//------------------------------//
// Chapter 53: Rescue and Survival 
// Story: The Legend of Sunset Shimmer: Ocarina of Time 
// by Ganondorf8 
//------------------------------//

The Legend of Sunset Shimmer: Ocarina of Time.
By Ganondorf8
March 20, 2015
Chapter 53: Rescue and Survival.

I'm surprised the Gerudo had so much coordination, for I was expecting them to bicker with one another. I guess they've learned to fight as a cohesive unit, but it does me no good as I'm being swarmed right now. I really want to use my magic, yet doing so would cause them to suffer severe burns, and quite possibly kill some of them. I don't want to become a murderer as that would be the worst thing I could do, but it was reaching the point where I might have no other choice. 
No, I can't kill them despite their desire to kill me. There must be another way out, but what could it be? That's when someone decided to do something and speak on my behalf, and it was the one person I never expected.
" Is this how you thieves get your jollies?" asked Flim.
" What did you say worm?"
" You heard me you mongrel! I thought that you lot had at least some shred of honour, but it looks like I was wrong. I can't believe that my fellow workers and I wanted to join up with you, yet the reality is you're nothing more than savages who enjoy taking advantage of those who can't fight back," replied Flim. His words definitely resonated with the Gerudo, but not in the manner he was expecting as they suddenly got off of me, and turned their attention to him.
" You've quite the audacity to speak about us like that, and for that you deserve to be punished. I know that Madam Spitfire said you and those other worthless men mustn't be harmed, but that little stunt you pulled can't be allowed to stand. You! Hand over the key as I intend on opening his cell, and give him a reminder that he must learn his place like all men must."
" Ha!" exclaimed Flim.
" And what's so funny?"
" You've just proven my theory about you which is the same thought that everyone throughout Hyrule has. You Gerudo treat your prisoners and all outsiders as scum just because you feel furious over how we've lived in the lap of luxury compared to all of you. Are you all so blind by how you suffered in the past that you enjoy taking out your aggression against the other tribes? 
The old King was aware of your misery, and was willing to do everything in his power to provide you with the means to survive. Even though he was a man, he wanted to help you, and what does your own king do? He murders the one man who wanted to save you, and assumes the throne in the process. You were left behind to suffer while Ganondorf reigned over the land, and slowly destroying it in a seven year span," replied Flim.
" How dare you speak that way of the Great Ganondorf?"
" The truth certainly hurts doesn't it?" asked Flim.
" Don't push me anymore than you already have worm."
" I'm not scared of you desert mongrel no matter how much you threaten me. Your king has ruined your lives as well as those of the entire kingdom, and you go about being ignorant of it all. No wonder the other tribes look down on you, for they find it so pathetic that you're blind to such an obvious notion. No wonder you Gerudo are almost extinct as you clearly lack common sense," said Flim.
" That does it!" I'm not sure what this carpenter Jiro had in mind, but if he wanted to enrage these thieves, he did a very good job about it as now they had become consumed with rage. The guard who had the small key gave it over to the one who had been talking, and she proceeded to unlock the cell door before drawing a curved sword from a scabbard she had been concealing. 
" You've had your fun insulting us, but now you're about to lose your life." At that moment, I began to unleash a burst of flame which caused the thieves to scatter all over the place, and upon unleashing a second burst, the entirety of the Gerudo retreated until only the one who unlocked the cell was left. " What!?!? Where are all of you going? Come back here!"
" Looks like you're the only one left," I said.
" That useless man distracted us while you were able to use some kind of strange power!"
" It's called magic," I said.
" How did we not realize we were dealing with a magic user? I have no chance of killing someone who possesses magic, so I have no choice but to retreat....and face my punishment. Don't think that this ends here girl, for the others will come after you once they get their act together, and then you'll wish you had died here." The guard backed away from me a few steps before turning around, and running off until she was out of sight. 
I breathed a sigh of relief as I was able to survive another situation, but there were some concerns I needed answered. I looked at Jiro who appeared rather shocked at the power I used, and also for almost having been killed for his rather vocal outburst, so I walked over to him in order to see if he was willing to talk to me.
" That was a very impressive display," said Flim.
" You could have used less hurtful words you know when you made that speech," I said.
" They were on the verge of killing you when they attacked, so I had to say something hoping it would draw their attention to me. What I had to say was insulting to their integrity, but it needed to be done for reality must reach through to them before it's too late," said Flim.
" And what you said I wish to know," I began.
" You want to know about these thieves?" asked Flim.
" I'm not only here to rescue you and the rest of your fellow carpenters, I also have business to take care in the desert. I'm not sure what could be waiting there for me, but I must go and that involves getting permission from Spitfire, the one who is charge," I replied.
" Guess I might as well indulge your curiosity, and I'll begin with the one harsh truth of the Gerudo. You see, compared to the other tribes, they are few in number which has to do with how the tribe is structured. No doubt my words confuse you, so let me explain in the form of a question. 
Why is it that you've seen so many women, and yet no men? While I don't know the answer myself, it's a question that could reveal so much more about their struggles. What is known is that their numbers are dwindling, and if it continues at the current pace, they will be extinct within the span of a few years," said Flim.
" Do you know anything about a Sage?" I asked.
" Can't say that I do, but I'm willing to bet that is has to do with that temple in the desert," replied Flim.
" Yes!" I exclaimed.
" Figured you'd say that. Many believe this ancient ruin is in fact a place of worship, but you would be wrong. Because the desert is so dangerous, few have ever managed to make the crossing. The temple itself was abandoned long ago, but became a base of operations for the former second-in-command. Years ago, she was forced to flee from the temple because two strange figures came, and claimed it for themselves," said Flim.
" What kind of figures?" I asked.
" The rumour is that they are the surrogate mothers of the Gerudo King of Thieves, and have lived for centuries due to the dark power that they wield," replied Flim. This must be the same magic which currently controls Spitfire, so now I was starting to piece together what was really going on around here.
If they have taken up residence in the temple, I may end up having to fight them in order to awaken the final Sage. Deep down in my heart, I was feeling very worried because ancient magic is very powerful, and what I know is useless to combat it.
" Do you know anything about Nabooru?" I asked.
" Compared to the other Gerudo, she only stole what she needed to survive. Unlike the rest of them, she actually possessed a kind heart, and secretly gave back what had originally been stolen without their knowledge. Nabooru often acted independently, for she didn't want to be associated with a group of murderers which is what her tribe became under the reign of Ganondorf. 
They say that her ideals clashed with his, but she was never able to question his motives because of their laws dictating as such, but one day she made her move when she could no longer tolerate his actions," replied Flim.
