Chapter 4: Kita

Lora felt eyes burning into the back of her head and heard little footsteps echoing her own, but when she looked over her shoulder she only saw empty air.

"Link," she said coarsely, turning the best she could in the narrow stairwell. As her robes swished about, there he was, suddenly appearing on the step just below hers. "For the love of Nayru, you're practically wiping your feet on me. Stop walking so close."

He tilted his head, then glanced back and went one step down.

"More," Lora said. "At least two more...no—make that three."

Now he was partially out of sight, peering up at her from around the corner.

"Much better," Lora said, facing around to continue ascending. "Remember your place."

Link watched the tail of Lora's robes as they slithered along the steps. He was beginning to get a bit bored and dizzy from going up the stairs in an endless spiral.

It was quite dim. The interior of the stairwell emitted a soft bluish glow from its walls, which were moss covered and battered with cracks in many places. It was also very cramped, not that it affected Link too much. Lora on the other hand was a tall woman and had to duck her head at a few points where the ceiling dipped.

As they were still climbing in relative silence, Link distantly heard some other sign of life. He drew close to a dark crack in the wall, but not too close for the icy draft it released. He heard it clearer. It was a long and drawn out shrill sort of noise, almost like a scream. He wasn't sure if it was animal, human, or monster.

"Don't fall behind," Lora whispered.

He jumped, suddenly on pins and needles. It sounded like she had been right in his ear! But she was well out of sight and he could hear her footsteps ahead of him. He quickly hopped up the stairs in pairs to catch up, forgetting he was supposed to keep his distance. Lora stopped quite suddenly.

He crashed into her and staggered back, immediately seeing his life flash before his eyes. Lora turned, lunging and seizing him around the arm before he fell all the way back down the staircase.

"Stop bumbling around," Lora said. If she was annoyed or upset, he couldn't tell since her expression remained perfectly neutral. It began to make him a bit uncomfortable; it was like she didn't understand emotion, or forgot how to express it.

She pulled him next to her. They were at another door and Link automatically went to press his ear to it. He heard many voices, muffled and distant.

"Do you hear them?" Lora asked, removing a glove from her pocket and tugging it onto her left hand. "Those are the king's guards in the middle of changing shifts. We can't let a single one of them see us."

"Why not?"

"Your sudden appearance, without any reasonable explanation, would cause an outrage...it'd spread through the castle and all the way to the king before you could even blink. At the moment we can go with the unnecessary distraction. Once we leave the castle, it'll be a different story..."

Lora flipped open a brass pocket watch. "And... the Major is always punctual," she said, eyeing it down to the second. "It'll be any moment now…"

Even as she spoke, the volume and number of voices dwindled. Link was sure it was nearly quiet, then...

"KEEYIRRR!"

The bird call rolled like thunder, and was likely heard from all corners of the castle. Lora seemed to relax as she put her watch away.

"There he goes…I especially didn't need Major Bellows spotting you," she said. "He'd be very shameless about his inquisitions."

"What is he?"

"Pardon?"

"Is he a bird?"

"Yes...well, he's a Rito," Lora said, taking the knocker on the door. "...he looks different than the ones you're used to."

She remained still, listening for any more noises. Link had counted to about seven before she finally pushed the door open with a long, drawn out creak.

They had come out at the underside of another staircase. Link was about to follow Lora when she shook her head, motioning him to stay put. She swept forward, leaning around the corner of the staircase, then slipped out of sight. By the third second of her being gone he was already slightly anxious, fidgeting with the edge of the door. It seemed to take forever for her to come back.

"It's clear," Lora said.

"AH!"

WHAM.

The next thing Link knew, he'd hit his head on the doorframe from jumping so hard. Lora had appeared behind him as if she'd come back up the spiraling staircase again.

"You can get higher than I thought on those stumpy legs," Lora remarked. "That means there'll be no reason for you to fall behind. Let's move."

