Two figures came through the main road of Ruto Town as the sun was setting on the horizon. The fat one ran ahead of his companion as if desperate to escape his watchful eye. The cloaked one that followed did so at a much slower pace, but it always seemed that by the time the fat one came to a corner they needed to round, the shadowy man was right next to him. There would be no escape for Gorodo...not as long as he was useful to Alpha.

It had been some time since the two had left the North Castle. Gorodo had tried to escape Alpha several times - three to be precise. He'd even jumped into the moat around the castle, before his fear of 'Wraith' wore off and he remembered that he couldn't swim very well. But now the semi-retired crime lord led his old employee through the streets of Ruto, seeking to give Alpha a reason to not kill him. Gorodo had done plenty of things that most people would not be proud of (not that he cared), and Alpha had been one of his primary casualties. So he crossed his fingers as he approached a doorway. "Here it is, Wra - Alpha."

The Sheikah didn't give Gorodo a second look as he moved to open the doorway. He didn't have too; Alpha knew, as the fat man did, that Gorodo would be dead before morning if he'd lied. He turned the handle, and entered into the din beyond. They'd come to a dimly-lit bar, and Gorodo quickly took him towards a room in the back. The bartender was the only one to try and stop them; after a good look at the human's face, though, they were allowed to pass through without hindrance.

They entered into the back room, and Alpha slowly looked around. A few armed people stood around, looking at the newcomers for a second before recognizing Gorodo and motioning them forward. They passed through a curtained doorway, and came face to face with another figure from Alpha's past.

"My, my! Gorodo, what brings you here?" asked the figure. "We just met a week or two ago. And...who have we here?"

Alpha stepped forward and removed his hood, revealing his scarred face. "Hello there, Cezera. Long time no see."

The Zora stood up from the couch he'd been sitting on in a heartbeat. "Why I haven't heard that voice in, oh, five or six years!" He leaned back against the wall, chuckling. "If it isn't my favorite assassin, Wraith!"

The Sheikah's eyes narrowed. "My name is, and has always been, Alpha. Wraith is this fool's creation," he said, jerking a thumb at Gorodo. "You've always been one of the more...reasonable...crime lords. I'm in search of the Po Rune. Gorodo told me he'd take me to the one he sold it to, which I assume is you."

Cezera nodded. "You are correct, Alpha. I assume you want it?" The Sheikah nodded. "Well, unfortunately, that rune cost me a good thousand rupees. You say I'm reasonable, and I am, especially when it comes to business. And it does not make good business sense to merely give the rune to you. Now, if you were to pay me back for the rune, then I'd be happy to retrieve it for you..."

Alpha shook his head. "I don't have that much money, unfortunately. However..." He promptly turned to Gorodo.

The human's mouth fell open in fear, and he waved his arms around as if to defend himself from the Sheikah's piercing gaze. "Don't look at me! I already spent the money I got for selling it! Can't get it back!" He did not add the 'even if I wanted to' statement that he felt.

"Then I'm afraid our business is concluded, Alpha. Terribly sorry."

Alpha scowled. He didn't like it, but there was one more option. He held up his right hand, placing it in between his face and the Zora's, and flexed his wrist. Three needles, obviously super-sharp, appeared in his fingers. "I can still do my old job, Cezera."

The effect was not the one Alpha had predicted. Cezera laughed it off, unconcerned. "I'm sure you can, Alpha. But that wouldn't be very reasonable, now would it. Being as I have a hundred safehouses throughout this grand world of ours, most of which are only recorded here," he pointed to his forehead, "and only one can hold the rune you seek." He shrugged, confidence radiating outward. "Kill me and you'll never get your little rune."

Alpha stood down in the face of such logic, knowing that Cezera was the type to bluff. The Zora smiled and continued. "However, you do bring up an interesting point. Your services could prove most valuable...valuable enough to not only pay for the rune, but also put me in your debt."

Alpha's face darkened, but he was willing to listen. "Go on."

"I trust you remember Gorodo and mine's fellow criminal mastermind, Makurb, yes?" Alpha scowled again, recalling the dark-skinned Hylian with more than a little contempt. "And I trust you remember where her hideout is as well. Well, she's been invading my own personal group of customers lately. After repeated warnings, she has refused to back off and give me my due space.

"So here's the deal: kill her, and you can have the rune."

Alpha inhaled sharply at the task. He hated the idea of doing anything assassin related again - he'd given up that life years ago, and had no desire to return to it - but it didn't seem like he had much choice. Without that rune, there would be no way for he, Hiro, and Blank to reach Incinera, no way to get the Thunder Shard, and no way to save Hiree's life.

And it certainly wasn't like Makurb didn't deserve it. Alpha knew of countless crimes she had committed, treating every law in every country she had influence in like they were just there for her to break them. Hyrule was certainly up there on the list of countries that would've had her on the most wanted list, if she wasn't so crafty as to always escape detection.

What's more, he probably was the only one capable of bringing her to justice. Cezera hadn't said it, but Alpha was betting that the only reason she hadn't been killed sooner was because of her own massive force of fifty hired body guards, all expertly trained and with years of experience under their belts.

It would get him the Po Rune - a good thing - and exterminate one of the world's greatest pests - also a good thing. And so he turned and walked towards the exit, simply saying, "Accepted." As he passed by the human, he spoke once more. "Gorodo, you're free to return to the castle. I hope I never have to see you again." With that, he was gone.



Cezera plopped down on the couch again. "Phew! My, my, Gorodo, certainly takes you back, doesn't it? Seeing Wraith again? He's the best of the best, to be sure."

Gorodo nodded as he too walked to the exit. "Yeah, well I'm just glad he didn't try to kill me. I hope I don't ever have to see him again either." He waved a goodbye to his fellow criminal. "Until the next deal, Cezera."

"Until the next deal, Gorodo." Then the Zora was left alone in the room, more pleased than ever at his successful deal-making.