Due to the witches' persistence to cleanse themselves, the group managed to gather their things and head out, following behind the two sorceresses as they soared through the skies toward the palace ahead.
From her place on Kirara, Kagome couldn't help but shoot Tingle an annoyed glance from behind. This time, she had decided to catch a ride with Sango and Inuyasha, leaving only Miroku and Link to catch a ride with Shippo. From the corner of her eye, she watched as Tingle clung to Miroku, still wearing the smile he wore when he had attempted to introduce himself, but at the time she'd been so upset and horrified, and she still couldn't forgive him for wearing her favorite bra. Apparently Link, Miroku and Inuyasha were acquainted with the small man, and as a favor to him, they would make sure he returned safely back to town, or at least part of the way.
Frustrated still, she turned her eyes back to the front, and as Kirara lowered herself closer to the trees below, Kagome held her arms securely around Sango's waist. A few moments later, she couldn't help but look back at Link before looking away seconds later. Kagome often found herself looking in his general direction from time to time, and from the way her thoughts were racing, she had a pretty good idea why. Kagome had realized, she did indeed feel something for the young boy, but considering her terrible luck with the half demon some time back, she couldn't help but feel guarded, and allowing her feelings to blossom like it had in the past only to get trampled on later, she couldn't allow it. Still…she wanted to wait, only until she was certain what she felt for Link was real.
What felt like a small joy ride through the clean air, thanks to Koume and Kotake's force field, the group landed near the edge of a large pond, where small water lilies laid scattered atop in several places on the murky water.
"This is where we part ways," Kotake exclaimed as she and her sister turned to face the group.
"Take this," Koume handed a small wooden leaf, engraved with golden markings of the crest of the Royal Family to Link. "You'll need this to get past the guards. The King awaits your arrival, impatiently might I add…"
Kagome thanked them, and once the witches waved their goodbyes, the group turned their attention to the path before them.
A bridge, made from three wooden planks, floated atop the pond, and as the travelers walked along it, one at a time, their weight caused the bridge to dip ever so slightly, shifting somewhat from time to time, in which point made crossing somewhat unpleasant. Obviously this bridge wasn't meant for humans, but still, after managing to cross safely, they found themselves standing before an erect and fortified palace. The interior was protected by a massive wall, painted in reds and greens and whites, and it was fashioned out of the same material as the bridge. Atop the structure, which obscured their view of the palace, sat sharp spears hoisted as a means of representing the true power of the King, they thought.
"So this is it?" Sango asked.
Miroku nodded. "I'm sure that our presence inside might stir up a disturbance, I'm afraid. Gathering what we've been told, only Dekus inhabit this part of the swamp."
"And outside visitors are rare," Link replied, stepping past the others.
A gap between the walls was guarded by two Deku guards, each fashioned with many colorful leaves around their bodies. Their orange eyes beheld the sight of the strangers stepping foot into their territory, and hostility and an unwillingness to allow them passage made itself present. They were equipped with threatening spears, and their leaves shook as they hopped in place, shaking their heads at the absurdity of this unexpected visit.
"Halt! This is the palace of the Deku Kingdom!" One of the scrubs exclaimed. "Only those on official business may pass and meet with our King!"
Sango, holding her boomerang upon her back, stepped forward. "We were told that his Majesty wishes to speak with us."
Miroku nodded. "And it is of important business that we speak to him immediately."
"Impossible!" The second scrub remarked, pointing its spear at the older woman, while scoffing at the mere thought. "Have you not been informed of the tragedy that's befallen our people?!"
Startled, the Deku's friend hurriedly whispered into the others ear. "Don't forget that they're only humans. So news probably hasn't spread that far out of our swamp."
In response to that, the Deku only scoffed, turning its head to the side before glaring at the group. "Unless you are of Deku blood, you shall not pass!"
