The Planets
V. Saturn, Bringer of Old Age
It had been decided that they would begin teaching each other during the festival, as their match was to take place on the Day of Uranus. Since all attention would be fixated on Game and Watch, one of the oldest Smashers, it was the perfect time to enter Ganondorf's room without looking too suspicious. As Samus was awaiting Ganondorf's arrival, she couldn't help but allow her mind to wander as she took a look at his many Gerudo memorabilia.
She found herself looking at various daggers, scimitars, and naginatas from the desert, each engraved in some way with the Gerudo Symbol. There were many books as well, all of them detailing the arid richness of the Gerudo Desert and the harsh winds of the Haunted Wasteland. Perhaps most amusing of all, she found a small jar full of sand, obviously taken from the desert itself.
Photo albums were put quite out of the way, locked in a cupboard that required a magical key. All she to do was pass her hand- the one with the Triforce of Power- over the lock and it opened. Inside, she found a few musty books filled with many paintings, drawings, and photos from all across the ages.
She saw the young Ganondorf, painted by an extremely meticulous hand on the thin parchment paper. The Hylian runes etched at the top of the page described how the Gerudos were only gifted with a male child once every 100 years. This child would be raised as a Prince and eventually given the title of the Gerudo King. Samus wondered how in the world Ganondorf could have possibly enjoyed his childhood, forever surrounded by women, yet never having a male peer to speak to.
"I see your curiosity has gotten the better of you," a voice spoke up behind her. Turning around, she caught sight of the King of Evil as he swept into the room wearing a long dress of blue-gray. His hair was slightly windswept, as if he had recently been on a rollercoaster.
"What happened?" Samus asked, gesturing to his mussed appearance.
Ganondorf rolled his eyes. "One of the festival goers- not one of us, mind you- asked me to dance. Before I could tell him that I did not have time for his antics, he had already dragged me onto the dance floor." he managed a smile. "The man had two left feet. I understand now why ladies such as yourself are so keen to have a good dance partner. I myself was no better a dancer, but at least I did not stomp on every toe I could."
Samus laughed. "You're probably a better dancer than me. The only time anyone's ever been able to get me to dance with them is if I'm wasted as a lord."
Ganondorf smiled. "Ah, yes… I have seen your… antics on the dance floor."
She rolled her eyes. "Whatever. How was Game and Watch's performance?"
"It was actually exactly what I intended to do," Ganondorf stated. "Yet… I am almost glad that you did not do the legends thing. The festival looks much better now and I am sure Game and Watch would have had a hard time coming up with another performance."
"Well, good for him then," she said. Her eyes wandered a little over the photo album she held, taking in the various pictures from long ago. She could not help but notice one in particular. It depicted Ganondorf standing with a gorgeous woman of obvious Gerudo descent. Her sharp green eyes, dark skin, and flaming red hair seemed to come alive.
"That is Nabooru," Ganondorf said, answering her unasked question. "She was my second in command back when I was still in Hyrule. She is a wonderful thief, but we did not exactly see eye to eye in some situations…" his voice broke slightly. "She is dead now… all of them are. My entire race was wiped to extinction not long after I failed to secure the Triforce from the Hero of Time and Princess of Destiny…"
"I… see…" Samus said, unsure of how to react to his story. She felt a pang of guilt as she realized how similar his story was to her own.
"… I do not know of your past, Miss Aran… at least, I do not know much about it," Ganondorf said. "If I may be so bold as to pry-"
"Do you remember Ridley?" Samus interrupted abruptly.
"Ridley… that is the beast that Tabuu sent out to destroy you during the Subspace War, no?"
"Yes… I was born on the Earth colony K-2L… when I was three, a kindly race known as the Chozo came to visit us, and I managed to strike up a friendship with one of the oldest of them," Samus began, her vision suddenly becoming obscured by memories long repressed. "Not long after… a raid led by the Space Pirate Ridley came to the colony… Ridley tried to kill me, but my mother pushed me out of the way just in time in exchange for her own life. My father sacrificed his to destroy his ship…"
"I suppose… that in doing so, Ridley had created what would later become his greatest enemy," Ganondorf said in a wondering voice. Samus nodded as she continued.
