(shaking like a leaf) H-h-hey there, r-readers! It's b-been a while, hasn't it?!
Moriko: What's up with you?
Me: Oh, me? Nothing...EXCEPT I THINK MY APARTMENT BUILDING GOT STRUCK BY LIGHTING!
Moriko: Wouldn't you be...elsewhere...if that happened?
Me: Well, I didn't see the strike, but I sure as hell felt something! There was a flash of lightning, a huge boom that shook my apartment, and then the alarm went off like...a siren.
Moriko: Well, that lady said that lightning struck the transofrmer or soemthing on the roof, but they didn't know what.
Me: Oh that's REALLY assuring!
Moriko: Oh boy...Readers, leave Wing to me and enjoy the story. BTW, she doesn't own anyone except Moriko, Tanner, Taiki, and various other unheard-of characters. Have a good read.
Chapter 14: The Zora Boy
Moriko opened her eyes the next morning, feeling refreshed and ready for action. She hadn't had a good sleep since she left home. She'd been too worried about her journey to worry about sleep. Staying with the family of clowns had been a great opportunity.
She stretched and sat up, knocking Taiki and Navi off their perches on her stomach. They tumbled into her lap and woke up, grumbling about sleeping.
"You guys need to speak up, you know that?" she said, poking them until they bit her fingers. She smiled. "Much better. I'm going to go brush Meryl." She dug the horse brush, courtesy of Tabatha, out of her bag, being careful not to disturb anyone in the house.
Navi and Taiki mumbled something and went back to sleep, completely oblivious to Moriko's words.
Moriko stumbled outside and made her way over to Meryl, who was munching on grass by the fence. She played a few notes on her flute and got a greeting from the mare. She began brushing her, making sure to check for any injuries. If she had one, she'd have to bring her somewhere to be healed, or be forced to use her fairy-in-a-bottle.
Luckily, Meryl had no visible injuries, and she seemed chipper than ever. It was a welcome change in mood, since Moriko's little spat with Tanner. She felt her spirits fall as her thoughts drifted to Tanner. She wondered if she'd ever see him again, or if they'd ever make up. She took a deep breath, fighting back tears that choked her. She bit her finger until the feeling subsided. She sighed and patted Meryl's nose.
"Will Tanner and I meet again?" she asked her horse, smiling sadly. The mare whinnied and blew in Moriko's face, causing her friend to smile. "I don't know either," Moriko said, hugging her mare. After that, she went back to brushing her horse mane.
It was a little while longer until Mai emerged from the house, rubbing her eyes.
"How can you wake up so early?" she asked. Moriko shrugged and followed Mai back inside.
"I dunno. I've always had chores to do this early."
Damon and Hiroshi had breakfast set out now, and everyone was at least partially awake. Hiroshi was nodding off in his chair and Damon was kicking his son under the table. Mai sat down across from her brother, so Moriko could sit across from Damon. They ate breakfast in relative silence, aside from the occasional complaint about dreams.
After that, they retired to the front yard. Mai and Hiroshi began practicing some kind of act where they balanced on each other's hands and back-flipped over each other. Damon sat on the ground, writing something down on a sheet of paper.
Moriko, on the other hand, was not able to relax. She had to find a way to Zora's River, and the only way she could think of right now was a boat.
"A boat? Yeah they have them, but there's no way you'd be able to get one now," Damon said what she asked him about it.
"Why?" she asked, frowning.
"The boats are run by the Zoras. They shut it down after this calamity hit them."
"So there aren't any Zoras there now?"
"Nope."
Moriko stood next to Damon, pondering her next move.
"What about the light spirit?"
"Huh? Oh, that's right! You need to get down there." He scratched the back of his head with a grin. "Well, I guess I can help you with that."
He stood up and led Moriko back down to the cucco coop, easily stepping over the fence. Moriko followed his lead, grabbing the cucco she'd picked out the day before.
"Okay, so this is really simple. It's actually more of a game," he explained. He led her to an unfenced ledge, which opened up into a great view of the lake. "Okay, so what you do is you aim for the crystal objects hanging in the air. Every time you hit one, you get that amount in rupees. It you take the right path, you'll end up right in front of the light spirit's domain. Take the left one, and you'll get to the canon."
"Canon?"
