Well, it's been a while, and the thread has slipped to the second page. But it's not dead! No, really, it's not. It's just that I have about five projects (more, actually, I think) that I'm working on, and I don't have time for anything. Plus, college and cross country are getting in the way. Either way, I think you'll like Chapter 7: Bombing some Dodongos
Link glared at his opponent, a huge mass of rippling muscles. The creature he faced glared right back. Slowly, Link nodded his head, and the two charged.
He met the creature in a grapple, and immediately realized how difficult this would be. His opponent had incredible power, strength, and grip—not to mention a major weight advantage. Link was struggling just to remain upright.
His hands squeezed tighter around his opponent’s biceps, digging deeper for hidden reserves of strength. How fitting, he thought, that this was his test for the Pendant of Power. It seemed helpless, but he held on, refusing to give up.
That’s when the Pendent of Courage, hanging from around his neck, reacted. It suddenly felt very hot—not a burning or searing heat, but a passionate one. A sort of glow of energy. It filled him with strength, the power expanding proportionate to his courage, and with a cry, he thrust his opponent back.
The Goron tumbled to the ground, falling out of the fighting ring that had been constructed. Above the pleasantly surprised and almost grudging cheers of the other Gorons rose Navi’s enthusiastic yelling.
He shook hands with Dangoro, the Goron he had been his opponent. “You truly are an impressive Hylian,” he said. “If anyone is deserving of the Pendant of Power, it is you.”
Without the heat of battle to distract him, Link could more clearly see why they were often referred to as “rock men.” The Gorons, while relatively similar in appearance to Hylians, had some distinct differences. Apart from the huge muscles that even the young Gorons had, which were strong and solid enough to quite possible be made of actual rock, they all had onion-like heads. In order to display their tribal markings, Gorons wore a minimum of clothing, something Hylians found culturally shocking and more than a little awkward. Even the Goron senators remained shirtless, opting instead for something similar to a kilt. No one but the Gorons knew if Gorons had the markings from conception, or if they were tattooed on, which was in part because no one knew exactly how the all-male Gorons were conceived. The other races were too polite to ask, and the stoic Gorons never offered an explanation. Goron reproduction was one of Hyrule’s greatest secrets.
The trip to Death Mountain (or, as the Gorons called it, the less ominous-sounding “Mount Kakariko”) had taken the better part of a week. Traveling always took longer in the mountains, and near the end, the terrain had become too unstable for Link’s bike, and they had to continue on foot. At first, Navi had asked a lot of “seriously, what the hell was that about” and “did you just punch out Ganondorf” and “why were you at that burning house” sort of questions, but after his repeated insistence that he didn’t want to talk about it at the moment, she fell mostly silent. Mostly.
The Kakariko Gorons were extremely hesitant to allow him into their village, however. Gorons were, by nature, extremely tribal but otherwise solitary. After briefly explaining his purpose, they decided that they would, at very least, give him the test for the Pendant of Power. They had never expected him to win.
And now he had.
After the initial shock wore off, the Kakariko Tribe’s chief and acting Senator, Darunia, shook his hand. “Now, Link,” he said, “you are our brother.”
“Uh…thanks…” Link managed before the chief lifted him from his feet and squeezed the air out of him in a huge hug. “You are now part of our tribe. Naturally, we don’t expect you to embrace our culture, but we’d like you to think of us as your brothers.”
Link smiled. “I’ll certainly do that. And I’m sorry, while I’d love to stay and celebrate, time is of the essence. Would you mind if I just took the Pendant of Power and ran?”
The murmuring and applause in the room died completely, replaced with an air of awkwardness. “Erm…yes…about that….”
“Darunia,” he asked hesitantly, “where is it?”
“Well,” the chief replied, “it’s not that we’re not agreeing to what you say. It’s that Ganondorf sort of has us all under his thumb right now. He is a master of mixing threats and promises. King Dodongo, for example. He promised that, since we had shown support to him in the past, he would send Dodongo, a horribly strong lizard creature, to protect the Pendant of Power. Unfortunately, it was only later that we realized that he was defending the pendant from us as well as everyone else. Dodongo seems almost specifically designed to keep us away. His breath is just hot enough to scorch us, his teeth just strong enough to pierce our skins, and his armor just strong enough that our punches have no effect. I’m sorry, Link. I truly am. But we can’t give the pendant to you, simply because, well…we
can’t.”
“I see,” Link said, unfazed. Of course there was a guard. Ganondorf was always one step ahead of him in one way or another. Why wouldn’t he have a guard for the pendant? “I guess it’s up to me to go get it, then.”
“What you’re suggesting is suicide,” Darunia said. “Going and facing Dodongo alone would be about as effective as running yourself through with your own sword, and would probably achieve the same result.”
