__________________________

Bolero Flambé

¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯

    Before you were fully 3 quarters of the way there, you take off. You could see the first parking garage, marking the southern border of downtown and decide you'd start there; up and down the stairs, wending your way around and over parked cars, then back down to the street level to explore.

Your increased running speed frees your spirit and you smile inwardly to yourself, and did a cartwheel without breaking pace. Smiling outwardly now, feeling accomplished, you were getting better at Parkour and felt like trying some stunts for the first time!

    You run the outer perimeter of the garage and enter, after encircling the whole building; daylight was starting its full swing for the day as the last drop of sun dripped up in the unseen distance outside of downtown. You begin encircling the inside of the garage, looking for stairs to the top, kicked off the wall of the open stairwell door frame up to the first quarter-flight landing where the stairs cornered off and turned, gracefully grabbing the hand rail to orbit the turn and kept going up without slowing down.

    Clearing two steps at a time, you chug up to the top without any more fancy footwork, but tripped at the top step, caught yourself in time to roll through the fall and kept pace. Very few cars were parked in the garage, and only one at the top, on the other end of the lot; you dash over and roll across the car, testing yourself some more, then wrapped around and came to the ramp, gaining a little speed and losing your balance. You had to slow down and felt a little disappointed, but pressed on with peerless enthusiasm.

    You dash ahead of yourself with a graceful, long stride, gliding hop and cleared a dozen paces down the ramp, land, and roll with the momentum, involuntarily jumping again as you clear the roll, clearing eighteen paces down the ramp and landing hard, rolling around and around many paces and stopping flat on your back. Your wallet bounced away from you and emptied part of its contents: a cellphone and a green rupee you'd missed earlier. The wallet seemed bigger on the insider somehow...

 

    You gather the wallet and returned its contents, sit rubbing a knee for a moment, and began stretching again. You didn't want to really hurt yourself, since you were nowhere near done running this morning! No, by Din, you were going to get this beloved running in; and take the time to explore downtown!

    After stretching thoroughly and walking out of the garage, traffic was starting to creep out as a lone car drove out of downtown when you exited. Back to jogging until you got to the mall 3 blocks up. Almost not a one soul around this early, other than the few passers-through, an occasional stray dog or cat, and yourself.

 

    Jogging done, sprinting now; Parkour, Free Running, straight down the sidewalk, past the mall, turn toward the park, turn again just before, at the church, and running north past the vehicle tune-up, board, blade, and bike shop, dojo, and auditorium/theatre, into less familiar territory...

    Time to break off the beaten path.

    You curved around a corner into an alleyway, where downtown mysteriously changed into a labyrinth... Luckily, you'd run right into a dead end, nothing but some sort of commercial back door, and simply turned around. However, to your astonishment, you turned around to find yourself on an entirely different street! You abruptly stop and look around your shoulder. The dead end had also changed into a T-intersection... You feel a sense of dread creep up your spine, and look around to find some landmarks. You turned around twice, didn't know where you were, except that a Navi's Curio shop was across the street from you and featured a crystal ball on a pole for a store sign. That stood out enough that sufficient confidence had returned. You had the courage needed to finish your run.

 

    You take a deep breath and hold it for a moment, almost as if expecting something to come running out of the alley behind you... However, when nothing happened, you turned and exhaled sharply with a burst of speed as you took your first step forward, into the unknown, and dash into the wall where the brick alley split: Left or right..? ... Then, kicked off the wall with a left hand turn, into the magical labyrinthine alleyways of Hyruletropolis.

    You nearly collide with the parallel wall in the narrow alley and considered for a gleeful moment that you could probably wall kick your way through if you so desired, as you came up to another 3 way T-split. You take the left hand path again and noticed Navi's Curio pass on your left hand side in an alleyway transfer, almost stopping you dead in your tracks, as you skid to a stop. You'd already cleared the corner, and when you turned around to look back out the exit, you saw another sight all together: The Hyrulean museum. Your jaw dropped, and you stood still, petrified.

    This was, at the very least, a familiar sight, so you were quickly confident, again, knowing you'd be able to get home as long as you'd stuck to the streets and stayed well away from the alleys. You found a little courage and broke the paralysis, dashing out of the alleys.

    Now you found an additional surprise once you rounded the alleyway exit, only to bump into Impa and Zelda! You'd nearly collided with Impa, running so fast; but she had surprisingly lightning fast reflexes for her age and managed to dodge within a hair of a split second of making contact..! You tried to correct yourself, expecting to rely on Impa intercepting your inertia. Rather than colliding into Impa, as expected, you wound up losing your balance and tripping over yourself. You roll forward a pace and stop sideways on your ribs, looking up at Zelda’s shins. Although her reaction seemed as if expectant, Impa was just as surprised to see you as you were to see her and Zelda; however, Impa was much more concerned and composed. "Did you just come from that alleyway, young one?" She asked, sternly. You half recoiled but nodded, standing up and brushing yourself off.

