This will be the first chapter in another story of mine titled 'Robotic Rampage'.
Prompts:
"It's alright, I'm here now."
"Fine, explain it to me."
"I never said it would be easy."
"We can't do this on our own."
"Do I look like I knew that?"
"Honestly? Why would I care?"
"That's all? Easy."

________________________________________________________________________

Zelda flung open the door to Link's room, guards in tow. He slammed closed his journal and shot up. He nodded to say, "I'm here. What happened?"

Zelda knew what he was saying. "It's Terreko! He's missing!"

Link tore out the page he had been writing on and crumpled it up before eating it.

"That's a bit much," Zelda said, "But there's no time. Terreko has finally snapped. He's going after Impa."

Link tilted his head, asking a question he didn't need to speak to ask.

"Yes, I did say he was missing. But I also know what he's doing. I simply am unaware as to where he's gone."

He nodded.

"Luckily, he's not at all violent unless it's to protect me. So he's likely just to pull a joke. But Impa doesn't take kindly to jokes."

It was true. Impa was not a fan of jokes. Zelda thought of the last time someone had played a prank on Impa. They had ended up in a giant frog's belly, and came out considerably less inclined to play careless jokes. "We need help. I don't know what sort of prank he's going to pull, but I don't wish to repair any of his limbs. We need to call the other champions."

________________________________________________________________________


"It's alright," Revali announced, landing in the courtyard. "I'm here now. This had better be good."

"Took you long enough," Urbosa said, rolling her eyes.

"Well excuse me, but I have duties. Some of us," he looked at Link, "work hard for what's been given to us."

She rolled her eyes again, but didn't reply. 'Perhaps', Zelda thought, 'she feels it would be a waste of time, or maybe she wants to keep the peace. But should it really be  our jobs to keep the peace when someone is rude to us? Yes, when it's someone as important as one of the champions. I refuse to let my petty feelings of offence stand in the way of winning the war.'

"Will you please tell us the issue?" Mipha changed the subject. "And how we can help? Oh, my. Where is Terreko? He's usually running around Link's legs."

"Yeah," Daruk added, "Where is the little guy?"

"That's the issue," Zelda explained. "He's missing. Link and I believe he's going to play a joke on Impa. He wasn't programmed to know fear, so he doesn't have the sense to let it go when he's irritated with her."

"She seems to have been programmed not to know fear, too," Urbosa joked. "The girl is always throwing herself into battle, despite her lack of training. She handles herself well, despite that. I'm sure she can manage against the little guardian."

"I'm not worried about her. I'm worried about what she'll do if she catches Terreko. She may do what she did last time someone got on her bad side."

"So much slime," Mipha chimed in. "I can no longer see frogs the same way."

"Honestly, why would I care? I don't have time for this," Revali said. "Your pet getting into trouble is hardly my concern."

"Please, Revali? We can't do this alone. We already have a plan, you only need to help enact it."

He sighed. "Fiiiiine. I suppose I can spare a few hours. But not because I care about your little robot. Only because I don't trust that knight to not screw it up."

He spat out knight like it was an insult, like he was reminding Link that Revali was a top commander, the Rito equivalent of a general, and Link was just a knight. Despite Link's high status, his *official* military title was still 'knight'.

Link's face betrayed no signs of being offended. He was a knight, after all. As far as Zelda knew, and she knew Link very well by this point, he didn't mind the title. It was an honor to be a guard for the royal family, especially one who protects the princess in place of a full team of guards. Zelda was sure Revali knew this, but perhaps he still thought Link would be upset by the reminder. He didn't seem to be.

"Thank you, Revali. You're an important member of the team." She wanted to both stroke his ego and remind him he wasn't the only member of the team, and that's what they were; a team. She turned to the group. "We have a basic plan, but we need help deciding details and who will do what."

"Fine. Explain it to me."

Link handed Zelda a scroll. She spread it out, revealing a small map of several places in the castle. It was not a map of the full castle, lacking several rooms and hallways. "Thank you, Link. Champions, here are the rooms we believe Terreko may be in. We should split up, find him, call the others, and stop him."

"That's all? Easy."

"Well, I never said it would be easy. There are—"

The booming sound of a bookshelf falling over sounded from a nearby bedroom. The champions looked away from the map, turning their heads toward the ruckus.

"See? Easy. I've already found him."

________________________________________________________________________

Terreko wasn't in the bedroom, nor was Impa.

"Looks kinda like you didn't find him," Daruk said.

"Oh, no," Zelda said, looking under the bed and behind the curtains. "I do so hope he hasn't been caught."

Link cleared his throat and pointed to scratch marks on the floor.

"Oh! Yes, Link, you're a genius! He must have dragged something away from the shelf. But what..."

"Hardly a genius to notice scratches on the floor," Revali grumbled. "We would have seen them in a moment. How do we even know they're from him? Maybe it was just an unstable bookshelf. It doesn't look like it was properly mounted to the wall."

