Chapter 8. Green Thumb

It was getting dark when we reached Forest Haven, but I'd rested well the night before so I decided to head in there anyway. As we got close, King slowed down and spoke.

"It may appear as though this is but a great tree rising far above the ocean's surface, but it is a sacred place." King said. "It is inside this grotto that you will find the spirit of the earth, the Great Deku Tree. You must speak with the Deku Tree and receive from him the sacred gem known as Farore's Pearl. I fear that Ganon's vile hand may have already reached this most sacred of sanctuaries. Go forth with caution, Link."

"I will."

The island was strangely pretty in the fading light. The tall grass swishing in the breeze and the sounds of running water served to mask any sounds of approaching danger. Of course, the danger that I found couldn't move much.

How was I supposed to expect a big purple flower to pop up out of the grass and try to bite my leg off? Huh?

There were several of those killer flowers one the island, and I quickly found that the best way to deal with them was to clonk them with the grappling hook, then rush in and behead them while they were stunned. They were plants, so I figured they'd grow back.

The path up and around the island didn't go very far. There was a small stream leading from somewhere inside the massive stone column that took up most of the island. Normally I would have waded or swam through it, but the current was surprisingly strong, and I didn't want to risk it. Instead I used the grappling hook to swing to the rocks and little islands spaced throughout it.

The octorocks spitting rocks at me made the going difficult, but they ran away when I got close. Still, my knees were pretty sore when I finally got to the cave entrance. The water was still and clear, more clear than I'd ever seen water before. I was tempted to drink some of it, but there had been an octorock there only moments before.

The inside of the island was not technically a cave, since it was open to the sky, but the rock walls went up so high that you could barely tell. It was very pretty. Trees and grass and flowers and fireflies. It even smelled pretty.

The biggest tree was a ways away from the entrance, and I couldn't explain why, but when I saw it I thought "It's facing away from me." Trees don't have faces, so they can't face anywhere, right?

Wrong.

This tree had a face, a big one, and it was covered in chuchus. I had (and still have) no idea what being covered in chuchus would do to a tree, but I doubted it would be anything good. And since King had told me to talk to the Great Deku Tree, I decided to help.

I drew my sword and charged, but the goopy things were too high for me to reach. I knew better than to jump up and down to try and get them, so I rammed my shoulder into the tree as hard as I could.

Success! It knocked them all down!

Oh no! Now they were after me!

Chuchus are annoying as hell because they can disappear into little puddles and hide. Then the next thing you know, one of them is running into you from behind. Luckily there were none of the zappy ones there, and I managed to get rid of them with minimal bruising.

Now that the tree was free of evil glob monsters, I was able to see it more clearly. The face on it was huge, masculine, and rather unattractive, but not in a scary way. It looked friendly.

There was a giant lily pad right in front of the tree's face, and it seemed like as good a place as any to try to get his attention. I climbed up onto it, and as soon as I did it shook and rose up closer to the face. The Great Deku Tree, 'cause that's what he had to be, looked at me and said something that I didn't understand at all.

"Um, huh?"

The Deku Tree said something else that I didn't understand. It sounded like the same language Valoo had been speaking.

"What?" I said.

"I must apologize," the Deku Tree said, finally talking normally. "I was in error. I saw your clothing and suddenly I felt a longing for an age gone by. That longing caused the ancient tongue to pass my lips."

"It's okay."

"I am the guardian spirit of this Forest Haven, the Deku Tree. I owe you my thanks for your aid in ridding me of those foul creatures. Tell me, was it not the King of Red Lions, the boat who speaks, who led you to this place?"

"Yeah! You know him?"

"Indeed I do. Then you have come here because you have need of the pearl of the goddess?"

"Yes please. Um, sir."

"I see... I knew there was a reason the monsters had begun to congregate in the regions around my wood. Now I understand it. He has returned... Ganon has returned..."

I nodded.

"In that case, we must make haste." He looked around and spoke to the air. "Koroks! Little children of the woods! This traveler is not your enemy. Let your hearts be at ease, and show yourselves!"

I looked around to see who he was talking to, but could see nothing but green. And then, the green moved.

Up above me, on a cliff that ran around the entire cavern, little brown plant-like creatures with leaves for faces were appearing. Each raised another leaf above its head and leapt off the cliff, flying down with their non-face leaves spinning like propellers.

