The legend of Zelda: Urban legend

Chapter three: The old guard

Telma drove up to the relatively small warehouse in her usual reckless and almost illegal fashion. She was worried she'd be late, and this was one meeting she absolutely didn't want to be late for. She parked her cherry red muscle car and saw no other cars around the quite industrial area. Stepping out, she said to herself, "Huh, looks like I'm the first one here. Guess I rushed for nothing."

"Of course if you didn't rush you wouldn't be you." Rusl rounds the corner and approaches Telma with a cigarette in his mouth, having parked his squad car on the opposite side of the building.

Telma gets a wide grin on her face and brings Rusl into a hug, "Long time no see Rusl. So how's my favorite cop doing?"

They separate and Rusl takes the cigarette out of his mouth, "Nothing much. Uli's still trying to get me to quit these things." He said with a chuckle as he threw the cigarette away. Rusl and Telma walk towards the warehouse the meeting was meant to take place in, "What about you Telma? How's that dinner of yours doing?"

"About the same as ever. And I got to say I am surprised by Link. When you first suggested that I hire him I was sure I'd have to fire him before the week was out. But he actually does good work. Oh and did you hear? He's got his self a little girlfriend." Telma said her last statement in a sing song voice as they entered the warehouse.

"Yeah, I met her." Rusl then went silent, as if contemplating something.

Telma stops him and looks straight into his eyes, all hints of her usual joking personality absent, "Alright Russ, what's going on?" Rusl says nothing, "I know you didn't call this meeting just to see the 'old gang' again. Does this have something to do with Link?" She asked with visible concern in her eyes.

After thinking for a second her turns to Telma and says, "When the others come I'll explain everything. But don't worry. Link's fine for now." Telma nodded, complacent with Rusl's excuse for not telling her what she wanted to know. Although she defiantly caught that "For now" Rusl included, she decided to let it go.

Rusl and Telma walked further into the warehouse that, unlike what one might expect a warehouse to look like, resembled a bar. Telma stood at the counter as Rusl sat down at the one table. Telma picked up one of the liquor bottles and blow the dust off it revealing the label underneath reading "Windfall's chose". Telma smiled as she uncorked the bottle and gave it a twirl without spilling a drop before pouring some of its contents into a shot glass she retrieved while the bottle was still airborne. She took the shot, slammed it on the counter with enough force you'd think either the glass or the counter would break, and exclaimed loudly, "WHOOO, Still got it!"

Rusl chuckled to himself before asking, "So I take it you miss your old bartending days?"

"You mean do I miss slinging hooch to a bunch of low-lives who constantly get into fights forcing me toss their sorry asses out into the cold over owning a respectable dinner where good, wholesome, law-abiding people come with their families?" Rusl just nodded; sure he already knew the answer, "Ya damn right I do!"

Telma began laughing loudly when a wizen, but still strong, voice appeared. "Still as loud as ever I see. There are some things ten years simple will not change." The first two turned their attention to the dark-skinned elderly man who just walked in.

"Well how are you Auru, ya old buzzard?" Telma said bending over the counter.

"Fine, fine. Nothing beats molding the young minds of Hyrule's future." He replies as he sits across from Rusl.

"That's nice," Telma nods and takes out two glasses, "So, is there anything I can get for the esteemed professor and the chief of Police?"

"G 'n T" Rusl Said simply.

"Wine for me," Said Auru, "Good for the heart." Telma nodded and began preparing their drinks. "And what about you Telma, what will the master herself be partaking this morning?"

"What else? Bourbon." Both Telma and Rusl answered Auru's question at the same time; falling back into the pattern they had years ago. Telma served the other two as yet another person entered the make-shift bar. "And the book-worm makes four. Can I get ya a drink Shad honey?"

Shad stood in the doorway for a moment, offended by Telma's offer, "I should say not! You know just as well as everybody else in this room that I do not touch spirits."

Just as Telma was about to roll her eyes, Shad was pushed forward by a young woman with jet black hair and a bored expression on her face. "Oh, sack up already four eyes. I've been drinking since I was eight." No one in attendance had ever seen the feisty girl before, although she did look somewhat familiar.

Shad regained his composure after falling on his face and addressed the others concerning the new girl, "I ran in to this, rather rude, young lady outside. She asked if I was here for the old geezer's meeting and just followed me over to the door."

The others turned to the girl expecting some kind of explanation; with almost no change in her expression or tone of voice she said to them, "I'm Ashei, Archibald's daughter."

Rusl was the first to relax and lean back in his seat. "Ah, so Renado managed to get a message to Archibald. But why send his daughter?"

"My dad has been sick for a while. He wasn't feeling up to coming so he sent me instead because it was, 'So important to come' and crap." Ashei walks over to the table and sits down as she talks, "So we're here because of an evil king or something like that?"

"You can say that," Rusl leaded forward, putting his elbows on the table and interlocking his fingers, "Since everyone's here now I can explain the situation."

"If you've gathered us together after so many years it can only mean the Dark Lord has returned." Auru interjected.

Rusl shook his head, "I don't know if the Dark Lord has in fact returned, but I do know that the Hero and The Princess have been reborn."

Ashei let out an annoyed groan, "Are you people kidding me? That's what this meeting is about? That stupid story my dad used to tell me?"

"Oi, it's not just a story. It's our heritage as Hyrulians." Shad stood up, puffing out his chest with pride for his country's past. Ashei just rolled her eyes.

