5/5/06

Random answer to that random email: Link's last name Namaki - translates roughly to the color green in Japanese. That's right you guessed it his name is Mr. Green- hahahahahahahahahahh - ahem - hey it seemed like a good idea at the time and I figured Tetra would be more likely to refer to Link by his last name when she was irritated with him and for whatever reason when I was looking for a word to use this one stuck out at me...

Well what do you know - by the end of this chapter Link get's a clue...Yesh..anyway, I was told his reaction to a particular revelation a bit mild, bland...dare I say it...boring. When I read it again I agreed so I messed with it a bit - Keep in mind I've never seen Link as a character to spaz about anything...Just kinda absorbs it all and tries to deal. That is so not easy in any world of my creation. You'll have to let me know if it's better.

I do realize the conversation between Delia and her alter 'Kei' is confusing, jumbled...for me - oddly familiar...now you know how she feels... and chances are, (especially in my fic) the trouble you went looking for was with you all along.

Also note: Once again - more plot specific information and things are going get a little unusual from here on out and yes it's more oddness on the Great Sea...potential gender twisting...and remember never try to be vague and in-discriminant with someone born to solve random puzzles... what?

(I swear if I have to do this much more, I'm not only going to disclaim. I'm gonna scream too!)

Nagori, Saimon and Senkyoku
by: achitka

Chapter 12:
Jasper

Holding Jasper, Aryll stepped into the entrance of the Fairy Fountain with little fear. Her brother brought her to the one on Outset so she knew what to expect. Well, not completely. A fairy never healed her before, and the way Link described it, made her a bit nervous. As the portal set her down, she stepped out of the column of light and set Jasper down. Her footsteps echoed on the tiled floor as she walked slowly toward the shimmering pool. Senza followed but stopped short of entering the main cavern. Aryll looked up into the seemingly endless blackness above, and wondered just how far down these fountains were. The trips in and out didn't feel as if she were traveling that far.

The only light source, emanated from somewhere below the pool of crystal clear water. Aryll followed Jasper further inside and the gull's cries echoed off the walls with a quirky tinny sound. The bird ran to the pool and settled in the water with a splash. Tiny health fairies floated over the pool on some unfelt breeze and Aryll noticed that even though the gull was just inches from them; the fairies completely ignored the bird. Concerned Jasper would be overlooked by the fairies, Aryll bent down to pick her up. As she did, the crystal pendant she put on earlier fell out of her shirt.

After she stood up, Aryll was surprised to see the crystal floating in front of her nose as if suspended on a string. She started when two fairies, swirled up and around herself and Jasper. As one swept past her injured leg, she hissed and almost dropped the squirming gull. Aryll's leg burned as the fairy magic knit the slice back together. The intense pain lasted only for a moment and then was gone and Aryll looked down at her wound to see only a thin white scar remained.

Her brother, Link, sported a number of such lines, some clean and thin like hers...Others...not. Even though most faded as he'd gotten older and taller, others, like the one that ran the length of his left arm, never did. It always made her wonder what the wound that caused it must have looked like. Tetra knew, and Aryll guessed it must have happened during their final fight with Ganon. Either way, it didn't matter since neither of them ever talked about that battle.

Jasper snapped at a third fairy that swirled about them and squawked as the little creature giggled. The seagull twisted her head about in an attempt to keep track of it before it disappeared from sight. With a loud screech, the gull finally managed to wiggle free of her grasp and hopped down into the pool. Aryll noticed the feathers the bird was previously missing, reappeared and she smiled.

"Hey, you could be a little more grateful you know," Aryll admonished her friend.

Jasper continued her squawking, but her cries took on a quieter tone. The gull spread her wings as she tested them out and settled them back into place. Finally, content the gull paddled leisurely around the pool without further comment.

"Well at least it will be a quieter ride back." Aryll commented and looked back at Senza who laughed.

"She is a feisty one, neh?" he asked and let out a chuckle.

Aryll nodded and turned her attention back to the pendant. It still floated even after she pulled the chain over her head. "Senza, look at this," Aryll said as she let go of the chain. The crystal dropped in to the water with a wet plop. That's weird, She picked it out of the pool and the crystal again began to float. Just to be sure, Aryll let go of the chain again, and watched perplexed as it fell back into the water. The third time Aryll picked it up, she looked back to where Senza was standing. His mouth was open, but she couldn't hear anything. In fact, the pirate had stopped moving all together and his frozen expression made her uneasy.

A flash of panic gripped her and she dropped the chain. Senza immediately started moving and speaking again. Aryll's head felt fuzzy and she didn't understand what the pirate said until Senza walked up to her through the shallow water. He put a hand on her shoulder and asked, "Are you alright, Miss?"

"I guess so," Aryll said confused. "What happened? Did you see something? You looked like you'd seen a ghost or something."

"For a moment, I thought I had. You just got all see through and there was someone standing behind you. Are you sure you're alright, Miss?" Senza asked and rubbed his beard for a moment. "Where did you get that thing anyway?"

"It was wrapped around Jasper's foot when I pulled her out of the water," Aryll said and she focused on the pendant lying at the bottom of the pool. Was it glowing?

"Where did she get it?" Senza asked as he picked it up. He held it a little away from himself and it spun slowly around, but did not float.

"I don't know, but I'm betting it has something to do with that Tower she doesn't want us to go to," Aryll said and looked back at the bird. Jasper spread her wings and bobbed her head up and down. Aryll thought for a moment and asked the seagull, "Al's there, isn't he." Again, the seagull indicated yes. "I sent Jake to Great Fish, I wonder if that means Link didn't get those letters..." After a moment, Aryll shook her head. "He must have, otherwise Jake wouldn't have come back without them, and he would have told me if he didn't find Link."

