The Goron smiled happily and led Link and Navi towards another Goron.
"What, Azarn?" the Goron asked grumpily.
"These two would like to see Darunia."
"Darunia?" the Goron frowned. "He's really angry, today, Azarn. He's waiting for the messenger of the Royal Family to come."
"But these two really need to see them," Azarn insisted unhappily. The other Goron sighed.
Grrrrrrrrrrrr...
Link jumped. "What was that sound?!?!?!"
Azarn smiled weakly. "My stomach. Oh...I'm so hungry...well, never mind about me...I'll lead you to Darunia."
"Just a minute, Azarn. I'll do it...besides, you're the chief advisor of Darunia...go order those young Gorons over there to try and blow up the big rock blocking the way to Dodongo's Cavern."
Azarn looked relieved. "Thanks, Lerap."
The Goron grinned, and clapped his hands on Link's shoulders.
"C'mon, fellow. What's your name, by the way?"
"Link," the Kokiri mumbled.
"We'll take the steps. But I'm just going to warn you, because a week ago, a really foolish young Goron jumped off that fence all the way down to the bottom floor. Still unconscious...his mother was in tears...as if Darunia hadn't had enough on his shoulders...so never jump down, ok, um...what's your name again...Slink. Slink? Where are you?"
Link was climbing the fence and peering down. "Wow...what a deep fall."
"No! Slink! Get off there!" Lerap cried out, alarmed. "You're going to fall and break your neck, Slink!"
He made a desperate grab at Link.
It's not a very comforting thought to be on a thin fence knowing that a Goron had fallen four floors below and fell unconscious, but it's even more uncomfortable when a big pair of Goron hands are coming to snatch you.
The Kokiri screamed. "AHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!"
Link lost his balance and started to fall, air hissing in his ears.
Well, Link thought, if this is what it's like to be on the verge of death, it's not that bad, actually. The air's so nice, whizzing by. I could almost do a cartwheel or something.
Link did.
A Goron on the third floor heard Link's scream and woke up. He gazed in wonder as Link performed a cartwheel in the air. He ran out to the steps and out to the first floor to catch Link.
Navi was already down at the first floor.
"I was expecting this," Navi groaned. Link past the second floor...heading down to the first...
Crunch.
Link had landed into the Goron's open arms. Dazed, the Goron dropped down.
At once, dozens of Gorons crowded the floor. Link rolled out of the Goron's grasp.
The Goron's eyes flickered and opened. He got up.
"Oh, my baby!" a female voice cried out. A thin Goron pushed herself out of the crowd and hurried to the blinking Goron.
"Mum, stop it. You're embarrasing me.." the Goron said, blushing.
"Oh, Mikal, I thought you'd never get up!" the Goron had long eyelashes, was thin and short, but her head was slightly curvier, and was that...lipstick on her mouth?!?!??!
Link and Navi had backed out of the conversation into another Goron. The Goron's voice was much deeper, and it brought silence to the entire city.
"Who bumped me?" he demanded.
Link was terrified. He hid behind Navi..or rather Navi's shadow.
"Pardon me, sir, we've come to collect the Spiritual Stone of Fire." Navi squeaked bravely.
The Goron frowned. "You too? Well, no! At least when all this destruction has cleared up, I'll give your request a chance, but of all times, now, NO!"
"May we ask who you are and what the problem is, sir?" Navi squeaked, getting less and less brave.
The Goron snorted. "I'm Darunia. Us Gorons eat rocks, y'see, in Dodongo's Cavern. But there's a huge rock blcoking the way and monsteres galore in there! Everybody's so tired and hungry! We can't harvest our bomb flowers, as well!"
Darunia turned an angry red. "Unless you can do something about it, I'll kick you outta here!"
"Play Zelda's Lullaby! Prove that you know the Royal Family!" Navi hissed in Link's ear.
Link got out his ocarina and played it. It seemed to soothe Darunia a little, and he seemed to cool down-a tiny fraction.
"Well, if you're from the Royal Family, then you are to help remove the big rock and destroy all the monsters. If my people agree, then I will then give you Goron's Ruby, our treasure."
"Remove the rock and destroy the monsters?" he repeated, stupefied.
"Yes," Darunia agreed. "Now, if this boy succeeds, my people, shall we give him our beloved treasure?"
There were murmurs in the crowd. Finally, the Goron named Mikal spoke up.
"I think we should, Darunia. I would've stayed unconscious had he not screamed."
Darunia gave Mikal a piercing stare. "I agree with Mikal."
Other Gorons started to speak up.
"Yes! Give the boy the Spirtual Stone if he rids us of our hunger!" the Gorons chanted.
"I think you should, Darunia." Lerap admitted.
Azarn grinned. "I, as well."
"But Lord Darunia!" a Goron protested, "-the Goron's Ruby, it's our race's greatest pride!"
