The sun hung low on the horizon, casting a warm glow upon Outset Island. The salty sea breeze whispered through the air, carrying the distant cries of gulls. A tranquil day, yet destiny stirred in the subtle currents of the island life.

Aryll's voice, as sweet as the island melody, cut through the peaceful morning air.

"Big Brother!"

With the lively call, she descended the ramp, her steps quick and eager. A second summons rang out as she peered through a weathered telescope, scanning the vast expanse of the sea. Climbing the ladder to Aryll's Lookout, she discovered her brother, Link, still nestled in the embrace of slumber.

"Big Brother!"

His eyes fluttered open to meet the sunshine, awakening to the call of family ties.

"I knew you'd be here! Hee hee hee! This is my FAVORITE spot to gaze out at the sea. When I play with the gulls, I call it Aryll's Lookout. So, do you remember what day it is today? ...You're still half-asleep, aren't you? Did you forget? Big Brother, it's your birthday!"

Link's surprise painted his features, catching the realization of the special day.

"That's why. Grandma has been waiting for you to come back to the house. She's been waiting for a while now... It's a good thing I came to find you! You should probably go home and see what Grandma wants, don't you think?"

The rhythm of island life played its tune, as the siblings exchanged words and the melody of familial bonds.

In Grandma's humble abode, a sanctum of warmth and tales, Link faced the inevitable passage of time. The aged matriarch awaited him, her hands holding a symbol of a legacy.

"I've been waiting for you, Link. Here you are, Link. Try these on. Time certainly flies... I can't believe you're already old enough to wear these clothes."

The Hero's Clothes, a garb worn by legends, bestowed upon him with a weight that hinted at the gravity of destiny. Link's gaze reflected a mix of curiosity and hesitancy.

Narration: You got the Hero's Clothes! They look like they might be a little warm for this weather.

"Don't look so disappointed, dear one. Just try them on. Today is a day to celebrate. It is the day that you become the same age as the young hero spoken of in all the legends. You only have to wear them for one day, so don't look so down. Be proud, child."

The tales of old echoed in Grandma's words, a chorus of ancient wisdom and island traditions.

"In the olden days, this was the day the boys were finally considered to be men. They were taught the ways of the sword to prepare them for battle with their enemies. But we don't live in such a way any longer. Our ways are the ways of peace."

A nod of understanding from Link, the torchbearer of a fading era.

"Nowadays, I suppose Orca is the only one on the island who still knows anything about swordplay. Hanging the family shield on the wall as a decoration is another tradition that has been carried down from those days."

The Hero's Clothes adorned him, a cloak of legacy, as he faced the evolving tapestry of island life.

"Does this all make sense to you?"

A nod, silent but resonant.

"Isn't that nice, Link? They suit you perfectly! A perfect fit! Well, tonight I'm going to invite the whole town over for your birthday party, so I'd better start getting ready, shouldn't I? Your grandma is going to make your favorite soup for you tonight. Mmmmm! I just know you're looking forward to it. Now go get your sister, Aryll."

Grandma's laughter lingered in the air as Link embarked on the next chapter of the day.

At Aryll's Lookout, the siblings reunited in the embrace of familial bonds.

"'Hoy, Big Brother! Did Grandma make that outfit for you? But, wow, you'd look like you'd be way too hot in these clothes. I guess they're pretty neat, though! So, anyway, Link... Can you close your eyes and hold your hands? Just for a second? I'm going to give you my most treasured belonging... But just for one day... Happy birthday!"

Aryll's hands offered a gift, wrapped in the joyous laughter of shared moments.

Narration: You got the Telescope! This is your sister's most precious belonging. Treasure it dearly! Set it to Y, Z, or X and use by pressing whatever button you set it to. Do it now, and see what you can see!

"So, well?! Do you like it? I'm letting you borrow this special gift just because you're my big brother! Aren't you lucky? Hee hee hee! Ooh, why don't you try it out! Right now? Try looking over at our house from here."

The telescope unveiled the world anew as Link peered through the lens.

"Hey, what's that? Link! Are you looking at the red postbox?"

Zooming in, the mundane became extraordinary, the island revealing its secrets.

"The postman looks kinda weird, doesn't he? AAAAHH! Link! The sky! Look up in the sky!"

A sudden spectacle unfolded, a dance of a bird and a pirate ship.

Link saw a girl suspended in the embrace of a feathered carrier.

Link saw a cannon-firing ship, and chaos ensued.