He groaned, rubbing his head as he followed her. As they reached the corner of the staircase Lora turned her head left and right, then looked back at him and jerked her head forward. Link followed her as she broke into a slight jog, moving his little legs fast to keep up with her long strides. The castle foyer radiated silently in many hues of red and gold. They followed the rug runner, passing through a wide patch of sunlight lazily filtering in.

They were several paces from the castle doors when Lora stopped and turned. Link slowed up, looking up at her expectantly.

"...we're about to go into the capital," she said. "Now I'll need you to stick as close to me as possible. I don't want to lose you."

And when she opened the doors to outside, Link deflated. His mouth hung open limply and he went catatonic with amazement.

There, down the several dozen castle steps, was the main road. The first few seconds already frazzled Link's poor senses and he could only stare in a heavy trance.

There were so many people. Most were on foot, some rode horses, and others were better off riding in carriages along the paved cobblestone road. It was an endless grind.

He had never seen such a densely populated area in his life. At the back of his mind he recalled when he had first stepped out into the light of Windfall Island and was surprised at the amount of people that had congregated there. It had been a wake up call for him, being a long cry from the little island he had spent most of his life on, but what he saw now was an entire world of a difference.

"Link...Link..."

His breath wavered out of his mouth as someone shook him roughly by the shoulder. He looked around blankly until he found Lora's hazy face.

"What's the matter?"

Her voice was thick and muffled. It was like she was speaking down a long tunnel. Link couldn't find anything to say and only stared at her.

"You've never seen this many people all at once, have you?"

He had gone back to watching the road. It took him seconds to register the question and he slowly cranked his head from side to side a few times. He vaguely heard Lora utter something in a harsh whisper, then felt her palm land on his head. A feeling of ease dripped from her touch and somehow, calmed his nerves.

She hovered into view, kneeling to look him in the eye. The noises of the world swam back with her voice.

"Listen. I understand. It's a lot of people," Lora said quietly. "That's why it's important you stay close. You won't have to worry about getting swept away as long as you're with me."

He felt some sort of disturbance in her tone, or maybe it was more in her eyes. He had a feeling she was mildly amused at his shock.

"You'll be fine if you listen to me," she said. "Okay?"

"O...Okay, Mother."

Lora withdrew her hand and stood, tucking her arms into her robes. She was silent long enough for Link to realize what he had done wrong.

"Sorry," he said quietly, embarrassed. "I-It just came—"

She cut him off by sweeping the hem of her robe out. He took it, closing it tightly in a fist. There was a sudden movement out the corner of his eye.

Two guards had been posted up at the castle doors the entire time. The one that had dared to move was staring at him without expression, almost like she wasn't sure what to think of him.

Hesitant, he looked over at her partner, who was a rather big fellow that hastily looked off in another direction when their eyes met. Lora's robe began to pull away from him and Link didn't notice until he began sliding along the ground. He almost stumbled and began to move his legs. It'd be painful to fall down so many steps, not to mention embarrassing...

He took each step carefully and the pit in his stomach grew. A feeling was finally beginning to bleed throughout his mind, the conscious realization that he was somewhere he did not belong. He could feel it itching underneath the surface of his skin, and now, with each breath he took. Was it him, or was the air...off? It was fresh, but swelled differently in his lungs somehow. His legs shook and his knees felt weak. The constant cycle of noises tumbled chaotically in his head and he breathed deeply, fighting the urge to retreat. They were nearly on top of the road of movement.

Link closed his eyes as he left the last step, expecting to be run over the moment they touched down. When it didn't happen he carefully peeked an eye open.

"This way," Lora said, turning with the flow of traffic. Link glanced around distantly, careful not to let go of her robe.

He didn't glance at individual faces, mainly because he wasn't tall enough, but nothing had changed. People were still going about their bussiness. Somehow, they weren't being crowded in or jostled by the current of travelers. The space between bodies no longer looked as tight as he had initially thought. Had his eyes been playing tricks?

He did feel as though he was being watched and was taken by the impulse to look up at the sky. The heavens were a cloudless ocean of blue, stamped with a sun that burned brightly as it neared its peak.

