Chapter 6: Back Together

The Forest of Hills - Lora's Chalet

As Lora and Link hurried forward, a cast iron pan hurtled past the door frame. There was a metallic clang followed by a howl of pain. "HA!" Tetra screamed.

"ALRIGHT, THAT'S IT!"

The second voice belonged to Kita. Right as Lora and Link came into the sitting room, the fox rocketed by, making a beeline for the far corner. He collided with Tetra and they tangled up in close quarters, getting locked in a slap fight. There was an angry knot on Kita's head and Tetra's hair had wildly fallen down to her shoulders.

"Kita," Lora drawled.

"Tetra..." Link spoke at the same time, wearing a relieved smile. She didn't yet notice him; Kita broke away from her, glowering at Lora.

"Loranne, help me!" he hissed. "She—"

WHA-PANG! Tetra hit him in the back of the head with another frying pan, knocking him to his front.

"Has wonderful aim," Lora finished. Spitting, the fox scooted away from Tetra on all fours. He barely avoided the pan as it flew at the back of his head and it almost hit Link, who had to shift to the side quickly to avoid it.

"Oh!" Tetra gasped. She stiffened and stared right through her friend; her hand twitched like she wanted to grab another pan from the hearth.

"Please stop throwing my pans," Lora said. Kita cowered behind her with his cerise eyes glittering with malice.

"I'm done!" he spat. "I kept her from leaving, so let me take my leave!"

"Sob more. I feel as though you've gotten just what you've asked for."

"What?! Don't be like that! Is it because I interrupted your nap? I-I've just been doing my due diligence. I'm innocent!"

"Never again speak the word innocent in reference to yourself, Kita. You might do better at being mildly convincing."

Meanwhile, Link was a bit worried. Actually, a lot.

His instincts had warned him to not take another step forward. There was something scary about the way Tetra stared at him with the blankest expression he had ever seen on her face. It was almost like she had turned into a statue again.

"Oh, no—no, NO, EN-OH!" Kita yelled, marching forward. "What's all this? What's with the staring? Girl! Isn't he the one you've been torturing me about? For god's sake, someone do something!"

Link took that honor. He ran for his life, charging full speed for the door. Tetra took off a fraction of a moment later with her expression exploding into one of sheer rage; Link snatched his hat off then pivoted, flinging it at her face. Then he swiped a plate from the dining room table and slung it along the ground.

Tetra stepped on the plate and slid, out of control and blind. "ARGHH LINK—!"

The door was already slamming shut behind him. She crashed into the wall, sticking to it before toppling backwards. Kita cackled abrasively.

Fuming, Tetra stood, gripping Link's hat tightly in her hand and wishing it was his neck instead. "You—" she flung the door open. "—are so DEAD! Wait..."

She was surrounded in all directions by towering shades of green and brown. The forest rustled quietly with ambient sounds of wildlife and the midday sun fought to pierce the puffy canopy, patterning the forest floor with faint streaks of light.

"Come, ON, not this again!"

It was like the royal gardens all over again, but worse. There were hardly any variations of color. Not only that, Link could run like a horse and climb like a monkey when there was heat on his back. She listened as hard as she could and peered around through narrowed eyes. The trees grew close together and she couldn't see farther than ten feet no matter where she looked.

"...oh, for—LINK! This is your captain speaking!" Tetra thundered in the scariest voice she could muster. "This time, I KNOW you're awake and around here! So get your big fat head front and center, pronto!"

A frog croaked lazily somewhere to her right. She heard a snicker and looked up. It was a real monkey, who did a very rude gesture to her before bounding off.

"Come down here and do it again," she muttered, beginning to lurk into the thick glade. She had only taken a dozen and a half steps before she came to the edge of a small, shallow pond rounder than the full moon.

Tetra leaned over to glare at her reflection. A branch snapped behind her.

"Gotcha!" Link cried, pouncing on her from behind. His playfulness took them both into the little pond in a rather dramatic splash of water. Tetra recovered first, sputtering as she hopped up. Link could barely see through his wet bangs but still laughed at her expression.