    Impa was very solemn, dire concern painted her face almost as if a panic, and she tried to explain the danger, "Child, I wouldn't return there if I were you." She stated, pointing back into the narrow, shallow alleyway between the museum and the adjacent historic structure. "Downtown Hyruletropolis was built on top of almost half of the Lost Woods. Roughly a quarter of that is just this side of the river...” there was a pause. “... Where concrete, steel, and asphalt cover the ground, no magic can take hold... But in the old days of Hyrule, before it became a metropolis and yet after it grew beyond a simple township: Everything was built with brick, wood, and stone. The Lost Woods were named for the people who mysteriously disappeared after venturing into them... Unlike metal, cement and blacktop, stone and wood are alive and channel magic as well as the air and water do... Brick amplifies it in the direction of its laying. During the days of old Hyrule, people mysteriously disappeared every day. Most people returned within the day, sometimes as much as a week later, but the parts of Hyrule built over the lost woods were avoided... Legends say that those who entered the lost woods would become Stalfos... Everyone who entered... Stalfos..." She seemed to gaze off into an unseen distance. "Oh, listen to me; going on about magic, you must think me an incompetent boob..." But fell short when she became self-conscious in a sudden awkward moment of uncharacteristic doubt.

    "Pardon the history lesson, I've come with the- young miss, to give her another lesson, it's already strong in mind." She smiled awkwardly, continuing, "But never the less: Hyruleans continue to get confused and lost, sometimes one or two will even disappear, if they find themselves in the alleyways... As they had in the old days of Hyrule City... Just as they had in the ancient Lost Woods... I hope you don't get lost as well..." Zelda stamped her foot impatiently, "Well?? Can we invite them in or at least get going already? You said you had something to show me here!" Zelda childishly scolded Impa, then turned and smiled brightly at you, "Hi Link!" again smiling with her eyes.

    "Have you ever been in the Museum of Hyrule before?" Zelda asked, scooting past Impa. You nod as Zelda continued without really waiting for a reply, "Impa told me the spires on the corners of the building were moved from the original castle, back in the old days... when the town... I guess, and now I learned, it was made of brick." Smiling again with her eyes, cheerful and bright. Although her smile faded along with her sentence as she continued, "... and that we were here, today, to learn some important stuff..." She seemed concerned with its importance. "Wanna hang out?" She asked, slowly reaching for your hand.

    You nod your head again and Zelda suddenly grabs your hand and runs up the steps toward the door, dragging more than leading you in, and calling impatiently for Impa behind her, who slowly followed up shaking her head. Zelda wanted to show you the statue of the King and ran straight to it before relinquishing her grasp. She stopped and stared up at it a while, silent, and awestruck; you stare at her, confused, then looked up at the statue as well, and Zelda started explaining herself, still staring, gaze fixed.

    "Sorry I ran you in here like that, I hope I wasn't, too, rude..." the pause was a bit long, you smell the dusty air as you wait. "Impa told me she needed to explain things to me today... I was confused at first when she said we had to be at the museum for me to understand." She took a few steps back, still focused on the King's statue, still staring at his face.

    "But when I thought about the dreams I've had over the last few seasons..." You walk back with her and stand beside her, listening, "I asked her if it had anything to do with the Royal Family. She seemed surprised, and maybe wasn't supposed to tell me then.” She pauses. “Maybe not until now. Right here."

    Impa had caught up and crossed the threshold into the hall, "Truly, I was not, but your question implied you'd been having dreams and visions." She said, catching both of your attention. "I felt pressed from both sides of my duty; so I told you why you were named after The Princess Zelda from ancient Hyrule." Impa turned sternly to face you as she approached.

    "Link, your name has become a thing of rarity amongst Hylians, more common for Dekus and Gorons to be named Link in the last hundred years than your own people... It is said to be bad luck for a Hylian. You two are not here, together, today, by mere coincidence, and I am worried that you must leave now, Link. Perhaps it will be explained to you better in the future, but, my apologies, you should go. The museum has given me special privileges to open and close its doors, and this is not a public opening."

    You feel abashed, and awkwardly depart from your friends. Leaving the museum, you stared at the alley for a moment, wondering if you dared betray Impa's warning, your mind wandering to untold travels beyond Hyruletropolis, getting lost in the brick laden corridors; but then you turned to face the river instead, figuring you 'd pay Ruto a visit today after all - An extra-long route now.

    You were pretty tired from the long pause in this run, so you sat on the steps and took a breather then got up after a few minutes and began stretching. You built your energy up quickly, warming up and then taking off immediately, no jog prep to start.

    You hear a call from behind you a moment later but ignore it, and rounded the corner to run past the skate park.

    You do a lap around the park, nodding your head in acknowledgement to Goron Link on the way past him and then head toward the mall where this day really began, thinking you caught a faint shout behind you but still not concerned

.

    You arrive at the mall and see Krystal on her way in the doors to open shop. She didn't see you and you didn't slow or say hi. Rounding the next corner toward the parking garage you slow your pace since traffic was starting to appear and the light ahead was red. As soon as it was green and the cars were clear, you dash across the intersection and enter the same garage again.

    Many more parked cars filled the garage than earlier this morning, so you try your hand at some stunts again, weaving in and out of tight spaces between cars, rolling across roofs and jumping and sliding across hoods. An abrupt alarm startles you and you stumble, roll, and correct yourself, then exit the garage, all without breaking pace.

    You get back onto the main street where it merges with the one you'd just come out of the garage onto, and find the old lady standing directly in your path on the sidewalk, staring directly at you; as if deliberately blocking you. You didn't want to be disrespectful or run into her and had to either stop or go around into traffic. So you stop, directly in front of her; she smiled, cackled gleefully, and tells you you'd have incredible luck today, then got out of the way, still laughing.

    You step past cautiously, awkwardly, watching her from the corner of your eye.