" She ended up being branded a traitor, and was exiled from the tribe," I said.
" Her actions were for the benefit of her people, yet they were blinded by their own laws to have noticed. In their society, they must obey all commands issued by their king, and failure to do so results in being punished. Nabooru would have been killed for her actions, but she was spared because deep down Ganondorf was in love with her. He desired her to become his queen, yet her independent nature would never allow such a union to take place," said Flim.
" So she was exiled?" I asked.
" Correct, but I heard that she disappeared seven years ago," replied Flim.
" A most unfortunate result which can happen when you end up being forced to live in a desert," I said.
" I'm not sure how that could be given she has been brainwashing people," said Flim. What!?!? I've known Rainbow Dash for quite some time, and she would never do anything of the sort. Granted, the one I know is different from the one in this world, but still she wouldn't rely on manipulating the minds of people for her own benefit. 
I needed to learn more from Jiro, but he shrugged his shoulders when he said that he had no idea as it was merely a rumour. It was at this point that he wanted to go back, for he longed to return to Sweetie Belle. " I'd rather work as a carpenter than join these thieves, but I'm sure the boss is going to give me an earful. Sunset Shimmer was it? Two of my buddies are still being held prisoner with one of them being my younger brother. I don't know where they could be in the fortress, but I'm sure that you will find them eventually."
" Do you know your way around here?" I asked.
" I remember one pathway that leads to what appears to be a kitchen, but it can be difficult to find," replied Flim. He then assured me that he knew his way back, so he said goodbye and ran off in the direction I used to enter this area. The guards for the most part are still scattered about, but they will quickly regain their composure and resume their efforts especially if Spitfire rallies them.
" Spike?" I began.
" What is it?" asked Spike.
" Did the Great Deku Tree ever tell you anything about the ancient Gerudo?" I asked.
" There was one story that he told me although it has been a while. He said that some centuries ago, the ancient desert tribe that became the Gerudo was much different than what is seen today, and that was due to having been masters of magic. In those days, sorcery was a rather potent means of getting what you wanted, for very few were able to fight back against it. 
Somewhere along the way, the desert tribe began to drift away from the use of magic, and started to become proficient in the art of thievery. This was because the desert became a harsh place over time, for they had squandered their resources in the process. Magic wasn't going to help them survive, so it slowly transitioned out in favour of more subtle means," replied Spike.
" I didn't think ancient Hyrule even had magic," I said.
" There has always been magic Sunset Shimmer, and that was in large part due to the Great Goddesses whose divine power left behind magical traces which people soon picked up on when they started to thrive throughout the world," said Spike.
" So what happened next?" I asked.
" The desert tribe soon abandoned magic, but there were two among them who refused to abandon their practices. These two originally studied good magic, but became corrupted and delved into the realm of darkness where they became stronger. They chose to go into self-exile somewhere in the desert so as to continue practicing their magic, and eventually faded into history," replied Spike.
" Do you suppose the two are still alive?" I asked.
" Magic can allow you to extend your own life past its natural limit," replied Spike. I took that as a yes which means I was dealing with ancient sorcerers whose magic was far more powerful than mine. I found it so weird that the Gerudo used to have this skill, but had to abandon it when the desert demanded them that survival was more important than knowledge. 
These two sorcerers must have taught Ganondorf to use magic as he clearly is an expert, so what is their connection to him? Yet another question that currently lacks an answer to it, but I was certain that I would find out soon enough.
" That's quite the story," I commented.
" Oh, I forgot to tell you the last part," said Spike.
" And that would be?" I asked.
" The ancient desert tribe's magic revolved around the ability to manipulate the power of the sun, but this was a power that was deemed far too dangerous because they feared someone would abuse such knowledge. Legend says that they were able to create some kind of artefact which works in a similar manner, but no one knows where they ended up hiding it," replied Spike. An item that can manipulate sunlight? That could prove very useful, so it looks like I have something to find once I make it to the desert. 
This story of the ancient Gerudo was certainly interesting, and it was a reminder of the reality faced by these thieves where they had to adapt in order to survive, but my concern had to do with Rainbow Dash. I just can't believe she would do something like that especially when she dedicated herself to being noble.
" Do you think Nabooru is capable of brainwashing?" I asked.
" What brought this up?" asked Spike.
" Jiro said that she has been performing such acts, and I flat out refuse to believe it. She may be of the same tribe as Ganondorf, but she would never resort to such evil tactics as that would be going against her very nature. I know her to be loyal as she aspires to bring her people to a new age of prosperity, and to cast aside this image of them being thieves," I replied.
" The evidence does appear stacked against her," said Spike.
" Which is why we need to uncover the truth, and we'll discover that at the temple," I said.
" We have to survive this ordeal first before we can do that," said Spike.
" The two sorcerers you mentioned in your story have got to be the ones responsible for manipulating people's minds, and no one is willing to stand up against them out of fear of being punished by the law of the Gerudo, or because they don't know how to deal with magic given the tribe long ago abandoned the magical arts," I said.
" Very nice speech, but it we still need to deal with this mess first," said Spike. I guess I'm allowing my emotions to get the best of me again, and I can't allow that to happen because it will result in me transforming. Gaining those pony ears and tail in a place full of people would just be a disaster, so I need to remain calm. 
The question now was which direction should I use to find the next carpenter, and I only had two options to go with. Going back the way I came would take me to the beginning, and I doubt the other two are that way unless one is in that passageway that I originally tried, but ended up getting caught in the process. While I was pondering this over, the guard who had that argument with Jiro earlier had been explaining what happened with Spitfire, and things were about to get even more intense.

" Now, would you be so kind as to repeat that again? I could have sworn you said that the girl escaped, but I'm sure that you were just having a little bit of fun at my expense, and that she has been killed," said Spitfire.
" We managed to surround her on all sides with many guards preventing her from escaping the area, but we had no idea that she was capable of using magic."
" Magic!?!? She is a magician?" asked Spitfire.
" One who is able to command the power of fire madam, and we were unable to withstand such a tremendous force. This girl is no rank amateur as what she did can only be performed by a master sorcerer. Anyway, the others all retreated when she unleashed that burst of flame, but I was able to stand my ground as I wasn't about to run away like a coward."
" And yet here you are reporting all of this to me," said Spitfire.
" Because I stood no chance against someone with that power."
" Spare me your excuses! I should have you sent to the dungeon for not only failing to kill that girl, but also running away with your tail between your legs. However, I won't punish you because this magical factor was unknown. I can punish you though for attempting to kill one of the prisoners, for you know the law doesn't permit us to take the lives of non-members of the tribe," said Spitfire.
