"Hey! Wake up!"
Link's eyes snapped open, the sound of Tatl yelling at him jolting him from his sleep. He hadn't even realized he had even properly fallen asleep, much to his annoyance, the boy only having planned to rest his eyes. Glancing around, Link saw it was still daytime, and Tatl was floating right in front of his face.
"How long was I out?" Link asked, his body a bit stiff, but nothing too bad. He imagined it couldn't have been too long…
The fairy let out an annoyed noise. "It was like, four hours! It's almost noon!" She exclaimed, pointing to the sun, which was indeed almost right over their heads.
"Well, why didn't you wake me sooner?" After all, he knew she'd have no qualms about waking him up abruptly. As he asked this, he stood up and stretched lightly.
"Uh…well…I might have napped too, after a bit…" Tatl admitted, clearing her throat. "But anyway, there's smoking coming out of the chimney, so let's go!"
Losing several hours was annoying, but at least they didn't have to wait any longer. For all Link knew, the shop keeper could've opened up shop only a few minutes ago. Putting his sword and shield away, the boy climbed up the ladder, Tatl hovering above him. He really hoped this turned out to be a helpful lead, otherwise he had no idea what they'd do. At the very least the shop keeper's sister could move the boat, so maybe he could convince her to help!
As Link neared the top, he noticed that a lot of his anger had faded. It was still present in his chest, without a doubt, but it wasn't as strong as before. He supposed one could hold onto an emotion for so long before it faded, especially after falling asleep. When they reached the top of the ladder, the Hylian turned to his unwanted companion. "You didn't see the shop keeper or her sister at all, did you?"
"If I did, I would've mentioned it, you idiot!" Tatl snapped. Unlike Link, it seemed her anger didn't lessen much after her nap. After a moment, her nose wrinkled. "That stench is awful now that I'm closer to it! Must be some weird potions! You go in alone; I'm waiting out here!"
Despite himself, Link couldn't help but think of Navi. It wasn't fair to compare someone like her to a nasty, bitter fairy like Tatl, though. Navi was by his side practically every single second of their journey, so his new fairy companion so casually separating from him, even for a bit, was unusual for him.
Still, it'd be nice to get a break from her. "Right. If you want." He droned back to her, ignoring her scoff as he opened the potion shop door and went inside. When he closed the door, he noticed how hot it was inside the building. There was also a strong smell of various potions and brews, but Link didn't mind it as much as Tatl clearly had.
The interior was dim, so Link had to really focus to get a look at his surroundings. It reminded him a bit of the potion shop he and Navi went to in Kakariko Village. He spotted ingredients on the wall; herbs, mushrooms, plants, and fruits that were drying on a rack. There was a counter with large pots of various potions, some bubbling from a lit fire beneath. Behind the counter was a single individual, the shop keep of course, that Link slowly approached. As he grew near and got a better look at her, he froze.
His breath caught in his throat, Link reached for his sword and gripped it, body shaking.
Sitting behind the counter, eyes closed…was Kotake! The witch was just sitting there casually like nothing was wrong, the blue gem in her forehead shimmering faintly in the dim light. The boy's entire body felt hot, yet cold, at the same time. He felt nails digging into his face and heard Twinrova's mocking last words to him. How was Kotake here?! She and her sister were dead! He had killed them! He…
Wait…was this even her?
That small, argumentative thought cropped up in the boy's skull as fear and adrenaline pumped through his body. This wasn't Hyrule. This was Termina. He had seen a number of these odd body doubles in Clock Town, so…was this another one? And, thinking of it further, he had only killed Koume and Kotake in the other timeline, but in a panic, he looked over that. He had no idea what became of the pair from the timeline he currently lived in, but he couldn't imagine they'd go into the Lost Woods and end up here, right?
Still, his hand gripped the sword tightly. His body felt frozen as anger and fear kept fighting for dominance in his mind. He kept telling himself over and over that this surely wasn't the Kotake that lived in the Gerudo Desert and helped raise Ganondorf. This had to just be some sort of alternate version of her. The whole thing just felt like a sick joke…
His face almost painfully forced into an expressionless mask, Link took a few deep breathes and forced himself to let go of his sword. He thought about things more, how the tourist center man mentioned Kotake's sister, presumably some alternate version of Koume. The way he spoke of them…they couldn't possibly be evil, right?
With all these things in mind, Link took a few more deep breaths, making himself calm down. Or, at least, calm down enough to make sure he could keep his mask on. If he was wrong about this, things could go horribly very fast. With one last deep breath, Link approached the counter and cleared his throat loudly.
Mumbling a bit, Kotake slowly opened her large eyes, her gaze soon narrowing in on the boy in front of her. To his internal relief, she looked to him without a hint of familiarity. "Hm? A customer? Didn't expect a child to come to my shop with the state the swamp's in…" She murmured to herself. "A non-Deku to boot!"
Instantly, Link felt considerably less stressed. So, she wasn't the Kotake he was more familiar with. He couldn't imagine she'd be so pleasant. Of course, the Kotake from back home wouldn't even recognize Link anyway since they technically never met. Still, Link's mind had just been racing that he had a hard time thinking everything through and looking at the situation from every angle…
Still, he found it hard to even look at the innocent shop keep…
"I was hoping to find your sister. Is she around here?" Link asked, having to force himself to make eye contact. Even though he knew that this Kotake, if that was even her name here, was harmless to him, a part of his mind kept screaming at him that he was in trouble. It didn't help this feeling just wouldn't go away…
"Oh, you're looking for Koume?" Kotake replied. "She went off to the Woods of Mystery earlier, something about trying to find some plant to help the poisonous swamp." She paused, pondering to herself. "She would've let me know if she was back…it's been a while…"
"So, she's still there? Are these woods dangerous?" Link lightly pressed. At the very least it was sort of a relief to be able to ask simple questions without getting a nasty response.
Kotake nodded. "Oh, yes, but not for my sister! The entrance is right by my shop if you'd like to look for her."
So, this had been a waste of time, for the most part. "I see. Thank you." Link was about to turn when Kotake said something else and stopped him.
"Say, young man! I can't help but worry a bit…for Koume." The hag said, getting a bottle from underneath the counter. As she went on, she slowly filled it with some Red Potion. "I can't imagine she's hurt, but…if she is, can you give her this? As a reward, if she's unharmed, you can just keep the potion."
A potentially free Red Potion was a pretty good deal. Link had no reason to refuse since he was going to go find Koume anyway. Slowly, he reached for it, a panic flaring up despite himself as his hand got close to Kotake's. Still, he managed to take it back calmly, not retracting his hand too fast like he wanted to. "I will. And thank you again." With that, Link turned around and left, managing not to rush out. Closing the door behind him, he placed the bottle in his bag.
Tatl was floating by the door, waiting, and turned to Link as he came out. "What took so long? Was that sister there or what?"
