Rinku, Prince of Courage
First off… it's a few answers to reviews!
Future Cam: Yeah… I did get the names mixed up… oh well! Your Rapier's still named Sigmund because that's a cooler name! ;) And I also misspelled Begnion…
Mah: Don't worry. I won't put too many Fire Emblem terms into future chapters. I just had to get it out in Ike's chapter because he's the Fire Emblem hero I'm closest to! :D
To All You People Who Wanna See Chainy the Chainsaw: Okay, okay! I'll put it in soon, promise! Don't killz me!!! *gets shot* Ouch…
And what is this? Another chapter to Guardians Arise! We will now travel to a distant land, where octopi attack you for no apparent reason and where butterflies somehow turn into fairies when you touch them with a stick! What the heck is wrong with this world? What's its importance to Guardians Arise? Why is that weird rock with the Sheikah symbol staring at me!?!?!?
And so dear readers, sit back, relax, maybe put on your trusty Mask of Truth, and enjoy!
Samus felt a sudden surge of adrenaline rush through her young guardian's veins as he broke into a sprint. A great shout had been heard not long ago, as if coming from the mouth of a particularly young and perhaps small being. It had soon been followed by a great rush of powerful electricity as every Primid that had patrolled the halls at the time were immediately knocked off their feet and slammed against the walls. The rank stench of burning Shadow Bugs filled the air as each and every one of Tabuu's followers screeched out in agony.
Golfer coughed slightly as he made his way through the great forest of smoking Shadow Bugs. "Ugh! It stinks here! What are these guys made of, poop?"
"In a way," Samus answered, "The Primids are created from a form of waste that the world of light does not need. By harnessing the energies of these wastes, Tabuu is able to create his army, although I have said it to those two hands time and times again that the molecular compounds in creating the Smashballs were a little too pure because the dark strands of compounds that were not included in the Smashballs could easily assemble and come together to formulate a truly horri-"
"Uh… yeah… great…" Golfer interrupted, "Thanks for the unnecessary info…"
Samus couldn't help but roll her eyes at his remark, though she knew he could not see. Her voice echoed slightly in his head as she murmured things about how even a hundred years into the future many humans were unable to understand her scientific dialect. Indeed, she wondered just how they ever got along without the wide expanse of scientific knowledge she possessed. It wasn't for the first time at that moment that she compared her view of the world to Link, Zelda, and Ganondorf, the Triforce Trio.
Link possessed the power of courage without a doubt. Courage was what gave him the ability to face up to the greatest of dangers without backing off. She was quite aware that even courage can have fear. However, courage also occasionally ran off of stupidity, such as someone thinking they were extremely brave and running out in front of a speeding car. Courage, she had noticed over the years, was the source of power quite a few humans would choose if they had the choice.
Ganondorf, with his great expanse of power, also possessed a gigantic force that was to be reckoned with. Many humans would do anything for such power and it was this power that also led many of the most foolhardy of humans to their deaths. Power was possibly the most coveted, yet the most uninteresting part of the Triforce Trio, as it was the most well- known of them all and the most overused.
Wisdom, however, was another force entirely to the bounty huntress. Wisdom was deep and mysterious, surrounded by the shadows of doubt and secrecy. Samus had spoken a great many times with the princess Zelda, wisest of them all, but even then it amazed her to see how the princess was able to give both a straight answer and a cryptic one all at once. It was wisdom that held the balances of courage and power together for one would need the wisdom to know exactly when to use the power and the courage. If one had power but no wisdom, one could easily destroy oneself, as Samus had been taught. The same went with courage and that was why Samus valued wisdom above all other forces.
"It sure is quiet here," Golfer remarked, tightening his grip on his gun as he continued walking.
Samus laughed. "What's wrong? Scared that something might come out and eat you?"
A light blush appeared on his cheeks. "Maybe…"
Another laugh escaped the bounty huntress as she sensed the nervous tension laced within his voice. "Chill out! Whatever that was, it was pretty powerful. The power readings were off the charts according to your scanner, but let's not forget that such power can also waste an awful lot of energy. Whatever caused it must be pretty tired out by now…"
Her guardian came to an abrupt halt, his dark eyes scanning the area. A tiny noise could be heard in the din, like the breathing of a small and wounded animal. The noise was high and just a bit squeaky, coming out in short, painful pants. Gripping his weapon all the more tighter, he advanced towards the noise, careful not to make a sound.