Sighing, Link held up the small item Koume entrusted to him, and from their startled jolts and ceaseless shaking, he put it away. "Now, can we pass?" He asked.
"The seal of the Royal Family!" Exclaimed the Deku with fright. How could it be possible that these humans had it? Since they were in possession of it, then that meant that these people were trusted by the King.
Since the one Deku didn't have the sense to move out of his path which only furthered Inuyasha's annoyance, the half demon stepped over the wooden creature, with his friends following after down the large stretch toward the entrance ahead.
Sweat dropping, Link hurried after the half demon, warning him, as for the rest of the group to keep their heads and eyes low when in the presence of the King. Sometimes the King's temper had a way of lashing out on anyone who felt they had a higher sense of superiority than himself.
With widened eyes, the guard stood flabbergasted to his spot, watching as the humans sauntered down the path toward the Royal Chamber, before shaking his leaves in a fit of rage. "We've never actually had someone walk past us before!" And he didn't even get the chance to allow them to enter properly.
"Yeah…but they had the seal, so I think we should let them g—"
"Hmpt!" Annoyed, the bossier scrub stood rooted to his spot, glaring at nothing in particular out across the pond before him and his partner. If it was one thing that upset him, it was disrespect.
OOO
After emerging into the spacious room, the group was overwhelmed by a musty smell that hung in the air. The walls, though decorated with many banners, were mostly bare, save for some vines stringing down the sides of the room. In the middle of the room sat a large fire pit, and it blazed, its smoke filling the atmosphere around them in a shallow haze, and it was enough to make their eyes water.
The hustle and bustle inside had come as such a surprise to everyone, and they had not expected servants running this way and that, some mostly scampering around them while shooting them with curious stares. Save the noise of shuffling feet and the heavy breathing from the worn out and exhausted Scrubs, the loudest was the booming voice of a rather displeased Deku.
Across the room, seated upon a decorative pedestal, draped in many leafy materials, with a vast number of sentries guarding the few steps to him, was the very person they had come to speak with; it was the King, the monarch of this hierarchy, and by the expression on his face and his loud voice that could cause a series of avalanches, he looked pretty intimidating. Upon his head he wore a decorative head-piece, bulbous in appearance with three stems standing erect from the brown crown, with long green leaves draped over the end.
"WHAT DO YOU MEAN THEY'VE GONE MISSING!?" The King bellowed suddenly, causing a swift alarm among the inhabitants inside the room to jump, some accidentally dropping their important documents while others froze on the spot and shook in trepidation.
Serena sweat dropped. "What's his deal?"
Kagome had jumped at the sound, and when she suddenly felt something brush up against her leg, she glanced down. "Huh?"
A small Deku Scrub, smaller than the others running amok inside the room, stared up at the priestess with a lost look on its little face. In curiosity, it canted its head to the side, blinking a few times when it realized it had run into her, but otherwise, stood there staring.
Hearts formed in the young priestess's eyes as she gazed adoringly at the little Scrub; she had the urge to squeal at its cuteness. Unable to help herself, she bent down and picked the small creature up before snuggling it against her bosom fondly. "Aww! What a cutie!"
Frightened, it struggled against the human, but to no avail, he found himself locked in her grasp, rubbing her cheek against his own. "P-put me down! Wha-what are you doing?" The Deku cried out, but Kagome only awed some more.
Inuyasha sweat dropped, before noticing another Deku, about the same size as the one in Kagome's hold, saunter up, staring quizzically between the duo. "You better put that down or you'll get a splinter," He warned, but she only ignored him.
"No way, he's so cute!" She gushed, and at the sight of her hugging the helpless little creature, everyone sweat dropped, but otherwise offered a small smile.
"We can't take you anywhere, can we?" Inuyasha replied while folding his arms. "Everything's just so cute and cuddly to you. Ooh look at that kid, ohh look at that fairy, look at that rock!" He attempted to imitate Kagome's girlish voice, but to no avail, he sounded nothing like her.
