Disclaimer: GrimGrave does not own any of the characters featured; they belong to their respective franchises of Nintendo, Namco Bandai and Arc System Works. GrimGrave does not make money for writing fiction.
To Hunt Down a Hylian
Chapter 1
The Hunt is On
The difference was like night and day when the adventurers had put the dreaded woods behind them. Greenery was starting to appear the more they walked forward and the sky was losing its darkened clouds, allowing the group to see the beauty of this alien world as they reached the top of a hill and gazed.
An abundant forest spread far and wide, covered in green. Considerable mountains reached tall in the horizon of a vast field, spotted with flowers. It was a clear difference between this land and the woods the old man – Mau – was now forced to live in. It was hard to believe that the "monster in sheep's clothing", a knight without armour, had made its home here. But that meant little to the adventurers, for their only goal was to aid Mau, to kill this monster so they could get back home to their own worlds. With that on their minds, they couldn't help but to absorb the scenery for a little while longer. It looked so peaceful and untainted, as if nothing of evil had ever passed through.
"So!" The bikini-clad girl suddenly exclaimed. Her expression was almost cocky as she crossed her arms over her chest, grinning playfully as she garnered the group's attention. "Since we're in this together, we should probably get to know each other. I'll go first!" She said again with excitement – was she even taking this seriously? "I'm Rikku! Thief extraordinaire!" With a giggle and a supposedly polite bow she gestured towards the others, again overly enthusiastically.
With the brief silence and the unwillingness of the group, Taki stepped forward with a roll of her eyes. "I'm Taki. And this" She gestured at the blonde beside her. "is Cassandra. We're warriors, so let's leave it at that." Rikku grimaced at her cold, short answer but the ninja didn't pay heed to it. She looked over at the elegant blonde beside her, eyeing her just as coldly. "What about you?"
The long-haired blonde glared back, her lips twisted in sourness. She gave the others a look before, and then resumed playing with loose locks of hair. "You may call me Miss Rochefort."
"Miss Rochefort?" Taki repeated, slightly dumbfounded by the girl's attitude. "Very well then, brat. Miss Rochefort it is." She ignored the glare Miss Rochefort sent her way, eyeing the last girl who stepped back when their eyes met. "And who are you girl?"
The girl wore a blue cap and coat, and her olive-green eyes didn't look back at Taki at first. Her voice came out stuttering and weak as she spoke. "I-I'm N-Noel… Noel V-Vermillion!" She bowed, although a bit clumsily as she slightly tripped to the side. With this, the girls were officially introduced to each other and as a group, leaving the main task at hand for what their next move would be.
Assuming a leader-role, Taki crossed her arms. "Now then, with formalities and introductions out of the way, we need to think before we act. I don't recall the old man even telling us what this place is called – all we know is how this "knight without armour" can be recognized."
"We should definitely find the nearest village or city first." Rikku said with a proud smile as she imitated Taki's pose. Apparently it was supposed to be humorous. "We can ask around there then!"
"Uhm…" The blue-clad woman let out, but her attempt went ignored as the elegant blonde "Miss Rochefort" scoffed loudly, hands on her hips. Whatever words that left her mouth remained weird and unintelligible as she spoke somewhat harshly in a language no one understood.
"I don't have time to simply look around. I don't know about you, but I rather get back home as quickly as possible. And I'm not particularly fond of being ordered around."
Cassandra shot her a scowling look. "That's exactly why we need to ask around and hopefully find any clues to his whereabouts so we can get back home. So like it or not-"
"I do not like it." Miss Rochefort spat back. "And I refuse to listen. You seem like a cheerful bunch-" Her azure eyes met with Taki's. "Well, maybe not you. But I fight better alone, and I certainly don't need your help. I bid you adieu."
"You're going to fight this knight unarmoured and unarmed?" Taki said in a tone that was riddled with mild disbelief. The blonde looked back with a cross between a smile and a grin.
She even laughed softly at the remark as she waved her hand dismissingly. "I can handle myself, thank you. Now, I truly bid you adieu."
"M-Miss Rochefort!" Noel called out, clearly worried. But the elegantly-clad blonde didn't respond as she walked away into the distance of the field, becoming more difficult to spot in the midst of green.