Samus's senses were on high alert as they continued stepping over large piles of smouldered Subspace goop. The horrid stench did not help at all as Golfer had to hold his breath as he navigated his way around. Samus felt his heart racing ten fold as the little panting noises grew louder and louder in volume. A cold sweat had broken out on his forehead. She was unsure if it was he or herself that caused it. But still she kept her head as they approached a small shape in the distance.
"Do you see it?" she asked, squinting a bit to try to make out the shape.
He answered with a gulp and a slight incline of the head as he shakily pointed his gun at the shape. "A-Alright you! I am part of Lord Tabuu's elite bounty hunting squad. If you know what's good for you, I would surrender immediately and come quietly…"
The shape stirred a bit. Samus watched in slight amazement as it weakly lifted its head to gaze at the boy with the gun. Deep black eyes glittered out from the darkness, confused and full of innocence. A lump appeared in her throat as the eyes changed from confusion to fear, to fierceness, to weakened, and finally acceptance. The shape laid its head down on the ground, its breathing shallow. The mane of frizzy hair that covered the head caught the light as it did this, shining a beautiful gold. She felt the pointer finger of her guardian preparing to squeeze the trigger, ready to end its life once and for all.
"Don't!!!" she shouted, causing him to jump.
She was too late. He had squeezed the trigger, causing the bullets within the gun to go flying. Bullet after bullet bounced off the walls, some narrowly missing the shape and her guardian. She felt the stinging pain of the bullets as some grazed Golfer's skin, watching in terror as his warm red blood mixed with the scorched Shadows Bugs that littered the floor. Small flashes of light could be seen as the shape used the last of its efforts to send tiny blasts of electricity at the bullets as they wizzed by. Finally, the rain of bullets stopped.
Golfer, who had been cowering a bit in a corner, slowly crept up to the shape. The shape, after using so much energy, lay still once again. Both he and Samus watched it intensely as its chest slowly rose up and down. The breathing was becoming more and more ragged now, as if it hurt the shape simply to breathe.
"It looks safe…" Samus said uncertainly, unable to clearly see the lump on the floor in the dim light.
"But is it?" Golfer asked nervously, failing to keep his voice from shaking.
"Only one way to find out," she replied, "It's hurt… we need to help it…"
"Help it!?!?"
"Help it," she said calmly, "The goal of every bounty hunter during a mission, at least in my day, is to finish a job with as few casualties as possible. If this thing can speak, we should hear its story. Then we can decide for ourselves if it's a potential ally or an enemy."
"You're the boss," he told her, bending down to pick up the shape on the floor.
Samus let out a gasp as the thing was held up to the light. It was a Pikachu to be sure. But it was not the Pikachu she had spent so much time with in the first Subspace War. This Pikachu was a female, dressed in a black hoodie and a rather adorable looking mini skirt. Sneaker covered her feet and in her hand she grasped a curious metal object that shone faint silver in the dim light. Her chest shallowly rose and fell, and between her guardian's fingers, Samus could just barely feel her pulse.
"What's this thing?" Golfer murmured, trying to pry the strange metal tube from the Pikachu's grip.
Despite his best efforts and the obvious exhaustion of the Pikachu, she still grasped the tube with a cold iron grip, as if it were her very lifeline in the palm of her hand. Samus did a quick scan of her face, taking in the multiple gash marks and other injuries that had to be the result of a great battle against the followers of Tabuu. One look at the girl's cracked lips told her everything.
"She's dehydrated! Get her water, now!" Samus ordered, "She won't last much longer if we don't get her something to drink soon!"
At the sudden sharp edge in her voice, Golfer almost dropped the female Pikachu. After fumbling a bit with the canteen strapped tightly to his belt, he unscrewed the cap and gently held it to the little pokemon's lips. A small trickle of crystal clear water came out of the container and onto her little lips, moistening them. With a sudden lurch, she stuck out her little red tongue to catch the drops as they trickled down her chin. Slowly, she opened her eyes, blinking a bit before letting out a small moan.