" But he was insulting our very way of life madam."
" You should have ignored his words because he was nothing more than a scared little man, yet you acted irrationally and almost caused an incident to happen. Why do I have to experience all of this incompetence during a time when my headache is so painful? How hard can it be to find and kill one little girl? Now that the guards have abandoned that area instead of holding their ground, there is no way of knowing which way she has gone. What else can go wrong?" asked Spitfire.
" Two of the prisoners have been released."
" What did you just say?" asked Spitfire.
" The girl has freed two of those men madam."
" To be able to do that and elude our guards....I'll admit that I'm impressed....but this insult will not stand, for if it became known that an outsider was able to do all of this, we would be an embarrassment to the Great Ganondorf! Alright, I'm going to give you one last chance to find and kill that girl, but if you fail me this time, your punishment will be an immediate execution! Do I make myself clear?" asked Spitfire.
" Yes madam!"
" Oh, and please inform the others that if they ever run away like that again, they will be exiled to the desert immediately, or executed on the spot should they attempt to protest, for I won't tolerate cowards. Now go resume your duties, and do what you must to capture that girl! I wish to know what business she has for coming here to the Gerudo's Fortress," said Spitfire.
" Are you okay madam?"
" Why do you ask?" asked Spitfire.
" I'm not sure if I can carry out your orders when you're constantly changing your stance every couple of minutes. Ever since this girl showed up, you've been saying one thing before changing to something else, and then going back to the first thing again. A large number of the guards believe that you may not be worthy to be the second-in-command anymore, and feel that a change is necessary."
" I'll admit that my leadership skills have been controversial, but I believe that I can handle things. On the other hand, you are one step away from being declared a traitor, and that goes with everyone else who questions my leadership. The Great Ganondorf gave me command, and to question his authority is a sign that you wish to betray him," said Spitfire.
" Forgive me madam! I didn't mean to offend!"
" Go and kill that girl! Nothing more understand?" asked Spitfire.
" By your leave." 

After thinking it over for a while. I decided to go back the way I came, but I knew it wasn't going to be easy because the guards were probably in full force by now. Since they now know I can use magic, they could easily get around it which meant I had to be even more cunning if I was to get by them. Making my way back in the direction I entered the room from, I stopped at the door because walking by were a couple of guards who may or may not be aware of my presence. 
If they decided to come in here, they'll know about me and I'll have to knock them out quickly, but if they keep on walking then they aren't aware of what happened earlier. The guards did stop at first because one of them said something about hearing a noise, but the other suggested that they continue with their rounds.
" We were fortunate that these two aren't aware of what happened," said Spike.
" Maybe my actions didn't cause too much of an alert as I thought," I said.
" Still, we need to be cautious for they must surely be aware that there is an intruder despite what they said. They could be pretending to be oblivious to your presence, and are merely waiting for you to make one mistake," said Spike.
" I should knock them out anyway just in case," I said. Taking out the Fairy Bow, I fired an arrow at each guard which caused them to collapse to the ground. I then slipped out of the door, and took a closer look at them to make sure they were alright. " They're both out cold, and just by firing arrows at them. I don't think I'll ever get used to the logic of this world." 
That's when I heard footsteps coming from below, and sure enough there was a large group of guards walking by, and I was lucky to have ducked out of sight before they could spot me. " I don't think I'll be able to knock out that many all at once."
" Perhaps another distraction is in order?" asked Spike.
" Using magic a second time probably won't work as they know that I used that trick," I replied.
" What about firing an arrow at one of the guards at a distance? If they hear one of their own being attacked, it should convince most of them to check it out leaving the rest to continue their patrol," said Spike. That was a pretty good idea, and one that I didn't even consider until now, but at least I had plenty of arrows to pull this off. 
I could see a guard off in the distance who appeared to be standing by herself, so I aimed carefully and fired an arrow at her which streaked through the air before hitting her in the back. This caused her to scream out loud as she collapsed, and the guards below immediately reacted to the noise.

" Did you hear that?"
" One of the others just screamed out loud."
" That means the intruder must be over there."
" How do we go about this?"
" Madam Spitfire has ordered us to find and kill that girl, so we need to check out what just happened. However, it could be a trap set up by the girl, so only half of us will go and see what's going on. The rest will continue on with our patrol as normal, and hopefully we will find her before long."
" Did you hear about the group who retreated because the girl used magic?"
" They are a disgrace to all Gerudo for running away like that, but I suppose I can't hold it against them given we weren't told that she could use magic. Okay, half of you go back and find out what happened to that guard, and the rest of us will go inside and make our way around to the upper level." 

With that little conversation out of the way, the group broke up and proceeded to carry out their respective tasks, yet I had to move fast because if the group going inside comes up to where I am right now, they will see the unconscious soldiers on the ground, and put two-and-two together. The moment the first group was far away enough, and the other had gone inside, I jumped down to the ground and was about to go into the door on my left before I heard the sound of someone coming up behind me.
" I can't believe I've been told to inform Madam Spitfire that we're still on the hunt for that girl....huh?"
" Sorry, but I need to make sure you don't go back and alert your comrades," I said as I fired an arrow at the guard, and knocked her out, and then I entered the door to the left. I found myself in a long hallway where I could see a number of crates strewn about, and a guard was walking back and forth at the far end of the passage. " I wonder if I can fire an arrow while standing behind a crate?"
" As long as you don't make a noise that will attract her attention, I don't see why not, but make sure that you get all of them as there could be more than one walking about over there," replied Spike. Running forward before stopping in front of the second-to-last crate before the pathway goes left and right, the same guard came back and looked to the left, but luckily I had ducked down in time, so she had no idea I was even there. 
She shrugged her shoulders and was about to continue on when I popped up, and fired an arrow which struck and knocked her out before she could even do anything. I turned to the left and walked down the next passageway which then turned left again, so I walked that way until I came to the exit. I had no idea where this would take me, but I went for it which landed me right in front of two guards who had come from further down the road.
" What the? It's that girl!"
" Let's warn the others that she is right here at the southwest entrance."
" You mean that pathway I took ended up bringing back to the original entrance I tried when I first came here?" I asked.
" Sounds to me you have no idea where you're going do you? I'm not surprised given how outsiders don't know the first thing about this fortress. We've been constantly underestimating your skills, and that has made us look weak in the eyes of Spitfire, second-in-command to the Great Ganondorf. If you continue to run around freely, she is sure to punish us, so you need to be captured and/or killed."
