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Chapter 4

Finding The Great Fairy.

Inside the fortress, it was like a colony of ants- huge, mutated, lizard-like, fire-breathing winged ants. The fortress behind the walls of which Jace, Iris, and Skits have now entered, it was a huge round area filled with boxes of shipment and what not. Surrounding the whole area that had a guard in every direction, were tons of doorways that stood high up at different levels. The center of it all had a watch tower that was connected to a bridge. Surprisingly, it looked as if it was the safest place, seeing as it was the only place that didn't have a dragalfos or lizalfos guarding.

"Oh we're SO going to die..." Iris hid behind Jace.
Jace stared at the fortress grounds in awe as he and Iris hid behind a load of crates. "There's so many door ways..." Jace looked in every direction. "We can't split up, there's only one hookshot."
"Like I want to split up right now anyway!" Iris added, "We're good as dead if we do."
Jace knelt to one knee and against a crate. "We'll have to plan this out carefully..."
An idea suddenly hit Iris. She looked to Skits and gave a bit of a smug deku grin, remembering how her and Skits used to get around unnoticed, or at least how Iris did. "No."
"What?" Jace looked up to Iris.
Iris gave a devious cackle. "We'll just get around the Iris and Skits way!"
Skits already knew where she was going with that, and seemed more than happy. He flew off into the sky without her even having to say anything.
"Where's he going?" Jace asked.
Iris motioned her hand forward and lightly shoved Jace to stand. "Saving our lives, let's go!" She eased out from behind the box. Jace looked at her like she was crazy, but followed anyway.

Jace surveyed the area and noticed Skits pestering a guard far off, and just like Iris expected, it eventually dragged all the guards attention to him. "I'll be..."
Iris ran out with a chuckle. "Hurry Jace!" She whispered. Jace looked her way, then raced out after her. They ran straight across to a large wall. Jace stopped Iris, and pointed up. "I think I see a place we can get too with the hookshot!"
Iris looked in pointed direction- Up on top of the two-story wall. Standing out of the top of the surface above was a piller with a wooden face. "It's so high, though."
Jace looked around. "It's our only option here."
The deku girl had to accept the fact he was right. "Okay, then let's go."
Jace pointed the hookshot upwards as Iris held onto Jace.
The contraption pulled them up to the two-story height, then Iris dropped down onto the two-story surface, Jace soon followed in action.
They trailed off in separate directions to survey the area. Jace snapped his fingers, catching Iris' attention. "Huh?"
"There's a doorway right up here." Jace pointed. The place he pointed too was up one more story. Though, the hookshot isn't needed, seeing as there was a ladder that led up. Iris stood on her toes to look above, she could see the top of the doorway. Jace didn't really give her time to say anything, before he went climbing the ladder.
Iris whispered warningly, "Jace!"
Once he disappeared over the wall, Iris waited for him to at least look back and say something. But all was silent.
After about a minute or so in waiting, Iris finally spoke again. "...Jace?" Iris whispered again. She slowly approached the ladder, and began climbing. "What's the deal here- GAH!"
Iris saw a dragalfos running right to the ladder "Intru-! Ughhh..."
Iris remained frozen as the angry beast hit the floor of the high surface. Jace jumped off the dragalfos' head. "Sorry, Iris. Didn't mean to make you think I stranded you." He chuckled nervously. He looked back at the fallen monster. "Get this: Their weak spots are between the horns, where the open area of their skull dents in. Give it a good whack, and they're out."
"Yeah, I know. I-..." Iris looked back, he'd already taken out one dragalfos before this one. "You... Got two without being seen!?"

"They're not very observant." He laughed, then continued. "You just going to stay there? Let's go."
Iris nodded, then got up off the ladder. "Where to now?"
"Inside, where else?" Jace responded, pointing to the only doorway here. "Just watch out for anymore dragalfos... Wouldn't want such a delicate flower like yourself getting hurt."
"I don't need any concern from you..." Iris replied coldly. "The only one you should be worried about is yourself, I'll be fine."
'Please, you're a disaster waiting to happen.' Jace thought. Jace chuckled at her slightly, then turned. "Pftt, Of course. Let's go."
Iris rolled her eyes at his tone.
Iris remained behind Jace as they walked in. The inside was a straight corridor that lead on into different rooms. Jace motioned his hand forward, signaling to move on. Jace continued on slowly as he and Iris passed each room. A sudden stop left Iris bumping into him from behind. "Ugh, Jace, what're you doing?" Iris quietly asked, Jace threw his hand out and shushed her. Her leaves twitched slightly as she stepped back once. "Huh?"
Jace was focused and his leaves twitched slightly.
The deku girl gave a surprised squeak when she felt a jerk on her arm, as Jace disappeared out from in front of her. Jace ran over behind a pile of crates in the hall, pulling Iris into hiding with him.
Jace quietly looked out, two large dragalfos came out of a room ahead and stomped on by. One sniffed the air, but the deku scent was masked by a potted plant by the wall.
They both walked on, and turned into another room.
Jace sighed and walked out while letting out a deep breath. "I think we're safe now." He whispered lightly.
Iris stood up, and walked out. "How'd you know they were coming?"
"My word Iris, didn't you hear their claws clicking the floor? It was hard not to hear." Jace replied, then moved forward again. Iris simply cocked her head slightly before looking back, then catching up with Jace again.

