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The Mercenary (Beautiful_Disgrace and I)

"..Oh? What was she planning on doing? Delivering us that trinket of Wisdom personally? That is not being bold, that is being a fool." She stated mockingly. Well, that explained why Pit couldn't capture her right away...if he had to fight off that mysterious man and Zelda at the same time, he probably wasn't able to handle it. That just wasn't fair. "...At any rate, I love what you've done with the place..." She smirked.
 
"Do you?" Ganon chuckled. "It does need more work...but this is a much more defensible location," he murmured. "As for our blue haired annoyance, I've been having my phantom friend harass the area around the castle for a time...but I think your boy needs a second chance. Link is a known concern...but he is an unknown, we must test him." he smirked. "Send that child of yours over to join my Phantom, my dear. We must get to the bottom of this. Something about that blue haired mercenary doesn't smell right." he said, head tilted in thought. Thinking of him gave the same pit of dread that Zelda and Link did. Insufferable obstacles...but manageable ones, he could ruin his plans.
 
"So you're giving him a little bit of assistance this time?" Medusa floated over to Ganon and then draped her arms around his shoulders, her staff now behind him as she looked into his eyes. "You still think of him as mine when he belongs to you as well...his powers are from the both of us. Perhaps he is not the symbol of our alliance I had wished for him to be?" Even though she had given him full control over him, he just treated him as a messenger boy. That was fine, but Medusa wanted to know what his real thoughts about Dark Pit were.
 
"I suppose I am too hard on the first attempt, when it wasn't expected for the Queen to be waltzing around the jungle." Ganon rumbled, his hands slipping down her back. "But I do not tolerate failure, my lady...I suppose a proper chance should be...given." he said, giving her rear a firm, and possessive squeeze. "Which is what I shall offer," he said, his eyes smoldering with hunger...of what sort, it was hard to say. Ganondorf hungered many things.

"All the better if her majesty returns to her castle in chaos."
 
"I don't tolerate failure either, I told him that." She caressed his cheek, running her fingers through his beard. She felt him squeeze her so inappropriately and yet she didn't pull away. No, she liked it. "Hmmm, if he is successful this time, perhaps he just needs someone to back him up. He is still a child after all. He won't be used to taking on multiple opponents right away...but I suppose we need another...your phantom isn't best suited to be a baby sitter. Perhaps he needs another sibling...."
 
"Hm...an interesting proposition, Lady Medusa...did you have something in mind?" he asked curiously. Truth be told, the more help...the better. It seemed she was growing adjusted to him...he wondered if she should be wary or content. There was the danger in of itself, he supposed. She was beautiful, flawless as a Goddess would be. Even as she was 'cast down', there was something about her that no mortal could fully understand.

Admittedly, his power alone kept him from falling under such easy sway. He did wonder, who was playing the game more...her, or him?
 
"I do," She began as her hand trailed down from his face to his broad chest. As much as she wanted him to be the pursuer, well right now they needed another ally. There were so many pests around, Medusa felt like it would be best to create another, more coherent addition to their forces. The monsters could not be commanded to do anything other than destroy whatever they touched. "But it might involve you showing me that Gerudo hospitality of yours, and I don't quite feel comfortable with that idea just yet." She gave him a seductive smile.
 
"Oh?" Ganondorf said, how he really was curious. The faint growl of satisfaction rumbled from his chest to confirm it. "That is an interesting proposition, my lady...what must I do to ease your concerns?" He hadn't seriously considered that she would actually be interested, but if there was to be some manner of honest alliance...well, there needed to be trust. It would be an interesting way to prove his loyalty, true...but she had been a surprising help. A partnership was...interesting, she did not seemingly wish to lord over him. Which made him wary, at any rate...both of them working together could succeed their goals much faster.
 
"Gannon, have you ever worshipped a God? Typically we enjoy tributes, offerings and sacrifices. Perhaps there is something you can give to me. I rather like this fortress, but it's a little too closed in for my tastes." She didn't care what he offered to her. All she wanted was for him to treat her like what she was. She craved to be worshipped, but he was not a man to bow to anyone...she wondered just how he'd react to her request.
 