Cassandra sighed. "So much for being in this together. One has already defected to be on her own… But at least we four can-" As she saw the bikini-clad blonde in the olive-green miniskirt starting to walk as way, the Grecian knitted her eyebrows together in a deeper scowl. "Where are you two going?"
The girl turned whimsically back around, grinning playfully. "I'm going to follow my own advice. There's bound to be village or even a city nearby, so I'm going to ask around there! Besides…" She patted her exposed stomach. Her tongue stuck out playfully. "I'm getting hungry." And with that she turned around and continued her march, despite Cassandra calling her. Even then, Rikku turned only around when Noel jogged after her.
"M-Miss Rikku!" She panted. "I'll keep y-you company… I s-support you i-idea…"
Rikku grinned, definitely overjoyed. "Huzzah! Then off we go, towards adventure!"
"Come back you two!" Cassandra yelled to no avail. "We need to stick together!" She sighed. "And just like that, we're splitting up…"
"That's not a bad suggestion."
The Grecian turned to her Japanese friend, puzzled. "What?"
"You know, splitting up. The old man summoned us because we were renowned warriors – if that applies to the others as well then they can take care of themselves. And we cover more ground if we split up – it is, after all, one man in the middle of an entire land. It will be a lot quicker that way."
Cassandra frowned with a deeper sigh. She knew her friend was right. "Yes, but-"
"Then I'll just go ahead and scout around myself. Don't wander too far off Cassandra." The Grecian's eyes bulged at the words, but Taki had already vanished into the vastness of the land before she could've let a single letter form between her lips. Letting out a frustrated groan, the Grecian warrior marched off on her own in to the land, acting on instinct. She had a gut-feeling of where they were – and more importantly, who this knight supposedly was.
Which was why she was determined to find him before the others did. She wanted answers, but she also wanted to prevent any unnecessary bloodshed from happening.
::::::::
The wind was blowing faintly, but freshly across a courtyard. It carried a sense of peace and tranquillity was familiar to the courtyard's only presence.
How long had it been since he last stood before the finely carved and decorated wooden gates? It was a rare thing to do after all, to stand before the castle without getting caught. The familiarity was there, despite the very few times he had stood on the marble tiles that made the pathway.
The doors were opened up as he pushed, his boots now walking on the red and blue carpet that stretched onwards in a single line. Detailed pillars stood tall alongside the carpet, and paintings of various depictions decorated the walls on either side.
Men in armour saluted him as he passed by, various servants whispering in the distance. A gentle smile formed on his handsome face as he neared a throne worthy of a goddess and kneeled down before the sitting form of authority. A hilt of a sword was firmly gripped in his hands as he gently placed it in front of him, his head barely raised.
"I have returned, princess." He spoke in a gentle but firm tone. There was masculinity to his otherwise youthful voice, and a sense of respect rang in his words. He heard footsteps coming towards him till he could narrowly see the pink outline of a dress before him.
There was light giggle. "Raise your head, Link. As much as I am honoured by your presence, you're also a dear friend. Stand up."
Link did so. With the sword sheathed and his back straight, he stood eye-to-eye with an unmatched beauty. Their eyes, equally azure, met and a smiled was shared. "It's good to see you again, Zelda."
The princess' smile grew brighter. "It's good to see you too Link. You always disappear without a word."
"It's starting to be a habit of mine." Link chuckled. "I'm sorry that I had you worried."
Zelda averted her eyes from Link's at that point. She could feel a heat rising in her cheeks that she tried to hide in vain. "I… I wasn't worried. At least not this time… I'm glad you're back though. It's been too long."
"I'm sorry to have kept you waiting then." Link said with a charming smile. "But I'm back now though, and I don't plan on disappearing again anytime soon. I'm here."
Zelda was staring into his eyes. The blush had not vanished from her features, and it didn't seem like it would anytime soon either. She allowed herself to smile and retain the look as she giggled. Link had always maintained a certain charm that was unique – it was difficult to describe, but it was there.
She felt her knees beginning to weaken. "We should spend more time together, if you pardon my bluntness." She had said. "We need to catch up. I would love to hear of your adventures, and am I right to assume you would like to hear what's been happening during your absence?"
Her heart quickened its pace as Link smiled back at the question. "You're right. I would love to hear of it. However, I wish to visit some other friends before the day's end."
