Rather than a cheery dawn, alight in the golden-orange splendor of the breaking day, the morning brought a torrential downpour to Castle Town. The rain fell in buckets across the rooftops, slipping off them in rivulets and become streams in the maze of streets. Such an event filled the hearts of the citizens with gloom that matched the heavens, but for a certain, small group, an overcast day seemed to be an omen. Now was the time to put the next step of their plan into motion.

At the heart of Castle Town's trade district lay a tavern called the Magtail Fort. No ordinary sausage-and-beer inn, this structure was easily the largest building in the area, with two floors, no less than sixteen rooms, and a warm, social atmosphere that made it the premier lodging establishment this side of Hyrule Field. At the moment, its inner activity was at an almost fever pitch since so many had retreated indoors from the deluge outside. The place was a scene of bustling activity, Hylians and Ordonians and even a pair of Gorons, all laughing and eating and sharing the latest news. The quietest spot in the Magtail Fort, aside from the private rooms, was behind the curtain currently-empty stage. Even there, however, there was life.

Those three people behind the curtain were not partaking in the general joviality, though. Though they shared the same vision, they could not have been more different in appearance. One was a gorgeous, mature woman, whose milk-white skin was garbed in shadow. Her companion could have easily been mistaken for a statue; in his baggy, elaborate clothes, he seemed too ceremonious for so everyday a setting. Only his face, as pale as the female's, betrayed that he was alive. The last one, however, completely contrasted the robed man. From spiky, red pompadour to cream-white trousers, this burly fellow seemed impatient to begin. Finally, he could contain himself no longer. “Come on, already!”

He looked to the robed one for guidance, but it was the woman who answered him. “Fine. Go.”

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With no further ado, the eager boy burst from the curtain, his footfalls causing the stage to resound noisily. A number of people looked his way, some with recognition, and as a grin appeared on his face, he started to speak. “Hey there, folks!' He shouted, spreading his arms wide. “My name is Groose! That's right...THE Groose! One and only ace pilot extraordinaire! Now, I don't know about you all, but it's not really flying weather. Seems to me like it's that time of the month again for Nayru, if you know what I mean!” A general laugh bubbled up from the people, but other than that there wasn't much noise. Groose smiled all the wider, reveling in their complete attention. “So instead this morning I have for you fine people a couple of special guests. You know I don't let amateurs take my spotlight, but these guys? [i]Phew![/i] Have they got it figured out! Let's give a Groose-tacular round of applause for...”

“Zant! Aaaaaand Midna!”

At that, the darkly-dressed pair walked on stage. The crowd gawked; never had they seen the like of them. Midna, in particular, turned a lot of heads. She laughed and rested a hand on her hip before waving, encouraging the applause to continue. On the other hand, Zant stood very still, barely looking from side to side.