The Hero of Masks

A/N: WARNING! I have approximately seven-thousand projects active right now! I start them, I don't finish them, I get a new idea! I'm a horrible person for it, but these projects don't always see updates often. But, each active project will be finished in some way, shape or form.

Now, onto what I wished to talk to you guys about.

It's been a while since my last update… sorry about that… but I've been working on a larger project which is seeing significant strides in progress through the last few months. Chapter one will be posted soon… Probably… I'm not sure. Be looking for 3 chapters of one story and one chapter of another; both brand new… oh, and this one. This is the first chapter of The Hero of Masks. Welcome. This story is a planned novelization of Majora's Mask, which is undoubtedly my favorite Legend of Zelda game. It's dark atmosphere really stands out among the other Zelda titles, making it and Twilight Princess, which is probably my third favorite, just after Ocarina of Time, very unique.

So unique, in fact, that I feel it could be properly fleshed out into a full novel. I've read a couple, and know for sure that my favorite, and the complete inspiration for wanting to write this, comes from "Insomnia" by tikitikirevenge. In my opinion, it is the single most well done novelization fanfic in the entirety of the FFDN Library. I absolutely loved it and would recommend it to any who ask. Anyway, let's get down to it.

Disclaimer: I do not own The Legend of Zelda. It is the intellectual property of the Nintendo Corporation and Tatsumi Kimishima, Eiji Aonuma, as well as Shigeru Miyamoto.

Chapter One: Of Curses

"Not all those who wander are lost."- J. R. R. Tolkien

The woods around him were spread as far as the eye could see. Though, saying that didn't mean much, as the thick fog which also filled the forest, swirling around trees, shrubs, the grass and the inhabitants of the wooding, obscured most of the sights which were offered up by the location. It made the air significantly heavy, causing the young boy's eyes to droop and his back to hunch slightly under the weight of his sword and shield. His hair was still damp from his recent dip in the river and the chill of this early morning's unwelcoming air caused the boy to shiver. Normally, the woods began warming before the sun reached its highest point. But even now, when the sun had almost reached that apex, it was cold. Not unbearably so, the boy had been through much more extreme temperature and weather, but it was still uncomfortable.

The boy looked up into the sky which was blocked nearly entirely by the canopy of leaves above him. The thick ancient branches and deep greens of the forest blocked a majority of the light and a majority of the heat from the sun. At least, that's the way he rationalized the cold, as no other explanation made sense. Nayru's Breath, or "Winter" as many called it, was still a time away, as just now was Farore's Awakening giving away to Din's Throne. This was evident by the light which managed to twist and turn its way into the holes in the canopy, though few and far between. It was clear that Din's Eye was burning intensely today and the boy silently thanked the canopy above him despite the chill it caused. Being on horseback for many hours of the day caused one to be sore, and a sunburn along his neck and arms would just add to the list of pains he could experience.

The horse he rode huffed, shaking her head and shaking her mighty white main. The boy patted her large neck with his small hand and ran his fingers through the snow-colored hair. "We'll stop soon, girl. I promise," he said to the young mare who nickered in response and sped up to an excited trot.

This increased speed was not long-lived, however, and soon the young horse slowed again. Her master said nothing about it, as he too could feel the grogginess of the morning bearing over his. He continued to praise the young horse, though not particularly for any reason. Rather, he did it to fill the otherwise silent air. It seemed that she and he were the only things making noise in the area. It was almost as if the very essence of the woods had disappeared. Even the small squirrels, which the boy tended to catch glimpses of out of the corner of his eye as they scampered back to their nests, were eerily quiet. The boy had yet to even hear the morning call of the songbirds which he loved so much and had grown so accustomed to.

Idly, he dug into his saddlebag, pulling from it a small, blue ocarina. He cupped the porcelain instrument in his hands, brushing the smooth surface with one of his thumbs in silence. Slowly, he brought the wind instrument to his mouth, blowing a soft and gentle melody through it. It was nothing specific and served no purpose other than as a way to pass time. Perhaps the gentle sounds would call to him the wildlife of the forest and they may fill the woods with their songs so that he would not have to substitute them with his own.