"They must have separated for some reason," Senza said.

"Maybe," Aryll said and reached for the pendant. "Anyway, let's hope so, Master Orca was pretty keen on Link getting his. Let's get out of here." Aryll held out her hand and Senza dropped the crystal. It never touched her hand, instead if dangled in the air on its invisible string again just above it. Uh oh. Aryll looked at Senza, again the pirate stood in front of her, still as stone, with that surprised look on his face.

Being the little sister of the Great Sea's Hero of the Winds, Aryll never felt fazed by the strange and unusual. Like her brother, it only made her more curious to find out why it was happening. A sound behind her made her turn to investigate and for half a second, Aryll thought the boy she found standing in the pool with her, to be her brother, Link. She knew that was crazy, since this boy couldn't be more than twelve years old. She wondered how he'd managed to get this close to her without her noticing. He did look familiar though, but at the same time not and Aryll sloshed back a step and sent fairies scattering in every direction. She paused when she realized the pendant still hung in the air between them, but now, it was just out of reach.

"Who are you?" Aryll asked.

"Ju do not recognize me?" the boy asked sounding offended.

The stranger's odd accent threw her for a moment and Aryll stared at him and she struggled to remember just who it was, his face reminded her of. His amber eyes were full of mischief and Aryll was a little unnerved. So damn familiar but she still could not remember where on earth she'd seen eyes like that before. His pale blonde hair lay on his head in a jumbled mess, while his clothes looked no different from the usual; they were most certainly not the latest fashion. The boy was also a little on the short side even if was the twelve year old he appeared to be.

"Uh...no, should I?"

"Ju haf known me seence ju were quite small."

"Is that so? I'm sorry, I feel like I should but..." she trailed off. Aryll looked around and it occurred to her then that Jasper was missing. She looked toward the entrance and behind the still motionless pirate, but the bird was nowhere. Aryll stared at the stranger again. She gasped when she noticed his face held a distinct birdlike quality and she asked, "Jasper?"

"Aryll!" he cried, but when he said it sounded like Air-eel, "See? Ju do know me!"

"Oh my..." Aryll faltered for a moment, confused she asked, " How...Why? You are a seagull right?"

"Jes, but not always."

"And Jake?" Aryll asked. When he only smiled she added, "Should I ask?"

"Another time I weel tell ju all about it."

"Yes, I think that is a story I'd love to hear." She stopped and noticed the pendant's glow intensified, "Do you know what this is? Where did you get it?"

"Eet is zee heart of our seester Delia," the boy answered sadly, "She lost eet to zee Shadow."

Aryll was starting to get the hang of that accent and asked, "But, how can you lose your...You mean your sister and the Shadow...?" Oh my, she thought when he nodded again. "This is the same shadow that's after Tetra right?"

"Jes, and ju must set her heart free again eef she and our brosser are to survive."

"Brother? You mean Jake?"

The boy shook his head and replied, "Dalkeen."

"Dalkin?" she asked and he nodded. "Are they seagulls too?" He shook his head. "I am completely lost, Jasper. You need to slow down. I don't understand." Aryll stopped and blinked. "You never mentioned you had a sister...but then again, I thought you were a girl...So you have two brothers and a sister..." The boy chuckled as she worked it all out. Something familiar clicked in her head and Aryll took a step closer to him and asked, "Please tell me you're not the same Jasper my Grandmother is always telling me stories about?" He only shrugged and Aryll sighed. "Now I really want to hear how you got to be seagull."

"Aryll, I haf but leetle time," Jasper said as he took the pendant from her. He touched the crystal and sighed. "Do ju see zee light trapped witheen? It eez one called Senkyoku, she holds zee key to Delia's memories."

"She?"

"Jes, she ees her guardian spirit."

"Okay, but how am I supposed to get her out of there?"

"Look heer," Jasper said and pointed, "there is a crack already along zees side, only a leetle more preture and it should come apart."

"Pressure here?"

"Jes."

"It's not a very big crack."

"No."

"Well that's kind of a tall order don't you think?"

"Not ford ju," he said and he came closer. "Ju are just zee right one ford zees task."

"Well, I guess I'll have to try."

"Eet eez all I can ask."

"Is that why you didn't want us to go to the Tower, we need to get Senkyoku out of this pendant first?"

"Jes," he said and sounded very relieved. "Ju are smart like jour brosser. I knew I could count on ju."

"Jasper, when we leave can you check on Link for me?"

"I am soree Aryll, I must return to zee princess."

"Why?"

"She weel need me for help."

"Any chance you can let me where she is when you get there?"

Jasper thought for a moment. "I weel try," he said and walked out of the pool. As the boy neared the portal, he began to shrink. His arms raised, feathers sprouted and in short order, Jasper returned to her familiar seagull self. The gull turned back called to her as she spread her wings and ran toward the light of the fountain's portal. With an exaggerated flap or two, the seagull caught that undetectable breeze and shot out of the entrance with alarming speed.

Aryll stared at the vacant space as she pulled the pendant back over her head. She looked up and noted Senza's expression went from that of surprise to concern.

"Is what the boy said true, Miss?" he asked.

Her mouth dropped open. "But how? I thought you were...?"

"Must have that knack."

She smiled. "Lets go."

"Yeah, this place is starting to give me the creeps."

They stayed only long enough to collect a few more fairies in the extra bottles they had found on the ship. Once outside they boarded the longboat and Senza began to row them back to the ship. Aryll used the time to examine the crystal. It was beautiful, and sparkled in the waning afternoon sun. It sparkled with more facets then she'd ever seen on something like this and was warm to the touch. The glow shone more brightly as the sunlight played across its surface and Aryll held it up to her eye and looked inside. She almost dropped the fragile looking pendant and was surprised when she heard a tiny voice in her head say, (Who are you?)

