Lady obsessed: ZZZZzzzzz
Souzou: ??? pokes
Lady obsessed: MYAH! I'm awake! I'm awake...looks at Souzou Oh, it's you.
Souzou: Thanks. Shouldn't you be getting on with chapter 4?
Lady obsessed: Erm...yes?
Souzou: Then do it!
Lady obsessed: Okay, okay! Geez, bossy muse.
Souzou: Hey, it's my job. Now, mush!
Lady obsessed: Hey, hey! I have to apologise first.
Souzou: rolls her eyes Be quick!
Lady obsessed: Okay. I'm so so so so so so so sorry you guys but I've had terrible writer's block. I know; how can I have writer's block when I'm using the game's plotline? Well, quite easily. And as Lizai very rightly pointed out, I haven't got around to messing up the plotline. It's harder than it sounds. So I will attempt it in this chapter but is more likely to happen after the first dungeon when O-chan works out that she could probably do it. Okay? gasps for breath
Souzou: Okay, now get on with the chapter! lashes whip
Lady obsessed: Eek! hurries to type fic Oh yeah, I don't own Zelda.
Chapter 4 – The World Beneath The Roots
Link watched through the giant web that surrounded him as O-chan vanished from sight. Somewhere far below, he heard a splash and then nothing. Navi hovered beside him, glowing faintly.
"O-chan..."
Link frowned angrily and rounded on the giant skulltula. He wrenched his sword from its scabbard and held it before him. The immense spider descended, clicking its giant pincers. Link was ready for it, standing a safe distant. He watched as the skulltula shook itself and then turned as if looking for the enemy, exposing its vulnerable underbelly. With one quick slash Link sliced through it. It fell, dead at his feet and then became engulfed in flame and burnt away.
He sheathed his sword again.
"That's was great Link!" Navi chimed, flitting around his head.
"Mmm..."
Link's gaze turned towards the hole again. He took a deep breath.
"Link," Navi said nervously. "Wouldn't it be safer if you climbed down?"
"There's no time. This'll be quicker."
"B-but..."
Link wasn't listening. He moved forwards onto the wooden platform jutting out from the edge. He gazed down again. It was a steep drop. He gulped.
"Link..."
He jumped, and plunged down, down into the gap where O-chan had disappeared only moments before.
She crashed into the water and resurfaced spluttering and coughing. Iku appeared a second later, hovering just above her.
"You okay?"
O-chan opened her mouth to reply but just swallowed more water. She spat it out and struggled to pull herself up onto the shore. The little fairy followed.
"Well?"
She glared at the golden ball of light but couldn't be bothered to respond to her question. She wrung out her clothes, grumbling about the fact that this was the second time she had been soaked through, and looked around, taking in the familiar layout of the underground chamber of the Deku Tree.
She stood up, swatting Iku away from her head. Iku scowled slightly but bobbed back to her and rested on her head.
"So now what?" she chimed.
"I'm working it out."
"Fair enough, only don't stand around to long."
O-chan rolled her eyes and tried to look up at the fairy and failing because she was on her head.
"Why? Because I'll catch a cold?"
"No, because you're about to be attacked by that Deku Baba."
"What?!"
She jumped aside just in time. The Deku Baba's toothed bloom snapped just where her feet had been a moment before. It attempted to retreat back to its corner to watch but O-chan managed a quick slice of her sword and killed it. It shrivelled away and a Deku Nut appeared where is had been. O-chan picked it up and frowned.
Damn, she thought as she eyed the large sticky entanglement of the web on the opposite side of the bank and then the unlit torch to her left.
"I need to light that," she muttered.
But then, I only have Deku Nuts and I need sticks to transport the fire. Urg, this is annoying.
"I could do this easily when I was controlling Link but doing this for real is so hard!" she snapped.
"So what do we do?"
O-chan turned and shot a menacing look at the fairy so that she recoiled, glowing very brightly.
"Sorry!" she retorted sarcastically. "I won't speak to you then!"
"Good, I might be able to concentrate," O-chan grumbled, turning at a sudden thought.
She couldn't quite remember every detail of the game but didn't the Deku Babas in this area regenerate themselves to make it easier for players on their first go? Yes! They did. Sure enough, the Deku Baba had been resurrected and was looking almost inconspicuous in its corner. O-chan smiled. Something was going right.
Holding her sword ready she moved towards it. Sensing her movement, the Deku Baba raised its toothed bud, following her. It was waiting until she was near enough and she knew it. She took another couple of steps nearer and it stretched to its full height. Another step and it lunged, snapping at her stomach. She managed to get away with it just catching her side as she moved and she hit its head in retaliation, stunning it. It squealed and stiffened, allowing her to cut through its stalk.
The Deku stick clattered at her feet and she smirked. All right! This was progress. Snatching it up she turned it towards the torch. Now all she needed was for the flame to appear. She glanced around again. Ah, of course, she thought as she spied the switch at the far wall. She nimbly stepped on it. The torch burst with light as the fire appeared. Swinging the Deku Stick through it, she caught the flame on its end. Then she stepped into the raised platform in the water that acted as a pathway to the opposite bank.
SPLASH!!
