"Ahhh, that is so much better," I sighed, exiting the bathhouse in fresh clothes. I checked the time and found that I was in there for about half an hour, apparently just enough time for Rusl to finish speaking with Coro. The warrior beckoned me over and led me away from the hut, back towards Ordon Village. "What about that tour?"

Rusl shrugged and waved goodbye to the Afro-desiac, then said, "I do not think a walk in the forest is a good idea." He strolled over to a grazing Epona and gently patted her neck. We walked in a rather comfortable silence until we reached Faron's Spring. Releasing Epona to graze about, Rusl gestured about at the ground. "Would you help me gather firewood?" I nodded and followed his lead, gathering sticks and branches. Over the next forty-five minutes, we collected and stacked four 'logs' worth of lumber, then I learned a neat trick.

Rusl pulled a small rope around one end of one pile, tied it off like a lasso, and looped the rest of the rope around the end of another pile, linking them together. Following suit with the bottom ends, he effectively created a scroll of yarn and timber with a blank patch in the center. "Call Epona," Rusl instructed.

Pursing my lips together, I whistled the horse's favorite song and she came quickly, trotting up to me and nuzzling her snout against my shoulder. Although I had seen horses in real life, I had never been that close to one before, so I was entranced by her smooth fur and muscular frame. Truly, horses are majestic creatures. Before I realized it, my hand reached up and stroked and pet Epona's mane. Ilia took great care of her; her mane was incredibly soft and flowy.

Rusl stepped up beside me and petted the horse for a few moments, then said, "Epona, lift." Showing how well she was trained, Epona bowed her head low, revealing the two tied logs on either side of her. Rusl scooped up the rope and the ends attached to it, and laid it across Epona's neck. Smiling calmly, the Ordonian turned to me and instructed, "Take care of the back."

Stepping over, I hesitated when I noticed the rope was directly below Epona's tail. Taking a deep breath and holding it, I grabbed the rope and lifted it over the hump of Epona's backside, but my grip slipped and the weight fell on Epona. "Sorry, accident!" I stammered.

Chuckling, Rusl fixed up the rope and patted Epona's side. "Don't worry about her, she's a strong girl." He bound the remaining two logs of firewood closely to one another and beckoned me over. "On three, we lift both logs. One, two, three!" While it was only moderately strenuous to lift the ends of two logs by a rope, picking up two logs with my bare hands was a lot more difficult.

"Epona," Rusl groaned. Apparently, it was difficult for him as well. "Lift." Once again, she bowed her head, allowing Rusl room to maneuver around so that he and I were on either side of Epona. "Gently," he instructed, and we lowered the logs until they sat perpendicular across Epona's back. "Now turn." We did so, rotating the firewood so that both logs were saddled nicely above the previous two.

Sitting down on the shore of the spring, Rusl pulled his sandals off and sighed in content as he dipped his feet into the water. "Spring water is great for taking care of sores and callouses," he said. Taking off my shoes and stuffing my socks in them, I dunked my bare feet beneath the spring surface and immediately felt tingles all over my toes and ankles. It really was quite wonderful. The water was a nice and cozy lukewarm, like how a pool feels when you've gotten used to the temperature.

I sat down beside Rusl and we both simply remained there, allowing me to regroup my thoughts.

Kokiri Marsh, eh? I assumed it would be similar to Woodfall and worked from there. Possible threats: Poisoned water, carnivorous plants, leeches (I hear they fester in swamplands), gases and fumes, insects, spiders, BIG spiders, BIGGER spiders, those annoying spider bomb things—

"Tell me," Rusl spoke up, shaking me out of my thoughts. "Do you ever feel a strange sadness as dusk falls?" Oh crap. "They say it's the only time when our world intersects with theirs..." OH crap. "...The only time we can feel the lingering regrets of spirits who have left our world." OH CRAP. "That is why loneliness always pervades the hour of Twilight..." I hate that movie. "But enough talk of sadness." We didn't even talk about anything! He started the conversation first! "I have a favor to ask of you, Zach." I looked out at the spring but nodded my head at him. "I was supposed to deliver something to the royal family of Hyrule the day after tomorrow—"

I glanced at him and asked, "Are you asking me to deliver it for you?"