"I'm Aryll, and you must be Senkyoku."

(Yes, but how did you know my name?)

"Jasper told me."

(How is that possible?)

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you."

"Who are you talking to Aryll?" Senza asked watching her.

She looked away from the crystal and answered, "Senkyoku, she's the guardian spirit Jasper said was trapped inside. You can't hear her?" He shook his head. "Well if you hear me talking to myself, at least you'll know why." Aryll returned her attention back the trapped fairy and asked, "How long have you been in there?

(Many days.)

"Who put you in there, the shadow?"

(No, it was Delia she was tricked by Kei.)

"Well, who is Kei?"

(Delia is Kei.)

"Really..."

(Yes, it is quite a long story.)

"I hope I get to hear it someday."

(You must return me to Delia. Dalkin put me out the window then a seagull came and took me away.)

"Well, before we take you back we have to get you out of there first."

(Can you?)

"Were gonna try Sen, can I call you Sen?"

(Yes, but when you do there is a possibility that I will not be able to remain with you.)

"How come?"

(It is complicated magic, but I too am more than one.)

"How is that possible?"

(Just remember, if you free me ask my name first. If I say Kageri, it will be because I am.)

"Well if you say so. Is there something about Kageri you're not telling me?"

(You will have to ask her, our memories are not joined, but she may answer now.)

"Sounds like your problems are more complicated than just getting you out of there."

(Lady Aryll, you are a kind. If the one called Jasper thinks you can help than I will trust you.) The crystal went quiet and Aryll realized they were almost back to the ship. "Sen?" There was no answer so she tucked it back in her shirt.

Sitting in Tetra's cabin back on the ship, Gonzo listened without comment until he began to pace the floor near the end of their story. He stopped short and asked, "So where is Jasper now?"

"I don't know really, he, err...she said she had to get back to Tetra in case she needed help."

Gonzo raised and eyebrow. "How is a seagull going to help?"

"I have no idea."

"So what do we do now?" Senza asked.

"Decide whether we go directly to the Tower or take a seagull's advice and try to figure out how to bust that spirit out of the crystal."

"Well, Jasper did say that we should do that first," Aryll said.

Gonzo nodded, "True, but if we delay will we be putting Miss Tetra's life in danger?"

Senza stood up and nodded to Gonzo. "Well Captain, unless you need me for something else, I'll go get the crew ready. Whatever you decide we'll need to be ready to get underway quickly."

Gonzo nodded and Senza left. Aryll watched as he weighed his decision, she could see how much the responsibility of being Captain had affected him. He was so much more serious than he used to be. She wondered how much of his previous goofiness had been an act. Probably more than he'd ever admit to she decided. Still she needed to convince him to find a way to get the fairy out of the crystal.

"Captain?"

"Yeah?"

"I'm not sure why, but Jasper," Aryll stopped trying to pick the right words. "She knew where to find us."

"What do you mean?"

"Of all the places we could have been that day on the Great Sea, she found us...that leads me to think she was sent."

Gonzo gave her a slightly stunned look. "You're right, but by who?"

"I don't know. She was so busy yelling at me, she forgot to tell me."

The captain stood quiet for a moment and said, "Nagori did say that Jasper was unaffected by the magic."

"Do you think it was her?"

"Just like you, I have no idea, but a lot of things would almost make sense then."

"If you say so."

"Can I see that for a moment?" he asked holding out his hand. Aryll pulled off the pendant and dropped the crystal in his hand. He held it up to the lamplight and he looked at it carefully. He ran his finger along the crack. "Pretty thing," he said as he let it dangle in front of him. "Ice might just work."

"Huh?" Aryll looked at him and felt her face get warm when he reached over and lifted her hand.

"Ice," he said again, and gently returned pendant to her. "We're not too far from there either."

"Where?"

"Ice Ring Island," he said. The captain was obviously was thinking about something else and his hand lingered over hers for a moment longer. "It'll probably be a lot easier to break open if we can get it really cold first." Distracted he pulled his hand away and Aryll closed her fingers around the crystal and stared at her hand in an attempt to hide her red face. "Feel free to change into something else if you want, I'm sure Miss Tetra wouldn't mind," Gonzo said as he turned and left her.

Aryll took a deep breath and let it out slowly. If they were going to Ice Ring Island, it would be a while before they arrived. She looked in a few drawers and pulled out some clothes. She wasn't used to wearing trousers, but she needed to change. Her clothes felt dirty and after changing she made her way to the laundry. She looked around and sighed. With Niko gone there was quite a pile of dirty clothes. She added her things to a pile and began the unsavory task of scrubbing a ship full of pirate's dirty shirts. She'd been at it for some time, when Senza appeared in the doorway.

"So here you are."

She looked up as she hung up another shirt. "Just making myself useful."

"Well, you'd better come topside, we should be within site of Ice Ring Island soon."

Aryll nodded and hung the last one. When she got to the door Aryll looked back, smiled, and decided it had been a good day.

Distractions

Tetra watched as Niko flickered a bit and disappeared. She looked up at the Deku Tree and asked, "Where did he go?"

"Since you returned him to the present, he has fought off several small invaders."

"Wow, I never would have guessed he had it in him."

"Yes, my children are quite taken with him."

"I'm glad he has not been a burden for you."

"No, Tetra, but allow me to put you on the highest ledge, you will be safer there."

She nodded, and the Deku strained greatly but lifted the lily pad to the uppermost ledge of his cavern. Tetra stepped off and thanked the Great Tree once again.

"Good luck to you Princess Tetra, I am confident you will find your way through."

