Fan Fiction ❯ The One Thing That Does Not Change With Time is the Memory of Younger Days ❯ Ruto is Saaad ( One-Shot )

(*I was playing Zelda (Ocarina of Time), when I got an idea for a short story…it's about Ruto and her view on things throughout different parts of the game. It's kinda sad, cuz she's all angsty and crap like that…and Link is kind of a jerk, but never mind that. I think he acts like a jerk during the game too…w/e…*)

"Look Link, a switch, a switch!!" I squirm about on his shoulders, pointing to the blueish-white lump sticking out of the pink muscle. He shifts to hold onto me tighter.

"I know, I know." Link says in an annoyed tone. He walks a few more steps before approaching the switch, where he promptly drops me. The thick, sticky net covering the door disappears.

"O-w-w-w!! Can't you be more careful with a most beautiful Zora Princess!?" I stick my tongue out at him. He snorts derisively in return.

"Well, aren't we in a desperate situation? I don't think comfort is much of a necessity when you're doomed to be digested by some ancient fish that does nothing but float in a pond all day. " The sarcasm is thick in his words. He puts a hand on his hip, looking down at me with that pouty expression of his. Blue eyes narrow as I smile up at him.

"Well, guess you're right…I'm still royalty, though." My smile turns into a grin. I like pushing people's buttons, especially people with bad tempers. Hehe.

"Whatever." Link turns on his heel and approaches the living door. I tilt my head, watching his Deku shield shift as he steps. The deep scratches and scrapes in it are proof of his adventures, no doubt dangerous ones. He should be able to handle whatever is in that room.

Link stops right before the door, squaring his shoulders. He turns to look over his shoulder right at me.

"Stay put, ok? If you leave, then neither of us is getting out of here alive."

I nod, the seriousness of his voice sinking in. He turns back around and touches the writhing muscle with a hand. It spasms once and opens smoothly. Link steps in, confidence radiating from his stout form. The door closes, swallowing Link from view.

I hold my breath as I hear nothing but the walls squelch around me. The moist air is thick with the putrid smell of rotting things, and buzzes lightly with the overwhelming amount of electricity the monsters give off. Lord Jabu-Jabu has never been like this before. Never has he felt so strange, so threatening. Please let Link be able to handle everything. To save both of us. Please.

I flinch as a muffled scream comes from the room, then an almost untraceable thud. Link is being attacked. I hug my knees to my chest, fins flapping from fear. My aquatic instincts are telling me to swim, to run, but if I do…neither of us is getting out alive. I must stay put.

Another agonizing scream. I shut my eyes tight as I rest my forehead on my knees.

Please let Link be ok. Please let him get us out of here alive.

Please.

*

*

*

My fins flip about me, pushing me through the water. I steer with my hands almost subconsciously, facing the bottom of the many-roomed chamber. Fins and feet move accordingly, pulling me deep into the watery depth. Passing through the holes of what were supposed to be dry floors, I reach the bottom chamber. I curl up and flip smoothly, landing feet first upon the stone bottom. I turned my head upwards as air bubbles blub higher and higher, reaching above the surface of the water to go where they were meant. The aura of torchlight far, far up glitters in shards down to where I am, wiggling where the water is disturbed. Such a beautiful sight that many beings don't get to witness. Except for a Sage and her heroic love.

He's coming soon. That's why I came here.

The echo of a door opening and heavy, metallic footsteps beyond the room reach my ears. So far away for so many years, and now so close. The footsteps grow closer, stopping and hovering from the barrier between us. I turn to face the dark door, floating inches from the floor. The door opens, rising from the ground and lodging itself in the ceiling.

The blue of his eyes stand out, even in this shadowy water. Blue eyes those are no longer young and innocent. He gasps in surprises, bubbles escaping from his mouth.

I smile sincerely. Not teasingly like all those years ago. A genuine smile telling how happy I am to see him.

"Hello, Hero of Time."

Link doesn't say anything. His face is no longer pouty, no longer childish. It's serious, strong, determined. But it reveals no emotion. Just like the Hero of Time should be.