"No. Koume's in the Woods of Mystery." Link said, starting down the ladder and wanting to just get away from the shop. Granted, he was going from Kotake to Koume…so no matter what he'd be horribly uncomfortable. "Kotake gave me a Red Potion in case she's hurt."
"Great! A waste of time!" The fairy complained as the two reached the bottom of the ladder. "I've heard of those woods; they can be pretty tricky. I guess you went into the Lost Woods, so even an idiot like you can manage."
Link walked around the tree holding up the shop and noticed there was indeed a forest nearby, a noticeable path leading into it. He had been so distracted by the odd shape of the shop and then with his nap that he hadn't really noticed. "I'm sure we'll manage." Is all he said, getting his sword and shield ready as he walked down the path.
As the two entered the Woods of Mystery, Tatl let out a groan. There were paths leading in a number of directions, and naturally there was no way of telling which way was the right one! At the very least, the sun managed to shine through with ease, so it wasn't as bad as the Lost Woods. "Great! Which way do we go?!"
Before Link could answer, a white shape dropped from the branches above. It was humanoid, smaller than Link himself, and the whiteness came from fur! The Hylian was baffled for a second before realizing what the creature was. It was one he had seen in one of Zelda's books: a monkey!
The monkey hopped in place, letting out hoots at Link. But these didn't seem to be aggressive at all. If anything, they seemed urgent or even fearful in some way. "It looks like it wants something." The Hylian pointed out.
"Don't be ridiculous! It's just an animal!" Tatl argued. "It just wants a banana or something! Can you not be a total idiot for two seconds?"
At that, the monkey stopped, scratching at its back as it stared at the two. After a brief pause, it nodded as if confirming something. "Follow me." It said, talking just like a person!
"Wait, what?!" Tatl sputtered out as the monkey started to hop down further into the forest, stopping a few yards to look back at the two. "It…talked!" It felt kind of awkward for her to know it had understood her. She insulted people to their faces all the time, but this just seemed far worse somehow…
"Maybe it'll lead us to Koume." Link theorized, starting to walk in the direction of the monkey. It was certainly surprising to see another talking animal like Kaepora Gaebora. Were all the monkeys around here like that?
"Or it'll lead us into some kind of trap!" Tatl retaliated, but still followed alongside Link. "I had no idea these monkeys could talk…but it's still a wild animal. Use your head and let's just ignore it!"
Link decided to ignore Tatl instead, watching as the monkey scampered off ahead when he got close. It would keep pausing and waiting for the two, only going off ahead whenever they got close enough. After a while, Link noticed something. "Kotake said these woods were dangerous, but I haven't seen anything." Maybe the monkey was leading them through a safer route?
"Yeah, monkeys that lure stupid children to gnaw on their bones…" Tatl murmured, so that only Link could hear her. Really, she was frustrated with the whole situation. They were supposed to free someone, probably the Giants, in each part of Termina. Yet all they've accomplished was follow a monkey around! It all felt so aimless to her!
Once more, Link decided to ignore Tatl as he took in the area around him. The woods didn't feel at all like the Lost Woods back home. Link noticed the lack of whispering spirits and the light fog up above. That was the only forest he had ever truly known, so it almost seemed odd to him to see one so radically different. The way down to the Swamp had trees, but it was such a wide path, it hardly felt like being in the forest at all…
Before too long, the monkey led Link and Tatl to a clearing. There, three more monkeys were standing by a figure on the ground. Instantly, the Hylian recognized it as Koume, his gaze honing in on the red gem in her forehead. He was expecting it this time, so though he felt his heart skip a beat and his blood grow cold, he was able to keep composed far more easily.
He just had to keep telling himself she meant no harm…
For a third time, Link ignored Tatl mumble to herself, something about being right for a change. As the Hylian approached the fallen witch, the monkeys ran off. When Link got close, he saw that Koume was breathing, albeit a bit shallowly. "Are you okay?" He asked blankly, staring down at the wicked shape before him. Each fiber of his being told him to run his sword through her, but he knew that wasn't right…
Letting out a light groan, Koume opened her eyes and gazed up at Link and Tatl. "Help…me…" She croaked. "Cursed imp, attacking…from behind…"
"The Skull Kid?!" Tatl exclaimed. "But…he wouldn't…" Of course he would. He had already done so before with that creepy salesman. He called down the Moon and who knew what else! If he was capable of that…or rather, that horrible mask…what else had he done? Could he have used it to poison the swamp…?
Link was having those same thoughts. If the Skull Kid had been in the swamp, maybe he was the one that had cursed it with his mask. If he could bring down the Moon, poisoning a swamp should be pretty easy to do. For the moment, Link just shook off those thoughts and took the Red Potion from his bag and handed it to Koume, who took it weakly. "Here. It's from Kotake."
After hearing her sister's name, Koume perked up a bit. Or, at least, enough to sit up enough to take a swig from the bottle. After that, she quickly downed the rest of the potion. "Ah! Yes! That's Kotake's work alright!" She crooned, standing up. "Feeling better already!"
Seeing her jump up like that made Link take a step back. "Kotake said you were trying to help the swamp. Is that true?"
"Hm?" Koume murmured, looking at Link as if she somehow just noticed he was there. "Oh! Well…yes, but I haven't had much luck. But enough about that, I must thank you! You really helped me out! Here. You can keep this bottle!"
Link looked at the empty container, recalling how moments ago she had it at her mouth. "No, that's fine." He replied instantly. "You really didn't work out anything about the swamp?" Surely she had to know something…
"Look, if you want to know more, you'll have to ask the Deku King! He's sure to know!" Koume replied, putting the empty bottle in her cloak somewhere. "Come back to the tourist center, and I'll give you a free boat ride as a thanks for saving me!"
Well…that was something. Link was hoping for a bit more, but surely if anyone knew anything about the swamp, it'd be the Deku King. He was a bit surprised to even hear such a figure existed. The Dekus back in the Lost Woods were scattered and unorganized as far as he knew. To his knowledge, there wasn't even a village or any kind where they lived or gathered.
Link's thoughts were interrupted when Koume produced a flash of red light, having mounted a summoned broom by the time it faded. This action caused the boy to internally panic, staring at the floating witch and remembering her and Kotake and what they did to Nabooru! No…
No…not her. Not this Koume…
Once more, he had to force himself to clam down, even though he had the desire to sprint in the opposite direction of Koume. Instead, he nodded at her. "Thank you." With a merry laugh, Koume rose up above the trees and darted away, leaving Link and Tatl alone, the monkeys long gone.
"Great…we just get pointed somewhere else…" Tatl grumbled. This Deku King better know something useful, or she felt she would explode!
"At least we can get around easier." Link pointed out as he turned around and started to head back the way they came. This area was nothing compared to the Lost Woods, so he was able to retrace his steps pretty quickly.
"Yeah, but we have to go back to the tourist center! That's a long trip, or did you forget?!" Tatl snapped back. When Link, yet again, didn't react at all, she flew in front of his face. "What is wrong with you?!" She demanded, nearly going red from frustration.