Tetra bowed and left the Forest Haven through an opening in the wall. It was dark, but it had been close to nightfall when she'd arrived. She walked outside and gazed over the Great Sea. The dark water shimmered in the moonlight and Tetra found herself feeling wholly lacking confidence. She was in this mess way over her head and if she calculated it right, she had less than seven days until left until the new moon. Then it was anybody's guess what would happen.

Tetra's eyes strayed down to the ornate gown that symbolized her role as the last of Hyrule's Royal bloodline and whether she liked it or not, the great sea and all its inhabitant were her responsibility. You've run from your destiny long enough Tetra Shukkon, time to grow up and be the leader your mother taught you to be. She looked up at the stars that had guided her in her travels back and forth across the ocean and raised her hands to the heavens.

"Nayru Great Goddess of wisdom, and guiding patron of my spirit...I have been a poor servant to you and my people. I beg your forgiveness for my past failures and ask your assistance in this hour of need. My people need your guidance. Grant me the wisdom to see the right path and show me how I can help them..."

Tetra felt a shift in the wind and when she opened her eyes, she found herself standing on the beach of Outset Island. She also realized she was not completely there when she noticed her hand was only halfway solid. Tetra watched the people of the island, as they were forced, young and old, from their homes. Herded into the cliff pass they were kept there by a group of nervous bokoblins.

Link arrived a short time after that, and Tetra felt how tired he was. Lost in his thoughts as he headed up the beach toward his home, he only stopped to take a package from the postbox. What made no sense was a shadow that was clearly not his own trailing after him. The darkness broke away from Link and Tetra gasped when she realized it was headed for the people in the cliff pass. It surrounded the trapped islanders, changed their outward forms from human to bokoblins, even the children.

She looked back at Link in time to see him shaking that damn letter she sent and not paying attention, as he should be. LaRuto was right, Tetra was playing catch up and she'd better get her head in the game or she wouldn't be able to help Link or anyone else. Tetra sent a fervent prayer to Farore to aid him...somehow.

A brisk wind almost pulled her letter from him and made him look up. Link pulled out a staff headed back toward the beach. He managed to dispatch the first few boko's that rushed toward him. When he jammed the staff into the ground Tetra was surprised and winced at the sheer force of the magic he let loose. Bokoblins real and not fell about as the island shook. What the hell is that idiot thinking? He'll kill them all!

As she thought it, she looked up and saw the mist that now swirled above Link. Tetra pushed back her panic and dredged from her borrowed memories, a shielding spell. Tetra did her best to direct it toward the bokoblin's she knew were really his neighbors and felt a moment of dread as everything within reach of the magic Link used, froze where it stood.

She was in for a second shock as Link pulled a few bombs out of his pack and idly tossed them over his shoulder. Tetra covered her eyes, she couldn't watch. She wasn't used to this, that shield had cost her dearly and she wavered. She knew her shield, already weakened by the staff's magic, wouldn't survive that sort of direct assault. There was an explosion and the brightness of day suddenly overtook her and Tetra cautiously looked around. Another frog on a cloud? How many of them were there? He spoke harshly causing Link to put away the staff and he stood staring at the ground. Once the frog left, she shuddered to think what his neighbors might do. She was surprised when after a short discussion they turned and walked away.

Tetra caught site of the shadow again, it still lingered around the postbox. Link was walking back toward his house with Master Sturgeon and the shadow went inside the post box causing it to wiggle and shake. Link opened the letters he received and read them as he continued toward his home. Shadow trailing all the way. Tetra thought of the inside of his house, and she was there. This mode of travel was convenient, but she remembered ending up in the strangest places. She sat up on the top bunk and let her feet dangle. Tetra looked around and saw the house was empty except for the old man and Link. She hoped Mako and Zuko were taking good care of Link's Grandma. Link sat down after giving his guest some soup and ate quietly.

When he finished, he got up and moved to his Grandmother chair. Link sat down and stared out the window. It was clear he was thinking about something that made him unhappy and Tetra had the sinking feeling whatever it was involved her. When her anger flared again she pushed it aside. It was harder to do than she thought it would be . Link just continued to stare out the window. He was clearly tired so she wasn't surprised when his eyes started to droop. Just as they closed his mouth twisted into that weird half smile he got when he planning something stupid or he'd just remembered something unusually random. Tetra noticed the shadow was there again. It remained close by him almost as if it were hiding. Why would it be hiding? What was it doing? From her perch atop the bunk, she could no longer see it. That can't be good, she thought. She needed to do something, but what?

Closing her eyes Tetra thought of them both in that weird garden. She felt a gentle pull and smiled when she opened her eyes to find him asleep next to her. It was only a temporary solution but she was sure that shadow meant to kill him. While Link slept Tetra brooded over what the Shadow really was. All the past bearer's of the Triforce of Wisdom seemed to have something to say on the subject, but there was really only one she was interested in hearing from. The girl behind that wall in her head held the key. LaRuto hinted at it, but her own stubbornness kept her from seeing the truth. She needed remember her and for some reason none of the others seemed to. That Princess Zelda must be the same girl she recalled seeing in the portrait in Hyrule Castle seven years ago. A little girl whose memory was lost under a sea of the Goddesses tears, what happened to her after the flood?

Link stirred and opened his eyes slowly. He looked around, confused and when his eyes settled on her, his eyebrows shot up and he almost smiled. Tetra was pretty sure she knew how to make her clothing behave and chose to remain as she appeared to the Deku Tree. Her gown was spread out around her, not a bit of material out of place. All of it arranged as if she had unseen attendants. Tetra resisted the urge to mess with the hair ornament that was pulling a one of her wayward strands.

