Warm sunlight drifted down into the underbelly of Faron Woods, the light dappled into the misty jungle undergrowth as the sun slowly crawled over the horizon. Birds chirped from within their invisible perch, somewhere in the leafy canopy of the southern forest, close to Hyrule's coast line. The air was just as hot and thickly humid as it always was in the morning, though that didn't mean the forest itself was abuzz with activity.
Nearby, crawling on her underbelly through the dampened dirt floor of the forest, was a young Deku Scrub Acid Spitter. With nothing on her aside from her pink sheer loincloth, the deku girl was crawling on her hands and feet through the leaves in search of her breakfast. Hunting wasn't exactly Jade's strong point, but she had to try somehow. Though she had to admit, stalking sure was fun. Sneaking behind her prey and waiting for the perfect time to strike.
This was to be said for the large fat Rainbow Pigeon that was currently picking out its breakfast on the ground. Jade licked her snout, her small whip like tongue darting around at the thought of fried bird for breakfast. Still there was the issue of trying to catch it. Stunning it with a Deku Nut would only serve to scare it, and getting out her sword was too cumbersome. The only option left...was her vine, something she didn't like doing. Sighing the young shrub slowly uncoiled it from her leg. It was always a funny feeling when she did it, like a piece of her body was coming alive and she wasn't sure how to feel about it.
Regardless it uncoiled, and she began to snake it through the undergrowth. So far, so good… She thought to herself, maybe this won't be as bad as I think it'll be! It was almost there slowly wrapping around, the bird didn't even see it as it was focused on getting its own breakfast with occasional hops and pecks. Jade was just about to snag it within her coils when a large cicada had let out a rather lord trill somewhere close to the Deku's right. The noise broke her concentration, and not only that caused her vine to jerk suddenly and come flying fight back and smacking Jade right in her muzzle. "YOW!" She hissed loudly as it smacked her. Her breakfast gave a loud squawk and flew away leaving a very disappointed and annoyed Deku on the canopy floor.
"Jaaaaaaaade!" called an high pitched voice from somewhere above. The girl was rubbing her snout, which had a large red mark forming across it, and stung rather well. Spitting curses of all kinds, Jade rubbed her tender snout as a glittering blue fairy descended down from the leafy canopy. "Oh there you are!" he let out a sigh a of relief. "I woke up and found you left again with no note and-WHAT HAPPENED TO YOUR SNOUT?!" He screeched turning a bright vivid red.
Jade sighed, "Calm down Sez. Nothing bad happened-" she started, though it seemed her fairy guardian wasn't listening like usual. "I leave you alone and unattended for 5 MINUTES and you get yourself hurt! This is why she should've stayed in Termina, at least it's safe and-" The ranting went on and on, until Jade finally had enough and grabbed the fairy by his delicate wings.
"SEZ PLEASE!" The acid spitter squeaked, eyes glowing with a rather annoyed declaration. "I'm fine! I just had a small mishap with my vine while trying to hunt was all. No monster attacked me, and even then do I look like the kind of Scrub to fall to the hands of some low based Bokoblin?" The stupid shrub's muzzle was twisted in a grin, as she let him go and began to walk off. The fairy let out an annoyed grumble and after straightening out his wing, he flew behind her, a trail of twinkling dust following.
"You could've just said so in the first place." he mumbled, as Jade giggled. She flipped her succulent leaves with a flourish and kept up her stride.
"You worry far too much about me, Sezault. I'm capable of taking care of myself you know, been doing it since I was small. Besides I ain't a dead scrub yet." There was a loud rumble from her belly however, and a bright purple blush colored her face. She coughed, and gave a great sniff. "Hunting is more for losers without any money so why don't we head to town and grab breakfast?"
"Whatever you say Jade, just don't do anything dangerous on the way." Sez moaned in worry. The scrub rolled her brilliant blue eyes in exasperation.
"When do I ever?" Jade asked in an innocent tone that just bespoke all sorts of things about her.
"And this is exactly why I worry. "
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Babble filled the air of the busy marketplace of the Restored Castle Town. While it was still very much a work in progress, the people had taken up rebuilding their culture once the Hero and the Princess had defeated the 100 year Calamity. Now a century later, it was almost as if the blight never was. Castle Town was bright and bubbling with people going to and from, the whinny of horses and the brays of donkeys could be heard in the stables.
Houses and buildings of white marble sparkled in the sun, and the water fountain in the middle of town was restored to its former glory of 3 golden birds holding up the sacred scale. Silvery streams of water flowed into the base that caught the light most fetchingly. Jade entered in through the south gates, humming a merry tune as she went. The food court was over near the west side of town where the market vendors were.
Skipping along past several Zora and Gorons whom were chatting with a couple of Hylian soldiers, the young Deku made her way towards the brightly colored tents and pavilions where merchants set up to hawk their wares. It was rare to see a Deku Scrub out of their place in the forest, but Jade was a regular here as many of the merchants waved to her and called her out.
"Getting ready for another adventure again, Jade?" called one husky man by the Armoury Shop, his voice booming across the sea of heads at the pastel yellow acid spitter. Jade only grinned and saluted to her, trying to settle on finding her breakfast. Though that probably was going to be a long time coming as she heard another voice calling her name out his stand. "Well well, if it isn't my best customer!" she felt a hand slink around her waist pulling her from the cobbled streets. His red hair combed back neatly, suit sharp and slick. Leafy mustache in impeccable perfection as always, sly eyes shining with cunning light. Stupidly handsome he was a Deku Scrub, but Jade honestly knew better, even if his voice dripped of sweet honey.