"Sit!"
Shippo and Miroku hid back their amusement. He did deserve it after all, especially for abandoning them a while ago.
Safely out of her arms, the Deku scampered away to safety from the raven haired female and in accompaniment with his fellow friend that had no intentions of rescuing him from the human. "That human hugged me!" He cried, but he couldn't deny the blush that stained his russet cheeks. "She called me a cutie…"
The other Deku merely shook its head. "She must need her eyes checked. There's nothing cute about you," The guard laughed before hurrying about his duties.
Sango sighed. It seemed Inuyasha and Kagome were at it once more, but now what not the time for their bickering. "Here we go again…"
From Miroku's shoulder, Shippo frowned. "What an idiot!"
From the sight of Inuyasha slamming face first into the soil, Tingle jumped. His mouth fell open, revealing his buck teeth before he pointed at the raven haired girl with bright, dumbfounded eyes. "Was that a spell you used? Tingle wants to learn how to do it too!" He pleaded, but Kagome only glared, sending the little man running with only one look. Tingle had never before seen such a scary girl.
Upon noticing that there were others residing inside his Chamber Room, besides his many servants, the King turned his cold eyes to the intruders causing a scene far back near the exit. Some of his servants had neglected their duties to stand and gawk at the new faces, and this did not set well with his Majesty, not at all.
"STATE YOUR BUISNESS HERE HUMANS!" The King's voice silenced the room immediately, and all eyes stared wide-eyed at the towering Deku, now standing upon his pedestal before his throne, and he seemed even more menacing than before.
An older Deku, taller, yet not as tall as the great Deku King, suddenly stood before them, and with an air of politeness, he welcomed the group and beckoned them to approach the front. "I do beg your pardon, but our King would very much like to speak with you, travelers," He replied, and with that, the group followed behind the older Scrub. "It's not often we receive visitors such as yourself."
Unlike the other servants running around, he seemed rather calm. A collection of many green leaves were bunched together, forming a rounded appearance on either side of his head. Red and green leaves fell from his wrist, and a golden emblem was fashioned upon his chest, representing his status as a personal butler to the King. From behind they noticed that his green, leafy mustache curled ever so nicely, unlike the King's who's own mustache stood straight out.
"Please do not take his words and actions wrongly. Our Majesty is deeply bothered by the disappearance of our Princess," The Kings personal assistant replied.
Understanding, they stood before him, his stance quite intimidating up close. If they did the measurements, the King would probably average about two men at most; that was the extent of his tall demeanor.
A tall staff with braided vines, no longer than the length of his Royal Crown, was enwrapped by six pink petals which cushioned a large Deku Nut. In an effort to silence the stifled whisperings in the room, the King slammed his septor onto the wooden platform. Even the gentle flow of vines hanging loosely from his arms, brushed across the floor as he moved; in a way it reminded them of a cape of some sort.
Shippo gulped at the sight of him. He looked really scary. Looking closer, he realized that he was hardly wearing any clothing…or leaves that is to say. Sure he understood the Butler not wearing any clothes, but the King only had a three leaves covering him like a skirt, and a necklace of leaves around his neck. These people didn't even have shoes, but then again, neither did Shippo.
Once standing beside his Majesty near the throne, the Deku Butler made a downward motion with his hand, in hopes the group would understand, and to his relief, the group lowered themselves onto one knee.
Eying the group while maintaining his ground, the King narrowed his orange eyes. "I was informed that you humans wanted an audience with me! What could be so important that you had to travel so far to speak with this Deku King?"
Little Kirara mewed in response from Sango's arms, which only earned a quizzical glance from his Majesty.
Noticing the subtle nod of Link's head, Miroku raised himself to his feet and offered a small and respective bow. "Please do excuse us. My name is Miroku and—"
"I DON'T CARE FOR YOUR NAMES, OUTSIDERS! STATE YOUR BUISNESS!" The King growled, very much displeased by the delay in his search for his daughter, who could very well be awaiting a rescue party, or worse!