" Huh? You don't know which order to carry out?" I asked. Since I was aware that these two guards could easily sound an alarm, or yell at the top of their lungs in order to bring additional guards, I needed to keep this going in order to learn some information, and perhaps prove a theory of mine. I did need to be careful so as to not insult Ganondorf, for they worship him like a deity, and saying the wrong thing could cause me to get killed instantly. 
" Madam Spitfire has been having some trouble deciding whether you should be caught or killed."
" I believe she is under the control of an evil force which is making her act irrationally. You Gerudo are carrying out her orders, but deep down you must be wondering why she is making you do things that go against your laws? I did overhear some of you mention them with one being that you never kill outsiders. Instead, you choose to banish them to the desert, and while you don't want to go against her wishes, you feel trapped as a result of it," I said.
" She does seem different lately especially when that stranger came by."
" What stranger?" I asked. Now I was starting to get somewhere, but something about it didn't make sense. They rarely get any visitors due to how isolated they are, and treating all outsiders as potential threats to their society. Then again, this person could have come from the desert, and therefore wouldn't be treated poorly. I needed to know more, and hopefully I was about to get an answer without them figuring out that I was stalling for time.
" Someone paid a visit to the fortress although we don't know who it was as they covered their face with a cowl, but they immediately went to Madam Spitfire's quarters, and that is when she changed. Before that person did what they did, she felt that the Gerudo needed to change their ways before it was too late. She said that Nabooru's words from long ago finally made sense to her, and was determined to guide us on a new path."
" Perhaps whoever went to see her didn't want that to happen, and desired to make sure Spitfire would remain loyal," I suggested.
" Maybe, but who would gain from that?"
" It wouldn't be your king because he no longer pays attention to what happens around here, but maybe there is some kind of magical force at work," I replied.
" Now that you mention it, the Great Ganondorf's surrogate mothers are known for being powerful sorceresses, yet this is strange because our ancestors chose to give up magic to survive. They live in the temple that exists in the desert, but they rarely associate with anyone unless they have to come here. Those two witches....there's something about them which rubs me the wrong way." 
Thanks to my quick thinking, I now had an idea as to what I was truly up against, and it was the surrogate mothers of the Evil King, yet there were still a few holes which needed to be patched up, and I believe Spitfire can give me those missing pieces. It was at that moment that the guards remembered what they were supposed to be doing. 
" I can't believe that you were able to trick us into revealing such sensitive information! We feel like complete idiots now, but that will be the last action you make before you are captured!"
" Or dead!"
" Either way, get her!"
" Yes ma'am!" Both of them charged at me, but that's when I raised my hands which caused a piece of the ground below to rise up in complete silence. They smacked into it the moment it appeared, and then it fell down on top of them which knocked them out cold. I quickly looked around to see if the noise had attracted anyone, but luckily no one was nearby which meant this would remain unknown to the fortress for a while.
" Since my earth magic can't be used on the walls inside because of the magic aura, I figured on using the ground out here," I said.
" I wasn't expecting them to fall for such an obvious ploy," said Spike.
" Maybe, but we did learn some very useful information," I said.
" I'm amazed that you were able to keep the conversation going so as to trick them into sharing what they knew," said Spike.
" Tricking isn't the word that I would use, but rather I stalled for time, and it looks like things are much worse than I thought. Those two witches have been responsible because Spitfire has been thinking in terms that go against Ganondorf, so all they've done is come along to administer damage control. Could they have caused Nabooru to disappear all those years ago when she was exiled?" I asked.
" We don't know for certain what happened to her, but you're right about the witches having caused darkness to spread throughout the desert. No one ever suspected anything was amiss around here given that there is a lack of dark clouds in the air, so the Gerudo kept on living out their lives without ever knowing what was occurring right under their noses. 
Anyone who was suspicious, or attempted to act in a manner viewed as betraying the authority of the Evil King were dealt with, and the others were told that traitors aren't welcome among the tribe," replied Spike. Such a terrible thing to do just to protect a false status quo, but there was little I could right now other than continue on. Knowing that I needed to hurry up in case more guards show up, I entered the door which took me back inside, and the pathway soon opened up into a large area. 
As I walked forward, the sounds of someone began to ring in my eyes, and sure enough there was a cell to my left with a padlock on the door. It looked quiet....perhaps a little too quiet, so I decided to fire an arrow into the middle of the room. It flew through the air before striking into the ground, but while I was relieved to know that there wasn't a trap, the same couldn't be said for whoever was locked up.
" Kyah!!!! Where did that arrow come from? Oh, I hope that those thieves haven't decided to come and execute me. I was willing to do whatever they wanted if it meant no longer having to be a carpenter, but now it looks like they've chosen to have me killed by ordering some kind of firing squad that involves the use of arrows. 
Oh, if only I could see my older brother and the others one last time, yet I doubt I'll ever get the chance now. You blasted thieves! If you intend on killing me, you might as well get it over with right now!"
" Are you okay?" I asked.
" Huh? And who are you supposed to be?"
" I'm Sunset Shimmer and I came to free you, but you look an awful lot like Jiro, the one I rescued a short while ago. Would you happen to be his younger brother?" I asked.
" You saved him? I'm so happy that I could cry, but I won't as now is not the time for that. My name is Sabooru, and I'm Jiro's younger brother, but people refer to me as Flam. Personally, I can't stand being called that because it makes us sound like we're con artists with the combined names of Flim and Flam. 
My brother and I were told about how great this place was by our remaining worker, for he said that he had nothing to live for while being a carpenter, and he convinced us to abandon our boss Mutoh, and come here to enlist as thieves. Ichiro didn't want anything to do with the Gerudo, but our other fellow dragged him here."
" Why would he think that he had nothing to live for?" I asked.
" He had the blood of a carpenter in him, and he hoped that the tradition would be continued with his son just like how he continued it from his father. But, his kid didn't want to follow that path, and so the two of them had a falling out which never healed. He couldn't even ask his daughter if she wanted to follow the path as it had always been a thing between father and son," replied Flam. 
Could this be the man who is the father of Scootaloo in this world as well as that of Grog? Before I could say anything more, I needed to make sure that this was the right person.
" Do you know the names of his children?" I asked.
" His daughter is named Anju and she raises cuccos which doesn't make a lick of sense when you consider she is allergic to them, but I suppose it was her dream despite having such a disadvantage. As for his son, he is known by the unusual name of Grog, but with the looks I remember him having, he was named well," replied Flam. Gasp! So it is him! The one I've been looking for! 
