"Navi… Navi, where art thou? Come hither…" So spoke the mind of The Great Deku Tree. This woke Navi from a dream. Navi was the last of the great battle fairies of old. In fact, in the later days when the battle fairies protected the forest without their Kokiri warrior partners, Navi was War Chieftain of the Battle Fairies. After that, she was liege-fairy to the Great Hylean Deku Tree, the Duke of Hyrule. After that, she had been sick, and in retirement. She felt much worse today. In fact, she was dying of starvation!
The Deku Tree had been ill for the past five months. The remaining Battle Fairies had all been crippled by Ganondorf's magic curse, like Navi had been, the day she was rescued from death by the Duke. But she had fought at the Duke's side, making his aim truer, his voice more powerful, and giving wise counsel to ensure the Duke's success. The day the Duke was murdered, there were only five left, including her. Idle retirement was killing them. By the time The Tree fell ill with its curse, she was the last one.
And, thanks to The Tree's arrogant pride, she might not last the day. If The Tree had listened to her five months ago, the curse would be lifted, and they would both be feeling better. She would have taken some Kokiri, killed whatever was eating at The Tree's heart, and sealed their entrance hole on the way out. She could have done it with ONE warrior. She could have done it with The Boy Without A Fairy, who's life was precious to her above all who still lived, though she was honor-bound not to go to him. She could have even done it with that lazy Mido, who was not much more than a chieftain in name only, and would never be the equal of his father Weldo. Now Weldo, he was a War Chieftain… But no time to waste. The Tree might have actually come to its senses! "I can't even answer telepathically, I'm so weak! Damn that stupid Tree anyhow…" she thought to herself, not caring if she was heard or not. She managed to fly to the ground, where the Deku tree could still see, if barely. "I'm here, Great Deku Tree!" she squeaked weakly.
"Oh, Navi the Fairy…" said the Deku Tree. "Listen to my words, the words of the Deku Tree… Dost thou sense it? The climate of evil descending upon this realm…
"Malevolent forces even now are mustering to attack our land of Hyrule. For so long, The Kokiri Forest, the source of life, has stood as a barrier, deterring outsiders and maintaining the order of the world. But…before this tremendous evil power, even my power is as nothing…
"It seems that the time has come for the boy without a fairy to begin his journey… The youth whose destiny it is to lead Hyrule to the path of justice and truth… Navi…go now! Find our young friend and guide him to me… I do not have much time left.
"Fly, Navi, fly! The fate of the forest, nay, the world, depends upon thee! But don't think of bonding to him! His heart is Kokirish, but could never balance with a battle fairy!" With that, The Deku Tree gave Navi a burst of life-force and sent her on her way.
"Bond to a Hylean?" Navi thought. "Never! Not even that one, unless his life depended on it! I'd sooner die first, and probably will today!" She flew down the path to the Kokiri village. She passed Mido at the entrance to the path. "Arrogant no-talent twit!" she thought to herself as she flew past. A couple of younger Kokiri, and a couple of guardian fairies said hello to her as she raced past them. They didn't recognize her, though. Battle fairies, when weak, crippled, and near death, look no different than guardian fairies. Since no one had seen her in years, no one recognized her, or the true import of her flight. She flew headlong into the slat of a fence on a ledge, almost knocking herself out. She got up, shook her head, and flew into Link's house.
Link was asleep on his bed. He had just finished having the nightmare again. Navi was blind in her fairy-sight, but could sense the fear, and some of Link's life-force. Navi was disappointed. She thought to herself "He has no courage! I guess it's a wasted trip. I'll just get a little sip of life-force from him, and be on my way. A brave kid wouldn't miss a drop, and a coward like this will never know. She gently took a sip from Link's life-force. Her fairy-sight came back a little bit. She was surprised by what she saw. "No coward here! If I was just an eleven year-old Hylean, and I had one nightmare of Ganondorf, this house would be a sewage pit from my fear! He's had this nightmare for as long as the Tree has had the curse, and this bed's never been soiled! Heart's bigger than I thought, too! Just another sip won't hurt…" She took another sip from Link's life-force and almost got sucked in whole! "Whew! Almost got stuck! That kid's heart is Kokirish, and a big one at that! I didn't know it was possible!"