Well, that came out of nowhere. At least to Link. What could he have possibly said to make her have that kind of reaction? "What do you mean?" He asked, still keeping a stoic face and tone as he spoke.
"That right there!" Tatl hissed. "Why don't you react to what I say like a normal person?! Why are you so weird?!" It was driving her nuts! She didn't pay much attention to Link when he was a Deku, at least in terms of his emotions or anything like that. As a human, though, it was far more noticeable. Without the squeaky nature of a Deku, it was a lot easier to hear the complete deadpan way he said everything and with a face that can move easier, his lack of expressions was way more obvious!
"How am I supposed to respond?" Link wondered, though he had a good idea of what she meant. He just thought maybe if he played dumb, she'd get too frustrated and forget it.
But that's not what happened, though Tatl get more frustrated. "Like…at all! You don't react to me or anything else! You're always so stoic and it's weird!" Not to mention those dull, dead eyes he had. Getting a chance to stare at them continuously, she really started to notice how much they unnerved her.
Link didn't want to have this discussion. He walked forward, Tatl moving out of his way. "That doesn't really matter." It really didn't. Not to him, at least. It had nothing to do with their overall goal of stopping the Moon from falling…
Tatl let out a groan of annoyance as she followed Link again. "Fine! Be that way!" She huffed. After a pause, she let out a nasty little laugh. "You're like some creepy doll. I bet you just don't feel anything, you freak…"
That was the first time Link actually felt a bit insulted. Not enough to really sting, but enough that her words didn't simply slide off of him. It was because of how blatantly wrong she was. Just because he didn't emote didn't mean he didn't feel! He felt fear, anger, sadness…just like everyone else. He just hadn't earned the right to express himself. But he didn't bother to argue with her, there was just no point…even if a small part of hm wanted to.
As the nasty little fairy tittered to herself, the two kept going until they were out of the woods and back at the potion shop. As soon as this happened, three monkeys dropped from the treetops above, landing before them. "You there!" One of them said, sounding like the monkey that had led the two to Koume. "We need help!"
"Me been keeping eye on you…" Another monkey said, looking Link over with oddly intelligent eyes, even with its lack of grammar skills. "You have strange powers!"
"Yes, yes!" The third monkey piped up. "You change form! Very helpful! Please, help our brother!"
Link knew that time was of the essence, but…he couldn't just turn someone down who was asking for aid. "What's wrong with your brother?"
"Kidnapped by the Dekus! Temple above waterfall strange now. Swamp have poison water! Brother go to investigate…now captured by Dekus!" The first monkey said. "Sorceress offer ride…she take you to Deku Palace and you aid our brother!"
Well, that was pretty convenient, wasn't it? "Okay, while we're there, we'll try and help your brother." Still, the mention of a Temple worried him. This really would be like the other quest, wouldn't it? He'd have to slay some monster, wouldn't he?
"What?!" Tatl piped up. "We don't have time for that! It's already past noon and we haven't even gotten close to being done in the swamp! And we have three other places to go!"
While that was true, Link would still have to try. As far as he knew, he could turn back time again…and if he could do it a second time, he could do it a third or a fourth. It'd be easy to just try again and be faster. Next time he'd go straight to the potion shop to get a potion and look for Koume and so on…
"It'll be okay. Like I said, we'll help." Link guaranteed, wondering what sort of crime the monkey was being blamed for.
The three creatures let out hoots of excitement and happiness. "Thank you, odd child! We wish you luck!" With gratitude shown, the trio of monkeys ran past Link and Tatl, going back into the woods once more.
"You really can't help yourself, huh? Like you're some kind of folktale hero?" Tatl grumbled in Link's ear as he started to make his way back towards the tourist center.
"It's the right thing to do." He couldn't help but argue, instantly regretting that. While he believed himself correct, Link really didn't want to fight with Tatl.
Thankfully for Link, though, the fairy just settled for grumbling something under her breath. She had to admit, it was tiring to rant at and insult someone who didn't even emote. Of all the people she had to be stuck with, why did it have to be a freak like him…?
The trip back to the tourist center was a bit faster than before because they had a better idea of where to go. Still, it was about one in the afternoon when the two got back at the tourist center. Climbing up the ladder again, they entered the building. The man from before was still at the counter, but now that small booth had Koume present too.
"Oh!" The man exclaimed. "So, you helped my partner, eh? Koume told me all about it. You even got a free boat ride out of it!" He let out a chuckle. "You lucked out, kid!"
"Well, it was the least I could do." Koume responded from her booth. She didn't seem to realize that Link barely looked at her in the eye as she spoke. "Are you ready for your ride to the Deku Palace?"
Wanting to get away from Koume as soon as he could, Link nodded. "Yes, thank you."
"Excellent! Just hop on the boat below the tourist center, and my magic will do the rest!" The hag explained, waving Link and Tatl off as they left the building.
Doing as Koume said, Link carefully boarded the boat, not wanting to accidentally fall in. Moments after he sat down, the boat started to shift on its own! Slowly, it turned and started to go through the swamp's waters as if it were being rowed by an invisible force.
"Well, at least we can just sit back and let the hag do the work for us." Tatl said, being positive for once as she sat on Link's hat. It made for a much cozier seat than a boat.
Link had the same sort of thought; glad he didn't have to get to the Deku Palace himself. Especially since he had no idea where it even was! When he got there, he'd have to find out what crime the monkeys' brother was being accused of and what was going on with the swamp and how to stop it. If the Deku's leader had no idea, then Link had no idea where else to turn…
The trip was quiet, neither Link nor Tatl wanting to speak up. It was, however, a bit slow. At the very least, Link used this time to work out how things might work out. The monkeys mentioned a Temple and that worried him a lot. He tried not to think about it earlier, but with nothing else to do, he just kept thinking to himself.
Link knew he'd have to enter that Temple, probably crawling with monsters he'd have to kill. He got lucky with the Wolfos, but how long would that luck last? Sooner or later, he'd have to kill again…he just knew it. Even though he knew to look above a waterfall for the Temple, he'd still go to the Deku Palace and investigate there. For one thing, to help the monkeys' brother. And then there was the possibility that entering the Temple wouldn't be so simple. He'd rather be safe than sorry.
While he thought of the Temple, an anger broiled within Link again. This wasn't fair…he shouldn't have to do this again! Zelda kept insisting to him he'd never have to fight again, but yet here he was! Though he still didn't hold this against the Princess at all. This was impossible for her to see coming…but he still felt so angry and betrayed. Betrayed not by Zelda or anyone in particular, but against fate itself, he supposed…
As time went by, the boy's stomach would growl a bit. He at that time realized he hadn't had anything to eat or drink since he played the Song of Time. If he had to travel back in time multiple times, he'd have to find a way to eat and get water. Maybe…if he went to the observatory again he could get another Moon's Tear. Perhaps he could sell it for Rupees and buy some food…
In any case, an hour passed as the boat went slowly along. The swamp seemed like it would've been actually pleasant, but the purple water and nasty feeling in the air really put a damper on things. Not much of interest was seen, save for a lone frog on a large log that Link felt a bit sorry for. It didn't have anywhere to go but the poison water…
He once more looked up at the odd purple volcano, wondering what it really was. Was that where the Temple was, maybe? He didn't see a waterfall, but the boat was drawing closer to it with every moment. Looking back down, he spotted a sort of cave they'd have to pass through and stood up as he drew his sword and readied his shield.