Link breathed a sigh of relief, giggling a bit at his paranoia. He wasn't sure what he'd been expecting to see when he looked up.

Lora's curtain of red hair bounced along her shoulders as she strode along. On occasion she glanced back to check on Link, who stayed so close that he was back in her blind spot. Eventually they met the divide in the middle of the road, now heading towards the lane of traffic that traveled in the opposite direction. They merged and cut through the crowd easily once more, eventually leaving the bustle of the main street and entering a side road that ran between buildings. Link finally felt as though he could breathe freely.

"Don't relax," Lora spoke up with immaculate timing, as he had just loosened his grip on her robes. "In fact, you should be more alert in the alleys..."

For minutes on end they threaded through the maze of businesses and homes. Link curiously looked left and right down every entrance they passed. People were idling about in these lesser traveled areas. Most seemed to turn away or avoid them as they crossed paths. Link saw their shadows and shapes skulking nearly out of sight, saw eyes peering from behind cracked doors and windows.

One last turn finally led them to an arch and a wide, open space. Link almost thought of it as being a meadow of stone. He was enamored by the large structure nearby, staring drowsily at its belfry.

"This is the main pavilion," Lora said. "This is the center of the capital, Hearthstone...and that is the clock tower. Events are often held here, and here you'll see people in spots they've rented to sell their wares for the day or week. The food market is a little farther down..."

He looked around, trying to take it all in. There was more space, but not much a different in the amount of people. Like Lora said there were many stalls, manned by the honest sellers and cleverest swindlers alike. There were plenty of watering troughs for those who had animals that needed a quick reprieve.

They passed a woman reading in the shade of a tree, one of the many trees, that grew little red fruits. Link caught their sweet fragrance and it made a growl roll out of his stomach.

"Have you ever seen a Goron?" Lora asked.

"Yes," Link answered, perking. He was actually fond of them and their (generally) easygoing natures. There was construction going on in a roped off part of the pavilion and two of the seven handymen were Gorons. Link was a bit startled by how large they were compared to the ones he'd seen before.

As they continued south, they picked up on a bit of a fuss going around a small lodge, which oozed a faint purple steam from its smoke flaps. Its owner was an old woman struggling to wrangle the crowd clamoring around her. Her head seemed too big for her skinny neck and her nose hung from her shriveled face like a fleshy banana. There were angry-looking boils on her face and her eyes didn't quite face the same direction.

"Ease up, ease up, you lot!" the old woman screamed nastily with the voice of a strangled chicken. She waved a fan drunkenly in the air, swinging at faces and limbs that got too close. "Back to the end of the line! Whoever I've hit, back to the end of the line!"

"What's she doing?" Link wanted to know. He winced when a sharp smack and a witch's cackle echoed in the air. "Um, other than hitting people..."

"Fortune telling. It's just an expensive means of someone telling you something you hope to hear."

"Does she swindle?"

"That's just about right. She's as accurate as a stopped clock. It's why, other than her being less than easy on the eyes, I'd not even look her way." Lora said. "The end of the year is nearing. People desire reassurance along with new beginnings. I'd say it's dangerous to be toying with legitimate discernment...sometimes you could end up causing the exact opposite of what you expect. And also, she's a fraud who extorted me the first and only time I used her services."

She stopped short, getting a closer look at him. "At least close your mouth if you're going to drool..."

Link was floored. They had reached the food market, but he didn't know where to turn!

There were freshly rolled loaves of bread baking in ovens. There were countless stalls with all colors and shapes of fruit imaginable. Vegetables were just as plentiful and diverse, spread corner-to-corner in display crates. And there was plenty of fresh meat, either strung up in twine or being roasted on hot slabs of metal or rock.

"You can pick anything and everything you want," Lora said. Link turned on the spot, unable to decide. His stomach growled with impatience and everywhere he turned, a new scent would pull his attention somewhere else. He decided to just take off in a random direction. Lora caught him around the arm, but he slipped out of her grasp and revved his little legs to get away.