"I see," Ganondorf mused thoughtfully. But...there was a solution, and if he did say so himself...an excellent one. "Then I may have the perfect place for you, my dear." he purred. "If you'll indulge me?" he said, offering his arm with a faint smirk. One that would show his loyalty without diminishing his pride, and one that would benefit the both of them.
 
She took his arm without much thought. She was curious what he had come up with on such little notice. He didn't even really seem to care that she had basically asked him to worship her through tribute. But that didn't matter..she wasn't going to complain. Maybe she didn't have to be so secretive and sneaky around him after all.
 
Ganondorf grinned a little, and his dark magic cloaked them both. It was nothing unfamiliar for a woman of her caliber, of course...but it did make the trip faster. Suddenly, they were outside and more importantly...overlooking all of Hyrule. The top of Death Mountain, close to the sky that she wished to conquer...and high enough to look over everything. The lava simply added the proper flair, he thought. She would need proper living quarters, of course...but nothing her magic couldn't handle.

"It requires some work," he mused thoughtfully, head tilted. "But a suitable place, I trust?"
 
"Ahh, this is much better..." There was already very large clouds of black smoke surrounding the mountain...an excellent cover. "I can see everything from here...if those fools try to storm our fortress I'll know before they can even make it halfway here. Yes, the perfect lookout for the perfect fortress. I like it." As she spoke to him, he would feel her power emanating from her staff. She raised it in the air, and the ring of clouds around death mountain started to grow and become more sinister. Medusa cackled as the sky suddenly became very dark. The black clouds were starting to multiply and grow until they formed a sphere just above the mountain. Only slivers of light from the sun illuminated the top of the mountain now, but Medusa wasn't done. Not by a long shot.
 
Ganondorf chuckled in amusement, arms crossing. "Well, my lady...I will leave you to your...renovations, we have much to prepare for and so little time to do it, I take my leave of your presence," he said with a slightly respectful tilt of his head, before leaving in a wisp of dark magic. Their...'child' had one more chance, and he would get assistance this time. In truth, he was somewhat curious, both the Hero of Time and the mercenary would be there, it would be a good test of both of their abilities for a change.

A minor setback, one that would be rectified soon enough. Once Medusa properly 'relaxed'...things would progress as planned.
--
Nothing had really changed on the way to Hyrule Castle. That both unnerved him and relieved him, Zelda had acted like nothing had happened...and Ike supposed it was for the best at any rate. But he still wanted to apologize. Either way, this was his first time meeting the 'Hero of Time' properly, as he walked with Impa to greet the Queen at the castle gates.

"Your majesty, it is a relief you have returned," Impa said with a sigh. "I trust you understood the danger of your journey?"

Ike and Link, meanwhile...were simply looking at each other. Not in hostility, but sizing one another up. He had the eyes of a warrior, and there was something about Link that made Ike's skin crawl just a little. His gaze was unflinching, unafraid...as if he could take the world coming at him and he would simply meet it. But more than that, the easy grace he carried himself spoke much about his talent as a swordsman. Some things...you simply couldn't train, some just knew how to hold a sword.

The green tunic and hat was an interesting choice, but the scarf certainly had a sense of heroism to it. He could see why Link was seen as some bastion of valor, being near him just made Ike feel like he could take on the world.
 
Zelda looked at Impa and sighed. "Yes and no. We had a stranger attack us, and I had a bad feeling so I turned back. To make sure everything was okay, and also because Ganondorf might know that I'm looking for him. It just put a setback on my plan...we won't be able to surprise him if he already knows we're trying to attack. So I came back here to be with my people." Zelda really didn't like admitting defeat. Something about the way Impa talked to her kind of irritated her...like she was planning on the Princess failing or something. But she knew Impa and everyone else was just looking out for her.

Zelda never did like being a sheltered Princess...
 
Impa's expression was less than satisfied, but it was obviously something that wouldn't be shared with other people. Ike had seen it well before, many times...a well meaning bodyguard, but a Queen who wished for more than her station. One thing would break for another, regardless.

"...In any case, it is...good to see you are safe, your majesty." she said, as way of an apology. "Forgive my presumptuousness."