"Not at all," he answered. If he was upset that I interrupted, he didn't show it. "I was going to ask you to accompany me." He reached over and squeezed my shoulder. "Take no offense, young man, but I wouldn't send someone out on such a journey alone unless I was sure they could handle themselves."

I nodded and said, "That's fair, I guess. Easier to take me with you on a big trip rather than leave me here with people who don't like me."

Rusl flinched but nonetheless pressed on. "You've... never been to Hyrule Proper, right?" I nodded. "I'm sure your, uh, vadio games have shown you the kingdom of Hyrule, where there is a great castle, and around it is Castle Town..."

"A community far bigger than this little village." I turned my head to face him and shrugged. "You were about to say it."

"Indeed," he said with a chuckle. "I think you should look upon it all with your own eyes. It is getting late." He stood up and helped me to my feet. "We should head back to the village. I will talk to the mayor about this matter."

As we put our footwear back on, I asked, "Shouldn't we spar or something?"

Rusl shook his head. "It's too dark for us to practice. We'll have to wait until tomorrow."

Nodding in turn, I followed him as he led Epona back through the forest path, and I closed my eyes as we crossed the great bridge. Step after tentative step, we crossed with little difficulty. The rest of the walk was silent. We met with Ilia in the village and let her take Epona back to the ranch while Rusl and I went to his house.

We went inside just as Uli finished making dinner. I helped Rusl set the table and then we all sat down.

As Uli poured a bowl of soup, she asked, "How are you liking Ordon Village, Zach?" She set the bowl onto the table and went to pour another.

"I like it fine," I said. I ate a spoonful, marveling at the taste of chicken and cheese. "This is delicious!"

I was glad I decided to have dinner with Rusl and his family. I didn't want to have to use one of my own food rations before I camped out in the wilderness. A shudder ran up my spine as I thought about what the outside world would be like. I did not look forward to sleeping in itchy grass or clumps of dirt and sharp rocks. Good thing I packed a tent.

"Zach, is something wrong?" I shook out of my thoughts and found Uli and Rusl eyeing me with concern.

"No, I'm fine." Another spoonful of soup. "I was just thinking."

"How long are you staying?" Colin asked. He ducked his head low and averted eye contact, even after Rusl gently patted his back.

I hummed and held my chin. "Probably a few months. I'd like to see Hyrule Castle and the surrounding locales."

Rusl and Uli smiled as they ate, until Uli frowned and asked, "What's that on your hand?" She was staring at my right hand as though it had grown an extra finger (again). I looked down to find something that I was not expecting to see at all.

On the back of my hand were three triangles. The symbol of the Goddesses: The Triforce, with two out of three triangles faded and dull. The third, the one that represented the Triforce of Courage, glowed against my skin.

I didn't say anything. I was too surprised at the fact that I had the Triforce yet I wasn't Link, Zelda, or even Ganondorf. The thought that I would have this was... wrong, somehow. I couldn't explain it but I had this feeling of great wrongness just looking at the Triforce.

Rusl and Uli both stared at me. It was Rusl who spoke first. "Lad, that symbol has not been seen in this village since Link disappeared."

"He disappeared?"

"Who's Link?" Colin asked. Rusl and I turned to him, causing him to shrink in his chair. "Sorry..."

"There's nothing to apologize for," said Rusl. He ran a hand through his hair and sighed. "Link was a boy who lived in the house that Zach is now staying in. With Ilia, he was exploring Faron Woods when they came upon a strange creature. His skin was a sickly green shade, his eyes burning red. He was crowned with twin horns and rode a gigantic boar. He attacked them, even chased them across the bridge between Ordona Province and the rest of Hyrule. Ilia made it across but Link chose to stay behind. He cut the bridge down and saved our village from this intruder, but no matter how far into Hyrule Proper I searched, I never found Link or this creature again."

I had to stomach the rock in my gut. That explains why Link couldn't do it, he was dead! And King Bulblin himself had done it!

The rest of dinner passed by in unbearable silence. When it was over, I bid the family goodnight and headed home. The rock in my stomach grew heavier and heavier with every step. By the time I set the ladder up and went inside my house, I felt like I could sink right through the ground.