Ever since I was given the task of informing about the fate of his son per Scootaloo's final request, I've been pondering over in my mind as to what I can say, and it looks like I would soon be getting the chance to finally reveal what happened to Grog before he disappeared in the Lost Woods. Sabooru did notice my reaction which prompted him to inquire about it. " You look as though you know about my buddy."
" I know of his children as I've encountered them on my travels," I said.
" Anju is such a sweet child even if she is constantly worried, but Grog is such a disappointment. While I have no problem with him not wanting to become a carpenter, that's no excuse for deciding to leave his family without even saying goodbye. Our boss Mutoh was originally considered to be a bride, but she wasn't going to be committed to someone who had such an attitude," said Flam. 
There was an entire side to this situation which I never heard of, so I decided to confide with Sabooru about what became of Grog when I encountered him. " Really? He ended up transforming into a monster by wandering into those woods? That does explain why he never came back, but he shouldn't have gone there in the first place!
Still, you've been given quite the burden where you need to tell his father about what happened, yet I know you'll be able to explain the situation to him." With that little bit of trouble of the way, I now needed to figure out how to release him, but so far there was no signs that the key had been dropped somewhere in this room, and there were no guards nearby who might have it on their person.
" So how do I go about getting you out of here?" I asked.
" The guards that have the key go around a small quadrant of the fortress before eventually coming through this area, but I don't know how long it will be before they appear again. Apparently, there is a major ruckus going on, and it prompted them to patrol a larger section of the fortress. You could be stuck here if you intend on rescuing me, but since I suspect that the commotion revolves around you, I suggest hiding in that empty cell next to mine, and wait for them to show up which will happen....eventually," replied Flam.
It looked as though I had no other choice but to go with his idea, so I stepped into the other cell where I sat down on the bed, and it made me feel really uncomfortable. In the meantime, Spitfire decided to try and get some rest again, but within her subconscious, the good spirit that tried to reach out to her had returned although it was weaker than before.

" Spitfire....you must listen to me."
" Nabooru? Oh, you've come back after you went away," said Spitfire.
" The evil spirit that represents the surrogate mother to Ganondorf banished me because I was a threat, but I was barely able to make it back here. You're under a powerful spell which clouds your judgment, and you must break free and help the Hero of Time awaken the final Sage," said Rainbow Dash.
" Final Sage? I don't understand what you're talking about," said Spitfire. This proved to be a problem as she wasn't aware of what was really at stake, and this made the good spirit realize that she needed to explain things quickly before the evil one appears. If that one made itself known, the spirit may not be able to survive were she to be banished again.
" In Hyrule, each of the six temples has an individual chosen by destiny to stand guard as the Sage. The Hero of Time has awakened five of the chosen ones, yet the one who is to be the Sage of the Spirit Temple has yet to hear the awakening call from the Sacred Realm. You must help her....reach the temple so that she can awaken....who is waiting for her....my presence is already weakening Spitfire, but I have....told you the truth. 
Without the....power of this final Sage, the desert shall succumb. Only you can....help her now, but to that you must break free from the spell that controls your mind. Please, help her otherwise....all will be lost and Ganondorf will prevail," said Rainbow Dash.
" Are you still clinging to life? My, but are you a stubborn creature!" At that moment, the evil spirit appeared from the shadows, and hovered over to where Spitfire was standing before wrapping one of its arms around her head. " You should know that your words mean nothing, for she is a servant who is under my complete control. Her will belongs to the Great Ganondorf, and it shall always be that way. 
Dear Spitfire, don't let the ramblings of a broken spirit get in the way of your task, and that is to kill that girl." The evil spirit then began to tighten its grip around her head who merely nodded, and slowly agree to carry out her task. This was something the good spirit couldn't allow to happen, so she charged forward and knocked the evil spirit away.
" Huh? What just happened? I feel like a weight has been lifted from my head," said Spitfire.
" That was the witches attempting to control your mind which is what they've been doing from the beginning. It was their words which they whispered into your mind all those years ago when Nabooru was chosen to become the second-in-command of the Gerudo. Deep down in your heart, you believed that it should have been you, and when the witches overheard your desire....they manipulated you into becoming a faithful follower of Ganondorf. 
Since then....you performed all of his commands....without question not knowing the truth....but when Nabooru was exiled, she mentioned....something which allowed me to finally break free of the darkness which....was holding your heart," said Rainbow Dash.
" All of this time?" asked Spitfire.
" Yes, for you were deemed nothing more than a puppet to them," replied Rainbow Dash. A loud rumbling then began to reverberate throughout the dream world, and the good spirit realized that the evil one had recovered from being attacked. This meant that her time was effectively up because the evil spirit was most likely going to destroy her completely. 
The good spirit quickly reached into her pocket, and took out what looked like a small golden locket before handing it over to a rather confused Spitfire. " The witches will no doubt....destroy me for my interference....but I'm far too weak to fight back, so....what I've given you is a reminder of the truth....use it when you confront the hero, and....all will become clear. Hide it now before....they return." With a furious expression on its face, the evil spirit reappeared and attacked the good spirit representing Nabooru without showing any signs of mercy.
" How dare you attack such a glorious being like myself, you weak excuse of a spirit!"
" I'm sorry....Spitfire, but I can't do....anymore," said Rainbow Dash as she faded away into nothing.
" That accursed spirit has been nothing but a problem, but it has been destroyed now so nothing can get in your way."
" What do you mean?" asked Spitfire.
"  You must act at once and kill the girl before she can reach the desert, so wake up and do what must be done. Command the Gerudo to hunt her down without mercy! If you allow that one to elude you, it will mean such a nasty fate is going to be in store for you. You wouldn't want that to happen now would you? Wake up! Fulfill the task given unto you!"

Spitfire then woke up from her sleep, and the look in her eyes was one of fierce determination. No longer did she feel the pain from her headache, so the first thing she decided to do was call some of the guards to come to her chamber. In the meantime, I was still waiting for the guards to come by so that I could acquire the key needed to unlock the cell door which was keeping Sabooru locked up.
" It's been almost 20 minutes," I moaned.
" I'm sorry that this is taking such a long time, but those guards wanted to patrol more of the fortress. All you can do right now is just patiently wait for them to appear," said Flam.
" If they don't show up soon, then some of the others will, and attempt to either capture or kill me. There is some confusion in their ranks right now, so none of them have any idea as to what they need to do. I'd rather they do neither of the commands given to them, as that would allow me to continue moving around without being caught," I said.
" You must lead quite an entertaining life," said Flam.