However, as he lowered the ocarina after the conclusion of the song, he found that the absence of music made the woods seem even more silent. Still, no animals made noise and the silence felt tangible, seeming to weigh as much as the gear on the boy's back. With a sigh, the boy slipped the instrument into a leather pouch on his side rather than in the saddlebag, thinking that he may soon have the desire to listen to something other than his and his mare's steady breathing and gentle hoofbeats.

The boy looked into the canopy of the forest and let the lively green of the ancient leaves bring comfort to him and fill his vision. He thought idly why he was here in these uncharted woods. It was very simple; he was looking for someone. Someone who had gone through Hell and back with him. She'd been with him through everything, be it the emotional pain of losing his father or the physical pain of being scorched by a Dodongo's breath. He chuckled mentally, but he was sure he had laughed out loud as well despite not actually hearing it. Not many could claim that they'd been burned by a Dodongo and have it be truth.

Indeed, the young boy atop the chestnut mare was very different than most ten-year olds. He had been through very much, all in the name of his father, his princess and his country. He'd survived the inside of an ancient tree which had been filled with poisonous creepy crawlies and a particularly nasty Gohma. He'd taken the extreme heat of the Goron Mines and come out the victor over the fearsome King Dodongo. He'd trudged through the insides of an ancient deity—twice—and come out after killing evil parasites which threatened their life—twice. And in another life, he'd done that and more.

In another life, he was a legend.

In another life, he traveled seven years into the future. He'd saved his best friend from the dangers of an ancient temple hidden deep in the forest. He'd saved the Goron Tribe form the clutches of a dragon. He'd rescued the Zora from their icy prison which was their frozen domain. He'd cleansed a temple of pure darkness and defeated a set of powerful witches which had long-before instilled fear into the minds of the royal family who knew of their existence. And finally, he'd slain the wicked Ganondorf and saved the Princess Zelda.

But that was another life, and when he returned to this one, his friend left.

Though this life was no less grand; he was still a hero of a princess, though not the Princess Zelda as he previously was. He had been recognized by the royal family as a knight. He'd gone through the week of vigorous training… though that training mostly consisted of Zelda teaching him to not step on his dance partner's toes and the proper way to behave around nobles. And all of that led to his knighting. That had possibly been one of his proudest moments. He had kneeled before the Princess and King, his head low and his eyes closed. He distinctly remembered the weight of the metal as it touched upon his shoulders and finally the top of his head.

But without his friend, it felt somewhat empty and incomplete.

So, he gathered up everything he'd need; the reforged Kokiri Sword, his Hero's Shield, which was a gift from the Gorons, crafted by Bigoron himself, his tunic and hat. He'd led Epona, who now nickered in her own attempt to fill the silence, to the courtyard of Princess Zelda. "You're already leaving this land of Hyrule, aren't you…"

Those words played clearly in his mind's eye as he rode through the forest. Those words which betrayed her sadness and took away from her confident air. The boy had felt horrible, but knew this had to be done. And, after a heartfelt goodbye, the boy left. He entered the Lost Woods and rode. Epona knew not of where they were going, and neither did he. All he knew was that he must find her; his best friend. But, what chances did he have of finding that small fairy in this wide world?

He shook his head of the thought. He was Link, the Hero of Time, and he was not about to let himself fall into a denial of his abilities. He knew he could find Navi. Nothing would stop him and he would not rest until he and his best friend were reunited.

Interrupting his train of though was the loud growl of his stomach. It was an almost unfamiliar noise after spending nearly three months in castle where food was easy to come by. He sighed, knowing he had managed to spoil himself in that white fortress, but there was little he could do about it now. So, he drew from his saddlebags a few strips of jerkeyed octorock. He did not prefer the lake-dwelling creature to beef, but he found it to be a fine substitute to it. On top of that, octorock was rather common and almost any deep body of water had potential to be the hunting grounds for the creatures. And they made easy prey, as well. Though fast enough to catch and devour fish, the octorock's size made it easy to skewer on the end of a sword.

