Goron City was a massive cave that had been dug into Death Mountain by skilled Goron diggers countless years ago. The middle was a massive shaft, with numerous slopes and corridors adjoining to its walls, heading down to its bottom. At the bottom stood an impressive monument, looking like a giant stone vase with various Goron faces etched on its surface. The entrances to the elder's chamber and the Goron shop were also at the bottom of the shaft.
Ukyo was surprised how friendly all the Gorons were when she and Ryoga entered the city, every single one of them seemed to have a playful smile etched on their faces.
Another interesting fact was that she couldn't see too many female Gorons, so that raised several questions...
But, as she was 'adopted' by the Kokiri (a tribe that has always been kinda naive about the reproduction of the 'bigger' species'), she didn't think too much about it.
"Do they have some Deku Seeds in the shop?" Ukyo asked. "My slingshot could need some ammunition..."
"Sorry," Ryoga shook his head. "The only plant-based wares that MIGHT be available are Deku Sticks... and they will probably much more expensive from what you're used to. I told you, there aren't many plants up here. The only things we can use to produce some goods are rocks, metal ore, bomb flowers and various enemy hides. For example, our Bomb Bags are made of Dodongo stomachs."
"Well, perhaps I'll buy one..." Ukyo sighed. This was indeed a totally different world... "But first, let's visit your elder... you said he has the Spiritual Stone, right?"
"Yeah, the Goron Ruby," Ryoga replied. "As with the Zora Sapphire, the royal family of Hyrule has entrusted this gem to one of their allied races, so they should watch over it."
"And... do you think this Darunia will be willing to just give it to us?" Tatl asked.
Ryoga scratched his head. "Well... he can be stubborn at times, but which Goron isn't? He has a soft spot inside that hard body, but sometimes, it's hard to see. Let's just hope he's in good moods..."
"CURSES AND DAMNATION, CAN'T YOU DO ANYTHING RIGHT?" a bellowing voice echoed up from the bottom of the shaft. "NOW WHOSE IDEA WAS IT TO BLOCK THE PORTAL TO THE LOST WOODS WITH BOULDERS?"
Ryoga sighed. "And that would be him..."
Ukyo grimaced. "Doesn't sound like he's in a good mood, huh?"
----
They went down to the door of Darunia's chamber... and found it locked. Ryoga shrugged and pounded against the massive stone door with his fists. "Yo, Darunia! It's me, Ryoga! Can I come in? I brought a delegate from the princess."
"So, you're finally home for once?" the gruff reply came from behind the door. "Took you long enough, you rolling stone. And if whoever you brought with you is really an emissary, he or she better prove it. Because I'm fed up with talking to beggars and peddlers who always come to me."
Ukyo grimaced. "Now what? I can't show him the letter through this thick door, and I really can't play as good as Link, so the song's out of the question, too... Besides, I don't even have an instrument."
"Don't worry," Ryoga smirked. "Leave it to me." And from out of his backpack, he produced a small drum.
"Now, how did this song go again...?" he murmured, and then began hitting the drum with his hands.
Darunia seemed to listen. "Well, that certainly sounds like the royal family's song... All right, you can enter! But you two better not waste my time, got it?"
Ryoga grinned. "See? You can leave everything to me."
Ukyo was impressed. "I didn't know Gorons would know how to play music..." she muttered under her breath. "But, for someone who only plays a small drum, Ryoga really knows what he's doing."
The heavy stone door slid aside, and the two of them entered the cave chamber of the Goron leader.
Darunia was a big, powerful Goron with a scrubby beard. Like most Gorons, he didn't wear any clothes, and some strange tattoos looking like pawprints were visible on his upper arms.
He stared down at Ukyo with an angry glare. "A child??" he instantly bellowed. "Oh, for the love of... Ryoga, when I heard the song, I thought you brought me some strong warrior who can finally get rid of our problem. And now everything I see is a little girl? Curses and damnation!!"