"Oh, I see. Well you do that then. I suppose I should take care of certain tasks myself for the day." Zelda replied with a faltered smile. "But you better not forget, or I'll be cross with you."
"I'm saving the best for last." Link gently took Zelda's hand and raised it to his lips. His warmth was temporarily, but the brief contact made the princess' blush darken, her heart skipping a beat. "And I certainly wouldn't want to miss it. I'll be back before long. Until then, Zelda."
"Yes…" Zelda replied. "Until then."
Her eyes looked at the broad, toned frame of his back as he walked away, her heart fluttering with a yearning she had kept secret for years. With the sound of mighty doors slamming shut she awoke from her reverie and her collected smile faltered.
:::::::::
"I overheard this; there are rumours of strangers being sighted around here of late. They are said to be oddly garbed. BOING!"
Link stared at the Gossip Stone in slight disarray. He put the Mask of Truth back in his hammer-spaced back and got back up on his feet, pondering. His departure from the castle had taken him back to the field and towards Kakariko Village, but with his absence there was bound to be something new happening – for the better or worse.
The Gossip Stones had always been around and provided information – they silently witnessed what was going on in Hyrule, and with Link's Mask of Truth he could easily listen in on that information. But this was puzzling him.
"Strangers?" Link pondered. "I guess I should keep an eye out if Gossip Stones felt it was necessary information to share."
With this in mind, Link wandered towards the familiar village of Kakariko. The village had not changed drastically in appearance other than a few new buildings to accommodate housing and business, but there was a lot more life stirring in the otherwise quiet area. Over the years, more people had settled down around here.
He couldn't help but smiling at the sight as he walked through the small wooden archway. Despite the few changes, Link remembered the layout from his adventures of searching for cuccos, climbing down the well and its dark passageways for the Lens of Truth and all the people he encountered. And the Golden Skulltulas that hid in the nooks and crannies! Oh the memories.
Link took a quick gander at the scenery. "I might pop the potion shop a visit for some green potion… Or did it locate back to Market Town? Though there's still the old hag… But her potions are a bit on the expensive side…"
He looked around. "… Should I do it? Maybe if I'm quick and quiet about it…"
He sighed, clearly saddened by his bad habits. He walked into the nearest house, which he remembered to formerly be Impa's – Anju the cucco-breeder lived there nowadays, but she wasn't indoors during the day.
As Link closed the door behind him, he immediately got to work, and clay pots were soon thrown across the room and rupees filled up his wallet a good deal. Feeling satisfied (with a good slice of regret) he quickly left.
"If the Bazaar hasn't moved back as well, I could check it out. I might need some more bombs… or arrows perhaps?"
Knowing where the bazaar's (possible) location, Link headed towards and up the stone stairs. From above there was murmurs and gasping, prompting Link's confusion.
"Hey lady what do you think you're doing?!"
Link didn't even have time to glance at the man who had shouted when he instinctively raised his shield. Sure enough there was something impacting on its metal frame with enough force to have him stagger backwards – which was considerably dangerous as he could fall down from the stair's edge.
There was no helping it – Link back flipped down despite the height. His feet would definitely be sore for a time, but at least he had created ample space between himself and –
… a white-clad girl who seemed to jump right after him. Her snow-white boots came crashing down like an arrowhead, but with the force to create a small, sundered crater beneath her soles. Having jumped out of the way, Link quickly got back up despite his shock.
Just who was this girl – and more importantly – why was she attacking him? Her eyes were cold and emotionless as she stared at him, her body now poised in an elegant pose as she nonchalantly flipped loose locks of golden hair over her shoulder. Her garb was indeed different from what you would see around here.
Though despite her barbaric demeanour, Link unknowingly admitted to himself that this girl, whoever she may be, was very beautiful. It almost threw him off-guard how someone, who had kicked with such force, could still retain an appeal that almost rivalled Zelda's!
He quickly raised his shield, feeling another strong kick push him back. His arm was already starting to become sore with the brunt he took as she repeatedly kicked.
´What's with her endurance?` Link thought. ´How can someone like her have this much strength?´
When the kicking ceased, Link peered from behind his shield. The girl was suddenly standing on her hands, and far too late did Link notice the heel of her boot crash down on his noggin.