The Hylian deku became shaky at the thought of what the dragalfos might do if they catch her and Jace. She remembered how back at the Snowhead fortress, that she'd accidentally killed the lead dragalfos commander, Scoll. She tried so hard to erase that eerie, creepy memory of Scoll's' dying voice from the back of her mind, and she became so deep in thought that she completely tuned out the situation as of now.
"Iris."
Iris squeaked loudly and nearly whacked Jace, of which for once, Jace was able to dodge. "Whoa! Hold up there!"
Iris huffed, completely forgetting Jace was even here. "Uh-..."
The blond deku boy continued, "Why all the hitting?"
"I-I'm sorry, forgot you were, uh, there." Iris recovered lamely.
Jace stared for a moment before speaking concernedly. "Anyway- See that?" He pointed forward.
Iris gazed on toward the area he pointed. "It's a gaudy old prettied-up door, how could I not notice it? It's more obvious than your blond leaves." Iris responded.
"What do you think? It's the end of the line here anyway." Jace spoke.
Iris replied. "I think we should check it out."
"Okay." Jace nodded. Him and Iris both approached the door. Jace cautiously reached for it, and turned the nob. Inside was an area that lead downstairs. Iris looked on. "There's another way across from here." She pointed across the room to the opposite side, which was also connected to a stairway. The whole room was filled with countless crates, a couple glimmering items here and there, some treasures. But mostly tools and such.
Jace began in thought. "I'd say this is a storage room."
"No duh, captain obvious." Iris replied. "I'm tempted to grab some of it."
"Nuh-uh, no, don't touch anything!" Jace began scoldingly. "We're here for one thing and one thing only!" Jace finished, pointing to Iris.
Iris grunted irritably. "You pull the fun out of everything."
Jace cut his eyes at his companion. "What happened to your "Oh I'm so scared, let's get this over with" act before we got in?"
"That was before I saw that pretty little sapphire down there." Iris chuckled and rubbed her hands together. "But you're right, let's just hurry, I'd rather get out alive treasurlessly than die red-handed."
"My thoughts exactly." Jace agreed. He moved on down the staircase, with Iris close behind. Jace gazed up to the towering crates and items. "Wow, wonder what they're doing with all this?"
"Ha! Hey Jace, check this out!" Iris called.
"Quiet, Iris! What?" Jace turned. His eyes grew huge upon laying them on the ginormous bomb.
Iris laughed. "Holy Hylia, what're they going to do with this big 'ol thing!?"
Jace walked up to the large bomb in awe. "Whoa... That's just scary even knowing there are bombs this big."
The door above came slamming open from the way they came in. Jace gasped, as he and Iris ran behind the large bomb. "Shoot."
The dragalfos that walked in and sniffed the air. "Is someone here?" He called in a creepy, gritty voice, having heard them speaking from outside. Iris began breathing hard "Oh sweet Nayru, help us!"
"I thought I'd heard a voice coming from in here..." He spoke to himself. The creature's eyes carefully scanned the room. Nothing seemed out of place or gone. He couldn't even get a scent of anyone else being there, except maybe older scents of other dragalfos. "Eh." He turned, and slammed the door behind him.
"That was too close for me." Iris spoke, sighing.
Jace looked to Iris. "Okay, that's enough looking around, let's go..."
Iris nodded quickly.

Jace went running up the separate staircase Iris pointed out before. Iris didn't hesitate as she continued on following Jace. On the other side, was yet again, another but much wider corridor. It led to a doorway down hall.
All down the hall were entry ways to bunkers, storage rooms, anything any old pirate's fortress would most likely have. Iris wanted so badly to explore, such a new place filled with so many foreign things, she wanted to check them out. She knew nothing good would come of it though, so she remained behind Jace and simply looked around.
Jace kept his eyes forward, occasionally shifting his view into rooms they passed.
"Aren't you worried about Skits?" Jace suddenly asked.
"Nah, knowing him, he's just waiting for me and watching for me from somewhere high up." Iris replied.
Jace turned forward again. "I couldn't help but notice that the dragalfos have wings too..."
Iris added matter-of-factly. "Yes, but they can't fit in small crevices, can they?"
Jace shrugged. "You two seem close, never thought I'd see a deku scrub with bird for a brother."
"What, something wrong with that?" Iris huffed.
Jace chuckled. "No, It's rather cute though."
"Oh." Iris responded. "You have any siblings?"
Jace paused. "No, not that I ever knew of. Highly doubt I would anyway."
Iris' lack of response brought on silence once more. She just watched the floor with each step she took.