"Where am I?" she groaned, squirming a bit in his arms, "Who are ya? Where did those stupid Primids go? What's that smell? Can I have more water? Do ya have anything to eat? I'm starved! Me and Pikachu both! Just don't give Bob anything 'cause he's a dick!"
Samus chuckled as question after question came pelting at her. "Well, you heard the lady! She's hungry!"
Golfer carefully set the Pikachu down and knelt until he was eye level with her. "Okay, I have some food in my backpack. You still look pretty dehydrated to me, so go ahead and help yourself to all the water you need. Just give me a minute…"
As he reached into his backpack, a sudden gulping and burping sound could be heard behind him. Next thing he knew, there was a completely empty canteen lying at his feet and a rather satisfied looking female Pikachu placing the strange metal tube she carried back into the pocket of her hoodie. At the sight of his staring she only smiled and sat down patiently to await her food.
"Start small," Samus instructed, "She shouldn't overeat herself in this condition…"
Golfer tossed a granola bar in her direction. "Here, start with this. When you want more just a-" He gave a shout of surprise.
A granola bar wrapper had landed at his feet as he said those very words. Of course, the Pikachu was jumping up and down, her eyes sparkling happily. Reading her message, he held out another granola bar for her, which was downed in no more than two gulps. She had practically inhaled the precious food, as if she hadn't had a proper meal in years. It wasn't long until she abandoned the small amounts of rations he gave her and instead made a dive for the backpack itself.
It was as if a bomb had gone off in there as she continued to eat. Bags and wrappers flew everywhere, as well as a few crumbs. He could hear her every bite as she squealed with anticipation of the delicious foods between her teeth. She crunched through the chips, gnawed through the jerky, horked down the canned fruits and vegetables. It was more than once that a can would fly out of the backpack, dangerously close to Golfer's face which he had to dodge. Samus was extremely amused by this show, as it brought back fond memories of life in the Smash Mansion before Tabuu returned and this whole mess started.
She remembered how the portions of food Master Hand would give was never enough for the biggest eaters: Kirby, King Dedede, and Yoshi. When he was gone, they would always attack the kitchen, sometimes even having a great Brawl over the last slice of banana cream pie. Of course, it was always the veteran Smashers, such as Mario and Link who were forced to come in to break them all up. Other times Metaknight would simply come in and wave Galaxia around a bit to stop them. He was feared by most, if not all, of the Smashers for he was the supreme winner of the Brawl tournament.
Even then the sight of the female Pikachu eating her way through the ten days worth of food brought back the memories of her first food fight. She had not understood what the fun was in throwing globs of food around like an idiot. It always left a huge mess to clean up afterwards and a good yell fest from Master Hand. That was until Pikachu came along and showed her just how fun a food fight could be. How it was just like a brawl in many ways and how good it was to get revenge on a person without seriously hurting them. Since then, she had become a feared figure in the monthly Smash Mansion food fights, with her powerful throwing arm and amazing speed for dodging. She could win without cheating with reflectors, as what the Star Fox trio often did. Samus smiled as these memories became clear in her mind, a small lump forming in her throat at the thought of the days long gone.
Golfer saw these memories as well. "Must've been pretty crazy back then…"
Samus sighed. "It sure was…"
As the female Pikachu continued eating, the two bounty hunters simply sat back against the wall, sharing their fondest memories with each other.
**
Cameron's feet made small crunching sounds in the great mess of burnt sticks and whatnot as he neared his destination. It was an awful long way from the Greil Mercenary fort and without a dragon or a Pegasus to ride on, he was exhausted. Raising a hand to his face, he looked up at the sun, trying his best to measure what time it was. The sun was high in the sky, beating its cruel rays down on the already over baked earth. He estimated it was about noon by now.
"We're almost there," he told the Hero of Crimea who lay comfortably in the back of his mind, "Just about another eighth of a mile…"
"Good," Ike said, sounding relieved, "It'd be nice to see everyone again…"
Cameron smiled, but it was a small, tight thing that lacked warmth and happiness. This went unnoticed by Ike as he was much too busy remembering all the good times he had with his beloved mercenary troupe. He kept walking.
