Fate

Jill was jolted awake by the sound of wood cracking. She shot up into a sitting position to see that Akio had just broken through a wooden board with only his palm. He quickly spun around and grabbed a two-handed sword and sliced through a thick column of wood as if it were butter. She watched as the top half fell to the floor with a loud thud.

Wow.

Her amazement quickly faded as she remembered her parents once again. She imagined them waiting and hoping for a phone call from her. What would they do as she was missing longer and longer? Would it come to the point where they believed she was dead? Her heart was aching before Akio even looked over and noticed her.

"You're awake," he said, breaking her out of her thoughts.

"Huh? Oh. Yeah."

"Good. If you're done with the blankets, I need to put them away. My students should be arriving soon."

Jill quickly stood and let him scoop up the blankets and pillow and bring them into that back room of his. Well, it was more than one little room, Jill assumed as she yawned and rubbed the sleep from her eyes.

"Thank you, by the way," she said as he reemerged. "It was really nice of you to let me sleep here. If you hadn't, I would have had to sleep in the streets for sure."

Akio looked at her and only grunted in acknowledgment. She took that as a "you're welcome". Then she remembered that he had said students would be arriving. Was it still morning?

"Um, what time is it?"

"It is the tenth hour in the day."

Jill assumed that meant ten o'clock. That left her plenty of time in the day to do…what? She didn't even know what she should do. Should she wait around this village hoping the Sheikah would come find her? If he didn't show up by now, would he ever? What did he expect her to do here?

"Is there something else you need?" Akio asked her.

He was currently hanging the sword back up. As she pondered the question, she noticed the foul taste in her mouth of morning breath and her hair felt greasy from the sweating she did the day before. She wanted to ask how people cleaned themselves up in this world, but she was too embarrassed. Not to mention, it would be very odd and suspicious for a grown woman to have to ask such a question. Besides, she felt like she had overstayed her welcome. Akio was expecting students soon, and she was in the way.

"No. You've done so much for me already. I'll leave now. Thank you for everything, really."

She snatched up her bag and began walking out of the dojo. She stopped when he spoke to her.

"If you need more money, you are welcome to come back and clean the floor again."

She turned around to face him. However, he was already busy cleaning up the broken pieces of wood.

"Thanks! I think I'll do that."

With that, she finally left the dojo. Her first priority was to clean herself up. She found a shop with a sign that read, "General Goods" and walked inside. She looked around to see that it was fairly large and indeed full of all kinds of things. There were a few weapons, gardening tools, and even a couple of tunics. She eventually meandered her way to one of the walls and found some small objects. She found a glass bottle full of a thick white liquid. She uncorked it and took a whiff. The liquid had a slightly flowery smell. There was a chance that it was a cleanser of some kind, so she decided to hold onto it. Then she spotted a small box and opened it out of curiosity. What she saw made her heart leap with joy.

Inside the box were what appeared to be a toothbrush, a comb, and a little vial of white powder. She had no idea what the powder was, but the toothbrush had her main focus. It was basically a stick with bristles attached. It didn't look as pleasant to use as her toothbrush at home, but it was something! The whole box seemed to be a grooming kit of some kind. She found this very interesting. Then she remembered that she only had twenty-five rupees. She brought the box and the bottle to the counter, hoping that there was a chance she could afford them.

When she walked up to the counter, she noticed the shelves behind it. There were arrows, bombs, and a deku nut! She instantly got flashbacks of playing the games. Oh, how she wished that she were only playing them instead of living them. The clerk went behind the counter after noticing that she was ready to make a purchase.

"Hello, miss."

"Hi. This is embarrassing, but what is this?"

She placed the glass bottle on the counter.

"I'm from somewhere far from here, and we have slightly different methods of doing things."

She said the last part as she noticed the clerk's slightly quirked brow. It was basically the truth, anyway. Either the explanation satisfied him, or he simply decided not to pry.

"That's a soapy liquid meant for your hair," he patiently explained.

"That's perfect! How much does it cost?"

"Five rupees."

Five rupees? That's all?

"And how much does this cost?"

She placed the box on the counter. The man looked inside it briefly to check the items inside.