"You look so funny, Tetra!" he cried.

She gasped for a few moments before her rage swarmed up again. Link stood, squeezing water out of his hair, only for her to shove him back down with a splash. He brushed his bangs aside, going cross-eyed to see the point of her sword in his face.

"You…you do NOT get to laugh at my expense after what I've been through! You NITWIT!" Tetra shrieked. "I told you this wasn't a good idea!"

"Wh—"

His hat flew back into his face with a wet slap. "No, shut up for a second!" Tetra raged. "Here I am, wandering for hours in some sort of crusty old rat city, surrounded by freaks in the dozen, and without a single spot of water or sense to figure a way out, and then add in you being missing…if you HADN'T noticed, I'm not in the mood for guh-huh-huh-huh GUFFAWING right now, pal."

"I noticed," Link said, wringing his hat out. "I didn't mean to go missing, though. Is that the only thing bothering you?"

Tetra reared her head back in amazement as if she had suddenly caught onto something. She squinted at him for several long moments.

"...what have you been up to?" she asked suspiciously.

"Weeell...I found out some things about where we are," Link said, rubbing his forehead. "I just don't know how we got here, though. I don't remember."

Her eyes almost popped out of her head. "...really?" Tetra asked quietly. A broad grin spread itself across her face. "Heh, you, you really can't remember?"

"Um, no. Do y—"

"WOOOOOO!" Tetra screamed, throwing her fists into the air. "AH HA HA HA HA!"

Link carefully pulled himself out of the pond. It seemed as though Tetra may have forgotten about him as she began carrying on, whooping, doing cartwheels and splashing around in the pond. It was the most bizarre thing he'd seen yet in this world. He'd never been so terrified of seeing someone so happy.

He decided it was wise to back away as quietly as possible, well out of her reach. He'd just let her have her moment...while he watched from a safe height.


Lora's Chalet

"For Din's sake, I swear someone's going to pay for my medical expenses!" Kita said. He grumbled to himself as he rolled his shoulders, popping his neck. The knot on his head smarted. "Thankfully that's all over. Now everyone's happy and we can get on with our terribly gray lives, right Loranne?"

"You know better than to lie to me."

"Wha...?"

He spun, looking right up into her eyes. Her glare could have tamed a raging dragon.

Terrified, Kita bolted to hide underneath the dining room table. He could still feel her stare on him. "Ahhhh...!" he cried, slinking to a chair and wrapping himself within its rungs.

"Why are you hiding?" Lora asked quietly. The subtle anger in her voice rolled like waves in a storm. "Surely it means you did lie to me with full intents?"

"Why are you saying that?! What are you accusing me of?!"

"You know it's about that boy you handed to me."

The fox coiled himself tighter to the chair. "I didn't mean any harm! I was only trying to help!"

"You know I have little tolerance for your misdirection and tricks even in mundane circumstances. Yet, you still insist on testing my patience on top of all the nonsense that Luna has piled on me. Tell me why."

"I don't...I never...don't be angry with just me, Loranne! Lionel already knows the truth of what I did! He's not, he's not guilty of anything, but he agrees I wasn't being malicious! You've got to believe me!"

"Lionel knows?" Lora's dry tone dripped with disbelief. "You coerced Lionel into believing some balderdash of yours?"

"Just ask him if you don't believe me! Look, I'm guilty. I'll admit that. Just ask him," Kita said, watching what part of her he could see closely. "I only act the way the do because it's in my nature! You can't blame me! Not everyone is quiet and brooding like you! Or...or thinking of the next person they'll victimize, yeah!"

"Lately I've thought less on prospecting for targets. I've been quite busy. Now I have two children to harden up for the truths they'll face in the coming future."

"Yes, and that's...you wouldn't be alone in your efforts. It...takes a village."

She didn't move or speak for the next five seconds.

"Ohhhh, my god!" Kita cried. "Are you listening to me, Lora? Can you at least promise me you'll..."