He takes a step closer, the iron coating his boots thumping against the stone ground. The door shuts with a scraping noise behind him.

I smile again. Those boots can only be obtained by going into the Ice Cavern, where the temperatures are always below freezing. And he got them in only that blue Zora tunic and white tights. He's practically not human.

I start spitting out words, words of advice and caution. He shifts his position to take them in patiently. But these words are meaningless. He would've gotten through this temple and destroyed all the monsters even without my words of warning, that's how brave he is. I'm not even trying to see what is wrong with the temple. I don't know what's wrong with it. I came back here purely to see him. My handsome, courageous knight. My love.

I finish my speech to him, and he nods. He shifts again, awaiting what would come next.

"Follow me." I say, and I kick my legs up to swim as quickly as possible through the hole in the ceiling. He looks surprised, then serious again as he rushes under my rising form. I kick faster, the water's surface approaching closer and closer. I peer down and see him hopping around on one Ironclad foot, pulling a normal boot on the other. Funny. He peels the other Iron boot off and the other normal boot on quickly. I turn my gaze back to the surface as he jumps up once and floats up ever so slowly. He'll never catch up to me…but that's the point.

I break the surface and suck in air. My arms haul me out and onto the dry, stone flooring. After pulling myself to my feet, I twist my head around to see Link floating up precariously, his eyes locking onto mine. They are endearing and pleading, for once. Almost sad as he realizes that I'm leaving him alone. But there's no way that he can be truly sad for my leaving. I'm just a Sage to him, only needed for the little blue medallion I would give him once he defeated the Boss underneath this vast lake.

But that's ok. I never have expected the Hero of Time to care for me, much less love me.

My eyes blur in sudden tears. Life feels hopeless. The world is being smothered by darkness, my people are doomed to being frozen under an impenetrable sheet of ice…

…And I can never have that man.

I turn around quickly, and rush to the door in front of me. I press my palms against the cold, grainy surface, feeling a rush of my Sage magic flow through the door. It rises instantly, allowing me entrance. By the time Link solves the puzzle in this room, I'll be gone and out of the temple, awaiting him in the Chamber of Sages. I want to help him, but he's better at doing thing on his own. I'd just get in the way.

I pause in the frame of the door and grasp it, looking around inside the room again. I can see the air bubbles floating and popping at the surface of the water. He's almost at the top. I must go.

Good luck, Hero of Time.

*

*

*

"I figured you'd like this spot…" Link says gently as he swings the blonde princess in his arms off of "Epona". Her dainty little feet touch the grass airily, not making a sound. Link smiles gently at her. She smiles back, but not in the adoring way he does. That boy has it bad for her.

I look down at my own feet. The bright blue spots that etch down my legs linger across them, but for the most part they're the faintest hue of blue. They're large and cloddy, designed to paddle through water. Not tiny and princess-like. They can't fit small little glass-like slippers that click-click across floors.

Oh well. A Zora would look ridiculous in little glass-slippers, anyways.

"Isn't the night sky beautiful?" Link says, sitting casually on the cool ground, Zelda next to him with her legs tucked neatly under her. Watch out princess, you might get a god-forsaken grass stain on that undoubtedly expensive silk dress. Who wears clothes like that out on a night trek? I say stupid blondes. Who happen to be incredibly wealthy and royal. I'm just royal. You can forget the money part.

Oh well. I seem to be saying that a lot lately. I sneer inside at her, and then blow it off like it's nothing. But, deep down, it really, really bothers me. She has this gorgeous, heroic man that would kiss her feet at the drop of his funny green hat, and all she does is give him a fake smile and some plastic, mindless chit-chat. Me? I'd be crawling all over him.

Oh well. Jealousy never gets you anywhere. Well, except trouble. Whatever.

And it really doesn't help that she happens to be the same race as him. He'd never marry an aquatic girl. Zoras are considered to have the most beautiful and exotic looks in all of Hyrule, next to the Gerudo people, but…Zelda is much more beautiful than me. She used to be kind of funny-looking, but now at the grand age of fifteen, she's turned into the most gawked-at girl in the land. Who knows how many men have asked for her hand…and at age fifteen!!! So not fair.

