Gosh, it's hard to find clips of the game that I need for this story! Oh well.

Sorry that it's been awhile. School is a pain! Hope you guys enjoyed the last chapter. I forgot to put in the little "note." Hope you enjoy this one as well!

Since the games never really directly tell you how old Link is, in this story he is eighteen. I just wanted to clarify that really quick, since they talk about their age in this chapter. No, that's probably not how old he is supposed to be, but that's how old he is for my story.

Oh, and remember, Maple talks in the first person now, and everyone else talks in the third! Comment on my story and tell me what you think of it so far! Thanks!

I watched as Link walked over and took the glass heart. His body briefly glowed as the heart faded. He then turned to me and gave me a look that I could literally describe as a question mark.

"A Heart Container. It increases your endurance in battle," I explained as I started walking over to where Midna was waving at us with her hand-like hair. I had to suppress a growl as I stepped into the portal. Link joined my side moments later.

"You ready to go?" Midna asked. Link nodded at her as I refused to look up at her.

I instantly felt my body shatter as it was sucked up to who-knows-where.

I managed to sort through my thoughts as we floated. The Fused Shadows...they had been released. But how? Why? Did Midna know why? I, along with the light spirits, had been the ones who had sealed the wicked things away so that they could no long reek havoc upon Hyrule. We had done it by the order of my sisters. Yet, here I was, having no idea how and why they had been released. My sisters hadn't even told me that they had been released. I felt slightly betrayed, mostly angry, because of this.

And there was Midna. Her people... I couldn't stand them. They had caused all of it before, and most likely, had caused it now. Worst of all, I couldn't destroy her while she had the Fused Shadow on her person. Not without the help of the light spirits...

I would figure out a way...no matter what happened.

At that moment, I felt my body solidify as my feet touched ground. I looked up to see that we were standing in front of the spirit Faron's Spring.

A voice broke through the silence, with no body from whence it came:

"Heroic Link... Do not think that Hyrule is now safe from the spread of Twilight... Leave these woods and go to the east, where you will find the land protected by the spirit Eldin. There, you will find those you seek... But know that these lands lie in Twilight... They are now a dark realm covered by the clouds of dusk. If you set foot beyond the curtain of Twilight, you will revert to your beast form, so be prepared. Hero of the gods, leave these woods and go east, to the land of the spirit Eldin..." The voice faded.

Midna popped up from her hiding place. "That's better. Searching should be much easier now. Eee hee! But... Of course, you feel the need to go help the other light spirits, don't you?"

I couldn't help it any longer. I had to say something. "Of course he does!" I yelled. "You and your worthless Twili wouldn't even think about helping someone other than yourself, now would you!"

Midna turned to me and smiled. She, however, ignored me and continued. "Well, don't worry. When you turn into a beast again, I'll take good care of you." I growled. She looked at me from the corner of her eye, as though she had known she would hit a nerve. "The first thing you need to do is find the land covered in Twilight. Once you do, I'll help you out. Eee hee hee! See you later!" She then disappeared.

Ooooo, I didn't like her. Actually, I would say 'hate,' but 'hate' wasn't exactly a feeling that the Goddess of Love could feel. So 'dislike' was a more appropriate word, even though I wanted to be able to 'hate' her and her people sooooo bad.....

Link turned to me and smiled. Now that we were just standing here and not trying to get through a temple, I felt my thoughts dissipate as his strange effect took hold of me. He just looked so much like him...that everything about him made me melt and feel like I was a hundred years younger once again. It made me relive my time with him...when Ganondorf was still free and harassing Hyrule...

"Are you okay, yet?" He asked me.

I smiled back. "I guess."

"So, um, what was that about? You know, about the Fused Shadow?"

At the mention of those words, I felt myself swell with anger once again. But I looked into Link's eyes and saw the fear in them, and I instantly calmed myself.

"I...wish I could tell you," I said truthfully, "but I can't yet. Maybe...maybe after we collect all of the...Fused Shadows." I cringed at the thought of having all of those things so near me...

"Why can't you?" He asked as he started walking toward the exit of Faron Woods.

I sighed as I followed. "I just...can't. I will, though."