"What do you call yourself?" the Deku Tree asked.

"Um, Link," I said, still distracted by the strange little plant-people.

"Link? Well, then, Link... These are the Koroks, the spirits of the forest. Once upon a time, long ago, the Koroks took on human forms, but when they came to live on the sea, they took these shapes. Now they fear people, but to me they will ever be my cherished little children."

"Nice to meet you guys," I said.

"As it happens, you have come just in time for a ceremony that the Koroks hold but once every year. It is about to begin. I shall grant the pearl to you once their ceremony is complete. I must apologize for the brief delay, but if the ceremony is not completed soon, an ill fate could befall us."

"Hey, no big deal."

"So, let it begin! Are you ready, my children?"

"No!" a squeaky little voice exclaimed. I looked up and saw another of the plant-people flying down toward us. It was hard to read the leaf-faces, but he seemed agitated. "W-We are not, Oh Great Deku Tree! Something terrible has happened! It is Makar! Makar!"

"What is the matter, Linder?" the Deku Tree asked as the one called Linder hovered near his face. "You and Makar are always late..."

"N-No! It is not that, Oh Great Deku Tree! Makar... fell into the Forbidden Woods!"

"What!" The Deku Tree's expressions were much easier to read, and he was definitely upset. "The Forbidden Woods?"

"I told him to be careful!" Linder exclaimed. "But still Makar flew above the Forbidden Woods, and as he drew close to it..."

"Foolish little Makar..." the Deku Tree sighed. "Link, you have heard all this?"

"Yeah. This is bad, huh?"

"The Forbidden Woods are right beside the hollowed island of our Forest Haven. Those woods... The whole region is a vile place that is home to evil beasts. And now it seems they have taken a child of the forest named Makar."

He looked at me hard for a moment. "Your presence here is no mistake, I deem. The King of Red Lions likely expects great deeds of you, it is why he brought you here. I am sorry to ask this of you, but can you go rescue young Makar for me?"

Linder interrupted. "But, Great Deku Tree! People cannot fly through the air..."

"Ah, yes... Thank you, child. You are right. It is not possible to enter those woods from the sea, is it.?" He looked me over again. "Link, I would guess from your size that you are heavier than my Korok children, yet I think we may still be able to solve this dilemma. You must use the item I shall bestow upon you and fly through the sky!"

"Cool!"

The Great Deku Tree shook, from root to crown, opened his mouth wide and roared. Up high in the branches I saw something shake free, and stick on a branch. It shone.

"Forgive me, Link," the Deku Tree said, sounding a bit worn, "but could you climb up to my crown and get the leaf from up there?"

"Um, I guess. But...how?"

The Deku Tree didn't answer. He looked like he might be asleep. The giant lily pad lowered me back down to ground level, and I found myself surrounded by those little plant guys, the Koroks.

"We can help," one said. "There's a way to get up into the Great Deku Tree's crown. But it's tricky if you're new at it."

"Well, I can try. What is it?"

"This way."

I followed the little guy off the lily pad and to another part of the mini-forest. He waddled over to a bulbous purple flower, and poked at it with a wooden arm.

"This is a Baba bud," he said. "You hop in one, and it spits you up way way high in the air."

I stared at the seemingly innocuous flower. "Say that again?"

"You hop in it, and it spits you out up high."

"It what?"

The Korok sighed. "Watch me."

He approached the flower, eyed it for a moment, then literally hopped inside the petals. The flower twitched and bulged for a moment, then the little Korok was shot straight up into the air, turned a somersault, and landed perfectly on the ground.

"It takes practice to do it like that," he said, sounding smug, "but I'm sure you won't get too hurt trying."

"Thanks, now I'm really looking forward to this." I poked at the flower with my toe.

"Now, you want to aim for that other flower over there."

"Where?"

"Up there."

I looked up. "There's like a dozen of those things!"

"Yeah. You're gonna need to go from bud to bud, and probably stop on that branch, and go to more buds, until you get to the crown."

I stared at the flowers. "This is crazy."

"But you're going to do it anyway, aren't you?"

I looked back down at him. "Yeah... I am."

Each flower was higher than the other, and it would take careful aiming to make sure I didn't fall on my head and die. It would be fast, that was clear, there would be little time to make adjustments in mid-air. I took a dep breath, parted the petals of the flower with the toe of my boot, and stepped inside.