She looked around Link's house. "No sword, no shield, no money. The sword will be no problem, but the money for the shield…" She looked into Link's mind. "Let's see…the Helfdanes have instructed him well, he may do all right… deku shield will cost forty Rupees, now how to get him to borrow a sword from the Hole of Z…no problem there. Kid's eleventh birthday. I show up and say Deku Tree, he's off like a lightning bolt. Mido will insist that Link get a sword and shield just to waste Link's time. I think I can get the attention of at least one of the Helfdanes, get some rupees there… the help plants in the Hole of Z are always good for a rupee or two… he'll have to take Weldo's fairy sword anyway, it's always good to get more from help plants…got it!" With that, Navi proceeded to wake Link from his restless slumber.
"Hello, Link! Wake up! The Great Deku Tree wants to talk to you" Navi announced loudly. Link was still out cold "Link, get up!" Navi shouted again. Link was almost awake, but not quite there. "Great" Navi thought. "I'm dying here, and this kid needs a light show to wake up. But at least I can do a light show. I haven't felt this good in months." Navi started to fly around Link's face, up and down, just out of reach. As she did, she sparkled, throwing off bright speckles of light. While she did this, she shouted "Hey! C'mon! Can Hyrule's destiny really depend on such a lazy boy?"
This finally woke Link up. In fact, Navi had his full, awe-struck attention. Link was looking at her, hoping he was awake, knowing that Navi was his fairy, after all these years. Navi thought "Tree, you had better have enough life in you to give this kid a proper fairy. Otherwise, he and I are coming back with a saw!" She said to Link "You finally woke up! I'm Navi the fairy! The Great Deku Tree asked me to be your partner from now on!"
Link breathlessly stammered "NNNice to mmmeet you!"
Navi thought "Tree, add a plow and lots of salt to that list! You hurt this kid, you don't deserve kids either!" She said "Nice to meet you! The Great Deku Tree has summoned you! So let's get going, right now!" Sure enough, as Navi figured, Link was off like a flash! He ignored his breakfast, which Saria had set on the table just an hour before Navi arrived. He also ignored his ocarina, which Saria had set on the table with his breakfast, as he had forgotten it in the meadow the day before.
Normally, if he had not been awakened by Saria's smell, pretended to sleep, then quickly eat the breakfast, he would have still eaten it as soon as he got up. Then, he would quickly make a breakfast and sneak it into Saria's house while she was still out visiting with her other friends. For Saria was the early riser of the two, but Link moved much faster, and was the "sneakier" of the two. She usually didn't catch him, and when she did catch him, she hid and let him finish. This didn't happen every day, but they did it fairly often. This was just another little ritual between young lovers.
Today, he was so excited, he almost ignored Saria! He might have actually missed her, so excited was he. But she saw Navi and shouted "Link! You finally got your fairy!"
Link replied "Yes, Saria! We finally did!" He embraced her, lifting her off the ground, and spun around. They kissed quickly but passionately. She then slapped Link, or at least appeared to. Her hand gently caressed his cheek, once it actually got there, and she slapped her thigh with her other hand for the sound.
"Link! Behave yourself! That is not proper for a young man to do!" She said this forcefully, with less than no sincerity, and both knew the true meaning. "Link, you are now a man, as soon as you get back from The Great Deku Tree! You have a fairy! We both love each other, else how could we be so close in every way possible! Take me properly, before I take you publicly!" Kokiri women, when their boyfriends and they truly loved each other, but where neither found the courage to propose and marry properly, had been known to fail to passion's temptation publicly. This was even more embarrassing than the public wedding that followed, in spite of the fact that at those public weddings, no one would dress the couple, nor allow them to fetch clothes to dress themselves until after they were housed on opposite ends of the village!
"I have to see The Great Deku Tree right away!" Link said excitedly.
Saria replied, "You mustn't keep The Great Deku Tree waiting, then. Hurry back!" With that, she kissed him again, not even bothering with appearances, and left for Link's house. She knew she would make her own breakfast this morning. She also knew that Link had not eaten his, yet. As it was a cold breakfast, it would keep until Link got back if she covered it. If he went to her house first, she would have him follow her to his house, and they would share it.
The two continued along the path and turned to the right. He almost ran into April, one of the twin girls who were a day older than Saria. She said "Link! You have a fairy!"
Link answered "Yes, April. I've also been called to see the Great Deku Tree right away!"
"I won't keep you then. Good luck!"
Link continued to run at full speed, Navi struggling to keep up. He swam the creek, and went to the mouth of the Great Deku Tree's meadow.
There, he encountered Mido, the Chieftain of the Kokiri. Mido asked "Where do you think you're going, Mister No-Fairy?"