"Well," Zelda admitted, "We aren't certain it was he who did this. It's quite possible these scratches were already here. I don't often come into this room. Link, you've been in here once or twice. Do you notice anything missing from the shelf?"

He gave a look that said "No."

"Ah. Neither do I. Hmmm... there is a space where something once was. It's quite a large empty space."

They heard another crash. "That can't be a coincidence!" Daruk pointed as he spoke. "I think it came from over there!"

Another scream rang through the air, shrill and fearful, with a hint of anger beneath the terror. The champions took off running toward the scream.

________________________________________________________________________

The scream was coming from a ballroom in which a handmaiden was carrying a basket. It seemed to have once contained laundry, based on the dirty socks, tablecloths, and other whites scattered around her.

"What's wrong?" Zelda and Mipha cried out at the same time. "What happened?"

"What does it look like 'appened?" The handmaiden snapped, bending down to pick up the laundry. "That little devilish guardian of the princess and Sir Link—"

The handmaiden saw the shoes of the people who had run into the room and looked up to see she was before the princess about whom she was speaking. "Your 'ighness! Champions!" she dropped onto one knee. "I deeply apologize for my rudeness. Please, forgive me."

"It's quite alright. You may rise. What about Link's and my guardian? What has he done?"

"Well, Your 'ighness, champions, it ran in 'ere and wrapped its legs 'round my ankles, like a rope! Then when I stumbled, it took some socks and a towel and ran off!"

"I apologize for his actions. He's on a bit of a rampage at the moment. Impa... well, he's angry at her, and he seems to be attempting to act out of anger and prank her."

The handmaiden bent down again to pick up the laundry. "Well, 'e certainly pranked me. I 'aven't been tied up in years. Was a bit thrilling. In a bad way, though."

"Oh, dear. Um..." She decided to ignore the 'tied up in years' comment.

"Er," Mipha chimed in, "Miss, did you happen to see which way he's gone?"

She nodded. "Yes, Your 'ighness. 'E went through that vent." She pointed toward a ceiling vent. "I'm not sure what that vent is for. This room certainly doesn't get any 'eat from it. That's why we never 'old balls 'n this one."

"Where does that vent lead to?" Daruk asked.

The handmaiden shrugged. "I'm not sure, Lord Daruk. I assume the furnace room, where most o' the vents lead, so the furnace's 'eat may travel through 'em in the winter."

"The furnace room?!" Zelda yelled. "Oh, no! Terreko, what are you thinking?"

Mipha ran over to the vent. "Terreko, dear, if you can hear me, please come back. No one will be upset with you, I promise. We'll be grateful to see you again! Link and Zelda miss you so!"

They waited with bated breath for Terreko to return, but they didn't so much as hear the scuttle of his legs against the vent's "floors".

"Well, as we're all aware," the handmaiden spoke again, "There are a few vents that lead elsewhere. This could be one o' 'em. That'd explain why the room is always cold, actually. 'F it doesn't lead to the furnace room, that is. Ya prolly know that, though, Your 'ighness and champions."

"Does it look like I knew that?" Revali asked. "Clearly we didn't."

"I am sorry, Commander Revali."

"Revali!" Mipha scolded, "She's just a handmaiden! She didn't do anything to you."

"Fine, fine. It's alright, Miss Handmaiden."

"Oh, thank you, Commander."

"What was it you were saying?"

"Some o' the vents lead other places. I'm not sure where, but I do know a few of the places 'e coulda gotten off to. It's prolly a room that doesn't get 'eat either. 'Mmmm... Other cold rooms... Well, there's the first guard 'ouse. Sir Hornbill's always complainin' 'bout 'ow cold it is. Seems like the kind of chap who just likes to complain, though, to be 'onest. And the second guard 'ouse gets plenty o' heat, so I think 'e's just a whiner. 'Mmmmm... ah, and there's the dungeons, but I don't think there're any vents in there. I think they warm it a different way. And then there 're the rooms with large fireplaces to heat themselves. And then His Majesty The King's private library gets cold sometimes, as well."

"He has a private library?" Zelda exclaimed. "Why have I never heard of this?!"

"Oh, dear. Was I not 'upposed to say that? Please forget I said anythin'."

"I shall leave your name out when I ask around about it, no need to worry."

"Thank you."

"Now," Zelda turned to the other champions, "We know a few places he could be, and why we haven't seen him around. We just need to find a map of the vents."

Link held his hand out to Zelda, silently asking for the Sheikah slate. She handed it to him, and he pulled up a map.

"Goodness! I always forget there are so many maps on here! Everyone, gather around!"

The handmaiden gathered around, too, not seeming to notice she wasn't part of the group. Zelda supposed she was, now.

"Aw, rats," Daruk sighed. "It doesn't show any vents."

""Ya know, ya' could just go to the library. There're maps of the 'ole castle there. Floor plans and everythin'. Prolly one of the vents, too."

"Then let's go!" Zelda slid the slate back onto her belt and rushed out the door. The other champions, and also the handmaiden, followed, laundry left in piles on the floor.