"Come here," Lora hissed, hovering after him like a ground-bound storm cloud. "Come here, you..."

She snatched the neck of his tunic. Link still tried escaping so he ended up running in place.

"Remember what I said about sticking with me? And you need to watch out for traffic," Lora said.

Hisssssssss!

Link paused, swinging his head over. Nearby, a cook had tossed an armful of fresh vegetables on a heated slab and was beginning to sauté them. Lora let go of him.

"Don't run," she said. "Remember to look both ways."

Link didn't hear that last part, or even the first. If she hadn't been there to pull him back, he would've gotten mowed over by a horse drawn carriage. "Sorry 'bout that, Miss Loranne!" the carriage driver called, tipping his hat.

"...Link," Lora spoke a little calmer than normal. "Don't make me do what's on my mind."

He gulped. "Yes...ma'am. I'll...be more careful." He realized something then, plunging his hands into his pockets. "Oh...! I don't have any money..."

"Yes, that reminds me," Lora said, glancing around. She lowered her voice to where he could barely hear it, adding, "The currency here is the same you're used to. But the assigned values are slightly different."

He stared at her blankly.

"...I'll explain what that means later," Lora said pitiably, patting him on the head. "It's just one of those things you need to be conscious about. And anyway...you don't need any money now. I told you I'd get you what you wanted, and that involves paying for it."

She checked the clock tower, struggling a bit to read the massive arms through tired eyes and a glaring sun.

"...it feels like this day is just dragging along. I suppose it doesn't matter to you since..."

Lora cut off, blinking as she looked around. Link had vanished.

"Oh, Goddesses, please end my suffering now..."

Link had been drawn in by a sweet, mellow scent drifting quietly under the other smells. He found a woman with wooly brown hair slouched over a stove, busily cleaning it. Perhaps it was her permanent place of reservation; the stove didn't look like it would budge an inch. It was large, twice as tall as she was, and crafted solidly from brick and stone.

There was a sign next to the baker's stove. Link studied it for a moment, having never seen the food item that was painted on it...something flat and doughy, covered in something brown and honey-like. He wondered if it was something sweet to eat.

His head didn't come up over the counter, so Link hopped up to pull himself into view. Then, before he could speak up, someone shoved him off sideways.

"Excuse me, pardon me!" the new customer blurted carelessly, slamming his hands down on the counter. "Morning, Patty-cake! Guess who's back to mack?"

The baker glanced over her shoulder, grinning. "Oh, shut up, that's the lamest thing I ever heard. How about you muck off or give me work?"

"Hey, don't be mean! Come on. Give me the usual while I'm in a good mood!"

"Ah, yeah? What's all that supposed to mean?"

"Mmm, I don't know, maybe you should try turning around some time today?"

Link was laid out flat with his eyes rolling, trying to get his bearings. His head throbbed from where he'd hit it on the ground.

The man tossed a generous amount of rupees down, whistling and drumming his knuckles on the counter as he waited impatiently. Then there was a flash of gold and something very sharp and deadly plunged down between his hands. He staggered away from the counter and from Lora, who wrenched her dagger from the cracked stone.

"Whoa, my bad," the man held his hands up, wearing a pasty smile. "Ahh, Miss Loranne, I'm sorry. Never even noticed you in line, heh."

"I don't believe I ever was," she said quietly.

A few moments passed in which the man glanced at Link—who was picking himself up, then back to Lora, then back to Link again. Then his mouth opened and he exhaled, "Oooooooh, you both are together. Got it, right."

Half a second later he was helping Link stand to his feet. "Sorry, sorry about that!" the pushy customer cried, taking the boy's hand and shaking it vigorously. "I didn't, shouldn't even have...forgive me for that."

"Link," Lora said. "Did he hurt you?"

"Um," Link hesitated.

"Tell me the truth."

"Y...Yes, Mother..."

The man paled dramatically, looking at Link in amazement, then at Lora in complete terror.