"You know I despise making promises."

"Make one for me!"

"I'd rather die."

"Don't kill me!" Kita yipped. "I swear I'll disappear if you want me to, just don't kill me!"

Lora twitched back in surprise. She moved closer like she was going to stoop to look him in the eye. Kita quickly spirited up into the seat of the chair, peering over the edge of the table. She had one eyebrow quirked slightly.

"...what are you talking about?" Lora asked. The confusion in her tone only frightened him more. "I've never been that angry at you. Not even now."

Kita dipped his head and flattened his ears. He cut his eyes to the window then back to her.

"I may never understand that about you," Lora said suddenly. "As old as you are and how mythical your strength is, you still fear death?"

He snarled, rearing up and slamming his hands on the table. "Don't start poking at that! You don't see me making fun of your pathetic short-term memory loss, do you?"

"No. Then again, most of my issues concerning that can be solved with daily half-hour naps. I can't say the same stands for you. You might need to see someone about that."

"Loranne, are you messing with me?" Kita demanded, now jumping on her table. "Is that what your frustrations have built up to, venting them all out on me?"

"No," she repeated plainly. "I don't know why you're getting all worked up when I called you out."

"Oh for god's sake, WHAT did I lie about, then? Tell me exactly."

"Did you not tell me you found Link in Fey's Forest?"

"Yes," Kita said bitterly, eyeing her sideways. "What about it then, how did you find out it wasn't true?"

"There are no more Fairy Flowers there."

He frowned for a few moments, then his eyebrows arched sharply. He slapped a furred hand to his face.

"...the pollen. I forgot it sticks like honey," he expressed loudly at the ceiling, holding his hands out. "Alright, fine. Yes. I see now."

"And are you aware of a particular effect or two of the pollen?"

"It can cause a high, yes? What, was he trying to leap off a building and call himself the town drunk?"

"Thankfully not. And that is not the sole effect, only one out of a variety," Lora said. "In general, the pollen of a Fairy Flower incites heavy feelings of loving kindness, as well as varying levels of desire."

"Oh...kaaaay?" Kita urged suspiciously, waving a hand. "And what's wrong with all that?"

"I'm not his mother."

He opened his eyes fully, looking at her in amazement.

"Yes. He legitimately thought that at first. Thinks it still, perhaps. If only I'd known he had the pollen in his system, I would've been more cautious. But...I slipped, and fell asleep." Lora tugged at her glove idly, allowing a slight frown to settle on her brow. "...I ended up looking right into his eyes," she muttered. "Eye contact only enforced those feelings of his. Because of that, I now have a newly imprinted child on my hands."

"Oh, god..." Kita uttered harshly. "That's why I heard what I heard at the pavilion..."

"Rumors are starting already, are they?" Lora hefted an impressive sigh, shutting her eyes. "Wonderful. And so, Kita, once again," she drawled, "your foolishness and lack of delicate knowledge has burdened me. I've basically got another shadow."

"Well...well, where's the issue, then?" Kita asked with sudden enthusiasm. He cackled. "Let's just go with it! Mama Lora ...has a nice tune to it, right? Ha! Is he calling you that for real? Mama, Mama Lora, Mama, Mama Lora!"

"Enough. He's far more formal and less annoying than you are."

"You have an impressionable child following you! I think you should be flattered!"

"Never."

"Fair choice! Just checking."

Lora swept over to her hearth and began purging it of burnt logs. Kita now laid on his front with his head in his hands, idly kicking his back paws in the air.

"...ridiculous..." Lora spoke quietly. "To think the little whelp calls me Mother...he has no idea..."

"Plenty others already call you that, Lora. The castle fairies, the she-Gorons..."

"He's not being figurative like they are."

"Are you absolutely sure?"

"Don't push it."

"I'm serious. The kid is being figurative, Lora, you aren't his mama. Why are you letting it bother you so much?"

She paused for a moment. "You really have to wonder? There are better women out there to fulfill the role he sees me in. But there's nothing I can do about that."

