A/N: *Peeks over page* Um hi? remember me? ... well everyone... enjoy! :/
Update A/N: Soo... I am updating this chapter with this new version... Sorry for my terrible mishap... :P I'm sick and slightly impatient so bare with me, yeah?
again... sorry for any confusion in this chapter... so here is the updated version :) enjoy :D
Chapter 9
My eyes were blinded, only briefly though, by the flash of light.I allowed my eyes to focus for a moment before I felt my feet touch the ground gently. I shook my head lightly and took a look about myself. A small chamber surrounded me. The room was rather rounded.
"The four people Tael talked about..." Tatl trailed off. "Do you think he was talking about the spirit that was sealed inside the mask?" She looked at me sharply. "Oh, yeah, what was that back there? You seem to have done this before, have you? 'Cause that was awesome!"
She slowly drifted off, "Now keep up the pace and save the other three!" Drifting back she seemed hesitant, "Hey! Um... All that stuff I did to you... your horse... I... I apologize. Sorry. So, um, yeah..."
I shrugged at all of her questions and commands knowing that telling her otherwise would be useless. I smiled at her apology even though she had her back towards me, again. I felt that she must not have trusted me any longer because of my having grabbed her so violently in that little stunt I had decided to pull earlier.
"There! I apologized! So don't hold it against me, got it?"She exclaimed as she darted toward me in a jittery manner and turned her head away. "Now then, we've helped the princess just like the monkey asked... So our next stop is in the mountains! Let's hurry and do something about that Skullkid!" She finished darkly. "Oh, you still need to tell me how you learned those stunts." She demanded anew before stopping dead in her tracks as she stared at something behind me.
I turned sharply as I heard a sudden soft rustling sound. Behind me, where Tatl was gazing, appeared to be a curtain of heavy vines. The vines blocked the entrance of a smaller circular room, inside of the larger one. I could hear soft sighs emanating from the small space nearby, so I took a step closer to investigate. Tatl hid behind my shoulder shushing insistently.
As I peered through the curtain, I caught a glimpse of a small, vibrantly colored, Deku. I jolted back realizing that this must be the princess. Pulling my sword free from it's sheath, I slashed horizontally at the vines. With a soft rustle, and a rather loud thump, the vines fell.
The Deku Princess whipped towards me in a panic. Eyes wide and gasping loudly, she stared at me fear evident in her eyes. I quickly sheathed my sword and held my hands up.
"Wha..!? Who are you?" She asked her voice quivering.
"My name is Link." I answered in what I hoped was a soothing voice. My hands were still held in front of me to show her I meant no harm.
"Link? Pleased to meet you. I am the Deku princess." Her voice had steadied, as she composed herself. She still eyed me warily as we bowed to each other in greeting. She sniffed the air for a bit while her eyes slowly filled with understanding. "Were you, by chance, asked by that monkey to come save me?"
I was a bit surprised by her question, so I nodded dumbly.
"Aha! Just as I suspected!" She cried triumphantly. " You see, your body smells a little bit like monkey, so I figured, you know, that you must have come in contact with him."
I nodded quickly as she thoughtfully replied. "So...the monkey made it back fine after all. That's good." She gazed thoughtfully towards the entrance before hopping quickly towards it. "I was worried that when I didn't come home, my father would think that monkey had kidnapped me! I was worried that my father would even go so far as to punish the poor monkey!" She ended her explanation with a soft: "Hoo-hoo-hoo" type of laugh.
I hesitantly cleared my throat to catch her attention. "Your Dekuness... Actually the King is acting rather rashly..." I said looking over at Tatl who was hiding her mouth behind her hands, giggling perhaps?
"..." She stared at me rather intently, "Don't tell me..."
I rubbed my forehead gingerly as I felt a headache begin, weird, "He actually is punishing the monkey... last I heard he was going to boil him..."
"Are you serious?!" She growled. "Is father actually doing that?!" I heard her shake her leafy body in an aggravated manner and took a step back at her fury. "Yet another hasty decision, father!"
Her growl had grown and now she was even shaking with it's strength. She stopped growling and looked at me in a very measuring way. She seemed to come to some sort of conclusion for she nodded her head in a decisive way.
"Well, we haven't any time to lose..." She said beginning to bounce up and down frantically. "Quickly, Mr. Link, could you please find something to carry me in so you can take me to the Deku palace?"
I looked around a bit wondering what would work. "I don't mind tight places, so surely you have something you can put me in to carry me..." Her voice brought my attention back to her. "If you have anything at all, then by all means, take it out and use it right here! Please! We must save the monkey!"
I looked at her for a moment looking her over intently.
"Link!" Tatl called. "You don't have any thing! We'll have to search for something real quick!"
