Chapter 6: The Carnival of Time

Gill quickly got dressed into his normal clothes and got ready to go to the Carnival of Time. This particular carnival was the fifteenth anniversary of the near destruction of Termina. He put everything away and he closed up shop. He then went to the Stock Pot Inn and saw that Romani was already waiting. She was dressed in leggings and a white tunic. Her red hair was braided and she had the knife-sword that Gill had made for her in a sheath on her hip.

"What is all of that for?" Gill asked.

"There just happens to be a fighting tournament today in Termina Field. There have at least been three hundred entries. It may go on for a few days." she replied.

"It looks like I need to get ready for that tournament too." Gill said.

"You are not thinking about entering it, do you?" Romani asked.

"You know full well I am going to enter and give it my all." Gill replied. "You wouldn't have told me about it when I asked if you didn't intend for me to enter otherwise."

"Well, be prepared to be in a long line." Romani said.

When they got to the tournament grounds in southern Termina Field, they saw hundreds of humans, Gorons, Zoras, and Deku there watching the spectacle. They saw a kid in a green suit fighting a man three times bigger than he was. The man charged and as Gill started to look away in fear of the kid getting hurt, Romani tapped him on the shoulder and pointed to the arena. The kid somehow got his hands on a vine and he was using it to immobilize his opponent. Gill watched as the kid quickly tied him up with the vine. The man started laughing as loud as he could and snapped the vines like they were string. The kid quickly jumped back and started to move his arms about. Gill was wondering what he was doing when vines quickly shot out of the ground and wrapped themselves around the man. The kid then ran toward the man and he jumped up and kicked the man in the chest. The man flew fifty feet backwards and Gill's jaw dropped.

"That is impossible." he said to Romani.

"No." she answered. "That is Teak."

"What is teak?" Gill replied.

"He is not a what." Romani said. "He is the kid who took out the big guy."

"Oh, Teak." Gill said.

"Do you want to meet him?" Romani asked.

"That kid just took out a guy three times as big as he was." he replied. "Of course I want to meet him."

They went over to the area that Teak and the man were fighting and Romani waved at him. Teak looked and saw Romani and a big smile spread on his face.

"Romani!" Teak shouted. "Come over here and give me a hug!"

Romani and Gill went and Gill saw Romani give the kid a hug.

"Teak, this is Gill." Romani said.

"Gill, huh?" Teak replied. "I'm Teak."

"Hi." Gill said.

"Can we go somewhere to talk?" Romani asked Teak.

"I have a tent set up outside the arena." Teak said.

"Let's go." Romani said. "Come on, Gill."

Gill went with Romani and Teak to his tent and they went inside.

"What is this about, Romani?" Teak asked.

"Gill is the Ocean Master." Romani replied. "He helped stop the Gerudo with me in Clocktown today."

"Hey, I heard about that." Teak said. "Since you are the Ocean Master, I must tell you that I am the Swamp Master. I was raised by the Deku and taught many of their secrets."

"I have to say that I am honored to meet the Swamp Master." Gill replied.

"Thank you." Teak said. "Romani, there is some trouble in the Southern Swamp."

"What kind of trouble?" Romani asked.

"The Wolfos are starting to venture from the path to the swamp and they are blockading the Deku Palace." Teak replied.

"Do you think that this is the time for the Swamp Master to save his people?" Romani asked.

"I am sure of it." Teak said. "I also saw some white-robed people riding in boats in the swamp recently too. I am sure that they are helping the Wolfos take over."

"How sure are you?" Romani asked.

"I am sure without any reasonable doubt." Teak replied.

"Give me more information when you can." Romani said. "I will help when I can."

"Thanks, Romani." Teak said.

"Anytime." Romani replied.

"So, what are you doing in Clocktown?" Teak asked Gill.

"I was sort of trying to run from my past." Gill replied. "I was in denial for a while."

"Well, some people just don't like to be the center of attention." Teak said.

"I like attention, I just didn't feel cut out for the job." Gill replied.

"Well, things just happen." Teak said.

"Don't I know it." Gill stated.

"Teak, look at my new sword." Romani said.

Romani showed her sword to Teak and he whistled, admiring the careful craftsmanship that Gill put into it.

"Nice." Teak said. "You found that blacksmith then?"

"Not just me." Romani told him. "You did too."

"What do you mean?" Teak asked.

"Gill made it." Romani replied.

"You made that sword?" Teak said. "Unbelievable. Since you made Romani's sword, I want to talk to you about replacing a staff that was broken."

Gill, interested in the project, asked Teak to tell him more about it.

"Well, it was obviously wooden." he said. "I want you to make a new wooden staff. Deku heartwood would be best. I would also like it to be fire-resistant and I would like for you to make it stronger to resist breakage."

"Easy as pie." Gill said. "I can have it done in no time. A day and a half should do it."

"Thanks." Teak said.

"No problem." Gill replied.

For a few hours, they talked about their lives as they grew up. Gill told them everything, from the moment he was born, to that very day. Teak was born and raised in the Southern Swamp by his aunts, Kotake and Koume. His mother was their sister and they had to raise him after she had died. Romani talked about the pleasant life on the ranch that she got her name from. She talked about how 'they' used to come by every year around the Carnival of Time, until a kid with a fairy helped her drive them off. After that, she never saw them again.

After they told their life stories, they talked about their favorites in life, experiences they have learned lessons from, and other things. They got finished around noon, whey they decided to go enjoy some of the other festivities inside of Clocktown. They had a lot of fun there. Romani had plans to sell some of her horses, so Gill and Teak helped clean them before the auction. Teak, with his superior earth powers, built a house in North Clocktown for themselves and the other masters, people he had yet to meet. He did it because of the convenience of being near his forge. Gill got to work on Teak's staff after he went shopping around the vendors in South Clocktown. He found the best Deku heartwood money could buy, and lucky too, because he definitely could afford it. Gill was not much interested in the festivities and there would be plenty to enjoy over the next week anyways. Since the near disaster fifteen years ago, the inhabitants of Termina decided that they needed longer festivals because life was too short. That evening, they went into their new house and happily went to sleep.