"Are you thinking you'll disappoint?"

"...I don't know what to think."

"Ooooh, that's a new one from you," Kita said. There was a slight twinkle in his eyes, the kind that appeared when he was sitting on a thought of mischief. "C'mon, you're wigging me out here, Lora. You've got close friends and folk that like you. Well, not as a maternal figure, but still. What's different here?"

"He's only a child."

"Aww, I see...you think he'll fall asleep by the second ring of bell tower?"

"He'd barely make it to the end of the first."

Kita laughed at that, wiggling his tails. "Isn't it funny, though—I don't think the same for that girl. Lora…watch her closely. She definitely has something odd going on with her. She's smart and I can swear she knows things she shouldn't."

"Are you saying she's a psychic?"

"Something like that. Looking back, well...…ehh, I don't want to. Too soon." Kita scoffed, sticking his tongue out. "Those two are really supposed to be best friends?"

"It seems so. Opposites attract sometimes."

"Damning. A nice, tight friendship has given me one of the worst days of my life. And of course I've seen…many." Kita hopped up, then off the table. "Still, you technically can't get mad at me. I can only detect and catch Outsiders after they waltz into the realm, I can't control when they arrive. Curse the timing, but you'd have two rugrats to deal with anyway. I even felt like I was quick this time, all without Emperor Death hearing a single peep!"

"...fine. Fair point. I still fail to understand why you lied about where you found Link. It's so minute of a detail but it's undeniably made a big difference."

"Aw, it shouldn't matter."

Kita knew the attack was coming before he even finished his sentence, so he was ready to sidestep when she spun, flinging her dagger. It struck the leg of the chair inches from his hip.

"You weren't too kind about your aim then..." Kita lamented, pulling his tails over his waist. He noticed that she was slouching and laughed nervously. "You really must be under the weather, Lora…your form is lacking..."

She scowled deeply, making him choke on the next smart comment he had waiting in the wings. "I don't know what else you're concealing from me, but I can see it in every word you speak and every movement you make." Lora muttered. "When I find out..."

Kita watched her closely, unsure if he should be ready to dodge another attack. "You couldn't. You can straighten, now, you know. You couldn't pounce on a dead frog like that, sleepyhead, let alone myself. Come on. We're both weary. Let's call it even."

"It'd have to be for the day only."

He couldn't help but to grin once more. "Loranne, are you upset that I know something else you don't?"

"It surely has to be a weakness, or fault…I've never seen you as scared as you were minutes ago."

"It'd cut my life short for sure if anyone were to find out," he muttered, looking out the window. "I won't lie, you had me in the first half of our talk. I thought I'd slipped, somehow…I thought this whole world was about to come crashing down, finally!"

"If I were to find out?"

"...if anyone were to find out."

"But Lionel knows."

"And that makes no difference."

Lora frowned. Kita wasn't looking at her but chuckled as he held his gaze on the window. "...that's funny, I just got a chill up my spine. Every time your expression changes, I can feel the air itself shift," he said. "Why don't you smile more, Loranne? Did you forget how to do that, too?"

"Don't patronize me."

"Oh, I'm just glad things haven't changed. Why don't we look past all this now?"

Lora ignored that; that was a type of misdirection he preferred, omitting the full truth. "Of everyone…why Lionel? What reason would you have to give him information he can't even convey? Surely he's not apart of some scheme of yours."

"Heavens no! I just had a moment of weakness, and the big oaf was there. He's been so good at holding onto my thoughts and desires. You see, the best secretkeepers are the ones who can't speak or know how to stay silent…you're in the latter category, but I won't let the children know. They'll find out eventually."

Every single hair on his body stood up as Lora hissed, rigid with fury. "I've had this on my tongue for a while, but now I feel fit to say that you are one of the biggest cowards I have ever met."

"Yes, maybe," Kita said somberly. "But how can you say that about one of your comrades, Loranne?"

