The Minish Woods were distinctly different to the surrounding parts of Hyrule. It's almost like a different climate entirely, cooler and quieter than the more wilder lands. A vast canopy of leaves spread overhead, all manner of woodland life scampering about without concern for me or the few Octoroks I saw. Despite the cover ahead, there was a maze formed of sunbeams and low bushes weaving and winding around immense trees.
Fortunately the map I'd been given was detailed enough to give me at least a general idea of where I was going, and I had my own ways to navigate in a forest. I selected a common bush near the entrance and started picking twigs from it, laying them beside trees and other landmarks as I went through, always pointing in such a way that all I'd need to do was glance at them and I'd know which way to go if I wanted to leave – or retrace my steps so far. The only places this failed me were the small pools of water, mostly shallow, that dotted the area. I don't really enjoy soaking myself for no real reason though, so I avoided them for now.
Along the way I came across a low stump that was all that was left of one of the trees here, having once stood in solitary immensity in the middle of its sun-drenched clearing. What I found interesting though was not that there was a small hole in the top of the stump, but that between two protruding roots there was a tiny archway carved into the bark – mute evidence of the Minish who inhabited these woods.
There were, however, no sign of these diminutive little creatures near the stump. I poked about a bit more in the area, travelling over the top of a gnarled old log and passing some shallows to discover what appeared to be a a miniature village, something I took care not to show my interest in too closely in case I startled the local Minish.
This presented an immediate problem. How was I going to meet the Picori when there was no way I could meet them on their terms without terrifying them? And even if I did try it that way, if this was the Minish village, I couldn't see a single one of them. Granted I was looking from a distance so as not to disturb them too much, but I have a keen eye, and I saw no signs of movement down there.
I wandered about fairly aimlessly, making sure I left my marker twigs but otherwise trying to think my way through this. I could call Link, but after how he'd cornered me into this I didn't want to give him that satisfaction.
All right, so it was childish. What do you expect of me?
It was while I was wandering I heard a voice cry out for help. I knew roughly which direction it had come from, but the thick undergrowth in some areas made it impossible to get their directly. As I listened, I heard the sound of Octoroks spitting rocks, and someone cry out, "Ouch! Watch where you're spitting those things! Isn't there anyone in this blasted forest who can hear me?"
I didn't bother to reply, since whoever it was would only have to wait for me to get to them. I made a quick dash back to the clearing with the stump, then up through several more tree dotted clearings where I saw some... thing. It was the same green as I was wearing, and it looked sort of like a cap, but it had eyes and a long yellow beak. Two Octoroks were spitting rocks at it.
While I stopped and stared at this apparition, it stopped and stared back at me.
"Hey, kid," it called to me, definitely the one who'd asked for help. "Give me a hand here!" One of the Octoroks spat another rock at it before I moved, and it exclaimed, "Don't just stand there, do something! Do you like seeing me take this abuse?"
Whatever this thing was, it needed help, and two Octoroks weren't going to be much of a challenge. If it wasn't too grateful about it I could always lose it – it didn't look like it could move too quickly.
I lofted a rock at the farther Octorok, which turned on me and missed because no one hits me unless I let them, while I made a quick dash for the nearest one and stabbed it. The remaining one spat a rock at me which I made a swipe for, trying to strike it back toward it but due to inexperience with the sword, I inadvertently struck the creature instead.
"Hey! Don't you start too!" it complained, while I quickly dealt with the Octorok the usual way.
"I'm not used to a sword, alright?" I told it once I'd finished, wiping off the blade on the leaves of a convenient bush. "'course, if you try to tell anyone that I'll deny it," I added.
"I wonder why," it muttered. "Anyway, that was well done! Not that I couldn't handle them myself, of course."
"Oh, of course," I said, my voice clearly stating what I thought of that statement.
"Anyway," it said quickly. "That's beside the point. What in the world is a lone..." it hesitated. "Lone whatever you are doing so deep in the woods?"
