You know, I just realized I haven't done a disclaimer in a looooooooooong time…meh. Go back to chapter…uhhh…one? Anyhoo, but I do own Jade, Kado, Pierre, Sophie, the four guys, Judd- uhh… There's more I know- oh, the two kids at the stand- I forget their names, and Kenny, Ryuichi, the general- forgot his name, too, Eric, and few others. Tch, forget my own character's names. How sad, I know…

Eh… Read on, peeps, read on!

Seeing Truth

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Chapter 25: Disturbance

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It was in the middle of the night, and I was completely exhausted, and if someone decided on waking me up I would beat them up with my pillow… If only I was awake enough to actually lift my head to get the pillow. Oh, well. I guess whoever just shook my shoulder got away lucky this time.

I groaned in annoyance as I opened my eyes to see Link staring at me through the dark. His eyes shimmered slightly from the moonlight from the window in the guestroom we were in. It was Pierre's idea for us to stay here, and even after my hours of protesting, neither Link nor Kado would even listen to me. Well, mainly Kado after he saw me leaning on a tree cracking up laughing at him. He wouldn't talk to me all night, which was actually quite relieving; I didn't have someone trying to flirt with me every second. Anyway, I sat up after I realized Link was dressed up in his tunic, but wasn't even wearing a hat. This had to be good…or else.

"What is it, Link?" I mumbled as I rubbed my eyes sleepily.

"I need you to help me." He said simply.

"You need my help?" I asked a bit amazed.

"Yes. Please, we have to hurry." He replied as he stepped back.

"Alright, alright…" I tossed the covers off with my feet, "Wait; what about Kado?"

"He's still sleeping. I didn't want to wake him after having to deal with Sophie all evening."

"More like he's out cold." I muttered as I stood up while at the same time trying to stop the dizziness in my head. Ugh, got up too fast again, I thought as I shook my head.

"Come on…" Link whispered as he grabbed my arm, and led me to a door at the end of the hallway on the first floor. Of course, I was pretty pissed when I realized they were making me sleep all alone on the first floor while Kado and Link got to sleep on the second floor, but my own tired state put all my suspicions aside.

"Where are we going?" I asked as he opened the door slowly. A library not even a fourth the size of the one in Hyrule Castle was just behind the wooden door. "Oh…why?"

"We need to find the second Triforce piece?" he replied as he shut the door quietly behind him.

"And you think it's in here?" I questioned more as he began rummaging through a desk in the far right corner.

"There has be something here that will help us." He said as he began searching through a drawer. I heard footsteps beyond the door, but they didn't stop; they continued down the hallway until they came to an end abruptly. I called Link over, and he rushed over. "What is it?"

"I don't know." I replied in a hushed voice. I heard a door bang open as voices rang through the hallway. I caught a few, "She's not here!" and "Search the entire house!" That rat! Pierre knew what he was doing all along! They were in my room, searching for me! My eyes widened from fear and anger. I turned to Link as he glanced at me.

"We have to go!" I whispered to Link as I ran over to the window on the other side of the room.

"What about Kado?" he said while following me around. I stopped in my tracks, trying to ponder what to do.

"I don't know, Link. They're after me…" I began.

"Why are they after you?" He questioned me as voices filled the house.

"There's no time to explain." I replied quickly as I tried to budge the window open.

"We have to get Kado." He said.

"I know we do, but how?" I asked as I turned to him.

"Get out of here." Link replied as he ran to the desk chair, grabbed it, and placed it under the doorknob.

"What? What about you?" I whispered to him as he unlocked the window I was trying to budge open.

"I'll meet you at Romani's Ranch." I was already out the window when I just realized I didn't even know where it was located.

"Link?" I whispered back as he closed the window.

"Go!" he mouthed to me. I was about to pound on the window when I realized that just maybe that was a bad idea. I watched as Link disappeared behind one of the many rows of bookshelves just as the door burst open. I ducked under the window, my heart racing, praying they wouldn't look out and under the window. Voices shouted inside the house, but I didn't dare look back as I sprinted across the clearing that was their yard. I was only a few yards away when I heard the door open.