Midna woke with a start when she heard the door open and close. She very nearly yelled at the intruder, only saving herself at the last second by remembering that she was the one intruding. She quickly donned the Fused Shadow and vanished beneath the shadows.

Truth be told, Midna needed a lot more sleep. She had half a mind to chance it and hope the occupant did not notice her in the lofty bed, especially when she peeked over the edge.

The occupant was that rancher from before, how curious. He certainly seemed less than agreeable at the moment with the way he stomped around. "What else is different here?!"

What in the world was he going on about? Midna made herself comfortable and watched the rancher's tantrum. If she recalled right, the villagers called him 'Zach' or something. Midna bristled at how similar his and Zant's names were, but obviously this was not Zant. At least this guy was cute.

"Okay, just think," said Zach as he lit the fireplace. "Today's the day it starts. Tomorrow, that kid gets lost in the woods... right? Damn it, I can't remember."

Midna could not help herself. This boy seemed so lost in his own thoughts it was almost pathetic. Besides, it was fun sneaking up on these poor Light Dwellers. "Rupee for your thoughts? Eee hee!"

Zach froze. He ever so slowly looked up at Midna, his eyes very wide. "Uh... hi."

Midna giggled. "Hi. Zach, right? I heard those villagers talking about you."

Zach nodded. "This is... unexpected."

"Yeah, I bet it is." Midna floated down and sat on one of the rungs of the ladder so that her eyes lined with Zach's. "Sorry to intrude, I wanted a place to sleep. Didn't know you lived here."

"I... I'm just using it for right now," Zach said. He remained in place, almost frozen to the ground in shock. "You... um... you sleep well?"

"Not really," she said flatly. "It's been... it's been a nightmare of a time, frankly."

"You can sleep here if you want." His cheeks burned red. "I-I mean, sleep up there in the bed."

Midna blinked at him. "Um, thank you. Really. But, uh, why so chummy? Not that I'm turning you down, I just assume seeing something like me would weird you out."

Zach ran a hand through his hair. "I... I've seen worse."

"That feels like a compliment so I'll take it." Midna yawned and stretched her arms out. "It looks like you're turning in as well. I'm exhausted so if it's all the same with you, I'm going back to bed."

"Uh... okay. Good night."

"What?"

"Good night?"

"What's night?"

"It's the time of day when the sun goes down."

"... I'm too tired for this." Midna returned to bed, only to groan when she remembered one of the bed's missing features. "Hey, I don't want to be a bother but do you have a spare blanket?" Without a word, Zach tossed one up. It was so big that it easily covered Midna's body, and it was so mercifully soft to the touch that Midna's eyes immediately grew heavy. "Thank you!"

"You're welcome."

"Good night, Zach."

"Good night."

Midna slept horribly the second time around. Terrible memories plagued her and forced her to wake up every other hour. By the time she finally gave up on sleep, silver-blue light shone down from the window and casted everything in a soft blue glow. She flew up to the window and gasped at the sky, entranced by the full white circle and the dozens of white specks around it. This 'night' contrasted rather nicely with the golden glow of the Twilight Realm, which often had dark clouds brewing across its horizon.

Daring herself, Midna exited the house and zoomed above the forest canopy. She smiled at the rush of freedom and the touch of air on her skin. With a delicate twirl, she closed her eyes and let herself carry away through the air. It was liberating, until her body sputtered and shook. Without warning, Midna's power ran out and she dropped from the sky like a rock.

With no power, there was little she could do to avoid a tree branch. It caught her across her midsection and knocked the wind out of her. Flipping over the branch, she continued to fall and tumble through more branches and twigs until she finally landed in a bush. Numb from the experience, Midna was barely able to roll out of the hedge.

"Ow." After a minute to catch her breath, she patted herself down and found no serious injuries other than a few scrapes. Her chest was very sore but at least she had not broken something. That would have been disastrous.

Her stomach growled and she sighed in frustration. She looked around at the area she crashed in; it was an open tunnel with a locked gate and a bridge in one direction, and a pathway down the forest in the other. Following the forest path, Midna eventually passed a spring and found a house just past that. It was fairly large, and even with the vastly different cultures, the imp recognized the bathhouse for what it was.