"Promise?"

I looked into his eyes, and instantly wished that I could tell him now. It made me think about the 'good old days,' when we had been together and he had known about who I was. Actually, he found out before I had. It had been easy that way: him knowing who I was.

But I knew I couldn't. Link just didn't know me like he had when he had found out. If Link found out now, he would probably freak and run away.

"I promise."

Link and Maple started walking toward the exit, which led toward Hyrule Field, as Maple explained as they walked. Link learned a lot about her, now that they weren't concentrating on killing anything. She said that she was from Hyrule Castle Town, and she had left to find a friend when the Twilight took over the town. Link figured that she was lucky that she hadn't been there when the town had been consumed, otherwise, she'd still be there.

Now that Link thought about it, he was lucky that she hadn't been there. Otherwise, the monster would have surely killed him, or at least wounded him badly.

And he wouldn't have met her...

He also found out that she was seventeen, just a year younger than himself. He was a little shocked to find that out, however. Her knowledge and wisdom had told him that she was much older than just seventeen.

They stopped briefly at Coro's house. Even though Link was pretty sure that Coro had no arrows, Maple still managed to buy some from him while Link bought lantern oil from him.

When they crossed the barrier between Faron Woods and Hyrule Field, Maple stopped. She reached into a tiny pouch she had wrapped around her waist, and pulled out a hairband. She then pulled her almost floor-length hair into a tight ponytail. Link just watched her as she did. He almost questioned her. Why would she pull it up? It was still long and insanely thick, so he imagined that it would still get in her face.

She turned to him and smiled as though she had read his mind. "It's so I don't step on it. I did a few times when we were fighting that creature, I just didn't notice until I had a raging headache."

"Oh." That was all Link said. "Why do you keep it so long, then? If it just gets in the way?"

She strung her bow and shot down a creature he didn't really get a good look at. "Because, I like it long."

"Well, there are different lengths of long hair. Why not cut it a few inches...or feet..."

She looked at him with a curious look on her face. "Do you not like it this long?"

"No! I mean, yes! Well, I just figured that your hair being that long would kinda hurt..."

She looked at him and smiled again. She then turned and started walking.

She never said anything back, which made him think that her hair did cause her some pain, but she just didn't want to admit it.

Link and Maple emerged into the field and Link couldn't help but gasp. It was absolutely beautiful, with numerous trees, plenty of greener than green grass, and a few pools of water scattered around. Then, looming just beyond a cliff, was a wall of Twilight. Yes, the Twilight Realm was beautiful in its own way, but it just looked out of place in this world.

"Eldin Province is to the east." Maple pointed to their right. Link followed her finger and saw a break in the cliff that surrounded them not far ahead. "I'm sure that there is a way into the Twilight from over there.

Link nodded as he started walking in that general direction. He felt Maple not far behind him, and he shivered slightly when her hand touched his arm briefly. He instinctively looked back to her at her touch.

"Sorry," She mumbled.

"It's okay." Actually, it was more than okay. Her touch was familiar and caused him pleasure in ways he couldn't describe. It wasn't a sexual pleasure, either. It was as if his soul was pleased at her presence...that was the only way he could describe it.

They walked until they ran into a strange man wearing a red uniform with a big, white bag thrown over his shoulder.

"Oh, I'm sorry!" The man said. He then realized which direction they were headed. "Go no further! There is a strange black wall that blocks the way! I was in the middle of delivering letters, but now it's impossible! I am the letter deliverer, known to some as the postman. Here, take this letter and read it when you have time!" He then saluted and ran off, in the opposite direction they were heading.

Link opened the letter to find a brief paragraph that stated if the postman had a letter for Link or Maple, that he would find them, even if they were out in the middle of the field.

"Okay...let's just keep going."

Yes, I know it's short and nothing really happens, but I wanted to start to introduce Maple and Link's romance for later in the game.

Also, I played this on the Wii, so if I get the compass directions mixed up, that's why. I'm trying to use the map for the Gamecube, since that was how the map was created to be. I wanted to make it seem as close to OOT as possible, since the landscape design is very similar.

Hope you enjoyed it!