Link's impact with the water sent a shower over O-chan and putting out the fire. He coughed and stood up. He blinked, rubbing the water from his eyes. O-chan cried in frustration and threw the damp and now useless stick away from her.
"Hmm?"
Link turned and looked at her and his face broke into a smile of relief.
"I'm so glad you're okay," he said. "I was worried after you fell."
O-chan just threw her hands up in irritation.
"You just had to come after me then, didn't you?! You couldn't have waited even a couple of seconds?"
Link looked abashed and puzzled. O-chan tutted and pointed at the webbing.
"We need to burn it and you just destroyed my Deku Stick!"
"Is that all?" Navi asked, flitting out from behind Link. "This boy has a whole bunch of 'em. Don't you?"
Link blinked as if in revelation and then grinned sheepishly. "Oh yeah, that's right." And he whipped out one from his bundle, swept it through the flame and presented it to her. "Here you go."
O-chan stared at the flame for a few seconds and then up at Link. He was still grinning rather sheepishly. She felt herself smiling.
"Thanks," she said, taking it from him and carefully making her way to the other bank.
Link followed and he and the two fairies watched as the girl held the fire up to the sticky threads of web. They caught alight immediately and in a matter of seconds they had been destroyed, revealing a door. The four of them passed through it into the next room. It was empty. O-chan frowned.
"Strange...I'm sure there were supposed to be enemies here," she murmured, looking about her.
Link was looking around too and he spied a second door with an eye above it.
"I think we go through here," he said, walking over to it. "Don't you O- chan? O-chan? What are you doing?"
He got no reply so watched the girl as she searched the room high and low, her sword in her hand. Iku followed her and searched too although what she was looking for she didn't know. After a couple of minutes she straightened up, scowling slightly.
"How odd."
"Yeah, it was. Why were you doing that?" Link asked.
O-chan went slightly red and thought that if this were an anime she'd be sweatdropping right about now.
"N-nothing, never mind," she said, shaking her hand. "Don't worry about me."
"Or her sanity," Iku added resulting in being snatched irritably from the air and stuffed in O-chan's pocket.
Ah, a plus side to this being real, she thought. Can shut the fairy up at last! She grinned to herself and then stopped as she realised Link was giving her a funny look.
"Ah heh heh heh...so...what was it you asked me?"
Link blinked and frowned, trying to remember. Navi tutted.
"Eye, door, go through," she said.
"Oh yeah," Link said as the idea returned to him, "Do you think we should go through here?"
O-chan just stared at him. What kind of question was that? It was the only other way out of the room. But she nodded anyway. Link smiled and tried the door. It wouldn't budge.
"It's stuck! We can't get through!"
"Eye," said Navi.
Link stepped back and looked at the door. Then he pulled out his slingshot, aiming at the eye. The Deku seed shot flew and hit it with perfect accuracy. He tried the door again and it opened. He grinned.
"Got it!"
O-chan shook her head but smiled and followed him through.
She recognised the next room instantaneously, as would every other Zelda gamer who had played the game several thousand times before but she kept quiet. Link already thought she was going mad and she didn't want to make it worse by saying what they had to do. She'd leave that to Navi. She watched as the little blue ball of light flitted about for a couple of seconds, as if she were calculating something and then she dived.
"NAVI!"
Link leapt after her, plunging into the water. He swam down to where Navi was hovering, above a switch.
"You have to press this," she said with ease through the water.
Link looked at the switch and tried to push it down but it wouldn't move. He frowned and tried again. Nothing. Annoyed, he kicked upwards and resurfaced, treading water.
"O-chan, you need to help me. I can't press it by myself."
O-chan looked dubiously at the water. She didn't want to get wet yet again and besides, this was diving and she wasn't good at it. She hated getting water up her nose. She couldn't do it.
"Are you sure? Try again!"
"But..." Link looked at her, "alright, I'll try but I don't think it's gonna work."
She watched as he disappeared below the surface once more and attempted to press the switch down. She could see the look of intense concentration on his face as he did so. She crossed her fingers. Then she saw him close his eyes and blow a stream of bubbles. He was out of air and had to come up again. He gave her a pleading look that she couldn't resist.
"Stupid Kokiri," O-chan muttered to herself, "why'd you have to be so cute?"
She took a deep breath, held her nose and jumped into the water, swimming to the switch. Link dived down to meet her.
"Ready?" he mouthed.
She nodded, still holding her nose. Together, they pushed as hard as possible on the switch. They could hear a slight grating noise as it began to move downwards very slowly. They were doing it.
O-chan choked. She couldn't hold her breath anymore and swallowed a mouthful of water. She pushed herself off the switch and above the water, gasping for air. Link resurfaced beside her.
"You okay?"
She nodded slowly, "I think so."
"We almost had it too," Link sighed. "We'd probably do it if you were using two hands."
O-chan choked again as he said this so he grabbed her shirt to stop her going under while she coughed the water out of her mouth.
"I'm sorry but I can't do it. I can't get water in my nose."
"Why?"
"It hurts too much."
"But we can't go anywhere unless we press that switch."
"I know!"
"Then just try. Once. Please?"