It was not quite like being eaten. The flower smelled nice, for one thing, and the petals didn't seem very sturdy. I could probably rip my way out of the thing if I had to.

I felt the petals moving around me, and the ground, or whatever I was standing on, shook. It jerked back, and then I was shot up high, high, into the air.

It was hard not to scream, but somehow I managed. I'd been hurled through the air once before, and I didn't like it. Luckily, before I could run out of breath, I was swallowed up by another flower. I had time to inhale, then I was spat back up into the air. Another scream, and other flower, another gasp, and then I landed on something leafy and solid.

I pushed myself upright and forced my breathing back to normal. "That. Was. Nuts!"

"Fun, huh?" a nearby Korok said.

"No!"

"You'll get used to it." He offered me a branch-like arm and pulled me to my feet. "Now you've got to get over to that bud over there."

I looked at it. "All the way over there? How?"

"Umm... I don't know."

I stood as near to the end of the branch as I cared to and examined the bud. It was quite a leap. If I had a good running start...I would fall to my death. I sighed and looked up at where the magic leaf waited.

Something caught my eye. Another branch, smaller than most of the Deku Tree's branches, but sturdy. And I had a grappling hook...

I took as much time as I could lining up the swing and making sure I wasn't going to fall to my death. It was way too early in the game for me to be dying. I landed, thump, in the flower, and went on another wild ride that lasted far too long.

I landed hard on another branch, and grabbed hold as it shook beneath me. When I looked up I saw the leaf, sparkling and spinning, in front of me. I scrambled to my feet and grabbed it, irrationally afraid I was going to fall and have to do all that over again.

The leaf was huge, nearly as tall as I was, and the bright green of a young leaf. It was sturdy too, the stem almost like a branch, but still bendy. And then I remembered what this leaf was supposed to help me do.

"Swordsman! Over here!" One of the Koroks was calling me from a cave opening in the wall. It looked like the one who had come in all panicked earlier. Linder. "Fly over here!"

I looked at the leaf. I looked over at Linder. "You're kidding!"

"Hold it in both hands and jump!"

"No!"

"Just try it! And don't let go!"

"Believe me, I won't," I muttered. I took a breath, gripped the leaf firmly in both hands and jumped.

It was actually a lot less scary than getting spat from flowers. Sure, my feet were dangling over open air, but I trusted the leaf. As long as I didn't let go...

Gently, gently, I drifted to the cliff at the cave mouth. Linder laughed and jumped around when I landed.

"You see? Was that so hard?"

"After all the crazy stuff I've done that last few days? Nah."

"Crazy stuff?"

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you. Now where's this Forbidden place?"

"Through here," the little guy led me into the cave, and through to the other side.

It was late night outside, but the moon was waxing and there were plenty of stars. The Forbidden Forest was a dark spiky blotch against the sky, and there were two more less-spiky blotches off to the left.

"I'm not sure you can make it all the way across to Forbidden Forest," Linder said, scanning the islands. "But if you go to that little island over there and catch an updraft...and avoid the peahats..."

"Peahats?"

"They're not nice, but they're not smart. It shouldn't be a problem."

"Shouldn't?"

"Shouldn't."

"Lovely." I looked out at the spiky island. "You know, I complain a lot about this stuff, but I always do it."

And with that, I jumped off the cliff.

The leaf carried my to the little island without any trouble, but the Forbidden Forest was farther away, and the entrance was really high. There was another Korok on the little island, who recommended that I try to hook an updraft.

Easier said than done. The updrafts moved fast, and were almost invisible. I figured the best thing to do would be to jump off the island just before the updraft swung around, and hope it worked.

I muttered a quick prayer, squeezed the leaf, and jumped. The wind swept me up as fast as the flowers had spit me, and I flew across the sea higher than I'd ever been. Ever.

Then the peahats showed up and killed my buzz. Giant helicopter-shark-ducks. I kicked at them, but it threw off my aim. The Forbidden Forest was looming up close now, and the landing spot was much smaller than I liked. I tried to fight with as little movement as possible, but the peahats were single-minded. Finally, I just gave up and let them bump into me. They were hurting me, but I squeezed the leaf harder and tried to ignore it.