"Oh, be quiet, Balai, I, Lord Darunia, favour Mikal's opinon." another Goron said. His voice sounded old and wise.
Darunia bowed at once.
"Yes, father."
Link's feelings were mixed-first of all, he was happy, after all, they would let him have the second stone if he destroyed the monsters in the cavern, but he was also disappointed because he, of all people had to do it, and he was also confused because the Goron that had just spoke was Darunia's father.
"All right, boy," Darunia agreed, "We will give you it if you destroy the monsters."
Link gulped and nodded.
"Now...I will also give you something nice if you make my people happy."
Link did not anticipate this. He stuttered. "But-but.."
"I didn't say you had to, boy," Darunia chortled, "-just to make my people feel a lil' better."
All of the Goron's gazes were locked on Link.
"Do something! Use your ocarina!" Navi hissed in Link's ear.
Link got out his ocarina and played the song Malon had taught him.
Darunia didn't move during the entire time, and neither did his people. "We're Gorons-not farm animals." He looked insulted and his anger seemed to be cranked up one notch.
A bead of sweat dropping on Link's ocarina. He started to play Saria's Song. The minute the first note sounded, every single Goron started chattering loudly. A foot kicked Link in the leg. Link looked around, still playing his ocarina and saw a Goron dancing wildly, his feet slamming into other Gorons. Darunia's face broke into a big smile. He started to dance like crazy, knocking down torches and other Gorons.
When Link finally removed the ocarina from his mouth and placed it back in his pouch, Darunia was still humming it.
"Thank you!" Darunia cried out breathlessly, "-that was the best song I've ever heard! Here, take this!"
A small gold bracelet popped out of nowhere and magically fitted itself onto Link's wrist.
"What the heck is this?"
"It's called a Goron Bracelet. You can pick up Bomb Flowers easily now!"
Link, however, was staring at the shining gold. "Wow...how much is the gold?"
Navi acted quickly. "Thanks for the bracelet, Sir Darunia. We'll get going now!"
Link followed Navi up the stairs. Navi was murmuring to herself.
"Well, we better go get a Goron guide to help lead us to Dodongo Cavern," Navi sighed.
"At your, service, miss," Lerap laughed, coming out of a corner.
"Whoa! I didn't notice you, Lerap." Navi said, surprised. "But thanks," she added.
Lerap grinned, and ushered them up the stairs. "C'mon, now!"
"What, Azarn?" the Goron asked grumpily.
"These two would like to see Darunia."
"Darunia?" the Goron frowned. "He's really angry, today, Azarn. He's waiting for the messenger of the Royal Family to come."
"But these two really need to see them," Azarn insisted unhappily. The other Goron sighed.
Grrrrrrrrrrrr...
Link jumped. "What was that sound?!?!?!"
Azarn smiled weakly. "My stomach. Oh...I'm so hungry...well, never mind about me...I'll lead you to Darunia."
"Just a minute, Azarn. I'll do it...besides, you're the chief advisor of Darunia...go order those young Gorons over there to try and blow up the big rock blocking the way to Dodongo's Cavern."
Azarn looked relieved. "Thanks, Lerap."
The Goron grinned, and clapped his hands on Link's shoulders.
"C'mon, fellow. What's your name, by the way?"
"Link," the Kokiri mumbled.
"We'll take the steps. But I'm just going to warn you, because a week ago, a really foolish young Goron jumped off that fence all the way down to the bottom floor. Still unconscious...his mother was in tears...as if Darunia hadn't had enough on his shoulders...so never jump down, ok, um...what's your name again...Slink. Slink? Where are you?"
Link was climbing the fence and peering down. "Wow...what a deep fall."
"No! Slink! Get off there!" Lerap cried out, alarmed. "You're going to fall and break your neck, Slink!"
He made a desperate grab at Link.
It's not a very comforting thought to be on a thin fence knowing that a Goron had fallen four floors below and fell unconscious, but it's even more uncomfortable when a big pair of Goron hands are coming to snatch you.
The Kokiri screamed. "AHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!"
Link lost his balance and started to fall, air hissing in his ears.
Well, Link thought, if this is what it's like to be on the verge of death, it's not that bad, actually. The air's so nice, whizzing by. I could almost do a cartwheel or something.
Link did.
A Goron on the third floor heard Link's scream and woke up. He gazed in wonder as Link performed a cartwheel in the air. He ran out to the steps and out to the first floor to catch Link.
Navi was already down at the first floor.
"I was expecting this," Navi groaned. Link past the second floor...heading down to the first...
Crunch.
Link had landed into the Goron's open arms. Dazed, the Goron dropped down.
At once, dozens of Gorons crowded the floor. Link rolled out of the Goron's grasp.
The Goron's eyes flickered and opened. He got up.