"Hey, hey, calm down, big one!" Ryoga tried to compose his chief. "Yeah, she is a girl... and what of it? She's a stronger fighter than most of the Gorons I've seen, except for you and me. You wouldn't believe how many Tektites she bashed up with that giant spatula of hers."
"A cooking utensil as a weapon?" the Goron leader huffed. "That's the silliest thing I've ever heard in my life. So, and this little thing is supposed to be an emissary of Princess Zelda? Hah! Hah! Hah! Don't make me laugh!"
Ukyo slowly started to lose her patience. "Now wait just a second," she snapped. "I might be smaller than most of you rock-dwellers, but at least I know how to behave myself. I came on behalf of the princess to ask you for the Goron's Ruby, and everything I hear are insults."
Darunia rubbed his chin. "You know what, girl? I like your guts. The Goron Ruby, eh? Well, I suppose there's a good reason you wanna have it, but I can't just give it to anyone, you know?"
He began pacing up and down his room. "You wanna know why I've got such a bad mood? I'll tell ya: The entrance to Dodongo's Cavern is blocked, my people are starving and some fools blocked the portal leading to the Lost Woods with boulders. In addition, I'm worried about my bumbling little protege and can't sleep because I don't know whenever he will come back."
Ryoga groaned. That, he didn't need to hear...
Then, he frowned. "What do you mean? Dodongo's Cavern is blocked? Since when? And why didn't you open it?"
"You mean you didn't know?" Darunia asked in surprise. "You should have noticed when you came past the entrance on your way up here. It's not like the big boulder is easy to miss..."
Ryoga thought about it. "Well, now that I think about it, that area looked pretty familiar..."
"And besides, I already gave the order to blast it open. But our stock on bombs is too low, we can't waste them on blasting this rock when we can do the same with some bomb flowers."
"And why didn't you use the bomb flowers, then?" Tatl asked.
"Because those blasted plants always explode before we can get them down there. My boys tried it many times, but just when they're about to reach the blocked cave... BOOM! To make matters worse, the ancient Dodongo dinosaur tribe that was supposed to be extinct suddenly appeared within the cave. Even if we were to find a way to remove the boulder, we still would have to get rid of those infernal reptiles first."
He sighed. "I don't know what to do anymore... If we don't find a solution quickly, our people will starve. You know, the most tasty rock sirloin lodes are within that cave, and if we Gorons don't eat some of it regularly, our armored backsides will turn soft and unprotected, and at the same time, we will slowly starve... while we can eat any type of rock, we need the precious nutrients from the rock sirloin, every now and then..."
Ukyo thought about it. That really sounded like a big problem... Perhaps she should act like the Great Deku Tree Had taught the Kokiri: 'Help others, and they might help you.'
"Okay," she finally nodded. "Here's my suggestion: I'm gonna find a way to get rid of that rock, go in there and kick some Dodongo butt. If I manage to drive them out of there, you'll give us the Goron's Ruby, okay?"
Darunia smirked. "I don't know how you wanna do that, girl, but I can only say it again: I like your spunk. All right, it's a deal, then. And to help you, I'll give you this..."
He went to one of his tables and took a small bracelet from it. On its surface, Ukyo could see the very same emblem that adorned the Goron's upper arms: A pawprint.
"With this bracelet, even a tiny squirt like you can pick up bomb flowers... this should help you. And Ryoga... you'll go with her, right?"
"You bet I will!" the young Goron grinned.
Darunia nodded in satisfaction. "Well then... I'll leave it to you. Good luck, and come back in one piece, you hear me?"
Ukyo held up the bracelet against the light to inspect it closely.
"Da-da-da-dunnn..." Tatl exclaimed. "You got the Goron's Bracelet. With it, you can pick up heavy stuff like bomb flowers."
Ukyo threw her fairy companion a sidewards glance. "Now why did you just say that?"
Tatl shrugged. "Dunno... I just felt like it."
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(Posted Sat, 16 Dec 2006 14:34)
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