Now the ground was rushing up and the peahats backing off. I rolled when I landed, grateful for the long grass. The spikiness I'd noticed earlier turned out to be gigantic thorned vines that were growing from the entire island. Kind of neat, but very ominous.

The entrance to the forest was dark and broody, but the inside was oddly bright. In fact, it didn't look much different from the Forest Haven. I mean, there were more different kinds of plants, and fewer fireflies, but it still had that green foresty look to it. With spikes.

Of course, I soon found out that the Forbidden Forest was forbidden for a reason. All the plants there seemed to hate me. The doors had vines keeping them closed, everything was carnivorous, and there were chuchus and mothulas and peahats everywhere! And those vines seemed to be a theme.

It reminded me of Dragon Roost. Which meant that, most likely, Ganon had been here.

I managed to get myself horribly lost more than once. It didn't help that most of the forest looked alike to me. Plus there was poisonous water. I don't like poisonous water.

At least I found something neat along the way. A boomerang, which was surprisingly easy to use. It came in handy beating down all the vines.

It felt like hours before I stumbled into a huge cavern almost completely devoid of plant life. The only thing not stone was a giant vibrant flower in the middle of the floor, with some vines around it.

See? Theme.

I pulled my sword out and moved closer, and as I did I noticed something that didn't match. Brown. A little spot of brown. Topped with green. And...moving?

The little thing perked up when I got close enough, and I saw that it was a Korok. "Makar?" I called.

"Yes!" the little guy exclaimed. "Swordsman! You must get back! You must-"

And then the flower ate him.

Seriously, a little pastel-colored Venus flytrap mouth popped up out of the center and ate him.

"Makar!" I shouted, running forward. The flower shot up vines into the ceiling and lifted itself up off the ground and into the air. It was too high for me to hope to reach with my sword, or even the grappling hook, so I pulled out my new boomerang.

The only thing I could think of to do was cut the vines and get the thing back down within range. The boomerang served that purpose nicely...until the bigger thicker blade-ended vines came down from the bottom and tried to cut me to ribbons.

I ran and rolled out of the way behind an outcropping of the wall. The slashy bladey things got around it, but I hid behind my shield and curled up as small as I could. I was scared. Really scared. I'd expected danger, monsters, spikes, but not this insane slicing that went on for far longer than it should have.

When the flower finally lost interest I peeked around my shield to see, to my dismay, the thin vines holding the flower to the ceiling reattaching themselves. They grew back! They freakin' grew back!

There was nothing for it but to go back to work with the boomerang. And I would not by put off by potential death this time! That little root baby needed me!

The bladed vines came after me as soon as I released the boomerang, but I ran right under them and caught the boomerang before it hit the ground. The skinny vines holding up the flower were easy to slice, but there were so many of them. And they kept growing back!

But my boomerang and I kept at it; running like hell when necessary, cutting vines when possible. When the flower was only supported by half a dozen vines on one side, it started to list dangerously. I got out from under it and had just enough time to duck behind that rock again before it crashed to the ground.

The little Venus flytrap head popped up out of the center of the flower and snapped around listlessly. I stuffed the boomerang in my belt, drew my sword, and charged.

Now, normally this is a bad idea. You don't just charge wildy at an enemy, especially not one so much bigger than you. But this was a flower, for crying out loud! A flower who had been beating the crap out of me, yes, but I stand by my assessment.

I jumped onto one of the huge petals of the flower and tried to ignore the way it squeaked under my boots. The Venus flytrap head tried to bite me, but I slashed at the thin stalk holding it up. The thing was surprisingly strong, and it squirmed and dodged pretty well for something fastened to the ground.

The flower started moving and I saw those skinny vines start to wriggle up toward the ceiling again. I was not going to get eaten by another flower.

So I swung my sword as hard as I could, and beheaded the Venus flytrap.

The flower twitched and shuddered for a moment, then wilted suddenly. The petals, the vines, all the plant matter, just broke down on itself and turned to mulch.

I squelched my way through it until I found a lump bigger than the others. I bent down and brushed the mulch off, and there was Makar.

"Hi," I said.

"Hi," Makar said.

I helped him to his stubby little feet and dusted the rest of the dirt off him. "Did you do this?" He asked.

"Yup."

"Thank you so much! When Kalle Demos got me I thought I was a goner for sure!"

"Kalle Demos?"

"The evil flower!"

"It had a name?"