"We haven't had anything as of late, however...but..." Link said, pointing behind them. Ike turned out of curiosity...and it was obvious what he saw. Death Mountain had an ominous cloud over it...much more so than usual. Something about it made his skin crawl, they were obviously up to something.
 
Zelda looked over in the direction behind Link and then spotted the black orb of..smoke? Cloud? Either way it reminded Zelda of how the sky looked when all those bublin soldiers kept spawning. The Gorons...were they okay? "This isn't good...Not at all." It was like..an ominous sign. She looked to Impa and Link. "Please tell me I'm not the only one worried about the Gorons. Isn't there anything we could do..? Maybe?" She asked desperately.

Or was that just a trap..? That was the only thing she could think of...Ganon trying to lure her best soldiers, and the hero of time away from Hyrule so he could strike? Zelda wasn't sure what to do....
 
"Chances are that they've already taken it," Ike murmured, arms crossing. "The time it would take to get there would put us at a significant risk, your majesty."

"We can't just do nothing," Link murmured. "They are our allies, Ike."

"Your allies that are on the other side of Hyrule," Ike murmured. "In a mountain. That's not brave, that's just stupid and suicidal."
 
Ike had always been quite the cautious one, and considering he nearly died defending her, she felt like she didn't have a right to object his concern. She sighed and just gazed upon the mountain, clasping her hands together and saying a silent prayer. "Ike..can't you ask Goddess Palutena for advice on this? You're right, but so is Link. There has to be something...anything we can do...What if Ganondorf has them enslaved right now..? Someone has to free them..."
 
"...I don't even know how," Ike admitted. In fact, he didn't even know how or why Palutena contacted him in the first place, other than his experience and his sword. He was never a very religious man in the first place. Which was probably bizarre, given his dealings with a myriad of gods.

"Palutena?" Impa said, brow furrowed on confusion.
 
Zelda looked at Impa and then decided to explain to her what she knew. It was a good idea anyway since neither her nor Link was aware that Ganon was receiving the help of a fallen Goddess. She sighed and then looked at Ragnell. Maybe she could help? But she hadn't really spoke in a while..probably because Ike told her not to when they were in front of others. It would be his decision if he wanted to share her with anyone else.

"Perhaps if you pray to her, you will see her in your dreams again?" She asked him. Though they would have to wait until tonight if that were the case...and every second they didn't help the Gorons, well they were probably suffering at the hands of that evil man.
 
"...I'll see what I can do," Ike said after a moment, glancing at them before sighing inwardly. He had gotten far too soft for mercenary work. Link looked at him in return, face focused a moment in thought. Impa simply stayed silent, taking in what Zelda had told her to think. It was a lot to take in...

"Scouting party," Link said after a moment. "Small, fast...able to see what's going on."

"Correct," Ike murmured. "I wouldn't recommend more than that, who knows what'll happen in the coming days. I guess...I'll try to figure this out."
 
It was too dangerous for Zelda to leave her people right now, so she couldn't even think about joining this supposed scouting party. "..Impa. Do you have anyone in mind?" She asked her most trusted advisor and general. There had to be a few specially trained people who she had trained somewhere around here.
 
"I do," Impa murmured. "Rest assured, your majesty...it will be done." she promised, hand over her heart to bow. "I will begin preparations immediately. They will be ready within the hour, you have my word." Ike couldn't slight her for wanting to help, but he still didn't think it was worth it. It wasn't his place to put value on other kingdom's lives, however.

"In the meantime, Zelda...you should relax." Link advised. "You look like a mess." Insider knowledge, to say the least...a Queen never showed a hint of weakness, but Ike saw the cracks here and there.

...Likely all his fault.
 
Zelda looked over to Link, and then nodded. Truth was, she was exhausted. The journey had not been easy on her. Though she doubted she'd be able to sleep easily enough with everything that was on her mind. If Ganon took over death mountain, what was he planning on next? What was that large orb of black smoke? What was going on? Not to mention, despite attempting to ignore how uncomfortable this was...having her ex love and her...kinda current lover in the same place.

She heard a sneeze, and she immediately noted that it was Ragnell. Her eyes darted to Ike and Ragnell. Did..swords really sneeze? Or was she...just wanting attention?
 
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