Shippo blinked. "Where did he go?"

Serena didn't know but she intended to find out. As she fluttered to where he was last standing, she realized his sword was lying on the ground, and she shrieked suddenly, causing Shippo to jump in fright. "They've got Link!" She cried out. Great! As if it wasn't bad enough that Kagome was missing, but now Link was missing as well! Who was next?! "Oh my goodness! Link! If you can hear me, say something! Link!"

"What the hell are you screaming about?" Inuyasha asked as he jumped into the clearing, his once bleeding and aching foot now healed thanks to the Red Potion. When his amber eyes fell upon the small cage and the little Deku girl inside, he smirked. "Is this her?" He asked before bending down and peering into the cage.

"Oh my god! Inuyasha, Link is gone!" Cried the fairy desperately as she flew around him in continuous circles, which for the most part annoyed the half demon, but he didn't bother to swat her away.

Sniffing the air around him, Inuyasha tried to differentiate the smell of his friends and that of Link. Making out the boy's scent wasn't too difficult, as it was a mix between the forest and blood just as before when he first stumbled upon him some time back. Lifting himself up and approaching the site he had last been seen, he took notice of his sword lying at his feet before lowering himself to the ground. From what he could smell, there were two scents; one belonged to Link no doubt and the other…reeked of cologne or some kind of perfume, only it was stronger than what the priestess normally kept in her yellow backpack. "There's was definitely another person!" He exclaimed before glaring suddenly. 'What the? His and Link's scent ended there.'

Desperate to figure out what had happened to her companion, Serena flew around the half demon worriedly, with Shippo remaining behind with the Princess. "Well? What happened to him?"

Inuyasha picked himself off the ground before grabbing the fallen sword. "There's another scent mixed in, but it's as if they've disappeared."

"Disappeared? How?" She asked.

"How the hell should I know?" He growled. "Look calm down! We'll find him. First let's get this straightened out," He was referring to the Deku Princess.

Shippo frowned as Inuyasha approached the cage. "It won't open. I tried already," He sadly responded.

With a roll of his eyes, the half demon knelt down beside the cage and after placing his hand atop it, he used his other to grasp one of the bars before pulling back harshly on the door. It opened just like that, and Serena and Shippo couldn't help but stare astounded. "See? It's not that hard."

Positively delighted that she was finally freed from the cramped space, the Deku Princess hopped out with her beautiful dress of pink and lavender flowers, along with her long headpiece, flowing elegantly behind her as she joined her little monkey friends who instantly surrounded her gleefully. Having been rescued by a curious sort, she offered a kind bow to the half demon and his friends. "Thank you! Please, if you could, take me back to the Palace."

Unfortunately Inuyasha couldn't grant that request, and instead he crossed his arms ignorantly. "Sorry to burst your bubble but that's going to have to wait."

Even though he didn't want to agree, Shippo knew Inuyasha was right, and it hurt him to see the Princess stare at him as she did. "Yeah, right now Link and Kagome are missing. When we find them, then we'll take you back, okay?"

She nodded, though her monkey friends didn't seem quite pleased with this turn of events. However, one of the monkeys suddenly approached the half demon before hopping from foot to foot, hooting and throwing its hands up and down as if it were trying to tell him something, but the half demon merely stared at it.

"What did he say?" Inuyasha asked the silent fairy next to him.

"I don't speak monkey," She replied just as bemused. Sure she was a fairy but that didn't mean she had the power to understand all the different languages, especially that of animals. She was still a child after all, and her magical abilities were not yet fully developed.

After listening to the monkey continue to explain to the three what was so important, and upon seeing the dumbfounded expressions marring Inuyasha's and Shippo's faces, the Deku Princess stepped up to her monkey friend before interpreting its words.

"He said he saw the man that kidnapped the human girl."

"What?" Inuyasha questioned with surprise. 'Kagome…' "Where is she? Where did he go?" He asked, and after hearing the monkey hoot and explain, the Deku Princess relayed it back to the half demon.

"Follow me, is what he said," She explained, and after that, the monkey took off in the opposite direction, and Inuyasha was quick to chase after, but before disappearing from view, he turned back to Shippo.