Meanwhile, Ike carefully summoned the many memories of the mercenary troupe he held dear to his mind. He remembered Titania, with her scarlet hair swinging in the wind as she rode her warhorse free in the open fields. Gatrie, in his navy blue armor, flirting with pretty damsels. Shinon, his crimson hair set in a ponytail, hunting down wild animals with his bow. Boyd, his axe over one of his shoulders, cutting down trees for firewood. Rhys, pale and sickly, tending to the wounded. Oscar, always smiling, helping out wherever he can. Rolf, his young face eager and bright, shooting arrow after arrow at a target over a hundred feet away. Soren, always dark, practicing magic whenever he can. Above all, he saw Mist, his loving little sister, cooking and cleaning the fort.
"We're here…" Cameron said quietly, snapping him from his reverie.
Ike looked through his eyes expectantly, expecting to see his troupe going about their ways in happiness. What met him was a truly saddening sight indeed. There were tombstones. As far as the eyes could see there were tombstones. Some bore names he never heard of, such as "George", "Kevin", and "Kyle". But many had the names of his loved ones etched forever on their marble surface, telling him all that had happened since he left.
A stone cold hand clutched at his heart as he read the names one by one, refusing to accept what had happened. "N-No… they wouldn't… they couldn't… they… they're…"
"Dead," Cameron whispered, his voice quavering just a little bit, "All dead… killed in the Great War of Subspace…"
"T-Tabuu… he was here?" Ike asked, his anger rising.
Cameron could only manage a nod, his eyes downcast. Ike was furious now, the storm of emotion raging within him rising to breaking point. Tabuu, Lord of Subspace, had taken over Smashville, destroyed the beauty that surrounded it, hurt his friends, destroyed his home. But now that he messed with his beloved troupe, his family, this was war. He swore that he would never rest until he had his vengeance.
Ike shook so much that it made even Cameron shake as Ike's emotions took some control of his body. Ike ignored his guardian's cry of surprise as his eyes darted from tombstone to tombstone, reading each and every name of the person he had fought with during the Mad King's War and marched with when he stormed the Tower of Guidance. Here were Michiah and Sothe, Geoffrey and Elincia, Mist… With every name came another tsunami of anger. And when he spoke his voice was almost choking on his fury, his vision becoming red with rage.
"I'll get you, Tabuu…" he said angrily, his voice choked with tears of fury and sorrow, "I'll find you… and when I do, I'm going to make you pay… you'll pay for the death of every person in this Ashera damned graveyard. Yune dammit, Tabuu, you will PAY!!!!"
**
He sighed. He had been flying for what seemed like hours now and there was no sign of life anywhere. The trees, the grass, everything had been burned. The land once so beautiful and lush was now blackened and scorched. Not a single sign of life could be seen anywhere. He missed life in Hyrule.
It wasn't long until he saw the castle way off in the distance, shining white hot in the bright sunlight. As he neared the castle, he heard noises. These noises were muffled at first, but as a breeze pushed him closer to the source, he recognized them at once: the sounds of steel against steel. Cries of pain and hatred could be heard from what seemed like every corner of the war as he neared. Even more distinct was the horrid sound of crunching bones as sword after sword was jabbed through the ribs and into the hearts of men.
He frantically zoomed through the clouds and into the fray, watching with his piercing blue eyes as the battle raged on. The soldiers themselves took no notice of the forest green smoke that had suddenly darted in their midst, as they were too busy trying to kill each other to notice. Link, Hero of Twilight, looked on in shock as his fellow countrymen fought each other for naught a single clear reason.
Many of them, Link noticed, were garbed in chain mail with red banners upon them. The red banners possessed the symbol of the Triforce broken into three pieces with the topmost piece, the piece of power, enlarged over the pieces of wisdom and courage. They were all well built brutes who fought with strength equal to that of ten men as they felled each and every one of their enemies by the thousands.
The enemy wore chain mail as well, but with green banners instead of red. The banners too showed the three pieces of the Triforce, only with the Triforce of courage, Link's piece, enlarged over the other two. These men were not nearly as well built as their foes, but all were courageous in their comings and many died heroic deaths. They stood up against the great brutes and it was with great courage and strength that they were able to defeat them. In the confusion and excitement of the battle, Link was unable to tell who was currently gaining the upper hand. As he scrutinized the great battle for more detail, a small force tugged on him, telling him it was time to move on.
