"I don't get it, Ukyo..." Link murmured while he rode across the plains. "Why was Malon so upset?"
Ukyo, who was sitting behind him, for once, sighed. "Link, I think it was obvious. I mean, both of us didn't have the time to grow up like they did, granted, but even I know why boys and girls like each other."
Link scratched his head. "Uh... because they're good friends?"
Ukyo clonked him on the head with one of her smaller spatulas. "Try again, silly."
Link rubbed his head. "What did you do that for? I mean, what else is there...?"
Ukyo groaned. "Listen, let me spell it out for you: Malon-is-in-LOVE-with-you!"
The swordsman blinked. "Love? As in, like a sibling?"
Navi had heard enough. She flew in front of Link's face, looked at him sternly and shouted: "It means she thinks you are the one for her! The one she wants to spend her life with! The one she wants to MARRY! The one she wants to have children with! The one I could never be..."
She slapped her hands in front of her little mouth. "Oh dear..." she whispered. "I d-didn't mean it like that, Link, I... I... oh no, no..." She hovered backwards. "S-s-sorry about this, Link..."
Tatl whistled. "Man, who knew you'd have the guts to finally spit it out," she said.
"N-navi?" Ukyo stammered. "Is that true?"
"Oh, Farore, what have I done?" Navi whispered. "Sorry... I'm so sorry... forgive me, Link!" She turned around and flew away, in the opposite direction of where they were heading.
"Navi! Hey, Navi!" Ukyo shouted. "Dangit, Link, turn this horse around..."
"It's okay," Tatl said calmly. "I guess she just needs a bit time to think." Ukyo was surprised to hear how mature her spunky friend sounded. "What, are you surprised that I can be reasonable as well? I've known Navi for a much longer time than either of you. I've noticed a long time that she had a crush on Link."
"But... but she's a fairy," Ukyo murmured.
"So what?" Tatl glared. "We have feelings too, you know? And I really don't blame her, Link's a pretty hunky boy... just not too bright!"
"Malon... and Navi... love me... like THAT?" Link finally blurted out. "But... but... we're not even adults yet... I mean..."
"Look at yourself!" Tatl grumbled. "That's not exactly the body of a kid, isn't it? Remember that SEVEN years have passed ever since you first touched the Master Sword. Seven years! Enough time for Malon to grow up. In case you haven't noticed: She turned out to be a damn fine woman, and I say that as a girl. So did Ruto, for that matter, and as for Navi and Saria, well... they always have been pretty mature for their age."
"Navi... Malon... Ruto... Saria... all of them?" Link stuttered. "But... but I'm just... I can't..."
And then, Link promptly fell off Epona's back, that's how baffled he was.
Ukyo sighed and jumped off as well. "Get a hold of yourself, lover-boy!" she frowned and pulled him back to his feet. "So a couple of girls likes you, so what? Count yourself lucky! I mean, you are a pretty handsome man and I..."
Link glared at her. "Ukyo! Don't tell me... you TOO?"
"What? NO!" she shouted. "You've been my best friend for years. You've been like a brother to me. I like you, but not like THAT. As for Malon... I really think there was a huge misunderstanding between the two of you."
"I guess you're right..." Link muttered and looked back where they had left LonLon Ranch. "I have to talk to her the next time we meet... but... Navi..."
"She'll get over it," Tatl said. "If there's one thing Navi will never be, it's resentful. She will be back in no time, trust me!"
"Yeah... we should try and concentrate on the task at hand," Ukyo said. "If we don't hurry, who knows what the demon will do to Kakariko..."
Link nodded. Sadly, he looked one last time into the direction Navi had vanished in, then he climbed back on Epona's back and they continued on their way.
They were just a tad bit too late.
After having left Ganondorf's Castle, Bongo Bongo had decided to let the frightened villagers squirm a little, so they would be even more nervous when he attacked. To kill some time, he had smashed a few (abandoned) houses in the ruined Hyrule Town and squashed a few ReDeads he came across. After a couple of hours, he was getting bored and decided that the villagers had waited long enough.
He arrived at Kakariko one hour before Ranma and Ukyo did.
When the two green-clad warriors arrived, they were shocked to find half of the village's houses set aflame. Villagers were forming chains to pass buckets of waters from the nearby river to the burning buildings. The few soldiers that were left to protect Kakariko were unconsciously lying around on the ground.
And a familiar figure wrapped in ribbons was standing in front of the old well.
Link and Ukyo jumped off Epona's back and ran up to the Sheikah. "Sheik!" Link shouted. "What happened?"
