Wow, just wow… I'm surprised about the reaction people had to me changing Gannon's gender; it was positive thus far. Some may hunt me down later but for now I am safe to continue.

Chapter 5: Goron City

Even in the morning hours, Castle Town was still in much hustle and bustle of business and crowds that helped that business grow. Thankfully people move to the side for carts to get through, otherwise Impa, Zelda, and Navi would have been trapped in the marketplace. Zelda needing a shield was bad enough without the clog of people constantly moving to most likely intentionally block their path. Thankfully the shield was bought without too much hassle, but there still was a problem; the shield was huge! Zelda could curl under it and fit inside the shield. Either way Zelda put the metal shield inside the backpack and relaxed on the cart as Impa drove them to the river near Kakriko Village. For most of the ride Zelda made little attempt to have a conversation with Impa, she was still intimidated by her and Impa took notice of this nearing the end of their time together when Zelda was sitting beside her, twiddling with her thumbs.

"If your intimidated by me then you'll end up dying by seeing a ghost," Impa said in a serious tone. Zelda then looked away, embarrassed, until Navi hit her on the head.

"She's right and you know it!" Navi said as Zelda rubbed where Navi hit her. Zelda sighed, "I'm not brave, there I said it,"

Impa smiled, "You have to be brave to admit something like that,"

Zelda blinked, realizing this to be true. She then felt confident to ask about Prince Link, "Impa,"

Impa glanced at Zelda then looked back at the road, "Yes?"

Zelda began to blush and twiddle her thumbs once again, "Um, what can you tell me… about… Prince Link?"

Impa couldn't help at smile, "I thought you might mention him,"

Zelda blinked, surprised, "What do you mean?"

Impa looked over at Zelda, "It's written all over your face, you love him,"

Zelda was silent for a moment, "Love?"

Impa then remembered her being from the forest, "You don't know what love is… do you?"

Zelda shook her head, making Navi fall out of her hair and onto the space between them. Navi was tempted to hit Zelda again, but she decided against it; she was interested in this conversation.

Impa had to think on how to explain it, "Do you have someone that takes care of you when you're young?"

Zelda nodded, "Sibela took care of me,"

Impa was thankful that she could explain this easier because of this information, "When she cared for you, did you see a warm glow in her eyes; when you were happy was she happy as well?"

Zelda didn't need a second to answer, "Yes,"

"That is love. In simpler terms anyway. But it's a little different when your older and it's a man and a woman,"

"How so?"

"That's something you'll have to figure out yourself."

Zelda nodded, she had another thing to understand about the world around her, only it was something that can only be self taught; she knew this would be a tough one.

Impa then looked ahead, "Ah, here we are,"

Zelda looked in front of them to see the riverside was already in sight, and above it was a simple arced bridge of white stone. Impa immediately stopped the horses, "This is where I leave you, and there is a letter inside the backpack, use it to go to Death Mountain."

Zelda climbed off the cart and smiled, "Thanks for everything!"

Impa started to turn the kart around, "Complete the tasks at hand, and you'll repay us more than we ever could,"

Zelda then waved to Impa as she left to go back to Castle Town, leaving Zelda and Navi to continue the journey to Death Mountain. Navi was the first to speak, "Well, we better get moving to Kakriko Village, we don't want to be stuck out here in the field at night again."

Zelda grimaced, remembering the Stal Children, and immediately walked across the bridge before she increased her pace to a slow jog; she had much ground to cover before dusk fell.

Zelda and Navi made it to the village's entrance after dark, they made it to the mountain path before the Stal Children arrived but they heard them somewhere in the shadows; this made Zelda run faster. The guard stationed at the entrance looked at Zelda weirdly, probably saw Navi's glow in her hair, but then disregarded her entirely as she slowed her breath and pace as she entered the village.

Navi sighed in relief, "We made it,"

Zelda nodded slightly, being careful not to knock Navi out of her hair, and let out a noise that signaled her agreement. Navi then flew out beside her to look around, "We're going to need to find a place to stay, that is unless you want to brave the mountain pass tonight,"

Zelda yawned before she spoke, "I'd rather not, and what if there are some monsters on the pass at night?"
Navi sighed, this time in annoyance, "Zelda, you need some backbone. If worse comes to worst you can't face Gallendora like this!"