Link answered, "Mister Chieftain, I was sent for by the Great Deku Tree. He asked that I see him immediately!"
"And why wasn't I told about this?" Mido asked.
Navi answered, "Perhaps I didn't have time to waste telling you, Mido!" Navi startled Mido! He looked up, and saw the fairy hovering over Link's head, but didn't recognize whom she was. Navi was obviously irritated at the waste of time.
Mido continued "Ok, Link. You aren't 'Mr. No-Fairy' anymore! But you still need a sword and shield to see the Great Deku Tree, and I won't let you pass unless you come back with them!"
Link asked "But you don't have your sword and shield with you?"
Mido answered, "That's different. I don't need my sword and shield with me to see the Great Deku Tree. But you do, because this is your day to be proclaimed a man." Though the requirement was almost never enforced, it was still a requirement.
Navi said "Link, let's go get your sword and shield. We don't have any time to waste."
As Link crossed the creek, Navi asked, "Do you know about the Hole of Z?"
Link answered "Sure, Navi! It's the 'hole of last resort,' because the Kokiri are a people of peace. We keep most of our arms there, to remind us of this. Only a Kokiri is small enough to get in to the main chamber, and nimble enough to avoid being crushed by the boulder that rolls around in there."
"Good!" Navi replied. "You will be getting the Fairy Sword from there, right now."
"But Navi, isn't that a little much for seeing the Great Deku Tree? Mido isn't even allowed to carry that sword, except for Samhain festivals." Navi hesitated, and then replied, "You go to pay honour to The Great Deku Tree. Why not honour him with the best you can borrow, seeing you don't own a sword of your own."
"But shouldn't I at least ask the Helfdanes first?" Link asked.
"I'll take care of that, Link! I'll go ahead of you. Wait by the entrance to the hole."
As Link walked ahead, Navi flew to one of the Helfdanes, who was standing by the entrance to the Hole of Z. The warrior greeted Navi. "Battle Fairy! It's been a long time since I saw you abroad! You are looking ill."
Navi answered, "Brother warrior, the time of Destiny is upon us! The Deku Tree is dying from Ganondorf's curse! He had me get Link to lift the curse! How are his skills?"
"His skills are fine, Navi!" the warrior answered in his mind, so only Navi could hear. "But why didn't the Tree send for either Link or someone else sooner? I asked it how it felt only two weeks ago, and it said that it was just recovering slowly from last winter's snow."
"I don't know, warrior! I'm having Link borrow the Fairy Sword. Has he used it?"
"No, Navi, but he should handle it as easily as any other. He is a natural with the sword. Does he know why he's being called?"
"Not yet, warrior. I will tell him what he needs to know, at first. He seems brave enough, but his destiny is scary indeed! I don't want him distracted by all of it right away."
"Will the tree recover if Link succeeds?"
Navi thought a moment. "No, the tree will die by sundown tomorrow, if it lives that long."
"Will it keep its word to Link? His heart is larger, and more Kokirish than anyone I've known."
Navi thought again. "I don't know, warrior. I'm not sure it can still make a guardian fairy. Perhaps, if Link succeeds in his destiny, the Tree's son will keep its father's word for it, if the Tree can't."
"Could you be Link's fairy, Navi?"
"No, warrior. I am too large, and too ill. If I tried to bond to Link, I would surely kill him. And by not bonding with him, I assure my own death. Perhaps I'll outlive the Tree by a day, no longer."
At that moment, Link walked up. "Good morning, Warrior Helfdane! Has my new fairy asked you about my borrowing a sword yet?" he asked.
The Helfdane answered, "Yes, Link. This will be the first time you've carried the Fairy Sword. Even if you only carry it to pay respects, I will want you to go through the training course with it before you leave. You will also need a shield. After you go through the training course, we will talk about that." The Helfdane said silently to Navi, "Come to your senses, Navi! Link will never complete his quest without a fairy! Far kinder to him to kill him now, if that will happen, than to have him die alone on some far away field!"
"We each have our swords to bear, warrior!" the fairy replied. "If I am bonded to Link, it will be by fate! Otherwise, fairy or no, Link has his quest. He must try, whether he has a chance or not!"
Link and Navi entered the narrow opening to the Hole of Z. The opening was in fact a tunnel, barely big enough for a Kokiri adult to crawl through. They came out the far side eight feet later. Link turned to the right. He watched for the boulder. As soon as it made its turn, Link chased it through its path. It turned left, and he followed. It turned left again, and he turned right. He walked up to a large wooden chest. He opened the chest, and took out the Fairy Sword, which was sitting on top of the other swords in the chest. He strapped the scabbard to his back; then he drew the sword itself. Satisfied with the way he had the scabbard secured, Link started to sheathe the Fairy Sword.
