Disclaimer: The Legend of Zelda series do not, repeat, not belong to me. They rightfully belong to Miyamoto. (May he continue to make excellent games for the rest of his days.) What does belong to me are Cleo, Finn, Syrilla and Okam (sorta).

Chapter 12

I have come to retrieve what was once my father's...

I know you have... I have been waiting twenty years for your arrival. Welcome... my son...

...Mother... I have missed you so...

So have I... But our reunion cannot last, for time is short. Evil is almost upon us and only by your hand can we have a future.

Do you believe I am ready. I do not feel ready...

You have been trained by the best from around the word, I know you can do it... I believe in you.

Cleo, Jack, and Glacia walked back to the Snyor Village. The moment they arrived, Defross was there waiting for them and Glacia ran to him, crying. They embraced each other and he comforted her, overjoyed to have her back. They all went to the town square where the music box sat.

"Cleo, will you do the honors?" Defross asked.

"Of course!" Cleo approached the box and turned the key a few times. The music that played was so heartswelling, she thought she was going to cry. The couple danced to the slow music as other Snyorgans watched. On a rooftop, in the distance, Scervo was also watching. There was almost a look of envy on his face and he was once again clutching something in his coat, with a gold chain just peeking out. He metaphorically let out a heavy sigh and slinked away into the darkness.

"It is time for us to go. Our work here is done."

"All right Jack." The moment the dance was over, Cleo and Jack said their goodbyes to the newly weds.

"Thank you for everything. We will never forget what you've done," said Defross.

"Please come back soon." Both Glacia and her husband bowed to Cleo.

"I hope you have a happy life together." She waved to them as she left the village with Jack.

"Where's the Thunder Beacon Tower?" Okam repeated after they got back and had asked this curious question of him. "I already know the next essence is there, but how did you find out?"

"A robot tipped me."

"I do not recall Scervo giving you change," Jack reminded.

Cleo ignored him. "So what can you tell me about it?"

"Well granted, I've never been there so I can only tell you what I've learned from the scrolls. The Thunder Beacon Tower was once the source of power for the robot citizens who lived in the Twilight Realm."

"Wait, waddaya mean 'once was'?"

"There used to be robots a long time ago, but after it lost it's power, the ancient robots eventually died out. They couldn't live without the life energy it provided and they were left to rust away over the ages."

"But Scervo is still around. How is it possible for him to last so long?" Jack asked.

"...Uh, sorry I'm stumped on that one. Sheesh, you expect me to know everything?" he added rolling his eyes.

"So what's the next essence?" asked Cleo.

"According to the scroll, it's supposed to be the Sprite Cloud. If you're ready, I'll take you to the next warp. But listen, before you go..." Okam stood beside Cleo and placed a hand on her shoulder. It felt cold as ice. "I will have to admit that you have great talent as a warrior for such a small tike. Of course you still need Jack for this mission, but I know over time you can become great even with both hands tied behind your back. And I do admire your skill, given the right purpose. I'm hoping after this is all over with, you can work for me? I could use a prodigy like yourself and I can give you whatever you wish for your loyalty. What do you say?"

"Uh, that's a pretty nice offer. But I have a life back in my realm and I'm planning on going home afterwards. So I'm gonna have to refuse. Sorry."

Okam removed his hand, looking a bit disappointed. But then he smiled. "That's fine, Cleo. But if you ever change your mind, be sure to let me know."

"Where is Princess Midna?" asked Jack.

"She's busy, as usual. You know she's got a lot of responsibility, being the Twilight Princess. I'll just tell her you said-"

But before he could say "hi", a Twili rushed in. "Okam, we got a problem!"

"It had better be important!" He snapped, feeling irked at being interrupted.

"Um... ...um... um... um... um... um... um... um... um... um... um... um... um... um... um... um... um... um... um... um... um... um... um... um... um... um..."

"SPIT IT OUT ALREADY!" Cleo thought (although she figured it was just her imagination) that she saw a spark of flames on his eyebrows when he yelled.

"Oneofthesolsismissing!"

"What?! Which sol?"

"Uh, the left one..."

"But that powers the warps! How is Cleo supposed to go anywhere?!"

"How should I know?"

"WHAT THE HELL DO I PAY YOU FOR?!"

"...You don't pay me."

