A/N: Another chapter for you all~... I gave those line-break thingies a try this time around! I also decided to give Zoras the ability to communicate with marine creatures. It'll show up in the next chapter or so, I think. Hope that idea's not lame or anything... I really gotta get with the program and work on this more often, too. Well, enough about me... Enjoy the fic~!
Disclaimer: I wish I owned LoZ, but I don't. Nintendo does, and whoever makes the manga... I just own my plot, made-up monsters and items, and OCs...
Many Thanks To: SoulDea, i-wish-a7x, and LittlePidgey~!
The Links' personal Weapons (other than their swords and shields, of course!)
-Red has an ice rod, a fire rod, and a slingshot!
-Green has a boomerang, and he's pretty good with it. At the moment, he also has his weird half-dragon-ness, including a tail, wings that he can use to fly, very strong legs, and a clawed right arm with the strength of a dragon...
-Blue has a hammer, of course, which suits his personality perfectly!
-Vio has a bow and a quiver full of arrows, and of course, his ever-present book.
-Shadow has... well, his weird shadow abilities, I guess? mimicking? Also has the Dark Mirror Shield, and that dagger of his. And bombs!
Chapter 22: Interlude of Mysteries
~The next day~
Ruto spent a relatively peaceful night on the shore of Lake Hylia's mystery island and has just woken up. The red kitten is nowhere to be seen. The Zora princess sits up and rubs her eyes sleepily, then attempts to stand.
"(Ruto) Ouch!"
She lets herself fall back into a sitting position and begins to firmly rub at her ankle, hissing with pain as she does so.
"(Ruto) Ouch... It's really badly swollen, zora... I should've starting rubbing my ankle like this when I first noticed it was twisted. How am I ever going to be a warrior if I mess up simple things like this, zora?"
'I should treat my ankle properly now so it doesn't get any worse, zora...'
She sighs and gets up, limping her way over to some thick bushes just off the beach. Using her javelin, Ruto acquires two sturdy branches and shapes them flat as smoothly as she can manage. Taking some rope from her rucksack, which she somehow managed to keep hold of even in the strong water currents just offshore, she quickly and efficiently creates a makeshift splint, fastening it tightly around her wounded ankle.
"(Ruto) I wonder where that kitten went, zora... It may be dangerous here. I'd better go find her before she gets herself into more trouble again, zora."
She makes her way into the small woods of the island, walking more easily now thanks to the splint. After about half an hour of uneventful, surprisingly calm trekking, the brush begins to thin and Ruto, being a Zora after all, senses the presence of water nearby. She heads toward it and about another minute passes, then...
"(kitten) Mewww~!"
The sound of a happy kitten meets her ears and she slowly moves forward, pulling aside the wide leaves of a bush in order to see what's going on.
"(Ruto) ...! *gasp*"
'Wh-what...? I-isn't that that huge THING that appeared yesterday, zora...?'
The red-furred kitten plays in the shallows of a large, calm lagoon in the heart of the island; or perhaps it's a cove, as it leads right into Lake Hylia. A colossal silhouette lurks beneath the water near the overjoyed feline, surprisingly calm.
'It's... not doing anything... Is it asleep, zora? ...Or... could it be...? She looks so happy, as if she knows it... Was this kitten searching for this creature the whole time, zora? Or maybe they were looking for each other, and that's why it's here, zora...'
"(kitten) Mew~!"
A twig snaps as Ruto accidentally steps on it, getting the creature's attention. Ripples spread across the lagoon's surface as a wave gently moves the surprised kitten away from the sound and the creature prepares to surface, obviously protective of the tiny red feline.
"(Ruto) I-it's okay, zora! I'm not here to do any harm! See, zora?"
She comes out of hiding and slowly bends down, placing her javelin on the ground, and takes a step away from it.
"(silhouette) ..."
Bubbles race up from the depths of the lagoon as the creature comes close to the water's surface, then suddenly dives deep, beckoning Ruto to follow. The kitten has fallen asleep again, curled up contentedly at the water's edge.
'Is it trying to tell me something, zora? I guess I have no choice but to follow this thing's lead. I already know I'm no match for it anyway, zora...'
She carefully makes her way to the edge of the shallows and checks her ankle splint, tightening it and making sure it's on securely.
"(Ruto) How strange. It's almost as if the legend of the first Ruto and Jabu-Jabu's belly is repeating itself, zora... Well, here goes nothing!"
Finished getting ready, the Zora princess calls on all her courage and dives into the lagoon.
~Meanwhile~
Back in Zora's Domain, Green, Vio, and Shadow have just woken up. Vaati's bed is empty and has already been made. There's no sign of the purple-skinned youth anywhere in the cottage, either. Vio and Green get dressed while Shadow stretches lazily and lays back down.
"(Shadow) I bet a hundred rupees that brat's up to something... *yawn* Not that I really care... I'm going back to sleep, still tired."
"(Vio) From what I'ved observed about him so far, Vaati's probably just a loner. He'll turn up somewhere..."
"(Green) ..."