Jace approached a door in the corridor, and opened it. Inside was emptiness. Looked like no one had been in there in years. He backed out, and kept walking forward. "It's like a maze in here, how're we supposed to find anything?"
"You're asking the wrong person." Iris replied. Though, Jace's question was rhetorical.
Iris stopped, as Jace kept on.
She stopped in front of a room that looked recently used. The room had tools and weapons all over. The back-center of the room had a large table with a map of Termina laid out on it, the map marked red in certain locations. "Huh..." She stepped into the room, and looked around. The whole place looked surprisingly neat for a Dragalfos' room, it was still pretty beat up, though. She gazed at her reflection on the clean weapons along the wall's. All the way from swords to axes. She rubbed her arm nervously. They looked recently sharpened too… Only one looked recently used. She backed up and pulled her gaze from the weapons and onto the tall table. She stood on the old busted up chair that sat in front of it to look at the items on the table. "A marked map?" She picked up the map and looked over it. Sadly, she couldn't read the language of the map, nor the language written in red. She continued messing with everything up on the table soon after.
A shadow grew over the table, as Iris suddenly froze. She turned to become eye-to-eye with two towering dragalfos guards. "I-I...I.."

"I don't know how you got in, but your not leaving..." One snarled, his slit pupils glared down at the frightened deku scrub. He reached down, and lifted her up by Jaces loaned vest. "Put me down, you walking skin-purse!" Iris growled.
He laughed. "She's got a fire, huh? HA- Aghhh!" Iris spat a deku nut at his face, then began running once he'd dropped her. The other one stepped in front of Iris. Iris tried spitting another, but she couldn't due to being scared breathless. She whimpered in fear, if she couldn't even spit a nut, then she knew she didn't have the energy for a deku bubble. She backed up... The weapons along the wall were much too large for her to handle, and she sure couldn't just run. They were blocking the way. They were huge to a nearly three foot creature like herself.
"Ugh! Why you little brat!" The one that she hit before roared, he swiped his clawed hands at her angrily. His hit sent her flying to hit the wall as she gave a pained squeak. She stood again and she huffed. "That one knocked the breath out of me." She wheezed. She dodged another swipe weakly, as she found herself backing up against the corner of the room. The dragalfos growled as they closed in on her.
WhhoosssHHHHAACKK!! A knife came flying in through the room above one of the guards, about an inch close to skimming the top of his head. He flinched as he turned. "What the?" His acid-green slit orbs were set on another deku in the doorway. "Another one huh?"
"That's not cool, y'know?" Jace spoke, standing up straight and bravely. "Ganging up on someone so small and defenseless."
He growled. "What're you going to do about it little man? You don't look so tough."
Jace scoffed. "Judgmental, are we?"
The dragalfos turned, and his tail was sent at Jace. He managed to give Jace a hard whack, causing the dekuto wheeze. But upon the tail's impact on Jaces chest, Jace grabbed the dragalfos' tail, and held on. Once it was swung up in the air, he released and was sent surging up and landed between the dragalfos' wings. He climbed and ended up on it's head. He brought his heel down with a backward kick against it's face between the eyes. Then before he could be grabbed, he kicked off into a jump, and landed on the other one's head. "W-whoa-!" He balanced on the horns. The already frustrated Dragalfos sent his fist down heavily on the other one's head, completely missing the now gone Jace. The dragalfos that was hit was sent collapsing to the floor with a heavy thud.
"Missed!" Jace had jumped off of his head before the hit. Now lacking a weapon, Jace used the handle end of the hookshot and thwacked it violently twice against the still standing guard's head soft spot. The dragalfos roared out painfully, and hit the floor. Jace jumped off in front of Iris- Whose eyes were as wide as they probably could've been. Her voice cracked "How-"
"I noticed you were gone." He replied. He grabbed a piece of broken armor that broke off of a dragalfos on impact with the floor, and threw it at his knife, causing it to fall to the ground from the wall. He picked it up and closed it, then put it away. "Best not run off again, huh?"
Iris nodded, still wide eyed.

"While you wandered off, I found a locked door down the hall. And I'm talking a huge gate, not a ramshackle place like this place here." Jace continued.
He walked around the room, walking over the dragalfos. He jumped up on the table, and dug around in the junk on the table. "This place seems to be the only used place I've seen in this hall. So you were onto something I believe. But your wandering off was pretty stupid, you could've been killed."
Iris nudged a dragalfos with her foot cautiously, before looking up at Jace. "I had things under control."
Jace laughed. "Sure didn't look that way. We need to stick together, Iris, it's dangerous here."
Iris crossed her arms. She was aware of the fact things were out of hand, but felt awkward with admitting it. If she didn't feel so… Nervous, she could definitely fight. But lately, her skill in survival has been on vacation...
"Ah-ha!" Jace said, pulling a key out of a pile. "This probably won't be it, but it's worth a try." He jumped off the table, and waited for Iris to start following.