Link folded his legs as he sat up resting both hands on his knees. He was in full fairy boy gear but his usual sword and shield were missing. Instead she saw the end of that stupid staff he'd been messing with earlier. Irritation mounting Tetra steeled herself not to flinch as Link reached up to touch her face as if expecting her to disappear. She'd brought him hear after all. When she didn't, that troublesome half smile was back. Link frowned for a moment and Tetra thought she saw his eye twitch. Link rubbed his face with both hands and looked at her for a moment through spread fingers. There was a moment she thought she heard a snort followed by a mirthless bit of laughter. When his hands finally dropped he started to move his head around while he worked through some sort of internal argument. It ended with a shrug to compliment the small groan that escaped and Tetra was starting to think he'd lost his mind when Link gave her the strangest look.

"You're scaring me Namaki, what's wrong?" she asked.

He opened his mouth to say something but nothing came out. His mouth snapped shut as he looked her up and down again. Link cleared his throat and said cautiously, "Nothing's wrong, Tetra. When I looked at you just now, I…I remembered what you told me about ravens..."

And just like that, he knew. She didn't think he'd figure it out that quick and for some reason his knowing made her feel keenly embarrassed. Tetra felt herself blush as she looked down at her still gloved hands and said, "Oh..."

"You're sure?" he asked.

Tetra's head snapped up and she barely resisted the urge to whack him, "We didn't fight all the time, Link."

"True, it only felt like it," he said then paused, then he muttered something she couldn't hear.

Since she had no real desire to have a discussion on that topic, they fell into an awkward silence until Link asked, "So I'm guessing from that outfit, if I call you Princess again, you won't smack me upside my head?"

"Don't be to sure," she said. Tetra thought of their first meeting here as she pointed at him. "Looked in the mirror lately, fairy boy?"

Link looked at his clothes and sighed as he tugged at the green material of his tunic. "Yeah, I was just given another reminder that I better start doing this right." He flopped backwards on to the ground and covered his eyes with his hat. "I can't believe I almost killed all of my neighbors."

"That's partly why you're here, there's a shadow trailing you Link. Whatever you got out of the postbox, it's not what you think it is."

"I thought so," he said and frowned as he sat up again. "My Grandma is missing, so is Master Orca."

"Are you going to look for them?"

Tetra heard the pain in his voice as he said, "No, there's not enough time, I figure I have less than seven days left to figure out how to re-cage that shadow."

"Then you can't destroy it?"

"No, its evil alright, but I feel like there's a reason it exists. I'll be damned if I know why, just a feeling I get. Master Orca must know something because he reminded me of an old form he taught me when I was a kid. It must figure into this mess somehow but it's all defense, and he never teaches anything without a reason. I need to find out something about this staff, it is powerful, but I have no idea how to control it. If I had kept that in mind when I got to Outset, the whole bomb incident probably wouldn't have happened...probably."

He sounded so unsure that Tetra felt overwhelmed by a sudden urge to shout at him. There it was again, that anger she just couldn't explain or seem to control and all of it was directed at Link. She took a deep breath and said, "You couldn't have known, Link."

"I should have, Tetra."

She bit back on the smart remark as she realized he was being completely serious. Her own fatigue was catching up with her and the effort of bringing them here left her wanting to take a nap. "Just be careful," Tetra said and yawned mightlily. "I'm sorry Link but I'm expending a lot of energy and I don't think that's a good thing for me right now."

"Well try not overdo anything Princess, I plan to see you again when this is over."

Unable to hold back another weird wave of anger any longer Tetra said, "Yeah, whatever fairy boy."

Chances Are

Kei sat restless, but still gently rocked while she fiddled with the pendant. The sound of a slamming door made her jump and her thoughts turned to the fairy. Senkyoku remained unusually silent, though she often quieted when cowardHito was around. For weeks, Kei had endured the fairy's unrelenting shouts for her to come to her senses. Stupid fairy, didn't she realize she had? She was meant to be darkwhom and what she was now.

Still, she missed the harping. At the very least, it helped to distract her from the disturbing voices and sounds. stupid fairythat were ever present in her mind runand seemed to be raging unabated now. Even Delia remained silent. Perhaps she had finally quittergiven up. Perhaps, she had been hushed by seeing Dalkin here surprise!in this time. She felt a moment of impatience, why was he being so jerkdamn difficult? Well, it really was only a matter of time before Mei won through she thought contented.

Kei fidgeted and poked at the floor. Delia was gone and it was good to liarbe free of her, but Kei seethed inwardly when she thought of that man. Not at all, like her love. How could she dolthave married that idiot fisherman? Always shouting and raving at her. Stupid pitiful lump of a man, weakshe even bore him three children, all girls. Simpering brats! How could she believe he didthat man loved her? Stupid! Stupid! Stupid girl! Kei pounded on her knees in frustration. I would have ruled over those simpletons! Never once did she make use of her magic to make her life easier.

For years, Kei struggled to get Delia under control. She used all chumpthe tricks that worked so well when they were small, but Delia proved stronger than Kei ever anticipated. Senkyoku was the cause of all her failures, but see where you are now? stupid fairy!That all changed the day Hito returned. dimwitIt wasn't until he threatened to take her brats away and use them instead of her did she see the right of it. Delia ran like a scared rabbit then. Ha! She even abandoned her precious family and Kei knew her chance at freedom was coming. That's when she planted it'll work!the idea for that spell in her head.

One thing Kei never discovered was how Delia managed to contact Dalkin without her ever knowing. However, even that was working to her advantage. Delia had to have of known that old man he would be caught, so why? Perhaps she still held out hope of rescue. No, Delia knew, once Mei was in control of her brother, the daemon would be reborn. However, not as it was when they were children, weak and obedient, but the fully realized shadow.

Every person young and old die would cringe at the sight. It would be glorious! Kei felt her eye twitch and forced herself to release the clenched smile she'd held too long. She rubbed her jaw and thought, best of all she and Hito would be together then, forever and Kei hugged her legs harder to control her trembling. Somewhere in her mind, she felt resistance to that idea and she focused all of her scattered attention on it. Kei chased that thought down, for it amused her to no end the amount of torment it caused Delia.

