I've been told my views on romance a bit on the random side…heh…This is true, but then I've never seen love quite the way most people do. I'd explain that – but I am lazy, besides didn't you know all romance is random? Love on the other hand...

(Do I really need to do this anymore? hmmmm…)

Nagori, Saimon and Senkyoku
by achitka

Chapter 15
Lost and Found

I am alone.
No, that is not true.
But you will leave me.
Will I?
Yes, because I will forget you.
As long as part of you recalls our time together, you will never be alone.

Have I failed?
Only if you give up hope.
So much darkness, I feel like letting go.
You are stronger than you know.
Will it be enough?
It will have to be.

I am afraid.
Your fear serves no purpose.
The big one has left us behind.
He was right to do so.

It is cold here.
Yes.
We have not seen the sun for weeks.
You will see it again soon.
I do not like the cold.
Do not lose hope it will be over soon.

Is it better this way? I have never seen this place before.
Be brave little Kageri. Do not forget what you have learned.
Good-bye Senkyoku

CRRAACCKK!

Kageri shook her head and looked at the broken pieces of crystal scattered around her. What just happened? The fairy wondered as she looked out over water. This was not her mother's fountain. Where is Kage? Something was not right. She and her brother never separated. Where did all this water come from? Probably all that rain...the tekuragari shivered. It is so cold here. She picked up one of the larger pieces and stared at her reflection. A crack running through it caused her image to skew and broken images fell like scattered raindrops in her head and Kageri felt dizzy.

What has happened to the children? Were they all right? Kageri paused; it was strange that she should think of them at all. It was not like she cared and Master Hito said they were not expected to endure. Such a fragile tool they'd made. She flew down from the peak of the icy mountain and landed near the water's edge. How did I come to this place?

Master Hito was so sure that they'd killed the intended Hero when he was still an infant. Perhaps they did; she and Kage had sickened many children that year, though it was still possible that some might of escaped. Mournful cries floated up from her memory as bits and pieces of her broken past vied for her attention. It was always part of the plan, but some lost part of the tekuragari regretted the taking of innocents.

To be certain Master Hito instructed them to find the Princess and cast the sickness upon her. This turned into an impossible task. The child's mother was ever wary for such things and shielded that younger princess from them at the expense of her own life. With the Princess now out of reach, Master Hito hatched his plan, and the tekuragari knew that is when it had all gone wrong.

A daemon was what the shadow wanted. He meant to break the seal, to do it he needed to kill the temple sages. They already dealt with at least three of the guardians. One remained hidden, but how much could one guardian do? So the tekuragari set out to find the perfect set of children to become what their master wanted. It took three long years, but when they did find them, luring them had been easy enough. Mei and Kei were spoiled, bratty, cruel hearted children, who were more than happy to do as she and Kage asked.

Unexpectedly, once the children achieved the shadow daemon, Master Hito lost all interest in his tekuragari. The shadow no longer needed them and chased them off in favor of his new pet. Not knowing anything else the pair fallen fairies trailed after the shadow and his children, but never close enough to be seen.

As more of her memories settled into place, Kageri remembered the shadow's attack and ease with which that one stopped every blow sent at him. A man whose features were a mirror image of Master Hito's, but with white blonde hair and dark golden eyes to the shadow's crimson. That deafening hum, that filled the trees when the wall of light crashed between the combatants. The last staggered steps of the daemon and its final advance toward it. In her thoughts, she could see the face of that man as he picked up the children and took them away.

Locked behind the crystalline seal, Master Hito could only shout as the man left with his pet. When Master Hito realized his tekuragari were still outside the prison, the shadow called them and instructed them to bring the children back. At first, that task sounded easy enough but after they'd searched many months they still could not find them. It was as if they disappeared.

It took the tekuragari almost two years to track Mei and Kei down. They would not have found them at all if not for the girl child's unnatural connection with Master Hito. It made it easier to lure her away from her newfound family, but Mei was now resistant to their calls.