"Yeah. My brother Arnold runs it."
"What's it used for?" Moriko asked, looking at him warily. He grinned.
"It's the only way out of the lake."
There was an awkward silence as Moriko stared at Damon, her jaw hitting the ground.
"I…have to ride that thing…just to get back up here?"
"Yeah! It's really fun, once you get used to it!" he said. Moriko shook her head, then placed the cucco back in the coop. She headed back in, grabbed her bag, along with her fairy friends, and headed back to Damon.
"So I just hang onto the cucco's legs and I jump? It'll carry me all the way down there?"
"Yup. Ready?"
Moriko took one last second to check her gear, then gripped the cucco's legs like there was no tomorrow. There wouldn't be if she fell. Damon nudged her towards the ledge and, when she gave the okay, pushed her far enough so that she jumped off the ledge.
Moriko bit back a scream as she and the bird dropped. Navi and Taiki flew after her and tried to help her into the air, but the cucco had that just about covered. It flapped its short wings and managed to keep them airborne until Moriko got the hang of gliding. It was nice, hearing the wind howl in her ears. The breeze felt great on her face, that is, until they began getting closer to the ground. The breeze fluctuated and nearly started pushing her away from the light spirit's cave. Fortunately, they were close enough to it so they could drop onto the shallow water around the entrance. The water lapped at the top of her boots, just below her knees, and it was a lot colder then she'd expected. She sloshed through the water and onto the cold stone floor of the cavern. Navi and Taiki floated around her, illuminating the dim grotto. As they made their way inside, minus one noisy bird, they took in the area.
The spring was somewhat bright, a mixture of sunlight and the light from the spirit. The patterned stones were there as well, glowing ever brighter as Moriko walked out onto the ledge in front of her. It allowed her to look down into the clear water easily, without straining her eyes. Fish darted back and forth at lightning speed, chasing each other in the large pool. Moriko smiled, remembering the other springs. Those springs didn't have fish.
"Are you Moriko?" a voice asked. Moriko looked up to see a large orb of light hovering over her. The light spirit appeared in the form of a huge snake. Moriko nodded.
"I am. I've come to gather the sacred items of the Goddesses."
"Very good," the spirit said. "I am Lanayru, the protector of this province. As you must already know, the sacred item resides in Zora's Domain. You must purge the evil there to obtain it."
"Of course, Lanayru. I will. But I have to know one thing."
"What is it?"
"Is there a lake monster?"
Lanayru spun on the sphere of light, then shook her head.
"At this time, that doesn't concern you. Go. The hero will awaken soon."
Hearing that, Moriko turned and left the grotto in a rush. The hero was going to awake soon?! Oh goddesses! She still had to get the other two items!
She followed the thin path of dry land until she came to the canon Damon had told her about. A man in a clown suit greeted her, and she had to swallow a grimace. The man had a painted face like a mask, and he wore and outfit that looked as if it were made for a woman, and the guy was a little pudgy for it.
He met her in front of the canon, smirking.
"You want a ride on the canon?"
"Actually, I was wondering how I could get to Zora's Domain?"
The man laughed, then jabbed his thumb towards the canon.
"You ride this, then you head to the fishing hole. When the lady there's not looking, you dive under the water and find the hole. Once you're in there, follow it all the way to the Zoras. They'll just dump you in the river, but don't say I didn't warn you. If they ask me anything, I'll tell them you threatened me."
Moriko glared at him until he changed his story, then dropped the canon fee into the box next to her. The man grinned and pushed her though the door, stuffing a pair of earplugs at her.
"You'll need these. Oh, wait a minute!" Arnold scribbled something down on a piece of paper, then looked at Moriko. "Why'd'you need to go to Zora's Domain?"
"Uh…well, I was sent to retrieve the Harp of Ages from the Zoras. For the hero."
"Right, right…," he mumbled, scribbling more on the paper. When he was finished, he stuffed it into Moriko's hand. "Give this to her. Tell her it's from Arnold, and she'll read it. Now, please stand in the middle of the room and don't hold onto anything. Enjoy the ride and if anyone asks, this ride was brought to you by Arnold the Awesome! Please enjoy your launching!"