(I know you can hear me Delia) Kei called over an echo of breaking glass. (Without that tag, you're nothing because you know this is our destiny.) She heard the sounds of weeping and followed it. Hoping to push Delia more she thought, (And you made it all possible. Ha ha hahahaha)

The lament stopped and an eerie quiet fell. Kei felt her eye twitch. She was so unused to silence. Delia was up to something. (Why are you hiding from me?) Kei demanded of her alter. After a few more moments, her own voice answered, but this voice sounded sad, calm, and utterly without hope.

As always, you misunderstand us. We will not hide as we mourn our loss. We are on the edge. One misstep, that's all it will take and there will be no way to be redeemed.

(Stupid girl, I don't need to be. You know this is how it was meant to be.)

Is it? It's sad that we don't see how we will fail in the end.

(I won't fail, you're just being dramatic because you've lost the fight.)

Yes, this fight is done, but not the war. The Goddesses will aide the Hero and we will be powerless to stop our coming destruction.

(Ha! That idiot boy? And so what if the Princess has managed to escape the trap we set? She served her purpose. It will just make our victory that much more sweet!)

Hito told us to be on our guard, yet we continue to believe we will succeed without a struggle. He has reason to be wary. Again, we underestimate them, Kei. He's lost the princess again, and all of his grand plans will come to nothing in the end. It's almost as if we're doomed to complete the drama we began all those years ago. We only hope this time it will come to its proper ending.

The image of Delia stepped suddenly from behind a piece of broken memory, and stood calmly in front of her. Kei retreated a little, she wanted her alter to run from her. It was Delia's fear that made Kei strong enough to hold her other self back, but Delia's fear was waning and Kei wondered why. (If you're so sure we're done for, why have you been hiding?)

We and Dalkin were destined to be the Shadow's children. Disobedient, difficult, vain and almost without compassion, we really were children only parents could love.

(You're a stupid liar!)

Are we? Delia fell silent. No, we can longer lie to ourselves. The fight is too painful and we have our answer...

(You don't know anything...)

We truly wish that we did not. We used to remember being happy once. Perhaps, if we'd been kinder to him, kept him close in our heart...perhaps we could have stopped...what came after. We surely did not deserve the happiness he brought into our lives.

(Happiness? Oh please spare me. You have never been happy.) Kei cackled. (That lunatic you married terrorized you for years and you ran like a scared rabbit the first chance you got.)

Yes, Delia let fear force us into making bad choices. Delia's image became very determined and she said, It will not happen again.

(You sound like Dalkin. He still thinks he can resist the shadow's call.)

Perhaps he will. Mei has yet to show himself. We are now at cross purposes for the part of us that is Delia will continue to pray to the Goddesses to finish what should have happened all those years ago, and we know what that means.

Kei felt a wave of panic and said in disbelief, (But Hito needs us...)

He never needed us and he does not love us. We were merely a tool, to be used and cast aside once we've been used up. That was something we never saw as children. But the passage of time has shown us that he only wanted the power that was taken from him. Delia looked at her other self with pity, We know the truth of it Kei, we were never meant to live past childhood.

(Shut up! You're wrong!) This was not going the way it should; Delia should be a puddle of emotion by now. But she wasn't and Kei lashed out at her alter, screaming at her, (I'll find them! I'll kill them as I should have when they were born!)

Threats won't work anymore, Kei, for we are only threatening ourselves. We feel it...That wound within our heart that just won't heal... Delia sighed and reached out to her other self. Kei felt that twitch coming on and shrunk away. How could she know about that?

(Why are you doing this? You're supposed to give up! You'll never be free of me!)

We know that. Though for us, this realization comes too late...

(Your powerless, you can't even help yourself.)

In that alone you are correct, we have sunk low. We don't have to tell ourselves that, but even if the part that is Kei does not see it now, she will and the end for us is near.

(You're crazy!)

Yes, it has been brought to our attention.

(How can you be so stupid? Why can't you see this our destiny?)

An unexpected smirk crossed the image of Delia's face and she said, We just realized, that Kei sounds much like our daughters.

(I am nothing like those brats of yours.)

We are one self. We see now the part of us that is Delia grew up some time ago, while the part of us that is Kei still thinks as a child. Of course, it's easier to control a child and that is the way Hito likes it, right? We know what Kei's hopes are, her childish dreams. We can see them all. We have sensed the Shadow's building frustration. How long before he turns that anger on us?

Kei felt her eye twitch a little faster. (Stupid girl! I should have destroyed what remained of you when I had the chance.)

Yes, that would have been the proper end of it.

(Why aren't you afraid? Senkyoku is gone! You have no hope! Taste the bitterness of losing all you ever held dear!)

Senkyoku, yes, our confidant and only true friend. She worked so hard and held us together and we rewarded her devotion with our betrayal to Hito. It is for the best that she is not here with us...

(What are you talking about, she's right here) Kei said as she held out the crystal pendant.

Kei's alter image smiled at her then and continued, She lives in our heart, and that is something even Hito cannot take from us. We have not lost everything, there is always hope. We were granted a chance at redemption...by the grace of a very good man. A chance we do not intend to waste.

Kei fled from Delia's image. Slamming shut the doors in her mind in an attempt to push out her other self's voice.

As you reminded us from the beginning of all this...we cannot run from ourselves, we are all we have left.

Earth

Medli sat at the center of the glowing Triforce symbol of the Earth Temple when the half transparent image of LaRuto appeared before her. "Earth Sage," the ghost said in her calm, willowy voice. "I have come to warn you."

"About what?"

"The Shadow is on its way here, and it would be better if you were not."