    You were roughly a quarter of the way home from the garage, from downtown. Kafei's General Store was near here, and you had your allowance on you. So you went in, wearing the Keaton mask, and bought an empty small bottle for 20r. "You shoulda sold the mask, kid! That bottle would have been 5r off for you if you had! Shame... Keep trying!" Kafei delighted in encouragement. "You look tired, have some water with that bottle" he finished, filling your bottle for free. "Come back if you need some more. You might not have sold the mask yet, but I can consider you employed if you’re really serious!" Kafei told you as you left the store.

    You drink down the water and feel instantly refreshed, so you didn't bother stretching and jumped right into sprinting. Again you thought you'd heard a holler, but again, it wasn't concerning enough to stop after you'd already begun sprinting.

    You ran straight along the sidewalk all the way past home and down toward the lake. Since there wasn't any real hurry, you didn't cut across the field or swim through the lake, but instead followed the long route along main street until it turned into country road and curved along the river east of it.

    You finally slow to a jog and enjoy the scenery of overgrown, grass and wide open fields at the city's edge. Your neighborhood was right there on the edge of civilization, between the rural country south of Hyruletropolis and the downtown urban sprawl north of Lake Hylia. It had been a very exhausting run, from Downtown to your house. As the lake came into view, you knew your jogging was over, and walked the rest of the way to Ruto's house.

    Across the old covered bridge where the river split the lake into two large bodies: Lake Hylia to the east and "Lake of Ill Omen" to the west of the fork. True locals, however, never separated the two bodies, and considered them both one large lake. The impoverished Zoras who lived in coral-and-metal shanties built on top of an island in the west end of the lake all say the same thing: That "Ill Omen" is nothing more than a spiteful insult directed at the homeless Zoras who were kicked out of their own homes generations ago, even while the wealthy Zoras on the East banks continued to demean them and refer to "their side" as "Ill Omen".

    As you exit the other end of the covered bridge, you clearly hear a desperate shout this time "Link!! Wait up!!" You finally realize Zelda has been following you all the way from the Museum and was calling after you the whole way! You turn around to the sight of a huffing and exhausted young Zelda, hunched over, trying to catch her breath, less than halfway across the bridge. "hhhh... And I thought Impa's... whew... training was intense... hha...wwwhh you're unreal! hhhuh..." She looked up, eyes heavy from exhaustion "Link, I-" she started, but hunched over again, breathing hard, still chasing her breath. You quickly cross the bridge again, back toward her side, and lend a shoulder for her to lean on, smiling for her. "Thanks, Link. hhhfff... I think we should find some place... To Talk..." 

    The way she emphasized 'talk' suggested important matters, but you were still set on visiting Ruto. You nudge her toward town, looking in the general direction of Ruto's house. Zelda nodded and you slowly walked together to the young Zora girl's home in silence.

    You arrive at the same moment as Ruto, who was returning with a basket full of fish. She smiled warmly for you and invited you both in. "If you don't mind eating fish, you can stay for dinner too." She said to the both of you. You help Zelda to a chair and Ruto spoke to her "Zelda, right? We were all such little babies when we met, at the ranch, huh?" Zelda smiled, "You remember! It's nice to meet you again, Ruto!" They smiled at each other, and Ruto asked if you'd stay for dinner. "I eat mine raw, of course, but I'll start a fire for you two to cook yours." Zelda thanked her and Ruto got to work chopping up the fish and preparing them for the fire in an adjacent room.

    Zelda became serious, "Link." She initiated. You instantly gave her your undivided attention, hanging on her every word. Zelda fidgeted some before continuing, "Impa said my family is descended from the Ancient Royal Family of Hyrule, and that... I am, a rightful princess...!" Overhearing this, Ruto was shocked and poked her head out of the kitchen behind the both of you, staring at Zelda for a moment, unnoticed by either of you as Zelda continued on, "She told me this morning before we ran into you... That's what she wasn't supposed to tell me, but it gets worse, Link!" Ruto, flustered and anxious, darted her head back in and got straight to trying to ignore the story and focus on the fish.

    Zelda stood up "Impa's always kept a close watch over me and taught me all kinds of important things and ways of taking care of myself. I used to think she was insane, with her level of training and teaching and history lessons! But now I see why she did it all... She told me things today that I'm not supposed to tell you, not anyone... but... I know in my heart that I must. The right thing to do... I wonder if anyone knows... what the right thing is..? I feel this is right! You're going to save Hyrule!" Ruto involuntarily quipped a stifled squeal and caught Zelda's attention, who started to blush. Zelda opened her mouth to make an excuse, but Ruto held up a fin and spoke on top of her "I-", "It's okay, Zelda... We have a lot in more common than you'd think. My parents adopted me when I was very little. They found me floating down the river not far from downtown. They waited till I was ten years old to tell me that they found me in a basket and that I was wearing the Zora's Sapphire around my neck..."

    This time it was Zelda who squealed, "Oh! So you are a Princess of the Zora people!!" She happily exclaimed, "This is too good to be true! Link, do you know what this means?!" You stare back with a vacant look.

    "ugh!" Zelda cried out in sarcastic but genuine disgust. "Children!" and rolled her eyes.

    Ruto covered a laugh. Zelda tried to conceal sarcasm with a semi-serious tone, "Ruto can help you save Hyrule too!" You hold up your hands and begin to back away. "You want to help us, don't you?" Now you were trapped, between yourself, your friends, and your heart - You didn't want to betray your friends, let alone all of Hyrule, but were scared that this was too much for one kid to handle! "Don't worry, Link! You'll always have your friends to count on!" Ruto encouraged, though you looked worried still.

