Mystery at the Ranch

[Epona]

It's another beautiful day at Lon Lon Ranch as a breeze races through the emerald green grass and the sun blazes down on the Lon Lon pasture.

A day like this just gets Epona all pepped up. She reared back and took off in a lighting gallop and ran a couple of lapes around the lush green pasture feeling thunder under her hooves within every step.

After a cooling down from a great run, in the western sky Epona spoted a large amount of dark clouds roaming the sky. She could sense thunder brewing.

[Malon]

I walked out of the small barn with a bucket of milk and smiled. Today was another bright shining day and I loved it when it nice like this. Turning my head, I noticed Epona was enjoying it as well. She looked great while running and knew Link took very good care of her during her adventures with him.

As I walked towards the house to set the milk away, I noticed a slight change in the wind and turned around. The sky was getting darker far ahead. Odd.... I thought. I saw no clue of when it was going to rain, and began to feel bad...Epona would have to be cooped inside. I set the milk next to the door and walked up to Epona, petting her mane. "So much for a nice day, huh girl?"

[Xaro]

What was he doing out here? Looking for Xaro, of course. He kept calling his name, then he stopped and leaned against the wall outside of the ranch. The Zora pulled out a map and tried to get a better look at it.

"I knew the ink would run if I took a dive..." he complained, hooking it back onto his belt. Shark was completely lost, and didn't know which direction to go next. He looked up, and noticed a thunderstorm coming.

"It's about time. The moisture was about to dry up from my scales..."

[Epona]

I nodded my head in agreement, but I knew something wasn't right. I could sense it! I mean, how would a wonderful day much like today instantly turn into a awful day like what it's going to be? Something just had to be wrong. Maybe I'm just thinking too much about it. Well see what tomorrow brings, I guess.

((The Next Day))

I woke up from a pleasant rest then rushed to the window of my stall hoping the dreadful cloud has left us for a long while. I was in shock! That dark cloud only moved over Hyrule Field rather then the Castle. I curiosity really got me there. All I could do now was wait in my stall for Malon to take me for a daily ride.

[Malon]

I stepped outside, yawned and stretched. Today, I had to bring the milk to Hyrule Castle Town. I looked up towards the sky to see if the dark cloud had dissapeared and strangely enough, it went the other direction to...Hyrule Field? No, I didn't like it. Something strange was going on, but I shrugged it off. My father always told me I worried too much. It was probably just a rain cloud or...something.

Walking into the barn, I smiled, taking a carrot and petting Epona's mane, offering the treat. "Ready to go? Maybe if the sky clears up, we can run around the field..." I opened her gate, and put on her reigns...

[Epona]

I was happy to know that at least we can run by it because of have such a curiosity it's not even funny. So after she tacked me up, we were off in a heart beat.

[Xaro]

A flash of metal caught his attention, and embedded itself into the wood next to him. Great...this he didn't need. The squad of pirates he had left alive were coming to get him. That was all they wanted...was his head. Shark certainly wasn't going to give them that...he liked his head where it was! He then noticed something tied to the spear...

KABOOM!

It exploded, sending him flying. Considering that bombs blew up in flames when they exploded, it gave him serious burns when he finally landed on the ground. He wasn't fast enough...

Now the pirates were all over him with their halberds pointed at his throat.

[Malon]

Just as we left the ranch, I screamed and jumped, holding tightly at the reigns, at the big bang and looked over to the side of the ranch. Half of it had caught fire and a band of...pirates were heading towards the ranch??

[Xaro]

"Ow..."

"Stupid Zora...you sank our ship, killed the majority of our sisters, AND took our hard-earned loot! Now, to avenge our fallen comrades, we will take your head!"

"You know, pirates don't really EARN their loot..."

"Shut up!" The halberd came down, but the Zora's clawed hands came up, grabbing the blade and pushing it away. The Gerudo pirate was trying to push it forward to impale him. Despite his hands bleeding, he still kept it away. The other pirates around her were chanting for her to kill him.

[Malon]

I watched as the scene played out. Should we go help or stay out of trouble? I knew my conscience wouldn't be clear if I didn't...but what if Epona and I were to get hurt? Maybe we could run towards him and I'd grab him up onto Epona without stopping and try to get away...then again the fire that was setting the ranch ablaze caught my attention...

[Xaro]

His attention shifted nearby to Malon, then he saw smoke. He called out, "Put out those fires! I got 'em!"

The markings all over his body began to glow white all at once, then turn blue, electricity exploding everywhere and catching the pirates off guard as well as zapping them good. That electricity came directly from his body! How weird. He still managed to stand up, despite having been knocked down a few times.

[Epona]

I was amazed myself about the whole situation, but the ranch was on fire! My first thought was just getting everyone out of there; all of the animals and possibley the stable hand. I assumed Malon was thinking the same thing so I took off in a flash toward the ranch.

Once we arrived, I stopped in my tracks to allow Malon to hop off.

[Malon]

I jumped off and quickly headed toward the horses stables unlocking every door and the horses would run out. I knew they wouldn't run far since the ranch was their home, just as long as they were safe. I released all the other animals and tried to get buckets of water to the fire to stop my home from turning to ash. I couldn't stop to panic, cry, or feel anything. I had to save my home.

[Xaro]

The tall Zora was busy fighting off the pirates, taking care not to get impaled by their spears. He was also cautious enough to deflect any bombs away from the ranch, and at least back at his attackers.

He was slowing down; the bleeding burns were hindering his movements. Shark had to resort to blasting them with electricity, and even that was tiring it itself.

[Malon]

After desperatly trying to put the fire out it finally turned into just black smoke...almost everything was either charred black or in ashes. I dropped the bucket-now empty- and sank to my knees, completly forgetting of the fight outside.