted the Hero of Twilight walking out of an entryway near the little Goron rolling around at breakneck speeds. The Hylian Hero looked disappointed, like a child told to put something back at the bazaar.

"He only tells me about swords. He doesn't say anything else," the Hero of Twilight told Link, then walked off down another pathway.

"Time to seek out another Goron then," Navi said. She flew at Link's head, urging him on. Link brushed her aside and began to walk up the stairs. He began to sprint, heading for the top floor. Like cleaning, he would need to start from the top and work his way down. He ignored the speedy Goron and ascended to the highest floor.

"Hey, a Skulltula," Navi noted as Link walked over to a doorway on the left section of the path.

Link looked back and saw Navi turn green and zip over to a Gold Skulltula. It was holding onto the back of the tombstone-shaped dirt that rose from the suspended platform. With a sigh, Link began to walk across the rope, carefully making sure that he didn't slip off. It groaned beneath him and created a dip as he stood in the center of the cord. He glared at it, but then focused on the Skulltula and pulled out his Hookshot.

Link squeezed the handle, causing the hook and chain to launch out from the weapon. The hook hit the Gold Skulltula and killed it instantly. It curled into a ball and exploded on the wall, leaving only a token. Link fired at that too, seizing it and carrying it off with him as he carefully walked back across the rope. He trudged back to the entryway he had been originally headed for, then entered it, disregarding the tattered cloth squares that were tied together above it.

The first thing Link saw in his new location was the massive collection of boulders before him. They completely covered the entirety of the floor. Some were cream, others were silver, and still others were red. They were locked together, so close not even a Poe could squeeze through.

"Hello?" Link called.

No response. No one was there. That was good; now he wouldn't have to blow up the boulders and waste all his bombs.

"Not this way, I suppose," Link said, alerting Navi that he was going to be walking out. His fairy understood such and followed him out, then led the way for him as he walked back into the rest of Goron City.

Where in Hyrule are those Gorons? Link wondered as he walked close to the edge and peered down, watching with a look of boredom on his face as the little Goron sped by, completely unfazed by his presence.

"Wolfos!" Navi declared, shaking Link out of his thoughts. He flinched and looked around.

"Where?" he asked.

Navi tried to indicate where she had seen the monster, but she was unable to. Now, she herself seemed confused. She looked left and right, zipping through the air. She didn't seem to know which tunnel the beast had walked into, nor which one he had come out.

"I…I don't see him anymore…" Navi said.

Link frowned. "We should alert Link that there's monsters on the prowl. Perhaps this could explain the reason for the Goron's disappearance." He cupped his hands around his mouth, then shouted, "HEY, LINK!"

Disturbingly, he was met with silence. His eyes widened. Wordlessly, he sprinted forward and leapt off the top floor.

"Link!" Navi called, but her focus was not on searching for the Hero of Twilight. Instead, she was concerned for her hopeless Hylian. "Look where you leap!"

"Aaaaah…! Kai! Tch…" Link picked himself off the floor of the lowest level, glaring at the ground. His ankles throbbed. He could hear a change in the beating of his Heart Containers. He'd lost some health.

"Aww, and I thought I was finally able to go save the world with the other Link," Navi mocked.

Link brushed himself off. "He'd kill you. He thinks you're annoying."

"I'm a fairy; I'm immortal. He can't kill me. He's stuck with me until he dies."

"So you think you can out-ghost us?" Link laughed. "I distinctly remember you telling us to drop this conversation and continue our quest. And now you're bringing it up?"

"Get a move on, fairy boy!"

Link laughed again, then sprinted back up the stairs to the next floor. That was when he saw it; the Wolfos. Or, at least, it looked like a Wolfos.

The beast was strange, that was for sure. He stood on all fours, and wasn't hunched over like a typical Wolfos. The fur on his neck was thicker than that on his legs, and his tail was longer than it should have been. He had four colors in his fur: black, white, brown, and cream. His fangs did not jut awkwardly from his mouth, nor did he drool uncontrollably. His ears fit his skull, and his eyes did not glow.

However, he did have a commanding air about him. His blue eyes were proud and fierce, and he held himself as if he had just walked out from a fight unscathed. His ears flicked toward Link, attentive, the beast's ring-shaped piercings gleaming. His tail swished from side to side, and he sighed deeply.

Link's eyes widened and he drew his sword and shield. The Wolfos's eyes also widened. It leapt back and growled, fur bristling, then barked. Link heard a strange, distorted voice call, "What; does he intend to kill us?"