They could clearly see the tower on a floating desert island in the distance. But with the warps down, getting there was impossible. "Can't you warp me yourself or levitate that far?" Cleo asked Okam.

"If I could, we wouldn't need the sol warps in the first place!" He had his arms crossed, one finger tapping as he tried to think of something. "We Twilis can only warp ourselves a short distance and even if I had the energy to carry you there, it would take a coon's age."

"What is a coon?" Jack asked.

"There you two are." Midna had appeared behind them. "I'm sorry I was so busy. I was having an important discussion with Lord Blumiere."

"Mid, do you have any ideas on what we should do?"

"Again with the nickname?" Okam asked shortly.

The princess placed her fingers to her forehead in thought. "...If we can't warp or fly you there, the only other way would be to fling you. But a place that far, we need a huge strong thrust."

"Like a giant slingshot?"

"Yes exactly. But such a feat is dangerous."

"Dangerous or not, she doesn't have a choice. Besides, she won't mind getting hurt. Right Cleo?"

"Uh... maybe a little?" Cleo said tentatively. But Okam grinned rather impishly in response and the next thing she knew, she was smack dab in a makeshift slingshot he built himself with cushions strapped to her body and head and Jack clinging to her. "It's official, you're pure evil!"

"Oh hush up! Just close your eyes and pretend it's a roller coaster." He grabbed the back of her with his hair and pulled back as far as the band could go. "Are you ready?"

"Can't I go to the bathroom first?" A pause and then... "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhh~~"

"Now I'm starting to wish I hadn't suggested it!" Midna groaned.

"I'm sure she'll be fine." Okam conjured a telescope and watched Cleo soar away and crash into the sand. She wasn't moving. Oh gosh! I hope I didn't kill her! he thought. Midna had her hands over her mouth in distress.

Cleo was lying on the ground, gritty with sand and covered in down from the shredded cushions. "Cleo, are you all right?!" Jack asked urgently.

"... ...That old man's going to be the death of me. I just know it..." She unsteadily got back on her feet and walked across the desert toward the tower. The town she soon reached was completely deserted. There was not a trace of life, yet there were people here. She approached someone and could see how inactive he was. It was a robot like the ones she had met in the observatory and, like them, was long dead.

"It is strange... I feel so sad for these robots... but I do not think this is the first time I had such a feeling..."

"Have you met robots before?" Cleo asked.

"...Yes... I am sure I did... countless times..."

Cleo stared at him. Where in the world did he come from? The more she spent time with him, the more he seemed familiar to her. Of course, she was starting to have a feeling about his true identity, but it was still too soon to be sure. "We only have three more essences to go. Three more until we finally find out who you really are."

"Indeed. But first we have to get past Scervo." They were about to leave town when Jack stopped for a moment and unexpectedly took a different direction.

"Jack, the tower's that way." Cleo looked ahead at where he was floating to and saw a house a little ways off. She approached it and could see why it caught his attention. Unlike the rest of the buildings that simply had fallen apart naturally from years of neglect, this place looked like it had been damaged by force. There was a big gaping hole where the front door was supposed to be. Cleo stepped inside and saw the total devastation with pieces of furniture strewn about the room.

There was a painting still hanging on the wall, but lopsided. On it was a beautiful robotic woman standing next to someone else, but a wide tear prevented Cleo from seeing the other robot's face. She walked closer to try and adjust the tear so she could see who it was when she heard a faint creak. She quickly looked down at her feet and tapped the floor. She bent down.

"What are you doing?"

"This floorboard is loose." From her past experience, Cleo could tell that the sound she'd heard was from something hollow. She pulled up the loose board and reached into the hole, feeling around. She felt something and pulled it out, it was a letter. There was nothing written on the envelope, but she could tell it wasn't empty. "It's never been open. I wonder what's inside?..."

"Cleo, we cannot waste any time here."

"Look who's talking. You're the one who wanted to check out the place." She knew that something tragic had happened here a long time ago and she had a feeling that this letter was important. She put it in her backpack, deciding to read it later. After leaving the house, she looked over towards a large bed of loose earth surrounded by what was left of the fence, where there used to be a garden. She wondered what grew there once. She wished there was a Time Shift Stone here. Cleo and Jack moved on.

They left the town and continued on to the tower. They hit a cliff and looked down. By the tower, there was a wide flat area surrounded by high walls. In the center there stood a lone figure. That must be Scervo waiting for them.