"Where are you hurting?" Lora asked.

"My head..." Link said cautiously. "It wasn't too hard."

Lora shifted her eyes from him to the offending customer, holding an even stare on him for several long, long moments. Link drew close to get a better look at her dagger. The blade was a blazing gold and its hilt encrusted with red gemstones.

"Can I see that?" he asked Lora, pointing to it.

Then, when she glanced down to see what he was talking about, her target took his chance. The man was gone in a literal flash, leaving a flame trail smoldering on the ground. Lora inched sharply like she wanted to follow, though she eased up moments later. She looked down at Link with mild indifference.

"My dagger...?" she asked, and he nodded. "If you want. Who do you want to stab?"

"Oh, no one. It just looks knife—I mean, nice."

"Be very careful with it. It'll be one of the sharpest blades you'll ever hold."

Link took it, finding it was much heavier than it looked. He quickly adjusted to how it felt and thought it was the perfect size for him to use as a sword if he got creative. Lora went over to the counter, eyeing the payment the hasty customer had left.

"Well, I guess he was the one to pay for you this time...lucky him," she said, beginning to scoop the money into a small pouch. "...oh, and he left a nice tip as well. I bet she'll like that..."

Link hefted the dagger in his hands, glancing at the sign. "What are these, Mother?"

"Cake."

"Cake?!"

"Yes. Hotcakes. Or pancakes. You'll have people arguing about what they're called, but it's all the same thing. They're always made fresh and you can have them with something called syrup. Is this what you want?"

"Yes, please!"

"Is this the only thing you want?"

He nodded, hopping up and down eagerly.

"Alright," Lora said. "How many, then?"

"One."

"One?"

"One hundred."

He grinned trollishly, waiting for her reaction. She didn't even blink.

"Well, alright." Lora said. "If you think you can pack that much away."

They were a bit distracted when someone screamed from close by. CRASH! The baker dropped a platter of fresh pancakes, now feverishly leaning against her counter. Her tawny eyes, which matched her ruffled hair, were wide and panicked.

"Oh Noh, I'm sorry Miss Loranne!" she cried, bowing several times. "I'm an idiot, I was busy cleaning up after Mr. Jameson's order, and Mack, he distracted me, I didn't even notice...!"

"That's just fine. You don't look like you've been getting your sleep, Patty," Lora said, dropping the pouch of money on the counter.

"I'm fine, I can handle it! What can I for you do? I mean, what can I do you for?"

"I—"

"How about a discount for the next twenty years? Or wait, better! You can come to me for free! Forever and ever. Oh sorry for cutting you off, I'm just a dumb broad who should stay in the kitchen forever."

"I'll have to disagree on that last bit," Lora said plainly. "And thank you for the offers but I couldn't. This isn't for me, after all."

The baker stood there dumbly for a moment then leaned forward to look over her counter. Link waved up at her.

"Ah!" She cringed in surprise, looking nervously at the dagger in his hands before focusing on his face. "Hi, there. Sorry, I never would have seen you. Uh..."

She rubbed at her bloodshot eyes, peering through her hands at him.

"Didn't I see you somewhere earlier?" she asked Link. "Like..."

"No," Lora said. "You haven't."

"Oh...okay. That was weird, it felt like I got Déjà vu or something..."

"Can I eat the pancakes you dropped?" Link asked out of nowhere.

"Absolutely not," Lora said. "One medium sized, Patty, please."

The baker snapped out of her trance, quickly getting back to work. Soon she was coming forth with a clay plate, and on it was a thick, round circle of sweet baked bread. It was drizzled with the thickest syrup.

Patty leaned over the counter to hand Link the plate. "Careful, it's a little hot."

"Thank you," he said gratefully.

"Ohp! Hold on, I bet you'll like it better sliced..."

"I've got it!" Link swung the dagger into the air. The baker shrieked bloody murder, turning her head away.

Chop-chop-chop-chop!