O-chan wouldn't look at him because she knew he'd be giving her that look again. She really didn't want to but Link was right, they had no choice.
"Fine."
Link grinned, though she didn't see. He waited to make sure she was ready before letting go of her.
"On three," he said. "One, two, THREE!!"
O-chan screwed up her eyes, breathed in deep and dived beneath the surface. She felt the water enter her nose but she resisted the urge to resurface as she placed two hands on the switch. Link placed his opposite and together they pressed it down. The grating noise could be heard again but this time the switch went down easily. They bobbed back up, beaming.
"You did it!" Link said.
O-chan blushed with pride. She had done it, she was so pleased.
Just as it was supposed to, the water level began to lower. The two of them swam towards the shore and hoisted themselves up. There was no time to worry about wringing out their heavy wet clothes as the platform that moved from one shore to the other had just reached them. O-chan grabbed Link's arm and jumped onto it, pulling him after her.
On the opposite bank, they took a moment to get rid of the water in their clothes. As they were doing so, the switch managed to push itself back into it rightful position and the water rose back to its original level.
As she wrung the water from her shorts, O-chan remembered Iku was still in her pocket so she fished her out.
"You okay?"
The little yellow fairy coughed angrily and shook her wings. She wouldn't reply and just flew up to join Navi. O-chan could see her aura was very bright and knew she was still mad.
"Okay then, I'll take that to be a no. Come on, let's keep going."
The next bit was simple, she knew. It was so obvious that even Link would know what he had to do.
"Help me push this large block then," he said. "If we move it under that ledge we should be able to climb up."
She smiled. See, easy. Standing side by side, they pushed the cube like block under the ledge. It took a lot of effort as it was extremely heavy. O-chan couldn't help wondering how Link was able to do it so easily in the game. Even as they were pushing, she could here him making the strange sounds of effort he did in the game and she couldn't help smiling. It was so cute.
Once in place, Link climbed up first and then held out a hand to help O- chan up after him but she hoisted herself up beside him without his help.
"Need to practice don't I?" she said, "I might not have around next time."
The next room was passed through within a number of seconds. Link lit the two torches with a Deku stick which allowed them through the door.
"This things are pretty handy," he said as they entered the room beyond. He spied another torch and the large sticky web on the opposite side. "See, all we have to do is catch the flame on this stick again and light that web over there and we're swiftly on to the next room."
He grinned and proceeded to light the torch. Then he marched across the room. Only he stopped half way.
"O-chan? What are you waiting for? Come on! We need to save the Great Deku Tree! Don't just stand there!"
O-chan still didn't move. It had suddenly become too easy.
"O-chan?"
There was a rustling. A familiar rustle that made O-chan cringe. She knew it. Slowly, she raised her eyes to the ceiling. Link frowned but followed her gaze. And gulped.
"N-Navi...what are those?"
Navi flitted up to the three round and slimy looking orbs that were fixed to the ceiling. Iku flew after her and the two circled them.
"These," they said in unison, "are Gohma larvae."
As they said it, the egg just above Link rustled again and suddenly shattered. The kokiri boy moved aside, dropping his Deku stick, as the slimy arachnid uncoiled itself, opening its one large eye and looking around. O-chan shuddered. It was disgusting to look at. She watched as the creature got to its feet, its eye still revolving around until it settled on her and Link. It blinked and then scuttled forwards. The two of them drew their swords.
"S-stay away!" O-chan said weakly.
She was terrified. These things creeped her out in the game and they were creeping her out now. She glanced at Link but if he was scared he didn't show it. He raised his sword and swung it at the larvae.
"Take that!"
Steel connected with armour. The larvae shook itself but didn't seem hurt and as it was Link who attacked him, it was Link it went for. It pounced, sending him flying to the floor. It pinned him down, snapping its sharp pincers, its eye glowing red.
"Urg! Get off of me!" Link yelled, trying to push it off but not succeeding. "O-CHAN!"
O-chan drew her sword and gulped.
"Oi! You!" she cried, shakily.
The larvae turned but remained on top of Link. It just stared at her.
"Yeah, you! Pick on someone...erm...your own size!"
The larvae looked at her and then at Link and back again. To it, they both looked the same size so it stayed where it was. O-chan frowned and pulled out one of her Deku nuts.
"Hey!" She yelled.
It turned again, and she tossed the nut into its eye. It squealed and rolled off of Link. It was stunned only momentarily but it was enough time for Link to scramble up and grab his sword.
"The eye!" Navi jingled.
With two swift strikes, Link killed the larvae and it disintegrated. He looked up at the ceiling.
"What about the others?"
"We'll be fine as long as we don't walk under the eggs," O-chan muttered, taking one of Link's Deku sticks and lighting it.
She walked around the edge of the room, Link behind her and set the web alight. It burned away, revealing a tiny hole. Iku and Navu went through first so they could light the way, followed by O-chan and last was Link.
At the exit, O-chan stood up and walked over to the large cube like block that stood at the edge of the platform before Link had even emerged. When he did, he looked about.
"Why does this look familiar?"
"Because it is," Navi explained. "This is where O-chan landed and then you when you went through the hole in the ground."
The kokiri boy stared at her and then looked around.