“He’s not alone,” Navi piped up. “I’m going with him.”
Darunia glanced at Navi and sighed, shaking his head sadly. “Link, please, rethink this.”
“I’m sorry, brother. I can’t.”
He nodded. “I didn’t suppose you would. I’ll take you to the mouth of the cavern Dodongo resides in, but that is as far as I will go.” The other Gorons watched in solemn silence as the young man and the tiny girl followed their chieftain away.
“Goodbye, then, Link,” Darunia said as they reached a cavern. “I don’t expect to see you again, but certainly hope that I will.” He gestured into the darkness, lit only by a dull, green glow. “Dodongo’s Cavern lies down this way. It’s dark now, but there are quite a few bright gems that light the cavern itself. It’s also something of a maze. Don’t get lost in the twisting passages, and be careful for traps.
“Oh, and one more thing.” He produced a small pouch from within his robe. “This is a bomb bag. There’s probably quite a bit of rubble in there that you’ll need to clear. Since you’re not a Goron, you won’t have the strength to just dig through it. There are only ten bombs in here, so be resourceful. Good luck, brother.”
Link nodded. “I’ll be back. Come on, Navi.”
Navi grinned and saluted. “You got it, Link! Let’s go!”
* * *
“I still don’t see why Ganondorf has us running around looking for some kid,” Cole grumbled as he stepped out of the car.
“I didn’t suppose you would understand,” Vaati responded.
“Oh, like you understand this any better than I do!”
“Irrelevant,” Vaati snapped. “Orders are orders, and not to be questioned.”
“You only say that because you’re too damn proud to admit you’re just as in the dark as I am!”
The two were on their way to an orphanage to look for a specific child at Ganondorf’s request. The orphanages had been filling steadily over the years, and most of the buildings were overfilled and dilapidated. Ganondorf had been one of the most vocal senators when it came to improving the situation. Thanks to his charisma, people had listened. The orphanages went from being merely homeless shelters for the numerous, nameless, street-dwelling children in Hyrule to actual homes. Children no longer just came and went, briefly providing one more face and mouth to feed. They were accounted for, and they stayed, because the orphanages gave them a chance to take some control of their lives. Sure, they were still scared, but at least they had hope.
All of that because Ganondorf was trying to find some kid Ganondorf had once run into.
“Really, though,” Cole grumbled, “I don’t get what the boss is trying to pull here. It’s a kid. How exactly could he be so important that we’ve got to come down to the slums and grab him?” He shot Vaati a dirty look. “Isn’t finding that ‘Link’ guy more important?”
“Gathering intelligence takes time,” he responded coolly. “Besides, what about your assassins? They haven’t done much this past week.”
“Nnng!” Cole squealed, his fists clenching and his eyes narrowing. “I’m relying on you for that information, you stupid useless pretty boy! I can’t exactly take care of him if I don’t know where he is!”
“What about the Senator? If this Sakon guy is the best, why is she still around?”
Cole crossed his arms his face becoming instantly sour. “You obviously have no clue how assassinations like this work. He can’t just waltz into the Senators office and kill her, can he? He has to make sure it’s the perfect crime. He’s an assassin, not a thug. It’s a delicate process, a skillful thing…I’d even say it’s an art. It’s beautiful, a masterful assassination.”
Vaati tossed his hair. “Mm hmm. Whatever. We’re here, so let’s just get this over with. And please, let me do the talking.”
“And why should I leave this to you?”
“Because you’re a stupid little man.”
Cole glowered, but said nothing.
They pushed through the doors, and the woman behind the counter glanced up. She was a busty redheaded woman, slightly overweight, with a curious three-dotted tattoo beneath each of her eyes.
“Hey, there,” she said as the two approached. “What can I help you with, honeys?”
“We’re looking for a child who looks like this,” Vaati said, producing the sketch Ganondorf had given him.
The woman glanced down. “Sorry, hon, never seen him before.”
“That’s impossible,” Cole snapped. “He has to be here.”
The woman gave him a pointed look. “Sorry, sugar, but I can’t tell you he’s here if he’s not.”
“Wait,” Vaati said. “He…he may not show his face. The man who’s looking for him…he mentioned a gift he left him. A mask. The man said that he really loved the gift. If he’s never taken it off….”
The woman looked up and bit her lip, racking her memory. “Oh, him,” she said finally. Yeah, I know who you’re talking about. Here, let me take you to him.
She led them through a set of doors to where a bunch of young children were playing with various toys. “That’s him, off in the corner,” she said. “Come get me when you’re done.”
The boy sat on the ground, his face buried behind his knees, which he was hugging to his chest. “Come on,” a young girl in a baggy yellow t-shirt told the kid, hands on hips as she looked at him. “You have to play with more than just the two of us.”
