Divided we Stand

With the group divided, Link and Shin ventured through the Fire Temple for some time. A dodongo would be instantly defeated by the powerful pair ever so often. As they sent one flying into a door to knock it down, Shin continued their discussion, "And THAT'S why the White Ninja Hero is always the best Ninja Hero but in response that's why the Black Ninja Hero is always the one to turn evil" he ended. Link tried to make heads or tails of the "manga scrolls" that Shin spoke of until they noticed something in the room: a gauntlet. "Hey, looky, looky we found something" Shin said as he grabbed it and put it on.

"Hey, the whole "Finding weapons in temples" thing is MY thing" Link said as he tried to take the gauntlet from Shin. Shin wrestled from him and from the gauntlet fired a small burst of energy that hit the wall creating a blue glow. "…What did that do?" Link asked apparently losing interest in the weapon. Shin shrugged and another blast came out, but this time it was yellow and through the glow they could see themselves. Shin put his hand trough the blue aura and realized his hand came out the yellow aura. Shin slowly gave a huge smile when he saw that they found a "Portal Gauntlet". "Oh Gods, you found a new way to be annoying" Link cried.

Zelda and Hina traveled through the Fire Temple themselves, Hina's martial arts and talismans were a great asset to Zelda's magic and Sheik form. They continued in their attempts to find the altar but couldn't help but in engage in small talk. Zelda learned a lot from Hina, apparently the Sheikah were a Xangese clan that were banished for assassinating an Emperor and their red eyes were due to their dragon eyes breeding with Hylians. "So, it must be crazy working for Shin huh? I can't imagine how your father feels about you guarding a man, my dad flips every time I'm alone with Link" Zelda began trying to learn more about her Xangese comrade as a person.

"My father died alongside my mother when the Black Dragon attacked, I was three months old then" Hina answered coolly.

"Oh, sorry…my mother died when I was young so…" Zelda tried to correct but ended. "You know, I have to ask, are you and Shin in a relationship? I mean the whole awkward moments seem to imply one" she nervously asked.

Hina stopped and it was obvious that beneath her cloth mask she was disappointed and nervous, "No, I don't think relationships are on his mind at the moment" she answered.

Elsewhere, Sieg and Yama traveled the temple the temple killing every monster they could see, fun times. "Figures, I'm stuck with the anti-social one" they both said in unison about each other. This caused them to look at each other with annoyed looks.

Sieg defended himself first, "At least I don't serve a moron" he said continuing through temple. "Why do you follow that guy, he's a total idiot and he doesn't even want to be you emperor, isn't a waste?" he finally asked.

Yama looked Sieg right in the eye with that last statement, "My master has done more for me and my granddaughter than you can ever accomplish" he corrected. "It was by making himself look like a fool in front of his own father and Imperial Court that she isn't chained to a life no one should have" he explained.

At Ganondorf's location, his men were finally excavating the Pyramid that he so long wanted to get into. He had heard of the great power that was within and he wanted it to crush that "Little brat that made a fool of him". Now truth be told, he skimmed the ancient texts he had about the Pyramid, he left the details to Moe and Bob. "Maybe it wasn't such a good idea to have a moron and sarcastic yet surprisingly intelligent Moblin and Bokoblin read the important stuff about a potentially dangerous place…oh well" Ganondorf shrugged as he heard another few workers die from traps.

Hina explained to Zelda her and Shin's "relationship", "You see, since my mother was such a devoted miko, the Dragon of Spirit blessed her. Upon her pregnancy with me, the Dragon of Spirit stated that should she bear a son, he'll be a grand warrior, and if is a daughter, which I am, she would be a grand beauty" she explained to Zelda who had also been blessed with beauty from Gods. "Now, in our culture, many different clans serve one of the Three Imperial Houses, and one of those clans must have someone that'll be the bearer of the House they serves heir for the Emperor. Given the beauty I would grow to be, the Emperor chose me to be that Bearer for the House of Spirit" she ended much to Zelda's shock.

Yama apparently was telling the same tale from his point of view to Sieg, "Her parents were just killed in the Black Dragon's attack, and I couldn't allow that kind of life for her. Could you imagine bearing a child simply because the Emperor needs an heir for the House of Spirit?" he asked. "No, I wouldn't allow my granddaughter to have that "honor", especially not if Shishio would become emperor, even as a child he was a monster" he cringed. "So I trained her to become the kunoichi you see today, I tried to make her his bodyguard, but it seemed that wasn't good enough for them" Yama explained as he had a flashback.

12 years ago, Yama stood before the Emperor hoping to sway his decision on Hina's fate. He'd hope a demonstration of her abilities could sway him or his siblings who currently led the Imperial Houses. The heirs Shishio and Gicho were present as well; however, the youngest heir Shin was nowhere to be seen. "I can understand your desire to strengthen your granddaughter, but the position she has been given is a gift sir" the Emperor said to Yama.

Yama wanted to say something, even if it was out of line but Shishio spoke up in his own fury, "How dare you try and overrule a gift my father gave unto your family worm, if you were in my house I'd…"

The Emperor stopped him, "But they do not serve YOUR house, they are in your uncle's house and thus he and I have final say in this matter. Also, YOU are in MY House son" he corrected. "Yama was it, Shishio is somewhat right, your son's wife the Miko of Spirit was a great treasure to Xang, it is only natural I reward your family with such a blessing. She will grow into Xang's most beautiful woman soon after all and…" he almost ended the argument but a young masked assailant appeared.