    "Yeah! We'll be there with you every step of the way, helping however we can!" Zelda finished.

    It seemed it was already decided, and you could see there was no fighting it. Finally, you confidently nod with hands on your hips. Both girls ran up and hugged you, knocking all three of you to the floor.

    After eating the salmon Ruto had prepared in her smoker, you and Zelda warmly wave goodbye and begin walking back home. "I live on the north side of the downtown area; do you think you could walk me home?" Zelda asked as you cleared the covered bridge for the fourth time today. "I managed to lose Impa after I lost sight of you and found you again in the skate park..." She giggled "So I can’t expect her to know where I am and show up in the van. Besides, after taking off on her like that, I don't want to call her and rush into trouble either." You involuntarily laughed out loud, smiled and nodded, and Zelda held your hand.

    As your suburban community came into view, so too did a cyan racecar; barreling down the road, well over the speed limit. It barely made it past you and Zelda before the squealing of rubber could be heard as the driver slammed on the brakes. The car peeled out and swerved around, toward the both of you, halted, then peeled out, spun around one full circle, and sped off. "That was weird..." Zelda observed, with heavy concern, squeezing your hand while it happened. You continued silently, for an hour, past your neighborhood and into the earliest perimeter of downtown. The same car came speeding past from ahead of you a second time and slammed on its brakes again. Zelda squeezed your hand much more tightly and scooted closer to you, leaning close and speaking quietly into your ear, "I think we need to run." She whispered. The car peeled out again and spun around in front of you. You kept walking slowly as the driver and passenger opened their doors. You trudged past the car and the driver called out, "Hey! Where do you think you're going? You're not gonna walk past us and ignore us like that!" You kept walking slowly, and the passenger spoke up, "Yeah! See, yer in our territory now! You were saw walking out in the suburbs. Like, that's our turf now. Walkers gotta pay us racers to walk on our race courses!" He was referring, of course, to the streets themselves. You had walked just far enough and needed to run now, "HEY! GET BACK HERE!" The driver yelled, prompting you to tug on Zelda's hand, as if to say 'NOW!' and then bolted. "HEY!!! Get them!!" The driver shouted more.

    You both dashed past the parking garage, down toward the mall, turned at the theater and entered a new place, somewhere you had never been before, slowing down, whereupon Zelda instructed, "Follow me!" as she turned the corner ahead.

    You ran hard, the cyan racers clambering out of the car not far behind, full grown adults quickly catching up. "Hurry! We'll lose them in the alley!" Zelda called out as they turned the next block behind you. Navi's Curio was ahead, across the street, and Zelda darted into the alley. You follow close behind, scared you'd lose her: scared you'd both get lost forever.

   She turned to the right at the T then Left at a 4 way intersection. You both ran through a narrow passage with dumpsters on either wall, which you used for some unorthodox parkour training, jumping onto one, off it to the next and skidding across. Zelda simply avoided everything and dashed as fast as she could. She then ran straight past another 4 way intersection, turned left at a T, and then right again. The alleyway curved to the left for a long and wide arc, which you attempted to run across the wall for half the curve, failing at least twice but paying no real attention to your parkour. When it straightened out, it blocked off with a Locked door. You'd run straight into a dead end. "Oh no!" Zelda cried out.

    You turned around and the Racers, hot on your heels, stopped; withdrawing a crowbar and a chain, threatening the both of your lives. You step forward and raise your fists. The driver couldn't resist it and started cracking up, easing his buddy's poise a little in the process, lowering both their guards. "Guffaw! This kid! hahaha! Guy! You get a load of this kid? Thinks they can protect their girlfriend, like, against both of us?! I like you, you got guts, kid! bwaahahahahaha!" The passenger raised the crowbar high above his head to strike you.

    The driver dropped the chain and held his hand out, blocking the crowbar. "Wait, this kid could join us, whadda ya say? Let's give them a chance to prove themselves." Then raised his fists as well "C'mon, Kid, have at it! take your swing!" 

    The passenger dropped the crowbar with a loud clang and you lunge into the Cyan Racer, only to get knocked back suddenly, not even seeing what hit you. The driver's eyes crossed and he laughed drunkenly, stumbled barely a raised footstep, and fell backwards to the ground in a crumpled and goofy heap beside his partner, who was also subdued. 

    "You know better than to enter the alcoves, princess. Escort your friend inside; you're both lucky I showed up at home when I did." Impa scolded from the outer perimeter of the alleyway alcove, beyond the threshold which she would not cross. She was carrying a wooden sword and shield, presumably used to knock the cyan racers unconscious.

    "Follow Zelda, she'll instruct you to wait for me. I've contacted your mother, and you'll be staying with us for a while." Zelda ran ahead toward her home in this new neighborhood which had replaced the curving alcove.

    You hesitate briefly, but followed... … The Princess.

    Impa halted you momentarily, holding out her hand. "One more thing; Link, These are difficult times. It's dangerous to go alone! Take these." You swallow hard, take the sword and shield, bow politely toward Impa, and turn to follow Zelda, jogging to catch up.