"Roseworth-" Jade groaned trying to slink away. "What a….brilliant time to see you. Uh, I'm a bit busy at the moment so if you excuse me-" the girl tried her best to get away but it seemed her fellow Deku was feeling extra sticky today.
"Oh please! Don't be shy my dear~ I know you've come all this way to see me after hearing what I just acquired!" He boomed, or...rather squeaked very loudly with a twinkle in his eye, practically dragging Jade to his small booth where his petal umbrella lay. The booth itself was neatly arranged, with wares of all kinds being laid out on display, some of them were fake, Jade knew for sure but others were real. Like heart pieces and maps, though those sold for ridiculous prices.
"Honestly, Roseworth I couldn't care what you have, I came to get breakfast-" Jade tried to tell him but he wasn't listening. Instead she found a rather old piece of parchment being shoved in her face, almost hitting her snout.
"Come now Jade, we both know that you would want to hear this, especially since it appeals to your...erm...past time shall we say, quite? Anyways, enough of that boring drab, this is something truly special!" as he waved to rolled scroll in her face. Though Jade herself raised an eyebrow.
"Oh really? By something special you mean something either totally fake, or something that you nicked from some poor fool when they weren't looking." Jade crossed her arms with respite. Roseworth looked taken back, almost offended at the very notion.
"A petty thief? Me? Oh my dearest Jadela-Dey, you wound my poor fragile little heart!" he stated dramatically, clutching the scroll to his chest as if fatally wounded. "Oh why must you not trust me so? Me, Roseworth, the most honest Business Scrub you know! Truly is a deepest hurt, my love coming from a fair flower such as yourself. And after I went to the grandest of trouble to get this map, just for you~" he gave a great sniff, pulling a handkerchief from out of his pocket and blowing on it loudly.
"Ugh…." Jade rolled her eyes at the dramatic scrub and dropped her arms to her side. "Alright, alright. I'll hear what you have to say, but I'm warning you, if you are trying to trick me again-"
"Oh nonsense my dear! Why would I ever try to trick one of my best customers and fellow Deku?" Roseworth proclaimed before taking her hand and brushing his snout against it delicately. A blush fired up on Jade's face as her leaves stood up on end. Sez quickly turned a bright red at the offense and started to go right at his face but was intercepted by Roseworth's hands.
"Now then, with that out of the way, shall we get right to the chase?" he hummed, unfurling the parchment ro reveal a map of some kind. It detailed the peaks and valleys of the land, and appeared rather old, the smell of aged paper heavy in Jade's nose. "As you can no doubt tell this is no ordinary map! It is a treasure map~ quite exciting wouldn't you say my lovely lotus?"
Jade titled her head, examining the withered paper, surely this landscape wasn't Hyrule. "This is a map of Southern Swamp." she confirmed, her eyes going over it, with careful precision. It indeed was a map to of the Deku's home though where this map lead surprised her. There was a red x marked in the Deku Palace Gardens, like a secret underground hole. "Well I don't believe my eyes you actually have a genuine article here! I don't know weather to be amazed or not."
"But Jade," Sez intterupted her with a worried tone in his high squeaky voice. "this map leads to a place that doesn't exist within the palace! This could be another fake!"
"And while that might be true, I recall hearing a rumor that there is a tomb built under the Palace Gardens. They say that there's a great treasure down there you know other than the Magic Beans for selling! Its supposedly a Labyrinth more complex than Woodfall." Jade hummed stroking her supposed chin. "You know while I was there in the Gardens I've often felt a draft in the undergrounds. Like one of the walls was hollow….and this map corresponds with that particular room…"
Jade studied the map a little bit more, thinking about it. It would be a grand adventure, discovering a new place to go and explore? A strange twinkle appeared in the small Deku's eyes, the mere thought of it was enough to make her squeak in excitement! "Alright then." she declared turning around to Roseworth. "Name your price you sleeze plant. I know you and you won't give up something this precious so easily."
The grin on Roseworth's face was quickly replaced by another exaggerated look of shock. He merely stepped back and clutched his heart once more. "Oh my dear Jade! How your harsh tone wounds me so! I had acquired this map, solely because I knew you would be talented enough to infiltrate the-" he was stopped by Jade placing a finger on his snout.
"I am aware that my talents for exploration are rather sharp, but I also know you very well you sleezy excuse for a scrub. You want something out of this, so be straight with me, what do you want in exchange for handing over this map?" She appeared to be quite tired of his act though the Deku was still as wily as ever.
"Ho-hum, Jade you'll never catch a mate like that if you keep being direct." he sniffed rolling up the parchment. "But if you insist...I am a very busy man, you know and I don't have time to be flitting about in dangerous tombs, I could get my leaves dirty! None the less, I do know you, my precious lotus, dont seem to have any trouble throwing your life away. So here's the deal, if I give you this map, then you go to the underground tomb and find whatever's inside."
"And what else...can't be more than just that." Sez remarked, though Roseworth ignored him.
"Why simply, whatever you find...you'll split with me! After all I am the one who procured this map just for the likes of you." The deku slipped his arm around Jade's petite waist, drawing her close to him. "So what do you say my lovely? Do you want to take this grand adventure…?" he offered in the most tantalizing and honey dripped tones.
"Are you joking? You bet I'll go! I love going to new places!" The deku said with an excited and adorable squeak as Sez facepalmed.
Roseworth nodded his head and rolled up the parchment. "Good! Then I suppose we have ourselves a deal! 3 Good luck my precious one...you'll need it." he handed the scroll off to her, and Jade skipped off. Once she would claim breakfast, it would be off to the start of a brand new adventure.