"You sure?"
"Yes."
"Link, stop pestering Navi and help me!" O-chan called as she tried without success to move the large block.
"What are we doing?" he asked, walking over.
"Pushing this block...huff...into the water...erg...gimme a hand!"
Link obliged but not without saying:
"Why?"
"So we can get to the torch over there. We need to light this web here so we can go down further and save the Deku Tree."
"Ah. Gotcha."
Together, they heaved the heavy block over the edge of the platform. O- chan explained to Link that he needed to jump onto the block without dropping the Deku stick.
"Heh, no problem," he said before he dropped the stick in the water. He blushed. "Sorry."
"Don't worry. I failed my first couple of tries," O-chan smiled.
"Huh?"
"N-nothing! Never mind! Just try and reach the block and I'll take the stick while you climb back up. Might be easier that way."
Link agreed and, after a third attempt, they managed to set the sticky white threads covering the hole aflame. The two glanced down the hole and then at each other. They couldn't see anything.
"Ready?" Link whispered.
O-chan nodded and drew a deep breath.
"Why are you doing that?"
"You'll see," O-chan said and jumped.
Link was quick to follow.
SPLASH!
SPLASH!
The sound of the two kokiris hitting the water woke the three Deku scrubs.
"What was that?"
"Intruders!"
"Quick! We can't let them enter the Queen's room!"
"When they reach the shore, attack them together."
"Right!"
"Okay!"
O-chan pushed off the bottom and swam to the surface. Breaking above the water, she caught her breath. Link resurfaced beside her.
"See why you did it now. How did you know?"
O-chan laughed nervously.
"I could...erm...hear it! That's it, I could hear it."
She forced a smile and then headed quickly for the shore before Link could say anything else. Before she stepped up, she looked about. Ah, they were in the Deku scrub room. Still in the shallows, she pulled her shield from her back.
"Better be ready," she said, "we're about to be attacked."
And she stood up.
Immediately, three Deku nuts came hurtling at her. She raised her shield and deflected them into the wall. The barrage came again. And again she deflected them into the wall.
"Iku! I could use some help!"
The yellow fairy fluttered to her side.
"What's the magic word?"
"Iku!"
"What is it?!"
"Urg, you – Please. Please Iku, will you help me?"
The golden ball glowed bright.
"Alright. Where first."
"The middle one."
The fairy flittered to the Deku scrub in the middle, just as it fired another nut. Concentrating on the light, O-chan held her shield steady. The nut hit and rebounded, striking the Deku scrub dead in the face.
"Ow!" it squeaked and went still as the stunning powers of the nut took effect.
"Now the one on the right."
Iku moved to where she was directed and again O-chan hit it with the nut. It too was frozen.
"One to go – ah!"
She winced and felt her body go stiff. The last Deku scrub had got her while her back was turned and now she couldn't move.
"Link! Link! Get the last one! OW!"
Another nut hit her.
"Navi?"
The blue fairy flittered to the Deku scrub on the left. However, the scrub wouldn't fire at Link as it was too busy attacking O-chan.
"How can I deflect when it's not firing at me?"
"Stand in front of O-chan! Geez!" Iku snapped.
Link cowered under the fairy's tone and scurried to where she instructed. The nut hit his shield and managed to send it on target back at the scrub. However, it did not freeze up like the other two. Instead it leapt from its grasses and bagan to dance around, squealing in pain.
"CATCH IT!" both fairies yelled.
Link chased it and managed to grab it by the tuft of grass on its head.
"Leme go!" it squealed. "How did you know our secret?! How irritating!It's so annoying that I'm going to reveal the secret of Queen Gohma
to you! In order to administer the coup de grace to Queen Gohma, strike with your sword while she's stunned."
It struggled free from Link's grasp and dived into the grass.
"Oh, Queenie...Sorry about that!"
"O-chan! O-chan are you okay?"
O-chan felt her muscles relaxing and she flexed her fingers, the her wrist and arm. She turned to Link.
"I'm fine."
Link looked thoroughly relieved.
"Good."
He grinned and turned towards the door in front of them.
"Let's keep going."
He and O-chan passed through the final door. As they entered the room, it slammed shut behind them and the room was so dark they couldn't see a thing. Through the darkness, O-chan could here Link talking:
"But, what did that Deku Scrub mean? Who's Queen Gohma?"
Before O-chan could reply, they both heard a familiar rustling and looking up they could vaguely see something crawling about the ceiling. A bright yellow eye glowed in the dark, rolling in its socket, scouring the room. Then it stopped, fixated on the two of them. It went red and the creature fell to the floor. As it did so, a light dimly lit up the room. The Deku Tree was providing some final assistance.
Link and O-chan stared up at the large arachnid with its heavy armour, powerful pincers and large eye as it rose up above them. They gulped.
"That," said O-chan, "is Queen Gohma."
Lady obsessed: collapses Nyah! Done!
Souzou: Took you long enough.
Lady obsessed: Shut up!! ; Will get chapter five done as soon as possible and I will really try to not make you wait another two or three months. Until then, I wanna thank all my reviewers for their patience and hope you continue to read what is currently a kinda boring story. Hopefully it will improve with coming chapters.