"Ah, yes. This will be ten rupees."

"Oh, thank goodness."

After paying, she took her items and was about to walk out, but remembered one missing item: toothpaste! Her mind went back to the powder that was inside the box. She pulled it out and showed it to the clerk.

"Again, embarrassing, but what is this?"

"We use that to clean our teeth. Just add water and it will become thick and pasty."

"Oh, cool! Thank you."

She nearly ran out of the shop in her excitement. All she needed then was a private place to clean up. She thought about the inn again and thought that there had to be a public washroom of some kind. When she got there, she was relieved to see that she had thought correctly. It was just a small washroom meant for one person at a time, so she would have to do what she had to quickly. She didn't want to keep people waiting and make them angry.

She was about to walk in when she felt a tap on her shoulder. She turned around to see the woman who served her food the night before. She was smiling and holding out a pitcher of water to her.

"Here. You'll need this."

Jill had trouble forming words for a moment. Of course she needed water, but she didn't even realize there wasn't any in the washroom.

"Oh, w-wait. Don't I need to pay?" she asked as the woman handed the pitcher to her.

The woman shook her head.

"Don't worry. You're obviously someone trying to get back on her feet. You're certainly not the first traveler to end up here with nothing. Have at it!"

"Oh. Thank you! Really!"

The woman gave her one last cheery smile before walking away. Jill was filled with gratitude as she finally entered the washroom and started to freshen up. The "toothpaste" had no flavor and kind of repulsed her a bit, along with the feeling of the brush itself, but her teeth felt clean and that was what mattered. She then began to wash her hair. The "shampoo" acted like any shampoo on Earth, becoming sudsy when she began scrubbing it in. The water she was given was of course very handy. She worked quickly despite the invasive thoughts of home. Once she was done with everything, she placed the kit and shampoo in her bag. She felt very refreshed, which lightened her mood a bit. Before leaving the inn, she returned the pitcher to the woman, thanking her once again. Once she was outside, she stopped and looked around.

She had to make some decisions. Whether or not she decided to stick around the village, she needed more clothes. Not only would it be hygienic, but she also wanted to blend in with everyone else. The question was, what kind of clothes should she get? She figured it was likely she'd leave this place eventually, so she decided it would be best to get some clothes fit for travel. If the games were any representation of this world, there would be monsters out in the fields (not to mention monsters like the one that dragged her into this world in the first place).

She realized that she was lucky not to have been bothered on her way to this town. Those wooden skeletons seemed to be able to pop up anywhere. What exactly stopped them from catching her after she separated from the Sheikah?

Focus, Jill!

She wanted her questions answered, but she didn't believe they would be for some time. She needed to focus on the present. Whatever supplies she would need, she knew she couldn't afford with five rupees. She could get more money that night for cleaning the dojo, but she didn't want to wait that long. She had to find a way to earn money in the day as well. She wandered her way toward one of the gates leading out of the town and saw a small stable full of horses for sale. She shrugged her shoulders and walked inside. Maybe whoever owned these horses could use some help.

Thankfully, he did. Jill was once again stuck with cleaning duty, and this one was worse than the previous job. This job included horse droppings. She used a shovel to help the owner get the manure into sacks. The owner said it would be sold to people who wanted to make fertilizer out of it. At the moment, Jill didn't really care. The smell was sickening. It was all worth it, though, because she was again paid fifty rupees. She was even offered a bonus five rupees for being "such a good sport". She thanked him about ten times before walking out.

Fifty-five rupees. That wasn't a bad amount at all. She remembered seeing a weapons store while wandering around looking for work. From what she saw through one of the windows, it had weapons, tunics, and any other gear she might need.

She went straight there and looked around. She decided to buy a tunic first, since that was what she could probably afford. She found one that looked about her size. It was made of brown leather that was slightly soft to the touch. The material seemed tough and yet flexible enough to allow full movement. She inquired the merchant about the price and it was just within her range. It even came with a pair of boots and leggings. Because of the relatively cheap price, however, she doubted the quality of the clothes.

