A/N: QUICKEDIT IS EVIL!!!!

Link: O.O (is blown back)

EVIL!!!! SO. . .MAD!!!! MUST. . .TAKE MY ANGER. . .OUT ON SOMETHING!!! (eyes Skywise)

Skywise: O.O AHHH!!!! (runs away while NN chases him with "Demon Eye," her new sword XD)

Link: -.-;;;; They are all insane. . . Well, lemme start the chapter for you people. . .

Soul-Touchers: Chapter 8: Through the Desert

The moon slowly set behind the desert mountains. Florence and Kili crept alongside the red-soiled walls until they reached the gate at Gerudo Fortress leading to the Haunted Wasteland. A single Gerudo guard stood by it, heavy-eyed and yawning.

"She looks tired," whispered Kili. "She must've been up there all night."

Florence nodded. "Still, we can't take our chances." She loaded a Deku Nut into her slingshot.

"Uh. . . Hey, aren't you supposed to use a Deku Seed?"

"It takes more than just a Deku Seed to knock someone out," Florence replied. "You see that platform up there?"

Kili looked up. "Yeah. . ."

"When I stun the guard, go up there and press the switch that will open the gate. And. . . go!" She unleashed the Nut, which hit the guard painfully in the head. Kili wasted no time in flying up towards the platform. As she disappeared behind the brick walls, the gate opened with a creak. Florence rushed under it and stopped at the beginning of the desert. Kili floated down to meet her, and stared out into the desert.

"The Desert Colossus. . ." she breathed. "It looks so close. . ."

". . .yet it's far away," Florence finished. "It's an illusion. It's actually far off. Don't worry, Dad told me how to get through it before, so just stay with me."

Kili nodded and settled on her shoulder, clasping onto the thick lock of hair fearfully.

With that, they stepped into the raging sandstorm that was the Haunted Wasteland. Though the wind was strong, the two kept themselves steady as they followed the tattered flags to a storm formation amongst the sand. They climbed on top and read a strange inscription in the stone.

"'One with the eye of truth shall be guided to the Spirit Temple by an inviting ghost.'" Florence read it out loud.

"The eye of truth. . ." Kili mused. "Isn't that the Lens of Truth?"

Florence nodded thoughtfully.

"We don't have the Lens of Truth!" Kili cried. "What now!?"

Florence stayed calm. "I may not have an 'eye of truth,' but I CAN force the ghost out of hiding!"

With that, she practiced a skill she had already mastered- a mental shout to summon spirits. . . or force them out of hiding.

-Come out, ghost! I know you're there! Stop hiding!-

There was a shriek, and in front of them, a Poe appeared out of thin air. Kili grasped and crawled closer to Florence as the girl stood rigid, staring up at the Poe with her arms crossed.

"YOU!?" the Poe screamed. "What is this!? You have no eye of truth, yet here I am!!!"

-That's because I have more than an eye of truth!-

"ARGH!!" it shrieked. "Enough of the blasted spell- it hurts my head!"

-I'll keep sending as much as I want!- Florence scowled through clenched teeth. -That is, until you lead us trough the desert!-

The Poe growled. "Fine!!"

Kili looked at the ghost, then back at Florence. "I only heard the Poe's responses. What's going on?"

Florence smirked. "It took some persuasion, but it's going to lead us across the desert."

Finally, the Poe took off, chanting, "Look alive! I'll show you the way, but going back, I will not play! There is only one way to go, so follow me, and don't be slow!"

Florence rushed after the ghost. Zigzagging left and right and seemingly unnecessary backtracking annoyed her greatly and sometimes made her almost lose trust in the ghost. However, it kept to its word, and led them safely across the desert. When it disappeared, the blowing sand died down, and she stepped into the Desert Colossus.

Kili smiled. "We made it! Is that the Spirit Temple over there?"

Florence nodded. "I'm tired, though. Let's take a quick rest at the oasis, and then we'll go."

So, the two settled near the calm water. Kili was silent as Florence took a few drinks and refilled her pouch. The Hylian stared at the oasis thoughtfully, which seemed for some reason to make Kili uneasy.

". . . Hey, Kili, you know what my dad always said?"

". . .What?"

"He said that wherever he went in Hyrule, there was always magic. Small ponds like these, with the right kind of magic, can produce healing fairies and become a Fairy Fountain of its own."

Kili stared at the pond, then at Florence.

"Can you try your magic on this oasis?" she asked, eyes pleading.

Kili stalled. "Er. . ."

"Please?"

Kili stared into those begging eyes, and simply could not turn her down. She hovered above the small pond of water and outstretched her arms.

But nothing happened.

"ARGH!!!" Kili shouted in frustration. "It's no use! I'M no use!"

"Kili!" Florence walked through the water and caught the frustrated fairy. "What's wrong?"

Kili looked up with glistening tears in her eyes. "I-I'm sorry! I-I can't do it! I lied to you!"

Florence glanced over Kili worriedly. "W-what do you mean?"

"I can't do fairy magic at all! I can't even Fairy-Send, for Din's sake!" Kili sobbed. "I don't know why, I just can't! I was an outcast, rejected by the other fairies! I lied to you, and I'm sorry!"

Florence's puzzled look changed to one of concern.

"I had no friends for the longest time! No one ever cared about the reject! (sob) When I saw you and heard your story, I. . . I thought YOU could be my friend. . . And maybe, just maybe if I went on a journey outside the forest like Navi did. . . my potential would've blossomed. . . (sniff) But it hasn't! I'm worthless to you!"

At this, Florence was appalled. But she stayed calm and said firmly, "No."

That one word brought Kili's cries down to silence. "B-but Florence. . . What can a fairy like me give!? I can't. . ."

"Friendship."

Kili stopped and stared up at Florence.

"If it wasn't for you, I'd still be crying in the forest. You offered me a helping hand and gave me the confidence I needed to start my journey. You're the only one who cared about my troubles, and. . . you've been such a great friend. . . You're always there for me. . ."

Kili sniffed, then smiled.

"And besides, there's still the final battle with Twinrova. Perhaps that is when your powers will show."

Kili nodded. "Th-thank you, Florence."

Florence gave a determined smile. "You ready to kick some witch tail?"

"Uh-huh!" Kili pushed off her hand.

"Let's go!" They both cheered, and hurried into the Spirit Temple.

A/N: RAAARGH!!!!! (still chasing Skywise)

Skywise: AAAHHHH!!! (is still running away)

Link: Yep, they're still at it. Well, while you guys were reading the chapter, Skywise, um, tried very hard to reason with NN by having a sincere and calm conversation with her. . . (NN and Skywise run behind him) But, um, its seems she has a strong inability to communicate her feelings of pure hatred in a constructive manner.

RARGH!!! (suddenly stops, out of breath)

Link: Ah, but it seems NN, who does not exercise on a daily basis, knows that she cannot take out ALL her rage on the fleeing wolfrider. But it seems that she will accept the defeat with grace and dignity.

Link, I'm VERY PO'd at the moment and I'm holding a SWORD!!!

Link: Shutting up!

Skywise: (cowering in the corner)

Whew! Well, that chase calmed me down. . . a bit. Oh, well! Review!