Link ate his meal in silence, looking around the forest as he did so. He finished quickly and found the gnawing hunger which rested deep in his stomach to be sated for the time being. After just a moment longer of rest, he and Epona would keep going. For the time being, however, Link pulled the reins to the horse, causing her to slow to a stop. For what seemed to be the thousandth time this morning, Link attempted to get his bearings in the woods. He looked around, trying to figure out where the sun's glare was coming from. However, the woods let through so little light that this did not seem possible. Indeed, it seemed like night around him in the fog and shadows of the ancient canopies. Reaching into the saddlebag once more, Link took a swig from a waterskin before placing it back in the leather bag on Epona's side. He closed his eyes finally before patting Epona's flank softly, urging the horse forward. The majestic beast complied and continued through the woods slowly and tiredly. It seemed that even his horse was feeling the tiring effects of the morning and the darkness which hung over them.

Link rubbed his bare arms in the chill which had been getting increasingly worse. He could now feel the bite of the cold winds through his thick woven tunic and felt the cold sting his eyes and dry his lips. The boy shivered and looked about him, bringing Epona to a stop. "Let's set up camp, girl."

The boy moved to dismount his horse, but three creatures had other plans for him. With a pair of scream that sounded more like chiming bells rather than the intended war cry, two fairies assaulted Epona's muzzle, the sudden pressure on her snout and sudden light in her eyes dazed and started the horse, causing the mare to buck up, throwing Link off her back. He hit the ground with a painful thud and lay unmoving.

"Wow," a young voice said as it emerged from the mists. It took the shape of first a large, heart-shaped mask, before being followed swiftly by the straw-clad body that belonged to it. "You two fairies did great!"

He stalked quickly over to the unconscious body of the green-clad boy, his gait more like a waddle or shuffle than any real walk. He lifted the mask to get a better look and giggled boyishly and deviously, eyeing over the many leather bags on Link's belt, as well as his sword and shield. The shining weapons did not interest the child for long, however, as he spotted a faint blue glow coming from one of the boy's pouches. The imp excitedly flipped the boy onto his stomach and dug into the bag, pulling out the bright blue ocarina which had gotten his attention mere minutes ago.

One of the two fairies bobbed ecstatically around the masked head of the young one. "Ooh, ooh! What a pretty ocarina! Hey, Skull Kid, lemme touch it! I wanna see it."

The fairy, whose glow was a bright yellow, bumped the bubbly purple fey. "You can't, Tael! What would we do if you dropped it and broke it?"

The sprite slowed its bobbing to a halt before looking at its fellow fairy. The little glowing creature sagged its wings; the only real way to tell it was disheartened. "Aw… but sis, w… why can't I try it out, too?" the small fairy whined softly.

The two creatures argued in soft voices whilst the imp continued entertaining itself with the ocarina, only playing one or two notes before being overcome by a fit of boyish giggles. As he laughed, metal hit metal, creating an audible noise that went completely unnoticed by the imp due to its infatuation with the ceramic instrument in its hands, and the fairies due to the argument that they were having between one another.

Link slowly sat up, holding his head. His hair had been matted down with forest dirt and his right side was covered in a layer of mud from the ground. He looked around in confusion until a shrill note sounded from a familiar instrument, followed by more laughter. His eyes widening, Link checked the leather pouch in which he had stored the ocarina, silently scolding himself for not putting it back in the saddlebag where Epona could have protected it by running off. Though, Link doubted the horse would ever abandon him without good reason. But, even as this thought passed through his head, he could not quell the sense of panic and fear that shot through him upon his hand resting on the empty leather pouch that had once held the sacred heirloom of the royal family of Hyrule.

The boy looked up, catching sight of the bright blue that the ocarina held. It was being held by a creature which was not uncommon in the Lost Woods. A Skull Kid; little tricksters of the forest who loved nothing more than to play pranks on travelers as the woods corrupted them. However, they were never violent, and Link was sure that, so long as he was careful, he could wrestle his ocarina from the creature who, most likely, just wanted to play with a trinket that had gotten its attention.

Slowly, the boy in dirty green clothing stood, making sure that his sword and shield did not clang together as he rose. He positioned himself, spreading his legs wider and opening his arms with hunched shoulders, ready to pounce on the unsuspecting Skull Kid. However, his movement did not go unnoticed. The two fairies had finished their argument and now shot into the air with warning cries. The Skull Kid, knowing well that his fairies would not interrupt his fun without good reason, whirled around. His masked eyes met with the burning blues of the young boy he had just robbed.