Inuyasha eyed the stiff form of the monk in front of him. "Well? Get on with it Miroku."
A twitch beneath his eye did not go unnoticed by his friends, but Miroku remained calm nonetheless. "Well…uh yes. We were informed that your Kingdom is troubled by the disappearance of your daughter," Miroku explained, but before he could continue, he was interrupted yet again by his Majesty.
"I'm very well aware of that human!" He spat, clutching his staff in sheer frustration. Feeling a headache begin to bloom, the King held a hand to his head. "I've sent only my best out through these swamps to find her! And none have returned!" He cried out in rage, startling his people in the background. "The lazy buffoons! What is taking them?!"
Link swallowed. He knew exactly what had befallen his soldiers, but he didn't have the heart to simply go out and tell him. Right now he pondered whether or not he had victimized anyone because of his daughter's disappearance. Glancing toward the right of the room, Link saw that the cell was empty, and he couldn't help but sigh because of that. At least the King wasn't raging against an innocent monkey again.
"Just yesterday, one of my servants found the bed in which my darling Princess normally sleeps, empty, and her window opened ominously," The King explained, and suddenly the Butler beside him pulled out a handkerchief and offered it to his Majesty, who took it without question. "There have been no sightings of the culprit who did this! Not even those blasted monkeys that hang about my Palace!" He cried out in despair. Suddenly, his eyes changed. "I was told you were willing to sacrifice much to save my daughter, is that so?" He asked, his temper fueling.
"Y-yes!" Kagome replied, looking defiantly into the King's eyes. "We will find her!"
For a moment the King contemplated, while stroking his mustache as he eyed his visitors. Even the voices in the room had heightened to a level, and when he raised his hand, all voices dropped and silence once again returned. "You humans traveled this far, if only to reclaim a treasure of our people, and you say you are willing to save my daughter to get it, am I correct?"
They nodded.
"Why should I trust you, when you're only outsiders?" He questioned, slamming his staff irritably. "I have my best soldiers out this very moment searching for her. Why would I need more?"
Inuyasha gruffly stood up and crossed his arms. His actions came as a surprise to the Butler, who, standing on the left hand side of the King, gestured for him to resume his bow, but Inuyasha ignored him. "You mean those messed up looking trees that looked like they had their souls sucked out of them?" Inuyasha asked, and at this, the servants and sentries gasped, their voices rising in suspicion, others in disbelief.
It was then that Link couldn't help but snap his attention to the half demon. So all this time, he knew and yet he never said a word.
"What is this now?" The King found himself asking, and he could have sworn he felt the anguish inside of him grow and the anticipation of a new rising fear emerge. "Explain!"
He didn't have a problem explaining. "When we were coming through the swamp, we saw a row of shriveled up trees that looked like this thing here," He pointed to a random scrub in the crowd encircled around them.
The school girl couldn't help but widen her eyes, and an image which she had seen earlier that day resurfaced. Withered trees, that bore a resemblance to the tribe of Deku, had rested in a line near the borders of the swamp; their expressions had bothered her at the time, but then again, she hadn't given them much thought. Their roots had been frozen to the muddy soil, and Kagome wondered who could have done such a thing to the King's men. Was it perhaps the person responsible for kidnapping the Princess?
Kagome turned her eyes to Inuyasha, who had not been paying anyone else but the King mind. "Inuyasha, you knew?"
Amber eyes shifted to her for a moment. "I'm not stupid! Anyone could tell just by a glance!"
It couldn't be true. How could he simply believe such outrageous stories? Here it was that these outsiders intruded into his territory, and they had the audacity to openly reveal such startling news, and all this right after his daughter's disappearance. It was suspicious. They were suspicious! The Deku King had sent out the best of his men to scout the woods and possibly return with her and the culprits head, but now they were…Was it true? And if that was so…it meant he would risk the lives of his people if he continued to send out more of his soldiers.