"Get back, Link!" Sheik told him. He sounded pretty agitated.
Link drew his blade and Ukyo took her battle spatula. A cold shiver ran down the young chef's spine. Something was out there...
Suddenly, Sheik's body got pulled up into the air by an invisible force!
"Eenie meenie minie moe, catch a Sheikah by the toe..." a deep voice chuckled.
"What? Who's there?" Link shouted. "Let go of him! Sheik!"
He slashed through the seemingly empty air in front of him. UKyo gasped. "Link, be careful!"
A deep rumbling was heard. "Fine, you can have the little appetizer... he's way too scrawny for my taste anyway!" With a sudden yank, Sheik was flung through the air and landed on the ground behind Ukyo.
"Sheik!" Ukyo said and knelt down next to him. "Are you all right?"
Link raised his shield. "I'm warning you, leave this village alone!"
"Oooooh, so you think you're a hero?" the dark voice grumbled. "I've seen more courageous warriors than you, boy... and more stupid ones as well!"
Suddenly, Link could see the dark shadow that was creeping along the floor. It moved back from him, crawled up the hills that surrounded the village, came back down again and approached Sheik and Ukyo from behind.
"Ukyo!" Link shouted and ran in front off them. He raised his shield and blade to welcome the monster, and then...
...everything around him became black.
When Link opened his eyes again, he saw how Sheik, Ukyo and Nabiki were looking down at him.
"Looks like he's coming around," Sheik commented.
Link sat up and rubbed his head. "Man... what happened?"
"You got beat up, that happened!" Ukyo frowned. "Link, you dummy... do you always have to put yourself in danger to protect your friends? I can take care of myself, you know?"
"I doubt that would be enough for this opponent..." Nabiki grumbled. Then she turned her head around and shouted: "Yo, sis, bring some red potion, will ya?"
"Coming, Nabiki," the voice of Kasumi called.
"I almost had that thing, you know?" Link grumbled. "What was it, anyways?"
"The evil shadow beast that Impa had trapped underneath the well years ago..." Sheik explained. "But, unfortunately, it broke free, because of... certain circumstances."
"The circumstances he's talking about is normally wearing an armor that's heavier than Ryoga's skull, throws around useless words as well as his morning star, is one of the biggest jerks I know and is called Onox!" Nabiki grumbled.
"Where are Impa and Akane?" Ukyo asked.
"Akane is helping the other villagers with putting out the fires," Nabiki said and gestured over her shoulder. "I believe they already have it under control. As for Mom, she, well..."
"She went to the Shadow Temple to stop the creature," Sheik said. "She wants to seal it up again."
"All by herself?" Link wondered. "Isn't that a bit, I don't know, dangerous?"
"That's what I told her, but she didn't want to listen," Nabiki growled. "Akane and I wanted to help her, but she said we weren't ready for such a battle yet... she wanted us to stay behind and guard the village."
"Why has the demon left the village in the first place?" Tatl wondered.
"That's because Bongo Bongo is one huge egomaniac, and when Mom challenged him to meet her in the Shadow Temple, he just couldn't say no," Nabiki grimaced. "It was a good plan to save the village, I admit, but now who's going to save her?"
Sheik looked to where they all knew the graveyard to be. "You know... Impa is one of the six Sages."
"Say what?" Link gasped.
"You're kidding, right?" Nabiki blurted out. "Mom, a Sage? I mean, she's pretty experienced and sure knows her stuff, but, a Sage... that sounds just like you'd say Ryoga is a Sage."
Ukyo coughed. "Um, well, yeah, about that..."
"I'll go and save her," Link said.
Ukyo stared at him. "I knew it!" she groaned. "I knew you'd say that! Every time someone's in trouble, Link leaps to the rescue! Who are you, Superman?"
"What's so wrong about wanting to help your friends?" Link asked her. "And who in Din's name is Superman?"
Ukyo scratched her head. "I... I dunno... it just crossed my mind..."
Just then, Kasumi and Akane arrived. "Here you go, Link, drink this red potion and you'll feel much better," Kasumi said.
Link smiled at her. "Thanks, Kasumi!" And then he greedily drank the potion.
"You can keep the bottle," Kasumi smiled back.
"The fire is under control," Akane said. "The people are still a bit nervous, but now that Mom lured the demon away, I don't think they are in danger anymore..." She sighed. "All right then, I'm off to help Mom. Anyone wants to come along?"