Zelda groaned, "How am I going to do that? I have no skill, I've grown up in peace all my life!"

Navi growled quietly, "Stop yelling, you're making a ruckus!"

"I'm making a ruckus?"

"Yes! LISTEN!"

Zelda then became quiet before Navi spoke again, "I'm not going to let you fail the Deku Tree, or the Prince; are you?"

Zelda shook her head, "Not a chance!"

Navi smiled with victory, "That's the spirit!"

Zelda let out a small giggle at Navi's comment. Navi kept her smile for a moment then spoke with some curiosity, "If we're going up tomorrow… then were are we gonna sleep?"

Zelda blinked, "you mean we can't sleep against that tree?"

Zelda pointed to the tree near the village entrance and Navi shook her head, "No, because you forgot the blanket when you ran from the Stal Children."

Zelda sighed in defeat, "I don't know, do people let you stay in their houses?"

"Not without a price, there's got to be an inn in this town."

Zelda blinked, "An inn?"

"It's a big place were there are many rooms, you can sleep there for days as long as you pay,"

"Oh! So if it's big is it something like… that?"

Zelda pointed to a rather large building on the top of a hill near the exit of the village to Death Mountain. Navi looked at the building a shrugged, "Let's go see,"

They entered the building to see many people laughing, sitting around tables, or sleeping on them with a drink in their hand. They also saw a bar in the back of the room and a small desk of to their right near a set of stairs. A woman was standing at the desk looking at them with a smile on her face, "Hello, welcome to the Kakriko Inn, are you staying the night?"

Zelda walked up to the woman and nodded silently before Navi flew beside her and spoke, "Just for the night,"

The woman looked at Navi for a second then nodded, "Alright, would you like to pay now, or in the morning?"

Zelda shrugged, "Now,"

The woman nodded, "That will be 50 Rupees,"

Zelda then fished two red Rupees, and two blue Rupees out of the backpack; the red were already in the backpack when she received it from Prince Link and she found at least five other Rupees on the way to the village, most of them green.

"Is this enough?" Zelda asked nervously but was comforted when the woman continued her smile, "Perfect amount, this must be the first time on your own if you don't know Rupees that well; no matter, just be mindful and be careful at night."

Zelda then received a room key from the woman, "up the stairs, second door on your left. Have a wonderful stay."

Zelda then found her room without much trouble, closed the door and went to sleep minutes after she fell onto the bed.

Zelda and Navi set out immediately after they woke up, Zelda nibbling away at a slice of bread along the way towards the surprisingly closed gate. She approached the guard and asked, "Why's the gate closed?"

The guard replied firmly, "The mountain can be dangerous, we keep it closed to make sure children don't wander up the mountain. Someone your age doesn't need to go up the mountain!"

Zelda then fished the letter Impa told her about out of the backpack, "but I have permission."

The guard lifted and eyebrow and looked over the letter before he gasped, "M-my apologies! I just didn't think you royal messengers were so young! I'll open the gate right away!"

Zelda lifted her eyebrow as she saw the guard quickly open the gate and let her pass, "Navi, what did the letter say?"

Navi snickered, "It's nothing important Zelda, what is important is that we can now make it up the mountain to the Goron City."

Zelda let out a noise of agreement and continued a brisk pace up the mountain path.

The way up the mountain was uneventful and she reached the Goron City past high noon, Zelda couldn't help at stare at wonder at the Gorons.

"So that's a Goron…" Zelda said quietly. Navi nodded at her, "They're made of rock and they apparently eat rocks from certain caves."

Zelda decided not to say anything in response, but instead went to talk to a Goron sitting near the doorway, "Hello there, where is your leader?"

The Goron looked at her and pointed to the middle ring of the city then went back to looking depressed. Navi was the one that took notice as Zelda climbed down the ledges, "Zelda, I think something is very wrong here,"

Zelda completed her decent then looked around, "Maybe the leader will know, we an ask him."
A Goron regarded her, "No one is seeing our leader today,"

Zelda noticed this Goron was standing near the door she needed to go through, "But it's really important! Um…I'm a …royal messenger!"
The Goron perked its rocky eyebrow and folded his arms, "Prove it,"

All of a sudden the Prince's words came to Zelda's mind, you will need one song on your journey, listen well. Zelda immediately pulled out Saria's Ocarina and started to play Link's Lullaby. The Goron became wide eyed and immediately caused the stone door next to him to open. Zelda stopped playing when she heard this and went inside the newly made opening to a short tunnel followed by a large room. The large room didn't have anything on the opening side, other than two unlit torches, but on the other side were a great statue, a red carpet, and a Goron that stood on that carpet. The Goron, for only a moment, looking saddened and deep in thought then he saw Zelda at the door.