" I wouldn't say that because it involves constant life or death situations where I've almost experienced the latter more times than I would like. Believe me, you don't want to have the kind of life I have, and instead you should focus on being a carpenter. Think of it as your special talent which makes you one of a chosen few who is able to perform such a task, and be proud of it," I said. 
Before Sabooru could respond to me, the sound of footsteps coming down the pathway urged me to keep quiet. Three guards then appeared with one of them having the key on her belt, but I was fortunate they didn't come in near the open cell that I was using.

" Going the long way around was pointless as we didn't find her!"
" We need to find her before Madam Spitfire loses her temper, and ends up chewing us out by exiling us."
" That girl obviously won't leave the fortress as she is determined to save these worthless men, so all we need to do is wait here for her to arrive, and then make our strike which will make us the ones who brought her down."
" What makes you think we can do it?"
" Is that a negative attitude I'm hearing."
" She can use magic in addition to those weapons she was carrying, so what are the chances of us succeeding?"
" I see your point, so why don't we make things more interesting? The moment she appears from either of the two passageways, we'll kill the prisoner unless she chooses to surrender immediately. Knowing that girl, saving the life of this pathetic worm is what she would rather do instead of continuing to fight, so no matter what happens, we will have complete and total control of the situation."
" Okay, then what do we do while waiting?"
" We can hide in that other prison cell, and strike when she comes." The irony of all of this is that I was doing the very thing they were suggesting, and that was hiding in the other cell. When they made their way over, that's when they noticed me with my Fairy Bow aiming at them. " It's her! Attack her at once!"
" Are you kidding? She's got a bow aimed right at us you know!"
" Don't tell me you're afraid of such a weak little toy like that? If you are, then you've got no hope in this tribe!" 

This woman who appeared to be in charge then stepped forward which resulted in me firing an arrow that struck her in the stomach resulting in her being knocked out. When she dropped to the ground, the other two attempted to run away, but I picked them off before they could even take a single step backward. 
Breathing a sigh of relief as I had been a little nervous, I walked over to where the guard at the back had fallen, for she was the one who had the key in her possession. Upon taking it, I unlocked the cell door which released the third carpenter.
" To think that they were going to use me as a bargaining tool," said Flam.
" It seems desperation has become their means with which to stop me," I said.
" Good thing that you came here first, for you foiled their plan and rescued me. Thanks to you, I can see my older brother again who must be really worried about me, and of course I can't wait to see my boss even though I'm bound to get yelled at. It's better than being killed that's for sure, so I'll gladly accept such a punishment. 
Anyway, as you no doubt know, only one more of us remains, and he is someone you've been waiting to see. While he may not look like it because of his gruff personality, he truly does worry about his children, and I know he is going to be devastated when he learns what happened. Don't try to sugar coat things, and flat out tell him the truth as it's better than lying," said Flam.
" You should find it easy making your way back to your tent," I said.
" I'll just use some sneaking skills as clearly it's been working well for you. Before I go, there is something I need to tell you. I suspect that the final key is in the possession of one of the Gerudo Guards who are their strongest warriors, and believe me as these women are deadly when it comes to fighting. Don't take your eyes off of this one otherwise you're finished. 
While I don't know the full extent of their skills, they do have some strange technique where they spin around while jumping. It may look funny, but it will probably kill you in one shot or something. Anyway, I'm off now so good luck," said Flam. As he ran off towards the exit, his warning about this Gerudo Guard had me worried. 
My sword skills have improved a lot since I first acquired the Master Sword, but how was I going to stand a chance against a warrior who had way more skill. Of course it was ironic that the final key would be the hardest one for me to pick up, but then this is what I have to deal with all the time.
" Are you nervous of what Sabooru said?" asked Spike.
" I'm not sure if I can even defeat someone who has trained their entire life," I replied.
" Normally, you'd be getting some words of encouragement from me, but in this case I do have to agree with you. The Gerudo take tremendous pride when it comes to their skills with the sword, and every fight to them is one to the death. That's why you need to be at your best when we run into this guard," said Spike. 
I continued on by leaving via the exit which I didn't come in from. This pathway turned to the right before it went upwards, and soon I found myself outside again where I saw a door which had some vines next to it.
" This way leads to the kitchen," I said.
" Which means we're getting somewhere," added Spike.
" If we take this direction, we should eventually find the remaining carpenter," I said. Walking into the door and down the next passageway, I quickly came to a stop due to appearing in a large area where a few guards were patrolling below. There were a bunch of chairs and tables scattered all over, and situated at the back wall was a large cauldron which must be how they cook their food. Above this fixture was a ledge sticking out of the wall, so now I needed to figure out how to get across without ruining my cover. 
I'm guessing that this part of the fortress and the guards dwelling here didn't know what has been going on since I arrived, yet I made sure to remain out of sight as I don't want them discovering us up here. " I could fire some arrows and knock out each of them, or I could try to make my way across and avoid them altogether."
" To get across, you would need to use the Hover Boots, but you will have to be very quiet so as to not alert the guards," said Spike.
" Do I have to use those again?" I asked.
" Unless you want to go with the simple approach, yet do be cautious of your arrow count," replied Spike. While I needed to take a moment to ponder over what decision I should make, Spitfire was being informed from the guards who had reported to her. She wasn't at all happy with what she had been hearing.

" Are you kidding me?" asked Spitfire.
" Yes madam."
" The girl has rescued three of those men now!?!? What in the world are all of you even doing? She should have been killed by now, and instead you've allowed her to run around as she pleases. She has made a complete mockery of the Gerudo, and I will no longer tolerate her actions," said Spitfire.
" We shall find and kill her at once."
" No, you've had plenty of chances to do just that, and you've failed with every attempt, so I'm going to take care of her myself. I should have done this from the start instead of depending on all of you, but I guess her skills were too much for you to handle," said Spitfire.
" You seem better now madam."
" My head has become a lot clearer now, and it means I can focus on what needs to be done around here. If she is heading where I think she is, then I'm hoping that the guard watching over our remaining prisoner will kill her for me, but I'll make my way over there anyway in case things end up going wrong," said Spitfire.
" What is that thing in your pocket madam?"
" Huh? I have no idea what it is, but there's something about it which is compelling me to keep a hold of it. Still, I wonder where it came from, and why does it remind me of something from a long time ago? Oh well! I can't allow sentimentality to get in the way of what I must do in the name of the Great Ganondorf," replied Spitfire. 