Ukyo frowned at Link. "Mr. Superhero over there already volunteered," she grumbled. "And since I'm his sidekick, I guess I have no choice but to come along as well..."
Akane grinned. "Hey, that's great! I know you're busy with your search for the Sages and all, but..."
"Actually, Sheik just told us that Mom IS one of the Sages," Nabiki told her younger sister.
Akane blinked. "Say what?"
Kasumi smiled. "Oh, that's nice! I hope mother will get along with the other Sages, though..."
The youngest of the Sheikah sisters shook her head. "You know what? I don't think anything will surprise me anymore. Still, I'm going. Sage or not, she can't beat that thing all by herself."
Kasumi frowned. "But mother clearly told us to stay in the village, Akane-chan," she scolded.
"So? I'm still going! And since Link and Ukyo already volunteered, that makes three. Nabiki, what about you?"
"Sorry, but I have to pass this one, sis," Nabiki said. "This village needs at least ONE capable fighter to protect it. What if Onox decides to pay us another visit while we are all busy hunting Bongo Bongo?"
"I guess you're right," Akane nodded. "Well then, Ukyo, Link... shall we go?"
Link uncertainly looked back at the village's entrance. "And what about Navi?"
"What about her?" Akane asked. "Hey, where is she, anyways?"
"I told you she'll be fine," Tatl said. "She knows where we wanted to go, so she'll be here in no time. So let's go already!"
"Yes, but... this is the first time I entered a dungeon without Navi..." Link muttered. "It's just not the same without her, you know...?"
"Just imagine I'm Navi, okay?" Tatl groaned. "I can paint myself blue, if you like. I can even imitate her voice: 'Hey! Listen! Look! Watch out!' Is that enough?"
Ukyo chuckled. "You are horrible at that, you know?"
"Nobody asked for your opinion!" Tatl grumbled.
A faint smirk appeared on Link's face. "Well, at least I still have you guys. Okay, I think I'm ready."
"There is an entrance to the Shadow Temple beneath the graveyard," Sheik said. "The only thing I can do for you is to teach you the melody that will lead you to the temple..."
"Do we really need that?" Akane sighed. "I can reach the temple without any music."
"Not everyone can jump up walls like a Sheikah, Akane," Nabiki reminded her sister.
Sheik raised her harp. "This is the melody that will draw you into the infinite darkness that absorbs even time. Listen to this, the Nocturne of Shadow!"
Link took the Ocarina of Time, and once again, followed after SheikÄs tune.
When Sheik lowered his harp, she said: "You know... you won't be able to defeat Bongo Bongo as you are."
"Say what?" Ukyo gasped. "Now he's telling us..."
"But... what about Mom?" Akane asked.
"Your mother was able to defeat the demon because of a certain artifact she had in her possession back when they fought for the first time. You will have to retrieve it before you go and confront the beast. It is called the Lens of Truth."
"Fine, and where do we find that?" Ukyo sighed.
Sheik gestured at the well. "Down there."
Akane rolled her eyes. "Hello? The tunnels in there have collapsed after Onox smashed things up, remember?"
"Yes... that's the reason why you have to travel through time to retrieve it..."
"Ah, if that is all... and just how exactly do we do that?" Akane sighed.
Sheik looked at Link. "When you drew the Master Sword, it sealed your body for seven years... if you now put the blade back into the Pedestal of Time, it will allow you to travel back in time, seven years, to be exact. And everyone that stand near you will be brought along... now, let me teach you another song, one that brings you back to the Temple of Time, in times when you're short of time and have to return there quickly. This song is called... the Prelude of Light."
"Enough with the songs already..." Tatl grumbled.
Link ignored her, raised his ocarina to his lips and played after Sheik.
"So, that means we have to travel back in time to retrieve the Lens of Truth, come back here, and go into the Shadow Temple, where we use them to defeat Bongo Bongo, right?" Ukyo asked. "Sounds like a stupid plan to me... but my opinion doesn't count, right? So let's get it over with already!"
"Wait a minute... do we even have the time for this?" Akane asked. "I mean, Mom could be fighting the demon right now."
"That's why I taught Link the Prelude of Light and the Nocturne of Shadows," Sheik said. "You can all quickly travel to the Temple of Time and back to the graveyard with them. And when you return from the past, no time will have passed here."
"Akane, if that is mother's only chance, you should do it," Kasumi said.
"Well, I'm willing to go," Link said. "Are you all ready?"
"Fine..." Ukyo sighed. "Even though I always get motion sickness from those teleports..."
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(Posted Wed, 21 May 2008 11:29)
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