Navi stopped him. "Link, cut that plant over there."
Link did this, and was surprised to feel a coin suddenly appear in one of his short pockets! He quickly took the coin from his pocket and stared at it. He was five rupees richer than before he swung the war-blade.
"How did that happen, Navi?" the astonished Link asked.
"Link, that is part of why I suggested the Fairy Sword. It will not only protect you as any other sword, but should you need it, it will extract what you need from some of the wild grasses and plants throughout the realm. That's what happened here. It will also help you find rupees in tall grass, even without cutting the grass itself."
"Ok, that gets me five rupees closer to buying a new shield. But where will I get the rest of the money? With the travelling peddlers being late this year, I've not sold any cloth. I have only the five rupees in my pocket."
"We will find the rest of the money quickly enough. Let's get out of here. The Helfdanes will want to see you use the sword on the training course before they let you take it to see the Deku Tree." They waited for the boulder to come around again. Link chased the boulder down the path again, following in its first left, then running straight to get back to the tunnel. He crawled through the tunnel, and back out to the village. He wandered a short distance to his left, and found six more rupees! Twenty-nine to go.
He walked back to the training course, and met the Helfdane again. The other Helfdane joined them. One said, "Link, the sword looks good on your back. Let's see how good it looks in your hand. Go to the beginning, and run the course!"
Link went to the beginning. He demonstrated thrusts, jabs, parries, horizontal chops, and vertical chops. He demonstrated the quick spin, and the deliberate spin. He did back-flips, jump attacks, side jumps, and rolls both forward and backward. In the process, he also cut the quick growing weeds that were the primary targets, and collected six more rupees. Twenty-three left. The Helfdanes were impressed.
One said, "Link, that was good work! To honour that, and your eleventh birthday, we will not only allow you to borrow the Fairy Sword, but will give you this gift of six rupees. Please take it." Link accepted the gift.
"Thank you, noble warriors!" he said, bowing deeply.
One said, "Brother Link. You don't need to bow to us anymore. We are still elders, to be respected, but you are no longer a boy! After you return from the Great Deku Tree, you will be a man! You owe us no more and no less then a clasp of the hand." Link shook the hands of the two warriors.
"Brother warriors, I must take my leave of you. I need to find the rest of the money to buy my shield. I'm keeping the Deku Tree waiting. Today, of all days, I mustn't do that!"
The other Helfdane answered, "Go with fortune, Brother Link. The Tree will wait for necessity. Just don't waste time."
Seventeen rupees short, Link started walking toward his house. Navi said, "Look over by Saria's house. There are some weeds there. If you cut them, you might find more rupees." Link cut the weeds, and found seven more rupees. On his last swing, he hit a rock. In frustration, he grabbed the rock and heaved it into the side of the valley wall, which ran behind Saria's house. It broke, and he had five more rupees! He climbed to the top of Saria's house, and walked along the Wizard's Walk. This walkway, which Saria's father Sarchan put up many years ago, was still solid. It was also good for five rupees. Link had just enough for the shield!
He jumped down from the walk, rolling to break his fall. He ended up in a tall pile of grass. He not only didn't lose any of his newly found wealth, but he picked up two more rupees! He jumped across the three jumping stones to the village store, and found five more rupees! He said to Navi "Is the Fairy Sword bringing all this money?"
Navi answered, "Yes. But not everyone can carry a Fairy Sword. Most Kokiri don't do as well as you have. Let's go get the shield, we don't want to keep the Great Deku Tree waiting!" As they entered the store, Navi was still marvelling. She was being totally open with Link about the sword, the only thing she had been that honest about all morning!
Link walked into the store, and walked up to the counter. The storekeeper said "Good morning, young Link! I'm glad to see you finally have a fairy!"
Link replied to the storekeeper "Thank you, and good morning, Mister Dion! I need to buy a shield."
Dion, who had heard some of Mido's exchange with Link earlier that morning, was going to do something almost unthinkable. He was going to let Link buy on credit. Since Kokiri seldom need to buy anything, the thought of someone buying something, and paying for it later on was unheard of. But Link needed that shield now. It would cause Link hardship for months if he didn't get it quickly. Link was also scrupulously honest in all his dealings. If Link agreed to pay for something on such and such a date, his word was almost as good as rupees in hand. Besides, he had two full bolts of cloth on consignment from Link for when the traders finally came in from Hyrule Castle Town. Each bolt would easily bring sixty rupees. So, Dion wasn't worried about being paid. He was surprised just the same when Link counted out forty rupees on his counter!