He was conflicted, and his blood boiled, so much so that his fist shook, but he attempted to control himself. "So…what makes you different from my army?"
That reply was enough to make the half demon want to roll his eyes. "Well for one we ain't short and stubby and made of woo—" A jab to his side quickly silenced him, along with a quick glance from Kagome that read, 'don't start.'
She cleared her throat before standing beside the half demon in defense. "What he means to say is," Kagome began hesitantly. "We are travelers and we are used to situations like this. I can't count how many times we've saved princes and princesses where kings' men had not succeeded in doing so," She explained, swallowing when the menacing Deku Scrub didn't seem convinced.
"We are more than capable enough to carry out this mission," Miroku then replied, clenching his staff as he knelt before his Majesty. They weren't amateurs nor were they novices.
Sango nodded. "We ask, Sire, that you trust u—"
The King scoffed. "Trust? In you? You are nothing but unworthy apes!" He exclaimed, causing a few veins to pop. His orange gaze fell onto Inuyasha, Shippo and Tingle off to the side. "And strange crosses between animal…half breeds and some pathetic jester more like it!" He interrogated, upsetting quite a few people.
One of the members that felt most insulted was the little kit beside Kagome. "Hey! I'm not a half breed! I'm a fox!" Shippo replied, and when he saw the glares directed at him from all sides of the room, save for his friends, he hurriedly hid behind the priestess.
"And I'm a fairy!" Tingle exclaimed as he hopped in place before pointing at the King.
"ENOUGH!" The frequency of his voice was so loud, that it sent Tingle scurrying behind the half demon, who could otherwise give a damn. "I care not for your ignorance!" The King bellowed. "How can I believe the lies you spit from your mouths?! You're nothing but unworthy scum! My men could not have possibly been defeated!" Soon he knew for sure that one of his men would return with word.
Unable to hold himself back, nor stop himself from stepping up rashly toward the pedestal that his Majesty stood upon, Inuyasha made it known that he was not going to simply remain quiet. "Who the hell do you think you are?" He clenched his hands, so much so that his claws pierced the skin of his palm. Not only was he insulting him by calling him a half breed, like he didn't already know it, but also for insinuating that he did not have the skills to carry out a simple mission.
From the looks of it, the Butler appeared to be having a heart attack, staring gapingly at the half demon before looking to his King before ushering for the entire room to quiet down.
"Can't you just accept that someone might want to help you out?! We came all this way, and all we get is a lecture! Listen here you overgrown naked bush! All we want is the pendant! So either you give it to us in return for your daughter or we'll take it by force!" The half demon didn't hesitate to unsheathe his sword, and it was at this moment that Miroku stood up and held the half demon back.
"Enough Inuyasha! Threatening him will get us nowhere!" Miroku whispered harshly into his ear, but the Inuyasha wouldn't have that and fought against the monk.
A voice in the crowd suddenly had the courage to speak out, and with it, a few others joined in chorus. "That mongrel dared to threaten our King!"
"Kill the outsiders!"
"Yes, boil them alive!"
These fools were messing with fire. Sentencing them to death would certainly not help matters, and though he had been foolish in the past for raging against an innocent monkey, he didn't feel the need to simply lash out on these humans. They apparently didn't know any better, but he would not forgive the foolish threat on the half demon's part.
Link swallowed nervously. From what he could discern from the King's rigid stance atop his pedestal, besides the fact that he and Inuyasha were sharing a quiet battle, he sensed the uneasiness emanating from him. Though it didn't seem hardly noticeable, Link made out through his pupil-less gaze that deep down, he was hurting. With the loss of his daughter weighing down upon him and his missing men, it was no doubt he was conflicted between trusting these strangers and putting his people at risk against an unknown and malevolent force. Also, Link knew for certain that if the King decided to usher the rest of his troops to head out and search for his daughter rather than rely upon their aid, then he'd be endangering the rest of his Kingdom.