"I was the only survival of the K-2L massacre… eventually, the same Chozo I had struck a friendship with found me all alone and took me under his wing. I grew up with the Chozo, trained with them, and eventually, I…" her voice broke slightly. "I left them and joined the Galactic Federation. Years later, when I returned to their planet… they were gone…"
"What happened to them?" Ganondorf asked, placing a hand on Samus' shoulder.
Samus shook her head. "I don't know… some say that they were killed off… others claim they had achieved a higher state of existence… either way, when I tried to speak with them again, there would be no answer…"
It felt strange to spill everything about her past to the man she thought she hated. Samus felt as if a great weight had been lifted off her chest. For the first time in a long while, she felt at peace with her past.
"Your story is almost like mine," Ganondorf stated. "Both of us suffered tragic losses in our lives… both of us turned to the field of battle to hide these losses within us. And, if I may be so bold, both of us suffer from a loneliness that even after all of these years, has yet to be lifted by anyone."
Samus remained silent, her hands curling into fists. There were many times before when she was reflecting on her past that she had wanted to cry but always easily beat down the tears. But now, here in this room, with a man she both knew everything about and barely knew, she could exert very little control over her emotions. She was able to stop the flow of tears, but only just.
"My story… is filled with naught but hate," Ganondorf said. "Eons ago, the world was new. The land of Hyrule had not yet been born. All of those you know today as Hylians lived above the world on a floating island called Skyloft. I had not yet become a glimmer in the universe."
"The story of the Second Hero…" Samus whispered. Link and Zelda had both told her the legend countless times. "Link, the Destined and Zelda, the Reincarnation of the Goddess Hylia…"
"Ah, so you know the legend. That is good," Ganondorf said. "Yes, eons ago, the Link and Zelda you know now were the Wielder of the Goddess Sword and the Reincarnation of the Goddess. They battled with the Demon King, Demise, and his mighty sword, Ghirahim. I do not think that I need to say that they won."
"They won… and founded the land that would be called Hyrule," Samus said. "But I don't understand… what does that have to do with you?"
"… Before Demise fell," Ganondorf said, "He swore to them that his malice would haunt their descendants until the end of time…" he turned to look at her, his gaze deep and ancient. "I… am that malice." he took a deep breath. "You are lucky, Miss Aran, in ways that you do not know. You have one life, then you may pass onto the Golden Lands Beyond. Link, Zelda, and I… we are cursed. We are cursed to hound each other through countless lives, through immeasurable ages and innumerable battles. Until the end of time, the spirits of us three… we shall never taste the Golden Land."
"Ganondorf…" Samus whispered. "I… I'm so sorry…"
"There is nothing to apologize for, Miss Aran," Ganondorf stated. "It is what it is. Our ancestors made grave mistakes and we are the ones that must pay." his tone changed. "Now… I came here to teach you the ways of my magic and you are here to teach me the ways of your technology." he bowed. "I would be honored if I may take the first lesson in teaching you the basics of the Ancient Magic of the Gerudos."
Samus nodded. "It would be my honor to learn from you."
Today had taken a rather odd turn. Never before did she think that she and Ganondorf could hold such similar pasts. While it was true that she suffered loss much earlier in life than he did, there was no denying the similarties between the two.
They were connected through a bond of mutual loneliness. He, the Wielder of the Triforce of Power, was seen by all as nothing more than a power-hungry monster. She, the feared bounty huntress and one of the greatest members of the Galactic Federation, was battle-hardened and cold. No one had ever bothered to look beneath the surface of either of them, and it was because of this that the two of them were separated from their peers.
It was funny how similar to people could be.
Current Story Word Count: 8, 124 words