Shadow decides to take a nap and Vio goes to the den with his book to read, while Green decides to go outside.
'Vaati... Guess I'm the only one who's at all worried about him. I might as well take a walk around Zora's Domain since the weather's really nice. It'll be interesting to see if anything's changed since the last time I was here.'
The weather is just as nice as the day before, sunny with a slight breeze. Green smiles and starts to walk down the path.
'Come to think of it, I've been more sensitie to the wind ever since I got most of my Triforce piece back. Vio and Shadow told me about Vaati's fake double-cross; that magic training disguised as a trap... They're Earth and Darkness, so what am I? Wind, like Vaati? Is that why he's helping me, because we have something in common? Hmm...'
"(Green) Aw, who cares... The weather's really nice and we all need to rest. I should just relax..."
He calls out to a passing Zora woman, getting her attention.
"(Green) Excuse me, have you seen a boy with purple skin around here?"
She turns to look at him and Green remembers what he looks like right now. He quickly attempts to explain himself, but the woman doesn't seem to be afraid of him anyway.
"(Green) U-uhhh, I'm not a monster, really! I know I look strange, but-...!"
"(Zora woman) Calm down, zora. I know you're not a monster. You're one of Princess Rutela's guests, correct? She sent word around the Domain about your appearances yesterday so that no one would panic, zora."
Green looks relieved.
'Good ol' Rutela... She never leaves a loose end untied!'
"(Green) Yes, that's right. So have you seen him?"
She nods.
"(Zora woman) I caught sight of a boy earlier this morning when I went to Jabu Jabu's spring to check my fishing nets, zora. He was sitting up on the ridge overlookingthe spring and the lake. I couldn't see him very clearly from such a distance, zora, so I'm not sure if he is the boy you are looking for. If it helps, he was a little shorter than you, zora."
He grins.
"(Green) Sounds like him all right! Thanks, ma'am!"
He runs off in the direction of the spring and the Zora woman smiles knowingly.
'That boy... He bears one of the fragments of my sister's piece of the Triforce. Jabu Jabu may no longer reside in the spring, but as of late strange things have begun to occur there due to that sorceress' disruption of the flow of time... I wonder what he shall find? Heeheehee... And of course, that other boy... The purple-skinned youth who hides his pain with a cold mask and sharp tongue. Already they share a bond beyond that of the three glittering fragments hidden in the youth's right hand... Not that they realize this, of course. "Love" may appear in the most unlikely of places, be it in the form of sympathy, mercy, compassion, or simple kindness... How exciting~!'
She begins to whistle an oddly familiar tune as her features blur and shift. A flicker of long, deep sapphire hair and creamy pale skin is momentarily visible within the swirling light around her as she disappears.
~Jabu Jabu's spring~
"(Vaati) ... *sigh...*"
'What is wrong with me...? Why can't I remember what happened? Everything about what happened right before I lost consciousness when Green turned into a monster is a blur. All I remember is that I was trying to stop him, but then this strange, familiar feeling overwhelmed me and I saw something in my mind's eye... But WHAT? What did I see? Something was... opening... Yes, that was it... Something was opening, but WHAT? What was it? Curse my hole-filled memory...!'
He lets out a frustrated groan and puts his head in his hands.
"(Vaati) Ugh..."
"(female Zora's voice) Hmph! Father just doesn't understand! I'm not just his "dear Princess Ruto," I have a mind of my own, zora! Did he ever once ask me if I wanted to marry that guy, zora? No, of course not! I'm just "dear little Ruto," of course I have no say in this, zora! Well, this'll show him... I can't get married if both I and the Zora Sapphire go missing, zora!"
"(Vaati) Hmm...?"
He looks down towards the spring and sees the translucent, flickering image of a young Zora girl standing in the shallows, a fairly large fish in her hand.
'What in Hyrule...?'
"(Zora girl) Lord Jabu Jabu, I have a yummy fish for you, zora!"
The girl wades deeper into the water, waving the fish around to attract something's attention. A large whale-like fish surfaces, swallowing her. Like the Zora girl, it is also a holograph-like image. The fish flickers out of sight, disappearing from view and revealing a very confused Green standing on the path between here and the rest of Zora's Domain. Vaati has already looked away, so did not notice him. In fact, neither Green nor Vaati has noticed the other yet thanks to the strange vision they've just been treated to.
"(Green) ..."
'Who was that? She looked a bit like Ruto... Sounded like her, too. ...Wait. This sounds a lot like what Ruto told me about her ancestor...'
"The first Ruto didn't want to get married to the suitor her father chose, so she hid inside Jabu Jabu's belly along with the Zora's legendary treasure, the Zora Sapphire... That's how the story starts, at least. Everything after that is a bit sketchy."
"(boy's voice) There! I finally caught a fish! Think it's big enough, Navi?"
Green is frozen with surprise as he stares at the new apparition, a translucent young boy who looks and sounds suspiciously like him. A fairy flutters around the boy's green-capped head as he holds up his fish for her to inspect.