Moriko smiled uneasily as she put the ear plugs in, stuffed the note in her pocket, and gripped her bag. Navi and Taiki had already flown up halfway to Damon's house when Moriko was launched. She zipped past them at a nauseating speed, and you could tell she was NOT enjoying the thrill of flying. She felt as if she'd left her stomach back in the canon, and she was screaming at the top of her lungs.
Damon, Hiroshi, and Mai watched her land in the net, bouncing a couple times before rolling down to the bottom. They ran to help her down, but she was elsewhere in her mind. She swore she'd never do that again, if she had a choice in the matter.
"Wasn't that fun?" Mai asked her when they helped her down. Moriko stared at her with a dazed look that screamed 'ARE YOU NUTS?!'
She sighed happily after sitting on solid ground for a bit, and by the time lunch came, she was raring to go. She was glad when the family of clowns packed her a lunch. That way she could eat on her way to the fishing hole. They saw her off a little later, after she'd safely packed everything away on Meryl, and her fairy friends had rejoined them. They were so tired after flying for so long that they nestled themselves around Moriko's neck, like a shimmering necklace.
"Make sure you come back!" Mai said as she gave Moriko a hug. Moriko nodded and shook Hiroshi's hand, then turned to Damon. He bowed his head for a minute, then looked her right in the eyes.
"Moriko, I know there's probably no way we could never repay you for what you've done for us. If there is anything we can assist you with, please let us know."
"Just stay safe. That's all I ask. Take care, and don't do anything rash anymore," she said, glancing at Mai before mounting Meryl. The mare neighed happily as the began trotting toward the bridge. Moriko glanced back one more time and waved, then urged Meryl into a trot, which then turned into a strong gallop. They rode all the way across the bridge in seconds, leaving behind the new friends they'd made.
"Will we go back?" Taiki whispered from his place under Moriko's left ear. Moriko sighed, looking to the sky.
"I hope so. Let's focus on the items first. Once that's over, we'll travel the world and meet people, new and old…or something," she said lamely. Taiki sniggered and watched the world fly by from his perch. It all seemed so surreal, in a way. It felt like if he reached out, it would all turn into trees and woods. His spirits fell as he thought of returning to the woods. He preferred the open skies to leafy canopies.
They were surrounded by rocky cliffs now, and they almost looked menacing. Jagged rocks towered over them as they galloped through the pass. It was almost frightening, but the look on Moriko's face was assuring and strong, and Taiki wasn't afraid. They stopped to eat near a bridge that was built over a deep chasm, then continued onward.
Finally, after the sun began falling from view, they reached the fishing hole. At first, Moriko brushed it off as a cave, but Taiki pointed out the sign next to the entrance. When they took a closer look, they saw that it had a fishing pole etched into it.
"We made it! And before nightfall!" Moriko declared, dismounting from Meryl. She led her horse into the cave mouth and tied her to the sign, hoping no one would come by and take her. She untied her pack from the saddle and slung it under her shield, making sure her items were within grabbing range. Giving her horse a quick hug, she followed the cave back until she reached a door. It had a wooden fish carved into it, declaring it as a designated fishing spot. Moriko opened the door carefully and peeked inside.
She was extremely surprised to find the small area gleaming with a pleasant light. It was calm and cool, and the water glittered in the light like a mirror. The grass was lush and green, and bird flew overhead, singing their merry songs.
There weren't any fishers in sight, but there was someone sitting on the porch of the house near the shore. It was a woman, to Moriko's surprise. Her face was gently framed my her wavy silver hair, and she wore overalls and big boots. She had a fishing pole beside her, but her attention was focused on a book in her hand. As Moriko got closer, she saw it was titled "Sea Calling". Sounded fishy.
Moriko mentally slapped herself for that pun as the woman looked up, her brown eyes flashing gold in the nearly sunset light.
"Hello there!" she called. Her voice was cheerful, and it calmed Moriko with sound alone. Like a mother's voice, in a way. The woman stood up and beckoned Moriko towards the hut. "Is this your first time here? I can tell you're green to fishing. Would you like to start out on your own, or would you prefer a guide?"
Moriko fumbled for an answer to the stream of questions, but she didn't want to fish. She wanted to find the underwater cave to Zora's Domain.
