User blog:Gnomehunter/Day 20: Mimic Magnet

Write a story with a shapeshifter-type monster

“Hyah!” Crash!

“HAH” Smash!

“HMF” Link lifted a pot over his head and chucked it at the wall. The smashed pottery lay on the ground, and he collected the few arrows and rupees that fell out of them.

“Link, don’t you think there’s better ways to find treasure than smashing every pot or jar just for a few rupees?” His fairy companion, Navi, asked. Link shook his head, and picked up the last jar, throwing it on the ground. Something big fell out. Link walked over, looking at it in confusion. It was a young girl! Link blushed when he saw she was completely naked. She took one look at him, her eyes welling up with tears, and shae started to cry. “Now look what you’ve done, Link! This wouldn’t have happened if we were moving onto the rest of the dungeon”.

Link tried to sign to her. “Don’t apologize to me, tell it to her. She’s the one who’s jar you broke”. She said sternly. Link walked over to the girl, and picked her up in a hug. She continued to cry, but stopped after a while. She sniffled.

“Hey there, this is Link. He’s a really sweet kid, he didn't mean to hurt you, he just has an insatiable hunger for smashing pots!” Navi said, the second half aimed at Link. He nodded, signing an apology. “Link said he’s sorry, and that he’d like to help you find another pot, if that will help”.

“O-ok”, the girl said timidly.

“Hey, what’s your name?” Navi asked.

“Cota”.

“Well come along, Cota!” Link carefully picked her up, trying to figure out the best position, and decided to carry her on his back. It was a new challenge, traveling through the ancient forest temple that wasn’t too far from his home forest. Pushing blocks and figuring out door mechanisms, fighting off a Werewolf, trying to hold his nose to block out the inviting scent of an Alraune. But he reached the final room, after finding a few keys from some mischievous Ghosts. In the final room, there was a treasure chest, but all Link had eyes for was the jars in the corners of the room. He raised his sword. “Link!” Navi shouted. “That’s for Cota!” Link looked sheepish, then carried Cota over to the jars. She slid into one of them,

“Thanks, Link. This is so much more comfortable. But it was nice being escorted”, she giggled. “And, do you think I could come with you?” Link looked unsure, seeming to ask Navi.

“It’s up to you, Link. I don’t think Saria would mind”. Link seemed to make up his mind, lifting the pot that Cota sat in. She looked afraid that he would throw it again, but found herself wishing that he might. But Link carried it over to where the chest sat in the center of the room. He placed Cota’s jar on the floor a few paces from the chest. Then prodded the chest’s lid with his sword. Nothing. He pulled out a small deku nut, then threw it on the ground, prying the lid open with his sword. But nothing jumped out. “At least you know to check for Mimics”, Navi said. They peered inside the chest. More rupees, as well as a magical Life Vessel, and a few stamina potions. “These are all great finds”, Navi said. Link collected the treasures, then, taking Cota’s hand, cast a Dungeon Warp spell, returning them to the entrance.

---

“Welcome back, Link, Navi”, said Saria, She was an Elf child that Link had grown up with in the Kokiri Forest. They had been close friends for a while, and now Link traveled with Navi, exploring the ruins and dungeons across their land. Sometimes they found precious treasures, sometimes Link came back empty handed. But it always made Saria happy to see him return from his exploration. “Did you find anything good today? Hey, what are you doing with that jar?”

“We found a lot of good things today, Saria. Life Vessel, stamina potions, some rupees, and a friend”. Navi answered. Cota poked her head out of the jar.

“Are we there Link? Those monsters were kind of scary.”

“Oh! She’s so cute!” Saria exclaimed. “You know, it’s kind of funny how long it took you to find a Jinn of the Jar, considering how much you love smashing pots. Well, that vessel can be used by someone to extend their lifespan, so we could sell it in Castle Town. The stamina potions will sell well, too”.

‘For running or climbing?’ Link signed.

“Uh, yeah. For that”, Saria said.