Mei understood what was happening when the voices came and was very afraid. He still held his memories of his time with the fairies. Mei told the man and woman of their ordeal with the tekuragari. While the woman listened to the boy's tale, she gathered him up in her arms. Even though she knew what the children were, what they'd allowed themselves to become, she cared for them and told them that their shadowy past was behind them.

When Kei went missing, Mei almost ran away from home again to find her, but the boy knew the task was beyond him. So with the aid of his new father, Mei retrieved his sister. After returning home, she and Kage made a second attempt. This time they tried to cast the shadow's sickness on the other children of the little family. The wife recognized what was happening and warded them all against the tekuragari's shadow magic.

Kageri wondered that she and her brother did not recognize just who that woman was, but the fairies, driven by the shadowy commands of their master, waited. They knew whatever ward she set, would be temporary. Greatly concerned, the wife told her husband the tekuragari must be stopped or no child would ever be safe. She understood what the fairies were and knew the tekuragari would never give up.

Kageri remembered how the man paused as he sensed the fairies whereabouts. His touch, unlike Master Hito's, felt like a gentle wind and went almost unnoticed by the tekuragari. He truly did not wish to cause harm to any living thing and least of all leave his family again. It was then, Kageri thought, when he decided on a way to save the children and keep Ganon and his shadow locked away, because he vanished for a time. When he returned several days later, he told his wife he would have to leave her again.

The tekuragari being unable to pass the ward set by the woman could only wait for it to weaken. Still bound to the shadow, they could do nothing else. The husband looked out at the rain-soaked landscape as he focused on them again, and for the first time the fairies saw the guardian for what he was. They also sensed the spirit of a fallen hero he kept hidden from the world. In that moment, the tekuragari knew their magic held no danger for him.

The hunters became the hunted and the tekuragari fled. Kageri shuddered and recalled the words he whispered into the wind, "Run while you can little ones, for it will do you no good."

The guardian pursued them relentlessly through the ever-present rain. They flew high and low in their attempt to escape, but the shadow of the eagle was never far behind. Wherever they tried to hide, the animals and plants of the forest betrayed the fairies to the guardian. After what felt like an endless chase, Kage recognized the golden-eyed man. It was the face of the very first child they'd tried to take for Master Hito so long ago.

They both knew the guardian would follow them no matter where they went, and the tekuragari stopped and waited.

Kageri never thought any guardian could track them let alone catch them, hadn't they already trapped three of the four? However, it was clear, this one was anything but ordinary and Kageri was no longer sure he'd ever been human. Kageri knew why Mei and Kei were out of their reach; they were now under the protection of the last and strongest of Hyrule's four elemental guardians. A favorite of the Three, the Goddesses always kept a special watch on this one.

Once as he looked at the bottles that held them he asked, "Why did you come back? You've caused great harm and still intend more..." His final words to them still haunted her. "I'd hoped to put this all behind us, but your actions have shown me I can never let you two go free." The anguish in his voice echoed their sorrow and he sat in the rain and looked at the tokens given him by his family.

Unlike the children, the guardian could not bring tekuragari to his home without some kind of change, and began the slow process of walking back down the mountain in the rain. During their flight, both fairies expected the guardian to unleash the power of that staff he carried on them. However, both were even more terrified when they realized his true intention. He was returning them to their mother, Venus, Queen of the Fairies.

Confronted with her fallen children, Venus seemed distant and without pity. Still that man somehow convinced her that forgiveness was the only way to break the cycle of hatred begun by the Shadow. On that day she and her brother only thought of escape, they did not wish to be saved, they were fine as they were. The change the guardian sought would cost him much and Venus was reluctant to complete her part. Whatever the plan, this one was still a favorite of the Goddesses and they would surely be angered though he'd accepted the price without hesitation.

This always confused Kageri. Why would anyone give up so much to help two children so obviously wicked? This was where her memories stopped, though the images of the older Delia were still there in her head, they were silent, fuzzy and colorless.

