Chapter 2: A Link to History

Ash and Pikachu were in a new land as they joined a young blond man with pointy ears that wasn't talking much. They rode on horseback to a new land ahead. "I wonder if he's keeping us safe," Ash assumed.

("Maybe…") pondered Pikachu. The blond brought out a brown device that displayed a map. He became a little frustrated.

"Is that your map?" The blond offered it to Ash who saw the map as missing areas. Ash blinked to it while seeing other places. He swiped his finger where he saw more map. "Oh, this is interesting. So, does the map already have places you've been before?" The blond nodded.

("That makes sense.") Looking at the map some more, Ash suspected his destination was not yet discovered.

"So, this part that's missing is where you're going next." The blond nodded again.

("At least he understands us.") Suddenly, the blond pointed ahead to a large circus-like tent with a large fake horse's head on top.

"That's where we're going?" The blond guided the horse to the tent where a brunette with his hair weighed down and wearing white clothing emerged, carrying a large pile of bags.

"LINK!" he called. "EPONA! YOU MADE IT!" The blond waived the brunette over. Ash blinked to the names and turned to the blond.

"Link?" he repeated. "That's your name?" One more nod came from the blond. The brunette seemed surprised to see Ash.

"Oh, did you join Link recently?" he asked.

"Not like Pikachu and I had a choice," Ash admitted.

"What do you mean?" the brunette wondered. "And…" That's when the brunette saw Pikachu on Link's shoulder. "Oh, I apologize. I was so focused on seeing one of my favorite customers, I didn't see you. Please forgive me."

("It's all good,") Pikachu allowed. The brunette turned back to Ash, noticing his ears.

"Wow!" he awed. "Are you human? We don't see many humans in Hyrule!" Ash and Pikachu blinked to the name of the place.

"Hyrule?" repeated Ash. He quickly remembered the map Link offered to show and a name that was far from their location. "That's what the castle's name is pronounced?" Link nodded to the identity. Ash turned back to the brunette. "That's weird that you don't see many humans. Are you saying that you're not humans yourselves?"

"Well, no," the brunette shrugged. "We're Hylians. I'm Beedle. I'm a traveling salesman. I've helped Link a lot, especially with supplying him." Ash and Pikachu blinked more to Beedle's information. "I wish I can tell you more, but it's best that we reach the stable as the sun's about to set… and the air is cooled. Getting through the Gerudo Desert is tough."

"Yeah, good idea," Ash accepted. They reached the tent and some of the Hylians there were in awe at the horse.

"It's Epona!" one young man cheered.

"She's here!" a woman cheered. Others welcomed the new arrivals as Ash dismounted Epona. A Hylian dark redhead man in a stripe circus tent-like hat and suit with an ascot greeted Link, Ash and Pikachu.

"Welcome to the Gerudo Canyon Stables," he greeted. "I'm Piaffe. Are you here to register your steed?" Reaching Piaffe's desk, Link wrote his information and added Epona's name to it. Seeing the name, Piaffe gasped. "Epona!? Not the legendary horse!" Link shrugged his shoulders. "I mean, that's fine that it's your horse. Still… Epona…" Checking the signature, Piaffe nodded. "Alright, Epona's safe with us. It's probably better that she's here and not going through the Gerudo Desert. I can't see a horse going through the intense increase and decrease of the desert's weather." He turned to Ash next, wanting to know about him. "And you, young man?" Ash and Pikachu approached Piaffe.

"I don't have anything," Ash answered.

"No, but you can stay the night before you and Link journey into the desert," Piaffe suggested. "You can sign here." Ash signed his name. "Thank you…"

"No problem," Ash returned. He and Pikachu walked around the stable, seeing a brown dog with white fur around the collar and chest and feet, light brown fur below its eyes. It eyed Ash and Pikachu and barked excitedly. It leaped and tackled Ash while Pikachu leaped down. The dog happily licked Ash's face, covering it with the saliva. Tickled, Ash laughed to the dog's excited greeting.