She went into a back room where she could try it on and did just that. The tunic didn't feel bad at all. As she suspected, there was plenty of breathing room that allowed for wide movements. She tugged on the garment as hard as she dared and decided that the material wouldn't fall apart or rip after some travel. The boots also fit nicely on her feet. This was it. She had found her traveling attire. She eagerly paid the merchant and walked out, feeling out her new clothes. She felt good. Just wearing the tunic made her feel a bit stronger, less vulnerable. Her bag was now bulging a bit because she had stuffed her Earth clothes inside it. She knew that it wasn't efficient to keep them around, but they were among the few things she had that connected her to Earth. She couldn't bring herself to just toss them away.

After that, she hung around the town until the sun started to go down. The only food she got to eat was an apple from a fruit stand, but it was substantial enough. Sometime in the early afternoon, she was walking through what appeared to be a residential area and walked by a fortune teller. She appeared to be a young Gerudo, fiery red hair and all. This peaked Jill's curiosity even though she didn't show it.

The fortune teller had a little table set up with a crystal ball in front of one of the houses. She of course offered to tell her future, but Jill avoided eye contact and kept walking. Being in the world of the Legend of Zelda games, she knew there was a chance that the woman was a legitimate psychic. Still, she didn't want the risk. Her money was too little and too valuable to waste on a scam. However, she was stopped when the woman said her name. She turned around slowly to face her, wondering if she heard correctly.

"H-how did…?"

"Are you interested now, child?"

Jill approached the woman. She thought back and confirmed with herself that she hadn't told anyone her name since she arrived at the town. Still, her memory wasn't perfect.

"Okay…So you know my name. Where am I from?"

If this Gerudo woman wasn't psychic after all, there was no way she'd know the answer. The woman beckoned with her finger for Jill to come closer. With some hesitance, Jill stepped closer and leaned in so that she could hear the woman speak lowly.

"You are from a world called Earth," the woman whispered in her ear.

Jill jerked back. She definitely didn't tell anyone that. The Sheikah man who saved her life probably knew, but would he tell anyone? Unlikely.

"All right. I'm listening," she told the woman.

The Gerudo stood up and opened the door to the house behind her, motioning for Jill to follow.

"We should discuss this in private, wouldn't you agree?"

Jill did indeed agree but was still nervous as she entered the woman's home. She couldn't think of any reason the woman would harm her, but entering a stranger's home was always a risky move. Still, maybe she could finally get some answers.

The woman's home was decorated in a way that reminded Jill of the desert. She spotted a few potted flowery cacti and small tapestries with patterns and colors that reminded her of the Gerudo tribe. On one of the walls was a painting of horses galloping through a sandy landscape. She absently wondered what would make a Gerudo decide to move out of her homeland.

The fortune teller sat at a table in the dining area and asked Jill to join her. Jill complied and sat across from her. She felt vulnerable as the woman's golden eyes peered into her own. The woman also had a grim expression on her face, which didn't help.

"I don't usually offer information for free," the Gerudo began, "but it is important that you hear what I have to say. You were fated to come to our world, but you arrived too soon. You were…taken by a monster, right?"

Jill nodded. There was some pity in the woman's eyes as she spoke.

"Yes. I can almost feel the terror you felt. But, obviously, you were saved. You can thank the Goddesses for that."

"Why, though? Why am I here?!"

Jill was starting to get antsy. She wanted the woman to get to the point.

"Patience, child. I have been sensing a powerful darkness for some time now. I can't see its form or its intentions. But I feel its malice."

Ganondorf?

"You, Jill, and five others were meant to come here to face this darkness."
"Wait, what? There are others?"

The woman nodded.

"Yes. Six of you, total, have been taken from Earth."

She swiftly held her hand up as Jill opened her mouth again to speak. She obviously anticipated her next question.

"No, I do not know who the others are. A couple of nights ago, I had a vision of six young humans coming from Earth. But my vision of you was clearer than the rest, probably because you and I were bound to meet. But you can take comfort knowing that you are not alone."

"But where are they?"

The woman placed her elbows on the table and rested her chin on her hands. She closed her eyes as if to concentrate.

"I feel that your paths will converge at Hyrule Castle…"

"Hyrule Castle. Okay."

