Disclaimer: I do not own anything from the Zelda or Naruto franchises. Comments/Criticism are fine as long as they aren't straight up hate or flaming. If you do not like, no one is forcing you to read and you can just leave.

Thank you and please enjoy.

The Legend of Zelda: Interloper of Time

-Chapter 9-

-Lake Hylia-

Naruto and Saria were in awe as they looked upon the massive lake. They shoreline stretched for as far as they could see in either direction, crystal clear water splashed across the ground in gentle waves, and small islands dotted the middle of the lake. A cool breeze slowly blew as the whole area gave off a calm, tranquil feeling.

Our group of heroes were quick to take advantage of the abundance of water by washing off the collected grime and dust from the last few days. Having mostly gotten over their early embarrassment from The Talk, Naruto and Saria casually helped each-other like they always did. Though it was still rather awkward as they washed the others back, both remaining quiet till they finished.

It wasn't till near the end that things lightened up a bit. Saria started to get out of the water but ending up tripping and splashing Naruto. Once she caught herself, she started to apologize only for Naruto to splash her back with a playful grin. Before they realized it, they were having a full-on splash fight while laughing happily. Meanwhile Navi floated across the water's surface on a small floating pouch she'd tied off reading a book (Naruto and Saria were still trying to figure out where she kept those), and Elia sat atop their stuff with holding a small tanning mirror (those fold up mirrors people use to tan).

Before anyone knew it, the sun had started to set and they had to make camp. Setting up near a small cluster of trees, Saria sat next to the fire and started writing in her journal while humming. Naruto continued the tree climbing exercise with Navi giving him advice here and there. When they finally called it a night, he could finally make it about a third of the way up the tree before falling.

-Morning-

Breaking camp, Naruto and Saria followed the shoreline till they found a large river feeding into the lake. "Okay, according to the map, we just have to follow this river to Zora's Domain." Saria said while double-checking the directions. When she didn't get a response, Saria looked over her shoulder to see Naruto wading with in the lake. "What are you doing?"

"I saw something odd in the water." He told her before diving in. A few seconds later, he reemerged with a glass bottle clutched in his hand. Shaking himself off, much to Saria, Elia, and Navi's annoyance as he covered them in water, he held out the bottle showing the piece of paper held inside.

"Ooooh! Maybe it's a treasure map." Elia said excitedly as Naruto pulled out the cork and fished the paper out. Unrolling it, the others huddled around him as they read.

'To anyone who finds this, HELP! My name is Princess Ruto of the Zora and I have been swallowed whole by the deity of the Zora, Lord Jabu Jabu! So please, anyone who gets this message, HURRY UP AND SAVE ME ALREADY!'

"That… that is bad." Naruto stated bluntly, getting deadpan looks from his companions. "We better hurry then, the goddesses only know how long ago this was sent." Navi said, getting nods of agreement. Naruto placed the note and bottle into his pouch and they hurried forwards, only to stop after about a hundred feet or so. "Oh, come on!"

The pathway split into a mess of different routes and bridges that mixed and over lapped each-other making it near impossible to determine the correct way to go. Picking one at random, they followed its dips and turns for several minutes only to reach a dead end at a water fall. Back tracking to the beginning and chose another one only for it to end the same. It'd also didn't help that Blue Tektites and Octoroks kept springing out of seemingly nowhere and attacking them.

"Gah! This is pointless, we've tried each route and they all lead to dead ends!" Naruto yelled as he stabbed an Octorok that had hit him with a rock straight through its snout. Pulling his sword free, he grabbed the gurgling monster and threw it at a Tektite that had been jumped at Saria from behind as she took out three others in front of her. The two creatures collided with a sickening squelch and were knocked straight into the waterfall from before.

"What the shell!?" All four of them froze when the unfamiliar male voice called out. The owner of said voice was revealed when the waterfall seemed to taper off and show the tunnel hidden behind it. Standing inside said tunnel was a fish-like being, with a body and face similar to a human, and long fins protruded from its… his arms and hips. His skin was a light grey with patches of dark and light green, with his fins being a yellowish color. He wore plain leather boots and shorts, and he held a long spear that the two monster from before were impaled on. (Look up Zora soldier from TP minus the helmet)

"What in Jabu's name are two Hylian children doing out here by themselves?" He asked as he threw the two dead monsters out and into the water below. Seeing them just standing there dumbly, he shook his head with a sigh and waved them over. "Are you just going to stand there all day or get in here?" Taking the chance for reprieve Naruto and Saria hopped into the tunnel. Once inside, the guy pressed a seemingly normal stone on the wall causing it to sink in and the waterfall started up again.

"Now, I ask again, what are two young hylians such as yourselves doing all the way out here?" Remembering how the guard to death mountain reacted, Saria stopped Naruto from speaking, grabbed the letter they had found and showed it to him. "We found this down at Lake Hylia and thought it be a good idea to bring it to the Zoras. You are a Zora, right?"

"Why yes I am little lady, now what's this?" The now identified Zora said with a laugh while taking the note. Quickly reading it, his expression quickly turned from humor to shock, then just as quickly panic. "Oh my… Oh my, Princess Ruto has been missing for about a day now, but if this is true then this needs to be taken to the king immediately." Giving the note back to them, he pointed behind them and said. "This path leads directly into Zora's Domain, once there take a left and follow the path with torches. I would lead you there myself but I cannot abandon my post."