The creature made a quick attempt to hide the gleaming ceramic ocarina from its owner. It did this, however, by shoving it behind its back, just as a child would if caught pulling cookies from the jar within his house, or like a young Kokiri who had just swiped the last deku pudding from a feast; a feat that Link himself was guilty of. Or had been, so many years ago. Nonetheless, the move was expected of the immature creature after having been caught red-handed. Link tensed his legs, ready to attack.

As he leapt, however, so did the Skull Kid, directly onto the back of Epona. The horse started, bucking up before taking off. Link would not have stood a chance of keeping up with his horses blinding fast speeds, so instead of keeping up with the foal on foot, he scrambled to his feet and grasped desperately at a saddlebag. The tough leather held his weight as Epona galloped down the dirt path. Throns cut shallow wounds into his bare legs and arms and bumps and rocks bruised any skin that hadn't already been scratched or cut. He felt his leg burning as it scraped along the ground and he readjusted himself so that he was sliding along his boots.

The Skull Kid giggled madly from the back of the horse as it rode the stolen beast. The fairies once more alerted the mask-wearing forest-child in their bell-like voices. The Skull Kid looked directly at Link and tilted its head curiously. It dug into the saddlebag which Link did not cling to, pulling out some of his traveling gear. The first thing that came out of the bag was Epona's riding blanket. The creature laughed and tied it around his neck, the cloth fluttering in the wind. Next, he pulled some of the dried apple slices which Link kept handy as a treat to Epona. The Skull Kid seemed to consider what to do with them before deciding to fling the hardened fruit at the boy clinging onto the horse's saddlebags. They pelted him at high speeds, but he bared his teeth and took the small stings in strive. After all, he'd had much worse in the way of pain.

Next came Link's bottles, all of which held potions of some sort. First came a red one, then a green one and, finally, his two blue potions hit his shoulder. Link growled in aggravation, beginning to climb the leather slowly. The Skull kid panicked and grabbed a few bark orbs from Link's saddlebag. The boy's eyes widened as the Skull Kid inspected what he knew was a bomb. Link kept a few of them handy, as they had been extremely helpful in that other life. The Skull Kid, however, didn't seem to know what they were. Instead, he chucked the unlit bombs at Link. They hit him in the face, but once more, Link held tight to his trusted friend.

Link knew in his mind that the well-worn leather would hold, but very suddenly, there was a loud tearing sound and Link felt himself dropping. He looked up in a panic, seeing that the leather had held, but the Skull Kid was now brandishing one of Link's smaller knives and had cut the tough cords which had held the leather in shape. The boy watched as his bow and quiver toppled out of the bad…

…And directly into his face. He had not had a firm hold on the bag due to the sudden tearing, and the hit caused him to release the saddlebag. He hit the ground hard, rolling a few feet. He stood, his body screaming in protest as he watched the Skull Kid ride off. He ran quickly, ignoring his burning legs and pained shoulder. He rushed into a low log; the only place the Skull Kid could have gone if he had traveled in this direction. He cleared the length of the log at a breakneck pace. The little light which the forest held vanished as he entered. His feet hit the wood of the fallen tree hard with each bound. Finally, he left the log coming to an end and instead of hitting the firm wood of the log, his foot hit air.

His stomach lurched as his body tumbled forward with the full weight of himself. He whirled his arms in a pathetic attempt to steady himself, but it did little other than exert his energy, of which he was already lacking. He yelled a scream of intense fear. But the eternal fall he had found himself tumbling down swallowed the sound without even an echo. After a few seconds, Link silenced himself and caught his breath. He fell facing wherever it was he was going, watching as the darkness swallowed him.

Darkness that he wished would stay as it gave way to iridescent shapes in the forms of shapes; both familiar and unfamiliar. He saw the ocarina, the face of an unknown Zora, the proud image of a fierce Goron with a thick beard, he saw a scared Deku Scrub taking a moment from fearing the world to play in the rain. Many other scenes passed him by, but few of them registered in his mind as they dulled and returned to the darkness that had swallowed him previously.