    Zelda and Impa lived in a simple home, 2 stories and a basement; anyone could tell it had a basement from the outside if they examined it, because of the ground-level slats-for-windows at the basement ceiling, at the bottom of the building. Zelda was standing on the bottom step waiting for you to catch up, "C'mon, Link! I'll show you around." She ran up and opened up the house, standing inside the threshold. You casually follow her up, but before you knew it Zelda had your hand and was ushering you through the living room, while pointing out and naming Impa's decorative Sheikah weapons and an impressive Gerudian guard's Scimitar Halberd. She pointed down the hall before entering the kitchen, "Bathroom, bedrooms." she said on the way by, pausing briefly as she described everything you saw, yourself. "The back door is beside the door to the stairwell. Stairs are on the left, back door is on the right. Beside the doors is the dining nook we use for breakfast and supper." She said, pointing as she went. "Upstairs is used for storage, and a small library Impa keeps for me, basement is where you'll be staying..." She abruptly stopped for emphasis and suddenly turned around "In the dungeon!" She said as menacingly as possible, but started to laugh just at the end. 

    Impa came in shortly behind and scolded Zelda, "They'll be staying in the adjacent room beside the Dojo, plenty comfortable young miss. Go upstairs and research Kaepora Gaebora's notes in the Book of Mudora." She turned to you once Zelda left. "You're going to train with me while Zelda is upstairs studying. I will not allow you to get sucked into her fate without ample preparation. Today, you will get used to staying here; understanding where everything is, where you'll be sleeping, familiarizing yourself with your new equipment, and learning your limitations. I expect you to be ready for supper by the afternoon." 

    She had a commanding aura about her and her presence inspired your attention, "We will be gone in the evenings; this is your only free time to practice alone. Don't waste it! I will test you when we return each night." Impa opened the door on the left and held it for you. You follow the stairs down and Impa followed close behind, further guiding you as you descended, "There is a closet full of wooden targets you may use during instruction and free training, as well as spare wooden shields and swords if you happen to break yours, but please, do try not to make that a habit. It’s not good practice to enter combat with broken equipment…” She indicated to a mirrored wall. “Your room is located at the far end behind the dojo."

    The basement proved to be a wide open, and largely empty, room with two walls lined with mirrors forming a L-shape of mirrors and an X-shape of reflections. You couldn't see the closet, let alone the room you'd been assigned. You walk to the center of the room and stop, look around, then wait.

    Impa approached the center of the dojo, beside you, turned to face the mirrors on one wall, and walked straight forward. She slid a mirror aside, revealing a modest room: Bed, light switch for the ceiling light, small dresser topped with a small TV, Blu-Ray player, consoles and Nintendo games, and enough empty space to stretch in all directions. You walk toward the room; Impa passes you and returns to the center of the Dojo to wait.  

    After inspecting things briefly, you approach Impa, who spoke again as you neared, "From the center of the room approach the mirrors, there lies the closet; or your room, depending on the wall you choose." And pointed to the other mirrored wall. You took the implied instruction and walked that direction, to the wall. There, you find a sliding mirror concealing another hidden space; the closet was found. 

    Two log dummies gently roll out when you open it.

    Impa approached the supply closet, "Before we begin, allow me to explain how to best utilize your equipment." She said, putting the dummies back and closing the mirrored door. 

    "Young as you are, I cannot expect you to have ample strength enough, to carry everything expected of a hero, so listen closely: You would have no trouble at all carrying the wooden training sword and shield, but if you were to attempt to take on a full sized sword or shield, you would require both arms to use just one or the other. Additionally, you have that useful satchel, which can only carry a limited amount of weight, much less space. The legendary weapons the goddesses crafted will not-at-all fit in such a small space. If you have to leave anything behind in your journeys, know that monsters will hunt for your weapons and relics to return them to guarded treasure chests and booby-trapped dungeons. Ganon's minions have grown increasingly vigilant over the centuries, snaring every last relic and mystical weapon." 

    She paused and inspected your newly equipped weapons, making sure you had a firm grip.

    "… Which is why I must train you just as vigilantly!" She shouted as she jumped back and revealed a pair of wooden weapons of her own, as if out of nowhere. 

    "I will not go easy on you, child! This is your only example; next I will use it against you. Hold your sword like so." She held her dagger, sword-like, in her right hand in a prepared stance. "and your shield like this." Shaking her left arm to prompt the shield's poised position.

 

    "When you strike, you have four basic attacks:" She said, exemplifying each one as she explained it, "Cutting vertically, Slashing Horizontally, Stabbing, and the technique I used to subdue the riffraff in the alley, the hilt strike. You can also utilize your shield to accomplish the same stunning blow as your hilt. Now you try."

    You clumsily swing the sword with your right hand and nearly drop it. 

    Setting it down, you trade the shield and pick the sword up with your left hand. This time, you cut through the air with sturdy precision. 

    Vertical cuts, horizontal slashes, stabs, and blunt strikes. When you'd showed Impa you could do what she had showed you, without warning she shot at you with her wooden daggers out for a quick cut. 

    You barely dodge it by rolling aside, but couldn't resist her follow up from behind while exiting the roll.

    Rather than striking, Impa tapped you with a dagger before sheathing both, then retrieving a shield from the closet, "You understand the basics well enough to practice alone while Zelda and I tend to the park downtown. I will show you how to block next." She raised a shield in front of herself and instructed you to stab at her. 

    You did so, and she blocked it with her shield. 

    "You have a strong strike. This shield would not withstand... ten of your blows. Just as your shield would break if it received damage past its threshold, so too will your sword after enough strikes. A blocked strike will damage it even more. The wooden targets are sturdier than your sword and can take more blows than a wooden sword can deliver because they act like a wooden shield block. I must prepare dinner for you and Zelda. I won’t usually ask this, but try to break your sword at least once while I am upstairs."