"Sweet relief," Midna whispered dreamily. A proper bath with lotion and soap, bubbly warm water, maybe even scented candles! She was so enraptured by the idea that she failed to notice the tall woman sneaking up on her.

A piece of wood bonked her right on the Fused Shadow. It certainly served well as a helmet, as Midna's skull was barely affected by the blow. However, the power behind the woman's strike forced Midna back anyway.

"KILL IT!" screeched the woman with the enormous blob of hair. She swung the branch again and Midna had to stifle a groan at her poor form and coordination.

"Take it easy, lady!" Midna stepped back from the swing and held her arms out. "I'm not gonna hurt you—" The branch came back and slammed into her right hand. Screaming, Midna jumped back and assessed the damage. Her middle and ring fingers were bent sideways and her knuckles were misaligned. She tried to see more but the crazed light dweller swung again and caught Midna right in the cheek.

Midna wanted to fight back and wrestle that wretched branch from the woman's grasp. Instead, she found herself ducking under the next swing and running as fast as her stubby legs could carry her. She was so hungry and tired that magic was out of the question.

"And don't come back!" she heard the woman scream.

Midna ran back down the path she had come from and into the spring. She was so busy looking at her hand that she failed to see a stone before her foot caught on it. With a yelp, she tripped and splashed down in the center of the spring water. She still felt her stomach grumbling but it was much less painful now, and her hand was completely numb. Looking down, Midna saw that her fingers and knuckles were healed!

"Lucky me," she grumbled, not at all happy to have had her fingers broken in the first place.

The spring water was a very useful substitute for Twili healing magic, and so Midna made sure to remember that if she were injured or drained again. She felt a tug in her gut but she had to ignore it in order to return to the house; this outing was just another reminder that Midna needed all the help she could get. Zach had offered her shelter, so she might as well use it.

Compared to that crazy lady with the branch, Zach was a shining beacon of civility. He at least had the decency to ask about Midna's sleep and then give her a blanket when she asked. What did that lady do? She broke Midna's hand!

Once Midna was back inside the house, she took a moment to look over Zach. He was asleep in a sleeping mat that wrapped around his body like a cocoon. Such a strange person, but this world was already strange to Midna.

"Thanks again," she whispered before she returned to her own bed. She wanted to keep searching for the Sacred Beast but with her limited power, she was better off waiting until she had food and rest. Hopefully, she would find both sooner rather than later.

The next morning, I stretched my spine and stood up. "Hardwood floors, gotta love 'em." Shaking my head, I wiped some crust from my eye and got dressed.

I did not sleep well at all last night. She was here! Not only that, she was just a ladder-climb away! Why the hell did she... right, she needed a place to sleep.

But she certainly wasn't in Link's house in the game, so where the hell did she go before?

That thought saddened me. Midna probably had to sleep in a cave or something before meeting up with Link. And damn, she was way cuter in real life!

Back to the matter at hand: Midna was here! She shouldn't be here, she's supposed to be in the forest waiting for me to turn into a wolf! This is not how this was supposed to go!

Was it really a big deal? So she was here, so what? It's not like she'd make much of a difference between now and when the Twilight comes.

It's still a pretty big fucking change!

"Fuck it, whatever." I carefully climbed the ladder and found Midna sound asleep in her—technically Link's—bed. Should I wake her? Let her sleep? How the fuck was I supposed to know what to do?

(Un)fortunately, I didn't need to wait long to find out. Midna woke up with a scream, which caused me to scream, which caused her to scream even louder. I lost my balance on the ladder and flung my arms for anything to grab onto.

Too late. I fell off the ladder and plummeted to the floor... but I never landed. I stopped just inches above the floor, my body surrounded by crackling orange energy. After a moment, the energy vanished and I thudded to the floor.

Midna floated down, her hands on her hips. "What were you thinking, sneaking up on a poor girl like that?!"

"I was thinking 'hey, maybe she wants breakfast'!"

"You had to climb up the ladder to wonder that?"

I rolled my eyes. "No, I was just checking to see if you were not just some fever dream."

"I'm a dream come true," she grumbled. "And I would like some breakfast! … Sorry for screaming at you."