After all, a Big Octo was nestled right at the cave entrance. "They can survive this water?" He wondered aloud as Tatl floated by his head. The boy felt his heart race, remembering the monstrosity he had encountered within Lord Jabu-Jabu…
"Jeez, first the boat's super slow, now this?!" Tatl whined. She looked vaguely up above them. "Hey! Hag, can you hear us with your magic?! There's an obstacle!" She yelled…but the boat kept going.
In fact, it seemed to go faster. Whether Koume could hear Tatl or not wasn't clear. As the boat gained speed, Link sat back down, afraid if he kept standing, he'd fall right in the water. What did he do?! Maybe he should go back in time, or…
Before Link could even reach for the Ocarina of Time, an invisible force came from the front of the boat that sliced through the water! It kept going until it reached the Big Octo, that had seemed content to let its prey come to it. The creature let out a surprised bellow as the force reached it and sliced it clean in half! Its bisected corpse collapsed to either side, letting the boat go on through.
"…I guess she heard you." Link said, pretty surprised at what he just saw. If the Koume or Kotake he had known could do that…he'd probably be long dead…
"Uh…thanks…hag…" Tatl said nervously as the boat slowed down again, going back to its normal speed. The fairy had to wonder if she had really heard the cry for help. That'd be the last time she let out any sort of insult towards the sorceress, that was for sure…
Link tried to ignore what had just happened. The death of the Big Octo didn't bother him too much since he didn't do the killing. The violence had unnerved him, though, as did the stench of its corpse as they passed by it.
Trying to pretend that didn't happen, the two found themselves in a very different looking area. To one side was a cliff with a massive waterfall, an opening on a ledge nearby it. This was surely the way to the Temple the monkeys mentioned! On the other side was land, and a lot of it. Unusual looking houses that resembled wasp hives in their material. Notably, none of the inhabitants were actually out and about, not that Link could blame them.
"This must be where the Dekus live…" Link observed as the boat came to a stop by the land. He hopped onto the safety of the grass, and after a few seconds, the boat turned around and went the other way. Ahead of the two was a large wall with an opening for them to go through.
"You'd better get through this fast." Tatl grumbled. "Lets help that monkey, talk to the king, and then go to the Temple or whatever. That's what those other monkeys said, right?"
"I'll be quick." Link promised, going through the entrance with Tatl close behind. The two found themselves in front of a large building, made of the same beehive-like material as the homes before. It was tall, though not to the level of Hyrule Castle or even the Clock Tower. There were walls and gates all around it, a lot of the area surrounding the building unseen, though there was one opening that led right to it.
As Link looked up, he caught sight of the Moon staring down at him. He had to withhold a shudder as he saw its piercing orange eyes. The Hylian had done a good job of not looking up enough to see the Moon since leaving Clock Town, but now that he had glimpsed at it again, he felt fear gripping its chest. It was as though the Moon was aware and watching him, and Link felt it staring at him. Even when he looked away, he could feel its eyes on him…
Trying to ignore this, Link went forward with Tatl to the entrance to the palace. It seemed like he could just…waltz right in? How odd! As he grew closer, though, two forms sprouted from the ground in front of him! His hand nearly reached for his sword, but Link then saw that these figures were Dekus! They looked different than the ones from the Lost Woods, less leaves on their heads, but plenty on their bodies. Some of these leaves were green, and some were red, which was even more unusual to him.
"Halt!" One of the Dekus cried. "You there, human and fairy! What do you want?" From the guard's tone, it was clear he wasn't exactly pleased to see the two…
Still, Link went ahead with his request anyway. "We need to talk to the Deku King, it's very urgent." It wouldn't surprise him if most or all of the Dekus here hated outsiders. That's how most of the Dekus in the Lost Wood were, disliking anyone that wasn't them. That one Deku in Clock Town seemed more like an outlier than anything.
The other guard shook his head. "Impossible! No humans are allowed within the palace! You must turn back and go home!"
"Hey, come on! Do you have any idea how long it took us to get here?!" Tatl snapped. "We just want to talk to him, so let us through!"
"Impossible!" The first guard echoed. "No humans! The fairy can go in, though. Human, if you don't turn around and leave, we will have to use force!"
Link wasn't about to use force against non-monsters, at least not the kind where someone could get seriously hurt. "I understand." He said simply, turning around and walking off. When he got far enough away, the guards went back underground.
"Are you serious?!" Tatl cried out, following Link. "You're just going to give up so easily?!" She didn't want to waste time helping the captured monkey, but she was baffled at how easily Link just turned around and left. She could've entered, sure, but she had no desire to do so alone.
"No." Link replied, stopping once the two got out on the other side of the gate. They were still the only two out and about, so it made things easier as he took out the Deku Mask. "I'll just become a Deku."
Tatl paused, letting out a hum of thought. "I mean I guess they could be stupid enough to fall for it. Don't you think they'd be suspicious?"
"I don't have any other choice." The Hylian said as he slipped the mask over his face. Once more, he experienced the horrible sensation of shrinking down into a Deku. Within moments, he once more took his alternate form. "Come on, just hide under my hat. You being with me might be suspicious."
"Don't order me around, brat!" Tatl sneered…but she still did what Link said. Not because he told her to, because she wanted to! At least that's what she told herself.
Once more, Link approached the entrance to the palace. And, once more, the two guards came from the ground. "Halt! State your business, stranger!" One of the Dekus said.
"I'd like to speak with the Deku King." Link replied simply. "May I go in?" Maybe adding a bit extra politeness would help…
"No one can go in unless they are on official business with the Royal Family!" The other Deku guard said. "…However, today is a special occasion! Anyone who wishes can go inside to see the traitorous monkey be humiliated!"
Traitorous? Link remembered learning what that word meant after Ganondorf's arrest. What did this monkey do to deserve that title? In any case, Link was sure it had to be some kind of misunderstanding, but he wouldn't say that out loud. "I'd like to see that." He felt awful saying that, even if it was a lie. "Can I go through?"
The two Deku guards moved aside. "Yes! By all means!" One piped up. "Just go straight and you'll enter the royal chambers, you can't miss it!"
"Just don't wander off to the sides. Those are the royal gardens and is prohibited to outsiders, even on a day like this!" The other added on.
"Thank you." Link replied, walking past the guards who quickly burrowed back into the ground. The two had been right, the path behind them was pretty straightforward. There were only three paths, one to each side and one towards the palace. After making some distance from the guards, Link whispered. "You can come out now."