The Wolfos barked again.

"Feh, this isn't my fault. It's called exploration for Hyrule's preservation," the voice replied.

Link stepped back, surprised, as he saw a figure materialize on the Wolfos's back. He wasn't sure what to make of it.

It wore a mask that covered its left eye and held up its orange, hand-like hair in a ponytail clasped by stone. The creature's right red eye glared at him, seemingly even more menacing with the black skin that surrounded it. Everything on the creature's face beneath its nose and eyes was pale blue. Its black ears were spanned by cyan markings, as were its obsidian spiked arms. Its left leg was also pale blue, covered with more markings, but the inside of its leg was black. Only a small set of cyan markings existed on its ankle; the rest of its right leg was black. The creature grinned, revealing one pointed canine amidst the other straight, dull teeth.

"What in Hyrule are you?!" Link demanded, despite not meaning to let those words slip. He stepped back as the Wolfos lowered on its haunches and bared its fangs.

"Yes, let's just scare him off…" the creature said from the Wolfos's back, its jumbled feminine voice echoing pleasantly, but disturbingly.

Where have I heard that before? Link wondered.

The creature yawned and stretched, then flipped around on the Wolfos's back and laid down. "Sounds brilliant…but you forget one thing…"

Link steeled his nerves and then leapt forward at astounding speed, his sword coming crashing down to the ground as he tried to split the beast in half.

"He has a sword," the creature affirmed as the Wolfos shot back, avoiding the blade. The beast barked menacingly, then spun around, the thick chain on its left paw clinking as it thundered down the path. Its paws skittered on the ground as it slid across the dirt, trying to gain traction so it could race away. It launched itself up the stairs and disappeared.

"Get it!" Navi commanded.

Link pursued it up the flight of stairs. He made a sharp left turn, only to slam into another person. He was knocked back, and promptly tumbled down the stairs, rolling to absorb the impact. He rose to his feet, glaring.

"Did you see that thing?" the Hero of Twilight demanded before him. He looked behind him at the stairs. "That wolf almost killed me in its haste trying to get past!"

Link hesitated. He was helped to his feet by the Hero of Twilight, and the two began to race up the stairs again, trying to find the beast. Link asked questions as he ran.

"Why didn't you attack it?!"

"I barely saw it before it whacked into me and thundered up those steps!" the Hero of Twilight replied defensively.

"It's so fast…not like any Wolfos I've ever seen…" Navi panted, zipping through the air right behind the Hero of Twilight, allowing him to lead the way.

"Wait, you called it something else…" Link said suspiciously as he scampered up the final flight of stairs.

"A wolf?" the Hero of Twilight asked. "Yes, they exist where I come from. They're smaller and resemble dogs, rather than people. It's not a monster…just a mangy beast."

Link skidded to a halt. "Do they carry monsters?"

"When they don't travel in packs, they tend to walk alone, but it's not uncommon to see one with a strange bestial companion. There's one that always plagues the streets of the plaza. He terrorizes people. No one has been able to catch him yet because the soldiers are all timid and useless."

Link nodded thoughtfully. "Does he attack people?"

"He growls, but he's docile as far as I can tell," the Hero of Twilight replied. "In fact, every wolf I've ever seen has disregarded people."

"Then why are we chasing this one?" Link spun around and walked back to the edge of the top floor. "We have to find those Gorons! If that beast is docile, then there's no need to pursue him!"

"As far as I can tell, there are none."

That made Link stop what he was doing. He whirled around to face the Hero of Twilight. "What do you mean?"

"I've searched this entire place. I could find no evidence of them anywhere. I walked into the Lost Woods and did some digging around, but they didn't flee there. There's another behind a locked door, but I cannot get to him. The only Goron that remains, besides the swordsmith and the one behind the sealed door…" He pointed to the little Goron still racing around the track. "…is that little fellow right there!"

Link frowned. He sighed, then motioned for the Hero of Twilight to follow him.

"I know how we'll interrogate him. It worked on the others…it will work on him as well. Come, let us depart." He jumped down to the Goron, a look of determination evident on his face. From his pouch, he drew a bomb and lit the fuse, throwing it at the Goron.

The Goron raced past him, narrowly avoiding the explosion. He plowed along as if the outburst hadn't occurred at all.

"What are you doing?" the Hero of Twilight asked, leaping down and joining him.

"We're going to stop him…by force!" Link placed a bomb in his fellow Hero's hands.