Link was reluctant to go, longing to pick up his own sword and enter the fray. If he had a body, he knew his fingers would be tingling with anticipation at that moment, ready to unsheathe the Master Sword right away to leap into battle and fight in the name of his princess. Zelda…
Turning his back on the battle, he allowed the strange force to carry him over a few fields. A lump formed in his throat as he gazed upon what dotted the many fields of Hyrule. Dead bodies, belonging to both sides, littered every corner of the fields. Some had arrows sticking to them like porcupine needles. Others were bleeding profusely, seeming to swim in their own pool of blood even in death. Still others were still moving ever so slightly, as if they were still alive. That out of all the other things Link had seen so far saddened him most of all. The very thought of an entire army leaving their wounded soldiers to die cold and alone was a horrible and sickening thought.
The more fields he passed the more sickening the sights became. Many of the soldiers had been stripped of their armor so they lay naked in the blackened field. Others had died with a possession of theirs, whether it be a handkerchief from their lady, or a memento from home, a mere few inches away from their fingertips. Link had fought in a great many wars as Captain of the Hylian Knights and eventually, the Personal Body Guard to the Princess, but even he had not seen such saddening sights.
It wasn't long until he was brought to a great forest where a great pavilion could be seen. The bodies of wounded and sick soldiers were everywhere. Doctors and nurses ran to and fro, tending their patients. Link noticed the blue cloth of the pavilion. He was in a medical camp for those who had the Triforce of Courage on their banner.
The force gave him a small nudge in the direction of the medical tent. As a green smoke, Link was easily able to ease his way through a small crack in the tent's opening, taking care not to be seen. In the tent, there were seriously wounded soldiers, all of them suffering wounds to the ribs and more. He watched as nurses and doctors scurried about, tending to the sick and wounded. Other soldiers, the ones who were strong enough to stand, carried bodies outside. The bodies were covered in a white cloth and whoever it was never moved. It was with a sickening lurch in his stomach that Link remembered what that meant. The person had died.
Link soon noticed a particularly wounded young man, being tended to by a nurse. His face was as white as death, blood leaked through his bandages and onto his blankets. His blonde hair was simply painted red with dried blood. Though he looked quite tired and weak, his blue eyes were bright and alert, as if he would be ready to attack should the enemy try to invade camp. The nurse was doing her best to bandage one of the many wounds that dotted his body, jumping at every little movement he made. Link soon found himself being drawn to this young man, and as he floated close, he felt himself being sucked in. with a sudden whoosh he was pulled into his mind.
The young man's mind was a battlefield. As far as the eye could see, his thoughts were forever upon the war that raged in front of Hyrule castle. Here were some war statistics, there were some weapon strategies. All of this made Link's head spin and it was only by summoning his own thoughts of the beauty that Hyrule once was into his mind that he was able to stop himself from completely losing it.
"Who's there?" the young man asked suddenly, causing his nurse to flinch, "I would never think of the beauty of Hyrule in these times. Who's there?"
Link was quite startled as well, but he managed to keep his voice as calm and collected as possible. "I am Link, Hero of Twilight and Personal Body Guard to the Princess Zelda."
The young man jerked up immediately, flinging off his blankets and causing his nurse to scream. "No way! There's no way… you… you can't… I…"
Link grinned for the first time in years. "I know, surprising eh? You'll get used to it…"
"I have the freaking Hero of Twilight in my head!!!" he crowed, winning him many strange looks from those in his tent, "I, Rinku, am the guardian of the Hero of Twilight!"
"Yes… well… we'll have to get going soon…"
"To battle?" Rinku asked excitedly, "I'm all up for one!"
Despite his wish to go into battle as well, Link sighed. "Sorry, but you're in no condition to fight right now and… and we need you alive when we get there…"
"Get where?" Rinku asked, ignoring the many stares he was getting.
"To Mount Smash. Something tells me that what we need to do next lies there…"
"Then let's head out!" Rinku said, rising out of his bed.
A sudden great pain shot through him as soon as his feet touched the ground, causing him to stagger and collapse. Link felt the throbbing pain as well and even then it was painful enough to make him cry out. The nurse that had been tending to him gently pushed him back down, telling him that he was in no condition to stand up. Despite Rinku's arguments, he lay still, scowling slightly because of all the action he was missing.