"Shippo, fly the Princess back to the witches hut and wait for Miroku and Sango there!"

When the half demon disappeared beyond the towering trees, Serena sighed hopelessly. "What about Link? He's missing too!"

Immediately after hearing Inuyasha, Shippo quickly transformed into his large pink form and he ushered the princess onto his back. "Don't worry; I'm sure Inuyasha will find him. Maybe he's with Kagome," He hoped this would sooth the fairy's worries. As the monkeys helped the Deku Princess upon Shippo carefully, they took to the skies before heading over to the Witches' Potion Shop some distance away where the smoke still poured out from the chimney. At least there they'd be safe.

OOO

Ever impatient for the traveling group to return with his daughter and ever annoyed by the constant chatter escaping a rather annoying little green man, his Majesty found himself pacing to and fro, grasping his septor tightly in his strong grip, with his personal assistant, Deku Butler, standing off to the side dismally. "This is taking too long! Why aren't they back?!"

"Sire, if I may…please calm down. It's only been two hours since they're departure. I'm sure by this evening they'll return with our Princess," Replied the Deku Butler, but his words did little to soothe the irate scrub pacing in front of his throne.

Strongly agreeing with this, the Deku King stopped and rubbed his temples achingly; he felt the stirrings of another migraine beginning to surface, and it wasn't helping matters when his eyes fell onto Tingle below his podium, prancing about while incessantly throwing random pieces of colorful confetti all over his Chamber Room.

"ENOUGH!" He hollered, and at this, the little man, no bigger than an average man's knees, ceased his prancing before staring inquisitively at the large scrub.

The Deku Butler, along with several of his servants sweat dropped further. They hadn't expected the annoying thing to stay with them, but it certainly did take their minds away from more depressing issues, that was for sure.

"But Tingle was only trying to cheer you up!" Cried the little fairy man, but all he received were angered looks, and a not so happy expression from his Majesty, who was on the verge of losing control. Initially, he was given the task to spread his joy to all of the unhappy Dekus, and Inuyasha had trusted him with this, and he would not let him or his friends down.

His majesty's personal assistant struck the thirty-five year old with a look, while the King angrily stepped out of the room for some fresh air, leaving Tingle to stare quietly. "Please refrain from making so much noise and settle down!" Deku Butler reprimanded.

Those words fells short on Tingle, because the moment the King disappeared from the room, he jumped onto the podium and plopped himself onto the chair lazily.

Deku Butler was flabbergasted. "Get off there this instant!"

"No!" Tingle replied before scooting his paunchy backside into the chair and reclining back with a sigh. The chair was certainly spacy, but not particularly comfortable. "Tingle is only sitting. This happens to be the only chair here."

"That 'chair' happens to belong to his Majesty! Please remove yourself from there at once!" Or else, he knew that all hell would break loose…No one dared to sit and defile the King's throne, and although the one called Tingle was stupid, surely he would be smart enough to understand his plight.

Unfortunately, Tingle remained seated before crossing his arms ignorantly. "Tingle doesn't see why he has to! And no one's using it right now," he pointedly replied and it was the truth. From the corner of his eyes, Tingle caught sight of the royal septor leaning innocently against the chair, and curious of the pink petals and the many vines wrapped around its entirety, Tingle reached out to touch it.

Because he had intended this to happen, Deku Butler slapped his hand away from the staff before his grimy hands could filthy it with a commoner's touch. "You will not touch what doesn't belong to you!" Really, he was acting like a spoiled child!

Tingle glared. "Tingle only wanted to touch it! Not like Tingle was going to break it…" He muttered under his breath before standing up in the chair and peeking behind it.

"What are you doing?!" Questioned the Butler, but Tingle only kept looking at every inch of the chair, not at all bothered that he was flashing his butt to the entire room, which had turned to stare quizzically at the little man. "Enough I say! You're causing a scene!" With that said he grabbed Tingle by the back of his suit and attempted to pry him away from the chair, but Tingle held fast.

"No!"