The Hero of Twilight held it for a moment, giving Link a curious look. "What am I…?"

"Throw it!" Navi commanded.

The bomb flashed red-hot in the Hero of Twilight's hands. His eyes widened and he tossed it forward, watching it explode brilliantly midair.

"Here's an idea for you…" Navi began. "Why don't you trap him in that cave over there?" She indicated the carved earthen wall across from them with her tiny body. "And then one of you places a bomb at one entrance, and the other places a different bomb at the other entrance, and he'll be forced to run into one or the other."

Both Links were silent until the Hero of Twilight said, "I can see why she's your guide."

"Yes; she does all my thinking for me," Link joked.

"And it's very evident," Navi agreed.

"I think your fairy trumps us both in insults," the Hero of Twilight muttered. His eyes widened as the Goron drew near them. He stepped forward and equipped the Iron Boots. He caught it again, throwing it behind them and dusting his hands, returning to the conversation as if nothing had happened. "Regardless, I guess we better head him off?"

Link glanced up and watched the Goron hurtle toward the cave. He sighed and began sprinting toward the yawning entrance.

The Hero of Twilight ran over to the other opening and threw a bomb into it, but it didn't look anything like what Link was used to. Instead of resembling a flower, it looked more like an explosive that had been wrapped in metal.

The Goron skidded past the bomb and continued heading toward Link. However, it finally seemed to notice that Link was a potential threat, because it spun around before it reached him and sped toward the Hero of Twilight.

"This seems mean…" the Hero of Twilight said, loud enough for Link to hear. He lit the fuse of a bomb and threw it at the Goron.

"Nonsense," Link replied, throwing his own lit bomb. Now the Goron had nowhere to go; he would have to be struck with one or the other. "It's a tactical strategy."

"Admit it, you just like explosives more than I do."

As if to answer the Hero of Twilight's question, the pair's bombs exploded. Link grinned. He watched the dust rain from the roof in response, covering the entrance of the cave.

"How could you do this to me?" the little Goron called as the debris settled. "You, you're Ganondorf's servant!"

"Ouch!" the Hero of Twilight yelled to Link.

"I know!" Link agreed. "Being associated with someone like him: what a disgrace!"

"Hear my name and tremble!" the little Goron declared, gaining both Heroes' attention.

"Trembling," the Hero of Twilight muttered, walking over to join his Link in their crime of blowing up innocent civilians.

"I am Link! Hero of the Gorons!" the little Goron declared.

The Hero of Twilight gave him a confused look. He then began laughing. "Trembling! My name is so terrifying that I shake every time I'm called!"

"Every time!" Link agreed.

This adventure is dragging on so long that I'm beginning to make jokes more often. I'd better be careful or I'll end up as secretive as Link… Link thought. He approached the Goron and placed his hand on his rocky shoulder, causing it to look up. "Listen little buddy, my name's Link. Darunia calls me the Hero of the Gorons!"

The Goron stood up. His body was made of polished stone, and his arms were slightly longer than that of a human's. On his left shoulder was the mark of the Gorons, and he wore no clothes. His head was as big as Link's chest, and he had some jagged rocks growing on top of it, as well as beneath his lower lip, like hair. His eyes were large and purple, and they had no pupils. On his back, more rough rocks sprouted, providing him with the perfect weapon if he needed to fight.

"What?" Link the Goron asked. "Your name is also Link?"

Link pointed to the Hero of Twilight. "He's also named Link."

The Goron looked between them, but turned back to the Hero of Time and said, "Then you must be the legendary Dodongo Buster and Hero, Link!"

Link nodded. "Yes."

"My dad is Darunia… Do you remember him?"

"Yes."

"Dad named me Link after you, because you're so brave!"

The Hero of Twilight snorted. "Should see him in dungeons."

Navi fluttered out of hiding and pounced on the other Hero, landing on his head. "You should see yourself!" she hissed.

The Hero of Twilight brushed her off him. "You should see you!"

"I know; gorgeous aren't I?"

"You've been associating with Midna, haven't you?"

"Who?"

"It's a cool name! I really like it!" Link the Goron said, still talking to the Hero of Time. "Link, you're a hero to us Gorons! I'm so glad to meet you! Please give me your autograph! Sign it: 'To my friend, Link of the Gorons'."

"I'd love to," Link began, ignoring his companions. "But…"

"Oh…" Link the Goron said. "I guess it's not a good time to ask you for this… Please help everyone!"

"Everyone's a bit much," the Hero of Twilight muttered, trying to get Navi to stop pestering about Midna.