“She’s right,” said a boy, about the same height, dressed in a similar purple shirt. The two had a strong resemblance, and judging from their ages, were probably twins. “We can’t be your only friends.”
“Let me handle this again,” Vaati said. “No offense, it’s just that…well, you’re so much more frightening to look at.” Cole grumbled as the taller man stepped forward.
“Excuse me, children,” he told the twins. “Can I talk to him for a moment?”
The girl appraised him critically before giving her analysis. “You’re creepy, mister,” she said, before she and her brother headed off to play with other kids, Cole snickering at him.
“Hey, there, kiddo,” Vaati said in what he thought was a gentle voice. The boy shuddered. “It’s okay, I’m not gonna hurt you.”
The boy looked up, revealing his masked face. The mask was a durable plaster one, shaped like a skull. It was no wonder the other kids avoided him.
“That’s a pretty neat mask. You remember who gave you that mask? Well, we’re friends of his.” The boy remained silent. This was turning out to be more difficult than Vaati thought. “He’s got a really nice place, with lots of neat little toys. And he wants you to come stay with him. He’s a really nice guy, and he can get you anything you want! How’s that sound?” The boy looked at the senator, his eyes peeking out of the mask in fear. “You want to come with us?”
Slowly, hesitantly, the boy nodded. Vaati sighed in relief. “All right, you have anything here? No? Okay, you want to go right now? Let’s go.”
The boy stood, nervously grabbing the man’s hand, allowing himself to be let out of the room.
“Aw, you’re going?” the boy in purple called as he and his sister watched. “Bye, Skull Kid!”
Vaati looked at Cole. “Does anyone even know his name?” The short man shrugged.
The woman behind the counter looked up as they came through the door. “Wait, is he coming with you?”
Cole nodded, peering over the counter. He slapped down a form. “We’re picking up for a man. He’s adopting.”
The woman looked down at the form, looking it over. “Okay, everything seems to be in order…wait, is this signature…?” She looked up at a pictograph on the wall, dumfounded, gesturing at it. The man in the pictograph smiled amiably down, hiding his true intentions.
“It sure is,” Vaati answered.
“Wow, the senator himself,” she murmured. “That’s…wow, after all the work he’s done improving these places, he still…wow. He sure does have a heart.”
“He sure does,” Cole said, trying not to snicker. “Thank you, and goodbye!”
Unnoticed, Senator Zelda Hyrule watched from her car as the three drove off, waiting for them to disappear before driving off.
* * *
“So, Navi,” Link said, climbing over a pile of rubble, “what can you tell me about this Dodongo guy?”
“Well, actually, it’s King Dodongo. He’ll be bigger than most other Dodongos. Darunia described him pretty well—big lizard, really scaly and tough. Breathe fire. I really don’t know how you’ll beat him.”
A cave-in had created another dead end. “Thanks for the vote of confidence,” he said, taking out a bomb. “Stand back.” The crumbling wall collapsed, creating a hole for them to climb through. He only had half his bombs left now, but he was almost there.
As he stepped through the hole, a laser fired at the ground near him. He leapt back, gasping at the near-miss. “Okay, Navi, what was that?”
“Um…oh! Well, that’s probably a Beamos. They’re sort of pillars or statues of some kind the Gorons built to fend off intruders. I don’t think you’ll be able to get close enough, but one of those bombs should do the trick.”
“And how do I hit it if I can’t see it without it shooting beams of death at me?”
“You could try rolling the bomb.”
“Rolling it. Really. That’s the dumbest thing I’ve ever….” He shook his head, then pulled out a bomb, lit it, and rolled it around the corner. After the explosion, he peered around the corner warily. A small pillar was in ruins.
“What did I tell you?” Navi beamed.
“Okay, so it works. It just feels…I don’t know, sort of undignified rolling it along the ground.”
“You complain too much,” Navi said. “Let’s go.”
They trudged through the cavern, pausing at a statue. “I’m hearing some pretty heavy breathing coming from behind here,” Link said, reaching out towards it. “Dodongo must be behind here….”
“Link, don’t!” Navi yelled. “That’s—” the stone statue creaked beneath his hand, standing up so that it was a full head taller than Link. Behind it was an open door. It was dressed in stone armor, carrying a stone shield and sword. “That’s an Armos Knight. A living statue.”
Link pulled his sword out in time to barely deflect a blow. The strength the Armos had still sent him flying backwards, slamming against a wall. He rolled to the side as the sword came smashing at him again. Evidently, the stone it was made of was fairly solid, as the sword didn’t even chip when it hit the wall.
“Navi, a little help here?” he yelled.
