Note: The Legend of Zelda belongs to Nintendo. Shadow Echo, Emerald Moon, Johnson Beckett, and the new character belong to me. I also own the 'Oh sweet pineapples' phrase. I'm actually starting to utilize italics in speech now so characters won't look like they're shouting when I want to put emphasis on a word. Also, I would like to thank Orriandra for adding this to their favorites, you really made me happy! Now, on with the show!
Chapter 12: Saphira.
"How much time do we have left?" Emerald asked. Shadow looked at the Phantom Hourglass, "Um, only ten minutes..."
"Well then, I hope the blue forcefield means we're safe!"
The three then rode through the blue bubble, feeling like they had just come back to the land of the living. The Phantom Hourglass stopped glowing, furthering the message that they were, at long last, safe. All the Sand of Hours that had been used filled the Hourglass once more, ready for the next journey.
They were now in a small forest near the coastline, but weren't able to completely soak in their surroundings as a figure in a long, brown cloak that covered most of their body was standing in their way. They turned to see the figure, but weren't able to see its face. "Friend or foe?" a feminine voice asked. "...Friend?" Emerald replied.
"I don't believe you."
"What? Why?"
"Humans betrayed us all after the Time Crystal was destroyed. How can I trust you are not here to wipe out the few remaining races?"
Shadow, Emerald, and Johnson were all taken aback by the figure's answer. "What are you talking about?" Johnson asked, clearly confused. Shadow and Emerald could faintly see the figure's hands. They appeared to have silver scales and were webbed... "Don't play games with me!" the figure hissed, more furious then ever.
"Um, what game are we playing exactly?"
"Imbecile..."
The figure clenched her fists, trying so hard to contain her hatred. Shadow walked up to her. "Now, now, it's not polite to make assumptions," he started, sliding the cloak's golden button out, "After all, we haven't been properly introduced." The cloak fell to the ground revealing a young Zora, probably only a year older then Shadow and Emerald. Johnson fainted.
The Zora wore a brown skirt that nearly reached her knees and was held in place by a gray belt with a golden belt-buckle depicting the Zora's symbol. Her short-sleeved shirt was pine green with a jade green turtle-neck collar and there were little slits on both of its sides, revealing her gills. Parts of her skin flowed down her neck like hair and the rather pointy 'tail-fin' on her head had a yellow tip with a silver ring pierced into it. The fins on her forearms were currently shortened, but looked very sharp and deadly.
"Would you please tell us your name?" Emerald asked, walking closer. The Zora backed away and spat at the ground. "I'll take that as a no then." Emerald grumbled, well aware she was basically talking to air. "So let me get this straight," Shadow started, "You don't trust us because we're human?" The Zora's topaz eyes locked with Shadow's sapphire eyes and the boy received his answer.
"Well, there's something you'll want to see..." Shadow said, pushing his green hood down. Emerald saw what he was doing and removed her blue hat, allowing her golden hair to fall back. The Zora's eyes widened in bewilderment and she said in a rather shaky voice, "That's impossible! Your kind was wiped out in the Great War!"
"And yet, here we stand." Emerald stated plainly. The Zora's eyes shifted to Johnson and lo and behold, he had the same trait Shadow and Emerald had just shown. The Zora let out a long sigh, feeling pretty embarrassed over the whole ordeal. "I apologize for any offense." she said quietly, though Shadow and Emerald still heard her.
"None taken. It was just a mistake."
Shadow pulled his hood over his head and Emerald put her hat back on, 'confining' her hair to the same place again. "Now, my name is Emerald Moon and this is my friend Shadow Echo. The man on the ground is our guardian, Johnson Beckett. What's your name?" said Emerald. "My name is Saphira..." the Zora replied, picking up her cloak and putting it back on. She left the hood untouched.
Johnson then woke up, noticed Saphira, and screamed, "Oh sweet pineapples! It wasn't a dream! There really is a monster in front of us!" Saphira glared at him, looking very offended. "I am not a monster! My name is Saphira and I'm a Zora!" she snapped.
"Great Pumpkin! It can talk!"
"Of course I can talk! Do I like I have 'Stupid' written all over my face?! And just for the record, I AM A LADY!!!"
"Okay, okay, sheesh! You don't have to yell!"
Shadow and Emerald watched this trying to hold in their laughter. Saphira could hear their muffled chuckles and spun around to face them, "DON'T YOU DARE FIND THIS FUNNY!!!" Shadow and Emerald's faces immediately went blank at her threatening tone. She obviously meant business.