"How did you raise the money, Link? I know you have been waiting on the travelling peddlers, and thought you were broke!"
"I've borrowed the Fairy Sword from the Hole of Z. It helped me find the money from the weeds and grasses."
Dion looked at the boy, and realized he was telling the truth. He looked up at the fairy, which he had paid almost no attention to before. He recognized Navi from years ago. He realized that something was terribly wrong.
Navi told him in his mind "Silence is golden, Dion!"
Dion collected the money, and handed Link a deku wood shield. He also handed Link a 'T' shaped device with straps on it. "Link, you've been a good and honest customer. You've also been a friend. Now, you will soon be a man. It is only right that I give you a present to honour this day. This 'T-frame' will help you, should you have to travel. You can hang your shield on it, so you don't have to carry it on your arm all the time, but you'll still be able to get the shield quickly if you need it! You will also be able to put a bag on it, to carry spare clothes, a bedroll, and so on. Please take it."
Link accepted the T-frame, and put it on. After adjusting it, he hung the shield on the back of it. He tried getting the shield back off. It almost flew onto his arm! He put the shield back on the T-frame. He said "Thank you, Mister Dion! I don't know how to repay you!"
Dion answered, "With your gratitude, you already have. Besides, you've been a good customer, as well as a friend! We've both done well doing business with each other, and will do even better as the years go by!"
"I must be going!" Link answered. "The Great Deku Tree is waiting on me."
"Go with fortune, Link!" Dion answered. Link and Navi left the shop, and crossed the creek. They walked back to Mido.
Mido was surprised they were back so soon. It had been only two and a half hours since he had turned them away. He thought that he would have delayed Link all morning! He was even more surprised that Link was carrying the Fairy Sword! The Helfdanes wouldn't let him touch it, except during the Samhain festival, and he was the Chieftain! They told him that it was only for battle! He said to Link "I see you found yourself a shield, and a T-frame to go with it no less. And what is that?" he exclaimed, pointing at the hilt of the Fairy Sword. "You borrowed The Fairy Sword? Good Grief! How did you get to be the favourite of Saria and the Great Deku Tree, huh? Fate forbid me from slowing you down any more, brother warrior! Go with fortune!" Mido stepped aside.
Link answered "Thank you, brother Chieftain!" Link wanted to say a lot more, but he didn't have the time. Link and Navi continued up the path.
Mido continued thinking. "The Fairy Sword is only for battle, huh? But the Helfdanes would never make excuses, and have no tact for me in them! If they thought I didn't deserve to touch the Fairy Sword, my father's blade, they would tell me just like that! But Link is carrying it now, as if it was his! And his guardian fairy was Navi the battle-fairy! The last time she had travelled in the company of another, the wars were still being fought! I'd better see the Helfdanes now! Something's horribly wrong, and I should have known about it!" Mido ran to the Helfdanes' house, to learn some hard truths about life in the coming years.
Link and Navi were approaching three tall blue flowers that were growing along the path. The flowers stood about six feet tall, and looked like blue tulips. These were no ordinary flowers, though. They were deku babas. The deku babas were related to the deku trees, and were magical plants. They grew to attack anything that came near them! These plants had just sprouted overnight, and could only spin around and snap into the air. But once these deadly plants were fully mature, they could spin around and bite anything within six feet of where they were rooted! Navi said, "Link! Watch out for those deku babas. Cut them with your sword, but don't let them bite you."
This sobered Link up completely! He did as he was told, but still got nipped by one of them. Each one, when killed, yielded a deku stick. Navi told Link "Pick those sticks up, and put them on your pack. You will need them all too soon!"
Link did this, and asked "What's going on, Navi? This is not just being initiated as a man."
"You're right, Link! You are being called on for something far more important. You are a man now, being called for this task is itself your initiation. The Great Deku Tree will tell you more. Watch out!"
Link cut one of the deku baba again, just before it took a bite out of him! It yielded another deku stick. The other two were just growing back. Link cut them down again, and picked up the sticks. Navi said "You can carry ten deku sticks on your pack. Cut the deku baba four more times, then we need to see the Great Deku Tree itself." Link did as Navi told him, and they both entered the Great Deku Tree meadow.