So, it turns out the reason I couldn’t find anything to do in Great Bay Coast is because I didn’t look to the south. There are two houses there. One seems to be abandoned but the name indicates it’s got some eight-legged inhabitants, so that can wait until I’ve quested some. The other is a fisherman’s hut. Apparently the water’s gone hot and murky, and that’s not good for anyone. He says he saw a zora dying out in the water. He’s also got a seahorse who asks Link for help; the fisherman says he’ll let Link have the seahorse in exchange for a picture of the pirates from the fortress. Right, that’s not a creepy request, but I’ve got a feeling I’ve got to do it anyway.
Out in the bay, Tatl sees the seagulls around the dying zora, Mikau, and Link goes out and pushes him to shore. When Link talks to him, it’s plain he’s dying, with just enough strength to get up and perform one final guitar solo while singing about how he was mortally injured, as is customary. The basic story: the singer in his band laid some eggs that were stolen by the Gerudo pirates, and so he went to try to get them back. He failed and now he can’t even die in peace. The song of healing works wonders on his soul, letting him move on and leave behind the zora mask, which will let Link navigate the waters a little easier.
The pirate fortress, like the Gerudo fortress of Ocarina of Time, is largely a stealth mission. The biggest difference: Link has the stone mask from the invisible guard, which makes him invisible to the pirates, and so he can sneak by them. Or, say, up close enough to snap a picture. Link can overhear a conversation between two of the pirates: they have four of the eggs, and three more are lost in the murky waters where they were beset by sea snakes. There are a few scripted encounters with pirates who can see through the stone mask’s illusion; usually one right before each aquarium where an egg is. In addition to the four eggs, Link finds the hookshot and a piece of heart. Then he warps back to the research center, drops the eggs in the hatching aquarium, and sets out to find the other three.
Now Link can tackle the skulltula house. There’s no one to greet Link here, and the building is falling into disrepair. Like the previous skulltula house, there are 30 of them spread throughout. This is mostly a workout for the hookshot and fire arrows, two tools Link didn’t have when he took on the swamp house. He also has to knock some loose from the ceiling with a goron smash, and goron form is needed to roll out of the basement. There are also a bunch of stalchildren here who have researched the solution to a puzzle, which they tell Link if he’s wearing the captain’s mask. He can put the solution in place to get a piece of heart. With the skulltulas all gone, when Link leaves the basement he meets a guy looking for a place to take refuge (from the moon, I’m guessing), who gives Link the second wallet upgrade. Now he can take 500 at a time out of the bank account, which will probably give the banker an aneurysm.
The fisherman gets his picture, so Link gets the seahorse. He take the seahorse out to the entrance to the Pinnacle Rock area, and lets it go and follows it through a signpost maze to a deep chasm with sea snakes living in caves. Three of the snakes are guarding the last three zora eggs, and if Link kills all eight, the seahorse reunites with its mate, and they give Link a heart piece as thanks. Link takes the eggs back to the lab, where when all seven eggs are in the aquarium, they hatch, and in a really clever scene, the tadpoles shape themselves like music notes in front of the background which looks like a staff. The scientist realizes what it is, and zora Link gets out his guitar and plays the song suggested by the notes.
The scentist suggests playing the music for the mother of the eggs, so Link sets out for Zora Hall. Three of Mikau’s bandmates are practicing in their rooms, playing songs from previous Zelda games (the dungeon and game over themes from The Legend of Zelda, and the cave theme from A Link to the Past). Link can find Mikau’s diary, which talks about jam sessions he played with Japas. Then the two get together for another jam session, and Link plays the notes he read to complete the song. The zoras all excitedly listen in, but the bandleader seems uninterested when Link plays it for him. However, if Link takes off the mask and plays the song on the ocarina, the bandleader eagerly steals credit for the song and gives Link a heart piece to ensure his silence. In Lulu’s room there’s a business scrub wanting to move somewhere less wet.
Lulu herself is outside, staring out at the ocean. Link plays the New Wave Bossa Nova for her, which summons a turtle from the deeps who offers Link a ride to the Great Bay Temple. There’s also an owl statue here. I want a new cycle for a dungeon, and the zora mask and hookshot have opened up new opportunities that’ll take some time to explore, but there’s two things to wrap up this cycle. First, Moon’s Tear, city flower, swamp flower, mountain flower, ocean flower, heart piece.
Second, back at the Milk Bar in Clock Town, Link can run a sound check with the zora band’s manager. Gorman, the theater troupe’s leader and brother of the asshats harassing Cremia, complains about the noise. However, after Link’s done the sound check in each of his four forms, Gorman’s reduced to tears because of memories associated with the song and gives Link his mask. The song’s called “Ballad of the Wind Fish,” but it bears no resemblance to the song from Link’s Awakening.
And now it’s time to start the next cycle.
Next: Lots and lots of sidequests.