"Saving a talking hat, by the looks of things," I replied. "And I'm a hedgehog – probably the only one you'll ever see, too. Do you need anything else? Only I've kinda got a problem I'm trying to figure out."
"A problem? Lay it on me, my boy! I owe you for helping me out!"
"I don't think you'll be able to help, but... someone named Vaati entered the swordsman's contest at the castle, broke the Picori Blade that was sealing a bunch of monsters in a chest and turned Princess Zelda to stone, and I agreed to track down the Minish, or Picori, or whatever they're called, so I can get them to reforge the Picori Blade and break Vaati's curse. Only the Minish are too small to see, and I'm too big to reach them."
The thing chuckled. "An interesting tale. It seems we have much in common, my boy. You see, I too am on a quest to break a curse of Vaati's. And if you say reforging the sword is the way to break the curse, then it seems I have a need of it too."
I stared at it for a time, then sighed. "This just gets more and more weird, d'ya know that? I'm talking to a hat with a beak that wants me to-" I broke off, realizing something. Link had told me there'd be someone I'd meet along the way who'd be helpful. Was this... thing that one?
It took my pause as excuse to speak up again. "Yes, yes. I need you to break a curse, you're on your way to it anyway. So you have found yourself a companion, my boy! My name is Ezlo and you're..."
"Manic," I replied absently, still thinking. Link had mentioned Ezlo – and Ezlo had conveniently forgotten to mention he was a Minish sorcerer. I decided not to question him about that there and then – it might prove useful later on, since he was likely to insist on coming with me. "Come on then," I told him. "I think I know where the Minish village is, for all the good it does us."
"Leave that one to me," Ezlo said. "I can arrange it so you can meet them on their terms."
"I hope someone can, otherwise I'm going to be at this for a long time."
I started back toward the tree stump at what I thought was a fair pace, Ezlo hopping awkwardly along behind me, having trouble keeping up. I didn't even notice until he irritably called, "Will you slow down? Surely you can see I have no legs!"
I waited for him to catch up, catch his breath and then set off once again at a slower pace – which he also found too quick. Again he stopped me.
"Honestly, do you really think I can walk that fast!"
In a show of patience I afforded him only because of Link, I gritted my teeth, waited and started again, going at a snail's pace now. Ezlo finally gave up.
"You're a troublesome boy, do you know that?" he told me, catching up. "Hold still a moment, will you?"
"What are you looking for?" I demanded as he circled me.
"Hold still I said!" Ezlo insisted, then with surprising agility for what he was, he leapt up on to the back of my head and, much like the cap he appeared to be, set himself over my quills and wriggled a bit until he was comfortable. He wasn't as heavy as I'd thought, and once he stopped fidgeting, it really wasn't too uncomfortable for me either.
"There," he said with satisfaction. "Now you can't leave me behind, and I can keep an eye on you too! Now, I imagine a young boy like you has so much to learn, so feel free to ask me about anything you see, and lets set off!"
"Wait, you're telling us that cap of yours there is a Minish sorcerer?" Knuckles asked, pointing to Manic's cap.
"This? Oh no," he laughed. "When I defeated Vaati I broke the curse on Ezlo too and he turned back into his normal self. Zelda remarked that I didn't look right without a cap though, so he created one on the spot for me, and that's what I've worn ever since. He wasn't a bad companion as such – a bit irritable at times, and he complained terribly about some of the things I got up to, but I don't think I could have done everything without him."
"It's because it's a tradition," Tails said absently, correcting something in Shad's account of his story. "Midna was much the same – I'd never have managed without her." He looked up briefly, then distantly, "I wonder how she's doing?"
"I could probably find a way to the Palace of Twilight if you want," Silver offered. "We could go see the place Knuckles got turned into a wolf too."
Knuckles winced, "I've been trying to forget that. Did you really have to bring it up?"
"But you made such a good wolf," Tails told him with a wicked smile.