"It's only because of your lust for power I want to have anything to do with you. Perhaps the day you die is the day I may smile once more."

He laughed roughly, baring his teeth in a maddened grin. "Well, I can't say I'd expect that to ever be so," he snapped. "Right! As if you'd ever live to see that day, playing the games you are with the Emperor!"

They tensely stared each other down, wanting to start blasting the other with the best curses they knew.

"…we'll settle this later," Lora said.

"Feeling so tired to pass up a little spar, hm?"

"Yes, I am."

Kita huffed, sitting down and scratching himself behind an ear. "Well, fine then...I'll agree on that. I've run myself ragged today and I've had enough."

"Well, you're blessed. You have no children to watch over now, and I've got two."

"Din give you strength, then. Speaking of which, shouldn't you make sure they don't get too far?"

Lora blinked.

Oh. That was right.


Meanwhile...


The Forest of Hills

"Link, tell me a few things. First of all, where are you?" Tetra asked calmly.

"Um...up here?"

He was nice and safe in the branches of a willow tree. She looked up impassively, slicking her hair back up into place. "Come down for me, will you?"

Link couldn't gauge how close he was to death at the moment. Sure, Tetra had calmed down, but had spent the last few minutes with her forehead planted against the trunk of the willow he was in. She certainly hadn't wasted time barking up the wrong tree.

"Link, come on," Tetra said impatiently. "I need to get a look at you."

He slipped off the branch, hanging onto it for one last second before dropping to the ground. She just about jumped on him, seizing him by the shoulder. "Come here—stop backing up, where are you going?!" she snapped. "Stay put!"

"But what did I—"

"Nothing! Just hold still!"

She began stalking around him in a circle, looking him up and down. Link tried not to fidget. It felt like she was trying to tear him to shreds with her eyes alone. She stopped mid-step in front of him, quite close, staring directly at his face. He gazed back vigilantly as a bead of sweat rolled down his neck.

"...I thought he did something to you, but I can't be for sure," Tetra said finally, relaxing. "Maybe not, then..."

"Who?"

"That fox. You look normal, though. Are you normal?"

"I think so. I feel the same. What about you, Tetra?"

"What ABOUT me?"

His mouth almost twitched into a smile. "It's just that...you seem bothered by something," Link said carefully.

"Oh, yeah? What tipped you off, lunkhead?"

"Well..."

"I'm not going to be talking about my day. I don't even want to think about it right now. All that I'll say is that it made me want to TEAR MY OWN HANDS OFF, and EAT THEM ONE FINGER AT A TIME!"

With a bellow of anger she punched the willow tree, splintering a hole in its trunk.

"...but anyway, that's past," Tetra said pleasantly, pulling her hand back and dusting it off. "You wanna know why, pal?"

"Be...cause, we're...back together, again?" he tried carefully.

"Exactly. It feels like after forever. Especially dealing with that dumb old fox. He thought it was so funny that we'd gotten split up."

"You mean Kita, right?"

"Uh...yes? Please don't tell me there's another magical fox prancing around here."

He shrugged, a bit thoughtful on that. He really hoped there weren't any more characters like Kita that existed. Tetra grumbled to herself, cutting her eyes around.

"Wherever here is..." she muttered. "I have absolutely no freaking clue where we are. I'd been so busy following him I haven't been able to figure much of anything else out."

"But why were you chasing him, Tetra?"

She grabbed the front of his tunic, snapping, "Because he STOLE you from me. And are you serious when you said you can't remember much?" she demanded, shaking him. "What is it, then? What don't you remember? In fact no, don't answer that, what do you remember last?"

"I was with you."

"That's all?"

"Yes."

"With no context?"

"Yes..." he said carefully. "Lora told me I was in the royal gardens, though..."

"OH! Do NOT get me started on that witch," Tetra snarled, letting go of him. "I was in the gardens too, you know! I had to have missed you by like, I don't know, seventeen seconds or whatever, but Kita found you before I did. Then he rubbed it in my face later!"

"Tetra..."

