"Why do you want to go to Zora's Domain?" Ranma asked, cautiously.
Akane wanted to reply, then she took a look at Link. The boy from the forest seemed totally be fixated on the young Zora girl that had been talking to that pig-tailed boy previously.
Ruto was estranged. "Do I have something on my face?" she asked taking a step backwards.
Link just continued his staring. "What ARE you?"
'Way to go, Link, that's a nice impression to give to the Zoras,' Akane thought. "Link..." she said to him. "She's a Zora."
Link seemed amazed. "THAT's a Zora? WOW! And here I thought that term 'fish people' you used was just some sort of metaphor."
"You haven't answered my question," Ranma repeated. "What's your business in Zora's Domain?"
He couldn't explain it, but somehow he felt a certain... kinship to his mother's new tribe, even if he was still uncertain of his position. Therefore it was no surprise that he also felt protective of his new sister's home. Hopefully his new curse didn't affect his mind...
"What's it to you?" Akane snapped. She didn't like the tone of that boy. "You are not a Zora, are you?"
"Well, maybe I ain't, but my little sis... Um, I mean, my friend Ruto here just happens to be the PRINCESS of the Zora... so I guess you better explain yourself to her."
'Checkmate,' Akane grumbled under her breath. 'If that girl really is the princess, we better get on her good side.'
"Please, cut that out, Rank... Ranma." Ruto turned around and gave Akane a weak smile. "Sorry about this. Seems my friend doesn't trust strangers. But he's right, I am Princess Ruto, daughter of King Zora."
Akane gave the girl that looked like she was slightly younger than herself a short bow. "I apologize for my rudeness, princess... I am Akane from the Sheikah tribe, and this is my friend Link. We're ambassadors from Castle Hyrule and here with an urgent mission... and a message for King Zora."
"It's all right, you weren't rude at all," Ruto smiled. "I would be honored to escort you to my father's kingdom. Please, come this way... the waters of Zora River welcome you." So she stated the formal welcoming phrase of the Zoras to guests that weren't members of their tribe.
"I thank you," Akane said with another bow. Being raised at a royal court, she certainly knew how to behave in the presence of a princess... even if this young princess somehow seemed to be some sort of a tomboy. She mentally smirked. Maybe the two of them would get along just fine with each other...
When Link and Akane were going to follow the young princess, Ruto turned around and looked at her brother. "Ranma... are you coming, too?"
"Um... later, okay? There's still stuff I wanna think about. Tell Mom I'm coming later, yeah?"
"Okay... see you later then!"
They left the brooding martial artist behind and began to follow the path alongside the banks of Zora River.
"Is he your bodyguard or something?" Akane asked curiously. "Or is there another reason why his mother is staying at Zora's Domain?"
'Uh, gotta be careful now,' Ruto thought. 'Don't wanna spill that the queen of our kingdom is actually a human...' "Um, his mother is an old... acquaintance... of my father. Therefore, she visits the kingdom... quite often. Today was the first time she brought her son, and you could say we instantly became good friends."
Well, that was only half of a lie.
"Ah, now I understand," Akane nodded.
"Still, can he live in your kingdom at all?" Link asked curiously. "I mean, if you are fish, you most likely live under water, right? And he surely isn't able to breathe under water, right?"
'Oh Link...' Akane mentally groaned. 'Shut up, please...'
"We... we aren't just 'fish'," Ruto explained, a little offended. "We are a noble aquatic race that can live under water as well as over the surface. Zora's Domain is a complex of caves dug around the spring of the river, but only one half of the cave is being flooded with water."
"Still, it's kinda amazing," Link said in awe. "I never realized that there is so many water in Hyrule... I would never be able to drink up the whole river all by myself."
Ruto chuckled. Somehow, the blonde boy was funny. Rude and naive, but funny. And cute. "You'd be surprised," she grinned. "Just wait until you visit Lake Hylia... all of the water on Hyrule ends up in there. And there's more than twice as much water as in our kingdom."
"NO WAY!" Link gasped. "There's no way THAT much water exists."
Navi just shook her head. Some day, she just would have to teach young Link the basics of nature and the world...
----
Ranma looked after the threesome consisting of his sister and the two strangers (well, foursome, if you count their fairy). That Sheikah girl really had been rude (not to mention, uncute), but somehow her words did convince him that they weren't here to cause any sort of harm to the Zora.
So, with Ruto gone again and those strangers off his mind, he had time to think a little bit... about himself.
"Who am I?" he murmured and looked at his tan, human hands. "Am I still Ranma Saotome, boy among boys..."
He stepped into the shallow water that was splashing against the riverbank and watched as his skin changed its color to a clear blue, and his hands and arms turned more slender.
"Or am I Ranko, princess of the Zora?" she asked herself. "Or maybe... I am... both?"
She still had to think about that for a little longer.
But first... she still wanted to find out more about this new body. Perhaps that would help her in making the right decision. A little training was in order.
And the best place for that... would be Lake Hylia.
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(Posted Tue, 09 Jan 2007 14:51)
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