Quite suddenly, he felt his feet touch something. He did not feel himself lower onto it, nor was he dropped unceremoniously. Rather, the feeling was just suddenly there, as if he had never been in the air in the first place. Torchlight filled his eyes and he blinked while his orbs adjusted to the new brightness, which still did not seem to be much, as only two flickering flames lit the rather large chamber he had found himself in.

He looked at his feet, seeing what the squishy floor below him consisted of. He stood atop something familiar-a Deku Flower. Link had seen these many times in the forest and knew of their power to a Deku Scrub. Many of the wooden creatures lived in these flowers, using them to take cover in bad weather or just to sleep in on a cold night. Surrounding the flower was a small pond of water, the liquid reflecting the orange light of the torches. However, the light was not all that the pond reflected. The inverted image of the Skull Kid floated in the water and Link looked up to see the upright creature actually floating before him. It hovered in a position very similar to that of a lounging noble, his hand propping up his head as he lay on his side. His two fairies floated idly by, moving slowly nearby the creature's head.

"What's with that stupid horse of yours?" the Skull Kid asked as he righted himself in the air, floating cross-legged, as if sitting on some unseen chair. "It doesn't listen to a word that's said to it!"

Link grinned internally. He knew Epona wouldn't just take orders from some new, unknown rider. She was far too smart for that. Not to mention stubborn, like the red-headed farm girl that had raised the chestnut foal.

Suddenly, the Skull Kid's voice grew dark… cold… very different from the cheery, mischievous disposition of the other forest children he had met. "There's no point in riding a thing like that, so I did you a favor and got rid of it…" he accompanied that statement with a short laugh.

Link's eyes widened. He had known Epona for a majority of his life outside of the forest and to know that she was very simply gone was more than shocking. For something so close to him to just… disappear. The Skull Kid before him, however, seemed to find it funny. "Aww, boo-hoo. Why the sad face? I just thought I'd have a little fun with you…"

A spike of rage surged through Link and he growled a guttural noise from the very core of his being, drawing his sword and shield and preparing to strike at the Skull Kid. It was extremely rare for encounters of this creature to call for such drastic measures, but Link cared little for that not. However, as Link drew his weapons, the Skull Kid threw its head back and laughed.

The creature looked him in the eyes. Link knew it was, despite being unable to see its orbs. They were burning into him, unnerving him like no other enemy had. "Do you really think you can defeat me? It's funny. It really is…" the words were drawn out and sarcastic. The Skull Kid took in a deep breath then straightened itself in the air, clenching its fists at its sides before releasing a piercing scream.

Link could feel the dark magic that radiated from the creature, but could do little against it. He raised his shield in hopes of blocking the attack. He stared down the Skull Kid until he was forced to blink. But, when he did, the moment he opened his eyes, he was no longer in the dimly lit room which he had appeared in. Rather, he was now in an eternal black void which spread around him infinitely. Link turned in place until his eyes were filled with the color orange. The sound of rustling leaves was suddenly in his ears as he took in the sight. The orange seemed to bob and move and it wasn't until a few seconds later that he realized this was simply the crop of "hair" that all Deku Scrubs had. He looked down into the eyes of the scrub which were drawn up into an angry look. The creature took a step towards him on one of its stubby legs. Link went to grab his shield, knowing full well how painful the wrath of an Angry Scrub was. However, his hand found only air and Link panicked. He turned to walk away from the creature, only to come face-to-face with another.

He turned and sprinted away from the forest creatures. He was without weapons and without a way to defend himself from the Scrubs. As he ran, he heard it; the sound of a sea of leaves rustling behind him. He risked a peak behind him to see that he was being chased by what seemed like an entire army of Deku Scrubs. He adverted his gaze, returning his line of sight to where he was running. He ignored the thumps behind him for some time as he ran with no direction. He made twists and turns all in the hopes of outrunning the Dekus behind him. The thumps persisted, slowly growing louder and shaking the ground at Lin's feet. He gave into his fear and turned back, seeing what atrocity followed him. It was a giant Deku Scrub, its huge-leaf hair shaking as it chased the boy.

Link released a scream which didn't seem to get past his throat, dying as it met the air. He kept running, doing all he could. The thumping swallowed the rustling in his ears until finally the foot of the giant Deku came down on him.