“Bombs! There’s no way your sword’s gonna do anything!”
“Yeah, okay, distract it or something!”
Navi fumbled with her gun, hastily firing a shot, which bounced harmlessly off of the Armos Knight’s helmet. The statue paused a moment in confusion, looking at the little girl who had fired the shot. “Link, don’t do this to me again,” she said, trembling.
“Hey, big guy!” Link called, bringing the knight’s attention back to him. He flicked a tendril of magical flame from his finger, lighting the bomb’s fuse. “Don’t pick on my guide.” He hurled the bomb into its helmeted face, obliterating it entirely. The headless Armos tumbled to the ground, sending a vibration through the cavern floor.
Navi laughed. “All right!” she yelled, giving him a high five. It was the least he could do to accept. He slumped down against the wall and reached into his trench coat pocket, pulling out a cigarette and quickly lighting it.
Link, you really shouldn’t smoke, came Aryll’s echoed voice in his mind. He had promised to quit for her and Colin, hadn’t he? But what was the point? They were gone now. He stood, heading into the room the Armos had been guarding.
“Link? Link!”
“What?” he snapped at the girl.
“Didn’t you hear me? You really shouldn’t be smoking.”
He forced a chuckle. “Why the hell not, Navi? If you hadn’t noticed, I’ve been a bit stressed lately. I really, really need this right now. You worry about living your life, I’ll worry about living mine.”
“Well, yeah, but…Dodongo dislikes smoke.” Link froze, the cigarette falling from his mouth as he saw the giant sleeping lizard-beast. Its eyes opened as he entered, glaring at him angrily. “Dodongo
really dislikes smoke.”
“Any advice?” Link asked, eyes fixed on Dodongo.
“Run,” Navi answered.
Link ran as the beast charged, looking back to make sure Navi was following him. “How do I kill this thing?” he demanded.
“I don’t know! You expect me to know everything? If a tribe of Gorons couldn’t kill it, what makes you think you can?”
He heard a deep, growling noise behind him, and looked back to see that King Dodongo was inhaling deeply. “Navi, didn’t you say something about him breathing fire?”
The girl swore. We’re too close! He’ll kill us!”
At that moment, a shape flew overhead, landing behind the two of them. They couldn’t help but instinctively turn, watching as a small, muscular figure clad in a tight blue outfit held up a hand, creating a magical barrier that deflected the flames. The figure turned, revealing unkempt blonde hair and red eyes looking back at him from behind a masked face. The figure gave a quick nod, and then tilted its head at his bomb bag. As the flames died, the mysterious ninja shot forward, leaping into a somersaulting flip onto the creature’s back.
“I think I get it,” Navi murmured as the ninja distracted the lizard. “Your sword and my gun aren’t going to do anything, so he wants us to use the bombs.”
“Well, I’ve only got three left,” Link said. “Better make them count.” He charged forward, lighting one of the bombs and tossing it at the creature’s underbelly. Dodongo staggered as it went off, throwing the figure on his back off-balance. The ninja shot an angry glare at Link.
“Okay, that didn’t work,” he muttered.
The masked figure pulled out a flechette, driving it into the creature’s snout. As it yowled and thrashed in pain, the ninja threw a hand into Dodongo’s open mouth, unleashing a blast of fire into it. The creature roared in pain, tossing the ninja to the ground. Link, understanding what his ally was trying to do, ran forward and lobbed a bomb into the creature’s open mouth. The giant lizard unthinkingly swallowed it. A moment later, a muffled explosion was heard, and the Dodongo simply fell over and lay still.
“Is…is it dead?” Navi asked.
Link cautiously examined it. “I think so. And we’ve got one bomb to spare, too.” He pried the fallen creature’s mouth open, stuffing the bomb inside. “If he wakes up and tries breathing fire, that one should take care of him.”
The ninja stood off to the distance, clenching a small orb on a string in his hand. As Link looked over, he tossed it to him.
“The Pendant of Power,” Link murmured, gazing down at it. He looked back up to the masked figure. “Hey, thanks for your help,” he said. “Who are you, exactly?”
The ninja reached to his belt, grabbing something and quickly throwing it at Link and Navi’s feet. A deku nut. It let off a small flash that would blinded and paralyzed the target for just a few seconds. When the light cleared, the figure was gone.
“Huh,” Link muttered. “Navi, who the hell was that guy?”
She shrugged. “You know, I really have no idea.”
Link nodded. “Well, let’s just hope he’s on our side.”
So, what'd you think? It's (hopefully) obvious who the ninja is, but what about all the other unnamed characters (i.e., the three at the orphanage)? What are Ganondorf's plans for the Skull Kid? And who exactly is Sheik (as if you didn't already know)? I love to hear your ideas!