Still the tekuragari wondered and that brought out even stranger memories of Kei. Her tired mind spun them around in her head as the child she knew looked older than Kageri could remember her ever being...and she was smiling. But not the way she once had. There was not a trace of the girl's former cruelty. Still others showed the child grown to womanhood with children of her own.

Kageri was so tired, and the frigid pre-dawn air only made her more so. She lay down on the only piece of bare rock she could find. Maybe, she thought, everyone does deserve a second chance, especially when granted through the grace of a very good man.

Kei carelessly spun the chain of the pendant between her fingers. Delia still lurked and now Kei's other self took every opportunity to make herself heard above the din. As Kei looked out the window, somewhere in the distance, she heard a crackling sound and looked at her crystal pendant eager for once to hear the sound of breaking glass. Instead, when the sound came it showed her what she truly held and Kei stared at the matted straw and for the first time could smell it.

Mei was surely responsible for this and now Delia's laughter sent Kei into a wicked fury as she burst into her brother's cell. Al stood as he saw her approach and with a wave of her hand, she erased the shield and wrapped her magic around him so tightly he gasped for air. She knocked his hat off as she pushed him back against the wall.

"What have you done with her?" Kei growled at him as she shook the straw pendant in his face. "Tell me!"

"Done...with...who?" Al asked as he struggled to breathe.

"Senkyoku, old man, where is she?" and Kei tightened the flows around him a little more.

"I have...no idea what...you're talking about," he replied flatly between gasps.

"You know where she is! Now tell me!" Kei voice only barely concealed her panic and she released the magic. Al fell back against the wall as he struggled to catch his breath.

Kei inhaled deeply in an effort to calm herself. Anger always made her careless and the old man was not a fool. She knew he'd give nothing to Kei, but his beloved Delia was another matter all together.

"Please...tell me," she said only this came out as a broken sob as she dropped to her knees on the floor. She let the Kei image flicker and it was Delia's face that looked up at him. "Please, tell me where she is?"

Dalkin looked down at her as a deep frown overtook his features. She could see the doubt in his eyes and he whispered, "I told you I don't know."

"LIAR!" she roared at him and was up again.

"Delia, you know I'm telling you the truth," the old man said and reached out to touch her shoulder and she shrugged it off. He lowered his hand and sat back on the floor. He reached over to pick up his hat and stared inside it for a long moment before he placed it back on his head. "I'm sure Senkyoku is closer than you think, she would never stray from you for long."

"You're hiding something..."

He did not answer right away. Instead, the old man pulled his jacket tighter around him and said, "Only my regret, you were right you know," He glanced up at her and Kei was surprised by how sad he looked. "There can be no redemption and I can deny you nothing. Mei will help you if that is what you truly wish."

Kei immediately forgot about the fairy and the pendant. She smiled a genuine smile then. "Prove it," she said and she sat in front of him as they had done so many times as children and together they spoke the words that would bring the daemon to life.

In the silence before the transformation, Kei heard the sound of a distant violin. The melody it played was the song Kei remembered from long ago, the one that somehow stilled the madness in her head. She sat unmoving and lost the connection to Mei. Her anger flared, but her angry thoughts were pushed aside as her head was filled with glimpses of broken memories.

Some of a small house filled with the sounds of laughing children. A woman with long dark hair gently brushed Dalkin's as he squirmed. A man, whose face she could not see, carried her up a hill while she rested her head on his shoulder. A pair of boys, one with amber eyes, and the other gold, that would run to hug her whenever she was near. The feel and smell of a warm summers breeze as she ran through tall grass with her brother. Memories flooded back, making her dizzy and she was glad she was already sitting.

When the music faded so did her recollections and Delia blinked and stared at her brother. Something moved in her lap and she looked down she blinked again and picked up the item. Delia held up the straw doll in the light. Where had she seen this before? She looked back at her brother then, he too had a doll, his was perched on his shoulder. It waved to her, then climbed down Dalkin's shirt and was startled when the one she held moved as well. Delia set it in front of her and the dolls moved together and looked up at her.

"Sen?" she asked and looked carefully at the doll for a response. She jumped when the tiny voice that followed her since childhood answered.