"But how can I leave?" Medli asked feeling a little panicked. "Shouldn't I stay here to..."

"If you remain here the shadow will kill you," LaRuto said flatly. "Neither you or your friends are yet able to stand against it." LaRuto said. Her voice sounded impatient and Medli knew the former Sage was remembering something from the past. "If you wish to live, you will leave this place at once."

Medli nodded. "Where will I go?"

"The Tower."

"But, when the Pearls were returned to the guardians it disappeared back into the sea."

LaRuto's voice returned to her usual reassuring tone as she said, "Have faith Earth Sage, Hyrule's Princess is working to correct this. Two of the three are already in place. Do not delay any longer than necessary. Good luck to you, Medli." And faded from view.

She stared at the Triforce as it glowed brightly on the sand. Everything was moving so quickly, Komali and Quill had only just left her a few hours before and Tetra had already managed to get two of the Pearls back to their islands. She wondered which is still missing? It didn't really matter. Medli stood up and hurried through the Temple, and stopped only once to gather a few items from her quarters, then dashed toward the exit.

As Medli passed through a final set of thick metal doors before the exit, she stopped. This was her Temple and she could sense when anything entered. Something had and whatever it was, it was definitely not friendly. Medli shuddered as she felt the hatred as it oozed over her consciousness and almost froze in panic. She looked quickly around for a place to hide in the barren antechamber and glancing up she remembered the switch atop one of the higher pillars.

Medli sent a silent thank you to whoever it was that designed this place. They certainly knew what they were doing. The pillars in the room gave the appearance of reaching all the way to the vaulted ceiling. In reality, almost all ended just short of it. She recalled how it vexed Link when they first came here all those years ago.

She flew to the top of the nearest and lay atop the switch that would unlock the door she just came through. The heavy metal tumblers released and the Earth Sage ducked back when the main entry on the other side opened. Medli focused on the wall and tried to empty her head of anything that might give away her hiding place. She suppressed the urge to scream when the Shadow's thoughts raked the area below her. When it found nothing, it moved further into her Temple.

Medli remained atop the switch with her heart pounding, she knew it wouldn't take the shadow long to figure out she was not within. She also knew when she left the switch the door leading to the main Temple would lock. She dared not wait, even though the sound of the lock was sure to alert the shadow of her whereabouts. After a deep breath, Medli leapt from the pillar straight for the still open exit. Without hesitation, she flew directly toward the portal's shimmering light.

She got ready, Medli already knew the portal would send her out at a high rate of speed and she didn't want to crash into the cave walls above. Hitting the light, she sensed the sudden updraft, and felt the thrill of speed as her momentum increased. Several moblins still lingered near the entrance and thankfully; none were within her direct line of flight. Already moving quickly, she passed them without incident as she banked and flew south toward Outset Island. Link might be there and she needed to talk to him. Medli shuddered when in the back of her mind the sound of an angry shout almost made her spin out of control. She righted herself and sent a prayer to the Goddesses to look after Makar.

Wind

Makar waited for the large monster, Link had called a moblin, to go by before making his way out of his Temple. Near the shore other, smaller monsters waited. He needed to get to the highest cliff without being seen. The Wind Sage hid himself behind some rocks and pulled out the violin. The instrument towered over the korok, as he played, a special song taught to him by the Deku Tree many years before. Its haunting melody sounded like a lullaby and Makar knew it caused the listener to either fall asleep or become so confused they would get lost. Makar found it was the best way to keep the unwary from gaining entrance to the Forest Haven without damaging them. Soon the bokoblins near the water began to lean on their weapons as they gave into the magic of the violin.

Only when he was sure they had all fallen asleep, did the wind sage come out from behind the rocks. Makar looked up at the cliff, being no more than a foot and a half tall, allowed him to avoid being seen by the monsters within the Temple, but it was proving to be a problem for him now. He looked back at the sleeping monsters on the beach and tossed five deku seeds behind them. As each hit the sandy soil, a tree sprouted and grew with impressive speed. Even with the aid of his Forest Spirit magic, none reached their normal height, probably because he had placed them too near the sea. He apologized to the trees for he knew they would not survive long.

When the monsters first came to his Temple, Makar had been near the top. He enjoyed examining the archaic equipment there. The noise made by the monsters frightened him at first, but as often as not, the ghost of the former sage, Fado, would come to explain this and that or tell him stories or just to keep him company. When Fado appeared to him this time, it was with a warning.

Something evil had entered the Temple and the ghost told Makar he should remain where he was until the former sage returned for him. So Makar waited and on the third day Fado returned. He wore a look of grave concern. It was then that Fado told him the story. The one he never told, though Makar had always been curious. It was the account of the last days of the former sage. Of the shadow's children and their fiery daemon. Fado told Makar how he'd used every trick the Deku Tree ever taught him to try and escape, but all was for naught.

Makar heard a noise behind him and turned to see a bokoblin as it headed toward him with its machete raised. Makar raised his propeller and tried to fly off, but was stopped by something caught on his foot. The Wind Sage looked and discovered it was a crab. Seconds later, he was surrounded by several others and struggled as they began to pull him under the sand. Violin and bow were easily taken from him and Makar knew there was no use fighting them. He ceased his struggle and the crabs dragged him under the ground as the bokoblin's weapon came down.

Being made up primarily of bark and twigs, Makar discovered that being underground didn't do him any harm. He relaxed and was surprised to find the crabs moved him through the sands very quickly, though he had no idea where they were taking him. They pushed and pulled him along for quite a long time and though the Sage held the outward appearance of a tree, he feared he was about to understand what it meant to be planted.