He stopped himself from kissing the ground, but his head was pounding away with pain. He was sure he even heard the girl laugh in his daze – was she about to attack again?
Link quickly reached into his pouch, luckily finding what he was looking for. The girl's eyes, softened as she laughed, suddenly glared at him as she poised for another attack. Link held the item in his hand, tossing it at the girl's feet as he looked away.
There was a loud smash, followed by a light shriek. Link looked up, and was pleased to see the girl now unconscious on the ground. "Thank the Goddesses for deku nuts…" He chuckled to himself as he got back up. He rubbed his sore noggin as people began to gather around, riddled with confused expression.
"Alright people, nothing to see here. I'll handle this." Link scooped the girl's body up with his arms as he made his way back to Anju's house. For all the women he had actually fought and injured, most notably the Gerudo thieves and Twinrova, he wouldn't raise his blade against this one.
At least not until he had been given answers. Who was she, and why did she attack him? She hardly looked like an assassin, but who knew?
As he carried her back, while trying to explain to a confused cucco-breeder, he glanced down at the unconscious form; this girl looked so peaceful. And up-close she appeared even more angelic in a way; almost classy. While he would never admit it out loud, in his opinion she was definitely giving Zelda a run for her money when it came to physical appeal.
Once she was put on Anju's bed, Link quietly left with Anju right beside him. "I know I am asking for much, but could you look after her till she wakes up? I have questions I need answers to."
"Is it really alright?" Anju looked back at the stranger nervously. "I mean what happens when she wakes up? If she's a murderer-"
"It doesn't seem like she has caused any other trouble than attacking me. I'm sure you'll be fine. If anything…" Link reached into his wallet, handing Anju a red rupee. "I pay for her temporary housing, okay?"
The cuckoo-breeder smiled. "Alright then, thank you. I'm glad for this, because for some reason the rupees and the pots I kept them hidden in are gone…"
"R-right… I need to go, I'll come back later Anju!"
Link couldn't get out of there fast enough.
:::::::
"I should break that habit…" Link sighed.
While he had left in a hurry, he had given up the thought of seeking answers and clues in Kakariko – the village was small enough that someone would've noticed whatever the girl was up to, had she been plotting something. Besides, the villagers probably didn't know more than him anyway.
Allowing his feet to lead him back into the field, Link begrudgingly pondered the recent event. Was there something new going on? Was there a bigger picture that he had yet to reveal? It just didn't make much sense with what little he knew.
And what he did know was unintelligible. A young girl, who looked nothing like an assassin or even a warrior, had attacked him without warning in broad daylight. And she hadn't even said anything – leaving Link in the dark.
He couldn't wrap his head around it.
Another sigh escaped his lips. "Maybe I should head to Lon Lon Ranch… Maybe Malon or Talon has heard anything about these strangers? Ugh, I'm looking for a needle in a haystack here."
As Link walked up the hill, the sun was still high up in the sky, glowing brightly. He narrowed his eyes at the brightness, trying to shield them with his hand so he could at least see what was in front of him. It was annoying, but he would have to put up with it as he treaded onwards. The silhouette up ahead didn't seem to fare that much better either.
Wait, a silhouette?
It was definitely a person up ahead – could it be Malon, or Talon? Perhaps it even was Ingo – it looked like him, given the tall and rather slim silhouette.
But as Link continued his march, he found it to be none of the ranch's inhabitants – whoever it was, she (or was it a he?) also strangely garbed. Was that a coat? Surely it was warm enough outside to render the usage of wearing a coat useless! The person was staring at the stone wall that was built in the middle of the field, but quickly turned towards Link.
The green eyes stared in shock at him.
Link stopped in his tracks. "Uhm… Can I help you?"
The person didn't respond. The green eyes held a certain level of fear in them, causing Link to doubt whether or not he should approach the person (while also finding it difficult to determine its gender – was it a boy?)
Then they changed. Fear was replaced with calm, but sombre expression and the "boy" suddenly held out his arm towards Link – whatever he was holding looked foreign to the Hero, but it was firmly pointed at him.
His first instinct screamed of danger.
Then the air echoed with a loud bang.
Let's hope Link has a fairy in a bottle with him.
Hope you enjoyed the update! To be continued~!