(I told you I would never leave you) the little girl doll said.

A tear fell from Delia's eye and she looked at her brother and said in a shaky voice, "Dalkin, I can remember now."

"What?" he asked and his eyes opened wider. "Oh!"

"It's strange though...I still feel like there's more to know." Delia looked at Senkyoku and smiled.

"My memories are still so incomplete, even though the bindings have been broken..." and Dalkin seemed anxious when he asked, "What was he like?"

"Gentle."

Al looked at his doll. "I want to remember his face, but there is still something missing," he said as he picked up Saimon and absently rubbed the doll's stomach. Saimon laughed and Dalkin asked her, "Can you remember what he looked like?"

She searched her jumbled memories for his face and realized it wasn't there. Her real mother and father were there clear as could be, and she gasped and covered her face with her hands.

"Why did we ever leave home?"

He did not answer right away. "Too young, too selfish, the perfect prize for a shadow in need of a daemon."

Delia let her hands fall to her lap and Senkyoku walked into them. "But what happened to the tekuragari?"

"I'm not sure, but from what Saimon tells me he was bound to Kage and Sen to Kageri."

"But how is something like that possible."

"Fairy magic and something else, I don't know what though."

"But why?" she asked as she picked up the doll.

"Forgiveness and perhaps a second chance."

"For them as well as us." Delia closed her eyes and remembered the woman who had raised them. "Lady Natsumi," she whispered. Saying the name, breathed life into her mother's face. "The child we searched all of Hyrule for, she wasn't a child at all, even after everything we did she took us in and raised us as her own. I'm glad we didn't know that then. Do you think she knew?"

"I'm sure of it."

(Hito is coming) a pair of tiny voices said in unison.

Dalkin and Delia stopped and looked toward the door. Both got up and stuffed the dolls into their pockets. Kei's image was reborn and Al assumed a much craggier version of himself. With Mei and Kei together, perhaps they could buy enough time for the hero and the princess to figure out how to get them all out of this mess.

"What if Hito wants us to become shadow?" Delia asked as she turned back to pick up the straw pendant and paused as she got a good look at her brother. "You look awful."

"Thanks," Dalkin said and smiled to show off his newly rotted teeth. "How much magic an you control now?" Delia only shrugged. "Well, I guess we'll just have to wing it."

Aryll stared down at her plate. The food smelled wonderful but she just didn't feel like eating. She looked around at the pirates as they joked with one another over this and that. But since she woke up, Aryll felt like something was missing. A something she once had and still needed. A simple something she wanted back. Aryll closed her eyes trying to remember what it had been like to fly, and swayed a little in her seat.

"Are you alright Aryll?" Gonzo asked quietly, "You haven't touched a bite."

She opened her eyes and smiled at him. He hadn't left her side yet and she was beginning to think he was going to give up being captain to be her personal nurse maid. "I still don't feel right," she said, "It 's like I've lost something...or maybe I found something."

He raised an eyebrow and looked at her plate again. "Well you should try to eat something. If this is too much I can have Nudge make up some broth for you."

"Oh no, I'll be fine," and was dismayed when the large sailor having overheard, smiled and left the table for the kitchen, "Really, Gonzo, I don't want to be any trouble."

He laughed as he said, "Too late for that and with your family's background, I'm afraid it's a given."

"Yeah, you're right," she said and lightly touched his arm. "Since I'm already being a pain, you think I could just have it in bed, I still feel so tired."

"I'm sure that can be arranged."

"Thank you," she said and started to rise. She felt a little woozy, and swayed again. "Yeah, lying down would be a great idea, but I think I'll just go up top to get some air first."

"I'll come with you," the Captain said and helped her to her feet and over the bench. She tried to convince him to stay and finish his meal but Gonzo said with a grin, "How would I explain it to your brother if you fell overboard?"

By the time they reached the main deck, Aryll was grateful for his presence as she leaned a little more on his arm for support. "Gonzo?"

"Yeah."