"You're Majesty! You're Majesty!" A voice bellowed down the halls toward the Chamber Room. A small Scrub, no bigger than the rest of the servants rushed forward, pushing through the crowd before brushing past the group. "You're Majesty…" He took a moment to catch his breath.
Because of the sudden distraction, he couldn't help but glare at the insolent Deku. "Have you no patience to wait until this meeting is dealt with?!" He growled.
The Scrub gulped. "You're Majesty, it involves your troops!"
"SPEAK UP!"
"I-I…regret to inform you…y-your soldiers have been laid to waste near the outskirts of the swamp, your Majesty!" The Scrub exclaimed sorrowfully before dropping his head,
preparing for the worst, but only silence hovered within the air around them.
"See? Didn't I tell you?" Inuyasha replied, but he only received a slap to his shoulder and a glare from the Butler.
Too stunned to argue back, however, the King simply stared past his many servants, but he wasn't looking at anything or anyone. So it had been true. His best men, defeated, and now…Orange eyes shifted to the group, and eyeing them from head to toe, he couldn't understand how they, not entirely equipped with the proper armor and armed with shields to defend themselves, could promise to go out and fulfill his request, where his soldiers had failed. "How can I simply be sure that you will not perish as well?" He asked. "And all this just for the possession of our treasure?"
"You're Majesty…" Began the monk. "You and your people have not been the only ones to suffer a catastrophe. Indeed, we have seen much on our travels. The Zora folk, who, granted there skilled men, could not even cross the acidic waters to rescue their own King. Then there was the Gorons who hid within their homes from a predator bound by some spell that stalked their land. We have journeyed to the East, to Ikana, where we found a helpless child and her father plagued by death itself, and through all of this, we have stepped in to help, and I cannot say it wasn't challenging, but we did manage to succeed." Somewhat…
Kagome nodded. "We even managed to return the river in Ikana back into pure water."
The King found himself speechless. Had it been true? "You say you have cleared the water? You and your friends were responsible?"
Kagome nodded. "Yes."
Still uncertain, he reclined into his chair, handing his septor to his Butler, who took it without trouble. "Very well…I shall allow you to carry out this mission and return my daughter to safety…In return, I shall grant your request," He replied.
Positively delighted, Tingle pranced in place and clapped his hands in celebration before spinning happily on his dainty feet. However, he was quickly silenced by a strike to his pointed head by a certain half demon.
"However…" The King began, his voice taking on darker tone than before. "If you fail and you return empty handed…Not only will you be exiled from my Kingdom, but you if you dare to step into my swamp again…I will not hesitate to order my men to execute you on the spot."
"You have our word," Miroku replied.
With a small gesture of his hand, he blatantly shooed them away, before returning to the previous delegations regarding his handful of servants and advisors that didn't hesitate to surround the front of the pedestal, their voices loud. As for the Butler, he slipped away from the side of the throne and kindly offered to escort the group of travelers out.
"Oh boy! Tingle's going to help rescue a Deku Princess!" Exclaimed the little fairy man who couldn't be more delighted. It seemed he was going on yet another adventure with Inuyasha and his friends. Unfortunately for him, he accidentally walked right into a certain half demon's leg, falling back in the process with a loud 'oof.'
Bending down, the half demon picked up the thirty-five year old man by the back of his tight fitted body suit. "Listen, you're staying here, understand? We don't need you getting in the way."
Tingle gasped. "What? You won't take Tingle along with you?!" He was horrified. "But Tingle wants to help too!" He fussed, and his friends, who had been following behind the King's personal attendant, couldn't help but shake their heads before exiting the room, leaving the two behind.