A sudden, very, wicked thought entered my head, so I did what was natural, follow my instincts. I pulled out my empty bottle and scooped the princess up before anyone could protest. A shriek erupted from Tatl as I corked the bottle and stashed her in my tunic.
"What the heck, Link!?" She cried, horrified.
I turned to run, not pausing for Tatl, but paused as the Deku princess's muffled voice asked me to hurry.
"Don't worry, Tatl!" I shouted over my shoulder, my eyes most likely dancing in amusment at Tatl's horrified expression, as I dashed out of the temple. "She'll be fine, trust me!" I could feel my headache increase with a sudden thought, "Oh, hold up!" I cried and turned towards Tatl, "Do you know if there is a great fairy nearby"
She shuddered at my question but led me to her anyway.
Sometimes, I wish there was no such thing as a great fairy. She was terrifying beyond belief. Putting my experience to the side, I hightailed out of there and dashed over to the Deku palace. Maybe I should have left the Great fairy in fragments, rather than restoring her to her shrieking glory. My ears were still ringing as I jumped down the small cliff down into the now cleansed water. The ringing of my ears intensified in an extreme way as I pushed my way to the surface. I bobbed in the water for a moment to gather my wits. The problem with gathering my wits was that my headache was transforming into a migraine.
As I looked around I realized I had returned to the entrance of the Deku palace. "Alright..." I stated as I pulled myself from the water. "Let's do this."
I could feel Tatl's gaze on me as I approached the palace. I decided to ignore her questioning gaze and pulled the Deku mask out. I quickly slipped it on and transformed. I dashed up to the Dekus and they immediately allowed me through. I dashed by them, whirling as I went, and passed through the doors. I would save the monkey, even if it meant I would die from a migraine, a migraine I did not even know how I acquired. I only had a hunch.
I sagged against the door frame as Tatl lectured me on why I should of told her about my new ability to speak with my Deku mask on. I sighed as I closed my eyes, having removed my mask only a short while before. The throbbing in my head had grown so great that I was rubbing my temples with my fingers. I was so sure that the fairy in the dungeon had cured all of the poisoning, but I guess not.
"Really!" Tatl shrieked, her voice piercing through my head causing me to flinch. "Are you even listening to me?!"
I shook my head gently. "Not really... My head is killing me... Maybe it was the poisoned water...?" I pondered wearily, forcing my eyes open to look at her. She stared at me bewildered as I sighed deeply and rose unsteadily to my feet.
"Where are you going?" She asked with a huff.
"To the hag who sells potions." I replied in too much pain to pay attention to her huffing and puffing. "Just leave me alone for a moment I can't deal with your shrieking right now..." I said a bit harshly. I heard a very nettled shriek of anger as I ducked my head in slight agony, covering my ears in the process. I continued my walk to the potion shop, stopping every now and then too preoccupied with my pain to notice anything strange. As I rounded the last tree I groaned as I finally arrived to the potion shop. I looked up and fell backwards from my lack of strength. "How in Farora's name am I gonna climb that ladder...?" I mused squinting upwards.
I sat up, staggered over to the platform, and hulled myself up the ladder. Struggling to the top I stopped to rest before reaching the door. I staggered in and looked at the hag who looked so much like Ganon's benefactors. I shuddered as I bought her potion and hurried out. I pressed my back to the door and downed the bottle of potion as quickly as I could. Gasping for breath as I finished most of my potion I realized that Tatl had not said one word since before my struggle with the ladder.
"Tatl?" I called hesitantly, I feared she had become fed up with my antics and left me for good. "Hey! Where'd ya go!?" I called as I jumped down the ladder. I pulled my hat off and peered in searching for her grumpy little face. I could not remember if I said something harsh or not. As I pondered my last remarks to Tatl, I suddenly became aware of the same malicious gaze that had bothered me earlier, on the back of my head. I slowly placed my hat back on and walked out of the area quickly.
I shuddered and began to jog out to the larger area of the swamp. "Tatl!" I called fighting the apprehension I felt welling up in my heart. "Tatl? Hey, where did you go off to?!" I came to a halt at the entrance of the swamp as my eyes gazed up. I started badly when my gaze was met with the gaze of the moon. Now much closer, the moon looked ten times more intimidating. Maybe this was the cause of the malicious gaze Tatl and I had been feeling? I stepped back and was startled out of my reverie by something crashing into my back. I whirled around and came face to face, well face to head, with the Happy Mask Salesmen.
He was on the floor his masks everywhere, all over the floor. "Goodness! Can no one around here watch where they are going!" His eyes were fierce, just like a day ago when I failed to retrieve his mask. Confused by his sudden appearance I stepped back and did what I do best in situations like these, I gaped at him. My mouth hung open in bewilderment. I was floored... what was he doing here of all places!