"Did I really see Tetra earlier?" He looked at her a little surprised but nodded. "Do you think she's with Link? I wonder if they're alright."

"I sure hope so."

"Link takes so many chances," Aryll said as she watched the moonlight reflecting on the water. "I mean, I know he's the Hero of the Winds and all, but he's still my big brother." Aryll turned her head and noticed a seagull on the deck. "You don't mind if we sit for a minute?"

Gonzo shook his head and they sat on the coiled ropes near the rail. Aryll looked at the bird's blue eyes and noticed there was not a spot of brown or gray anywhere on the bird.

"Hey you," she said to it in a gentle voice, "You're new around here."

The snowy white gull hopped over to her and Aryll stroked its head.

"Such a pretty girl," Aryll said and the gull looked at her and screed a bit. "No, I can't come with you but thanks for the offer." It squawked again. "But, I can't...fly? " Aryll paused when the gull spread its wings a little and squawked again. Surprised by what she thought she heard it say, Aryll asked, "I'm sorry could you repeat that?"

The bird only clapped its beak as it tugged at her shirt and Aryll could only watch as it flew away. "Wait..." she cried after it. The mysterious longing that plagued her since waking returned. Aryll felt overwhelmed by her unknown loss and the pang of grief that brought tears unbidden to her eyes.

"Aryll, what's wrong?" she heard an alarmed Gonzo ask as he wrapped an arm around her. How could she explain to him that she was mourning a loss she didn't understand? "I think its time you went below," he said and he scooped her up. When Gonzo tried to set her on the bed, Aryll clung to him. He did not protest and sat with her like that until the worst of it passed, she shifted a little and he set her on the bed.

"Goddesses, what's wrong with me?" she asked and wiped her eyes. "All because some stupid seagull flew off the damn boat."

"Are you sure that's all it is?" Gonzo asked as he handed her a handkerchief.

"No..." Aryll said as she lay on the bed and curled herself up. "I don't know the what or the why, but I wanted to fly away with her..." Aryll trailed off not knowing how to describe the longing she felt. Sleep soon overtook her and she mumbled, "Kotori could fly..."

"What?" Tetra asked when she saw the questioning look in Link's eyes. He unwrapped the arm he had around her and leaned on the staff. His gaze trailed down to her feet and her eyes followed. She was wearing that skirt again. "Damn I thought I took care of that," she said as she pulled at it. At least it isn't that ridiculous gown, she thought. Tetra sat on a large flat rock and said, "You'd think I'd notice something like that."

"Yup, you'd think so," Link said thoughtfully and grimaced as he reached back to put away the staff. From his pack, he pulled out a half full bottle of his grandmother's soup. Link pulled the stopper and drank it down. Tetra was never sure what Link's grandmother put in that soup, but the stuff worked better than even the cure-all blue chu potion they sold on Windfall. Link let out a sigh and Tetra could see he was standing a little straighter. The weariness she sensed earlier was gone as well.

"Tetra, don't take this the wrong way but we really need to talk," he said as he let the bottle bounce in his hand for a moment. It disappeared into his pack and he sat down next to her.

"Sure, but first tell me how is it that you can instantly pull out whatever your looking for when you're wearing that pack, but when it's in front of you, you end up dumping it?"

"Do we have time for this?"

"No," Tetra said as she pushed a wrinkle out of the material of the blue linen skirt. "But I'm in full avoidance mode right now."

"I noticed, but seriously what's going on?" he asked, "It's not like anything's changed..." Tetra glowered at him and he added quickly, "and this isn't about the...other thing. It's just, after that last argument on Windfall you were pretty damn clear that we were done, and frankly, Tetra, you were probably right. We don't seem to be able to get along for more than an hour before the arguing starts."

"I know..." Tetra said and felt a moment of intense irritation.

"I suppose my calling you Princess all the time didn't help. I'm sorry about that by the way."

When the intensified irritation returned, Tetra turned to him and said, "Kiss me."

"What? Now? I thought you were in a hurry to get to Great Fish?"