Iris walked out with him, and spoke up. "Well, that was some act back there."
"I try." He responded smugly- Almost proudly. "Ya' gotta' know how to fend for yourself when you face this world alone."
Iris felt a bit stupid, she knew how to fight, but felt so out of her element here. She could only ever respond with her natural instinct on ol' deku nut and bubble lately. Just thought she was a helpless damsel, but that's not true. "You must really get around, you're very agile and fast."
"I travel a lot and have fought many battles. And flexibility is something just bred into my family. My father was also a skilled fighter and traveler." Jace seemed to tone down the smug sound in his voice, sounding more himself. But his words kept that smug ring... "How on earth did you even get this far without me, though?"
"Okay, don't get a big head!" She huffed. "I'll have you know, that I'm actually very skilled, I'm just out of my element here..." She tried to recover lamely.
The blond boy gave a deku smirk "You say that."
Jace chuckled. Iris' face flushed out of frustration, upon realizing Jace was just teasing her. She turned her head and looked off elsewhere as she cut her eyes at the wall.
"Don't take it so serious." Jace laughed while looking back at her. "Oh, here it is!" He stopped at a door. Iris looked up to it. It was huge, and looked brand new compared to most of everything else in the fortress. It was a shiny black door with a lock on it. Jace stood on the tip of his feet as high as he could, just barely fitting the key into the keyhole. He grunted due to trying to keep on his toes, "Aw c'mon... It's the wrong key, it's not even the right size or shape... I guess I didn't examine the door well enough before." He got back down on his heels and sighed. Jace turned around, Iris pretty much just followed him back, growing very impatient...

They found themselves back in the room with the taken down guards. Jace nearly tore apart the room looking for the key he searched for. "Ugh, everything is just cluttered here."
Iris fidgeted. The clattering and clanging rang through the halls outside as Jace continued looking. "Are you the least bit worried about drawing attention...?" Iris asked nervously.
"Well, we gotta' find it." Jace groaned.
"Try finding it more quietly." Iris finished.
She looked down at a guard on the floor. His tongue stuck out of his mouth- Which was forked, like most dragon's tongues would be expected to look like. Iris kept her distance from the creature. A small gleam caught her eye however. Down by the belt that held on the beasts armor was a very odd looking key. She nervously reached for it, as if expecting the dragalfos to pop up at any moment. She'd unlatched it from the monster's belt. "Jace-"
He turned, pulling himself from the tunnel of clutter he'd dug himself into. "Huh?"
She held the key up and jingled it.
He stared for a moment, before a small piece of armor fell and hit him in the head. "Ouch..." He glared down, then gazed back at Iris. "Where'd you find that?"
"On one of these ugly old beasts." Iris responded.
Jace paused "Ah... Okay, let's uh, let's try it."

Again, they left the room- which was left a complete mess, And stood before the door again and tried fitting it into the keyhole. A click made Iris' leaves twitch slightly. "It worked... Out of all the keys we could've found."
Jace looked to Iris. "Well, those creatures do all work together, so maybe some have privileges to enter...?"
Iris walked through. It was very different here. A chill came slithering down her back. Eggs sat everywhere along the floor in this room. "Holy Hyrule, where are we?"
Jace threw his gaze around the room. "Looks like a nesting room..."
"I can see that much, genius, but are they dragalfos eggs?" Iris held a tone of disgust.
Jace responded. "Heck if I know, I don't know much about dragalfos aside from small tales."

"I see a door further down, let's just hurry and get out of here." Iris said as she continued on.
Jace nodded, and stayed close behind her.
The room was extremely long. But once they reached the end the tunnel on the other side was dark, and not much could be seen ahead. Jace squinted his eyes, both of their eyes illuminated the tunnel way. Iris waited for Jace to walk up front, seeing as she didn't want to be the first one jumped if something is waiting up ahead.
Jace looked on quietly. The walk was so silent. Iris was ready to jump at the slightest sound, she was so freaked out for reasons that seemed to escape her.
Iris looked back, she felt so closed in in this dark tunnel. She eventually moved slightly closer to Jace. Usually, she had her beloved bird brother in her arms or on her head, which often made her feel more at ease when in situations like these. Though, aside from her last little adventure, this was the first time she'd spent so long without Skits, and not even know his current situation. She'd nearly held onto Jace's arm in worry, but stopped herself. She was afraid he'd take it the wrong way. She really didn't even have any idea as to why she wanted to hold onto to someone anyway. She blew it off, and looked off elsewhere.

Jace noticed the light of her eyes disappear, and looked back to find her looking away. He shrugged slightly and turned forward again. He wasn't used to it staying so quiet. But the quiet made it easier for him to focus.

After the long walk, silence had eventually broke. "Here's our destination." Jace spoke, stopping in front of a gate with bars. There was a small light emitting from between the bars.
"You still got that key?" Iris asked. Jace nodded and fit it in, but it's shape was slightly different. Jace sighed. "I need a different key."
Iris threw her hands in the air. "Serious!? I'm not walking all the way back. Move." She ordered as she moved close to the door. Jace backed off to let her get to the door. She glared at the door, before noticing something. The memory of her time in Snowhead fortress came into mind. Hers and the other's shackles had locks like this. Then remembered when one of the people who was kept captive with her got everyone out of the shackles with Iris' old hair pin… She had brief memory of her first Hylian friend, Vitani, before getting back to the moment at hand. She reached into her leaves, and pulled out another one. 'Good thing I'd grabbed two.' She thought. Iris stood on her toes to put the now bent clip in the keyhole. "The tall people make this look easy..." She complained. She was about to give up, but a weak click made her give a smile. "I think I got it!" She got back down to her heels, and pushed the bared door, and it creaked open. Jace seemed impressed.
"How'd you know to do that?"
Iris bent it back and stuck it back in her leaves. Her hair was so messy though, one wouldn't be able to see it... "My thanks goes to a friend for showing me."