That made sense. Hyrule Castle always was an important place in the games, wasn't it?

"Listen, Jill. As I stated, you were meant to come here. But you were brought here too soon. All of you were intended to be safely eased into our world. But the source of the darkness apparently knew this too. So it tried to pull you through prematurely just to kill you. It knows you are a threat. Obviously, it was only halfway successful."

Hearing this, Jill recalled something the Sheikah said to her.

"It wasn't supposed to happen this way…" So that's what he meant.

She wondered if the others were saved by Sheikah just like her. Also, how did that man know where to be and when? Did Zelda tell them?

"I don't get it," Jill said after a moment. "If this darkness or whatever is so powerful, how can we possibly be a threat? How can I be a threat?"

"As you are, you are not much of a threat, I'm afraid. However, you and the others are meant to acquire power later on. That is how you become a threat."

Jill sighed, feeling tired. This was a lot to take in. It all seemed ridiculous, but she wasn't in much of a position to question reality, was she?

"Okay, I have another question. About that darkness…Do you know the name, Ganondorf? Or Ganon?"

The woman quirked her brow.

"You mean the ancient Gerudo King who has tried to destroy Hyrule many times? Yes. We Gerudo have not forgotten."

Her voice was grim as she said this.

"I wish I could say the same for the Hylians. But how do you know?"

"Oh, uh…"

How could Jill possibly explain video games to this woman?

"I-it's really complicated. But we humans are…aware of your world, just as you're aware of Earth. We just…didn't believe it actually existed. And I don't even know how accurate our portrayals of your world have been."

"Interesting. To be honest, I only just became aware of Earth the night I had the vision of you six. I don't know anything about it. But you're probably wondering if Ganondorf is the source of the darkness. That would make sense to me, but…the darkness doesn't feel ancient at all. I can't begin to describe to you how that feels. I could be wrong. It's actually become difficult to see things because of the overwhelming haze. That vision was the clearest thing I've seen in some time. That's how I knew it must be important."

Jill pondered everything she said. Ganondorf did indeed exist in this world. But he may or may not be her enemy. If it wasn't Ganondorf, who could it be? Who wants her dead? And who else was taken from Earth? Were they people she knew? Could her friends have been taken as well? She hoped not.

"You were lucky to make it here safely," the woman continued. "But luck can only get you so far. I see you've already begun making preparations to travel."

The woman glanced at the tunic Jill wore.

"Plan wisely. You will surely face many dangers on your journey."

"Yeah…Thought so."

She already didn't feel confident about leaving the town and the woman's confirmation made her feel ten times worse.

"Well, I told you everything I know," the woman said. "I'm sorry that this burden has fallen on your shoulders. When you are ready, you should make your way to Hyrule Castle. Only once you are ready. For now, you should return to Akio."

Jill wasn't going to question that last statement.

"Um…Miss?"

She almost didn't want to ask the question she had in mind.

"When this is all over…do you think we could go back home?"

Her heart sank when the woman looked troubled by her question. Her voice was soft and sympathetic when she finally spoke.

"I can't see that far, child. I am truly sorry I cannot give you the answer you want. However, I do not believe Hylia would be so cruel as to rip you from your home forever."

It definitely wasn't the decisive "yes" Jill wanted, but she was cautious not to get her hopes up anyway. The woman's words did give her some hope, but that was also scary.

"Okay…" Jill said. "Thank you, Miss…"

The woman smiled at her.

"Roshan."

"Roshan. Thank you for telling me all this. You did shine some light on a few things."

"I'm glad I was helpful. Please be cautious on your journey. Find the others bound by fate. Do not lose heart."

After telling Roshan goodbye, Jill went on her way. When evening came around, she went back to the dojo. She happened to catch the last two men who exited. They each had a sword strapped to his back and both looked strong and capable. She wondered what qualified them to be Akio's students. When she had first arrived here, he seemed to have a very negative opinion of his students in general. She wondered why he would teach at all if this were the case. What happened to make him feel that way in the first place?

She walked in to find Akio picking arrows out of a bulls-eye target.

"Akio…?"