Once everything was explained to Johnson, Emerald proceeded to ask Saphira what she was doing near the edge of the blue forcefield, and not in the Zora Domain like she 'should' be. Saphira looked to the left and to the right, then whispered, "I got kicked out. Apparently the queen..." Saphira added as much venom into the word as possible, "...doesn't like it when people call her a fake and claim that the real queen is in the dungeon."
Shadow and Emerald looked at Saphira with their eyebrows raised. "You sound like you could use some help." Shadow said bluntly. Saphira shrugged and gave a wry grin. Shadow held his hand out, "You don't seem that bad. Why don't you come with us? There's plenty of room in our pity-party." Saphira thought about it for a moment and then finally shook hands with him. Johnson looked surprised.
"You're letting it come after all that trouble?!" Johnson shrieked, jumping back onto his horse, Cinnabar. Saphira glared at him and stuck her tongue out at him, resulting in a dumb struck look from him. Emerald mounted Majesty and whispered in an amused tone to Shadow, "Y'know, I think I could learn to like this Zora."
Shadow stopped in front of Paul and looked at Saphira. "You look pretty tired. Why don't you ride Paul?" he suggested. "What about you?" Saphira asked, then she thought to herself, 'I can take care of myself, dimwit.' As if reading her mind, Shadow said, "I know you probably don't like accepting help from strangers you only befriended a minute ago, but so help me, you're gonna start now."
"Okay, okay. So pushy..."
Saphira mounted Paul with a lot of trouble -mostly because of her skirt. She thanked the good Lord that the horse wasn't a skittish creature. When she finally got comfortable -as comfortable as she could get, anyway-, she noticed two problems: Firstly, she couldn't hold the reins with her webbed hands -at least not for long anyway. Secondly, she didn't even know how to ride a horse. She was an aquatic creature after all, since when did they even ride horses?
As if sensing her dilemma, Shadow took the reins and began walking, guiding Paul. Emerald and Johnson followed. "Hey Saph, you do know where the Zora Domain is, right?" Emerald suddenly asked, "The map only says how to get into the outskirts." Saphira pondered over whether she should give this information, then a ominous grin creased upon her scaly lips.
Telling three strangers, not-human or otherwise, how to find the Zora Domain would really make the 'queen' angry.
"Of course I know. Why wouldn't I know? Look for a large -and I mean large- waterfall. Behind it is a cave leading to the watery cavern I once called 'home'." Saphira explained, hiding her mischievous tone as best she could. Emerald didn't notice the tone and said, "Okay, thanks a lot."
"Might I ask why you're interested in finding it?"
"Um... I'm not sure if I can tell you or not."
"Why of course you can! I'm part of the group now, aren't I? Aren't I entitled to know what my new mission is?! Do you dare deprive me of that right?!"
Shadow, Emerald, and Johnson were rather surprised at her outburst. Recovering quickly, Johnson said, "You guys never told me exactly what we were doing. All you told me was that you were hearing voices that were telling you to do certain things." Shadow and Emerald were silent for awhile, then Shadow finally said, "Johnson, Saphira, the voices told Emerald and I to seek out the Master Sword. For what reason, we don't know."
"But we know we must." Emerald added. Saphira's mouth was wide-open and Johnson was laughing his head off. "You honestly believe those old bedtime stories?!" Johnson cried, "I've heard of being gullible, but this is just ridiculous!" The horses stopped walking and everyone was silent for awhile.
Saphira slid off of Paul and looked at Johnson. "Look at me Johnny Boy! I'm real! And I'm pretty sure I'm not the only strange thing you've seen since you started this journey with these kids!" she snapped. "You can't be real. You're just a figment of my imagination..." Johnson trailed off, as if starting to doubt himself.
"If I am only a figment of your imagination, and this is all a terrible, terrible nightmare..."
Johnson was taken aback by the female's ability to figure out what he was going to say.
"...then explain this."
Saphira reached her hand out and touched Johnson on his face. Johnson cringed as the silvery hand stroked his face, and a feeling of warmth came from its touch. "This is just a bad dream..." he whimpered, still not believing. Saphira sighed and pulled her hand away.
Saphira extended the fin on her right forearm and gave the palm of her left hand a small cut, and a greenish liquid oozed out of it. Saphira winced and placed the palm of her hand on Johnson's trench coat, allowing a dark stain to show on the bright red coat. "Dreams don't bleed..." Saphira hissed. Then her, the teens, and the voices all said in unison:
"Stop denying."
Note: ...And actio- oops! Cut! There's Chapter 12. Review please? I hope you enjoyed this chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it. See ya next time!
