With the unbearable weight of the creeping Twilight mysteriously lifted by unknown means, Hena was finally free to get back to work. The sole owner and operator of the Fishing Hole, Hena is a young, hard-working woman with a passion for all things fishing. She assumes it will take some time for customers to come back, but she’ll be ready to welcome them.
Turns out, she doesn’t have to wait as long as she thinks, as a mysterious green-clad boy humbly opens the door to her cozy lakeside shop and walks inside. She’s never seen him before, that’s for sure. Is he from around here? Regardless of any unfamiliarity, Hena stands at attention, willing to give this new guy the same courtesy she gives all of her customers.
Hena watches as her new customer surveys the shop. The boy soaks in all of the sights: The massive fish tank with room for plenty of fish, the wall of photos taken of some of Hena’s relatives and best memories, the fun time-wasting game that Hena made herself, the cozy canoe for two, and finally, the counter worked by Hena herself. Now acclimated, the boy approaches Hena.
Not missing a beat, Hena tells the boy her name, what her store is, and the fishing experiences she offers. The boy, who she learns is named Link, seems intrigued, but he doesn’t say much. He seems to give it some thought, but then he wanders to the fish tank and then to the other points of interest in the shop to inspect them further. Link seems a bit odd, but he’s also polite, so Hena lets him go about with his curiosity, providing details about each object as he does. It’s not often that Hena gets the chance to talk about her shop, so she’s happy to do it.
Hena was probably a surprising person for many players to find tending the Fishing Hole. The owner of the fishing pond from Ocarina of Time had set an expectation. But instead of an odd old man, fans were met by a young and pretty girl who seemed happy to meet new people. Hena was not a prominent character in the game’s story, but her subtle replies and comments to Link while he explored the shop were signs of a deep character with a rich personality. She was kind, she was smart, and she was confident. She also didn’t put up with anyone’s nonsense, which, as you will read in a moment, Link definitely learns.
Link seems content with his exploration of the shop, so Hena assumes he’ll step over to speak to her about fishing options. He’s been a normal and pleasant customer so far, so why would she expect anything different? Why would she expect him to get on the ground and roll into one of the walls in attempt to knock down the pots resting on a high shelf, pots that Hena explicitly said she placed up there to avoid them being damaged? No one would expect that, but that’s what Link does. Hena is shocked at first, but that shock is instantly replaced by annoyance. She shouts at him to stop.
In an unexpected reaction, Link looks at Hena with a face of confusion. It’s a face that says he’s clearly never been told not to do that. Almost obstinately, Link moves back and builds up more momentum. Hena watches with a stupefied rage as Link rams into the wall not one, but two more times, ignoring every warning Hena gives as he does.
She’s had enough. Loudly and sternly, Hena demands for Link to get out. That same dumb look returns to Link’s face. There must be something to the notion that he’s, somehow, never actually been told not to do that. Embarrassed, Link quietly exits the shop.
Thinking back to so many other Zelda games, has anyone ever called Link out on his total disregard for private property? Hena was different, that’s for sure. She told Link off, no hesitation. Her level of confidence is respectable, and so is her hesitation to reprimand Link. She gave him multiple fair warnings. But Link was being a jerk, plain and simple, and risked damaging her fishing sanctuary. Hena took pride in what she does and what she loves. Link learned that the hard way.
Mere moments after throwing her rude visitor out, Hena hears the sound of her door once again opening. She has her suspicion of who it is, and sure enough, in comes Link, wearing an expression of humility on his face.
Wanting to make it clear to Link that she was not happy with him, Hena gives Link the full treatment. A furrowed brow and a stern tone remind Link of what he had done. He apologizes profusely, so Hena gives him a second chance, but he had better be on his best behavior.
With that awkwardness out of the way, Link approaches the counter once more, this time to inquire about renting a fishing boat. That would involve Hena going on the boat with him as a guide, right after the scolding she gave him. This level of humility seems to impress Hena. It takes guts for someone to accept that they were out of line and to not shamefully avoid the person they wronged. It takes courage, some might say. Hena respects it enough to go out on the pond with her now-courteous customer.
Hena’s going with him, but she’s still understandably concerned with how this fishing trip will go. Is Link going to try to ram the boat into the rock formation in the middle of the pond?
Turns out, Link apparently thrives on improvement after criticism. Throughout the entire excursion, Link is pleasant and heeds Hena’s guidance and advice. He also shows a genuine interest in the sport and the fish, which Hena clearly appreciates. After almost a full day of fishing and relaxing, the two return to shore to add Link’s best catches to the shop’s fish tank.
Hena, her opinion of Link restored, thanks Link for visiting and fishing, and says that they should go fishing again sometime. Link, still not the talkative type, smiles politely and walks, not rolls, out of shop.
What started as a slow day ended on a fun note that Hena was understandably grateful for. Things had only recently returned to normal. Having an actual customer was far from expected, and that customer surprised her in multiple ways. Some of those were bad surprises, but she acknowledges Link’s willingness to own up to his bizarre actions.
Hena loved to be kind, but she knew to expect kindness from others, so that show of maturity from Link made giving him a second chance worth it. Link definitely proved to Hena that there was more to him than a bad first impression, but only after Hena taught Link that being a fish out of water in her home was no excuse for making a bass out of himself.