Both her and Jace poked their heads in. The first thing they saw was a shrine-like stone slap with a glowing glass orb on it. The orb lit up the room. "Wait-... That's her!"
Jace seemed to jump. "Odd place to put a fairy."
"I'm not sure how, but they sealed her power into that glass ball over there. They did it back at Snowhead." Iris added.
Iris ran ahead, and looked at it. "Huh, I'd never actually taken a good look at it before." Inside, energy flew around.
"Hurry and grab it, I'm so tired of the dreary feel of this place." Jace spoke.
Iris grabbed it. "Let's go!"
They turned tail and ran back as quick as they could. Through the whole tunnel, then eventually tiredly reached the room full of eggs again.
Jace quickly stopped, and pulled Iris behind a patch of eggs. "Wait!"
Iris looked at Jace in confusion "Stop pulling me around for crying out loud..." then noticed the few dragalfos examining the room.

"Someone's here..." A dragalfos spoke. "They took out the guards for this room..." He looked back at the few others. "Tell everyone here to be alert for any strange faces, and to kill them on sight."

Jace whispered. "Harsh much...?"
"And you all spread out, check the main chamber ahead. I'll stay in here." The dragalfos finished.
Iris looked to Jace in a panic "They're coming this way!"
Jace reached for a rock on the ground, and threw it hoping to pull their attention elsewhere. Apparently, accidentally hitting a few eggs.

"What was that!?" One turned, they all ran to investigate. Jace grabbed Iris by the hand, and ran across the side of the room.
The lead commanding dragalfos gasped at the sight of the broken eggs. He picked one up and examined it, he then looked at the other eggs. Inside the yolk of an egg, sat the same rock that Jace had thrown. The dragalfos snarled it's nose with a growl. "Who threw this?" He said glaring at one of his guards. The one he glared too, and the other guards as well, all shook their heads in an 'I didn't do it' fashion. "Master's going to kill us! These eggs need to remain safe and sound till the mother's return! Not one should be touched!" He began to roar out. The slight sound of a roll caused him to turn. An egg was rolling out of place from it's batch. He cut his eyes slightly as he stomped toward the batch, which sat closest to the door that led outside of the hall. Behind the batch, Iris and Jace sat in hiding. Iris whimpered, she then looked to Jace. "You had to stop right here, huh!? Now look what you did!"
The deku boy chuckled quietly and nervously. "They need to watch where they sit their eggs..."

The dragalfos breathed in, he spotted a little blond leaf pop out from behind an egg. Jace exclaimed as he was lifted up off the ground. The dragalfos snarled, "We don't take kindly to pests!" He spoke, not even noticing Iris.
Jace crossed his arms. "Actually, I'm a plant, not a pest." He held a cocky tone.
"Don't get cocky, deku scrub. How'd you get in here!?" The dragon-like creature roared angrily.
Jace chuckled "Why would I tell you?"
"You will if you have every wish to live!" The Dragalfos responded.
Jace scoffed then laughed, and replied, "Believe me, I've faced possible death everyday of my life, I'm not afraid of it."
Iris looked down at the orb in her hands, than back up to the dragalfos and Jace. She took in a deep breath, hoping she had some energy left. She exhaled hard, sending a huge bubble flying at the dragalfos' face. He threw Jace aside, and roared. The sticky bubble popped right over his eyes.