"Stop right there, Jade!" Pierre's voice reached my ears. I turned to him, and gasped; he had a bow in his hands, and an arrow ready and aiming at me. I turned back, and continued running when I ran face first into the iron bars that was the gate. My nose hurt like hell, but I ignored it and began shaking the gate.

"Did you really think I was going to let you get away that easily? You owe me a year of service, Jade." I turned to stare at the guy who might as well just put me in prison. Before I could reply with a smart remark I noticed Kado's mussed hair behind Pierre; his sword was drawn, and just before it could make contact with his head, Pierre had turned and knocked the sword out of Kado's hand. I ran half way towards Kado when from the corner of my eye I noticed three of the four men began chasing me back down the road. I made to grab for the katana that was usually strapped to my side, but realized I had left it in their guestroom. My eyes opened wide then turned around, and began running like hell. They weren't going to take me back to that farm! I jumped onto the gate, and began climbing up as fast as my clumsy self could take me.

They grabbed for my feet, but I kicked at their heads, and continued to climb. A gruff one from the three grabbed my pajama pants, and I gasped. The heel of my foot made contact with his nose, and I huffed and pulled my pants back way up to secure my privacy.

"Jade!" Link called. I was just about to climb over the gate when I turned to him. He threw a sword at me, and I made a blind attempt and grabbed it. Unfortunately, my reflexes aren't so good so I grabbed the blade instead of the hilt. How stupid of me! I yelped, and quickly grabbed the hilt with my other hand while the other- bleeding, of course held my place on the top of the gate while the three men down under began shaking it. I groaned in frustration, but decided without anymore thought, leapt off the gate, and back onto the road. The three men turned around, unsheathed their swords, and began circling around me. They laughed with an evil glint in their eyes. I narrowed my eyes at them before I readied the sword. I was only used to fighting with my katana, and a sword just seemed so much lighter. Anyway, I turned around quickly, surveying my position so I wouldn't make a stupid mistake. It was finally time to put all my practice into motion, and see just how well I had learned.

The short and scraggly one decided to make a move first; he swung his sword horizontally, and I quickly stepped back, which was a stupid mistake to begin with; I was only a foot away from another of the three men, so I thought quickly: just as the one behind me with the beard tried to make a grab for me, I ducked under, and swung my leg out, causing the short one to trip. His sword slid only a few feet away, and fighting with two swords just seemed so much better. I crawled as quickly as I could, but the bearded one stepped on my hand-the exact one Ryuichi had not too long ago. I muttered a few curses as he grabbed the back of my collar, and lifted me into midair. I could feel the sharp blade slowly bite into my skin, but everything else seemed to disappear. It was only me, and- of course, this guy who was- well, I wasn't really sure if he was going to kill me, but either way all I could think of was escaping. I stopped kicking when I heard a familiar voice.

"I don't think you want to be doing that." Link's voice rang in my ears as his sword appeared in front of me. I took this as my chance, and kneed the man in the gut. He dropped me to the ground, and I grabbed the sword Link had handed me. I glanced back to see them fighting, then turned back around to see the third of the men who were just recently after me was now standing right above me. I rolled away from him, and stood up. I readied my blade even if it was a little awkward. He went for my legs first, but I parried, and made a horizontal slash that he blocked. I side-stepped a couple of times, thinking of my next move just before he made another swing; I blocked even if I did use both of my hands to secure my grip over the hilt.

I quickly swung my sword, but he blocked it with a vertical sway, pinning the blade to the ground. I growled in frustration as I tried to free my sword, but he just wouldn't let up. He grinned at me stupidly, and punched him square in the nose with my good hand. He stumbled back, a hand to his bleeding nose. I grabbed my sword, and swung it just so I could get some more room. The man continued to fight without hesitation, and finally caught me off guard; I hadn't realized I had completely left my left side vulnerable, so it was all too easy to slash at my shoulder when I was currently trying to block him with the sword in my right hand. He was too quick, and I found myself staring at a nightshirt stained with my own blood. I glanced back at the man in front of me, his crooked teeth showing through his parted lips as he smiled at me. A growl formed in the pit of my throat as I slashed at him again, and as hard as I could.

I was drained by the time the fourth of the men decided to come up from his hiding place. I had just made contact with the man's skin for the first time when the fourth one grabbed me from behind; he had one arm wrapped around my neck while the other held a blade just below my jaw.