"When I heard the song of the Royal Family, I thought the messenger was here, but you're just a kid! How could my sworn brother treat me, Darunia, the big boss of the Gorons like this? Now that makes me really mad! Get out of my face!"

Navi was aggravated, "Now wait just a minute! We were sent by Prince Link so don't you get snippy!"

Darunia growled, "I am already!"

Zelda flinched at the angered Goron before he continued, "Ancient creatures infest Dodango's Cavern, bomb flower harvest is poor, and my people are staving due to a rock shortage!"

Zelda looked around the room and spoke, "But this place is full of rocks,"

Darunia fumed, "My people would never eat such rocks! We pride ourselves by eating the finest rocks from Dodongo's Cavern! Suggesting such is an insult! Now get out!"

Navi let out a 'hmp' of annoyance before she spoke again, "We came here for the stone and we're not leaving without it!"

Zelda sighed as Navi tried to convince Darunia to give them to Goron Ruby. She knew that Navi wouldn't take no for an answer so she accepted it. After Navi's last spat Zelda decided to sit at the other end of the room so she could gaze around the room. Zelda eventually got bored of doing that and fished out Saria's Ocarina from the backpack and smiled at the memories it held; he life back in the Kokiri Forest. She decided to play Saria's song in order to remember those times with even more detail. What happened next surprised both Zelda and Navi. As soon as Zelda started playing the song, they heard stomping noises from across the room. Darunia had started dancing to the music. This went on for about a minute, until there was a smile on the Goron's face. Zelda felt that it was now safe to approach the Goron after he stopped dancing.

"What a nice beat!" Darunia exclaimed, "Just like that my depression is gone and all I wanted to do was dance!"

Zelda smiled, "Glad you like Saria's Song,"

Darunia then cleared his throat, "I'm Darunia, leader of the Gorons. So what was it that you wanted?"

Zelda felt confident to outright say it, "We need the spiritual stone, the Goron Ruby."

Darunia gave a concerned look, "You want the Spiritual Stone of Fire too?"

"Too?" Navi and Zelda asked at the same time. Darunia nodded, "Yes, but I don't give the stone to anyone! If you want it so bad, why not clear out Dodongo's Cavern for my people? If you do, I'd give you anything, even the stone."

Navi blinked, "You're kidding me, right?"

Zelda tilted her head, "That's it?"

Darunia nodded at Zelda, "And take this bracelet, even a little one like you can pick up a bomb flower."

Darunia handed Zelda a bracelet made of brass and copper, branded with the Goron's mark. Zelda nodded, put it on her left wrist and walked out with a smile as Navi tried to figure out a way to tell her about Dodongo's Cavern. Once they exited the room, she decided to outright tell her, "Um Zelda, there's something you need to know about Dodongo's Cavern…"

Zelda look over at Navi, "What?"

Navi sighed, "It's really dangerous in there."

Zelda stopped on some stairs and became wide eyed, "W-What?"

Navi continued, "If the Gorons haven't been clearing out the creatures in the Cavern then it'll be filled with them."

Zelda shook, making her sword and shield clank on her back. After a few seconds of this they both heard a laugh from up the stairs. A goron child emerged from the shadows, revealing the source of the laughter. The child spoke in a grading and immature voice, "What's the matter, you scared?"

Zelda immediately saw Mido in this Goron and spoke back, "N-No I'm not!"

"Oh yea?"

"Yea!"

The Goron folded his arms, "Then prove it! Let's get into Dodongo's Cavern!

Sorry this took so long, college and slight writer's block. Anyway if you want to see a future scene from this, it's planned sequel(Yes, I'm gonna do Majora's Mask), or any other of my works go to my Doctor Who/Portal fanfic for contest details; very simple really.