After thinking it over, I decided to go across, and that meant having to use the Hover Boots. Upon switching to them, I struggled to get my balance due to the lack of traction, and when I made sure that the guards weren't watching, I quickly ran across. Once I was on the other side and out of their sight, I changed back to my regular boots, and went outside where the only way I could go was through another door to the right. 
Inside of this next area, there was a single guard walking back and forth in the distance, so I took out the Fairy Bow, and fired an arrow which ended up hitting the side of a crate. That's when the guard noticed me, and was prepared to sound an alarm, but luckily I fired another arrow which knocked her out.
" That was a little too close," I said.
" Looks like you could still use some improvement," said Spike.
" I never did claim that I was perfect," I said. Walking around the corner until the pathway opened up, in front of me was another 
pair of prison cells with one of them featuring the obvious padlock, yet I couldn't see another way out. There was only one way in and out of this area, and if the rest of the guards were to come in, I'd have no way of escaping. 
" Hopefully this won't take too long Spike because we need to get this last guy out of here." I said that with a non-exciting voice as I had forgotten what was waiting for me here assuming what Sabooru said was accurate. As I walked forward making sure nothing was going to come from the shadows and attack me, a small faint voice suddenly filled the room.
" Hey, you! Young woman over there! Look over here, inside the cell!"
" I take it that you're one of the carpenters?" I asked.
" Am I relieved to know that someone has finally found me. Those thieves locked me in here because I wanted to join their gang because I didn't want to be a carpenter anymore, but I wish that they accepted me despite my gender as I really want to embark on a new career as my current one no longer has any meaning to me."
" Does it involve your son?" I asked.
" Huh? You know that I have a son?"
" I heard it from Sabooru although in truth I have met both your son and your daughter," I replied.
" I'm not surprised that he would go and say that because the others were all against the idea of leaving the boss, but I am shocked that you've seen my son. I haven't spoken or even seen him for a few years now, but I know he's still annoyed because I wanted him to carry on our family's tradition. 
They call me Shiro although I don't go by that name anymore as it brings up bad memories, so call me Cheese Sandwich." I wasn't even going to ask why he would want to be called a food item, but if that's his decision then who am I to question such motives. Still, this is the man that Grog wanted me to find, and now I can finally fulfill the promise that I made to Scootaloo. Hopefully, he is going to listen to my words instead of complaining about it.
" I'm Sunset Shimmer, and I've been waiting a long time to find you as I have a message to deliver courtesy of your son per the request of your daughter," I said.
" My son....Grog....no doubt that the words will be nothing but sheer hatred because of how I wanted to dictate his life, and who can blame him? For many years he felt trapped because he never was allowed to make his own choices, and I have only myself to blame for trying to control his life. I wish that I could turn back time and redo some things that I regret ever doing, yet I know such a thing is impossible," said Cheese Sandwich.
" Let me get you out of that cell, and I'll tell you everything," I said.
" You won't be able to do that without the key," said Cheese Sandwich.
" Where is it?" I asked.
" It's currently in the possession of one of their strongest warriors who was commanded to stand guard in case someone was to rescue me, so if you're here to do that, then the guard is probably somewhere around here....woo! Watch out!" replied Cheese Sandwich. His trailed off words brought a chill to my spine, and I had a suspicion that someone was behind me. 
I turned around and indeed there was, for standing before me was a woman who was holding two curved swords in each hand. She had a bandana across her face, and her battle stance was one of a fierce warrior ready to fight to the death. Hanging from her belt was the key I needed, and to get would involve somehow winning.
" You've come a long way only to be defeated by me," said the guard.
" I was told that you had the final key on your person," I said.
" Correct because Madam Spitfire suspected that I would be needed in order to make sure this worm remains locked up, but you have been causing her a lot of trouble by sneaking around and overcoming all of the guards in the fortress. I'm just disgusted that the others have been botching something so simple, yet it looks as though it falls onto me to get the job done," said the guard.
" It's because you all underestimate me," I said.
" I don't intend on making that mistake, so draw your weapon and face me in battle! Feel free to use whatever you want because it will do you no good in the end, but you can at least try and make this entertaining," said the guard. She then walked forward at such a fast pace that it looked like she was running, and struck me with her swords before I could even attempt some kind of counter-measure. 
Those swords of hers were sharp, for my left arm was bleeding in two different places, so I need to be careful otherwise she'll slice me into pieces before too long.
" So what do I do here?" I asked.
" This is a Gerudo Thief, one of the strongest fighters among their number. She moves very fast on her feet as you noticed when she walked towards you, so you have to take that into consideration. With those two swords of hers, she can attack you twice every time she swings them, or perform a deadly jump attack which we were warned about. If she hits you using this special attack, not only will it inflict a lot of damage, but you'll also be knocked down to the point where she will capture you," replied Spike.
" You mean kill me right?" I asked.
" I'm just going with the information that I have, so accuracy based on current events doesn't get mentioned. Anyway, while she is fast and hits really hard, her defences are rather poor, so if you can hit her, it will cause plenty of discomfort. Most of your weapons will have no effect as she'll avoid them due to her intense speed, but she does have a problem with magic. 
Don't think this is going to be easy Sunset Shimmer just because I said that, for you once said that you need at least one free hand to use a spell, and this Gerudo isn't going to cut you any slack," replied Spike. This fight was one that would revolve around a battle of endurance because I doubt she will be able to go the full distance especially if my magic is able to connect, but at the same time I might not be able to survive for too especially if I continue to get hit by those swords. 
The Gerudo winked which made me nervous, and she followed this up with a jump attack which I barely avoided although my tunic did get sliced in the stomach. As she came to a stop, her expression was one of pure smugness because she was already controlling the fight.
" This is going to be too easy for me," said the guard.
" Don't bet on it," I protested.
" So far, all you've done is either dodge or get hit, and that is just plain boring to me," said the guard.
" Then allow me to get some strikes against you," I said as I drew the Master Sword from its scabbard. Okay, I was aware that my attempt at making some kind of battle cry or declaration was pretty embarrassing given what I shouted, but perhaps this would give me some kind of respect from this Gerudo. 
Upon seeing my sword, she stepped back a little as she wasn't expecting me to pull out something like that, yet she quickly regained her composure and charged forward with her blades swinging about in a maniac fashion. While I was able to dodge some of these strikes, I was able to parry a few more. When I found what looked like a weak point in her proverbial armour, I swung forward and slashed her in the arm which caused her to reel back for a moment.
" Guess you can fight," said the guard.
" If I couldn't then I wouldn't have made it this far," I said.
" That depends on what you mean," said the guard.