After dressing Cota in some of Saria’s old clothes, they spent the night eating and talking together, then Link and Cota fell asleep together on the bed. As Saria began to leave for her own house, Navi flitted over.

“I’ll see you home, Saria”.

“Oh, thanks”. She didn’t have far to travel, but appreciated Navi’s company. “So did you see any other monsters in the dungeon?”

“Several”, Navi responded. “Link’s getting very good at avoiding monsters but I still wonder if he’ll run into trouble some day. Do you have any interest in him, Saria?”

“I think so. One day, when we’re both older”.

“Well, I’ll keep an eye out for him in the meantime. Good night, Saria”. Navi waved to her as she left Saria’s shoulder to return to Link’s house.

---

In Castle Town the next morning, the market was bustling with shoppers and merchants.

“100 rupees for each of those potions, Link, I always appreciate your business”, one of the merchants said to him. Link pocketed the money, and took Saria’s hand as they walked off. “Good day to both of you kids!” He called.

“Alright, Link”, Saria said, trying to keep her voice low. “We have to figure out who best to sell that life vessel. I think we could get 500 rupees, easily”.

‘Excuse me, young lady. But did I hear you had a life vessel?” An old woman, who had appeared almost out of nowhere, was standing behind the two kids, leaning over on a cane and draped in a heavy hooded cape. Saria looked at her, and led them into a nearby alley. “Young lady, I understand the value of that item. But would you find it in your heart to give it to me? I am growing old, in poor health, and that would do wonders for my body”.

“I’m sorry, Ma’am”. Saria replied. “But we need to sell it. I’ll give you 200, no 250 rupees”.

“That’s kind of you. But I’m afraid that money is an inadequate substitute for this vessel. Oh, I know. I can’t offer you much value for that item, but I can tell you of the rumors I’ve heard in this town”.

“Rumors?” Saria asked skeptically. “Ma’am, we’ve heard our fair share of rumors”.

“Not this one, I’d wager. Ever heard of the Castle Town Secret Tunnels?” Link’s ears twitched. “Yeeessss”, the woman continued slowly. “There’s numerous dungeons and treasure filled ruins in our little country, but they say that Castle Town has a secret tunnel beneath it, leading to a great dungeon that no one has explored since, oh I don’t know, since it was built. Link’s eyes sparkled at the thought of new places to explore, and so close to home!

“And has anybody found proof of these tunnels?” Saria asked.

“Clever young lady. There is one final clue. The etchings on the walls of the back alleys may look like scribbles, but they seem to take the form of some sort of door. Maybe there’s some sort of entrance? Link had heard more than enough to be convinced, and presented the life vessel, much to Saria’s chagrin. “Thank you, young man. I will see this vessel put to good use”. She hurried out of the alley before either of them could object.

“Link, I hope we don’t regret that decision”.

‘Don’t worry, Saria. Think about how much more stuff we could find in this dungeon’, Link signed.

“We’ll see”.

Returning back to the forest, Navi was not too happy to learn that Link had given away the life vessel. But Link did his best to convince her of the value he had received, and the next day, set off for Castle Town with Navi in tow. Hiding in the alley, they skirted the town curfew and began to search for anything that looked like a door. But it seemed like the marks on the walls were nothing but meaningless marks.

“I don’t know Link, I think there might not have been anything to this rumor after all”. But Link pointed to a mark near the point where the wall met the ground. “Hmm? Wait, that’s ancient Hylian”, Navi exclaimed. She looked at the character, then at more the markings, realizing that there were more characters amongst the other random marks. A set of instructions began to appear, and finally she had a picture of how to open a door. “Alright, Link. I could open this door right now. Do you want to explore or should we wait?”

‘Let’s go!’ Link responded, barely able to contain his excitement. Navi opened the door, and Link stepped into the entrance. The door closed as soon as they passed the threshold, throwing them into darkness. Link lit a small torch, and walked down a narrow hall, slanting down and down below the street level. Soon he stepped out into a great chamber. Link could barely believe his eyes. Stone paths stretched out in all directions, bridges that crossed great chasms. There were many doors on the other side of the chamber each with a chance of leading to more treasure.