"Let's go Jace!" She shouted, grabbing him by the hand then ran out the hall.
A slight blush crept to his face when Iris grabbed his hand and he had a moment of dreaminess to realize. Though this was cut short. Jace looked dumbfounded upon fully realizing what she'd done back there. "W-way to go, Iris!"
"Thanks! Now Come on!" Iris responded quickly, seeming more eager to get out. The dragalfos stepped out, with the bubble residue poorly taken off his face. "It's... It's that weed from the Snowhead fortress! AFTER HER!" The other dragalfos came running out of the room and after the two deku scrubs.
Iris' eyes grew wide. "Great, he was one of the goons who fled back at the fortress in Snowhead!"
Iris stopped, and looked around frantically when they came to a four-way corridor. Jace kept ahold of her hand, and took off toward the storage room they were in before, Iris didn't have a choice but to follow.
"Would you stop pulling me around without warning?!" Iris said.
Jace looked back at her as he opened the door to the large storage room. "Don't stop, and I won't have too!" He lead her into the room and down the steps. He then pulled her behind some large crates with him. He gave a silent "shush" as he watched the door way. Sure enough, the dragalfos busted in after them. They then scanned the area, this time, actually getting down and searching for them. Iris gazed up to the door on the opposite side of the room. She then looked around to see if she could find a pathway that could lead them around without being seen, but there were dragalfos everywhere, behind this crate was the only way they could keep from being seen, and even waiting here too long they would eventually be found. Jace looked to Iris. "Look's like we'll have to fight our way out." He whispered. It didn't take long for him to notice the, "Are you insane!?" look that captivated Iris' face.
"Well, that's all I can think of." Jace added as he turned his back. "So what do ya' say, Iris: Fight? … Iris?" He had his back turned as he waited for her reply, but nothing came. He turned back around to notice Iris was gone. "Iris?!... GAH-, LET GO-" A guard grabbed him from behind. He looked up to see the lead commanding dragalfos holding Iris, muffling her snout. She was shouting, but nothing could be heard or made out well.
"Shut up and quit squirming!" The dragalfos shouted at Iris. He then looked up at the guards. "Take the boy to the cells, we'll deal with him later. I've got a bone to pick with the girl though... After causing us the trouble of ruining our plans up at Snowhead, and even dealing us the loss of leader Scoll. Now we found her even stealing the fairy... I'd say a punishment would be appropriate for such a person." He tightened his grip around her body slightly, and removed his hand from her snout. She cried painfully as she held her eyes shut tightly. "Ack..."

Jace jerked his head to the side, moving a guard's hand away from his snout. "Ugh! Stop, you're hurting her!" He paused with a growl "Let her go, or I'll-"
"Don't even start, boy!" The leader began, loosening his grip again, just enough to continue his hold on Iris, but not enough to hurt her. She began to shout and yell at the beast, only to have him cup her snout again. "You're willing to defend this thief, this murderer?" He asked Jace, holding Iris out slightly.
Jace glared angrily, his eyes lit furiously. "I don't know about being a murderer, but I could care less about her being a thief. I can't believe you cold-blooded creatures have the gall to be calling her a murderous thief, when you yourselves are no better, even worse!" He paused, then continued. "The stories I've heard about the dragalfos as a kid were far worse. Iris doesn't deserve to be punished for anything."
The leader shrugged. "I don't have time for this... Take him away."
The guards nodded, and turned. Jace squirmed as he tried to get loose. Iris watched in fear, as they disappeared out the door. She knew coming into this place was a bad idea... She then starting shouting at the leader again, only hearing her angry muffled words.
"You sure do have a mouth on you... No matter. You won't be around for much longer, and you'll no longer be a problem for us." He snarled. Iris stopped, running her mind over his words. He turned around to leave the room as he clenched the fairy orb in his hand where he could. He stopped however, upon hearing something. He turned and glanced around.
SLAM! CRASH! The door at the top came busting open, the angry deku boy came running in, being chased by slightly few guards. He jumped up on the rail of the stairs, and leapt down onto the floor below. He looked above him, noticing the guards that he left behind coming down after him. He jumped back and grabbed his knife out of his bag, and threw it. It skimmed a rope that tied part of a broken pipe to the ceiling. It came crashing down on a few of the dragalfos' heads, knocking a few out. It also sealed off the doorway. Jace turned to face the leader, who seemed taken aback.
"Apparently, I misjudged you..." The dragalfos growled.
Jace huffed angrily. "I gave you a warning." The deku boy paused with an acid-serious tone. "To be honest, your guards aren't that smart."
The leader ignored his last words. "You seem smitten of the girl. Something I'd expect from someone of the younger generation. Disgusting..."
Jace was too infuriated to joke anymore. "Cut the crap! I told her I'd help her, and I'm following through on it." Jace threw something up at his knife, causing it to fall, similar to how he did it a while back when he'd taken out the first two guards.

"I'd let little Iris leave, but it seems she has a knack for getting in our way, something we can't let happen."
Jace took a step forward, but stopped soon before the next step. The leader tightened his grip around Iris with full intent on harming her. She gave a painful weakened squeaking-grunt, hurting her to the point that it made her eyes watery. Jace growled in frustration. He'd guessed this is one of those "Don't come closer, or they get it" moments. And if the dragalfos wanted, he could easily kill her with one squeeze. And if not kill her, at least crack or break every bone in her body. Jace slowly reached for his knife, he'd known that he and Iris had to leave- With the fairy. The whole room fell silent, as Jace's glowing orb's examined the dragalfos. Even if Jace could get close, he wouldn't be able to hit the beast's weak spot, seeing as he wore thick armor on his head. It was a risky thought, but Jace came to a quick decision. Iris watched Jace, wondering what the heck he was doing just standing there. Jace gave a throw with his arm, sending the knife across the room. It slashed the side of the dragalfos' face. He gave a bellowing roar, and he threw himself back, dropping Iris. Iris shook herself and she ran to Jace.

