I blame school and my sister for the lack of updates. My sister got me sick, so if this seems rushed, that's 'cause I'm completely out of it, and because I'm about to pass out. Yay.

Link and I were heading back for Ordon Village, being beaten by the Gorons and having to go back for the Iron Boots.

We got to the middle of the village before we felt the ground start to shake. We turned around and saw a spooked Epona charge at us. I wrapped an arm around Link and leapt out of the way, rolling and standing back up.

Link scampered to his feet and leapt on Epona from behind, which was an incredibly stupid thing to do.

So Epona, thinking it was another Bublin, reared and started to charge again, Link holding on for dear life on the horn or her saddle. She ran around for a while before making a sharp turn, throwing Link off.

I called out his name and ran over to Epona, quickly hopping on from the side. I've dealt with wild animals before, but it was still challenging.

After a few minutes, I calmed her down, patting her neck. "Good horse…" I breathed, my arms shaking a little from the amount of energy that took.

Link walked over and rested his hands on Epona's cheeks, resting his forehead on hers. Epona was panting as well.

Link hopped up on Epona in front of me, taking the reins from me. "Thanks for calming her down." He said with a weak smile to me.

"Yeah." I panted, resting my forehead on his back, still catching my breath.

"Better hold on." He said, before whipping Epona into a gallop, heading for Ordon.

~x~

"Link?" We heard Bo shout when we got to the village. "Whoa, it IS you, Link!" His eyes almost shot out of his head. "You're safe and sound! Your clothes…" His eyes closed again. "What happened to you, lad?"

Epona walked over to Bo's side, where he saw me. "Alek? You're here too?"

Wait, when did he learn my name? I nodded in a tired fashion.

"Anyway, c-come quick! Inside!" He helped me off of Epona then helped Link, tying the horse to a post.

Link wrapped an arm around my waist to keep me from falling over, though when I told him I felt fine, he kept it around me.

"So what's happened?" Bo asked when we were inside.

We told him the story, aside from us turning into wolves.

"I see… So the young'uns are in Kakariko Village!" His head fell back a little, thinking. "Well, that's good. Renado's an old friend. If they're in his care, we can relax." His eyes shot open and he looked at Link. "So… don't keep me waitin', lad! Tell me of my little girl! Ilia's with the rest of 'em, right?"

Link looked down and away, and he seemed almost mad.

"…Oh, I see… That ain't what I wanted to hear… Ah… But Link…" Bo put his hand on his chin, thinking. "I guess I need to think of all five of those kids, not just my own… They're all in danger."

"But it's only reasonable for you to worry about your child." I said, blinking once. "I mean, if you didn't worry about her, then people would think that you didn't care, or something."

Bo shrugged. "I should be askin' how I can help out…"

"Renado said that you have some item to help us out with the Gorons." Link said, taking a small step forward.

"What's that, now? The Gorons of Death Mountain? I see… So Renado told you that…" He scratched his chin again. "Well, it's true…" He muttered. "I did defeat the Gorons in a contest of strength and earned their trust… With the help of a little secret. I CAN teach you the secret…" He put his hand down and looked at Link. "But you must promise me that you absolutely, positively will NOT disclose it to anyone?"

Link nodded.

"Good. All righty then. Absolutely no one!"

"Should I stay out here, then?" I asked, thumbing behind me.

Bo thought for a few seconds. "If you agree to not tell ANYONE, it should be fine."

I bowed politely. "Thank you." I said, straightening myself out.

"Come this way." He said, walking into the back room, Link behind him. "You've heard of sumo wrestlin', right? Gorons like to match strength in sumo contests." He kept talking and I ignored it, kneeling a ways away from the arena, so I didn't get crushed when either of them fell.

"You should go change in there." Bo pointed to a room and Link went into it, closing the door behind him.

"So, Alek…" Bo said, walking over to me.

I looked up at him and blinked. "Yes, sir?" I asked.

"Have you ever seen a sumo match?" He asked, putting his hands on his hips.

I nodded once. "I watched one when I was very young, but I barely remember it." I shrugged. "I don't remember much, though." I glanced to the door.

Link came out, tightening the orange band that kept his clothes up. He didn't have a shirt on (I squealed happily inside), so I could see the little muscles he had. Most of his muscles were on his arms and legs. He walked over to Bo and muttered a few things to the Mayor.