Link's eyes snapped open in a blind panic. He fell back and squealed as his back hit the squishy material of the Deku Flower. As he did, the Skull Kid once more burst out into laughter. "Hee… hee hee… heehehee!" Link thought he felt his cheeks fluster and he narrowed his eyes in anger. "Now that's a good look for you!"

Link did not know what the forest imp spoke of, so he stood on his legs and looked down into the small pool of water around the flower. Instead of seeing what he'd expected, his own face, blue eyes and blond hair, topped with his green hat, he saw only the face of a Deku Scrub. The orange leaves which normally topped the creatures head were young, being nothing more than a small mess of yellow foliage. Its eyes were the same glowing red that Link had seen a hundred times and its face was of smoothly textured wood. On top of its head, however, was a very familiar hat.

Link denied it. He told himself that this was not him and was very simply a trick of the wicked Skull Kid that had killed his friend. But no, he knew deep down that this was real. He could feel the dark magic of a curse smothering the sacred light of the Triforce that rested within him. Link did not think that any power could survive the Triforce's cleansing abilities, but he stood here now mistaken and scared. He looked up at the Skull kid, whose laughter was now subsiding. "You'll stay here looking that way forever!"

The creature floated backwards, being followed by his two fairies. Link charged forward, clenching his fist at his side, intent on giving the forest creature a beating it wouldn't forget. However, his forehead, which in his raging mind seemed like an unstoppable force, met an unmovable object. Said object being the tiny, yellow sprite that had floated alongside the Skull kid just moments ago. It flew repeatedly into his head, knocking him over before growling like a Wolfos in the singsong tone which fairies naturally possessed. Very suddenly, the other fairy shouted. "S-s… Sis!" the purple fey yelled from the Skull kid's side. However, as the female fairy with Link called her brother's name out, the door slammed shut with a rumble that echoed throughout the entirety of the chamber.

The fairy beat against the door, charging it and hitting it with her small fists. "Wait!" she yelled. "Skull Kid, come back!" she pleaded. "I'm still in here!" she explained. "Tael, you can't leave without me!" she ordered to the thick wooden door. She expected any moment for her friend to come rushing back to retrieve her, but her cries were not answered. Her wings drooped and she lowered herself in the air dejectedly. Then she turned on the Scrub she had knocked over, who had just stood up, and rushed at it again, knocking him over once more. "YOU!" she yelled in fury. "If I wasn't dealing with you, I wouldn't gotten separated from my brother!"

Link glared angrily at the little sprite before him, swatting at the tiny, glowing pest. "Hey! Watch it!" the fey yelled as it avoided Link's attacks. Finally, after Link realized he wouldn't manage to hit the tiny, nimble sprite, he stopped swinging, compromising with himself by glaring at the being which had kept him from the Skull Kid.

The fairy fidgeted in place for a moment under Link's intense gaze. "Why are you looking at me like that?" she asked innocently. "Is there something stuck on my face?" Her arms moved to her face and wiped, hoping to remove the offending debris. Link said nothing, simply staring at the fairy.

The yellow creature returned its eyes to link's before yelling at the Scrub. "Well, don't just sit there, Deku boy! Do something!"

Link had half a mind to make another attempt on swatting the fey out of the air, but decided against it as he moved to inspect the door which kept him trapped within the chamber. It was fairly large, but all doors were meant to be opened somehow. He sighed and looked away from the humongous slab of wood that kept him from his destination.

"C'mon, Deku! Just open the door!" the fey snapped. Once more Link glared at her, causing her to fluster. "Will you stop staring at me and just open that door!?"

Link shook his head and sat down, leaning his head against the huge door. Upon seeing this, the fairy changed her tone. "Please! C'mon, a helpless, little girl is asking you. So… hurry up!"

Link closed his eyes, hitting his wooden head against the door made from a similar material. He stood from his seat and grabbed the bottom of the door. He pulled with all his might, the bottom raising for just a moment before Link was forced to release it. Behind him, the fairy muttered to herself. "Ohhhh, Tael. I wonder if that child will be alright on his own?"