With every word he spoke Tetra felt her anger rising. "Just..." she paused and unclenched her teeth. "Just shut up and kiss me."

Link gave her a sidelong look as if he expected her to explode when he touched her. The weird part was she thought she might. He better than anyone could tell when she was angry so made no move to fulfill her request. Instead he sat staring out over the sea and Tetra wondered what all was going on in that fairy boy head of his.

"I promise not kill you," Tetra said, her voice sounded tense even to her.

Link shook his head and said, "I'd believe that if you hadn't already tried." This statement actually made her smile and Tetra relaxed a little.

"I know," she said "but this is really more of an experiment."

"Well that's reassuring," he said and took a deep breath he let it out slowly and Tetra thought she hear the word doomed. She'd no idea what he was muttering about, she had asked hadn't she? When he did finally get around to it, she found it easier to ignore that anger. That's when Tetra heard it again, that weird discordant melody that was somehow working to control her emotions. That song was a spell, she was sure of it now and Tetra's eyes popped open as she realized what Nagori meant when she told her what she must do to escape.

Break the magic...

Great, she thought, one more damn problem to deal with, but Tetra understood better the wrongness she felt with her anger. When Tetra reluctantly pulled away from him, she cleared her throat and said, "Thank you," and blushed as the bearers in her head started giving her advice on...other things.

"Are you planning to tell me what the hell that was all about? Or are you going to make me guess. You know I hate guessing."

Tetra knew if she opened her mouth now, something incredibly stupid was bound to come out, so she only smiled in reply.

Link rubbed his forehead and said, "You're scaring me, woman. By the way, exactly how did you get into my head?"

Tetra started, she never thought he'd bring that up. She pushed the sand in front of her with her foot and replied, "I'm learning denial is not the best way to deal with my issues. Anyway, I should tell you, I'm not completely out of the trap just yet."

"Oh?"

"No, I figure it will try to reset at least two... maybe three more times." Tetra shivered when she thought of the shadow that had almost caught her outside of Headstone.

"So...how are you here?"

"I'm not entirely sure, but since I escaped the main, I've been catching up with regular time...sort of. I guess going so near the source by Great Fish might not be the best of ideas."

"Nope, probably not. Jabun's most likely not there anyway. He left the island to feed shortly before I did."

"So what do we do now?"

"Compare notes."

"Right now?"

"No, I don't think that's a good idea either, we'll need to leave Outset."

"What happened to your house?" Tetra immediately regretted asking the question as Link looked back at the wreck of his home and frowned.

"Kage happened."

There was a hint of real anger in his voice as he reached back and came up with the bottle containing the weird orangey glow.

"Who's Kage? This?" Tetra asked taking the bottle but remembered that the Deku Tree had mentioned something about him. She held it up and looked closely at it. "So you're one of the tekuragari."

Link reached over suddenly and covered her hand with his. His head cocked as he listened to something that made his frown deepen. He got up and said in a hushed tone, "Come on let's get to my boat."

As they walked, his agitation increased and Tetra kept her questions to herself as she followed him toward the dock. When he started to run she saw it, the people of Outset had called out an alarm. When she realized it was for Link she thought, Why would they be doing that?

Link jumped from the dock at a dead run and landed in the King of Red Lions. Tetra followed his example and leapt in behind. Link steadied her and pulled out the Wind Waker baton. He closed his eyes and focused his attention on the notes he conducted. The wind around the King of Red Lions immediately picked up and Tetra glanced up in time to see the cyclone forming over the boat.

Oh, crap... not again ,Tetra thought and clutched the sides of the little boat. Link still had his eyes closed as he sat and grabbed the tiller. The boat began to spin and he opened his eyes. Seeing her shocked expression, Link yelled over the wind, "Hold on Princess! It's gonna be one heck of a ride!"

Medli watched from the cliffs as the people of Outset began their search. By the time they had thought to check the dock, Link and Tetra had already made good their escape, but she wondered where they were going. Well, she thought this is a fine mess and her eyes strayed to the still smoldering ruins of the house. That fire burned too hot and too fast to not of been magically set. She also had the sinking feeling that the Shadow may have followed her here from Headstone.