Bo laughed loudly, and then put his hands on his hips. "First lesson." He announced. "Alek, why don't you be the referee?" He asked, motioning to me.

My eyes widened a little. "Ah, okay." I said, standing up and dusting myself off before walking to the side of the arena so I could see both of them. "Ready?" I asked nervously. "Fight!" I waved my arm like a flag, and the two boys instantly slammed against each other, pushing.

Bo waved his arm to whack Link, but Link ducted under and wrapped his arms around Bo, trying to shove him off.

Bo shoved Link off of him and moved to the side, making me move too.

They continued to wrestle until Link barely picked Bo up, and shoved him off of the stage area.

"Link wins." I said in a bored fashion as Link dusted his hands.

"Not just yet, Alek." Bo stood up and crossed his arms. "You seem to understand the basics. All righty, next time I won't go as easy on you, lad. Fight me as if you were fightin' one of the Gorons!"

Link nodded.

I walked back to the side, and they started again.

Link won again.

"Whoa ho! Not to shabby, lad!"

I never understood what people meant by that.

"With your natural talent, I'm sure you can take on the Gorons…" Bo nodded approvingly. "Go get changed, lad." He waved his hand in dismissal, and Link hopped off the stage, walking back to where his clothes were.

"What'd you think, Alek?" Bo asked me.

"That you must stink if Link can beat you." I said teasingly, crossing my arms and sticking out a hip.

Bo laughed. "Good sense of humor!" He patted my shoulder that still had the burn marks roughly. "Link should certainly keep you."

My face burned red. "Wh-what? Link and I aren't a couple!" I exclaimed, waving my hands in front of me.

"Not yet, you mean." Bo teased back, just as Link walked out.

"Not yet what?" He asked, and then raised an eyebrow when he saw how red my face was. "What happened?"

"Nothin', lad." Bo patted my shoulder again and I winced at the touch, but kept a straight face when Link looked at me.

"You've gotten a sight stronger in the short time you've been gone, Link…" Bo said when we reached the 'living room'. "Strong as you are, though, you can't hope to beat the Gorons wrestlin' with power alone. Those Gorons are made of rock! Naw, the secret to beatin' the Gorons… is locked away in that chest. Take it with you, lad."

Link walked over to the chest and opened it, pulling out the iron boots.

"You can probably tell, those boots are made of iron, lad." Bo said, waving his hand to the boots that Link put away to the Gods-know-where. "Whoever wears 'em won't easily be pushed around… even by a Goron. If you're fixin' to fight a Goron, be sure to wear those boots." He scratched the back of his bald head and glanced at me.

"…Let's be square, though, lad: you can't ever tell ANYONE about those boots!"

We both nodded.

"'Specially Renado!"

We nodded again.

"Alright, off with you, then." He smiled at us as we walked out.

"Alek, do you know how to ride?" Link asked me when the doors closed behind us.

"Yes. Why?" I raised an eyebrow at him.

"I think Fado has a horse you can use." Link thumbed behind him, pointing to the ranch.

"Okay…" I nodded once, and then followed Link to the Ranch gates.

"Here he is." Link walked in and came back out with a horse just as big as Epona, only he was black with a white mane/tail. "What are you gonna name him?" He asked as he brought the horse over to me, then went back in, probably for a saddle.

I walked up to the horse and started petting his neck, amazed at how soft his fur was. I thought for a few minutes, then muttered his name under my breath after a few seconds.

"What was that?" Link asked, grunting as he got the saddle on.

"Sólsetur." I repeated, allowing the horse to sniff my face.

"Does it mean anything?" Link asked, handing me the bridal.

I nodded. "It's in a foreign language to you, but it means Twilight." I swear I heard Midna giggle.

Link nodded slowly, handing me the bridal.

I took it and put it on Sólsetur, surprised by how obedient he was to the bit.

Link nodded approvingly after we got the horse set up, then we led him to where Epona was, and we mounted the horses, taking off back for Kakariko.

"So, who should face the Gorons?" I asked loudly, over the horses' thumping of their feet.

"We face them together." Link called back, slowing Epona to a walk, as did I.

"And how does that work? We each wear a boot?" I asked sarcastically, making Link roll his eyes.

"I'll face the brawn part, you handle the brains."

"Sexist." I muttered teasingly. "Alright." I shrugged, and we went into a gallop for Kakariko again.