A cannonball struck the avian messenger, casting the girl into the Forest of Fairies.

"Link, this is so terrible! That girl fell in the forest! She needs help! ...But it is too dangerous for you to go in there without something you can use to defend yourself with!"

The island's idyllic facade shattered, unveiling the shadows lurking within.

In Orca's dwelling, Link sought the wisdom of the aged, a master of the old ways.

"Oh! What is the matter, Link? You have an urgent look about you... Has something happened? Whatever it is, from the look on your face I suspect that it is no laughing matter... What say you, Link? Ah. Have you come for some serious instruction in the way of the sword?"

The old swordsman sensed the stirrings of a dormant destiny.

(Link answers yes, sir.)

"Very good! Link, your first lesson shall be the horizontal slice! Face me and press B. Do not fear for my safety... I am ready for you."

Orca's grizzled frame moved with practiced grace, as Link's blade met the air.

(Link performs the horizontal slice.)

Good! ...Keep coming at me until you hear me say very good!

The dance of combat unfolded, a passing of knowledge from generation to generation.

(Link continues hitting B.)

Orca's voice, a steady cadence, guided Link through the basics of the blade.

"Very good. Next is the vertical slice! Hold L to target me, then press B! Keep swinging!"

The rhythmic clash of steel filled the air as Link embraced the teachings of the sword.

(Link continues the technique.)

"Very good! Next is the thrust! L-target, then tilt the directional pad up and press B. Come at me! Thrust with your sword! Very good! Keep thrusting!"

The echoes of the past reverberated through each practiced maneuver.

(Link continues thrusting.)

"Next is the spin attack. Hold B briefly to build up your strength, then release it (or rotate joystick once and press B.) Very good! More! Keep it up!"

Orca's encouragement blended with the sound of blades whirling in the air.

Orca: "Next is harder! This is a parry attack. L-target until you see A, then quickly press A to perform a defensive strike."

(Link performs the parry.)

Orca: "Very good! And again! L-target and watch closely for A!"

The dance of combat escalated, a test of skill and intuition.

Orca: "Very good! Now finally the jump attack! Draw your sword, L-target, and press A!"

(Link performs the jump attack.)

Orca: "Come at me once more!"

The training, a journey of muscle memory and martial grace, drew to a close.

Orca: "That was a fine display! And yet... I sense a certain anxiousness of the sword you hold... an eagerness that goes far beyond the mere desire to be wielded on the fields of battle... I do not know what has happened... But I have faith in you. Somehow, I doubt you will misuse that sword... You may have it, Link. I give it freely. Take the blade with you..."

Narration: You accepted the Hero's Sword! Wield it with B. Use it wisely and carefully... You don't want to let down the kind old man who has entrusted it to you.

Orca: "Since the olden days, this sword has been used to fend off evil... Its blade is infused with the desire to become strong and righteous. Be strong, Link."

A silent acknowledgment passed between mentor and pupil, the weight of destiny resting upon a young set of shoulders.

In the heart of the mystical Forest of Fairies, a chance encounter awaited Link.

(Link sees Tetra hanging on a tree branch.)

(Link sees a pirate ship firing cannonballs.)

(A cannonball hits the bird.)

(The bird drops the girl into the Forest of Fairies.)

Tetra: "OWWWCH! Wow. What's with that get-up? Well, whatever. So, where am I...? Oh, that's right! That giant bird came and..."

(Gonzo enters Forest of Fairies.)

Gonzo: "Miss! Miss Tetra!"

Gonzo: "Oh! Oh, thank... Thank goodness! You're safe! When I saw you get dropped on this summit, I thought for sure you'd..."

Tetra: "Summit? So that bird dropped me off on the top of a mountain? Well, wasn't that nice of it! Well, don't just stand there! Let's go! Time to repay our debt to that bird in full!"

Gonzo: "But Miss... What about this boy?"

Tetra: "Don't worry about him. Come on!"

(Link leaves the Forest of Fairies.)

Aryll: "'Hoy! Big Brother!"

(Aryll waves.)

(Link waves back.)

(Aryll starts to cross the bridge.)

(The bird swoops down and grabs her.)

Aryll: "Brother!"

(Link starts to run after her and falls off the cliff.)

(Tetra grabs Link's hand.)

Tetra: "Uhnn! Stupid kid! Get ahold of yourself! She's gone! There's nothing you can do."

(The bird flies away.)

(On the beach of Outset Island.)

Tetra: "What!? You want to come with us on our ship?"

(Link nods head.)