"Got it, thanks for the help!" Naruto said already running down the path with Saria in tow, Navi and Elia perched atop their heads as they couldn't fly due to their wings being wet. The tunnel eventually opened to a much larger room filled with Zoras. Most the room was filled with water, with a large deep pool in the center, several small pools and various waterfalls feeding into them. Luminescent moss grew on the walls, ceiling, and even under the water, lighting up the room in a vibrant yet gentle manner while regular moss blanketed the ground.

Several of the Zoras stopped to look at the two youngsters, but were simply ignored as Naruto and Saria rushed by. Taking a left as directed, they followed the line of torches through another short tunnel only for two guards to cross their spears ahead of them. "Halt! Who comes before the king of Zoras?" The one on the left demanded. Skidding to a stop, Saria pulls out the note again and shows it too them. "Hm…" Narrowing her eyes suspiciously, the guard reads the letter twice before motioning for her partner to be at ease.

"Follow me," She said, walking into the room with Naruto and Saria behind her. The throne room was… rather dull. Everything in the room carved from plain grey stone, with only small patches of glowing moss here or there that illuminated the room. What really drew attention though was the two-story tall, extremely overweight, and crying zora sitting on top of a mini waterfall directly in front of them like a throne.

Walking up the set of stairs built before the Zora, the guard bowed while clearing her throat loudly. "My King! You have visitors that hold information as to where the princess is." At the word princess, the king of zoras snapped to attention and looked to them. "They do?!" Looking to them, the chubby king leaned forward as far as he could to look at them. "Where?! Where is my precious daughter?! Where is my little Ruto?!" He begged/demanded, the force of his voice blowing Navi and Elia away while almost doing the same to Naruto and Saria.

"Easy there fish-jiji! We're gonna tell ya, sheesh." Naruto grumbled as he wiped some spittle off his face. "And hadn't anyone ever taught you say it, don't spray it?" He asked in annoyed tone getting Saria, Elia, and Navi (who barely managed to float back onto their respective spots atop the children's heads) to facepalm at his lack of respect towards a king of all people. Given they were also annoyed at him, but he was still a freaking king.

Thankfully, the king seemed more abashed by his own behavior to say… have them thrown into prison. "My apologies but I am just being a concerned father. My poor Ruto has been missing since yesterday and I have begun to fear the worst. So please, any news that you have of her would be most welcomed right now." "Of course sir," Saria said before Naruto could open his mouth again, "We found this note in a bottle down by Lake Hylia while on are way here." She said while holding up said note.

Taking the note, which was barely half the size of his palm, the king held the note up to one of his eyes. "OH!" He exclaimed in surprise and shock seconds later once he finished. "My dear Ruto has been gobbled up by our guardian deity?! This has to be the fault of that cursed man, Ganondorf!" He yelled, before calming down a little and explaining. "He claimed to have placed a curse on Lord Jabu Jabu when I refused to give him the spiritual stone a week ago. Ever since then, Lord Jabu Jabu has been acting a little green around the gills, but to actually eat my only daughter?!"

The king burst into another bout of tears at this while everyone, including the guard, sweatdropped awkwardly. Naruto turned to the guard with a blank look across his face, "Can you just point us the way to this Lord Jabu Jabu thing? We're probably going to have to save his daughter before we can actually talk to him without this happening."

The guard looked at the bawling mess that was her king and sighed deeply, "Follow me," She said in a defeated tone as she led them over to a small path that ran up to the kings 'throne'. With the king completely oblivious, she pulled open a section of the gate behind him and walked through with the two children.

-Zora Fountain-

"Holy cow! That is a big fish!" Naruto exclaimed as they walked into the home of Jabu Jabu. "Ow!" He yelped when the guard cuffed him upside the head. "That is Lord Jabu Jabu, the guardian deity of the zora people, it be wise to speak with respect." She said in a warning tone that caused Naruto to quickly nod in agreement. Turning to the water the zora splashed in suddenly, returning seconds later with an armload of fish.

"You will need these to get into his favor." She stated calmly while handing the still wiggling fish to Naruto and walking back towards the throne room. "Hey! Aren't you going to help us out?!" Naruto yelled only for her to wave him off. "Not in my job description! You'll be fine, anyway! Not the first-time Lord Jabu Jabu's swallowed something he shouldn't and someone had to go get it!" She yelled back before disappearing into the tunnel.

Ignoring his grumbling about unhelpful guards, Saria dragged Naruto over to a raised stone platform that Jabu Jabu was resting his head and had him drop the fish before him. Before she could say anything however, the large fishes mouth slowly opened and he started inhaling deeply. Reacting quickly, Naruto used what little mastery he had over his chakra to stick to the ground while holding Saria. "What the heck!? Is he trying to- oh duh!" Naruto smacked himself over the head as he realized they had to search his stomach for Ruto.

"I'm so going to regret this…" He grumbled while releasing the hold his chakra had and allowing the great fish to suck them in. "AAAAHHH-" Lord Jabu Jabu's jaws snapped shut as he swallowed the two kids and their fairies.

-End Chapter-

AN: Next time, Naruto, Saria, Navi and Elia get to enjoy the experience of being eaten alive! Onto other matter, I made King Zora act that way as honestly, he really didn't do much in the game but sit on his throne and whine about his daughter missing anyway. Hope you enjoyed reading and please review.