She reaffirmed her orders and took on a posture of authority.

    "So that I know you have endurance enough to last in a fight: Outlast your sword!" She returned her wooden daggers and the shield to the closet and retrieved two wooden dolls, bowed politely, then went about, up the stairs.

    You drag three dummies into the middle of the room, one at a time, and proceed to cut and slash them as hard as you could. You swing and swing, knocked one over then slashed the next. Swinging harder and harder. You lunge in for a stab and drop the sword upon impact. 

    A short but intense burst of energy, you sit down for a moment to catch your breath and wave the pain out of your hand, feeling overwhelmed. After a few seconds, you pick up the sword, right the fallen wooden dummy, and retreat several paces. Taking a deep breath, you bow to the wooden target, and ran at it as Impa had run at you. 

    You slash the target and spun around to cut it, stepped back into the second target and smashing your hilt against it from behind, then turned and slashed the second target, successfully shattering this training sword for the first time.

You feel a strong sense of pride. Breathing heavily, you wipe your brow and smile to the untouched dummy and yourself...

    Or to yourself, you thought; Zelda smiled as well, silently watching from the bottom of the stairs, just barely out of sight. You were short of breath and just stood there, internally admiring your success as she approached quietly from behind you.  

    "That was quite impressive, Link." She said sincerely; a welcome startle, your shocked eyes and confused smile revealed to her. "Impa doesn't know I'm down here... I wanted to see if you were as strong as I thought you were... and to give you this..." She held out her hands, revealing a small empty pendant made up of a soft golden spiral. "It's one of three pendants which will help the Hero of Time... Although I'm not sure how... yet." she said, then whispered, "just... not yet." She looked warily behind herself. "I better get back upstairs before Impa finds out I'm not buried in an avalanche of books." She said, hesitated a moment, smiling at you, and quickly shoved the pendant in your palm and silently ran up the stairs. You examine the golden spiral a moment before you stow it in your new room and return to your sword and shield practice.

    You, Impa, and Zelda all ate supper together in the kitchen dining nook beside the back door; while Impa explained that it would be wisest for you to remain inside and train, but welcome to explore none the less. She cautioned that if you were to leave the house, it would automatically lock behind you, and you would be unable to re-enter until she and Zelda had returned.

    Watching them leave in the blue van; from the window you waved and smiled at Zelda, who smiled and waved back. With such an overwhelming adventure starring you in the face, you feel tiny, dwarfed. 

    You needed to get some air, but didn't want to be locked out. Thinking a moment, reflecting on something Impa had cautioned you about earlier, then deciding you should have the equipment closet downstairs inspected if you were to leave. 

    You thought the sword and shield would suffice, and open the mirrored door. You find a sword & shield and spy some other weapons buried behind wooden targets: a bag of Deku nuts, and two individually marked bags that said "bullet seeds", one green, the other blue. You inspect them, but they are empty. There are 10 Deku Nuts, so you take them and the bag they came in. 

    While you were there, you figure you'd swing the sword around and get familiar with carrying it. You watch yourself in the mirror, slowly moving the sword around, getting a feel for it. Vertical, horizontal, stab; all, very slow movements. Nodding to your reflection, you sheathe the sword, turn, and leave.

    Up the stairs, in the kitchen, you fill your small bottle with some water and the large bottle with milk from the fridge, before taking off for this breather you feel you need so much. 

    Since you needed to get familiar with the area and find a quiet place to unwind, your feelings were right on the rupees. 

    You leave the house and hear the lock behind you latch heavily. Off the front step, you look around briefly, checking out the neighborhood. This house was one removed from a corner lot. The direction you'd come from earlier, from the alleyways. 

    You decide to peek at the dead end where the commercial back door was, since there wasn't much in the area but homes and streets. Around the corner, back the way you'd come. You stand in front of the alleyway, staring at it a moment. 

    You have no idea how to get back here or where you would wind up if you entered again. Staring longer, you consider deliberately losing yourself in the alleys on an endless journey through...

    whatever lay beyond. 

    But only for a moment; before turning and leaving.

  On either side of the alley were shops. 

    One was a grocery market; the other was clothing and accessories. From out of the clothing shop came an attractive teenage girl with tan skin and red hair, wearing black cargo shorts and a camouflage tank top. She seemed in a hurry, ignoring you, turning down the street, and getting in her car. 

    You watch her drive away, oblivious of your staring at her the whole time. You think she looked familiar and had hoped you would be recognized, but nothing happened and you let it go. 

    You walk along the sidewalk in the opposite direction for a while, eventually passing a hospital.

    The next neighborhood was mostly homes, with only a few small shops every several blocks, and only on the one street. Other streets led down dead ends and into cul-de-sacs, and neighborhoods lined with homes. A couple asphalt paved alleyways give you a chill as they remind you of the brick alcoves. 

    You come to a busy intersection after walking for a long time, where the other side of the street looks more like the downtown area: Commercial buildings and offices hugging the streets, and subtle shops crowded by the offices and towers.

 

    You notice a shadowy figure emerge from the alleyway between a tall, fancy office building sporting big bold letters reading "Gorman Bros. HYREALTY", and a small office called "Doutor's" with no indication as to its services. You back yourself against the corner of a building and watch.

