With a grunt, the tall, muscular man put down the wooden crates next to the door.
"There you go, Mrs. Tendo, the milk you ordered, and Malon gives you her regards."
Impa nodded. "Thanks, Taro! Good to see that the Lonlon Ranch finally delivers again. That Ingo never delivered any milk anywhere."
Taro laughed. "That's true, he could never take care of the ranch such as Malon and her father can. By the way, Malon remembers that a few years ago, a young Sheikah child was visiting her ranch... it couldn't possibly one of your daughters?"
Impa smiled. "That must have been Akane."
"I thought so. Well, then tell Akane that Malon would like to meet her again some time."
"Will do, Taro! And thank you for delivering the milk! You really must be a big help for Malon."
"Hey, I'm just doing my job!" he said bashfully. "Well then, until next time!" And he turned around to leave.
"I hope he'll be okay," Kasumi said in a worried tone of voice as she stepped out of the house and next to her mother. "The plains are filled with evil spirits and monsters these days..."
"I'm sure he'll be fine!" Impa said. "He's a headstrong young man with a good amount of muscles to tough it out. Where's Akane?"
"Oh, I think she and Nabiki went to see if the ghosts at the graveyard are still restless."
"Well, I know they can take care of a few Poes... it was I who trained them in our ways, after all. I just hope the reports of that 'peeping spirit' are just rumors..."
"Mother, I meant to ask you something..."
Impa looked at her oldest daughter. "What is it, dear?"
"Well, I am kind of worried... it has been a long time since..." She lowered her voice. "You-know-who has left for the forest."
Impa frowned. She then waved Kasumi inside and closed the door. "It HAS been some time since we heard of Sheik..." she admitted.
"Shouldn't... shouldn't we go and see if she's all right?"
But the Sheikah matron shook her head. "No, Kasumi! She has chosen to take this path, and she chose to take it alone. We can support her and give her a place to stay every time she returns to Kakariko, but I won't go against the wishes of the prin... of Sheik! I won't say I'm not worried, but she gave us the task to care for the villagers, and that's an important job, too."
"You are right, mother," Kasumi sighed. "Oh my, I just hope she'll be back for dinner... I wanted to make some cookies."
Her mother smirked. "So that's why you needed that much milk?"
A lone figure was sitting atop a spire that was jutting out of the flowing river.
Sheik was deep in thought. "Kodachi..." she murmured. "After all those years... and I thought you have been killed in the assault on the castle..." She grimaced underneath her mask. "But... this fate... why? Why did she choose to be one of Ganondorf's pawns? Where did she get those powers from? And her skin... Whatever did they do to you, Kodachi?"
She knew she had more important things to do than just sitting around here and brood, but everyone who has been worried for a sibling once knew how she felt at this moment.
She didn't even notice when a lone swimmer was approaching the rock she was sitting on. She only got pulled out of her brooding when a clear voice called up to her: "Hey! You'll catch a cold if you keep sitting up there!"
Sheik was surprised, but as she was trained in the ways of the Sheikah, she hid it well. She looked down and saw a Zora girl swimming down there, in the water. No... make that a young woman.
"I'm not too cold," she insisted. "These clothes keep me pretty warm." But just then, she had to sneeze.
The Zora smirked up at her. "Yeah, I can see that! I mean, even the water is much colder than it used to be. It's strange, though... It has never been this cold around here before, not in spring, at least..."
Sheik sniffed. She was occupied with her worries, so she hadn't really noticed... but the Zora girl was right, it was pretty cold.
She jumped down and landed next to the river's edge. "I suppose I should do some training to warm up again..."
Ruto had witnessed the stranger's acrobatic leap with awe. "Wow, you are pretty limber... Say, aren't you a Sheikah? I met a girl once who wore similar clothes..."
Surprised, Sheik turned around and nodded. "That's right! My name is Sheik."
"I am Ruto! But say, can't we talk somewhere where it's warmer? Zora's Domain is close by... My Mom makes some nice tea, so why don't you come along and stay for a while?"
Sheik thought about that. She still was searching for clues on the other Sages' identities... but the thought of a warm cup of tea was very tempting, so...
"I guess I have some time..."
Ruto smiled. "Great! Come on, it's this way!"
Sheik followed the elegant Zora girl as she swam upstream. A chilly breeze blew through the river's valley and made her sneeze again.
"It's so cold here..." she murmured. "I wonder..."
Ranma wiped his brows. "Man..." he groaned. "It's so hot in here! I seriously wonder how you Gorons put up with it..."
Ryoga, who didn't seem to be bothered with the searing heat at all, just shrugged. "I think we're just used to it..."
Ranma frowned. "Oh, and it's not because of your thick skin?"
"Oh yeah, that too..."