Confusion hovered in Link's thoughts. "What happened to the old fairy treatment? All you had to do was go up to a butterfly, touch it with a deku stick, and it'll turn into a fairy…"
"Fairies are only for royalty now," Rinku groaned, shifting his position in bed, "They population really dropped when this whole stupid war started… ever since you and Princess Zelda didn't return for that one summer…"
"What happened?" Link asked, concern evident in his voice.
Rinku shrugged, wincing slightly as pain shot through his shoulders. "Not much to say… when you two didn't come home for that summer during the Brawl tournament, King Daphnes went crazy. He sent search parties everywhere to look for you two. With most of the soldiers gone, it didn't take long for some guy to come along and usurp the throne. The Hylian Royal Knights were taking sides, some on the usurper king's side and others on King Daphne's side. It wasn't long until war broke out between the two sides. Those who fought with the usurper king called themselves the Holy Knights of Power. Those on the king's side called themselves the Warriors of Courage. King Daphnes died a year ago, but this war is still raging on… his last wish was for a group of us to go out and find Princess Zelda again. The group that broke off to find the princess called themselves the Disciples of Wisdom. They haven't been seen for a while and a lot of us think they're dead…"
Link's heart skipped a beat at the mention of his princess's name. It was not that long ago that he had said goodbye to her, unsure of whether or not he would ever see her again. Though he possessed the Triforce of Courage, he still did not possess enough courage to tell her how he felt. How he wished he could simply be with her forever…
A sudden crash snapped him out of his thoughts. A huge man, dressed in shining blue armor entered the tent, swinging a powerful battle axe as if he owned the place. He stopped in front of Rinku and turned around, his deep voice echoing around the tent.
"As captain of this regiment, I hereby decree that all those soldiers who still have enough limbs to fight must fight!"
A great murmuring came up at his words as doctors and nurses exchanged worried glances. Then a doctor, the oldest in the tent stepped forward, his voice quavering slightly in the presence of the great knight.
"But sir! These patients are not fit for fighting!"
"Oh yes they are!" the knight boomed, "If they still have arms and legs then they should still be able to fight!" He then whirled around the tent before pointing a large finger right at Rinku, "Look there! That kid looks fit enough to fight! He has all his limbs doesn't he? Why isn't he out there knocking some heads together?"
"He's badly wounded, sir," Rinku's nurse said quietly, "He's in no condition to even stand, let alone fi-"
"Silence, woman!" the knight bellowed, "I make the rules around here and I say that kid is good enough to fight!"
"But si-" she protested before being cut off again.
"I shall deal with you no more, woman!" he roared, "Now if that young man will simply get out of here, I'll be on my way!"
Despite the pain that shot through him with his every movement, Rinku got to his feet, his blue eyes blazing with determination. "I'll fight alright. And once I get out of there alive, I'll make you pay for how you treated this woman!"
"If you survive," the knight said grimly, "Now hop to it!"
Link was aghast at the knight's harsh treatment of the other soldiers who were forced to fight, despite their deep wounds and sickness. "Who died and made that guy king?"
"King Daphnes," Rinku replied grimly, "He was once one of the king's best generals, next to you of course. But he doesn't know a thing about tactics and battle. He marches around all day in that fancy armor of his giving out orders, but never taking part in the battle himself…"
The sounds of fighting grew louder as they approached, the flash of sword against sword almost blinding them. It was with the whip of the armoured one on their shoulders that the unfit soldiers were forced to enter the fray. Rinku hopped, skipped, and jumped around the many swords that came his way, parrying them with blows of his own from time to time.
Link was impressed by his swordsmanship. Rinku thrust with strength and with ease, dodging when he needed to and keeping his eye always on the opponent. When a particularly large Holy Knight of Power came at him, he jabbed upwards with his blade, catching the knight in the shoulder. As the knight struggled to yank out his sword, Rinku managed to draw his trusty hunting knife and quickly end the knight's life as another came at him.
Link recognized the move even before Rinku knew what he was doing. He swung his sword in a wide arch around him before swinging it in a great circle with great speed and strength, harming all that surrounded him. Another came at him, along with two more, but he used both his sword and his hunting knife to block their attacks while at the same time issue jabs of his own.