"It is what drove us Koroks from here. This used to be our home, you know."

"I think someone mentioned that, yeah."

Makar looked me over. "What are you doing here anyway? I mean, um, I glad you were here, but..."

"I know what you mean." I smiled. "The Great Deku Tree sent me."

"The Great Deku Tree? But then... Oh no!" He sounded so horrified that I thought he might scream. "Today's the ceremony! Oh I'm in so much trouble! I shouldn't be here! I've got to get out of here!"

"Okay, okay, calm down little dude. We'll get back. Last time I killed something this big there was a... There!" Near the center of the pile of mulch, where the Venus flytrap head had been, was a swirl of blue light.

"Come on!" I grabbed Makar's stubby hand and pulled him over to the light.

"But what is this?"

"It's a portal. Thingie. I think. Just follow me, okay?"

I let go of his hand and stepped into the light. I wasn't sure if he would follow, but it was too late to push him in first.

The portal thingie deposited me back in Forest Haven, and a couple seconds later it deposited Makar beside me.

"Makar!" The great Deku Tree exclaimed. "You have returned safely, thank the gods."

"I'm sorry, Great Deku Tree," Makar said, wilting. "I know you warned us many times, but still I did not listen..."

"Do not worry, Makar. You are safe now. Just be more careful from now on." He turned to me. "You have done well, Link. I must thank you for your brave deeds. Here is that which I have promised you. Please accept it."

He shook his branches and something small and bright green fell out and toward me. I ran forward to catch it, but I needn't have worried. The object, Farore's Pearl, stopped a couple feet from the ground and floated there, glowing.

"Woah..."

"It is my hope that this pearl shall lead you to a fair destiny!"

Makar was sniffling quietly behind me. I turned to try and comfort him, but the Deku Tree beat me to it.

"All is well, Makar. Do not cry. Please... Play your songs for me as you always do."

"Oh! Right! The ceremony! We have to hurry! I'm sorry I kept everyone waiting.. And, Great Link."

Great Link?

"As my thanks to you, I shall play even harder than I normally do... I hope you enjoy it!"

Makar rushed off and returned seconds later with a violin. He was so small that he couldn't hold it like normal so it looked more like a cello. He started to play, a light playful tune, and all the other little Koroks popped up and began to sing.

There were no words. It was a song of growing, of life, of green things. It made me want to dance, but it wasn't my ceremony.

The Great Deku Tree raised his voice above the Koroks, and suddenly seeds burst from his branches.

The Koroks took to the air and grabbed a seed each.

"Great Deku Tree! This year, you have once again produced some splendid seeds."

"With these seeds, we will continue to spread new forests across the Great Sea."

"Let us go, Koroks! To the sea!"

"See you all next year!"

"Take care!"

"Farewell, great swordsman! May the winds of chance bring us together again someday!"

I waved at the Koroks at the disappeared into the sky, until only a couple of Koroks were left. Makar and one I didn't know.

"Thank you again, Link," the Great Deku Tree said. "Give the King of Red Lions my regards."

"I will. Thanks for the pearl!"

"It was my pleasure. I believe you will do great things."

"Wow. Thanks." I felt a tug on my tunic, and turned to see Makar.

"I owe you my life," he said. "I don't know how I can ever repay you."

I shrugged. "Don't worry about it. Helping people seems to be my thing lately."

"Still, if you ever need anything..."

"Really, don't worry about it." I looked at the big glowing pearl. "I should get going. King'll be worried. Bye everybody!"

"Bye!" Makar and the other Korok said.

Getting back down the island was a lot easier than getting up had been. The current of the little river carried me almost all the way down.

I started giving King the full report before I even climbed in. He listened quietly as I ranted about vines and thorns and crazy grabby fuzzy black things. When I mentioned Kalle Demos he made a noise of surprise, but said nothing.

"So," he said when I'd finished, "this place, too, has been attacked by Ganon. Could he already be regaining his power? Link, you must get the remaining pearl! It lies in a place northwest of here. We must set sail immediately!"

"Right!"

I changed the wind, and off we went.

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Okay, that took along time, but it was a long chapter! I'm still trying to veer away from the game scripts, and I think I made a little progress! With Makar anyway.

I can't remember if there's anything I want to say about this chapter, except that it was really long. You guys let me know if you want more long chapters, or if you want shorter chapters and quicker updates.