"Drop the sword." He whispered into my ear, and I had no choice, but to comply. The man I had been fighting with wrapped a piece of his clothing around his arm, a smirk on his face as the fourth man led me up to the house. From the corner of my eye I recognized Kado fighting with Pierre, and from the looks of it, it didn't seem to be going anywhere; I mean- I've always known Kado was a great fighter, and I guess Pierre was an equal match. The man had bulging muscles that just seemed so unnatural; it was sickening! Though, Pierre was slower just by the looks of it, so just maybe Kado had a chance. If only I could watch them or at least help. The man pushed me over onto the porch where I tripped over the steps, and fell onto my injured shoulder. I winced from the searing pain then backed away from both of the men as they began talking in low whispers. Aye, things couldn't get any worse, I thought, but just then Sophie stepped onto the porch, Spoke too soon. She eyed Link for a few seconds before turning to Kado where her eyes lingered a little too long on the brunette. She turned to me with an odd glint in her eyes.

"I don't understand why my brother wants you to work for him so much. You are pathetic. What good are you to anyone?" she hissed as she placed her hands on her hips. How many times have I said that to myself? Hm… uncountable, but she had no right to say that to me. She turned around, and stared off to the direction of Pierre and Kado before speaking again, "I don't understand what he sees in you. You're a commoner…not even pretty, and yet…" She talks way too much. Get over it! But I just realized- she wasn't talking about Pierre…she was talking about Kado! Oh, dear God! If you like him so much- keep him…! She continued to keep her back to me, and an idea began forming in my head.

I slowly got up from my huddled position, and made my way behind Sophie just after the fourth man- the one with the cropped hair had gone to help the bearded man who was apparently losing to Link. The third man kept his back to me- what a stupid mistake! I grabbed the sword from the third man, and pushed him over the railing with my foot when he wasn't looking. Before she could get away, I grabbed Sophie by the back of her collar, and placed my hand over her mouth with a sword held against her neck. The man ran back onto the porch with anger in his eyes when he saw me holding Sophie with a blade against her neck. She struggled against me, but I wasn't about to let her go, and when she bit hard into my hand I pushed the blade a little farther into her skin.

"Don't make me kill you." I threatened, and believe it or not- she listened to me. Now, really, how could I ever kill someone? Well, the stupid blonde believed I could, and would; the only things that came out from her were small little whimpers, and a few tears that mixed just great with her damn saliva on my hand.

"Let her go." The man threatened.

"And what are you going to do about it?" I asked as I moved across the porch to avoid the door behind me, dragging Sophie along the way. He didn't answer. "Move." I said to him, and he backed off the porch.

"Now…" I began as I pushed Sophie down the stairs. I turned my head slightly, catching the sight of Pierre's expression, and for a second I felt a pang of guilt. I shoved them out quickly, though, as Pierre lowered his sword, which was followed by his other three men.

"Hand in your swords." I ordered them, and they obeyed, dropping their swords to the ground. I watched as Link and Kado picked up their weapons, and walked to my side. At least, now, I didn't have to worry about Sophie running me down or elbowing me, which could have been easily done, but whom were we talking about here!

"Name your terms." Pierre said impatiently. I turned to Link, and raised my eyebrows.

"Jade…" Link whispered into my ear.

"What?" I replied back with the same tone of voice.

"I didn't want this to happen." He answered.

"Neither did I." I said as I nodded him on, "Tell them what we want. It's worth a shot."

"Fine…" he said then stepped forward, "We want the treasure you're keeping here."

"The Triforce piece." Kado added.

"Yeah, and if you don't give that to us… Sophie's going to have a little swim with the fishes." Ha! Even I couldn't believe the cliché words I had just said. The blonde struggled under my grip, but I only tightened my grip on the sword, and moved my arm to wrap around her neck before she could try and get away.

"And what are you planning on doing if they don't comply, Miss Walker?" A ragged, low voice was heard behind me, and I gasped at the realization that someone had used my last name.

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Ooh! I wonder who it is! Heh, anyhoo… I know this chapter was really short, but was it sweet? Please review, and give me your input! Thank you all for reviewing chappie 24!