"(fairy) Well, we'll know once we try it! Be very careful, Link. The Zora king said Jabu Jabu's been acting strange lately, remember?"
"(Green) Ah-...?"
Green hastily covers his mouth, cutting off his startled exclamation.
'For all I know, he could be able to hear me! Stupid, stupid, stupid!'
"(boy in green) ...?"
'Hmm...? What was that sound...?'
The boy starts to turn around, but the fairy hits him in the head, getting his attention.
"(fairy) Hey! Listen! Weren't you paying any attention to me at all?"
"(boy in green) Huh? Navi, you didn't hear it? I could've sworn I heard someone's voice behind us..."
He turns all the way around, but Green has already hidden himself behind a corner.
"(fairy) You're just imagining things, Link. Quit spacing out! We have to go save this Zora Princess to get the Sapphire, remember?"
The boy sweat drops and sighs, turning back to his fairy companion.
"(green-clad boy) I know, I know... Sheesh, Navi, you don't have to be so mean about it..."
The boy looks back one last time, then disappears. Green comes out of hiding when he's gone and sighs in relief. Seems like he's forgotten all about Vaati at this point.
"(Green) Whew... That was close! I wonder if those people were from the past... But if they were, how did that boy hear me?"
"(Vaati) Hihi... So much for peace and quiet. He could sense your presence because you both possess the Triforce of Courage, of course. After all, that boy is one of the "Links" from ages past..."
The purple-skinned sorcerer stands at the edge of the overhang with his arms crossed, gazing smugly at the startled Green.
"(Green) V-Vaati? How long have you been there? And how do you know all that?"
"(Vaati) I've been here the whole time. For several hours, in fact. I wanted some time alone to think in peace, so I came here where it's nice and quiet. As for how I know... Hihihi... Let's just say it's my... intuition."
Green glares at him.
"(Green) You're at least half lying, aren't you?"
"(Vaati) Hihihi... Perhaps, perhaps not. You have only your own judgement to rely on~..."
The half-dragon, half-Hylian boy sighs in exasperation.
"(Green) You... You're actually enjoying this..."
The purple-skinned Wind Sorcerer just grins, his ruby-red eyes bright and mischievous. Green turns to leave, raising his hands in defeat.
"(Green) Alright, I get it. You want to be left alone for now, right? Don't worry, I'm going..."
Vaati's smile disappears the moment Green is out of sight, replaced by a strained expression as he grips his head with both hands, a throbbing headache steadily increasing inside his skull.
"(Vaati) Argh... M-my head... These memories... Why...? Why now...? Why am I... remembering things... all of a... ...su...dden... ...wh...y... ...n...o...w... ...unnnh..."
The boy collapses to his hands and knees. Tears flow freely from his eyes as he looks down at the ground, too guilty to meet his master's gaze.
"Master… I am so sorry."
"Vaati, why were you so interested in the dark hearts of humans?"
"I wanted you to acknowledge me. I was just a novice at everything… It was hard… I wanted to triumph over you somehow, Master. When looking at the human world, I saw that the strong and the proud usually did bad things. I thought that if I was bad, I could be strong... So I went to the human world."
"YOU FOOL!"
He flinches, expecting to be hit with his master's staff, but the blow doesn't come.
"It's not like I was trying to torment you. I wanted you to maintain a strong heart! Why can't you understand a teacher's love? How sad. In addition, true strength isn't in being bad. It's in having a righteous heart. You'd do well to learn from Link, the one who defeated you!"
His master gestures towards the unruly-haired blonde in question.
"Wow, he's being a lot nicer than usual... This is pretty off-key."
The blonde steps forward to stand in front of him as he nervously stands up.
"Hey. It's only natural that training is hard. It's training, after all. Rather than using outside power, you'll feel a lot happier if you work hard and grow strong under your own power. So, do your best!"
He smiles through his tears and extends his hand, copying the older boy's gesture of friendship. They shake hands for a moment, both of them smiling.
"Though, to have this guy as a master, I can't help but be sympathetic."
The blonde rubs the back of his head as he says this. The boys smiles excitedly, happy that at least someone shares his feelings about his master's personality.
"So you understand?"
His master sweat drops at this, then turns to him.
"Let's get going, Vaati."
"Yes, Master."
"It's about time for the door to close. The door that opens once every 100 years…"
'Time to go home...'
(A/N: I do not own the above conversation in italics, though some parts were messed with a bit. It comes from the Minish Cap manga.)
A/N: Heehee~... I'll give you one guess as to who the "Zora woman" really was, since one is all you really need~! Tell me who you think it is in your reviews, please? Things are getting interesting with Green, Vaati, and Ruto, but don't worry, Vio and Shadow's turn in the spotlight will arrive soon! Also, this chapter is longer than the others at around 3,000 words... Should I try to lengthen my chapters more often, or keep them short? I'm not sure, so you readers can decide if you'd like... Anyway... Please review! I don't even care if it's flames or not any more, just review! Pleeeeaaaase? *puppy dog eyes* I even allow anonymous ones now!