After feeling empty from being denied my only purpose in life (apart from being a kickass train prodigy of course), I wandered around in a daze. It must have been hours. What I was doing I do not know.
...but I snapped out of it when one of the guards made another flirtatious remark about the princess. Damn, I hope I get a weapon soon. Even though every person ever in Hyrule is immune against physical harm, smacking them should at least give me SOME satisfaction, right?
Ohey, at least something good seems to be coming out of it though. We can wander around freely. Maybe the castle staff is feeling generous today?
...but not too generous.
I might as well explore what I can, then. This here is the break room.
Except for one guard, this room is empty. This is a testament to the dedication of Hyrule's soldiers. I don't know why they get this much flak. These guys are obviously very hard-working and eager to arrest me, I mean, scoundrels.
They have a bunch of spears on the wall here.
I always wanted a spear. It strikes me as a very elegant weapon. Alas, for some reason, me and my countless iterations through history have always been stuck with swords.
Well, I guess the Hero of Wind carried a spear occasionally, but that didn't really count.
Oh well, moving on.
There is four beds here. Since I assume there is more than four guards, I wonder how they sleep? Like, do they pile themselves up? Or maybe only the good guards get beds, and the others have to sleep in the buckets? Maybe they tie the new recruits together as makeshift beds?
The world will never know.
This rookie is complaining about the dress code. Yeah, as if the elite guard uniforms look any less dorky.
And besides sonny, with a shnozzola like that, you make every getup look goofy. I recommend going to a mask salesman.
This is the training room. Soldiers are eagerly honing their spear-thrusting skills here. It is a sight to behold.
Let me take a closer look.
AAAARGHBL!!!
I'm bleeding! I'm bleeding heavily! Help!
It has nothing to do with being an engineer you insensitive prick! Everyone would be in severe pain when a SPEAR went through their NECK!!
I'm not getting through to this guy at all!
I went upstairs to get my wounds treated elsewhere, but after a while, the bleeding stopped.
The body can only take so much frequent abuse. After a few decades, it just goes "Eh, whatever" after the initial shock wore off.
With a spear wound? I actually agree, but here's a suggestion for the future:
HELP PEOPLE WHEN YOU SEE THEY HAVE SPEAR WOUNDS GODDAMMIT!
Even the inanimate objects don't want you to explore. What's with this castle?
That's nice.
Ok, ok, geez! I get the hint! Exploration is banned!
I'm beginning to feel sorry for Zelda. Life here must be boring.
Feeling sorry for someone other than ourselves is a rare occurrence for us people from Aboda Village, and it usually fills us with great confusion.
In my dizziness, I came across this somewhat hidden entrance.
I know I shouldn't explore, lest I have the law crashing down on me again, but you know what they say about forbidden fruit...
...
...maybe just a nibble.
Gorging on this mad exploration fruit buffet, I happened to find this fancy door.
It doesn't open, though. Tough luck.
Aww snap! Caught red-handed, fruit bits falling out of my mouth. You know what? Let's ditch the fruit metaphors.
I am the apprentice of Alfonzo, the Master Engineer.
After hearing me say that, he violently soiled his leg garments and then he just went catatonic. I decided to not bother him further and move on.
There's only two ways that lead out of this area. I'm going to take the one I didn't arrive from.
Entering this room, I could hear someone getting their flute skills on.
I always wanted to play an instrument. Music makes you happy, though, and therefore it is punishable by death in Aboda Village.
...
Why does she get to do that, and I don't?
I'm sorry I just barged in here. I mean, I haven't even read your letter yet. I just wanted to get the exploration done before doing that, and so I... uh...
You know, if I was able to just stumble into your room without even intending to, you might want to tighten up security a little bit?
Yes, one did, actually. But some mysterious force prevents me from telling her that.
This is just great. Here I am, talking to my might-be-sister, might-be-love-interest for the first time, with no one bothering us, and invisible dialogue pixies force me to start off our first actual conversation with a lie!
She knows I lied. She can sense it. I hope she can sense how miserable I feel about it as well.
Wait, maybe I have a chance to make up for it here? I mean, it wasn't really my fault, but it's the thought that counts, right?
Yeah, my balding roommate told me about it.
He is an ex criminal, and yet everyone has the evil eye for me alone. Can you believe it?
Yeah, you don't really need to explain all of this to me. I am an engineer, so chances are I know more about this stuff already than you do. For example, do you know what they do to the tracks to keep wild animals away from them? They--
This isn't funny! Please don't joke about things like this.
MY FUTURE DEPENDS ON THESE TRACKS EXISTING! DON'T JOKE ABOUT THEM VANISHING! IT SCARES ME!
IT ISN'T FUNNY!!! TAKE IT BACK!!!
Yes, and he has a very good point there, honey. Do you know what happens to princesses who walk around outside unsupervised?
No?
I should get you in contact with another princess then. Her name is Peach.
No, he wants to keep you from getting abducted, or worse, assassinated.
He is doing his job!
No! He is just a man trying to make a living. You are railroading him into the role of an antagonist, which, if he decides to embrace that role later, will make everything that happens your fault entirely.
Please listen to me, I know about railroading! I am a certified engineer for Farore's sake!
Have you even been listening to me at all?!?
Do you know what will happen to me if I, a commoner, remove the princess from the castle against the chancellor's will? I want to have children some day!
Not the chancellor again. Give the guy a break!
Oh no, she is doing the puppy eyes thing! Stay strong, Ol' Chuffy! Stay focussed!!!
Oh who am I kidding. Alfonzo's constant abuse may have made me immune to any sort of physical harm, but I have never learned to withstand the sorrow of a maiden.
I'll do it.
Yeah, but you must bake me a cake with a file in it later. On this much I must insist.
What? Now I have to become a recruit too?
That was not part of the description. Is it too late to reconsider?
Oh, I get it. We're going to mess with their heads. I like that idea!
I'm smiling to make her feel happy. On the inside, I am dead.
Wait, you mean like, here? Right in front of you? Isn't that incredibly indecent?
'k.
Ok, how do I get out of this thing? Like, unbutton this, pull that... What the... uhm... you don't happen to have a welding torch or something handy, right? No? Thought so. Hm...
AAAAH!!! NO!!! TOO SOON!
TOO SOON!!!
There we go! All set!
I truly am the master of first impressions. -_-'