    The figure, staying low and moving quickly, darted from tree to tree, lamp post to traffic signal, traffic sign to mail box; until a fire escape offered a higher vantage point. This person did not notice you watching them, but showed vigilance, always looking over their shoulder and making pause to scan the area around them.

    Once the coast appeared to be clear, they gracefully ascended the fire escape, as if flying; using it as merely an apparatus between hand and footfalls, before they finally jumped onto the rooftop of a lower adjacent office and vanished around the corner. You give chase, running across the street and dashing for the next intersection. By the time you reach the corner, the ninja had vanished.

    Not a sign on rooftops or in dark corners on street level. You sigh and drop your shoulders, disappointed. You trudge along a moment before realizing you were being watched. You feel eyes on your back and turn around, but there was no one there.

¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

___________________________________

     Impa stood behind Zelda, waiting for her to finish her chapter. "Very good, your training will begin after we eat. I must change your routine today to include that you be on the watch out for our guest; your friend. If you see Link, try to guide them back to the house, and test their perceptive abilities. If Link chases you, lead them back, and open the house while both trying to lose them and guide them. Do not enter home, do not follow Link in, but convince Link the house has been entered..." She seemed to have more to say but cut short, "Continue your studies. I will call you for dinner." -

    - Impa, Link, and Zelda all ate dinner together in the kitchen dining nook, Impa explained that Link would be wisest to remain inside and train, but welcome to explore none the less. She cautioned that if they were to leave the house, it would automatically lock behind them, and they would be unable to re-enter until she and Zelda had returned.

    Watching them leave in the blue van from the window, Link waved and smiled at Zelda, who smiled and waved back. "Your day begins now, Princess." Zelda grumbled "Are you going to call me that from now on? I don't like it." She said, climbing in back. "Just change, miss, I'm pulling over around the corner." Impa said, while smoothly controlling the van along the neighborhood.

    Zelda finished changing out of her plain outfit and into the Ninja Wrap and pulled her mask over her mouth, nodding to Impa as she opened the van door. She darted out and dashed back toward the previous street and into the shadows of the alley ways. Once in, she turned around and left, emerging in the run down outskirts of West Hyruletropolis. She spent no time and jumped back in the alley, avoiding any chance of being seen. She, again, turned to exit, but paused to catch her breath, her heart pounding, but she ignored it as she emerged between two offices downtown.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

    Staying low and moving quickly, Zelda darted from tree to tree, lamp post to traffic signal, sign to mail box, until a fire escape offered a higher vantage point. She looked over her shoulder from this vantage point and scanned for anyone who might see her movements, before she moved on, leaping down to a nearby rooftop. She kept low, approaching the edge, scanning for company.

    She watched Link run past and instinctively knew she was being followed, recoiling from sight. Now Zelda followed Link. After running all the way from downtown to Lake Hylia, she knew Link was going to prove special. Using techniques learned from Impa's training, Zelda hid in many awkward locations and stealthily stalked them until they sensed her. Link trudged along a moment before feeling Zelda’s observant watch. Link felt her eyes and turned around, but there was no one there. Zelda prepared herself to attack, retrieving her throwing needles, waiting for Link to turn back around and catch them immediately in shock.

¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

___________________________________

    You sighed and dropped your shoulders, disappointed, then trudged along a moment before realizing you were being watched. You felt eyes on your back and turned around, but there was no one there.

    You slowly stiffen, sensing someone behind you, and place your hands on your sword and shield. You turn swiftly, defiantly, reversing the ninja's plans, drawing both, and you stare each other down; you breathed heavily a moment, shock caught in your chest, the mysterious ninja gripped the fine needles in their hands, crouching low, concealing their intentions. 

    They blinked, you swallowed hard, and they instantly darted forward and threw a handful of needles. 

    You tried to roll aside but caught one in the leg, and immediately torqued around in pain, but used the momentum to raise your shield and protected yourself from any further damage.

    You pull the needle out then stand up, holding the shield in front of you, successfully collecting a second handful of needles in the wood. You run ahead to strike, but your mysterious target performed a backflip and dodged the swing. They then rushed forward and struck your core abdomen with open palms. You double up, wincing, backing up several paces, and coughed as the wind escaped your lungs. 

    Looking up, you watch the ninja turn and run. You try to sublimate the pain & suffocation and give chase, attempting to catch up.

¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

___________________________________

    Zelda lead the way back home, corner after corner, keeping Link close enough to see her, but far enough to keep them running. They rounded the last corner and she dashed ahead and pulled out her key. As soon as she made it to the front door, she unlocked it, opening it a hair, then ran around back of the house. 

¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

___________________________________

    You see the ninja curve down Zelda's street, and dashed ahead faster, putting your sword and shield away so you could run faster; rounding the corner just in time to see some bushes near their house rustle. 

    You run on, toward the front step, and notice the door is ajar, halting and pondering the door. You approach the door with curiosity, feeling a slight sense of dread mixed with suspicion, and stopped entirely on that front step.  

    You look around and draw the sword again. Frowning, you turn to face the street again and scanned the neighborhood. There were no cars parked anywhere, no people walking on the sidewalks, no blinds open in the windows, and not a sound of car, pet, play, family, or neighborhood.

    You grip the sword hard and stare down the other end of the street before sheathing it. The dead end down the next block along seemed less an end and moreover just dead.

    You enter the house and slam the door, then inspect the house before you run downstairs...

    No one appears to have entered, but you knew there was something strange going on; indeed, you just didn't know what, much less what to do about it. 