Almost by instinct, Hina did a few blocking moves and knocked the assailant down and Yama unmasked him, to reveal Prince Shin himself! "SHIN, what are you up to now?" the Emperor yelled.

Shin sat up and smiled, "I was playing Ninja! Wow, that was fun, I could have someone I could play with and protect me" he happily yelled with his dumb smile.

The Emperor turned to his sister the current head of the House of Knowledge until Gicho came of age, and his brother who led the House of Spirit. His younger brother shrugged and their elder sister spoke up, "Well…it's not like your sons need heirs now, nor can she even produce heirs yet. Why make her sit around and get stale?" she decided.

"Besides, anyone that keeps Shin busy will no doubt get their exercise and they'll be alright with me" the youngest said.

With these decisions made the Emperor made his own decision, "Very well, for the time being you and your granddaughter will guard my youngest son" he decreed. Shishio became angry stating that Hina's job was to bear his heir to the "useless" House of Spirit someday not play with his "moron" younger brother. "You won't be Emperor one day son with that state of mind" the Emperor ended as they left.

Present day, Hina explained this to Zelda, "I never really knew what Grandfather was trying to save me from, nor the debt I owe Shin, but when I understood, I decided to put up with all his antics to repay him. After I turned 14 and started developing, well, that's when the awkward moments increased tenfold" she ended.

Zelda chimed in, "Fourteen huh, that's when I noticed all the guards would turn their heads every time I walked by" she giggled. "Besides, Shin doesn't seem that crazy"

Link was having a bear of a time fighting all the monsters Shin led them to thanks to the Portal Gauntlet. Shin would open portals and let the monsters pour in as they continued making their way through the temple to the altar. "You know, I do enjoy experience, but COULD YOU COOL IT WITH THE GAUNTLET?" Link begged as Shin jumped in another portal and came back with five dead Dinolofs.

"I'm sorry what? I was just busy keeping monster from my bodyguards" Shin said confusing the hell out of Link as he reminded him that THEY were supposed to guard HIM. "…You're just jealous that I actually try to pursue MY bodyguard for those funny yet sexy awkward moments" he teased making Link mad. Shin made amends though, "Besides, they're more family to me than my real family; I haven't seen them in over ten years" Shin ended as they continued onward.

However, Link couldn't help but notice the marking on the wall mentioned "The Seven" was again like in the Forest Temple. The damage the dodongo had done made the texts unreadable but still, these Seven seemed important. "Hopefully the Water Temple will explain this" Link said as he continued to help Shin.

Yama ended his tale as well, "It was a little after we were made his bodyguards that I learned Shin most certainly let Hina win, he told me it was because even though he didn't know what I was trying to stop her from becoming, he could tell I didn't want that for her and so he made himself look an idiot for us". "No matter how crazy he acts, Master Shin is a good person like you yet you try to hide it, and I vowed I would do anything to make him Emperor, and in the process…" he began but stopped.

Sieg However could see through what he was trying to hide, "…make your granddaughter his Empress?" he sternly finished.

Yama snapped at him, "Is it wrong to wish this? I may have a hand in having these awkward moments transpire, but I want a better life for her, and he would never abuse her. Even if I would have failed to make him Emperor, if he were to make Hina his bride, Shishio or Gicho could not use her to create the House of Spirit's heir as she would be Shin's wife! But now it seems all goes well and I can rest easy" he defended.

Sieg should have thrown a typical insult at the worried old man, but he decided to show his true "nice guy" side. "I wouldn't worry, I'm pretty sure Hina is the only woman in all the realms, both mortal and sacred, that can "keep up" with Shin" he jokingly said causing Yama to think about what he said.

After some time, Zelda and Hina had found the altar…yet it was in the middle of a lava pool. "Don't worry, my "Farore's Wind" spell can teleport me there but you'll need to guard me as I prepare the prayers" Zelda explained as Hina pointed towards her grandfather and Sieg who just appeared.

"Great…now where's the ugly creep?" Sieg yelled just asking for trouble.

Almost instantly, a VERY large dodongo rose out of the lava and look right at the two groups with hunger in its eyes. "Oh great, where's Godzilla when you need him" Hina complained as she looked at the creature.

Its scales were bright red and it' yellow eyes cast their gaze on a dodongo that was near causing it to burst into flames. "Oh great like our job wasn't hard enough" Sieg complained as he floated on air and prepared a spell.

However, a portal appeared above the King Dodongo and a ton of hot water poured all over it making scream out in pain. Shin and Link jumped through soaked to the bone. "Nothing like a dip in a hot spring after fighting a bunch of monsters" Shin happily said as he removed his wet shirt. He turned to the King Dodongo and used the Portal Gauntlet to get away before its burning gaze caught sight of him.

Link got up and immediately hugged Princess Zelda, "Have I ever told you…that I am SO happy the one I protect it not like him…all the time" He admitted. Not the confession Zelda was hoping for but it made her extremely happy.

Below in the lava arena Shin pulled out his pointed at the King Dodongo, "Hey dragon wannabe, prepare yourself, I'm gonna so you how a real dragon fights" he proclaimed as the Dragon Head on his forearm glowed with power.

To be Continued in: "Dragon vs. Dodongo"