Absolutely frustrated by his childish antics, Deku Butler pulled harder, however he only managed to accidentally rip off a piece of his shoulder sleeve, and by doing this, he lost his balance and fell back onto his rump, and by this point he was positively infuriated, so much so that he turned his glare onto the two guards stationed near the podium, who were, at best, looking elsewhere.

"Guards, remove him at once!"

When they heard the loud pitch spoken by the King's personal assistant, they darted up the steps and attempted to repeat what Deku Butler had tried before, only this time, each soldier grabbed Tingle by his feet, in order to pry him away from the chair completely, but Tingle wouldn't budge.

"No! No! No! You can't make Tingle!"

When the King returned, he found himself staring at a most mortifying sight; A display of tug-o-war played out upon his podium, and Tingle, who for some god forsaken reason had decided to cozy himself into his throne possessively clinging onto it for dear life.

Outraged beyond recognition, he approached the podium, and upon noticing his majesty's return, the servants gathered around the ruckus, parted away immediately. He was boiling in obvious rage, so much so that he wanted to put an end to the tiny peasant's life that very minute.

Deku Butler gasped and turned to the King before bowing anxiously. "Sire, please forgive me. I tried to remove him physically, but he will not listen to reason."

The King however ignored his attendant and pushed his guards away before yanking the green suited Tingle by the back of his pointy head and turning him around to face him.

Tingle suddenly went wide eyed when he saw the fire emanating off of the taller scrub.

"You insolent, pathetic excuse for a little man, what do you think you are doing in my chair! This is my personal chair!" Only those of the Royal Family were allowed special privileges to sit in the mighty throne.

Tingle merely remained defiant. "But nobody was sitting here, so Tingle sat down!" He fussed.

It happened. The King lost control. One moment he had been ready to listen to a reasonable explanation, and the next he lunged for Tingle, shaking him by his cone head, knocking Tingle's head against the back of the chair repeatedly. "THAT'S BECAUSE IT'S MY CHAIR!"

"You're Majesty! Please, calm down! Remember your blood pressure!" Cried the Deku Butler.

Huffing and puffing, he removed himself from Tingle and turned to his servants who all shrunk back from his glare. "Five minutes…if he's not out of here within the time that I return, heads will roll…" With that said he stepped down the stairs and left the room, leaving a heavy silence.

All heads turned to Tingle, glaring.

Cracking his knuckles, the personal attendant stood before Tingle, who merely sat there with his arms crossed, with little fairies dancing around his head dizzily. "I have had enough of this. If you wish to act like a child, then you will be treated like a child. Therefore you shall be punished like one too…"

Tingle gulped and shrunk back into the chair suddenly feeling frightened by the ominous Butler. "W-what are you going to do with Tingle?"

"The same thing I do to all disobedient scrublings…" Reaching out for the tiny man, now cowering with fear, he pulled him up by his suit and Deku Butler seated himself onto the edge of the chair before plopping Tingle over his knee and onto his stomach as he prepared to strike down on the small man's behind.

The younger scrublings who knew what was to transpire, quickly turned away, trembling when the first hit echoed through the room, followed by an ear piercing wail. With each strike, they jumped a little, remembering when they had first misbehaved some time back. They feared their King's anger, but it was the Deku Butler's right hand that they feared the most; there was nothing more terrifying than a strike to one's behind.

Five minutes later, the King returned, and upon noticing the silence hover in the air, and no annoying little man in his chair, he approached his throne and sat down, barely regarding the crying man in the cell to his left. After sitting down in his chair, he looked around, realizing his guards at each post seemed ill in their faces.

"What was his punishment from the Butler?"

One of the guards muttered 'spankings', but said nothing after wards, only allowing his buddy beside him to finish the rest.

"To be honest my King…I lost count after fifty…"

A shiver ran down the King's spine, as well as many of the other servants and soldiers in the room, and he closed his eyes, remembering his early years as a young Deku Scrub. Those had been some frightful years… "There is nothing more frightening then his right hand…" He muttered to himself, and everyone in the room couldn't help but nod slowly in agreement. The King turned his attention to the whimpering man in the cell. "Have you learned your lesson yet?"