The Mask Salesmen seemed to recognize me and smiled in a crazed manner. "Well, well, well! Look who it is!Young, master Link!" His grin seemed to grow wider with each word. "How pleasant to bump into you here!" His hand reach out and I felt myself recoil at the thought of what he might want. "Well? Where is my Mask?" He asked giddily. "You have got it back, yes? You must! You would not be here otherwise, correct?"
I shook my head slightly taking several steps back just in case he would lash out, again. His crazed grin transformed into a frown and his lifted eyebrows drew together into a glare dripping with hatred. I feared him more than I had ever even feared Ganon. His anger drew a terrified shudder from me. I backed away further as he stood up and approached me slowly. My back hit a tree as he cornered me against it. He was shaking as his hand bypassed grabbing my tunic in favor of my throat.
"YOU LITTLE RAT!" He hissed so loudly my headache began to return. "HOW DARE YOU! YOU PROMISED TO RETURN THE MASK TO ME!"
I began to gasp as his grip became even more powerful. My hands scrabbling for purchase at his arms, I felt my ability to breath wane. I started panicking as my breathing was shortened even more so against his grasp. His face turned less hostile and grew more thoughtful.
"Well..." He mumbled leaning forward towards my face. "I guess you most probably would not be able to acquire the mask so soon..." He muttered in my face his breath disgustingly hot on my face, his eyes flashing dangerously. "Take your time. But I'm warning you! If you do not recover the mask from that stupid creature soon... There will be Hell to pay!"
He released my throat so suddenly I lost my footing and slumped against the tree. He walked over to his bag. I must have blacked out for a moment, because he was gone in what seemed an instant. I sat in stunned silence horrified by my experience. To say I was confused would be an understatement. What was he doing here? Why had he reacted so violently? I had felt that he was an odd person, but I would never have suspected him of being a violent person... not ever. Pulled myself upright from my slumped position and gingerly felt my throat. I felt horror well up inside me, there was blood oozing from the back of my neck.
"Link?" I jerked my head up towards the gasped exclamation of my name. Gasping in pain from the sudden movement I looked up, Tatl was hovering a couple feet in front of me. She was looking at me in disbelief a slight pout disappearing rapidly. "What happened? You don't look so good..." She hesitated before flying towards me. "Are... are you okay?" Her voice lost it's shrill quality as she lowered her voice.
I shook my head to her question. "No... 'm not okay..." I struggled to breath out feeling the soreness of my throat twinge angrily at me. "You won't believe me... when I tell you what happened..." I trailed off unable to proceed.
Tatl looked at me intently. Her eyes landed on my neck and she gasped flying towards me. I flinched as her tiny hand touched my throat tenderly. "W-who d-did this?" She asked in a small voice.
I reached for her with my clean hand and gently moved her back. She held onto my finger her eyes full of fear. I shook my head gently so as not to aggravate my wounds, although I failed miserably when a shock of pain shot through my body. I groaned out unable to contain my pain.
"Hey... Are you alright...?" I shook my head ever so slightly, not willing to try my voice again. I reached inside my tunic for my bottle with the small amount of potion left over. I removed the cork and gently fed myself the rest of the potion. I grunted as I felt my wounds begin to heal ever so slowly.
"Give me a sec, yeah?" I said as I rubbed my hands on the damp grass below me. I inspected my hands for blood and found only very little there. I stood up, rather shakily, and headed for the water. I gingerly removed my hat and dipped my hands in the water. I reached back, with wet hands, to my neck. I flinched at my own touch as I washed the blood off of my very flesh. I sat up straight and blinked the pain out of my system. I could not remember being so delicate, even as a child. I looked over at Tatl only to see her gazing at me in concern. Her gaze of concern sort of bothered me, I have never been so vulnerable, not since before my first adventure.
I sighed deeply and walked over to her. She fluttered around waiting for my explanation. I looked at her wondering how to tell her my bizarre tale. I watched her carefully as I began relating my story. Several times my voice broke as I attempted to tell her.
"So... yeah..." I ended my tale my voice hoarse from exertion. She was gaping at me and I could only feel that she was as confused as I.
"The heck..." She grumbled out. "Who... Why... What. The. Heck." Her head was shaking from side to side as she tried to make out what was going on. "I thought he was some loser... But for him to do this... I just don't even... and where did he come from?"
"Well, let's leave this for now." I croaked. "It's the end of the second day and we need to find somewhere to rest, alright?"
Tatl looked at me in a worried manner and shrugged her shoulders. She flew to my shoulder and settled on my left shoulder. I watched as she got comfortable. She crossed her arms and looked at me almost shyly before hardening her expression. Great, I thought with a sigh, She's going to lecture me about something I said. I braced myself for her nagging and began to jog out of the jungle.