Makar felt an odd relief as he felt himself moving toward the surface again. He burst through with a shower of sand and found himself in a small cave. He was startled when his violin and bow popped out nearby. As a group, the crabs lined up before him. Makar bowed and they gave him a crab claw salute and disappeared back beneath the sands.

The sage looked around, but didn't see any way out of the cave they'd brought him to. Well, he wondered, now what? He gathered up his things and paused when he heard a familiar voice whisper. It repeated up...up...up, so Makar looked in that direction. It was dark and shadowy, but there was nothing it seemed to stop him from going that direction and he couldn't go back the way he came so... up it was. With a hop and a jump, his propeller pulled him higher and higher.

He stopped a time or two because he needed to rest and looked up again. Still no end in sight, and Makar sat on the ledge and pulled out his violin. He played the song of Reminiscence, never a bad time for a little practice he thought. Even though he knew he was remembering right, each time Makar played it, the song sounded just a little different. Especially in this tunnel, this time it was happier and less sad. He thought that curious and it was one of the reasons he practiced it so often. When he felt rested, Makar continued his upward journey into the darkness.

Fire

Link woke with a start to the smell of smoke, and bolted upright as he realized, his house was on fire. Master Sturgeon lay slumped over his book and the increasing heat only left Link time to grab his pack, the book and old man and bust through the door. They rolled to a stop several feet away and Link could only watch as his home was consumed in an unnatural blue fire.

He was only vaguely aware of his neighbors as they came up behind him. Master Sturgeon lay beside him, but the old man didn't stir. Link gently turned the elder over on his back, just as Sue Belle made her way through the crowd. She dropped down next to her Grandfather and felt his face and put her hand over his heart. Her expression changed rapidly from one of worry to a look of total grief and despair.

When Sue Belle looked at him and cried, "Link, what have you done?" Link's mouth dropped open.

"Sue Belle you don't think I would...?" but from the look on her face, she clearly did. Link scanned the faces of the others and knew from their expressions they'd come to the same conclusion. "Please, you can't believe I would..." Link stopped when he could see it was useless to argue and did not struggle as they tied him to a tree nearby. Head bowed, Link closed his eyes and mourned with Sue Belle the death of her Grandfather.

His pack and Master Sturgeon's book were thrown somewhere nearby and as the sun sunk lower in the sky, Link could only sit and watch as his home burned and tried to puzzle out why. He was running out of time even faster than he thought and from the look of it; things were going to get messy. So far his enemy had managed to stay one step ahead and continued to throw a lot of incidental information in front of him to keep him occupied and unfocused. Tetra said a shadow followed him to Outset...his thoughts stopped for a moment. If Tetra was on the island then...he wondered if she still was...or even how she'd managed it.

The fire destroying his home flared and Link realized those letters had been a trap, and a nasty one, but why bother with Master Sturgeon? Link wished he knew what the old guy had been looking for. The rustle of leaves in the bush behind him, caused Link to try unsuccessfully to turn. He sighed. It's going to be a long day, he thought. The bushes rustled again, only this time they spoke.

"Link?" a small voice whispered.

Link recognized the voice and whispered, "Zill?"

"Shhhhhh!" the voice said and the bushes fell silent as someone walk by them. When they were alone again Zill said, "I wanted to tell you something."

"Zill, what are you doing? You'll get into trouble if the others catch you talking to me."

"I know, but...I wanted to let you to know...I've decided."

Link's young cousin just turned twelve years old and was already to leave the quiet shores of Outset for the great wide world in search for adventure. The boy soaked up information like a sponge, and was a favorite student of Master Sturgeon's. Still Link worried sometimes about Zill's impulsive nature it reminded him of himself and Link always tried to be careful with what he said around Zill. Otherwise, the boy was apt to take what Link said very literally and do something foolish. Things were already spiraling out control

"And what have you decided?"

"To forgive you for trying to blow us up."

Link winced, one stupid...he clunked his head on the tree and Link moved his shoulder a little to get a kink out as he tried to moved his hands a little. His fingers were falling asleep and Link was startled when he felt something cold pressed up against one of them. Link felt the edge; it was sharp. A knife?

"Take this." Zill whispered and the bush paused as another person walked by.

"Zill, why are you doing this? I'm tied up because the others think I killed someone."

"My dad says I should always stick with what I believe to be right. I believe in you, you could have lied to me or made up some excuse...but you didn't. So...if you say you didn't hurt Master Sturgeon, then I believe you."

"Thanks, Zill, I appreciate that."

"There's one other thing." Link heard some movement to his left. "Your Grandma wanted me to give a package when you came home. I put it in your pack."

"What is it?"

The bushes answered, "Don't know."

Link nodded and thanked Zill again. The bushes fell silent so Link turned his attention to the ropes that held him to the tree. He knew if he left now, he would only be cementing in just about everyone's heads that he was, in fact, a murderer. However, Link also knew, he couldn't remain on Outset for much longer. What ever was stalking him probably wasn't going to be subtle anymore. If he stayed, more people would end up getting hurt and that was something he wasn't about to let happen.

It was late in the season but it was still winter, soon it would be dark and Link sighed. The rope his neighbors used sure was thick. He continued to saw at them and eventually cut through one. Concentrating on his task, Link was not thinking about anything in particular when he paused as he suddenly realized what killed Master Sturgeon. Link's gaze wandered up the beach and he stared at the house that until today, Sue Belle shared with her Grandfather.

"I am such an idiot..." Link muttered as he remembered what Tetra said about the shadow that followed him onto the island. Sue Belle was right it really was his fault.

"Kage."

5/11/06

An answer to the latest random question...Why didn't I make Makar into a human for this story?

While I've seen it done - I can honestly say - because he's Makar...and I can't imagine him any other way than as he appeared in the game - who could resist him as he is? So yeah - he's my ever so squeaky forest spirit tree guy - complete with deku leaf face :)