Too late for regrets now, Medli thought, and turned and walked through the cave toward the fairy wood. Towering trees kept the area pretty dark so the only light came from the hundreds of fireflies that zipped around on the breeze. She made her way to the Great Fairy's fountain and jumped down. Medli walked toward the inner cavern, but she slowed down when she noticed how very cold the air was.

"Earth Sage."

Medli spun and let out a yelp, She started to back away from a boy who was no more than a step behind her. "Where the in the nine hells did you come from?"

"Ju know," the boy said as he walked between her and the fountain, "zat ees zee secont time today someone axed me zat question."

"It's a valid one don't you think?"

The boy shrugged. "Ju new once are so joompy," he said in a voice that sounded very tired. " Eeser way, ju may want to keep jour distance from zee wasser." and Medli watched as the boy picked up a rock and tossed it toward the fountain. Instead of breaking the surface of the pool, it bounced once and was immediately encased in ice. "Zee fairgee Quin has run afoul of zee chadow," he said and turned back to her. "And zo her daughters haf as well."

Medli stared at the rock, which could have easily been her. "Well at least tell me your name so I can thank you properly."

"Ju already know eet," the boy said turning away. He paused and turned back when she didn't follow. "Ju chould go to zee tower soon Earth Sage, zee small one weel need jour help and time is runnink short. Zee preencess and zee hero weel find their way there eventually. There is somesink I needs to do and eet would be best if ju did note linker here." He turned again and started again for the exit.

Medli could only nod. She started to follow behind and gasped as the boy changed before her eyes to a seagull she knew as Jasper. The bird took flight in a flurry of feathers and exited the cave. Medli walked back toward the column of light, and stopped as she remembered one of the stories Link had told her during their first trip to the earth temple. That had been a long trip by boat. Jasper was likely one of the four elemental guardians that watched over the Great Sea. That one was never without Jake so perhaps he was one too. She wondered if the other two were about, probably all of them would be needed if this shadow was to be dealt with properly. She followed the seagull out of the exit and when she set lightly on the ground outside, Medli looked around. The seagull was gone and all was quiet. Medli wondered where Jasper "needed" to be. Wait wasn't Jasper a girl? Well either way there was no help here and for the lack of a better idea, Medli spread her wings and set out for the Tower. She only hoped it would be there when she arrived.

5/19/06

When Shadows Dance

Hito sat and brooded on his less than triumphant return from Outset while his long legs dangled over the edge of the chair. Well, that little adventure did not go as well as I'd hoped, he thought. If Kei failed to persuade Mei, he'd be forced to use other methods to get her obstinate brother to cooperate, and the girl already knew exactly what that meant. He suppressed a laugh; she was still the most effective tool he had for keeping her brother under control. However, he really didn't have time to waste if she came apart on him again. It took close to two weeks the last time to get her to do anything remotely useful. Still, it did lure Mei out of hiding and he had to admit it was one of his more enjoyable pastimes.

Bored, he glanced toward the window and thought of Kage. He'd lost all contact with Kage's essence and that was something that only happened once before. His brother's prior intervention was undone and now that he'd dealt with Venus, there was little chance of interference from her daughters. Strangely, Hito felt a little uneasy and it grated on him that the tekuragari was still absent. That speck should have easily found his way here by now.

What aggravated Hito more was his initial connection with that annoying little fleck was so weak that he'd barely been able to find him at all. He'd spent a lot of effort to get the Wind Waker to break that infernal fairy's binding and now that ungrateful little wretch had vanished. Hito consoled himself with the thought that Kageri's binding should only last a day or two longer in that crystal, and then he'd finally have all the pieces he needed.

He looked up for a moment as Mei and Kei entered the room, they moved slowly toward him and each knelt on the floor on either side. Such obedient dogs he thought as he reached down to pet Mei's head. The old man did not look up or respond, but sat still and silent as stone. While Hito sensed a struggle deep within Mei he assumed it was that idiot Dalkin still trying to assert his will over Mei's.