Tatl flew from under his hat. "It's like leaves under there! So weird!" Human hair being replaced with leaves was pretty odd! More comfortable than it sounded, though. Not that she'd admit to that.
Leading the fairy onward, Link entered the palace, noticing a buzzing murmur as he approached. When inside it properly, it was a dull roar. The room they entered had a lot going on. The entry room was tall, as tall as the palace itself, sunlight streaming in from large openings by the ceiling.
Within this room were dozens of Dekus of all shapes and sizes. Some were clearly adults, and some were just kids. In the middle there was a large fire pit roaring with a mighty flame. A number of Dekus were dancing around it, yelling, and even chanting as they went. Beyond that was the throne area. A large bobbing shape grabbed Link's attention, and it took him a moment to realize it was a Deku!
This Deku was far different from any other he had seen, though. Unlike the others, this one was the size of a grown human man with a distinct torso and limbs, something Link had seen in no other Deku aside from himself when he wore the mask. He held a staff in one hand and danced before the throne, showing that he was indeed the Deku King.
The way the monarch danced was that of anger, like he was partaking in a furious ritual. In fact, the room itself seemed to be filled with anger. It seemed sort of like a party at first, but the sensation in the air was more of rage than merriment. The chants even sounded hateful and horrible. Still, Link kept his eye more on the Deku King than anything else, almost feeling the rage rub off from the monarch and onto him.
On his head, though, was something that grabbed his attention even more.
Whether it was decorative or a part of the king's body, that wasn't clear. It was a large orange orb of leaves and flowers. As the monarch did his dance, the orange shape bobbed and moved. Link kept staring at it, his breath catching in his throat at the sight. The way it went about it forced memories to flood into his brain.
In his mind's eye, Link saw the horrific parasite that had infected his adoptive father and rotted him from the inside out! He saw it bobbing and moving as the entity shifted towards him, ready to devour him as he kicked and screamed in vain! Terror replacing his second-hand anger, Link took a step back, an action that thankfully went unnoticed by Tatl as she observed the room.
Taking a few deep breathes, the sounds of which were drowned out by the activity in the room, Link managed to tear his eyes away. To one side of the room was a fenced-off area where a few Dekus were gathered. Looking closer, he saw a wooden post inside the cage, and there was a monkey tied to it! "There. The monkey." He said to Tatl, pointing him out.
Tatl was pretty weirded out by the Dekus and their dancing around and chants. When Link spoke to her and pointed out the monkey, she tore her attention from the plantlike people and looked. "Jeez, how are we supposed to help him? He's right here in plain sight of everyone!" They should just forget the monkey and go, but knowing her stupid partner, that wasn't going to happen…
While Tatl was right, Link wanted to at least try talking to the prisoner. He walked up to the fence, other Dekus gawking and even laughing at the monkey. At this point, Link quickly realized the problem. With all the noise around them, he'd never be able to actually hear anything the monkey would say. He knew that shouting at the prisoner all these Dekus openly mock and hate and even hinting that he could be innocent would just cause trouble.
So, he'd just go to the king.
"It's too loud." He said, leaning in towards Tatl so she could hear him. Turning around, Link laid eyes on the monarch again and the dancing orb upon his eyes. Once more, he felt nervousness creep into his soul, but he did everything he could to ignore it as he approached, Tatl floating behind as she asked him what he was even doing.
When the two approached the king, the monarch looked down upon the two. "Mmm…I've never seen your face! A visitor?" He bellowed at Link, his voice seeming to just be naturally loud. As innocent as his statement was, there was that underlying anger in the Deku King's voice that couldn't be ignored. "You're here to see that horrid traitor, right?"
"Yes, that's why I'm here." Link lied, still hating having to say such a horrible thing. "And I am a visitor, so I don't know what the monkey did. What was it?"
"You hadn't heard?" The monarch replied, surprised. "He kidnapped my daughter! He insulted the Royal Family! For that, he will be punished tomorrow morning!"
So, the Deku Princess was kidnapped? That was pretty awful, but surely that couldn't be true. The monkeys all seemed so nice. "He told you this?"
"No, he didn't, but we know he did it! For that, he will boil!" The Deku King screamed, going back to his mad dance.
No proof? He couldn't be serious! Link decided not to test his luck any further. Before he could leave, another figure came and gently pulled him to the side. It was another odd looking Deku, one with balls of moss as hair and very few leaves n his body. "I do apologize. His Majesty is so overcome with rage these days. As his butler, I've tried to calm him, but I simply haven't been able to."
At first, Link was startled a bit that someone had touched him so suddenly, but he quickly calmed down. As he looked at the Deku Butler, a strange sense came over him. He felt…nostalgic, even with a bit of longing. The sensation lasted only for a few seconds before fading. Just what was that…? The spirit within the mask?
"It's fine. I understand." Link quickly answered, feeling a bit unnerved and wanting to get away from the butler. And that's just what he did, quickly walking away from the throne and towards the exit. He'd have to think of something…some way to get close to the monkey…
"Hey! Wait!" Tatl urged. "We're just going to leave?!" What was the point of even coming into the palace, then?
"We'll figure out a way to get to the monkey." Link promised, though he wasn't sure how. There had been an opening to the outside in the area the prisoner was being held…
Tatl groaned. Great, more running around blind! "At least snag us some food!" She said, gesturing to a table full of fruits and berries, clearly for the visitors, as well as some bottles of water.
Link hadn't actually noticed the food, but since he was pretty hungry as well, he did as Tatl asked. Soon, the two had left the palace, the false Deku's arms full of various food items and a bottle of water.
Plopping down next to the entrance to the palace, Link and Tatl dug into the small meal, exchanging no words as they satisfied their hunger. The boy nearly drained the bottle of water, leaving some for the fairy to finish off. She insisted he pour it into his mouth, not wanting his 'gross wooden lips' to touch the water at all.
As they polished off the meal, a figure dropped from above, startling the two. It was a monkey. "You see brother? He okay?" It asked, eyes wide with worry.
"Giants abound! Don't just drop in like that!" Tatl scolded, really not liking these monkeys at all. The fact that they talked just unnerved her on top of it all…
"He's tied up, but alive." Link informed, handling his startle a lot better than Tatl. "There were too many people, so I couldn't talk to him." The false Deku really wanted to know everything he could about the situation before going forward. "The Deku Princess is missing, so we have to save her too."
Tatl let out an angry chime. "Hey! I didn't agree to that! We have to clean up the swamp somehow!" They couldn't stop to solve every little problem they came across, there was too much to do already!
"I'm not going to just ignore her situation." The Deku argued before turning back to the monkey. "Do you know a way to get to the cage?"
"Yes! You talk to brother and save Princess! Yes!" The monkey replied. "Go to garden! Flowers there! You use to get up high to cage! Careful of guards!" Without even waiting for Link to reply, the monkey climbed up the wall, using footholds and crevices only a limber animal like itself could properly use. In a few moments, it was out of sight.
