Darunia: Disclaimer! Selphie Louise does not own the Legend of Zelda or any of its characters. They are the property of Shigeru Miyamoto and Nintendo.

Tingle: The characters she does own are Selphie, Iggy, and Jiji. The characters of Kage, Yugi, Mable, and Raven belong to Kearra. The character Ravick is the property of Selphie's friend, Patrick.

Chapter 2

"We- we're what?" Jiji said confusedly. "Did you just say-?"

"We're going home, back to Ikana and the Garo encampment," Iggy repeated, gathering the few things they'd brought and taking the first few steps across the field. Jiji fought the blankets off of her and stood up.

"Not that I wouldn't love to go home or anything," she said following him. "But do we have a reason for leaving so suddenly?"

"Because the longer we wait, the more likely we'll be punished," Iggy answered, continuing to walk and now handing Jiji her own stuff.

"Iggy," she said, taking her things. "We're already going to be punished."

"All right, then how long we wait will deem the severity of our punishment," Iggy corrected shortly.

"Iggy, do you have any idea what they do to trainees who don't complete their assignment? Not to mention associate with outsiders, divulge secrets of the Garo trade, reveal their identities!"

"No, what do they do, Jiji?" Iggy asked, though it was clear he really didn't care.

"I don't know either!" Jiji exclaimed throwing her arms up as she stepped in front of him. "Iggy! For all we know, going back to Ikana could be suicide! By breaking those rules we could have been signing our own death warrants!"

"But we don't know that for sure!" Iggy responded, walking around her and continuing. "We could be signing said death warrants by remaining here evading punishment! Don't you think they'd be more lenient if we went back and accepted the consequences?"

"I don't think it matters either way!" Jiji answered to his back as he kept walking ahead of her, arriving at the forest. "I do think we have a better chance of surviving if we stay here where we don't have the entire Garo race in one spot. If we stay here Link and the others may even be able to help us!"

"I don't need their help!" Iggy shouted, turning around to face her as he reached the entrance to the Lost Woods. "I can take care of myself here, there, anywhere! Now come on! The longer we wait the worse situation we'll be in!"

"I already made my decision," Jiji replied. "I'm not going back to get killed. I'm staying here."

"Jiji!"

"No, Iggy!" Jiji retorted. "Dammit, do you even realize I never wanted to be a Garo? Everyone saw that I could be and automatically thought that I wanted to be! Well, screw it! This is my chance to get away from that hellhole once and for all! If you wanna go back and hand your carcass over to the Garo masters, you go right on ahead. But I'm staying right here!" She crossed her arms and planted her feet.

"Maybe I will!" Iggy rejoined.

"Then go ahead!"

"Fine!"

"Later!"

"Not likely!"

"Argh!" Jiji shouted and turned on her heel, stomping back toward the field. Iggy watched her for a second and then scowled darkly.

"Fine then! Who needs you!" he called after her. She didn't respond and he kicked at a nearby tree root, surprisingly not hurting himself. Then he started through the maze of trees and shrubbery on his way back to Termina.

"Pfft… underestimate me, will they… I oughta go back and get Link's head now… see how Jiji likes that… And they thought I would be the one with the problems… I'm the one coming back, aren't I? She's the one giving it all up!"

He continued grumbling like this all the way through the forest. Finally he reached the entrance to the clock tower and entered Termina. He would have a disadvantage, trying to sneak home in the day, but he'd manage it. He'd prove he could manage it, if it meant killing every witness on the way.

Iggy stole up the ramp and the underground river to the ground level. He opened the door a small crack and peered out into South Clock Town, watching for anyone who would see him. He became satisfied and darted out the doors, moving from hiding spot to hiding spot as he made his way through East Clock Town to Termina Field and then Ikana.

"Heh heh," he chuckled to himself. "I'd like to see any of the other trainees sneak back to Ikana from Clock Town in broad daylight."

"Awfully cocky, aren't we?" Iggy jumped and turned around, facing a young man in a Garo robe… no, a trainee robe.

"Jeez, man! You scared me half to death," Iggy said, clutching his hand to his chest.

"Hmm… better get that second half done before I fail," the trainee said.

"Huh?" Iggy's eyes widened in horror when his peer drew a sword. "Aheh heh… yeah, that's real funny… uber funny. But the, uh, joke's over now, so you can just… put that bad boy away and let me go tell the instructor about Jiji," he tried to laugh it off.

"Nah, that'll be my partner's job after he hunts her down," the boy said humorlessly. He spun the sword in his hand as he took a few steps toward Iggy. "I guess you forgot or maybe didn't know to begin with- which I especially wouldn't put past you, Iggy- what they do to tyros that fail their field assignment."

"Yeah, that'd be me," Iggy said uneasily as he backed slowly away from the boy, matching his pace.

"Yeah… they make them the successful tyros' next target!" the boy shouted as he lunged at Iggy with his sword.

"Shit!" Iggy exclaimed jumping back and drawing his own sword. He blocked the boy's attacks for a minute or two, but because he'd been caught off guard he was quickly disarmed. Iggy stared at the steel blade that was being held inches from his nose. 'Dammit…Jiji might have been right… but I wonder if this guy's partner got to her anyway…?' He stared the boy down for a minute. "You gonna run that thing through my skull or not?" he asked boldly.

"Hmm…" the boy looked at his sword. "Nah," he replied, lowering his arm, holding the sword at his side. Iggy sighed in relief. "I prefer blunt force trauma!" the boy added as he swung the side of the sword at Iggy's head.

"Wha-!" Iggy leaned away from the swing but was still caught by the boy's sword, falling over and hitting his head on a nearby rock. The boy stood over him and smirked as Iggy's eyes closed, warm blood flowing down his cheek.

"A… plus…" he said before sheathing the sword. He smirked again, "There's some proof he couldn't make it as a Garo. He left a corpse." Feeling bold, the boy reached into his robes and took out a bomb. "I'll just clean up my mess then." He was about to kneel down to light the fuse and leave the bomb next to Iggy when he heard the telltale sound of an arrow being drawn.

His eyes narrowed and he put the bomb away, placing his hand on the hilt of his sword. When he heard the arrow released, he quickly spun, unsheathing his sword as he dodged out of the way. Keeping the sword raised, he gazed over at the archer and frowned, narrowing his eyes.

'Her…'