Ranma sighed and looked up at the entrance in front of them. It was a stone building, embedded in the rock walls of Death Crater, surrounded by the volcano's lava. It was incredibly hot in here, and the gases that rose up from the bottom of the crater were making it hard to breathe. A normal Hylian would have never been able to withstand such circumstances...
But years of training with his father had turned Ranma into a man who was able to endure the utmost conditions, the freezing chill of the coldest winter, the thin air of the highest peaks and the searing heat of the hottest volcano in all of Hyrule: Death Mountain.
He knew his Zora form wasn't as resistant against temperatures like he usually was. So he was glad that it was practically impossible to get splashed with cold water in here... The high temperatures in here would instantly vaporize any cool liquids brought in here.
Ranma suddenly realized how thirsty he was and groaned. "Okay, let's get this over with, I want to get out of here as fast as I can..."
Ryoga looked at him grimly. "We won't leave until every single one of my people has been freed... including sensei! You got that?"
"Yeah, okay, okay... Sheesh man, chill out..."
"We're in the middle of a volcano, Ranma, so don't you tell me to 'chill out'! If we don't hurry, that monster is going to kill everyone, don't you see?"
"Yeah, okay, sorry 'bout that..." Ranma murmured. He really didn't mean it like that...
A roar coming from the inside of the temple made both of them jerk around in surprise.
"Whoah, wh-what was that?" Ranma stuttered in surprise.
Ryoga grimaced. "What do you think, you moron? It was the creature Ganondorf rose from the dead... Volvagia!"
He started running at the temple entrance. "Come on, we have to hurry!"
Ranma followed his friend and rival, but just as they were going to enter the temple, something came flying down in front of them and blocked their way.
"I'm afraid I can't let you pass," a raspy voice said. "Lord Ganondorf doesn't like it when anyone interferes with his plans."
Ranma snarled when he recognized the wrinkled hag that was sitting on top of her broomstick. The red jewel in the middle of her turban was gleaming in the red glow of the searing magma below them...
"You..."
Elder Koume smirked down at the pig-tailed warrior. "Long time no see, boy! I certainly didn't expect to meet you here. I've been wondering... when was the last time you have been visiting your fishy family? Well, I can say for sure that they'll give you the 'cold shoulder' next time you see them. Bwahahahahahahah!"
"Stop speaking nonsense, granny!" Ryoga grumbled. "And get out of our way! We're here to save my people!"
"I'm afraid your people are going to be Volvagia's lunch today, boy! That'll show everyone what happens to those that oppose the mighty Ganondorf!"
"I will save them!" Ryoga yelled.
Koume grinned. "You'll have to get past me first!"
"No problem!" Ranma grinned right back at her. "Right, Ryoga?"
"Poor unfortunate soul..." the witch cackled. "But let me tell you something about Jusenkyo first, children."
Ranma frowned. Why did the old hag bring that up now? What was she up to?
Koume muttered something and aimed her wrinkly, left palm at Ranma. "You see, for those who are gifted with the dark powers our Lord Ganondorf bestows upon them, it is no big feat to manipulate all kinds of magic. May it be fairy magic or... the curses of Jusenkyo!"
And then a tiny spark of dark magic came flying from her palm and hit Ranma right in the chest.
Ranma gasped when he felt the change that he was so familiar with now... and as he looked down, he could see that he was changing back into Ranko. Without being in contact with cold water.
"Wh-what..." she uttered. "N-no... not now..."
The searing heat of Death Mountain was too much for the young Zora. Her blue skin was drying out at an alarming rate, and she collapsed under the immense temperatures.
"Ranma!" Ryoga shouted in alarm. "You... you witch!" He angrily snarled at the Gerudo.
Kouma laughed with glee. "I wouldn't let her lie around like this, you know? If she stays here, it will be an unpleasant experience... you know that Zoras die when they are exposed to certain temperatures, right?"
Ryoga looked past the Gerudo witch into the temple, where he had heard the undead dragon's roar, and where he knew that his people were waiting for him. He knew he could save them, he just had to get past that witch...
But... what would happen to Ranko? He looked down at the gasping form of the Zora princess and realized he didn't feel any grudge towards her. And he knew she would die in here if he didn't do anything quickly.
"I'll be back," he swore as he scooped up the unconscious girl with his powerful arms. "Just you wait!" And with mighty leaps, he left the witch behind.
Koume could have attacked them from behind. But she let them leave for now. She doubted that they would return. The spell she put on Ranma was easily broken as soon as he changed forms again, but she knew she could cast it again and again, every time he would come back. And she doubted that Ryoga would be a threat for her if he came all by himself... or even for the undead beast!
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(Posted Thu, 16 Aug 2007 11:15)
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