Once she realized she wasn't in agonizing pain, Patty looked around cautiously. The pancake was now split into eights.

"Well," Lora's brows raised ever so slightly. "Clean cuts, and even portions...that was very good, Link."

Pleased, he took the plate from the baker's weak hands and started to eat. He didn't just stop at one, though...

"Hmm..." Link held a finger to his mouth. After five pancakes, his stomach was almost ready to burst. But there was a bland, very odd aftertaste he couldn't describe left on his tongue.

"What's the matter?" Patty asked nervously. He didn't want her to feel bad by saying the truth, so he only offered a polite shrug.

"You're ninety-five short. Did you eat enough?" Lora asked.

"Yes, ma'am. Thank you," Link said, looking up at her. "Don't you want anything?"

"No, Link. We're only out for you."

"Are you sure?"

"I am, son. Besides...we need to get a move on and find Tetra. Yes?"

He gaped up at her with wide, shining eyes. Lora took a moment to realize her own mistake. She quickly shot a look towards Patty, who awkwardly sank out of sight behind her counter.

Without a word Lora swept off, her robes billowing in agitation. "I'll admit my mistake," she said to Link, when they were out of earshot of the baker. "That's all that was."

That did little to take the brightness out of his eyes. Lora moved in a brisk stride, forcing him to jog to keep up with her. They were out of the food market before she spoke up again.

"We're off to meet Roxanne."

That was all she would say; before long they were on approach to a building with a curving, bowl-like roof. A cutely-styled wooden statue of a squid loomed atop the restaurant, holding up its sign: The Octowok. Lora directed Link to a stone bench next to the closest cherry tree.

"Sit. Stay," she said curtly. "And don't willingly attract attention. Others will continue to stare. Ignore them. I'll be back soon for you."

"But—"

"Sit yours down this instant."

Link practically teleported to the bench. Lora swung around, gliding through the doors of the restaurant.

She was absolutely right. People weren't just looking his way. They were shamelessly making eye contact with him, though they resembled deer in headlights as they did. Link tried not to look back and lowered his head, staring at the ground and idly kicking his legs.

It wasn't long before he got tired of that and began to look around again. He ignored the eyes on him this time and soon spotted something that almost made him hop off the bench in excitement.

Nearby, a woman was at a vegetable stall, exchanging money for carrots. A horse was at her backside, attached to a lead in her hand. Sunlight glinted off its glossy bay coat and it swished its dark tail back and forth as it waited with trained patience.

Link gripped the edge of the bench, leaning forward as far as he possibly could. It took someone clearing their throat twice for him to glance around, doing a double take. There was a fox in human clothes suddenly sitting next to him.

Link's eye twitched in agitation.

"Who are you?" he asked carefully. He spoke frankly and with patience as he tended to do, but his nerves were suddenly, undoubtedly frayed.

"Me?" the fox spoke with a broad smile. "I'm fine! I'm just taking a break because I'm old and dilapidated. Same can't be for you, I'd say."

When he didn't get a response the fox let out a trilling giggle, pulling his tails around himself as he rocked back and forth. "Oh, I get it," he said humorously. "Your mother told you not to talk to strangers!"

"I've met you before."

The words were out before Link even realized, which was rare for him. Funnily, they both reacted at the same time—in utter shock.

The fox sobered up quickly. "Not so," he said.

Link was pretty sure of it somehow. He peered at the fox's face closely.

"Stop looking through me," the fox snapped suddenly, surprising Link. "You've got eyes the size of my head and it's creepy. Ask a question if you want to know something."

"Can you open your eyes?"

"I will not."

"Why?"

"Because I won't and you're nosy."

"You were nosy first."

Why else would the creature sit next to him, of all places? The fox scoffed in offense, twitching his ears irately. Link was on the verge of remebering something in particular, then it broke the surface of his memories quite casually.

"Is your name...Kita?" the boy asked, then he grimaced. For some reason his insides had curled when he spoke the name.