    Impa said this was time not to be wasted, so if you needed to protect Hyrule, let alone yourself, you should take her advice.  

    You begin practicing the sword techniques Impa had shown you, and eventually moved on to the wooden targets. Zelda had disobeyed Impa and followed you in through the back door, where she had waited while you entered the house. After she watched you through the door window, she unlocked it quietly, and closed it just as silently behind her. 

    She crouched in the shadows of the stairwell and watched intently. You seemed, to her, to be incredibly deliberate and focused. 

¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

___________________________________

    Link swung the sword vertically, horizontally ""Hut, hyia!" Stabbed, cut, slashed. They were working up their breath and breathing faster. Cutting and slashing, two of each. Stabs, cuts, then, Link jumped sideways, slashing diagonally down upon landing, "Hyeah!" Breathing hard, "Hut! Hyia!" Horizontally, vertically, Link thrust the sword in the air and stabbed into it thrice: "Sit sat, siyahhhh!" as if vanquishing invisible evil.

    Link huffed, quickly caught their breath, walked over to the mirrors, and opened the closet. Huffed again, this time more like a sigh, wiped sweat from their brow, and entered. Zelda swiftly snuck across the dojo and entered Link’s room, keeping the door ever so faintly cracked open that she could still watch, closer.

    Link dragged a large wooden dummy out from the closet and propped it up in the middle of the room then paced away from it, backwards, staring intently at it. When Link stopped, Zelda held her breath. Link unconsciously held it too. Staring down the wooden opponent, Link exhaled sharply "Rrhhhhaaaaaaghhh! And leapt into the air, lunging the sword at it, smashing the sword immediately.

¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

___________________________________

    Zelda tried to stifle a squeal, and covered her mouth all at once. She felt certain you would have heard her and dared not peek. She rolled against the wall and pressed against it, as close as possible, tip toeing.

    You stood motionless, together; yet worlds apart... You were exhausted from chasing and being chased; Zelda stuck in awkward indecision. She silently exhaled all her breath and unconsciously held it out. The door slid open and gently came to rest on her shoulder, elbow, arm. She squinted tight for a moment then fiercely shot her eyes open. Your back was turned to her and you gently rolled your footsteps toward the bed and flopped down, face-first, diagonally on it.

    Zelda hugged the wall around and out the door as quickly and quietly as possible then ran silently toward the stairs. She stopped and turned back, darkness concealing the room you lay in... Though she peered in anyways, hovering indecisively at an event threshold... Then walked quietly up the stairs to the back door, opened and locked it, then hesitated again.

    Impa had silently watched from the shadows the entire time and finally stepped into the illusion as Zelda locked and shut the back door. "It's getting late, go survey the park. Link already appears to suspect this is part of the illusions of the Lost Woods, and I will need to hasten their training before we can send them into the forest. Your training must have been sufficient by now, princess. Remember: Dressed as you are, you are the Ninja: Sheik; be aware, stay alert, I will follow shortly behind after I re-secure the house; but, go now..!" Zelda darted away, feeling partly ashamed, but mostly content that she now had proof that your spirit was so strong, willful, and direct as she suspected... Hoped.

    Impa's hands glowed, dark and purple; she waved her hand across the sky in an arcing motion and closed her eyes. The world immediately around herself became shadowy and grew rapidly; fat trees slowly replaced the majority of the homes around them, rocks and terrain contoured the streets instead of asphalt and concrete, and shrubs and grass covered the ground where yet other houses had been. The house itself transformed from a cookie-cutter residence to a distinguished two story stone-and-log cabin, the copy-paste neighborhood became an artistic masterpiece of nature. Impa's posture shifted softly through several different positions, as she moved her left hand about with focused intent, allowing her right hand to relax by her side; the left hand emitting shadowy illusions around the house, the right, drawing shadowy energies from the forest around her. A graceful slow motion dance of supreme posture; had she an audience.

    She opened her eyes, they were covered with shadow, and all was the plain, undistinguished, "cookie-cutter" neighborhood again. She nodded, her eyes shaded, energy drawn away from her hands, blinked; her eyes returned to normal, she turned, and finally made way back to the van - parked around the corner at the end of the block. As she drew away, at the opposite end of the street, where the “next block” would have been at this block's end, the forest shadows loomed outward and from their invisible depths glared two pairs of red eyes.

¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

___________________________________

    Sheik darted away, feeling partly ashamed of herself, but mostly content that Link's spirit was so strong, willful, and direct. She smiled under her face wrap, convincing herself that she would help Link secure the Triforce and return Hyrule to its natural prosperity, intended by the goddesses.

    She returned to the rooftops by jumping from wall to wall in the narrow alley, entering from the illusory edge of Hyruletropolis, and exiting atop a parking garage across the street from the Temple of Time. There was little to no cover, so she had to wait for a large vehicle to pass by, heading south. After several minutes, the perfect opportunity revealed to be a milk truck stopped at the red light. She jumped down, throwing the momentum of her hips into a flip to ease the landing; triangle jump. Her success came to please her, satisfying her personal practice - as Impa has eternally directed.

    The low branches of the well-aged fir trees of the park made good cover and access for her stealth from the back of the milk-tanker. However, she learned to keep an eye out for the Goron Link, whom has twice nearly caught her changing: Once into her ninja wrap, and once out of it. She climbed the tree several stories, until she could survey the outlying neighborhoods without being seen.

__________________________

Shade’s Nocturne

¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