"Looks like the Retriever likes you!" a heavily tanned man laughed, looking like a traveler with the brown vest and cargo trousers. The Retriever barked and ran to the new Hylian and off of Ash, allowing him to stand up. With the dog back by his side, the Hylian threw a cloth and helped Ash back on his feet. "She got you good."

"Yeah!" laughed Ash as he wiped his face with the cloth.

"So, I assume you're going to go after Vah Naboris terrorizing the Gerudo Desert?" The name made Ash and Pikachu curious.

"Vah Naboris?" The tanned man realized that Ash and Pikachu weren't from around.

"There's a dark thunder cloud that's been sweeping the Gerudo Desert, near the Kara Kara Bazaar and Gerudo City. Inside is the Divine Beast known as Vah Naboris. No one can get into the cloud, let alone near Vah Naboris."

"Oh, that can be a problem." The tanned man nodded as Piaffe spotted the group.

"Sesami, are you going after one of our guests?" he wondered. The tanned Hylian turned to Piaffe before shaking his head.

"I'm only introducing the land ahead," Sesami tried to reason. Piaffe wasn't convinced.

"Anyway, Link was wondering where his new companions were," he briefed. "He has dinner made." Ash and Pikachu became interested to what Link cooked. They came over to Link who had a few dishes. He waived Ash and Pikachu over to join on small benches. Two of the dishes had cooked salmon on rice over broth and green vegetables. One was a bowl of milky soup with mushrooms inside.

"Looks like he made two plates of Salmon Risotto and a bowl of Cream of Mushroom Soup," a young Hylian woman noticed. Ash turned to the woman.

"Salmon?" he repeated.

"Yeah, using Hearty Salmon in Salmon Risotto," the woman continued. "You'll be a lot livelier when encountering what the Gerudo Desert has in store, including the Lizalfos that roam in the sands." Link lifted the horn from one of the lizards that he killed with an arrow to show Ash.

"Oh, I see," he realized. "So, we need to make sure we're prepared to get through to the Bazaar, whatever that is, before we have an idea on how to go after Vah Naboris."

"Mm-hm!" agreed Link. Once fed, night fell as half of a moon glistened in the darkened sky. Pikachu and the retriever spent a little more time with the horses before Pikachu made his way back to Ash in the stable. He saw Link at the campfire and pot as he began to mix a white jelly ball, a white bat wing, a blue-winged butterfly, a white Lizalfos horn and a white lizard tail together.

("What are you mixing?") the Mouse Pokémon asked. Link grabbed a ladle and stirred the items into a bottle of a blue liquid. He smiled at the result and used the ladle to scoop the liquid.

"Oh, I recognize that," Piaffe awed. "It's a Chilly Elixir. This can help while crossing the desert by day by regulating your temperature and not overheat."

("Oh, a precaution,") Pikachu figured. Link nooded before filling a few bottles. Suddenly, a baked apple popped out of Link's bag. Pikachu caught it, surprised to see an apple baked. Link also noticed, but just watched. He allowed Pikachu to have the baked apple before eating it. The baked apple made Pikachu happy. ("Thanks!") After finishing another batch of Chilly Elixir, Link and Pikachu entered the stable and resigned. Pikachu joined Ash, a little more filled with the baked apple. As they slept, a voice.

"Boy…" a woman's voice echoed. "He who travels with Link." Ash irked while trying to sleep.

Ash and Pikachu woke up in a gray space. "Boy…" the woman voiced again. "Listen to my voice." Ash's and Pikachu's ears perked up. They turned to see a young blond Hylian woman in a white gown and hair down the back. Eyes becoming hearts, Pikachu gawked at the sight of the woman.

"Who are-" started Ash before Pikachu ran to the woman who stood. Pikachu leaped to the woman but passed through her and landed on his face.

("She's not real!?") he cried. The woman looked to Pikachu.

"I can only retain communication for so long," she admitted. "I am Princess Zelda. I'm the heir to the Kingdom of Hyrule." Ash and Pikachu gasped, seeing a princess in front of them. "I am able to put Calamity Ganon on Stasis so that I can warn Link of the upcoming danger." Ash and Pikachu seemed rather confused.