"Oh, my baby!" a female voice cried out. A thin Goron pushed herself out of the crowd and hurried to the blinking Goron.
"Mum, stop it. You're embarrasing me.." the Goron said, blushing.
"Oh, Mikal, I thought you'd never get up!" the Goron had long eyelashes, was thin and short, but her head was slightly curvier, and was that...lipstick on her mouth?!?!??!
Link and Navi had backed out of the conversation into another Goron. The Goron's voice was much deeper, and it brought silence to the entire city.
"Who bumped me?" he demanded.
Link was terrified. He hid behind Navi..or rather Navi's shadow.
"Pardon me, sir, we've come to collect the Spiritual Stone of Fire." Navi squeaked bravely.
The Goron frowned. "You too? Well, no! At least when all this destruction has cleared up, I'll give your request a chance, but of all times, now, NO!"
"May we ask who you are and what the problem is, sir?" Navi squeaked, getting less and less brave.
The Goron snorted. "I'm Darunia. Us Gorons eat rocks, y'see, in Dodongo's Cavern. But there's a huge rock blcoking the way and monsteres galore in there! Everybody's so tired and hungry! We can't harvest our bomb flowers, as well!"
Darunia turned an angry red. "Unless you can do something about it, I'll kick you outta here!"
"Play Zelda's Lullaby! Prove that you know the Royal Family!" Navi hissed in Link's ear.
Link got out his ocarina and played it. It seemed to soothe Darunia a little, and he seemed to cool down-a tiny fraction.
"Well, if you're from the Royal Family, then you are to help remove the big rock and destroy all the monsters. If my people agree, then I will then give you Goron's Ruby, our treasure."
"Remove the rock and destroy the monsters?" he repeated, stupefied.
"Yes," Darunia agreed. "Now, if this boy succeeds, my people, shall we give him our beloved treasure?"
There were murmurs in the crowd. Finally, the Goron named Mikal spoke up.
"I think we should, Darunia. I would've stayed unconscious had he not screamed."
Darunia gave Mikal a piercing stare. "I agree with Mikal."
Other Gorons started to speak up.
"Yes! Give the boy the Spirtual Stone if he rids us of our hunger!" the Gorons chanted.
"I think you should, Darunia." Lerap admitted.
Azarn grinned. "I, as well."
"But Lord Darunia!" a Goron protested, "-the Goron's Ruby, it's our race's greatest pride!"
"Oh, be quiet, Balai, I, Lord Darunia, favour Mikal's opinon." another Goron said. His voice sounded old and wise.
Darunia bowed at once.
"Yes, father."
Link's feelings were mixed-first of all, he was happy, after all, they would let him have the second stone if he destroyed the monsters in the cavern, but he was also disappointed because he, of all people had to do it, and he was also confused because the Goron that had just spoke was Darunia's father.
"All right, boy," Darunia agreed, "We will give you it if you destroy the monsters."
Link gulped and nodded.
"Now...I will also give you something nice if you make my people happy."
Link did not anticipate this. He stuttered. "But-but.."
"I didn't say you had to, boy," Darunia chortled, "-just to make my people feel a lil' better."
All of the Goron's gazes were locked on Link.
"Do something! Use your ocarina!" Navi hissed in Link's ear.
Link got out his ocarina and played the song Malon had taught him.
Darunia didn't move during the entire time, and neither did his people. "We're Gorons-not farm animals." He looked insulted and his anger seemed to be cranked up one notch.
A bead of sweat dropping on Link's ocarina. He started to play Saria's Song. The minute the first note sounded, every single Goron started chattering loudly. A foot kicked Link in the leg. Link looked around, still playing his ocarina and saw a Goron dancing wildly, his feet slamming into other Gorons. Darunia's face broke into a big smile. He started to dance like crazy, knocking down torches and other Gorons.
When Link finally removed the ocarina from his mouth and placed it back in his pouch, Darunia was still humming it.
"Thank you!" Darunia cried out breathlessly, "-that was the best song I've ever heard! Here, take this!"
A small gold bracelet popped out of nowhere and magically fitted itself onto Link's wrist.
"What the heck is this?"
"It's called a Goron Bracelet. You can pick up Bomb Flowers easily now!"
Link, however, was staring at the shining gold. "Wow...how much is the gold?"
Navi acted quickly. "Thanks for the bracelet, Sir Darunia. We'll get going now!"
Link followed Navi up the stairs. Navi was murmuring to herself.
"Well, we better go get a Goron guide to help lead us to Dodongo Cavern," Navi sighed.
"At your, service, miss," Lerap laughed, coming out of a corner.
"Whoa! I didn't notice you, Lerap." Navi said, surprised. "But thanks," she added.
Lerap grinned, and ushered them up the stairs. "C'mon, now!"