" I've had to fight against hordes of monsters including some giant ones, had to travel all across this kingdom several times, almost gotten myself killed more times than I would like, and even fighting and losing in a battle with your king," I said.
" You were able to go toe-to-toe with the Great Ganondorf? No one has ever managed to do that before, so that makes you more powerful than I suspect. Perhaps you may not be easy to kill after all especially if you managed quite a feat like that, but I'll still get the job done," said the guard. She then slashed me on both arms before slashing me across my chest which really hurt, but then I swung back and scored a hit of my own. 
That's when she swung using a different method which knocked the Master Sword from my hand before I could even do anything in response. " And now you're unarmed which means this will be over shortly. Don't bother trying to use those other weapons of yours as my speed is too fast for you to even hit me." 
While she was right about that, she was unaware that I was capable of using magic of various kinds, so I conjured up a couple of fireballs that I tossed at her, and while she dodged them, the resulting blasts did get her from behind. " What!?!? You can use magic?"
" Guess I do have something that you can't handle," I said.
" Madam Spitfire never mentioned this to me, so maybe she wasn't aware of it because you chose to hide it from us," said the guard.
" You could say it like that," I said.
" My chances of killing you have reduced drastically, but I must complete my task in the name of the Gerudo! Failure isn't an option for me otherwise my punishment will be immense," said the guard. She proceeded to slash at me with her two swords, and I barely dodged each strike although I was running out of space for the wall was mere inches away from me. 
This was followed by another jump attack which did connect this time that sent me flying into the wall, and the amount of pain I was experiencing at that moment was so unbearable that I could barely move. The Gerudo Thief then walked over to me before stopping, and she began to gloat about her apparent victory over me. 
" When we're backed into a corner, we are able to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat. As for you kid, you have to be killed because you are nothing more than a threat to the Great Ganondorf. No offence because you proved yourself to be quite powerful, but this is where business must take precedence."
" I can still fight," I said.
" Oh? Well, I'll give you credit for being brave, but face facts in that you have nothing left," said the guard. The moment she got close enough, I raised my hands and unleashed a flame wall right in front of her which forced her back a few paces. In the ensuing chaos, I got up and went over to where the Master Sword had landed when I dropped it, and picked it up before jumping through the flames and slashing her as hard as I could. 
The Gerudo Thief fell backwards and crashed into the ground where I now stood over her with my sword pointing at her. " How were you able to muster up that amount of strength? Ha! It looks like you've bested me, so here is the key that will open that cell. I'm going to fall back and retreat out of respect for your skill, but I suspect that you'll succumb to the wrath of Madam Spitfire." 
She took the key from her belt, and tossed to me where upon I grabbed it. She then got back up on her feet, and bowed before me followed by turning around and running off. With this key now in my possession, I walked over and unlocked the cell door freeing Shiro.
" I'm surprised at how many wounds you suffered, yet you're still standing," said Cheese Sandwich.
" This is what I usually endure in such situations," I said.
" Well, how many more of my fellow carpenters do you have to rescue?" asked Cheese Sandwich.
" You happen to be the last one," I replied.
" Wow! Rescuing all of us while eluding the thieves is impressive, and one that is sure to leave them embarrassed. Before I leave to go back and join the others, I believe that you were going to tell about what happened to my son?" asked Cheese Sandwich. It took me a couple of moments to steel myself for what I had to say, and then I began to tell him everything. 
As he listened to the story of his son's fate, Shiro had tears in his eyes, and before long he was crying because of what ended up happening. " The Lost Woods....my son succumbed to the curse that hangs over that forest....I drove him to go there because I said time and time again that it was a place where one could calm their nerves, and speak to forest spirits."
" When I saw him, he was halfway through the transformation," I said.
" Once the process has made it that far, nothing can be done to help victims. Even the strongest potion can't reverse such an effect," said Cheese Sandwich.
" Grog did want me to reveal his fate to his sister, your daughter, and I fulfilled that request, and she was the one who wanted me to reveal his fate to you. Before he left and disappeared into the forest, he never mentioned much of anything about you aside from contempt," I said.
" He was completely entitled to that opinion given how I drove him away, but I suppose this is something that I must deal with as well as the guilt that will no doubt be accompanying it. Thank you for sharing this story with me, and know that I will return to Kakariko Village and speak to my dear Anju. 
Together, we will travel to the Lost Woods, and create the appropriate burial marker assuming that my son has become an undead monster. I'm not sure if it will be enough, but I'll do my best to make sure my daughter follows her own dreams. I think it's for the best that I go back now," said Cheese Sandwich.
" You should be able to make it outside provided that you avoid all of the guards," I said.
" Before I go, I do have a piece of advice I wish to share. I overheard the Gerudo talking about the desert as they were dragging me to this cell, and I know that it will be useful to you. They said, "In order to cross the Haunted Wasteland, you'll need the 'eye of truth.' The Colossus is on the far side of the wasteland." I'm not sure what they meant by that, but I suspect you may already have an idea. 
If you're wondering what this wasteland is supposed to be, it's the desert which lies beyond the Gerudo's Fortress, and it's a place where a dark power holds sway over it. The next time you come to Gerudo Valley, I'm sure that the bridge will be fixed, so you'll be able to cross over with ease," said Cheese Sandwich. With that, he ran off in the only direction he could take, and I hope that he'll find some inner peace with himself, but now I was alone again.
" What do we do now?" I asked.
" All four carpenters have been rescued, so the Gerudo no longer have any prisoners to exploit, yet the problem of getting access to the desert still exists for we haven't been given permission. Spitfire is who we need to speak to in order to continue on, but I'm not sure if she will be willing to help us out. After all, we have been embarrassing them time and again what with eluding all of their efforts," replied Spike.
" I'm surprised she didn't want to come and deal with us personally," I said.
" Why do you say that?" asked Spike.
" A leader would do exactly what their title dictates, and that is lead by example. By choosing to have the guards constantly trying to find and kill me, she left them to bear the brunt of failure which is sure to bring down morale. She should have decided to come after me  straight away, and this situation could have been resolved instantly. I didn't want to humiliate the Gerudo like this, but what other choice was there? Maybe now she will come before me, and I'll be able to talk some sense into her," I replied.
" Sunset Shimmer?" asked Spike.
" What is it?" I asked.
" You might want to take a look over there by the entrance, for it looks like your wish is about to get granted," replied Spike. I turned around where my face went white as a ghost, for standing in front of me with her arms folded was Spitfire herself. As she was tapping her foot, the expression on her face was one of sheer rage over what I had been doing all this time, and it looks like she was going to make me pay for everything....

To Be Continued.