"Okay, we'll go into the garden." Link said, walking over to one of the side entrances.
Tatl let out a groan. She wouldn't be able to talk him out of this, she just knew it! "Fine! But you'd better make it fast, okay?"
"Of course." Link replied, lowering his voice as he peeked into the entrance. There was indeed a garden of sorts there, walls, and hedges about. After a few seconds, he saw a Deku guard moving about on patrol. It really reminded him of Hyrule Castle. "You have to help. You'll have to fly up high and tell me where to go and when."
Always to the point, wasn't he? Tatl sighed, flying into the garden. "Fine…but only because you'd be helpless without me!" Her voice was a bit smug, just wanting to annoy Link…but of course he still didn't react to her taunts…
Tatl was pretty good at her job as she and Link went through the garden. It gave him a sneaking suspicion she had done something of this nature in the past. He also couldn't help but be reminded of how Navi helped him reach Zelda for the first time…though he certainly tried to ignore the comparison. Navi didn't deserve to be compared to someone like Tatl!
In any case, the process went by without a hitch. Tatl would keep an aerial view of the garden, going unnoticed by the guards. She'd then dive down and tell Link the patterns and when to move around. Thankfully there were numerous plants, walls, and other decorative pieces to hide behind. Eventually, Link and Tatl came across a flower that would let him take to the sky.
Either the guards didn't notice Link take to the air, or just assumed he was another guard and didn't bother to look closely. This allowed him to go along the tops of the walls surrounding the palace, using more flowers up high to get to the palace itself, or more accurately, near where the monkey was being held. There was a platform of sorts that Link and Tatl could wait at, the opening to the cage mere feet away.
The problem, however, was that the palace throne room was still packed. Link could go down there, sure, but the instant he did, the crowds of Dekus would spot him and he'd be in huge trouble. Hopefully the only thing they'd do to him was just throw him out. With nothing to do but wait for the throne room to clear out, Link and Tatl lied upon the platform and rested. The boy even removed the Deku Mask so he could be a bit more comfortable.
Link couldn't stop thinking about Navi again, his earlier subconscious comparison between her and Tatl just got the fairy on his mind. Once more, he entertained the idea that maybe she was somewhere in Termina. Maybe she stumbled upon its entrance by mistake and explored it a bit. Did she just decide to stay here, or was she somehow trapped? That was assuming she was here at all, of course…
The Hylian found the anger brewing inside his gut again. While he was forced into this situation, Navi could potentially be getting farther and farther away. If she wasn't in Termina, she was surely in the Lost Woods somewhere, right? For all he knew, she was close by when he was jumped by the Skull Kid! It wasn't so much Termina or its people he was mad at, but more the situation itself. And as Link thought of this, he had to really fight the urge to glance towards that Moon…
Minutes turned into hours as the noise from the throne room kept up. The furious chanting and mocking the prisoner was relentless, and Link and Tatl could hear it all from right outside. As the sun started to set, Tatl became increasingly annoyed, grumbling openly and letting out noises of agitation as the horrid festivities still went on in the palace.
As the fairy came back from checking for what must have been the dozenth time, Link looked to her. "How full is the room?"
"It's a lot emptier than before." The fairy huffed, sitting on the platform. "But there's still a bunch gawking at the monkey! What's even the point? Is it really that entertaining?!" She groaned, looking to Link. "Can we just leave already? Is what he has to say so important that we have to talk to him?!" It was already past six in the evening! One day was half over and they hadn't been able to accomplish much of anything!
"We need to know where the Deku Princess is." Link reminded Tatl. "We can't just leave her wherever she is." He just hoped she was even alive, and that the monkey really was innocent, and this was just a big misunderstanding.
Tatl scoffed. "Enough of this we stuff! There is no we!" The fairy scolded, glaring at the Hylian. "I'm with you because I don't have any choice, but because I want to do any of this! You have to know where this royal brat is, and you have to rescue her. Not me!" She really wanted to make things quite clear that she and Link weren't exactly on the same side just because she was stuck with him. What else was she going to do? Sit around Clock Town and stare at the Moon? Besides, he'd probably die without her help…
Link didn't want to do any of this either. He'd rather just have a peaceful life as a Kokiri, not having to risk his life for two separate countries he didn't even belong to. But he did it because it was the right thing to do, and he was the only one that could help! He could have fled Hyrule back during his first journey, but he didn't. It still didn't make him a hero, but at least he didn't just shrug off the suffering of others!
Rather than actually say any of that, Link gave a simple reply. "Okay. I need to rescue her."
The emphasis on the 'I' was about as emotive Tatl had seen Link get. What a weirdo! Not even bothering to reply, she just crossed her arms and huffed.
An awkward silence fell between the two as more time passed, it soon reaching eight at night. Tatl went in to check the throne room and quickly darted out. "No one's by the cage. Looks like all the guests are gone! There's still the king, that butler of his, and some guards. I doubt they'll be leaving any time soon…"
Link decided that was good enough. He could surely have a quick, quiet talk with the monkey. Slipping on the Deku Mask, he suffered through the transformation once more as he went into the opening. Thankfully, stacked crates and other structures allowed Link to get down to the floor from the opening.
The monkey was still tied up tight, staring at Link. Outside the cage, the Deku King kept his maddened dance going, the guards partaking as well while the fire still roared in the middle of the room. The prisoner looked down at Link in surprise, and he quickly put a finger over his mouth. "I just want to talk. I think you're innocent." Link whispered to the monkey.
This alone was enough to visibly put the monkey at ease. "Thank the Giants…you're here to rescue me, right? My brothers sent you, right?" He replied, noticeably speaking a lot better than his fellow primates.
Link looked at the situation but saw no way to help. The monkey was tied up way above the ground, so even if he was in his Hylian form, he'd never be able to cut him down. "I can't. Sorry." He replied. "I want to help the Princess and cleanse the swamp, though."
While the monkey was a bit disappointed, there was still hope in his gaze. "I see. Well, luckily these two things are tied to each other." He let out a sigh. "The Princess and I are actually friends, you know, but it was a secret. The Dekus don't exactly like most folk, just themselves and fairies. Anyway, we tried to find out why the swamp was poisoned and went into the Woodfall Temple to investigate. But a monster had made the Temple its lair and kidnapped the Princess…and of course her father blamed me…"
That made sense to Link, noting how genuinely distraught the monkey seemed over all of this. "I'll go there and rescue her, don't worry."
"Oh, that's such good news!" The monkey half-whispered in excitement. To get there, you'll need to play a special song on the marked platform. You'll know it when you see it. Do you have an instrument…? It must be loud!"
Link reached for the Ocarina of Time, remembering how it turned into a set of pipes back on the Clock Tower. As he grasped it, the instrument once more changed forms, the pipes returning.
"That's still so weird…" Tatl murmured. What was with that Ocarina anyway? His behavior aside, Link was just odd. His unusually high fighting ability, this magic instrument he had…what was his deal?