At the sound of his name, he turned his head. When he looked at her, she noticed as his eyes quickly scanned her, obviously noticing her new clothing. He didn't seem to notice at all when she was wearing her alien Earth clothes, so why would he notice when she finally looked like she belonged? She didn't understand.

"Do you plan on traveling soon?" he asked.

"Yeah," she said, confused by his curiosity.

"So you think I will teach you now?"

He was staring intensely into her eyes and it made her very uncomfortable.

"What? No. Why are you bringing that up again?"

There was no anger in Jill's voice. She was genuinely curious and a little put off by the man's accusing tone.

"It never even occurred to me to ask for lessons," she continued. "One: I can't afford them. Two: I don't plan to stay very long. I am, in fact, trying to leave as soon as possible. I would've left already, except I still need a lot of supplies. So…I'm here to work again if you want me to."

Akio stood there and continued to stare at her, considering her words.

"You expect me to believe that you plan to venture off into the wild without a weapon or even any combat training?"

Jill furrowed her brow. She felt like she was being interrogated. She also felt that Akio was being very presumptuous.

"Who says I don't have any combat training? I happen to have been taking hand-to-hand combat lessons," she said, referring to her karate lessons.

"Have you now?"

Akio sounded unimpressed.

"Somehow I doubt that training you've had will do you any good against a moblin on a boar, or a wolfos."

"Well, that's why I plan to buy a weapon. I hope to afford one sooner than later."

"The fact that you don't own a weapon in the first place tells me that you've never been trained to use one. So having one won't do you much good, will it?"

"Well, no. But it would be better than nothing."
"Sure, sure. Just swing a sword around wildly. Maybe you'll actually hit something. Maybe you'll manage to not cut yourself. Or try a bow. See how far you can send those arrows."

His tone was condescending and sarcastic, which Jill didn't appreciate. Why was he acting like this?

"Alright, I get the point. I'm pretty much helpless. But I didn't even choose to go on this journey. I was apparently…selected."

She was letting out more information than she had planned to. She realized too late that her emotions were starting to run high because of Akio's questioning.

"But if I'm going to take lessons, it won't be from you. When we first met, you didn't seem to like your students at all. So I'm not going to waste yours or my time asking. I don't even understand why you're questioning me now. The whole time I've been here, you've hardly spoken to me. Now you're almost interrogating me just because I changed clothes. Do you think I'm trying to use you? Is that it? Because I'm not. I can easily find someone who's willing to teach me. If I decide to get lessons, that is."

"I am the only weapons master in this town. And I can guarantee that you will not survive the journey to another town."

"What do you want from me?"

She was starting to lose her patience.

"It's like I said, I have no choice."

"You always have a choice."

"Well then I choose to leave here as soon as possible. There is something I apparently have to do before I'm allowed to go home. It's supposed to be important, so I don't think I have a lot of time to waste. Besides, the quicker I get it done, the quicker I can go home."

"You'll have trouble getting home or completing your mission if you're dead."

Jill was becoming exasperated. She was very close to shouting at the man.

"Okay, I'm really confused. When I first got here, you seemed to be against teaching me even though I never asked. Now it feels like you're pushing it on me. Look, I can't take this anymore. If you don't want me to work, I'll just go."

She turned around and began to walk out.

"Wait," she heard him say.

She stopped. She almost didn't want to bother turning around, but she did anyway.

"What?"

The exasperation was clear in her voice. It was dark by then so Akio started to light the torches around the dojo.

"I'm sure you've noticed the plethora of weapons I have on the walls."

"Yeah…?"

"Come here."

He beckoned her to go stand beside him. She didn't move and only stared at him.

"Why?"

"You are healthily skeptical. That is good. It will help you survive on your journey. However, for now, I need you to listen and trust."

Jill hesitated before she complied. She didn't feel like having her time wasted, but curiosity got the better of her. When she stood next to him, he motioned to the wall of weapons.

"If you were to buy a weapon, which would you choose?"