"The stars seem to be brighter tonight than usual." She offers sweetly, giving him another smile. I can practically see him melt. Jerk.

Why can't I be like the rest of my people, and not know anything about the events of the past? Sure, they don't have to know about Ganondorf and all of his insane, evil, world-dominating plans, but the Sage HAS to remember every last detail.

Spare me the misery. I knew I couldn't have him on that day of the Water Temple incident. Couldn't they have wiped out my memory or something else similar to that? Something to make me forget about that perfect little blonde boy?

No. Instead, he remembers everything too. SHE even remembers everything. So Link just had to go and trek back to Zelda in her luxurious castle and lust after her like the horny teenage boy he is. Feh. The gods planned this torture upon me, didn't they?

And how DARE he bring that wretched wench here to the site of the Water Temple? Lake Hylia isn't the only place to gaze at stars. Go to the roof of the castle if you want to do that.

Link shifts a little to be closer to her. She looks uncomfortable at his proximity. How tactile-defensive. He's not trying to grope her or anything.

"You look very lovely tonight." He smiles at her again. That lost-puppy smile. Oh, puke. "Oh, gee, will you let me marry you if I drag your royal ass out her under the stars and compliment you with some unoriginal phrase and an undoubtedly adorable look?"

"Well, thank you." Zelda toys with the lacey hem on her dress. Is she really flattered? He's just trying to get in her pants, I tell you. Or trying to get in her dress. Whatever.

"…But I really think we should head back to the castle now. Father would be furious if he found out I was beyond the castle at this hour." She persuades with her little lilting voice.

Link looks at her, confused, "But we've only been out her for a few minutes. Why can't we stay just a little longer?"

"But it took a decent amount of time just to arrive on your horse, and it will take awhile to get back. Please, Link, I do not wish to get in trouble." Actually, she just wants to get away from him. Although I guess she likes him enough to let him take her out here in the middle of the night.

He considers it. If he were any normal man admist the royal guards, he would be beaten and flogged for not immediately obeying the Princess's wishes.

"Ok. Let's head back." He says, not sounding very amused by the idea. Epona neighs a little as he approaches the huge red horse, "Come on, I'll lift you up."

Zelda steps up from the grass gracefully and smoothes out her dress carefully. Link holds out his arms awaiting her, but she passes him and swings herself on the saddle smooth and quick. I can practically see his eyes bugging out of his head. Hey, in the "future" life, she was a "guy" and was forced to ride horses with no help.

"Let's get going now. I do not want to upset father." She glances down at him looking annoyed. Link ignores her unease and swings up expertly, managing not to bump Zelda as he sits himself down in front of her. He grabs Epona's reins and handles them firmly, turning around once to check and see if Zelda was ready. Then, with a swift kick to the sides and a word of encouragement, Epona was off holding the secret saviors of Hyrule.

I run off behind the Lake Hylia Laboratory silently before diving off into the water with a small splish. I see Link look over his shoulder once out of curiosity of the sound before disappearing over a hill, Zelda's dress flitting lightly in the air.

Someday, he will get his princess and live happily ever after with her like in all the fairytales. They'll have plenty of children and grow old together, swooning with undying love. But for now, he will just have to wait for her patiently. And while he waits, I will be there to comfort him in his angsty fits and tag along as an adventure companion. But I'll never keep him away from Zelda, because that's what he wants most. And I want him to be happy.

Good bye for now, love.

THE END

(*WOW that was cheesy. Woo, im made of cheese…I write the sappiest things ever, I swear, but I really did like this piece…hope you did…yeah…and how the hell did Ruto know they were sneaking out to go and gaze at stars? Who knows…^^; oh yeah, I made that last part up…its after the end of the game, when link goes back to being a kid. Except four years have passed and he's fifteen. And I made it so that all the sages, link, and Zelda remembered what link did in the "future"…fun, ne? and the first two parts aren't exact to what really happened in the game, especially the middle one. I haven't played the game in awhile, so forgive thee…review, plz!! Much obliged!!*)