Tingle sniffled. "Friends…are supposed to share…" He cried.

OOO

As he came to, Link realized he was no longer in the company of his friends, nor was he outside where the towering trees surrounded him. Through his still blurry vision, he couldn't help but squint through the darkness where he sat. Where ever he was, it was cold and damp, and not far from him, he heard a constant dripping noise tapping against a metal of some sort; it rang in his ears deafeningly.

An aching sensation pounded through the back of his head, and the area there felt strangely warm. Attempting to lift his hand up to inspect the seriousness of the injury, his breath hitched suddenly when he pulled back before leaning back against the hard, stone wall, grasping his shoulder painfully. With his teeth clenched and his eyes squeezed tight, Link thought he heard someone chuckle, and opening his blue eyes, he squinted through the darkness, where a figure stood ominously, peering at him with murderous intent.

"It seems you've awakened…" A husky voice spoke, and as his silhouetted figure shifted through the darkness, the light from the small crevice in the wall above Link illuminated his captor's face, revealing familiar pale skin and a sinister smile.

Sakon…

With a growl surfacing from his throat, Link made to rise to his feet, but his efforts proved disorienting, and he slid down the wall, grunting in obvious pain before striking the thief with a hard glare. Just from the look in his eyes said it all; Sakon was out for blood, Link's blood. Peering down at his belt wrapped around his waist, that held his satchel in place and his sheath, the boy realized his sword was missing and across the room his quiver of arrows and bow lay strewn on the floor some distance away and out of reach. There was that urge to growl out in frustration, but he refrained from doing so, deciding rather to collect himself and prepare for the unexpected.

"Still aggressive as usual," Sakon commented before crossing his arms, still smiling nonetheless. "I had expected to run into you again, but so soon? Why it must be my lucky day!" He laughed, but Link did not find it amusing.

"It's been you this entire time…" Link remarked, wincing when he tried to stand up, though he failed miserably, settling on kneeling instead. "You've been tormenting everyone…Clock Town, Snowhead, Ikana and now Woodfall."

The thief brought his hand to his chin before scratching it thoughtfully. "Snowhead? No, I don't believe I ever paid that particular place a visit, but you're only partially correct."

Link frowned disbelievingly. Partially…Back in Ikana Valley, Link had been sure that Sakon had been working under someone, and he knew that there was no possible way the thief could have conjured such magic and such evil during their adventure through the four regions of Termina. Who else was responsible? Where had he gotten such malicious powers from?

Still smiling as if he was not the one at fault, the thief knelt down in front of the lad before staring into his eyes. With one slick move from his part, he struck Link with the back of his hand, effectively knocking him to the ground. "I decided I'd return those little beatings you gave me," Sakon replied before rubbing his jaw achingly. "Because of you, I've lost a couple teeth." It simply did not do well for his image.

As Link attempted to sit up, he felt the pressure of Sakon's boot pressed into his chest, and he fell back wincing. "You won't get away with this!" He exclaimed as he attempted to remove his foot from his person.

The young warrior's exclamation was enough to make him laugh at the absurdity of it all. "But you see? I already have…" Removing his foot, he bent down and grabbed the collar of Link's tunic before using his strength to pull him toward him face to face. "You're a little too late. She's mine now."

At the mention of this, Link was about to lash out with his fist, but before he could, Sakon had knocked him square in the face, sending him flying into the wall before collapsing against it achingly.

For some reason he was unable to stand up let alone react quick enough to defend himself against the thief. While he sat there, watching Sakon approach him slowly, it seemed as if the entire room was spinning, and he couldn't comprehend why he felt so light headed and dizzy. "Y-you stay…away from her!"

Once again Link was kicked to the side, and in an effort to escape to a reasonable distance, he lifted himself to his knees and crawled to the other side of the room, but it only served to amuse the thief further.

"Running away won't help Link," Replied Sakon, disappointed that the kid wasn't even putting up a fight, but it made his task easier. With a crack of his neck and a roll of his shoulders, he retrieved from his pocket a small dagger before staring into the reflected surface expressionlessly. "Now then…why don't we have some real fun?"