"I mean, geez!" she yelled, flinging her arms into the air. "I totally thought I lost you for a second. Not a second, but for like hours."

"Tetra?"

"What, Giggles?"

"I've never...seen you like...this."

"Like what?"

"I don't know," Link said, concerned. "Are you..."

"I'm fine! You're fine too, right?"

"Yes, but..."

"Then I swear, that fox had better stay away," Tetra snapped, kicking at the ground a few times. "I'll skin him to the bone if he tries all that again! Good goddesses, why do you have to be such a heavy sleeper? You oaf. I should...I sh...what?"

Link had spread his arms out. Tetra grunted sourly. "Oh, fine," she muttered. "Whatever, I don't care...sap."

He hugged her warmly, though she just stood there like a drooping chicken. "I don't know that much about where we are...but I'm at least glad we found each other," Link said. "...I don't even think we were separated for that long."

"Yeah, well…ugh..." Tetra seemed at a loss for words for a moment. She abruptly seized him and held on tightly. "Of course you would say that...I bet you...spent most of your time sleeping, and lost track of what was happening..."

When they separated she glared down at the earth, rubbing behind her head. It was the closest she would ever get to pouting. Link wondered if she really was just tired and that was it.

"Anyway," Tetra muttered. "I found you, so…let's go."

"Where?"

She looked around with a flat expression, suddenly remembering they were in the heart of some dense forest. "Oh, right...I dunno," she said, and he giggled. "Where are we, then?"

"Go ahead and tell her, Link," Lora said.

Both children whirled in the direction of her voice. She was nearly obscured in the foliage, blending in with the rustling gloom. Even while squinting they could barely make out her face, though her red hair made it easier.

"Great, here she goes again appearing out of nowhere," Tetra said wearily, massaging a spot on her neck. "She did me so wrong earlier…what is she talking about, what stupidity do I have to hear now?"

Link just knew Tetra was about to start raging again. He took a deep breath and went for it, speaking as fast as he could. "Tetra…I don't know how, but, we're in a different world, and it's—we're not where we used to be, and it's ruled by an Emperor who doesn't like people like us!"

Tetra gaped, dumbfounded. "Whoa, hold on, dude! Slow down and say all that again?"

"We're...we're not anywhere near the Great Sea anymore," Link stressed. "The place we considered home. We're in…a different realm. A different world."

She jerked her head back, pulling a face. "Wait...WHAT? That doesn't make sense, how are we in a different world?! That was never—she..." Then, she outright exploded. "OH NO...I am NOT going to believe that! We did NOT go through all this trouble only for us to be stuck in some weird freak-fantasy land! We've gotta find my ship and the others! They're around here, I know it!"

"Perhaps," Lora said.

Link had nothing of comfort to say since he was still processing everything Roxy had told him. What struck him as strange was that Tetra had quite suddenly gone silent, staring at the ground in contemplative disbelief. He wondered—did she lose her memories of what happened prior, like he had?

"We need a map," Tetra said. "Yeah. That's a good place to start."

Link cringed. "A map…? I don't…"

"Oh, this...BLOWS! Dang it, we just…Link, we just dealt with this sort of stupidity with the Ghost Ship!" Tetra exclaimed, looking right at him. Her eyes were wide and haunted. "I don't wanna bring it up, but we're barely weeks past that, and, and, we CAN'T have been thrown off track again! You're not messing with me, are you?"

"He isn't. And I have a map," Lora spoke up. "It's of the whole realm. There's something that Roxy did not tell you Link, and it's because she didn't want to be the one responsible to do so. That is, if you ever wanted to go back to where you came from…it's simply not an option."

His stomach bottomed out, and Tetra almost fell on her face. "What do you mean it's not an option?!" the girl nearly shrieked.

"Whatever enters the realm is locked within it. Permanently. Forever. Eternally. Whichever word you prefer," Lora said. "Many others, like yourselves, have wandered just as blindly into this realm. And no one, not a single one, has been able to escape. It is impossible."