"What do you mean?" asked Ash. "Pikachu and I've only known Link for a little while. We don't know what's going on." Zelda nodded, sensing their confusion.

"Allow me to tell you the tale: 100 years ago, Link was by my side when preparing to fend off the Calamity."

"100 years? You don't look anywhere close to looking like you've lived for 100 years."

"Calamity Ganon has entrapped me in his magic. I don't know myself, but that is neither here or there at this point. I was in charge of finding champions to pilot the four Divine Beasts all over Hyrule. Navigating the Divine Beast of the skies, Vah Medoh, was Revali of the Rito. Possessor of the Divine Beast of the Seas, Vah Ruta, was Mipha of the Zora. Helping the Divine Beast of Flames, Vah Rudania, was Daruk of the Gorons… and guiding the Divine Beast of Storms, Vah Naboris, was Urbosa of the Gerudo." To Ash, Zelda mentioned those of the past.

"That means, the four champions are all gone since this was 100 years ago."

"Correct… and Link was my champion who wielded the Master Sword, the Bane of Evil. However, the Calamity took control of the Guardians, automatons created to protect Hyrule. One by one, my chosen champions fell. They were no match for the Calamity. Link was also gravely wounded, but the Master Sword reacted to his apparent mortal wound. If I sent Link somewhere so that he could heal… we'd have a fighting chance. Some of my remaining guards took Link to the Shrine of Resurrection where he remained in slumber… for 100 years. It also cost him his memories, but I'm sure he'll have recovered them soon. By that time, Hyrule Kingdom had fallen. My father, King Rhoam, was slain… Calamity Ganon still writhes Hyrule by his monsters." Ash and Pikachu felt horrified to Zelda's story.

"Princess, you have no idea how sorry we feel about all of this."

"An apology from you is not necessary, though I do feel comfort from you."

"But do you want me and Pikachu to help Link recover the Divine Beasts? I mean, it's going to take a long time."

"No, Link has already reclaimed Vah Ruta, Vah Rudania and Vah Medoh. Vah Naboris still remains." Suddenly, Zelda began to fade. "I can no longer hold Ganon back. If you are to help Link, heed caution… and beware of the Blood Moon." She soon vanished.

("Zelda!") cried Pikachu. Ash and Pikachu looked on, thinking what they could do.

"I guess… we're going to help Link get back Vah Naboris," Ash believed.

The morning sun rose. Ash and Pikachu woke up before joining Link outside. "What a strange dream," he admitted. Link wondered as he saw and offered a ball-like watermelon to Pikachu. "I had a dream that Zelda was talking to us." Link looked to Ash, stunned.

"Huh?" he gasped.

"Yeah, she mentioned the champions from before," Ash added. "Do you remember them?" The reminder made Link nod. He pulled out his device, but Ash stopped him. "You can show me later. We should get moving soon." Link nodded but offered omelets to Ash. "Oh, right… breakfast." He joined and dined with Link while pondering how to proceed through the desert. After they ate, Link, Ash and Pikachu got to see Sesami once more.

"If you travel southwest, you should come across the Kara Kara Bazaar before you make your way to Gerudo Town," Sesami advised. "But be warned about that cloud."

"Right, Vah Naboris is in there," Ash acknowledged. Sesami nodded before they left the stable. "It does bite that Epona can't join." Link shrugged his shoulders. They proceeded on into the sandy terrain of the desert. 'I could ask about who the champions were, but I'm going to wait until I see a Gerudo.' The temperature began to rise as heat started to bake them. Link offered the Chilly Elixir to Ash and Pikachu.

("That cooling elixir,") Pikachu recognized. Link had one and chugged it down. Ash followed, leaving some for Pikachu.

"That's refreshing!" he awed. That's when Pikachu spotted something in the distance.

("The cloud!") he warned. Ash and Link looked, finding a blackened cloud lighting up from lightning. They realized they're near Vah Naboris.

"That storm cloud…" believed Ash. Link saw it, but could he go in and stop it?

TO BE CONTINUED...