"Sorry for scaring you."

Midna rubbed her forehead. "You didn't. Well, you did, but I had a bad dream. Wasn't your fault."

I shrugged and said, "Thanks for saving me."

"You're welcome." Midna's stomach grumbled. She held a hand over her belly and pouted. "I don't suppose you have that breakfast ready right now?"

I shook my head. "I'll have to ask the townsfolk for supplies." Actually, I did have some food in my satchel, but that was strictly for once I was on the road to Kakariko.

Midna whined and said, "Fine. I like you so I feel like tagging along." Without another word, she leapt into my shadow and vanished from sight.

"Um... okay?"

How did things go out of order so fast? Midna was not supposed to be here, damn it! It was bad enough that the game had officially started thanks to Rusl's speech at the spring, but now I had to deal with Midna herself tucked away right in my shadow! Shouldn't she be looking for the Sacred Beast? I mean, I knew that was me, but she didn't!

"Hey, get a move on," she said, popping up from my shadow as a silhouette of herself. "I'm hungry!"

I rolled my eyes at her and said, "Fine, fine, don't lose your head." Once she was back in my shadow, I headed outside.

It was a pleasant morning, not too hot and not too cold, and the sun was shining on the horizon. I climbed down the ladder and took in a deep breath of fresh air.

"Pleeeeaaaase can you buy the slingshot?" someone asked from beyond the village gate. I looked and saw Rusl walking toward me, the kids following in his wake. Talo was clasping the man's pant leg. "Come oooonnnn, we'll be super careful!"

Malo muttered, "I wonder how powerful it is... I... I must try it..." I lifted an eyebrow and wondered how that kid would function as an adult.

Beth, a picnic basket in her hands, rolled her eyes and nudged Talo. "If you and Malo want it so badly, just buy it at my parents' shop!"

Talo whirled on her and shouted, "Do you see any rupees in my hand? I can't afford that thing!"

"Settle down now," Rusl said, a good-natured smile on his face. "I'm sure if you did enough chores, you could get an allowance to buy the slingshot."

Malo looked up at the warrior and frowned. "But... our allowances are terrible. Aww, I wish I was born into a family with a slingshot instead of one with a waterwheel."

Chuckling, I shrugged and leaned against the practice dummy. "I wouldn't recommend a slingshot." The kids turned and stared at me from behind Rusl's leg.

Beth planted her hands on her hips and asked, "And why not? Are we too big for toys?"

"That, and they're dangerous. Are any of you comfortable with idea of Talo running around with a loaded slingshot?" Every kid except Talo shook their heads, earning a laugh from Rusl and me. "But that's a different topic. What can I do for you today?"

Rusl patted Beth's shoulder and gestured to the basket in her hands. "We brought breakfast for you. Once we've eaten, you and I will spar, and then you will continue running katas for another hour. After that, you can have the day to yourself. The children are welcome to watch as they please." I was about to ask about the moral implications of allowing children to see violence, but then I remembered that they were going to get a whole helping of it later on, so I conceded it was best to show them in a controlled environment.

Still, I did not like the way he said the kids were welcome. "So, they're going to stay and make sure I actually do some exercises?"

"Yes," Rusl answered instantly.

"... Fair enough." We all sat on the ground, though the kids stayed closer to Rusl. Beth set the picnic basket in the middle and removed the cloth, revealing freshly baked pumpkin bread and fruit. "This smells great!"

"Ilia took the liberty," Rusl said as he grabbed an apple. "A good breakfast is the best way to start the day."

I took a bite of bread and hummed at the flavor. It was delicious and melt-in-your-mouth and sweet yet savory! But how to get some to Midna? Hmm...

"Jeez, that's a big spider!" I exclaimed, pointing at a genuinely big spider on a nearby tree. It was purple and red and the size of my head, rhyme unintended. While everyone looked, I dropped some food behind me and hoped that was enough for Midna.

"Aye, that's a skulltula," said Rusl. "A young one judging by the size. They don't usually come this close to the village but there's been some strange creatures deeper in the forest lately."

"Like Bokoblins," I said, holding a hand to my side.

"And monkeys!" Talo yelled, startling me. "I saw one just the other day!"

