-"Hakuna Matata"-

Marth led Link further into the jungle as Link tried his best to keep up, which wasn't easy considering he was still getting used to running in this new environment. Eventually, Marth stopped in front of a cave. Link took this chance to lean against the tree, heaving as he tried to catch his breath. After a moment, he approached Marth, who said, "Go inside. There you will find the master who will teach you."

Link nodded and looked into the cave. All he could see was darkness, a seemingly endless abyss before him. He had no idea what he would find in there, what would happen to him. This was a leap of faith for him.

He drew in breath and slowly stepped inside. Once he realized there was solid ground, he walked in further, until his body was covered by darkness. He had to turn around to see light again, and then moved further into the cave. After a few more steps, a husky, yet quiet, voice bid him, "Stop."

Link was taken off guard by this voice but did as he commanded, stopping in his tracks. A moment or so passed, as Link wandered what the person this voice belonged to was doing. He eventually realized he must have been studying him. Eventually, the person said, "Go into the light."

Link nodded and turned around, walking out into the sun light. He looked around again and saw the person who spoke to him; a tall panther with dark blue hair sticking out from his hair. He had a very hard face, and eyes that could pierce holes straight through a person's soul. He had a rapier at his side. He turned to Link and introduced himself, "My name is Ike. Thank you, Marth."

He directed this last statement towards the gorilla, who nodded and went off on his way. Link asked, "You're a feline? So, why aren't you with them?"

"Before Ganondorf came to this jungle, I protected it from predators. However, after he appeared, he brought a few of those feline followers of his. They overwhelmed me, and drove me back into the jungle. I've had to hide out here for the past 14 years."

"How can we beat them?" Link asked. Ike scoffed, "Beat them? Who said anything about beating them?"

"We have to do something," Link insisted. Ike shook his head, "The best you can do is protect those who wander too close to the outer edges of the jungle from hunters. But never on the days that Ganondorf himself comes into the jungle to hunt. You'll never be able to defeat him."

"My father did," Link said before he realized what he was admitting. Ike looked shocked as he asked, "Your father? So, you're the son of King Mario?"

Link nodded sadly, "Yes, or at least I was. He's dead."

"I am sorry to hear," Ike said, "I've heard some great legends of him."

Link ignored this, not wanting to think about his father, because all it did was remind him of how he was dead, and how it was his fault. Ike said, "Even with the training I can give you, I seriously doubt you could defeat him. However, it will make you primed to defeat any other hunters who attack the inhabitants of this jungle. Meet me here, tomorrow, at dawn. I will teach you the sword form of the mid part of the mainland."

Link nodded and Ike retreated back into his cave. Link then asked, before he disappeared completely, "Why do you not protect any inhabitants anymore?"

Ike paused for a moment, then simply replied, "I got too old."

He said that with such a sadness it sunk Link's heart to the pit of his stomach. Ike then disappeared back into the darkness.

"You should consider yourself lucky, learning from Ike himself," Link heard from behind him. He turned to see Toad and Yoshi standing there.

"I don't know how much good I'll be," Link said doubtfully, "Even after I learn from him. He said himself I wouldn't be able to defeat Ganondorf."

"You can still do good," Yoshi said optimistically. Link continued, "King Mario was able to defeat him…"

"King Mario is a legend," Toad said, "No one expects you to be as great as him."

Link tried hard not to take this personally. After all, Toad didn't know that Mario was his father, and that Link was expected to be a worthy heir to him. If only his father was here, he could defeat Ganondorf again, and free this land. But then, he wasn't here… and Link knew why…

"Hey," Yoshi said, interrupting Link's thoughts, "I know this place can really get you down sometimes. But that's why we always say, 'Hakuna Matata'."

"Haku-a what now?" Link asked confused. Yoshi replied, "No, no, no. Hak-una Mat-a-ta."

" What's that?" Link asked, no less confused. Toad smiled, "It's a saying we came up with here in the jungle. It means no worries."

Lovely, slow music began as Yoshi began saying, "Hakuna Matata, what a wonderful phrase.
Hakuna Matata ain't no passing craze!"

Toad then took over, singing, "It means no worries, for the rest of your days!"

They both then sang, "It's our problem free philosophy! Hakuna Matata…"

"I don't know if I can get into it," Link said pessimistically. Toad then piped up, "Sure ya can! You got a past, you're an outsider. Yoshi and I are the same way!"

Yoshi nodded, saying, "Before I came here, no one could bear to be near me cuz of the horrible stink I gave off after eating plain grass. But here, everyone accepts me, and I don't eat plain grass anymore, so my past is behind me."

Toad nodded, adding, "And before I came here, I was never accepted by my people. I wasn't normal, and believe me they're devoted to normalcy. But here, everyone's different. Don't you see Link? Here, time means nothing. There is no past, you can start over."

Toad continued singing, "Hakuna Matata, what a wonderful phrase. Hakuna Matata, ain't no passing craze!"

Link then started singing, cheering up, "It means no worries, for the rest of your days!"

The trio then sang together, "It's our problem free philosophy! Hakuna Matata…"

After that day, Link settled into the lifestyle of the jungle. He fed off colorful bugs that Yoshi and Toad found under rocks and logs. Link was disgusted by this at first, but quickly grew a liking for them. He received training from Ike and quickly mastered the jungle form of swordplay both with a broadsword and a rapier. Ike had Marth forge for Link a special sword. It had the hilt of a broad sword so Link could hold it with either one or two hands, and the blade was thin and light enough so that he would perform rapier-esque moves with one hand, but strong enough that he could use two hands to land powerful blows as he would with a broad sword. The blade was pitch black, the hilt red. Link protected as many animals of the jungle from hunters as he could, and fought off countless hunters over the years, and ended up killing a good number of them (though he always spared them if he could). He became famous amongst the jungle inhabitants and infamous among the hunters. He was able to make a new life for him in the jungle as he continued to be great friends with Toad and Yoshi. As these events passed, they always chanted, "Hakuna Matata, Hakuna Matata, Hakuna Matata, Hakuna Matata, Hakuna Matata, Hakuna Matata…

8 years passed, and Link became an even better swordsman than Ike. He sang, "It means no worries, for the rest of your days!"

Toad and Yoshi joined in, "It's our problem free philosophy! Hakuna Matata…"