"What the heck!?" She shouted at Jace, who was expecting something a little closer to a "Thank you" or something of that nature. "You could've hit me you idiot!"
Jace leaned back as Iris got up in his face. He blinked, not really knowing how to respond. His voice cracked... "W-Well... At least you're free."
"Ugh..." She groaned, "Yeah, well... let's get the heck out of here!" She turned to face on-coming flames. "GAH!" She screamed. She jumped back to avoid the flames.
The leader began to spew flames out of his mouth, as Jace grabbed Iris' hand. He gave her a shove in a safe direction. "Go up those steps, I'll meet you up there once I get the fairy back!"
Iris nodded and she ran away. Jace turned, and ran towards the dragalfos. He slid to the ground, dodging more flames as he held his ponytail to keep it from becoming fire fodder. He'd gotten behind the dragalfos now. The beast stopped, and sent his axed tail down at Jace. The deku boy fell backward as he tried dodging it. He rushed back to his feet, trying hard to avoid the ax. But from behind, the broad tail's side came rushing back, and whacked Jace in the back. Luckily, not the very end- Of which has the ax on it. Jace stood back up and grabbed the tail, and used it to fling himself away from the back end of the monster. He rolled along the ground, before getting to one knee and shook his head. Before long, he stopped and momentarily laid his hand over his right eye with a groan.

Iris watched. "What's wrong with him...?" Jace kept hold of his head as if he'd been hit or something, but he never took a hit to the face... The leader turned and took in a deep breath. Iris began to panic sjortly after. "Move you idiot!" She inhaled, then exhaled, spitting a deku nut at the floor in front of Jace as it let out a loud pop and a bright flash, which caused him to jump and open his eyes. He looked up. The flames came crashing down near the area. Iris gasped and brought her hands up to her snout, but noticed Jace had moved in time. She saw him running off in another direction. Though he hadn't been watching where he was running and leading the flames to. The boy soon realized his folly, his eyes suddenly growing wide! "Aw crap!"
"Son of baba… Jace!" Iris finished.
The flames just barely licked at the long fuse of the large bomb that sat in the room. Jace jumped to his feet, and he finally resorted to spitting a deku nut. It whacked the dragalfos in the face, exploding in a flash of light. He growled, the bright flash left one of his eye's blind. He dropped the fairy orb, allowing Jace to frantically run and grab it, avoiding the dragalfos' swinging tail and stomping feet. He grabbed it, and headed up the staircase.
"Agh!" He looked back, the dragalfos grabbed him by the leg. "Give me that fairy!"
Iris kept looking to the bomb, which with each second, came a bit closer to going off! Iris quickly pulled her rupee pouch to the front of her, and dug through it, she'd remembered sticking the knife Jace gave her in there. She pulled it out, and didn't really know what to do with it, seeing as she'd never used one before. She tried throwing it at a rope that was holding the rest of the pipes above like Jace did before, but missed. The knife came down near the dragalfos' feet, causing him to jump back in hopes of avoiding it. He released Jace, as Jace took off up the staircase. "Nice miss, Iris!" He complemented. He opened the door, ang him and Iris ran out into the corridor.

Iris began as she huffed with each step, "Jace, the bomb-"
"I know, it's going to blow the place sky-high!" Jace finished. Him and Iris stopped at a final door down the corridor. Iris jumped to grab the handle, and turned it. The door came open, and the two dekus raced out for their lives outside and into the round area once more. It didn't take long for a certain little bird to see them from the air, and came down at the first sight of them. Iris gave a slight deku smile at her bird brother. Many dragalfos on the field spotted them, and instantly began chase. The leader however came rushing out. "FORGET THEM! We must retreat!" He continued to roar out as he explained the bomb, sending the other dragalfos into a panic. Jace and Iris finally reached the outside to face the water again. Jace grabbed Iris, and he used his hookshot to pull them back down to the platform on the stone walkway. They raced down the slope and quickly they jumped back in the boat. Jace looked down, in hopes of seeing Lulu. "LULU!" He shouted. "HELP!"
Iris began "HURRY!"
It took a while, but a shadow began to surface in the water, and her head popped out. "You're alright!"
"Hurry, there's a bomb about to go off!" Iris spoke frantically.
Jace added in sheer panic. "We'll explain later!"
Lulu nodded, not wasting a moment. She began to push their boat away from land. The gate was still open.
Jace watched the fortress as he held onto the fairy orb tightly.
They reached the gates, when a loud BOOM made them jump. The heat and wind from the explosion could be felt all the way at the gate. Jace and Iris ducked down, as pieces of the fortress flew out upon the explosion, the whole place had burst into flames. Some of the dragalfos had already taken to the sky to escape the large explosion, while some others hadn't been that lucky.
"Quite funny, that they pretty much brought their own failure." Iris chuckled.
Jace nodded. "The guy should've been more careful." He laughed.

Later. They stood on the beach as Iris used a rock to break the orb. A flashing light washed over the beach. Lulu, Jace, Iris and Skits had to look away, as it was too bright for them. Jace looked back as the light died off. Tiny fairies that came out of the orb had begun to come together, and in a light, they formed a much larger fairy, whose hair was long and beautiful. Her body was wrapped in a veil of blue cloth.