"I never said you couldn't help," Inuyasha replied with a smirk. "You can stay here. Maybe you can spread your joy to all these sappy sticks while we're gone. You'd be doing us a favor." With that said, he dropped Tingle, who landed, surprisingly on his feet this time before nodding eagerly to the half demon.
"Tingle won't let you down!"
"Good! Go spread that Koolimpo … or whatever it is you do to annoy others and we'll be back soon," With that said, Inuyasha walked out, feeling very pleased that he had gotten rid of Tingle, at least for a while. Heck, maybe while they were gone, the King might punish him or something, or at least put him in that cell; Inuyasha was sick and tired of babysitting.
OOO
"Thank you," The Deku Butler said as he wished them a safe journey to locate the missing heir. "My but this does remind me of the time our dear Princess first went missing…" He mused.
Miroku couldn't help but blink. "This isn't the first time?"
Serena wanted to roll her eyes. Why did this remind her of a certain priestess? "Why doesn't that surprise me?"
Deku Butler nodded. "Some time back, you see, she had been thought to have been abducted by a great beast that dwelled deep within Woodfall. And when the land was threatened by the emergent moon, we had all but given up hope. At the time, our King had taken his anger out on a friend of the princess who had last been seen with her. But, a young Deku boy appeared…" He stopped, and pulled out a small handkerchief to wipe his watering eyes. "This child who was not from our Kingdom ousted the beast and returned our fair Princess," He explained through the troubled tears cascading down his face. It had only been four years ago, but he remembered it well, in fact, it was well after the time his son had gone missing, and this child had appeared as if from nowhere, and he bore a striking resemblance to his … deceased son …
Miroku pondered. "A Deku boy not from your Kingdom?" He thought this quite interesting. It seemed absurd to think a Deku child could defeat a monster and rescue a princess, and to think the Deku never lived in this neck of the swamp was indeed interesting. "Was he set apart from all the others?"
Kagome found this story interesting. "All on his own? How old was he?" For some reason, she couldn't imagine a small child wielding a big shield and sword, taking on a ferocious monster.
The King's attendant felt his emotions get the better of him, and he blew his nose as he recalled the child, as if he was standing right there in front of him. "He had blonde hair and a green hat I do recall…," He replied. There had been no leaves on his entire body, and the sight of him walking around their Kingdom, with a look of loss in his eyes made him think entirely on his absent son…
Shippo couldn't help but glance at Link, who wasn't bothering to pay that much attention as he was looking out across the pond distantly. 'Blonde hair…and Link does own a green hat.' Nah, there was no way that could be possible. Link was a human after all. Maybe there were some Deku's out there with yellow leaves or something. Maybe it had been some kind of fashion trend then.
After waving goodbye to the older Scrub, the group set off in search of the missing Deku Princess, without any clue as to her whereabouts, only given the knowledge that she had been abducted.
As Inuyasha and the group finished crossing the unsteady bridge, he turned to face his friends. "Hell for all we know she might have run away," Replied Inuyasha. There wasn't any proof that she had been stolen. Had there been any signs of a struggle? They didn't know.
"Well whatever happened, I'm sure we can find her," Sango explained. "I can go with Kirara and search above the trees."
Shippo frowned. "But how will we know what she looks like?" He asked from the priestess's shoulder.
That was a tough one, but after a moment of pondering, a light bulb flashed above her head. "Easy," Kagome replied. "She's a princess, so think of a pretty Deku girl, with a flowing dress and flowers embroidered into her hair—"
"Not everything has flowers Kagome," Inuyasha scoffed, and what made her think that this Princess would fit the description? She sure as hell didn't know.
This time, it was Link who joined in. "She's right," He replied, and like always, it seemed, they all turned their befuddled stares onto him. Sighing, he opened the lid to his satchel and rummaged through his many belongings before locating the object he knew held what they needed. A small rectangular wooden box lay in the palm of his hand, and after revealing a photo to the priestess, he received a gasp, from her and Sango.