They were inside the house now, and Moriko glanced around the room. It was cozy, with walls decorated with fishing ribbons and photos of men and women with huge fish. There were children as well, and they all looked happy with their catches. Metallic lures gleamed on the wall behind the counter, and a fish tank sat next to them. There were small green fish swimming inside it, and they followed the finger of a small child staring at them intently. It was a little girl, with the same hair and eyes of the woman.
Speaking of which, the woman was leaning on the counter, watching Moriko sweep her eyes over everything.
"Impressive, isn't it?" she asked, gazing at one of the pictures on the wall. "I used to enter a whole bunch of fishing competitions around the kingdom. I always placed in the top five, and I occasionally won first. In fact, I actually placed first in my very first competition."
Moriko stared at her, eyes wide. "Seriously? I could never get the hang of waiting for a fish to come to me."
"Did you try to catch one with your hands once?"
"When I was about her age," Moriko said, pointing to the little girl. The woman grinned and watched the girl draw circles in the glass.
"She's my kid. My only one, if I'm lucky. Her toddler years were a hassle, but it was worth it." She sighed and looked at Moriko. "You look pretty young yourself. How old are you?"
"Seventeen. I'm looking for a few things. Which reminds me, I need to give you this." Moriko dug Arnold's note out of her pocket and handed it to the woman. "Arnold told me to give you that."
The woman scanned the note, then sighed. "So he told you I'd be able to get you into the home of the Zoras…eh, what an idiot. He thinks I'm a miracle worker." She came out from behind the counter and shoved the note in her pocket. "I can't just call the Zoras here. That's what Tammie does."
"Tammie?"
"Her," she said, jabbing her thumb at the little girl. "She can call the Zoras to her, depending on the crisis."
The little girl abruptly stopped drawing on the glass and slowly turned to the door. A small smile spread over her angelic face as she sprinted out the door. The woman smiled, then shook her head.
"Well what d'you know? It looks like you'll get to meet Shun. Follow me." The woman turned and reached for the doorknob, then stopped and smiled back at Moriko. "How silly of me. I never introduced myself. I'm Helen."
"I'm Moriko," Moriko replied. They smiled at each other, then followed Tammie out to the water's edge.
The little girl was staring at the water's surface with extreme anxiousness, her light brown eyes inching closer and closer to the water's edge until her face was below the surface, her silver hair slipping in as well. Helen sighed and watched her daughter fall in and start splashing in the shallows.
"That's what you get for being so excited, Tammie. Try calming down. I'm sure Shun will-"
Helen was interrupted by a fish that suddenly surfaced and helped Tammie back to shore.
"-get here." She sighed and ran back to the house to get a towel. When she returned, she found Moriko examining Shun with amazed eyes.
And Moriko was fascinated by the boy. He was covered in scales, though they were smooth and seamless to the touch. He had gills on his neck, his eyes were blue and green, and he had FINS! There were fins on his arms, feet, and on the back of his head, like a fish. He had a necklace of gold around his neck, and he acted almost like a human would.
He looked at Moriko in surprise, then began edging towards the water. Tammie grabbed his hand and pulled him back. Her eyes filled with tears. Shun stared at her with worry, then relaxed, leaving one of his finned feet in the water.
"I won't go…yet." He turned to Moriko. "Hello," he said quietly. "I am Shun, one of the Zoras. Do you swear not to talk of my comings to this place?"
"I swear," Moriko said, extending her hand to him. He grasped it firmly, then let go, diving back into the water. When he resurfaced, he was sparking in the twilight, and grinning widely.
"I assume from your expression you've never seen a Zora before," he asked, though it sounded more like a statement. Nevertheless, Moriko nodded. Shun got out of the water and spun around, smiling from ear to ear, though she didn't see any ears.
"Why are you here, Shun? I thought the coronation was today?" Helen asked, tossing a towel over Tammie. The little girl wrapped herself in it and sat on the grass, silently watching the Zora boy.
"Yeah, yeah…I remember. I came because I heard Tammie call. I thought she might be in trouble or something."
"If she was, do you think I'd have a problem dealing with it?"
Shun opened his mouth to answer, then shut it when he saw the glare on Helen's beautiful face. He laughed nervously and turned to Tammie.
"So what did you call me for?" he asked politely. Tammie immediately pointed to Moriko. Shun's brow furrowed, and he shook his head. "I can't take her to Zora's Domain."