She looked down at the four. "It feels wonderful to be free once more. Thank you all."
Jace nodded. He felt honored to be standing before a Great Fairy! "It was no problem ma'am."
She looked out at the ocean, of which still looked filthy. The area she was near by the beach was clean and pure however. She looked to Iris and Jace. "What you two have done was brave. As the Great Fairy of Courage, I know courage very well when I see it... I was told of by my sister of your coming. Sadly, she, and my other sisters still remain in captive. I certainly hope that you all stay safe on your journey to save my sisters..." She sighed. "I'm afraid that I don't have much time to loose, the ocean is dying, and my time in captive has drained my strength. I must return to my fountain so that I may rest and recuperate, and revive Great Bay Coast once more. Farewell young ones, and thank you all..."

"I understand, farewell Great Fairy." Iris replied.
Lulu smiled, joy filled her knowing she was able to help.
The Great Fairy vanished in a flash of light. The four stood at the beach, but Jace turned to Iris with a big goofy smile. he felt so proud of himself, and Iris herself felt quite accomplished. The moment was silent and all was now well… But Iris was soon taken by the view of the ocean becoming clear, and she quickly pointed it out to Jace and Lulu. The water went from green, back to it's crystal clear coloration. Like magic, the clearness swept over all of Great Bay.

Lulu sighed in relief, in awe at the sight. "She's returned to her fountain... It'll take a while for the creatures, and the zora, to recover, but what matters now is that we can return to life in the ocean. Now we can return to our homes..."

Lulu dropped to her knees, and looked at the two deku scrubs. "Thank you so much." She looked to Skits, who appeared to be pouting. "You too, Skits."
He perked up instantly and gave an honored caw.
A smirk crept to Jace's eyes. "It was our pleasure, it fills me with pride and joy knowing that we've helped..."
Iris didn't know how to take the complement. This was big for her, and she didn't thing herself worthy. There weren't many people she knew who'd actually THANK her. She looked down at her feet... "I won't take credit; This guy over here did all the work. He's very skilled actually, and... He knows more about this place than I do. I owe him my thanks for saving my hide I guess... But-" She turned to Jace.
Jace looked at her, and backed up slightly. She got close to him, and reached for his hand. His face flushed as he gazed wide-eyed at her. "Uh..."
She pulled him over, and glared at him. She spoke coldly, her tone full of needles. "You still owe me an apology!"
He felt he died a little inside. He responded, "F-For what?"
"You throwing that stupid knife!" She shouted. "You could've easily missed!"
Jace scratched the back of his head with his free hand- Seeing as Iris still had ahold of the other one… But it wasn't an affectionate grip. "I could've missed, yes- but I didn't! I knew what I was doing. Unlike you wandering off..."
Iris gasped, "What!? If it wasn't for me, you would've never even thought of looking on the dragalfos for that key! SO HA!"
"Probably, but at least I didn't get all spazzy whenever I'd see a dragalfos! I mean, you were a disaster waiting to happen in there!"
"I beg to differ, you were in there freaking out as much as me!"
They continued to bicker back and forth. Skits just lowered his head and shook it- Because of how they were acting now, he was surprised that they were even able to work together in the first place. Lulu giggled softly...

Iris let go of Jaces hand and sighed. "GAH! Whatever... It's over and done with, so who cares. Oh, and here's your vest." She slipped the vest off and threw it at Jace's face, and it dangled from his snout.
Jace chuckled, "I will say, you looked rather cute in my vest. I think you look better without your shawl, you look more grown up."
Iris scoffed... "But I'm not trying to impress you, now am I?"
"I don't know, you tell me?" He replied smugly. Iris gave him a light whack on the head.
"Knock off the flirting, it's not getting you anywhere." Iris crossed her arms. Skits guffawed, as Jace rubbed his head.
Jace then pulled the shawl out of his rucksack, and handed it to Iris. "I guess I should give this back."
"..." Iris looked at it, before shaking her head no "... Nah... You know what? It feels better without it anyway…"
Jace chuckled lowly, before putting it back in his rucksack "Oh? If you say so."

Iris looked out at the ocean again. She'd never actually seen the ocean before- Aside from when they first arrived at Great Bay. But now, it was so beautiful. In the light of the moon and stars, it gleamed so fervently, like a radiant darkened sapphire. It was a new sight for her. "Wow… Who knew that the ocean was this beautiful?" She said to herself. Iris wouldn't admit it, but she grew to enjoy Jace's company- When he wasn't acting stupid. But it was nice at least not traveling this new country alone... She looked to him when she thought on something he said a while back. "Hey."
"Hm?" He replied as he was stretching.
Iris responded. "What did you mean when you said 'You've faced possible death everyday of your life' to the dragalfos in there?"
Jace seemed to jump out of surprise. He responded with what seemed to be a lame recovery to his apparent surprise "I'm an itinerant! I live for danger, haha. Everything's just gotta have a piece of me, y'know? I'm a danger magnet."
Iris remained silent for a moment, before laughing. She slapped Jace on the back and replied. "You got that right!"

To Be Continued...