"Yes it is. WAIT—" The fox folded his ears back, cringing harshly in disbelief. "NO...! What?! Ig-Ignore what I just said!" he cried. "You're not supposed to...how can you remember..."

"I don't know."

"That's right, then! You don't know! You're wrong. You heard my name from someone else. I bet you just read the title of the chapter, even! You've never seen me before."

"...yes, I have," Link firmly. He couldn't yet remember where or when, but he wasn't going to be fooled.

Kita stood up adamantly. "No, you haven't," he shot back.

"Yes, I have."

"No, you HAVE NOT."

"Yes, I have so."

"Oh for god's sake, fine, I'm not going to be arguing with you! You have! But I bet you can't remember much past my name, can you?"

Link shifted his jaw in annoyance, and the fox laughed.

"Then that's all for that, folks!" Kita said, leaning back. He balanced on his tails, crossing his legs. "For a moment you had me thinking I'd messed up badly again."

"Go away."

"Make me," Kita said childishly. He recoiled when Link glowered at him. "Come on, now, what's with the attitude?"

Link didn't really know himself. Somehow all of his patience had evaporated already. They eyed each other closely for a moment. Kita scoffed again.

"...oh, fine. I'll only admit it since you're already suspicious," the fox said. He hopped forward, lowering his voice. "So, yes. I found you and knocked you out and made you forget some things, but all of that was out of principle. It was to make sure you didn't run around and I don't know, break a leg or die or something. I was only doing my job! I can't believe mother dearest hasn't told you that she and I are in on the out, if you know what I mean."

Link huffed, narrowing his eyes even more.

"I promise. Stop your snarling. Just ask Lora when she comes around, okay? Our work isn't some sort of exact practice," Kita shifted his eyes back and forth rapidly. "I mean, just look at all these idiots trying to be nosy. You should be glad I'm here to soak up the attention. Tell you what. How about we give them a show to keep them from being in the know?"

He put a hand on the boy's shoulder, but Link hopped off the bench, snapping, "NO."

"Fine, then, you little terror," Kita hissed. "I won't lie, I never expected you to be this sharp."

He grinned; Link was suddenly patting at his bare back.

"Ha, ha, ha-ha-ha," Kita teased. "Took you long enough! Ask Lora about your cute little antiques. And you really thought about clashing with ME, in a battle of wits and utter destructive POWER?!"

He burst into a wide grin as he put his hands on his hips, sticking his tongue out.

Link glanced towards the restaurant doors. He didn't want to find out what would happen if Lora came back and saw he'd done the exact opposite of everything she'd told him. He hopped on the bench again, sending Kita another scowl.

"Hah? Oh, no, I'm not going away," Kita said. "Not with a crowd like this! Look, it's growing! It's fun to be in the center of attention! Let me show you. Hey, everyone, party at the witch's hut!"

He grabbed Link by the arm. There was a pop and they vanished from the spot. Disoriented, Link looked around. They were still in the pavilion, right back to where the woman was telling fortunes. In fact, Kita had teleported them in front of the entire line.

"What...KITA!" the fortune teller shrieked, raising her fan as if to swat him. "No! Stop whatever you're about to do! Don't you DARE start waving your magic around!"

"Who said what, now?" Kita asked loudly, turning on the spot and snapping his fingers. In a puff of smoke, she and her tent were gone. A scream caused heads to swivel up to the sky.

Link gaped. The teller was hanging from her tent, which had grown a pair of feathery wings and was lazily flapping off into blue. Multitudes of glittering gems fell from its flaps.

"Get your money back people, she's a known fraud!" Kita crowed, as witnesses scrambled to do just that. "That's right, that's right, you all got cheated for free today! Count your blessings! Hey, you, Junior. You gonna do anything else than stand there looking like you were born this morning? C'mon, it's time to liven it up! I think this chapter has gone on long enough, though, so let's make like my ex's heart and break!"

Link sighed, rolling his eyes. Not even a day in this new land and he'd already attracted some sort of psycho. He hoped that wouldn't be a reoccurring thing.