“Well, let’s pick a path”, Navi said. Link followed one at random, opening the door at the end. Inside he found a deadly blade trap. Crawling around and underneath the rotating blades, he reached the door on the other end of the room. In the next room, he encountered a skeletal warrior, unlike the more human Skeleton monsters that roamed the land when the sun went down. This was an animated skeleton wielding a sword and shield. Link managed to outsmart it, knocking it to the ground and over the edge of the platform which they stood on. Opening the door led him to more challenges and traps and even monsters, most of them less inclined to greet him and more inclined to swing at him with a sword.

But now Link reached a room, and inside was a great big treasure chest. He excitedly ran over to it, not heeding Navi’s warning to check it. He threw the lid open, and peered inside. An enormous golden rupee lay there. “Lucky for us this wasn’t a trap. But gosh, look at the size of that rupee! That’s got to be at least as much as the life vessel”. Nav remarked, as Link leaned over to retrieve it. But as he held it above his head in celebration, it began to change shape. Link cried out as the rupee fell down on top of him and suddenly took the form of a mature human woman! She had ruffles of some sort of outfit, boots, gloves, and not much else. Golden coins were covering her body, and sitting in her hair as ornaments. Her hair and skin were the color of bright shiny gold.

“Hello there, and what a cutie”, she exclaimed, pulling Link into a tight hug that smushed him against her chest.

“Who are you?” Navi asked, noting the woman’s curvy figure.

“Why, I’m a monster that creeps and crawls in dungeons and hides in treasure chests waiting for handsome adventurers to find me. I can disguise myself as gold, treasure or other valuables. Call me a Creeping Coin. We’re not nearly as common as our Mimic brethren. But you’ve found me, and I’m more than happy to find such a cute little kid. She kissed Link on the forehead.

‘C-can we go home?’ Link asked.

“Sure, Link.. Let’s see if we can get back to the entrance”. Link cast a spell, and he, Navi and the coin vanished. To their relief, they stepped up to the other side of the alley door, which opened up. They stepped out into the early morning light. A cucco crowed. They snuck out into the main square, managing to avoid the gaze of the guards, and stepped over the drawbridge as it opened. Out into Hyrule Field, they made their way quickly back home.

‘ZZZZ’. Link and Navi had collapsed on the bed, leaving Cota to wake up to the sight of two very tired adventurers, and a new guest.

“Who are you?” She asked shyly. “Well hello there, sweetheart. A mimic just like myself. I’m Mida, and your friend Link took a very hard job last night, finding me. I think I’ll just let him rest for today, before I-”

“Before you’ll what?” Saria asked, as she stepped into the house, noticing the new visitor.

“Oh, more friends?”

“I’m Saria, I’ve known Link since we were very young”.

Well, I didn’t mean to insist on taking him all for myself. It’s just, I yearn for someone’s company. I can quell anyone’s lust for treasure, and I can see Link has a strong hunger. And, my coins could make a very nice price for their own purposes”. She stepped over to the bed and pat Link on the head. “I’m Mida. I hope we can get along”.

“I don’t have any problems with that, Mida. But I want to make one thing clear. Link is...a bit different from us Elves of the forest, or any of the other monsters of the land. He’s maturing slower than most of us, and therefore, he hasn’t become aware of the same things as monsters are. Navi and I, and now Cota, are willing to wait until he’s older. Can you do the same?”

“Ah, I understand. No wonder he was so bashful. Well, I think I can afford to wait to see how big and handsome he turns out to be”.

Ocarina of Time is not my favorite Zelda game, or necessarily my first choice for a setting. But as the ideas started to formulate, I realized that Link would make a great character to find the various monsters featured in this story, and it made more sense for some of these other childish monsters. As far as I'm concerned, Link in this piece is a child, not quite at the point where he's having Thoughts About The Other Sex, and his companions are just waiting it out.