Souzou: ??? pokes
Lady obsessed: MYAH! I'm awake! I'm awake...looks at Souzou Oh, it's you.
Souzou: Thanks. Shouldn't you be getting on with chapter 4?
Lady obsessed: Erm...yes?
Souzou: Then do it!
Lady obsessed: Okay, okay! Geez, bossy muse.
Souzou: Hey, it's my job. Now, mush!
Lady obsessed: Hey, hey! I have to apologise first.
Souzou: rolls her eyes Be quick!
Lady obsessed: Okay. I'm so so so so so so so sorry you guys but I've had terrible writer's block. I know; how can I have writer's block when I'm using the game's plotline? Well, quite easily. And as Lizai very rightly pointed out, I haven't got around to messing up the plotline. It's harder than it sounds. So I will attempt it in this chapter but is more likely to happen after the first dungeon when O-chan works out that she could probably do it. Okay? gasps for breath
Souzou: Okay, now get on with the chapter! lashes whip
Lady obsessed: Eek! hurries to type fic Oh yeah, I don't own Zelda.
Chapter 4 – The World Beneath The Roots
Link watched through the giant web that surrounded him as O-chan vanished from sight. Somewhere far below, he heard a splash and then nothing. Navi hovered beside him, glowing faintly.
"O-chan..."
Link frowned angrily and rounded on the giant skulltula. He wrenched his sword from its scabbard and held it before him. The immense spider descended, clicking its giant pincers. Link was ready for it, standing a safe distant. He watched as the skulltula shook itself and then turned as if looking for the enemy, exposing its vulnerable underbelly. With one quick slash Link sliced through it. It fell, dead at his feet and then became engulfed in flame and burnt away.
He sheathed his sword again.
"That's was great Link!" Navi chimed, flitting around his head.
"Mmm..."
Link's gaze turned towards the hole again. He took a deep breath.
"Link," Navi said nervously. "Wouldn't it be safer if you climbed down?"
"There's no time. This'll be quicker."
"B-but..."
Link wasn't listening. He moved forwards onto the wooden platform jutting out from the edge. He gazed down again. It was a steep drop. He gulped.
"Link..."
He jumped, and plunged down, down into the gap where O-chan had disappeared only moments before.
She crashed into the water and resurfaced spluttering and coughing. Iku appeared a second later, hovering just above her.
"You okay?"
O-chan opened her mouth to reply but just swallowed more water. She spat it out and struggled to pull herself up onto the shore. The little fairy followed.
"Well?"
She glared at the golden ball of light but couldn't be bothered to respond to her question. She wrung out her clothes, grumbling about the fact that this was the second time she had been soaked through, and looked around, taking in the familiar layout of the underground chamber of the Deku Tree.
She stood up, swatting Iku away from her head. Iku scowled slightly but bobbed back to her and rested on her head.
"So now what?" she chimed.
"I'm working it out."
"Fair enough, only don't stand around to long."
O-chan rolled her eyes and tried to look up at the fairy and failing because she was on her head.
"Why? Because I'll catch a cold?"
"No, because you're about to be attacked by that Deku Baba."
"What?!"
She jumped aside just in time. The Deku Baba's toothed bloom snapped just where her feet had been a moment before. It attempted to retreat back to its corner to watch but O-chan managed a quick slice of her sword and killed it. It shrivelled away and a Deku Nut appeared where is had been. O-chan picked it up and frowned.
Damn, she thought as she eyed the large sticky entanglement of the web on the opposite side of the bank and then the unlit torch to her left.
"I need to light that," she muttered.
But then, I only have Deku Nuts and I need sticks to transport the fire. Urg, this is annoying.
"I could do this easily when I was controlling Link but doing this for real is so hard!" she snapped.
"So what do we do?"
O-chan turned and shot a menacing look at the fairy so that she recoiled, glowing very brightly.
"Sorry!" she retorted sarcastically. "I won't speak to you then!"
"Good, I might be able to concentrate," O-chan grumbled, turning at a sudden thought.
She couldn't quite remember every detail of the game but didn't the Deku Babas in this area regenerate themselves to make it easier for players on their first go? Yes! They did. Sure enough, the Deku Baba had been resurrected and was looking almost inconspicuous in its corner. O-chan smiled. Something was going right.
Holding her sword ready she moved towards it. Sensing her movement, the Deku Baba raised its toothed bud, following her. It was waiting until she was near enough and she knew it. She took another couple of steps nearer and it stretched to its full height. Another step and it lunged, snapping at her stomach. She managed to get away with it just catching her side as she moved and she hit its head in retaliation, stunning it. It squealed and stiffened, allowing her to cut through its stalk.
The Deku stick clattered at her feet and she smirked. All right! This was progress. Snatching it up she turned it towards the torch. Now all she needed was for the flame to appear. She glanced around again. Ah, of course, she thought as she spied the switch at the far wall. She nimbly stepped on it. The torch burst with light as the fire appeared. Swinging the Deku Stick through it, she caught the flame on its end. Then she stepped into the raised platform in the water that acted as a pathway to the opposite bank.
SPLASH!!