"I didn't hear anything…," Moriko whispered to Helen. The woman shook her head and smiled sadly at Tammie.
"It's understandable as to why you can't hear her. She speaks with her mind, and only makes connections with the ones she feels the most attached to."
"Oh, I see. That makes sense…but can she speak with her voice?"
"I'm afraid not. Ever since she was a baby, I've been trying to understand why she couldn't speak. She just…can't. But she speaks perfectly well with her mind."
"Hmm…interesting. I've never heard of this before."
"It's hardly common. The doctors I've spoken to all say that it's a rare disease and she'll never speak."
"Alright, then, I'll do it."
Moriko and Helen both looked at Shun with confused eyes. He was looking away from Tammie with his arms crossed over his chest.
"I'll take her to Zora's Domain. But if I get in trouble, then I won't be able to come back."
Tammie suddenly went pale and opened her mouth, but Moriko spoke.
"Don't worry. I have a perfectly legitimate reason for going to your home," she said. She pulled the fairies out of her collar and began trying to wake them up. When she did, they growled at her until she explained what had gone on, but after that they amused themselves by flying around Tammie's head.
Moriko made sure her things were sealed inside her bag before she joined Shun in the shallows.
"So how do we get there?" she asked.
"Well, there's a hole in the cliff down in the deepest area. That's where I come through. It's an easy task for me, but I can breathe, unlike you. That's what's bothering me. The tunnel is far too long for any human to hold their breath through."
"How did the other Links get through deep water?"
"They had the Zora Tunic."
"Of course!!" Helen said, clapping her hands. "I'll be right back!" As soon as she said that, she disappeared back into her house, then reappeared with something blue in her hands. "I use this to clean out the pond after a fishing contest. After that, it just sits in a cupboard under the counter for another year." She held the blue tunic out to Moriko. "You can have it. You'll probably use it more than once or twice."
Moriko stared at the Zora tunic for a minute, then looked at Helen gratefully.
"Thank you," she said as she accepted the tunic. Navi and Taiki flew swiftly to Moriko's side.
"Put it on!" Navi said urgently. "We don't have a lot of time!"
"Right," Moriko said. She quickly pulled the tunic over her head and adjusted it so she was comfortable. It was light, and she could've sworn she'd felt something move in her neck as she pulled the blue under-mesh up over her nose and mouth. Navi cast some kind of spell on her and Taiki, then joined Shun, who was already waist deep in the cool water. Moriko turned to thank Helen again, but Tammie blocked her way. She held up a rock about the size of her fist. Moriko took it and hugged the little girl.
"Thank you, Tammie. I'll see you again soon."
Moriko gave Helen a wave, then made a running dive into the pond, disappearing from their view.
Helen and Tammie looked for Moriko to surface again, but she didn't. Helen silently prayed for the girl, hoping she'd be able to calm the Zoras' rage. Tammie looked up at her mother and smiled, taking her hand. Helen looked at her daughter and smiled in return.
"I hope they'll be okay, too, Tammie. All we can do now is pray for them."
Me: So how was it? I know, I need to get on with the plot, but this is all necessary! If I don't develop this thing, it will become a raging monster that will burn and pillage everything. It'll rip off Lady Liberty's head and-
Moriko: Please ignore her. She just saw Cloverfield a few days ago.
Me: It was funny! I wanted to burst out laughing so badly, but-
Moriko: But your mom would've thought you were crazy, and she would've taken away your videogames. Oh, how would you survive with out the pain that is Okami?
Me: I...don't know...(starts rocking in fetal position) Need...games...need...Naruto...need...laptop...need...Cain...
Moriko: ...why did you name your Wii "Cain"?
Me: I liked the name. I even made Miis that look like Moriko and Tanner. Even one for me, my mom, and Sasori-sama.
Mroiko: I'm sure he appreciates it. Well, readers, thanks for the views, reviews, and alerts! We'll be updating shortly. Hopefully before Wing gets through Oni Island on Okami. It killed her morning, you know.
Me: So what if I played it for three hours?! I need videogames, or I can't sleep! It has been proven!
Moriko: You addict.
Me: You know it! XD Readers and Reviewers, have a wonderful day/night!