Tetra: "Do you understand what you're asking? We're pirates! You know... PIRATES! The terror of the seas! What do we get out of bringing some helpless little kid along with us? I'll tell what we get... a headache! I know how you must feel with your sister having been kidnapped and all... But that doesn't really have anything to do with us, does it?"

(Quill enters.)

Quill: "And how do you figure that...?"

Gonzo: "Whoa whoa, whoa there! Just who are you?! Where do you get off butting in on someone else's conversation?!"

Quill: "Please! All I mean to say is that if you big, bad pirates hadn't come to this quiet little island... That poor girl wouldn't have been snatched by that bird."

Tetra: "..."

Quill: "Just be quiet for a moment, and I'll tell you! Now, as my work entails delivering letters, I spend much of my time traveling amongst the many different islands. As a result, I hear many things... Haven't any of you heard word that young girls have been getting kidnapped lately from all regions of the Great Sea? No matter. Whether you've heard it or not, that seems to be the case. Young girls with long ears like yours have been getting kidnapped never to be seen again. And unless my eyes fail me, that young girl who was just kidnapped from this island also has long ears, does she not? Much like YOU do Miss Fearsome Pirate. My point is that the bird mistook that poor girl for you, and that's why it grabbed her."

Tetra: "..."

Quill: "And correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe it was young Link here who saved you from the monsters in the forest, wasn't it?!"

Tetra: "...Is this true?"

Quill: "Oh! And while I'm at it... I may as well tell you that the bird that kidnapped both you and Link's sister has made its foul nest to the north on the heights of the Forsaken Fortress."

Tetra: "The Forsaken Fortress?! Isn't that the place where..."

Quill: "So, what are you going to do? Under the circumstances, I don't think it would be unreasonable for you to give Link a little help, now, would it?"

Tetra: "Hmph... I don't need you to tell me that! Even if I were to consider it... Lately, I've heard nothing but evil rumors about this Forsaken Fortress. You can't possibly mean to go there with nothing but that cheap little sword! That's not brave! It's stupid! I mean, come on! Even a simple little island like this has to have something you could use as a shield. You know, something to protect yourself with. Anything? Tell you what. If you come back with something like that, we'll let you stow away on our ship. Oh, and one more thing: once we leave, you won't be coming back here for a while, so you'd better go say goodbye to your family while you have the chance. I don't want you getting all weepy-eyed and homesick on me!"

In the dimly lit upper chamber of Grandma's humble abode on Outset Island, a sense of urgency befell young Link. The Hero's Shield, a revered artifact of times long past, was nowhere to be found. As the boy descended the creaking stairs, a mixture of trepidation and determination gripped his heart.

"Link... Is this what you're looking for?" Grandma's voice, tinged with concern, called out as she presented the aged but storied shield. The Hero's Shield, whispered to have once defended a legendary hero, now rested in the hands of a new bearer.

Narration: You've got the Hero's Shield! This is the legendary shield said to have been used by the legendary hero himself. Hold R to defend yourself. You can also hold R to defend while L-targeting.

Grandma, with a heavy heart, acknowledged the harsh reality that enveloped the island. "I guess it is true. Aryll really has been kidnapped... Hasn't she? What kind of monster would take such a sweet, young child?"

On the sun-kissed shores, where the salty breeze carried tales of adventure, Tetra, the spirited pirate captain, eyed the weathered shield with skepticism. "Wow, that's a decrepit old shield... Are you sure you can still use that thing? Are you going to get splinters and cry?"

Undeterred, Link, with a resolute nod, affirmed his readiness. "If you're ready, then let's go! Are you ready?"

(Link says yes.)

The pirate ship, propelled by the rhythmic pulse of the sea, set sail from Outset Island, leaving behind the familiar faces and comforting words of the townspeople.

Townspeople: Good luck, Link! Good luck finding Aryll! Take care of yourself!

As Link waved back to the well-wishers, his grandmother stood on the shore, her gaze fixed on the departing vessel, a mix of worry and hope etched on her weathered face.

(Link waves to Grandma.)

Tetra, ever pragmatic, voiced her impatience. "Ugh... How much longer is this going to go on, do you think? Do you have an estimate? Are you sure you shouldn't just quit right now? Seriously, think about it. I can tell you're just going to get more sentimental from here on out. There's still time, you know... Are you sure we shouldn't just turn around and take you back to your island?"

In response, Link cast a wistful glance back at Outset Island, a place of innocence and familiarity, now fading into the horizon.