"Ooh! How odd…" The monkey said, eyes widening. "But very helpful. Here, let me sing you the song: the Sonata of Awakening. Listen closely…" Quietly, so the guards couldn't hear, the primate harmonized a short song, doing so twice to make sure Link got it. There was a certain power in the notes, even if quietly sung by a monkey, and both Link and Tatl even felt a bit more perked up than before! "Please, play it back quietly so I know you have it memorized."
Play it back…? With the guards and Deku King right there? Link supposed he had to. Maybe he could play it quietly? He still didn't know much about playing these pipes. When he played the Song of Time, it just sort of…happened. Still, Link tried to play the Sonata of Awakening quietly…
And he failed.
The notes of the song blared out from the horn, echoing throughout the throne room. Link internally winced as he played it all back to the monkey, doing so perfectly. By the time he realized how loud he was being, he thought he should just keep going since he knew the Dekus would be alerted anyway.
"That wasn't quiet at all, you idiot!" Tatl scolded, looking to see all the Dekus in the room had turned to the trio in the cage. "Oh, no…" She murmured, hovering higher into the air.
"An intruder! What song was he just playing?!" The Deku King yelled out. "The monkey is trying to corrupt one of our own! Guards, throw that Deku out!"
The guards quickly rushed the cage, opening it up as Link backed away a bit. He put the pipes away, watching as they reverted back to an Ocarina. He didn't put up a fight, letting the guards drag him out. "Please! You must make haste!" The monkey yelled after Link. "Save the Princess!"
Link was quickly escorted all the way out of the palace and past the duo of guards that were still underground. He winced a bit as he was thrown to the ground. "We'll let you off easy this time. That monkey's a tricky one!" One of the escorting guards said. "But try that again, and you'll be locked up with him!"
Tatl, meanwhile, had stayed out of the scuffle by just floating up into the air and followed Link as he was dragged off. Floating back down, she let out a laugh. "They really got you, huh? At least all they did was throw you out…"
A part of Link was tempted to ask Tatl if him being almost thrown in a cage himself was really that funny. He supposed he was lucky the Deku King just assumed the monkey was somehow the bad guy in all this. "I guess so." He stood up and dusted himself off a bit. It was as Link approached the exit to the community of houses that he realized just how exhausted he was. The Temple was so very close, but…even with that nap earlier in the day, he was so tired. It'd be best to rest a bit first before tackling something like that. "We should rest. Who knows what's in that Temple?" He said as he took off the Deku Mask.
"What?! What about the monkey? He's going to get boiled in the morning, don't you care?" Tatl certainly didn't care…or at least that's what she told herself. She knew for a fact Link would, however. He was such a goody-goody like that.
"We'll just have to wake up before morning. The Temple could be very dangerous, so we should be rested up first." Link replied, drawing his sword and shield as he sat against the stone wall by the exit of the palace grounds. He was sure the Dekus would leave him alone from such a distance. Even in such a safe area, though, he doubted he could sleep without his sword and shield. Back at the castle, he had grown accustomed to sleeping without them…but he was in a new and unusual land at this point…
Tatl sighed. She was pretty tired, and while she'd never agree, she knew Link was right. If some monster had the Princess captured, it'd be a bad idea for them to go in when exhausted. Or Link at least. Not like she'd be doing any fighting! "Fine, alright. I'm sleeping under your hat." She declared, darting under it before Link could argue.
Link just let it go. "Fine." He replied quietly, closing his eyes. His head swam with images of what sort of monster he could face in the Temple, knowing that it wouldn't help at all to ponder on it. Those images just kept coming, though, even as he tried to push them away. Luckily for him, exhaustion struck him hard as he sat there, the bugs of the swamp chirping and calling in the night. Even as his mind was filled with worries and stress, he found his consciousness fading, and he was soon asleep…
After what felt like only a few moments, Link was awakened by a nasty pain in his eye. It felt like something was biting it. Instinctively, he swatted around the area, sure it was a bug. When he heard a "Hey!" though, he opened his eyes.
Floating before him was Tatl, glaring at the Hylian. "Tatl…? Did you just pull on my eyelid?" That really hurt!
"Yeah, I called you and you wouldn't wake up you idiot! It's really late! Or…early, I guess!" Tatl cried, having checked the time on the clock in one of the Deku's homes. "It's four in the morning, we have to move!"
She called him? Really? Well, that aside, Link stood up as he stretched. It was hard to really tell the time at this time o f night, especially since the Moon was…well, he didn't want to finish that thought. He was still kind of annoyed she had yanked at his eyelid, though…
"Alright, just give me a second." Link put his gear away and turned to the wall, fiddling near his belt.
"What? Why?" Tatl asked as she hovered around Link. The fairy then grimaced as the stream hit the wall. "Ew! Warn me when you're going to do that!" So gross! She didn't want to see or hear that!
Link didn't get the big deal and had to resist rolling his eyes. Still, a small and childish part of him was glad she got grossed out, almost like revenge for hurting his eye. He knew that was immature, but he couldn't help it. After finishing up, he felt a lot better. "Did you see a way up to the waterfall's top when you were out there?"
Tatl grimaced as she turned back around. "Oh! Yeah, that's right!" She actually did go ahead and do that. The two had never discussed how he'd get up that high, so she did a quick look around. "There's a bunch of those Deku Flower things you can launch out of. Some on top of these huge golden flowers in the swamp. You're welcome." The last two words were full of smugness.
"Thank you, Tatl." Even though he knew how nasty she was being at the end there, he still appreciated the help. It even seemed to annoy her that he was sincerely thanking her as he donned the Deku Mask once more.
Going back to the clump of houses, Tatl led Link over to one of the flowers she was talking about, pointing out the path to go. The process was more monotonous than anything, Link having to go from flower to flower as he hovered to each one slowly. The only thing that impeded his path was the presence of huge dragonflies that buzzed about, their tails crackling with electricity. Thankfully, all Link had to do was spit bubbles at them, the projectile hitting them in the face and causing them to fly away. Before too long, Link landed on one of the platforms on either side of the waterfall, the entrance to Woodfall just one flower away! Before he could do anything, however, he heard a familiar call.
"Hoo! Hoo! You there, up here!"
Stopping in place, Link looked up see a large branch sticking out of the hive-like structure next to him. Perched there was… Kaepora Gaebora! There was no mistaking it! The same voice…the same look…the way he talked! Was it actually the same owl, or another counterpart? Link hadn't seen the talkative bird once since he returned to being a child, sometimes having wondered where he had gone. Kaepora Gaebora's unusual abilities, his ability to speak and how he had known so much about Link, was what made the boy really wonder if this was the same one.
He didn't ask, however. Link didn't like the idea of Tatl knowing about this business about copies. Something about her knowing anything about him just rubbed the Hylian the wrong way. "Yes? What is it?" He asked, looking to the owl.