Link's impact with the water sent a shower over O-chan and putting out the fire. He coughed and stood up. He blinked, rubbing the water from his eyes. O-chan cried in frustration and threw the damp and now useless stick away from her.
"Hmm?"
Link turned and looked at her and his face broke into a smile of relief.
"I'm so glad you're okay," he said. "I was worried after you fell."
O-chan just threw her hands up in irritation.
"You just had to come after me then, didn't you?! You couldn't have waited even a couple of seconds?"
Link looked abashed and puzzled. O-chan tutted and pointed at the webbing.
"We need to burn it and you just destroyed my Deku Stick!"
"Is that all?" Navi asked, flitting out from behind Link. "This boy has a whole bunch of 'em. Don't you?"
Link blinked as if in revelation and then grinned sheepishly. "Oh yeah, that's right." And he whipped out one from his bundle, swept it through the flame and presented it to her. "Here you go."
O-chan stared at the flame for a few seconds and then up at Link. He was still grinning rather sheepishly. She felt herself smiling.
"Thanks," she said, taking it from him and carefully making her way to the other bank.
Link followed and he and the two fairies watched as the girl held the fire up to the sticky threads of web. They caught alight immediately and in a matter of seconds they had been destroyed, revealing a door. The four of them passed through it into the next room. It was empty. O-chan frowned.
"Strange...I'm sure there were supposed to be enemies here," she murmured, looking about her.
Link was looking around too and he spied a second door with an eye above it.
"I think we go through here," he said, walking over to it. "Don't you O- chan? O-chan? What are you doing?"
He got no reply so watched the girl as she searched the room high and low, her sword in her hand. Iku followed her and searched too although what she was looking for she didn't know. After a couple of minutes she straightened up, scowling slightly.
"How odd."
"Yeah, it was. Why were you doing that?" Link asked.
O-chan went slightly red and thought that if this were an anime she'd be sweatdropping right about now.
"N-nothing, never mind," she said, shaking her hand. "Don't worry about me."
"Or her sanity," Iku added resulting in being snatched irritably from the air and stuffed in O-chan's pocket.
Ah, a plus side to this being real, she thought. Can shut the fairy up at last! She grinned to herself and then stopped as she realised Link was giving her a funny look.
"Ah heh heh heh...so...what was it you asked me?"
Link blinked and frowned, trying to remember. Navi tutted.
"Eye, door, go through," she said.
"Oh yeah," Link said as the idea returned to him, "Do you think we should go through here?"
O-chan just stared at him. What kind of question was that? It was the only other way out of the room. But she nodded anyway. Link smiled and tried the door. It wouldn't budge.
"It's stuck! We can't get through!"
"Eye," said Navi.
Link stepped back and looked at the door. Then he pulled out his slingshot, aiming at the eye. The Deku seed shot flew and hit it with perfect accuracy. He tried the door again and it opened. He grinned.
"Got it!"
O-chan shook her head but smiled and followed him through.
She recognised the next room instantaneously, as would every other Zelda gamer who had played the game several thousand times before but she kept quiet. Link already thought she was going mad and she didn't want to make it worse by saying what they had to do. She'd leave that to Navi. She watched as the little blue ball of light flitted about for a couple of seconds, as if she were calculating something and then she dived.
"NAVI!"
Link leapt after her, plunging into the water. He swam down to where Navi was hovering, above a switch.
"You have to press this," she said with ease through the water.
Link looked at the switch and tried to push it down but it wouldn't move. He frowned and tried again. Nothing. Annoyed, he kicked upwards and resurfaced, treading water.
"O-chan, you need to help me. I can't press it by myself."
O-chan looked dubiously at the water. She didn't want to get wet yet again and besides, this was diving and she wasn't good at it. She hated getting water up her nose. She couldn't do it.
"Are you sure? Try again!"
"But..." Link looked at her, "alright, I'll try but I don't think it's gonna work."
She watched as he disappeared below the surface once more and attempted to press the switch down. She could see the look of intense concentration on his face as he did so. She crossed her fingers. Then she saw him close his eyes and blow a stream of bubbles. He was out of air and had to come up again. He gave her a pleading look that she couldn't resist.
"Stupid Kokiri," O-chan muttered to herself, "why'd you have to be so cute?"
She took a deep breath, held her nose and jumped into the water, swimming to the switch. Link dived down to meet her.
"Ready?" he mouthed.
She nodded, still holding her nose. Together, they pushed as hard as possible on the switch. They could hear a slight grating noise as it began to move downwards very slowly. They were doing it.
O-chan choked. She couldn't hold her breath anymore and swallowed a mouthful of water. She pushed herself off the switch and above the water, gasping for air. Link resurfaced beside her.
"You okay?"
She nodded slowly, "I think so."
"We almost had it too," Link sighed. "We'd probably do it if you were using two hands."
O-chan choked again as he said this so he grabbed her shirt to stop her going under while she coughed the water out of her mouth.
"I'm sorry but I can't do it. I can't get water in my nose."
"Why?"
"It hurts too much."
"But we can't go anywhere unless we press that switch."
"I know!"
"Then just try. Once. Please?"
O-chan wouldn't look at him because she knew he'd be giving her that look again. She really didn't want to but Link was right, they had no choice.