"I'll do what I can!" Link assured the Goron.

"My dad, Darunia, went to the Fire Temple. A dragon is inside! If we don't hurry up, even my dad will be eaten by the dragon! B-b-b-boooo hooooo!"

"You'd better try to calm him down if you can…" Navi said, flying over to Link. She had lost interest in the Hero of Twilight "Maybe he will calm down if you talk to him?"

"Can you tell us about the Gorons?" the Hero of Twilight asked, as Link simultaneously asked, "Can you tell us about the dragon?"

"A long time ago there was an evil dragon named Volvagia living in this mountain," Link the Goron began, still sobbing. "That dragon was very scary! He ate Gorons! Using a huge hammer, the hero of the Gorons… BOOOM! Destroyed it just like that. This is a myth from long ago, but it's true! I know because my dad is a descendant of the hero!" He began sobbing again, but he managed to compose himself to answer the Hero of Twilight's question.

"Everybody was taken to the Fire Temple… While my dad was out, Ganondorf's followers came and took them all away! All of them will be eaten by Volvagia! Dad said that Ganondorf has revived Volvagia… As a warning to those who might oppose him, Ganondorf is going to feed them all to Volvagia!"

"That scoundrel…" the Hero of Twilight muttered, encouraging Link the Goron to proceed.

"Dad went to the Fire Temple all by himself to try to save everyone… Please help, Link! I'll give you this heat-resistant tunic!" He approached the Hero of Time and handed him a red tunic, which Link gratefully accepted and held over his head, delighted.

I got a Goron Tunic! This heat-resistant tunic is adult-sized, so it won't fit me when I'm a kid… But if I'm going to a hot place, no need to worry!

Link heard the grinding of gears and scraping of stone against rough earth, which brought him out of his thoughts. He glanced at the bottom floor and spotted the two sealed doors, which were rising into the roof or sliding into the wall.

Is that why they wouldn't open when I played Zelda's Lullaby? Link wondered.

"Dad told me not to let anybody follow him to the temple but…" Link the Goron trailed off. "Only you, Link, can save everyone! I'm sure that shop owner, who is hiding somewhere right now, will also help you! Now, I'll tell you about the secret passage to the Fire Temple! Try to move the statue in Dad's room!"

"But not you, Link," Navi said. "Only Link, but not you, Link." She dive-bombed the Hero of Twilight and knocked his hat onto the ground.

The Hero of Twilight sighed, fetching his hat from the ground and returning it to his head. "What was that for?"

"I just wanted to make sure that your fairy didn't live in your dandruff," Navi said.

"What fairy?!" the Hylian Hero demanded.

"Midna…"

"Midna's the imp who rides around on the wolf from back home!" The Hero of Twilight spun hotly on his heels and charged the protective fence, then launched himself over it and landed on the bottom floor, walking into Darunia's room and leaving Link behind.

Link sighed. "Really, Navi?" He politely excused himself from the Goron and jumped down to the bottom floor as well.

"I'm just using your strategy; make him mad so he becomes more useful. Did you see his face and hear his words? He was so bored he was making jokes every few seconds!"

Link considered it. "Regardless, he's going to leave us behind. Come on, let's catch up to him!" He dashed up the stairs into Darunia's room, sprinting across the carpet and disregarding the symbols on the walls, as well as the tattered pieces of cream-colored cloth strung from the ceiling. He spotted the statue that Link the Goron had been talking about: it was a short, fat Goron with an oversized head. It had been pulled away from the tribally-marked walls, showing him the path that would lead him to the Gorons.

The last thing he heard was the crackling torch from Darunia's right wall before he descended into the hot darkness, vanishing from the sight of all who might be watching him.

. . . . .

A/N: Okay so I actually can't zero in on any specific age for OoT Link. Some places say he's 19, others say 15-16, and somewhere I heard he was 20. So, I'm going by WW standards and saying that Young Link is 12 (since it's claimed that WW Link is the same age as the Hero of Legend), which makes Adult Link 19. Because of the disagreements of the age, I'm going to ask you to please not yell at me for "getting it wrong" if I have. But you have to understand that there really is no way for me to "get it right" either…

*edit* Thanks to Mirria1 for telling me he's actually 17, but I've decided that for *artistic reasons* I'm going to say he's 19 anyway. So, even if he's officially 17, I didn't know that at the time, and to continue enjoying the fanfiction how I've written it, he'll be 19 here. We'll call it a "creative deviation".