"Hoo! I've been watching! Nasty business with the monkey, hm? But I know you can help. You have odd abilities!" Kaepora Gaebora, or whoever he really was, replied. "The next area is very dangerous! Not a lot of places to walk, and the water is much worse. If you fall in…you won't come out…"
"Yeah, we know that! Tell us something helpful!" Tatl sneered back at the owl.
Somehow, though, the avian entity didn't seem to be bothered. "Hoo! Oh, the water in other parts of the swamp is bad, but in Woodfall itself, it's far, far worse. You'd be okay being in this water for a bit, but near the Temple, you'll guarantee a painful death! Alas, if the Temple is not cleansed, the swamp's guardian deity will remain lost!"
"You mean the Giant, right?" So, Link was right. Cleansing the Temple would help the swamp and help with the Giant.
"Exactly. I'm afraid that's all I can help you with." Kaepora Gaebora replied, hooting lightly. "Good luck to the both of you!" With that, he started to flap his powerful wings and soon took off to the horizon.
"Load of help he was…" Tatl grumbled. "Let's ignore him and just keep going. Never heard of a giant talking owl before…" First monkeys, and now an owl? Was the swamp just full of talking animals?
Link decided to brush the situation off. Kaepora Gaebora didn't say anything that made it clear if he knew who the boy was or not. So strange! Either way, he soon glided across the waterfall, taking off his mask as he and Tatl went into the entrance and to Woodfall proper.
The two were able to smell the area before they even left the cave, scrunching their noses at the stench of rot and poison. They went within the purple volcano that was visible even from Clock Town, and it was clear this was where the swamp's curse originated. The area was more of a bog than a swamp, and the water was a far darker and dense shade of purple than any other that the two had seen. There was also very little land, but there were trees and other plants that somehow managed to grow from the water. With planks and Deku Flowers being the only way forward, Link realized how careful he'd have to be as not to fall into the water. Up above, staring down at the two, was the Moon, its face almost looking like it was grimacing at the foul bog below it.
Another thing Link noticed was on the planks were odd creatures, massive bugs that patrolled what little territory they had. "Tatl, what are those?" He asked, pointing one out.
"What? You don't know what Hiploops are? They'll charge right at you, so just knock them into the water or something. Even an idiot like you can work that out, right?" Tatl replied, deciding to actually give out some advice. It was like that owl said, if Link fell into that water, he'd die. As much as she hated the kid, she couldn't just let him fall to his death…
"Thank you, Tatl." He was actually pretty surprised that she gave him advice this time, even with the insult. Either way, Link had been worried that killing the Hiploops would be the only option. He had managed to avoid it so far since entering Termina, the Big Octo being entirely Koume and not him. Looks like that was going to end here.
As Link walked to the plank, the Hiploop there noticed him immediately. It made an angry chittering sound and charged forward, slamming into Link's shield as he raised it to defend himself. Letting out a grunt of effort, his legs buckling a bit from the impact. But he was strong enough to force the Hiploop back, swiping at its face with his blade. This stunned the massive bug, causing it to whine and hiss in pain. Taking this chance, clearing his mind of what he had to do, Link swiped his shield, slamming it into the Hiploop's side and knocking it into the water below.
The massive bug landed into the water with a splash…and it simply vanished. There was no struggle or anything…just a few bubbles. It seemed the poisonous water had simply killed the Hiploop instantly.
Unable to help himself, Link stared at where the Hiploop landed. He felt it harder to breath as he let the situation sink in. After two years…he had killed something. Bugs, generally, were fine for him. Link would swat a fly or kill a spider…but something so big, even if it was a bug, made him feel disgust towards himself. He just knocked it into the bog like it was no big deal. The urge to vomit kept building inside of him, but he swallowed it down.
"Hey! It's dead, let's keep moving!" Tatl urged. What was this brat doing? The owl mentioned how deadly the water was.
"Just making sure." Link lied, turning away from the water, and went forward. The process of moving around Woodfall was tedious. Link had to go across narrow planks, fight off more Hiploops, and sometimes use the Deku Flowers to maneuver around. After about fifteen minutes, the two reached a manmade platform of sorts. On it was a circular platform with a Deku depicted on it.
"That's gotta be it! The platform the monkey mentioned! I guess that song will make the Temple appear, but I don't see any sign of the stupid thing…" Tatl had noticed there was nothing around that remotely looked like a Temple…
Link trusted the wrongly imprisoned monkey, standing on the platform in his Deku form. Converting the Ocarina of Time into pipes, he took a breath and played the Sonata of Awakening, nice and loud. As the notes echoed through the bog, nothing happened at first.
Then, out of nowhere, a rumbling shook the bog! In the center of the bog had been the top of two trees which Link and Tatl barely paid attention to. However, these two trees started to rise out of the poisoned water! With them came a stone structure, it being revealed the massive trees were growing out of the building! As the purple water poured off the massive shape, the upper part of a great ziggurat was revealed, its entrance wide open as the stench of rot and poison became stronger than ever.
"So, the Temple was sleeping. That's why we needed the song…" Link murmured to himself, staring at the structure. A great fear gripped his chest as he stared the building down. The Deku Princess and some great monster were within it, and he would have to delve inside and fight his way out. There was the monster the monkey had mentioned, but given his experience, it wouldn't be alone…
The false Deku walked up to a flower that was on the platform and burrowed inside, popping out and gliding forward and landing right in front of the entrance before shedding his mask, returning to a Hylian once more.
Tatl simply flew over, staring at the entrance and feeling sick to her stomach as well. She could sense a lot of dark magic, and she really didn't want to go in there! "…You can handle this, right? Don't tell me you're stupid enough to bite off more than you can chew…" Despite her efforts, worry and fear bled out from her voice.
Reading his sword and shield, Link nodded. The fear kept intensifying, but he kept his face entirely blank. That anger also started to bubble up again, the boy furious that once more he had to delve into the Temple. Somehow, the fate of a great many people rested on the shoulders of a child. He wanted to scream, to run away, to go back to Hyrule…but he knew he couldn't. So many people relied on him, and he had no choice but to accept the burden with a mask of stoicism.
"I can do this." He replied simply, gripping his sword hard enough that his palm ached, and his knuckles went entirely white.
Tatl stared at Link for a moment, wondering just where he got that confidence from. Sighing, she flew after him, having no choice herself but to rely on Link, as much as she didn't want to. "Fine. Let's just get this over with then…"
Forcing his legs to move, Link entered the Temple, his begrudging companion right by his side.
A/N: Man, that ended up being a lot longer than I expected. I saw no good way to split this into two, though, since I like my chapters to be around a certain length when possible. So, I just decided to make this chapter longer than normal. That, and I want each Temple to have a chapter entirely to itself. Also, I know it seems like I'm kind of rushing the story, but don't worry, Link will have plenty of time to stop and smell the roses and deal with all the side content from the game. There will be a lot of retrospection, angst, and deeper character interactions down the road.
Also, I didn't forget about the Song of Soaring...Link's just not going to get it at all. It'd make things way too easy for him if he could just warp about Termina, after all...