More soldier poured in on both sides, trying to keep Rinku from harming any more of their fellows. The first few soldiers that came at him were fought off with ease, but the next few were harder. A sudden blow to the back of his head caught him off guard, drawing blood from him. Another blow to his stomach winded him, causing his eyes to water. Still another blow came at his face, creating a wide gash on his cheek. Rinku swung his sword wildly, trying to catch his attackers. But it was of no use as the sword was soon wrenched from his grip.
Strong hands suddenly rained down on the young man, pinning him to the ground. His hunting knife was grabbed and held at his throat with its blade just barely pressed against his skin. Even then he felt the trickle of blood down his neck as his vision turned red with the blood that dripped down his forehead. He could hear the laughter of his enemies as they proceeded to press the knife even harder to his throat, ready to slice it open right then and there.
Link's heart was pounding heavily as this happened, but he was always prepared. Concentrating with all his might, he allowed himself to take over the body of his guardian, watching as the young man's fear bubbled up within his mind. A moment of pure pain soon passed as Link used the unerring skill of a swordsman to knock the knife out of his enemy's hand.
Using his left hand, he twisted the arm of the soldier that held him and tossed him aside, hearing a sickening crunch as the man broke his arm. Another soldier joined him as he kicked the man off and twisted his arm until it was purple and blue.
Pounding footsteps could be heard to his left and right as more soldiers came at him. Link saw Rinku's sword, but it was lying over 50 feet away, too far away to grab it. With a desperate prayer to the goddesses, his closed his eyes and waited. His prayer was answered.
The Master Sword glowed white hot as it flashed through the air, so sharp it cut the wind. He hacked and he slashed, he stabbed and he cut. He was a machine, a thing of war. It was win or lose, live or die, be free or be imprisoned…
Link collapsed on his knees, his breath coming out in short puffs. All around him the enemy lay dead or dying. His allies were walking about, inspecting everything. For once, all was quiet. Link gazed at the blood on his hands, a horrible lurching in his stomach telling him all that he needed to know: he had spilled Hylian blood.
A great wave of regret and shame washed over him as he stood up and ran off, not looking back. He ignored the shouts of his comrades and just kept running, never stopping until he reached a great cave where he huddled in a corner, tears stinging his eyes. He had spilled Hylian blood. It was the blood of his own race and he had spilled it. It was a crime against the goddesses themselves. The Master Sword clattered to the floor, but he ignored it, still lost in his misery.
"Hey… it's alright…" Rinku said, trying to comfort the hero, "Sometimes you just have to make sacrifices in life…"
"I spilled Hylian blood…" Link moaned, not noticing how strange it was that his voice was coming out of Rinku's body, "I spilled the blood of Hylians… me, Hero of Hyrule…"
Rinku let out a sigh. "Listen, Link… you have to spill blood in every war… no matter how hard you try, there's going to be blood spilled on both sides… war tears apart even the best of friends, families even! It's not like this world is perfect… heck, if it were, there'd be no fights…"
"And I could be with Zelda…" Link murmured absentmindedly.
"Whoa, what was that?"
Link realized his mistake. "N-Nothing!"
"Right…"
Link turned his back on the mouth of the cave, concentrating instead on the strange stone he sat next to. It was smooth and round, like a tombstone. A great eye was set on it, seeming to gaze deep within his very soul. He knew the eye to be the symbol of the Sheikah, but they were said to be extinct…
"What is this?" he asked, poking the stone a little.
"That's a Gossip Stone!" Rinku said excitedly, "They were all supposed to be destroyed! Holy Farore, this is amazing! We can learn so much from these guys…"
"Learn…?" Link asked, striking the stone.
The strange rock was surprisingly rubbery as it bounced up and down before it finally spoke in a rather squeaky voice. "Boing! Boing! The time is now 5:20 PM!"
"That's what happens if you strike it," Rinku explained, "Now if we just had the Mask of Truth…"
"You mean this?" Link questioned, holding up a strange looking mask he had found next to the stone. It looked exactly like the stone in every way, only it was a mask.
"That's it! Now just put it on and stare at the stone…"
After carefully wiping the dust off the mask, Link placed it on his face and leaned in closer to the stone. For a brief moment, nothing happened. Then, the stone glowed just the teeniest bit before it began to speak in a tiny whisper. Link leaned in, as if he were learning a secret from the stone.