"She's so pretty!" Kagome exclaimed before turning to show Inuyasha. "See? I told you she had flowers in her hair!"
After a moment of inspecting the small image through the tiny rectangular space, the little fairy fluttered over to Link. "Is there any certain reason why you happen to have a photograph of this Deku girl, Link?" She asked, and from her question, Link felt his face redden in embarrassment.
"Let me see that!" Shippo reached out for the strange device before peering through the lens at the small image captured in black and white. She looked completely different from all of the other Deku's, and Kagome was right, she was pretty. Suddenly, a thought occurred to the little kit. 'Wait, what is Link doing with a picture of her?'
OOO
Pests. That's what they were and irritating as hell. It was easy enough to make him want to tear the flesh off his face than it was to get them away. What could possibly make him loose his sanity right this very moment? One word. Monkeys. No, it wasn't just one or two, nor was it three or five. There were seven, and they sprinted from tree to branch, mocking him and pelting him with anything they could get their little hairy hands onto. What annoyed him further were their feeble attempts to rescue their little Deku friend, locked away in a small cage beneath the base of a tree he had come to guard since last night.
"Enough you apes! Scat! You'll not take away my final chance at revenge!" He hollered, and kneeling into the grass, he picked up a nicely sized rock before shooting it at the closest target before smirking when they fled for the trees for the fifth time.
If he wanted, he could have trapped a few; he didn't doubt he wouldn't make a few rupees back in town at the Curiosity Shop. After all, monkeys, such as the ones inhabiting the swamp, fetched a high price, and these monkeys were high in quality. Cream colored fur and the nicely tinted pink of their skin would earn him quite a fair price, but sadly his objective was not on monkey pelts but lied solely on a certain individual, one that had foiled his chances with a certain woman not long back. Surprisingly, even his master wished the boy dead, but for whatever reason that it was, he wanted it slow and as painful as possible, and Sakon didn't object at all; he looked forward to it.
Wiping the sweat from his brow, he approached the iron cage before allowing his dark eyes to observe the small creature kept prisoner. Orange eyes blazed something of a fire at him, and he glared before kicking the cage, watching it rattle with satisfaction. A Deku Princess was she? How much would she sell for, he wondered. A wooden female…well probably no more than forty rupees at most, but he was sure there were other dealers out there, ones that didn't mind and paid handsomely in return.
Whether or not they were skittish monkeys, Dekus, baby Zoras, women or children, he was still paid well, and that was why he was the richest man in all of Termina. Sakon didn't dawdle and waste his time on good Chateau Romani at the Milk Bar, nor did he care to rent a room with any of the local prostitutes. He had a business to run, and that business relied solely on stealing and selling. Stealth was of major importance, and he wouldn't lie if he said he killed a family or two during his night rushes, but that was what made his job all the more interesting.
"Don't look at me that way princess!" Sakon spat before spitting at the cage. "If you think a hero is coming to save you, forget it! I'll skin him alive before he gets the chance," He laughed, and the Deku Princess wept, holding herself close in the farthest corner of the small cage.
"Sir," A masculine voice caught his attention, and looking to the side, he saw his newest companion appear. "They've arrived at the swamp, especially that Link kid."
The thief scrutinized his new helper. He was a burly man, dressed only in a pair of striped trousers with large black boots covering his feet. Sculpted abs, masculine arms and a physique that was so strong that it brought a smile to Sakon's lips. No older than forty five, he presumed, he had a finely trimmed beard and silver eyes; he looked menacing enough and was certainly capable of killing a person with one strike if given the opportunity. Sakon found him, chopping woods in this swamp, and he had decided he'd take a chance and use him to his advantage if something should go wrong during his heist.
Sakon chuckled, pleased by the progress made in such a short time. "Then it seems my plan is working smoothly…You know what to do," He replied, and at this, the other man nodded before disappearing through the foliage.
Soon, very soon, he would have his revenge…