"Fine."
Link grinned, though she didn't see. He waited to make sure she was ready before letting go of her.
"On three," he said. "One, two, THREE!!"
O-chan screwed up her eyes, breathed in deep and dived beneath the surface. She felt the water enter her nose but she resisted the urge to resurface as she placed two hands on the switch. Link placed his opposite and together they pressed it down. The grating noise could be heard again but this time the switch went down easily. They bobbed back up, beaming.
"You did it!" Link said.
O-chan blushed with pride. She had done it, she was so pleased.
Just as it was supposed to, the water level began to lower. The two of them swam towards the shore and hoisted themselves up. There was no time to worry about wringing out their heavy wet clothes as the platform that moved from one shore to the other had just reached them. O-chan grabbed Link's arm and jumped onto it, pulling him after her.
On the opposite bank, they took a moment to get rid of the water in their clothes. As they were doing so, the switch managed to push itself back into it rightful position and the water rose back to its original level.
As she wrung the water from her shorts, O-chan remembered Iku was still in her pocket so she fished her out.
"You okay?"
The little yellow fairy coughed angrily and shook her wings. She wouldn't reply and just flew up to join Navi. O-chan could see her aura was very bright and knew she was still mad.
"Okay then, I'll take that to be a no. Come on, let's keep going."
The next bit was simple, she knew. It was so obvious that even Link would know what he had to do.
"Help me push this large block then," he said. "If we move it under that ledge we should be able to climb up."
She smiled. See, easy. Standing side by side, they pushed the cube like block under the ledge. It took a lot of effort as it was extremely heavy. O-chan couldn't help wondering how Link was able to do it so easily in the game. Even as they were pushing, she could here him making the strange sounds of effort he did in the game and she couldn't help smiling. It was so cute.
Once in place, Link climbed up first and then held out a hand to help O- chan up after him but she hoisted herself up beside him without his help.
"Need to practice don't I?" she said, "I might not have around next time."
The next room was passed through within a number of seconds. Link lit the two torches with a Deku stick which allowed them through the door.
"This things are pretty handy," he said as they entered the room beyond. He spied another torch and the large sticky web on the opposite side. "See, all we have to do is catch the flame on this stick again and light that web over there and we're swiftly on to the next room."
He grinned and proceeded to light the torch. Then he marched across the room. Only he stopped half way.
"O-chan? What are you waiting for? Come on! We need to save the Great Deku Tree! Don't just stand there!"
O-chan still didn't move. It had suddenly become too easy.
"O-chan?"
There was a rustling. A familiar rustle that made O-chan cringe. She knew it. Slowly, she raised her eyes to the ceiling. Link frowned but followed her gaze. And gulped.
"N-Navi...what are those?"
Navi flitted up to the three round and slimy looking orbs that were fixed to the ceiling. Iku flew after her and the two circled them.
"These," they said in unison, "are Gohma larvae."
As they said it, the egg just above Link rustled again and suddenly shattered. The kokiri boy moved aside, dropping his Deku stick, as the slimy arachnid uncoiled itself, opening its one large eye and looking around. O-chan shuddered. It was disgusting to look at. She watched as the creature got to its feet, its eye still revolving around until it settled on her and Link. It blinked and then scuttled forwards. The two of them drew their swords.
"S-stay away!" O-chan said weakly.
She was terrified. These things creeped her out in the game and they were creeping her out now. She glanced at Link but if he was scared he didn't show it. He raised his sword and swung it at the larvae.
"Take that!"
Steel connected with armour. The larvae shook itself but didn't seem hurt and as it was Link who attacked him, it was Link it went for. It pounced, sending him flying to the floor. It pinned him down, snapping its sharp pincers, its eye glowing red.
"Urg! Get off of me!" Link yelled, trying to push it off but not succeeding. "O-CHAN!"
O-chan drew her sword and gulped.
"Oi! You!" she cried, shakily.
The larvae turned but remained on top of Link. It just stared at her.
"Yeah, you! Pick on someone...erm...your own size!"
The larvae looked at her and then at Link and back again. To it, they both looked the same size so it stayed where it was. O-chan frowned and pulled out one of her Deku nuts.
"Hey!" She yelled.
It turned again, and she tossed the nut into its eye. It squealed and rolled off of Link. It was stunned only momentarily but it was enough time for Link to scramble up and grab his sword.
"The eye!" Navi jingled.
With two swift strikes, Link killed the larvae and it disintegrated. He looked up at the ceiling.
"What about the others?"
"We'll be fine as long as we don't walk under the eggs," O-chan muttered, taking one of Link's Deku sticks and lighting it.
She walked around the edge of the room, Link behind her and set the web alight. It burned away, revealing a tiny hole. Iku and Navu went through first so they could light the way, followed by O-chan and last was Link.
At the exit, O-chan stood up and walked over to the large cube like block that stood at the edge of the platform before Link had even emerged. When he did, he looked about.
"Why does this look familiar?"
"Because it is," Navi explained. "This is where O-chan landed and then you when you went through the hole in the ground."
The kokiri boy stared at her and then looked around.
"You sure?"