"I overheard this…" it said, "They say that Rinku, one of the greatest of Warriors of Courage is actually-"
"Well, well, well…" a voice said behind them, "Look what we have here…"
Link whirled around, his hand darting for the Master Sword. To his utter dismay, the owner of the voice held the sword, turning it a bit in his hand. He was a knight to be sure, dressed in the garb of a high ranking general. His armor shone a blood red in the dim light. He had about five other knights behind him, all of them staring menacingly down at their prisoner, cracking their knuckles.
"It seems we have a little runaway Warrior of Courage," the first one said, his voice amused, "Care to take off that silly little mask for him…?"
In one swift, fluid motion, the Mask of Truth was grasped tightly in the hands of one of the knights. A chuckle escaped the leader as he stared down at his captive.
"Well, well, well, if it isn't Prince Rinku…"
D-Did he just say what I think he said...? Link thought, slightly bewildered.
"Yep," Rinku said gloomily, "My name is Rinku Gamerofloz, Son of the Usurper King Sorius and Prince of Hyrule…"
**
"Come here my little princess!" her father crooned, his golden beard shaking with happiness.
She ran into his arms, burying her tear stained face in his strong chest. "Daddy! He wouldn't play with me today! I wanted to play with him, but he said he had to go train! Why? I don't get it…"
Her father gently stroked her hair, giving her a small comfort in her misery. "My dear, he wishes to be able to protect the kingdom someday. If he is to do that, he must practice. Practice until he is just as wonderful as his father…"
"But he's always played with me before…" the little girl sobbed, "He used to never think about how much he wanted to be a great fighter… we used to just go play in the meadows and pick flowers…"
He patted her head. "There, there my child. Don't worry… someday, you'll both look back on this and smile. For you have golden memories to treasure and you should treasure them always. Why, he may become a wonderful husband for you someday…"
Despite her sadness, she laughed. "Daddy, don't say that! We're just friends! Getting married to him will be so gross!"
Her father's laugh boomed all around the room. "You just never know, my treasure! One moment you two can be playing your little games out in the fields and the next the priest will join your hands and-"
His daughter wrinkled her tiny nose. "Ew! Don't talk about that, Daddy! I'm never getting married!"
"Never getting married?" her father roared in laughter, tears streaming from his eyes, "But my dear, you're so young right now! You just never know what will happen in the future…"
"But I know what will happen!" she protested, standing up proudly, "I'm not getting married and I'm going to be a really pretty and really good leader and I'll plant flowers everywhere! And then when someone asks me to marry him, I'll just say no! I'm never getting married, Daddy! I'll stay and take care of you!"
Her father answered with a shake of his head, sending his golden beard flying. "You just never know, my dear… you just never know…"
Her eyes opened. It had been a long time since she had seen this memory of just her and her father. It was in peaceful times back then, before she came to join the tournament. She smiled to herself as she remembered the promises she had made to her father. Pride welled up within her as she remembered that she had kept them all! That is, until about a hundred years ago…
She didn't know when he caught her eye. But she knew the thoughts of his hand in hers had begun around the end of the Brawl tournament. Her romantic feelings for him had surfaced in her, hidden for so long. She was head over heels.
Over a hundred years she had watched as the smoke of her love lay curled up in his jar. It was cruel fate that led to Master Hand having just enough jars for every Smasher. If he didn't have enough, she would gladly give up her own jar to share his. Or was that a bit too stalkerish…? She couldn't decide.
Even with the constant string of kidnappings that plagued her life he was always there for her. He would always save her, always be there to comfort her in the end, always be the hero he was destined to be…
Lightning flashed through the sky. She looked up and blinked. It was time. Her name was spelled in the sky for the briefest moment before her jar was hurtled towards the wall and she was set free. She rushed out a window, ignoring the shouts and groans of her fellow Smashers as she was set free at last. Freedom…
Climar and Pikana (and Picho and Pichn if they're reading this): I'm almost done with your prize fic. I saw that with the plot I picked out, it called for more than one chapter. I'm almost done with the first. It should be up tomorrow... sorry for making you wait so long.