Chapter 37: Kouri's Potion Shop

Upon being transported back to the outside of the hidden door on Farore Hill, Zelda and the others were surprised to see a bunch of Clockwork Policemen circling the premises. Though the four attempted to sneak away, the Clockwork Policemen's heads turned and they extended their claw-like arms out. Wrapping them around the three women and Sheik, the Clockwork Policemen held Zelda and the others in place as a familiar figure stepped forward.

"Ghirahim," Zelda growled seeing the albino man wearing the same white suit and red cape he always wore for as long as she had known him.

"Well, if it isn't Zelda, the fugitive heir," Ghirahim smirked. Then he noticed Impa and Lana. "And what do we have here? I thought I'd never see you two again."

"Neither did we of you," Impa said, glaring at Ghirahim. "Still kissing Ganon's behind?"

"My, my, Impa," Ghirahim said coyly. "I see spending seven years down in the world below has lessened your manners."

"Not in the slightest," Lana spoke up. "She's just stating what's true."

"Oh?" Ghirahim turned to face Lana and said, "Then have you told Zelda all about your connection with Cia?"

Lana said nothing in response.

Ghirahim chuckled and walked over to Zelda. "You see, my dear, your friend Lana and our beloved priestess Cia were once a single person until one fateful night caused her to split into two people."

"You're lying," Zelda said doubtfully.

"Am I?" Ghirahim looked at Lana. "Then why don't you tell us the whole story?"

Before Lana could speak, there was an explosion to her right and a large cloud of smoke followed. In the confusion, the Clockwork Policemen's arms were cut off by a sharp blade and then Zelda felt someone pushing her toward the hill. Taking the hint, Zelda ran up the hill until she reached the top where the trees were the thickest. She saw Lana and Impa being ushered as well and then Sheik brought up the rear.

"Thanks, Sheik," Zelda said.

"No problem," Sheik answered then he asked, "Lana, have you got any warping spells?"

"Yes, I think so," Lana said and flipped through pages of her book. "But I need a specific location to warp to."

"Deku Swamp," Zelda abruptly said. "That's the place Ordona was talking about."

"Very well," Lana replied and raised her hand in the air.

Rings of letters written in Hylian and clockwork gears appeared around the four as a bright purple light engulfed them. Then when it had subsided, the four found themselves standing inside a wooden shack filled with different-colored bottles on various shelves while a counter stood in front. A single lantern was lit and a cauldron bubbled near the back, but there was no one inside.

"Where are we?" Zelda asked.

"Some kind of shop, I'm guessing," Sheik said taking a bottle from one of the shelves. "This looks like a potion."

"That's because it is."

The four turned and saw an old woman with greenish skin and white hair standing in the doorway. A blue gem gleamed from her forehead as she examined everyone in the room suspiciously.

"You weren't trying to steal anything, were you?" the old woman asked cautiously.

"No, ma'am," Zelda said shaking her head.

"Then you must be tourists," the old woman said and got behind the counter. "My name is Kouri, and welcome to my shop. Here we sell a variety of Potions and a small selection of Twili Pills for reasonable prices ranging from 10 to 60 Rupees. So what'll you buy?"

"Actually, we didn't come here to buy anything," Zelda admitted. "We're looking for something important and we think it might be in a vault underneath some kind of palace in this district."

"Oh," Kouri said, sounding disappointed. "The only palace I know around here is the Deku Palace, and I think there's a vault underneath it but I'm not sure."

"Do you know how we can get there?" Zelda asked urgently.

"You'll have to talk to my sister Kasai about it," Kouri answered. "She runs a series of boat-tours from six in the morning to six in the evening, but you'll have to hurry if you want to make the last tour which starts in a few minutes."

"Where can we find her?"

"Head across the bridge from here, and around the bend you'll see a dock with a Skyloft Rail station next to it. She's usually there along with Leafi, our Deku Scrub tour-guide."

"Thank you, Kouri."

"Come back if you want to buy something."

Outside the shack, there was a circular platform with a flight of stairs leading down to the little island the shop was suspended over which was surrounded by purple-colored water that had a rotten stench with a wooden bridge that led over to the other side where a grassy cliff with a bend was situated. The sky was dark with a yellow tinge to it and there were black squares suspended in midair.

"This place has already been taken over by the Twilight Realm," Zelda said. "So that means everyone here's a spirit now, including you guys."

"Except for Sheik," Lana said, watching as her hand passed through Sheik's arm. "He doesn't seem to be affected by the Twilight Realm in the slightest."

"I wonder why that is," Impa said folding her arms. "The only other person who isn't affected is Zelda, and even she cannot explain why that is."

"There was this Triforce symbol that appeared on my hand when I first entered the Twili District with Link," Zelda suggested, looking at her bare hand. "Maybe there's some kind of connection between it and my immunity."

"Perhaps," Lana said. "What do you think, Sheik?"

"I'm not too concerned about this," Sheik said shrugging. "We should really concentrate on getting to the Deku Palace. I think we'll find the vault we're looking for there."

Taking Sheik's advice, the four walked quickly across the bridge, around the bend and onto the dock where the paddleboat was located. There was a group of people already onboard and a small Deku Scrub stood on a barrel with a microphone before him. At the front of the boat there was an old lady who looked exactly like Kouri except that her jewel was red.

"Excuse me, Miss Kasai," Zelda said politely. "Could we get a ride to the Deku Palace?"

"Certainly," the old lady said. "It's 20 Rupees per person."

"I'll pay," Lana said and pulled four Red Rupees from a hidden pouch.

Kasai took them gladly and pulled a lever. This lowered a small stepladder which allowed Zelda and the others to get onto the boat. Then with that, Kasai retracted the stepladder and steered the boat away from the dock.

To be continued…