"Yes."
"Link, stop pestering Navi and help me!" O-chan called as she tried without success to move the large block.
"What are we doing?" he asked, walking over.
"Pushing this block...huff...into the water...erg...gimme a hand!"
Link obliged but not without saying:
"Why?"
"So we can get to the torch over there. We need to light this web here so we can go down further and save the Deku Tree."
"Ah. Gotcha."
Together, they heaved the heavy block over the edge of the platform. O- chan explained to Link that he needed to jump onto the block without dropping the Deku stick.
"Heh, no problem," he said before he dropped the stick in the water. He blushed. "Sorry."
"Don't worry. I failed my first couple of tries," O-chan smiled.
"Huh?"
"N-nothing! Never mind! Just try and reach the block and I'll take the stick while you climb back up. Might be easier that way."
Link agreed and, after a third attempt, they managed to set the sticky white threads covering the hole aflame. The two glanced down the hole and then at each other. They couldn't see anything.
"Ready?" Link whispered.
O-chan nodded and drew a deep breath.
"Why are you doing that?"
"You'll see," O-chan said and jumped.
Link was quick to follow.
SPLASH!
SPLASH!
The sound of the two kokiris hitting the water woke the three Deku scrubs.
"What was that?"
"Intruders!"
"Quick! We can't let them enter the Queen's room!"
"When they reach the shore, attack them together."
"Right!"
"Okay!"
O-chan pushed off the bottom and swam to the surface. Breaking above the water, she caught her breath. Link resurfaced beside her.
"See why you did it now. How did you know?"
O-chan laughed nervously.
"I could...erm...hear it! That's it, I could hear it."
She forced a smile and then headed quickly for the shore before Link could say anything else. Before she stepped up, she looked about. Ah, they were in the Deku scrub room. Still in the shallows, she pulled her shield from her back.
"Better be ready," she said, "we're about to be attacked."
And she stood up.
Immediately, three Deku nuts came hurtling at her. She raised her shield and deflected them into the wall. The barrage came again. And again she deflected them into the wall.
"Iku! I could use some help!"
The yellow fairy fluttered to her side.
"What's the magic word?"
"Iku!"
"What is it?!"
"Urg, you – Please. Please Iku, will you help me?"
The golden ball glowed bright.
"Alright. Where first."
"The middle one."
The fairy flittered to the Deku scrub in the middle, just as it fired another nut. Concentrating on the light, O-chan held her shield steady. The nut hit and rebounded, striking the Deku scrub dead in the face.
"Ow!" it squeaked and went still as the stunning powers of the nut took effect.
"Now the one on the right."
Iku moved to where she was directed and again O-chan hit it with the nut. It too was frozen.
"One to go – ah!"
She winced and felt her body go stiff. The last Deku scrub had got her while her back was turned and now she couldn't move.
"Link! Link! Get the last one! OW!"
Another nut hit her.
"Navi?"
The blue fairy flittered to the Deku scrub on the left. However, the scrub wouldn't fire at Link as it was too busy attacking O-chan.
"How can I deflect when it's not firing at me?"
"Stand in front of O-chan! Geez!" Iku snapped.
Link cowered under the fairy's tone and scurried to where she instructed. The nut hit his shield and managed to send it on target back at the scrub. However, it did not freeze up like the other two. Instead it leapt from its grasses and bagan to dance around, squealing in pain.
"CATCH IT!" both fairies yelled.
Link chased it and managed to grab it by the tuft of grass on its head.
"Leme go!" it squealed. "How did you know our secret?! How irritating!It's so annoying that I'm going to reveal the secret of Queen Gohma
to you! In order to administer the coup de grace to Queen Gohma, strike with your sword while she's stunned."
It struggled free from Link's grasp and dived into the grass.
"Oh, Queenie...Sorry about that!"
"O-chan! O-chan are you okay?"
O-chan felt her muscles relaxing and she flexed her fingers, the her wrist and arm. She turned to Link.
"I'm fine."
Link looked thoroughly relieved.
"Good."
He grinned and turned towards the door in front of them.
"Let's keep going."
He and O-chan passed through the final door. As they entered the room, it slammed shut behind them and the room was so dark they couldn't see a thing. Through the darkness, O-chan could here Link talking:
"But, what did that Deku Scrub mean? Who's Queen Gohma?"
Before O-chan could reply, they both heard a familiar rustling and looking up they could vaguely see something crawling about the ceiling. A bright yellow eye glowed in the dark, rolling in its socket, scouring the room. Then it stopped, fixated on the two of them. It went red and the creature fell to the floor. As it did so, a light dimly lit up the room. The Deku Tree was providing some final assistance.
Link and O-chan stared up at the large arachnid with its heavy armour, powerful pincers and large eye as it rose up above them. They gulped.
"That," said O-chan, "is Queen Gohma."
Lady obsessed: collapses Nyah! Done!
Souzou: Took you long enough.
Lady obsessed: Shut up!! ; Will get chapter five done as soon as possible and I will really try to not make you wait another two or three months. Until then, I wanna thank all my reviewers for their patience and hope you continue to read what is currently a kinda boring story. Hopefully it will improve with coming chapters.