The young girl looked out at the large lake with excitement in her eyes. Everyone watched as her father placed a tiara on her head. She couldn't help but smile brightly. The others cheered as her father's shout echoed across the lake.

"My daughter is now the princess of the Zoras!"

The girl looked up at her father happily.

"Daddy, this is the best birthday I could ever have!"

Her father smiled down on her. "Ruto, you've known for years that on your 10th birthday, you would become princess. This shouldn't be such a big surprise to you, young lady."

"Sorry, daddy, I'm just really happy!"

The two hugged each other tightly. Then her father remembered something important. He turned around for a moment, talking with one of his advisers. The adviser handed him a small box, which he then held out to Ruto.

"Ruto, I want you to have this."

Ruto opened the box with great excitement. She gasped when she opened it up. It was BEAUTIFUL.

"Ruto, that is a Zora Sapphire. They are used as engagement rings for Zoras to wed one another."

"Really? Oh daddy, I can marry now, too?"

Her father looked at her, slightly sad at what he knew would disappoint his daughter.

"Actually, you are to marry someone in particular chosen by me."

Ruto's look of happiness melted. "You mean…I don't get to pick who I marry, daddy?"

"No, dear, I'm very sorry."

Ruto looked at the sapphire with sadness. Maybe this wasn't the best birthday ever.

That night, when everyone was still asleep, Ruto snuck out to the Zora Fountain, located right outside of her home. She took off her tiara and looked at it angrily. She was furious with her father for forcing her to marry someone she didn't want to. She threw her tiara into the water. Suddenly, it disappeared out of nowhere. A strong gust of wind seemed to be pulling her forward, almost like a vacuum. She stood her ground to watch her tiara be inhaled by Lord Jabu-Jabu, who had even more power than her father. Suddenly, she had an idea of how to escape her father. As Jabu-Jabu opened its mouth, Ruto dived into its mouth before it could close. She landed softly on its tongue as its mouth closed. Sure, she was trapped, but she was safe from her father, at least. She clutched the Zora Sapphire tightly and proceeded forward, exploring all of Jabu-Jabu's body. Then she felt a small shock run up her arm, knocking her over.

As she turned around, she was face-to-face with a large jellyfish. She backed away, only to discover she was surrounded by them. As another one shocked her, she dropped the Sapphire. It fell into a hole in the floor. She dived in after it, only to land in a room where the floor seemed to move. Small jellyfish swarmed the room, and there were even bubbles bouncing off the walls and ceilings. As she looked around, she couldn't tell how to find anything in here.

"I don't remember Jabu-Jabu looking like this before…Jabu-Jabu is usually the picture of health, there's not typically jellyfish as far as the eye can see in here…"

She found an entrance that seemed promising enough. As she proceeded through, she knew she regretted her decision immediately. There was a huge jellyfish in the center, held in place by tentacles attached to the ceiling. Ruto gasped, knowing that this must be what was making Jabu-Jabu sick. Maybe it had the Sapphire…

Ruto dashed forwards and tried to punch the large creature as hard as she could. However, she was thrown backwards by the jellyfish that surrounded it like a shield. How could she possibly destroy this thing on her own?

The creature picked her up with one of it's tentacles from the ceiling and threw her through a small, narrow hole in the ceiling, landing her in the room where she'd first lost the Sapphire. Ruto sighed.

Even if she were safe from her father, she'd lost the sapphire and she was lost herself. This was the worst birthday ever…