Rusl covered his mouth to keep from laughing. "Talo, monkeys have always been in the forest. They're just animals."

Once the basket was empty, Rusl and I prepared for the spar. He tossed me a wooden sword while he kept his sheathed sword. I caught it with a start and readied myself while the kids settled in at the base of my house. After a few deep breaths, I charged.

Midna had no interest in staying in Zach's shadow the whole time. When he gave her some bread and fruit, she hurried away to a nearby tree. She sat on a sheltered branch and watched Zach chat with the villagers, but their conversation was hardly compelling. He served his purpose by providing Midna shelter and breakfast, now it was time to focus on the Sacred Beast.

She glanced down and noticed that Zach was about to fight the older man. It was probably just a light spar since their weapons were clearly non-lethal, but still. "Breakfast and a show," she said with a smile.

I started with a horizontal slash from the right. When Rusl blocked it, I swung my left fist and aimed for his jaw. He ducked under it and deflected the next attack. He was losing ground quickly as I continued my assault. Chop from above, uppercut from below, even a kick from the right. Rusl was barely able to block my attacks, but I was just getting started. If Rusl was having a difficult time, then it was proof that I was more than he anticipated and could handle most of what he could throw at me.

When Zach charged, Midna had to beat against her chest as she choked on a chunk of fruit. "This guy is a complete moron!" He looked like an overgrown child playing with a toy. From the get go, Midna spotted several staggering flaws in Zach's fighting 'style'; his stance was virtually nonexistent, his attacks were almost laughably predictable, and it looked like he was even making sound effects to punctuate his swings! "Maybe he's not the help I was hoping for..."

If it was a real fight, he would have been killed a hundred times over! Midna struggled not to go down there and yell at Zach to improve his... well, his everything, but that was his business to be an idiot, not hers. Instead, she continued to spectate until Zach's feet were swept out from under him and his opponent confiscated his weapon.

Shaking her head at Zach's foolishness, Midna floated back to the ground. When she touched down on the forest floor, she ducked into the shadows and scampered off to search for the Sacred Beast. "Ugh, they could have at least given a description of it..."

"That went well," Rusl said. I sighed and picked myself up, then brushed the dirt off my pants. "Now that I have seen your skill level, you are to repeat these techniques until I come back." He pointed a finger sharply at the group but his voice was relatively kind. "I expect all of you to be on your best behavior." Winking at Colin, the warrior spun on his heel and returned to the village proper.

I kept at it for a good hour, taking only a few breaks in between. After a while, I wanted to think I was improving, but that curb-stomp from Rusl shook up my perceptions. The kids were... well, kids, poking fun at how I was doing and playing with each other when I relaxed, but it was overall fairly pleasant. They asked random questions about me, I answered vaguely:

"So, Mister Zach, where're you from?"

"America."

"Where's that?"

"Not here."

"Where's here?"

"Not there."

"What's there?"

"America."

At long last, I plopped down and panted as I kept the sweat out of my eyes. Talo was sitting a bit away from me with a tough expression on his face. "Something on your mind, kid?" I asked.

Talo shook his head and looked at me. "Huh... Oh, yeah. Just... thinking about those naughty monkeys again..."

"Uh... what do you mean?"

Beth nudged the youth and said, "He means that monkeys are causing trouble in the village. I think I saw one of them carry Miss Uli's cradle when it drifted down the stream."

"Well, I'll be a monkey's uncle."

"If I could just get my hands on..." Talo said, but trailed off as he looked at something in the distance. Suddenly jumping to his feet, the boy pointed a stick at the unseen offender. "C'MERE YOU!" He ran off into the forest trail, leaving the rest of us in the dust.

"Get back here!" I shouted. I didn't want to get in trouble for the kid getting hurt, no matter how annoying I found him. "What's his deal?"

Beth stood up and furrowed her brow. "He saw a monkey wandering around."

Wait... if Talo chases the monkey, that would lead him right into...

"Fucking damn it." I jumped to my feet and pointed at Colin. "Go and tell your dad that Talo chased after a monkey and I followed him." I snatched up the wooden sword and ran after Talo. I could only hope he wouldn't be too hurt when I found him...