Jill wanted to ask why he was asking such a question but decided to hold it in as she scanned the walls. She saw different types of swords, daggers, staffs (with and without blades) and bows. She first considered a sword because of her experience playing the Legend of Zelda games. Link did okay in this world using a sword. Then she only glanced at the bows. She knew a bow and arrows would be useful, but she would be a terrible marksman. No, a sword was the way to go. Before she said anything, however, she began to really think.

She imagined herself really fighting with it. It would be nice to be able to fend off attackers and monsters. Killing monsters probably wouldn't bother her too much. But what about fighting people? She imagined her blade going through someone. She imagined the blood. She imagined how she would feel if she took a human life, even if it was in self-defense. Maybe a sword wasn't the best option after all. Not for her, at least.

She looked at the staffs. The ones with blades would of course be useful, but she would have the same issue with them. She looked at a plain wooden staff. It looked solid and strong. If she had the strength, she could do serious damage with it. Even so, it wouldn't necessarily be lethal to use. She could fight with it freely without having to worry about killing anyone. She pointed to it.

"I guess I would use that."

Akio looked to where she was pointing.

"A bo staff? You can't hope to kill anything with that. Unless you have considerable strength, of course, which I do not think you have."

"Yeah, I know. But I can still knock people out with it, right? I don't want to be able to kill them. I'm afraid of making a mistake I can't take back."

Akio nodded.

"Very well, then. The bo staff it is. Your training begins tomorrow."

Jill's eyes widened as she whirled around to face him.

"What?"

For the first time since she met Akio, he smiled. He didn't just smile; he was almost smirking.

"You were right. I was kind of pushing training on you. I wanted to see what you would do. The entire time you've been here, I've been observing you, trying to figure out your intentions. You told me that you only wanted to work. But I've heard that before. I've had people come to me with sad stories and legitimate reasons for learning how to fight. I have helped them before, only to find that they had only intended to use my teachings for trivial or evil reasons. Your story wasn't new. You have an important mission, but you only want to work. People have told me that and then turned around and asked me for lessons. However, no matter how many times I brought up training, you expressed disinterest. I believe you when you say that you did not come here for that. I also believe that you have a genuine need for combat skills. I have decided that you are trustworthy and deserving of my teachings. You should feel honored."

Jill stood and stared at the man, dumbfounded. Everything he said finally explained his odd behavior. However, she didn't like the fact that he had been scrutinizing and examining her.

"So from the beginning, you were testing me. You just skipped the human communication and started examining me. You say you wanted to figure out who I am, but you never even asked me my name. You didn't even introduce yourself. I had to assume that your name was Akio."

"Well, you guessed right," he said, the smirk still on his face. "I could have asked for your name. But that doesn't say anything about a person's nature, does it?"

"No. You could've asked just to be polite, though," she said, crossing her arms.

Akio chuckled.

"Let me introduce myself, then. I am Akio Masamune: Weapons Master. You are…?"

He held his hand out to shake. Jill reluctantly took it.

"I'm Jill Kennedy: uh, student."

"Pleased to make your acquaintance, Kikari Tsukino."

He winked.

"What?"

"If you hope to blend in our world, you need a more common name. Tsukino means 'moon field'. So don't be surprised if anyone says that to you."

"Wait, 'our world'?"

"What, you didn't think I noticed? Everything about you is otherworldly. From the way you speak, to the way you behave, to your very name. Your strange clothing was also a giveaway."

So he did notice.

"You suspected all along? But why would you assume I'm from a different world altogether? Why not a distant country?"

"I've seen people from different countries before. None of them acted like you. As for why I can accept another world so easily, I have heard legends of people traveling through time, ancient evils that occasionally rise, islands that float in the sky. I don't think the existence of another world outside our own is so far-fetched."

"Oh…"
"Don't worry, though. Everyone won't be as astute as I am. I doubt anyone else in this village suspects that you're from another world. Well, there is the fortune teller, but she can keep a secret. Also, now that you have more common clothing, you can blend in even better. Kikari Tsukino. Remember it. And if anyone asks on your journey, you live here in Gale Village."

Gale Village. Oh yeah, that is the name the Sheikah told me.

"Alright. Kikari Tsukino. Moon field. Gale Village. Got it."

"Good. Get some rest. Starting tomorrow, you will learn how to effectively use a bo staff."