He looked over at Kei and thought it really was too bad the girl actually managed it, though it was amusing that her eye twitched almost constantly. Kei too sat unmoving and he cracked a smile at the thought of her earlier resistance. Hito leaned closer and lifted her chin. He stripped her image of Kei away and he said to her in a whisper that was loud enough for her brother to hear, "Later pet, we can have a little fun, Eh?"

She still said nothing and he released her only when she began to tremble. It was obvious she was on the verge of a complete breakdown. Hito's earlier regret melted when he thought, She's still good for a laugh, and sighed. He did get carried away sometimes.

Content for a moment, Hito decided everything seemed to be going well; with the exception of his wandering Princess, his timetable still had a very good chance of working out. Hito got up and walked over to the window. He still wasn't sure how that little wench managed to elude him for almost two full cycles, but at some point, she realized her danger and without warning, the princess actually started the process of breaking the magic box he put her in. Both times, Hito was sure he was in the right place, and both times, nothing, just empty seas. Nevertheless, he knew her time and options were running out. In fact, it was almost time to venture out again.

Keeping tabs on the princess as she progressed through the time loop at first was simple enough, that pirate ship of hers stuck out like a sore thumb. By figuring out how to unload her faithful crew the princess managed to make herself a much smaller target, and much more difficult to find. Of course, that also meant she'd also done a splendid job of isolating herself and without her crew, a much more vulnerable one.

The shadow paused as he caught a glimpse of his newly gained features reflected in the glass. He'd been close this time...the boy wasn't inexperienced, just naive. Still someone or something interfered with that battle, and he gingerly rubbed bump on the side of his head, he just didn't know what. Now the little hero was in possession of the Kibou staff and that grated on the shadow. That staff should be mine, he thought. Hito wasted several years searching for it before giving it up for lost.

His thoughts then turned to the Guardians, Jake and Jasper. Both had remained hidden up until the Princess's escape. Hiding as seagull's of all things, but now that that pair were loose in the world again, Hito needed to find a way to deal with them. He'd almost caught the third, but the girl managed to slip through his fingers. She would be more dangerous once her change happened, but Hito had dealt with her before and there was still a chance the fourth wouldn't appear. He knew that was as unlikely as the princess giving herself up but who would be chosen from the rag tag lot now inhabited this watery world. Still, he found it was strange that he'd not felt the presence of at least one of them on the island. There was no way that boy could have managed that move on his own. Had there been a change he'd missed?

Knowledge like that came from only one place and the shadow absently rubbed the bump on his head again. He probably should have dealt with him while he was still tied up, but what fun would that have been? Still the boy possessed the devil's own luck and Hito found the boy's extraordinary ability to stay alive and just barely one step ahead of trouble highly annoying. He also knew that if the little hero ever did figure out the true power of that staff, it would be a real problem. This was unlikely since his time was much shorter than he realized and time was his trump card. It really wouldn't do to have that idiot boy remember too much.

How taxing it must be for those Guardians to have two such unfocused Hylians to deal with. Hito smiled as he thought of the nasty surprise he'd left behind for them on that backwater island, a little payback for all their meddling. Perhaps next time he'd try a more subtle approach. He just needed to wait a bit longer...but patience never was his strong suit. Hito felt what little patience he did possess, beginning to wear thin, very thin.

He looked back at his twisted children, finally back together, one big happy...with sunrise still more than a few hours away, he thought, Time for a little fun. He walked back toward the pair, neither moved and with little effort; he lifted Kei from the floor. As he walked walk away with her over his shoulder he said to Mei, "Be a good boy and keep an eye out for Kage will you?"

Al said nothing and did not watch as Hito carried his sister away. Once gone, Al reached into his pocket and realized Senkyoku was with him. It wouldn't do to have them discovered, but that also meant his sister was alone with the shadow once again. For the only time in his life, Al wished he could still hear the distracting sounds and voices. Instead, all Al heard was Mei's maniacal laughter, and in the distance, Kei's screams.