"Alright you two settle down." Telma said as she finally took her seat at the table. Shad shot Ashei one last dirty look as she started to pick something out of her teeth. Telma brought everyone's attention back to the issue at hand, "So Rusl, do you know who the Hero and Princess are?"

Rusl nodded with a smile on her face, "You won't believe it, but its Link and his new girlfriend, Zelda."

Telma was speechless for a change, and then her lips moved into a huge grin, "Well I'll be damned! Who'd a thought that our little Link would turn out to be the Hero. And I knew that Zelda girl was something special the moment I saw her."

"Huh, that a coincidence." Shad thought out loud, "I just hired a girl named Zelda to work in my book store a couple days ago. What are the odds?"

"I'm pretty sure they're the same person Poindexter." Ashei said in a bored tone of voice.

Shad blushed and got an embarrassed look on his face, "Oh, uh well, we don't know exactly if the Zelda I know is the same one they're talking about. Zelda's a fairly common name now-a-days." He was clearly rationalizing his mistake and Ashei took a little too much pleasure in seeing the little bookish man squirm.

"I think I know how we can be sure if they are the same," Auru stated clearly, he turned to Rusl and Telma, "This young lady you suspect is the Princess; does she have light brown hair and bluish-gray eyes?" Rusl nods, "And this is the same girl you hired, yes Shad?

"Uh, yeah it is."

Rusl looks back at Auru, "So you know her as well?"

"Yes, she is one of my students. One of my favorite students in fact. And if you and Telma do have personal relationship with the Hero reborn, than I believe that the Goddesses have brought these young people to us so we may aid them."

"Zelda was looking up information on the Triforce the other day; her piece most have awakened and she was trying to figure out what it meant." Shad theorized

Rusl leaned back in his chair thinking about the incident at the carnival last night. "Someone tried to kidnap Zelda last night, a man named Zant. I'll bet anything that he came after her because of the Triforce."

"So you think this Dark Lord guy told him to do it?" Ashei asked, becoming slightly more interested in what's happening.

"I can't be sure, but most likely. According to most of Shad's research the Dark Lord often had others do some of his dirty work."

"And he's after this girl because…?"

"Honestly do you know nothing about your history?" Shad asked.

"Calm down darling." Telma said trying to pacify the irritated researcher. She then turned to answer Ashei's question, "He's after both the Princess and the Hero because together they are the only ones able to defeat the Dark Lord. At least that's how the stories go. So you take out the Princess, and the Hero isn't as big a threat."

"And if the Dark Lord isn't stopped?"

Rusl looks Ashei dead in the eyes as he says, "First Hyrule comes under his control, then the rest of the world."

Ashei takes in all the information she's hearing with a stony expression. She's not entirely sure if she believes everything the people around her are telling her, but she decides she can't take the risk, "Alright, so what do we do now?"

Rusl spoke up first, "The way I figure it, Auru is right, we were brought into Link and Zelda's lives so we can help them achieve their destiny. Link managed to take Zant down last night, but just barely from what I could see. He's going to need someone to train him in the way of the sword if he's going to survive the coming battles."

Telma leans forward and puts her elbows on the table, "So let me guess you're going to do be taking care of the whole training thing?"

"I haven't touched my sword in years," Rusl said with a faraway look in his eyes, "I taught Link the basics when he was little and he took a few swordplay classes in high school, but if he is to have any chance against the Dark Lord he's going to need more than what I have to teach. I was actually hoping Archibald would do the honors." His last statement directed to Ashei. "He is one of the finest swordsmen in Hyrule after all."

The girl shook her head, "Dad can't train anyone in the condition he's in." She seemed sad for a change, instead of bored or sarcastic, it was clear her father's ailment was a big deal and was weighting heavy on her. "But he is a tough old man. Maybe if we give him a week or so, y'know if we wait for him to get stronger?" Her voice clearly filled with hope, remorse, and just twinge of denial.

"Ashei," Rusl started, "I'm sorry to hear about your father's illness, but we can't wait for him to get better. Link needs to be able to protect himself as soon as possible."

Ashei thought for a minute, she stood up and stated firmly, "Then I'll do it." The expression on her face declaring that no one challenge her.

It was silent for a moment as no one was sure how to react to Ashei's offer. Finally, Rusl simply said, "Fine, go for it." Ashei nodded and took her seat.

Telma whispered to him, "I like her."

Shad spoke up next, "Alright so Link is squared away, but what about Zelda. How are we going to protect her while Link is training? Isn't it his job to keep the Princess safe?"

"I thought about that actually. When I asked Renado about getting in touch with Archibald I also asked if he could teach the Princess about magic."

Ashei rolled her eyes as she thought, 'Oh great, now there's magic.'

"How do you know if Zelda can ever use magic? It's not exactly the most common thing in the world anymore." Auru said.

Telma added, "It's true, I think Renado is the only person I can think of than can use magic."

"This is why he's the one who has to teach Zelda." Rusl simply replied.

Shad spoke up next, "Well, according to all my research, the Princess is said to possess powerful magical skills. I don't see how Zelda would any different."

"I doubt she is." Rusl went deep into thought for only a moment, suddenly the appearance of a sword at the fairgrounds made a lot more sense.

Ashei brought Rusl out of his reserves, "Alright, fine. So I'll teach this Link guy how to fight and Ran-what's-his-face will teach Zelda about magic. Are we done here?"

The older members of the group looked at each other and nodded, Rusl was the first to stand, "Yeah, we're done here. But we still got a lotta of work to do."