Link ignored her ramblings which were coincidentally just loud enough for the boy to hear. That also meant they were just loud enough to be annoying, causing Link no little feeling of irritation towards the fairy. Link rubbed his little hands together, lifting the door against. Once more, it raise only so far, but Link searched with his wooden fingers for something on the bottom. Link had met similar doors to this one and knew just how they worked.

Very soon, he felt it. It was nothing more than a small button that released when the door was opened. The only way to open the door fully was to press it in as you raised it. Link did so and felt the mechanisms within the door take over after he began lifting the door. It raised easily and smoothly up, allowing Link and the fairy passage outside of this chamber. Link hiked up the small kilt around his waist that seemed to be the ripped remains of his tunic. He began running down the wooden hallway he had opened anxiously until once more he was stopped by the fey.

"Hey, wait for me!" she yelled as she swooped in front of him. "Don't leave me behind!"

Link ignored the sprite and kept walking, moving around the little yellow creature as he walked. "Wait!" she yelled again, once more interrupting his walk. "So, um…" she fell silent for just a moment. "… That stuff back there… I-um-apologize, so… so take me with you!"

Link would have opened his mouth to respond, but he found his Deku snout to be very stiff and not malleable like the flesh and skin of his human mouth. Nevertheless, Link spoke. "Why don't you just find some other Deku to bother?!" Link said. Or, that was what he intended. What really came out was more of a choked squeal as his throat closed and he was unable to get the words out. The fairy, however, took this as a sign to continue. "You wanna know about that Skull kid who just ran off, right?"

This caught Link's attention and he nodded, watching the fairy with interest and suspicion mingling together in his red Deku eyes. "Well," the fairy started. "I just so happen to have an idea of where he might be going."

Link raised an eyebrow—or at least did the Deku Scrub equivalent of moving this facial muscles in such a way that would result in a raised eyebrow if he had been human. He had no idea what it really looked like, but he assumed the either his eye widened with the other narrowed or he looked ridiculous.

"Take me with you and I'll help you out. Deal?" the small fairy smiled, or Link assumed so. The dark was making it increasingly difficult to see anything within her glow, but Link could hear the cheery inflection in her voice.

When Link did not respond, the fairy muttered a pitiful; "Please?"

Link thought the situation over, wondering idly if it was a good idea. He had no clue where he was, where to go, where the Skull Kid would have gone, and he was now a Deku Scrub. The pros of having a guide clearly outweighed the cons in this situation and the young Deku nodded.

"Good!" the fairy cried in what seemed to Link to be relief. "So then it's settled! I'll be you partner… or at least until we catch Skull Kid…" For just a moment, the sprite's glow brightened in something akin to happiness. "My name's Tatl. So, uh—it's nice to meet you or whatever."

There was an expectant silence for a few moments and Link knew she was waiting for him to say his name. However, as he tried, once more all he could manage were ear-shredding squeaks. At this, the Tatl's wings stiffened and she looked at him. "Agh, my ears. I'll just call you Deku or—or something in that relative area. I don't know. Just stop… making noises, I beg of you."

The fairy landed on top of his capped head and stared forward. "Can we stop messing around and get moving? If I figure something out, I'll let you know. Just tell me if you need me, but don't need me too often. I can't be babying a Deku kid all the time when he's confused."

Link nodded and Tatl took to the sky again. "Watch it!" she shouted. Link was just grateful that his head was no longer a seat for this pesky fly and slowly stepped forward.

His progress was halted, however, by the large ravine he stared at. On both sides, two posts remained as a testimony towards there having once been a bridge here. "Weird," Tatl commented. "We just crossed this…" The sprite quieted and her glow dulled slightly. "I guess Skull kid really did want to keep you here…"

Link looked around, taking a few more steps forward until his feet hit something squishy and familiar. He looked down, his eyes finding the deep purple of a Deku Flower. He squeaked to get the fairy's attention, and she floated towards him. "Oh, good thinking! I've seen Scrubs use these to get from place to place!"

Link nodded, wondering how it worked in silence. He saw the large hole in the center of the flower and prodded it gently with his foot, finding the material of it to be somewhat stretchy and malleable. Slowly, Link lowered a leg into the hole and closed his eyes at the natural pleasure which reached him. It was limited, but it was there; the feeling of doing exactly as nature intended you to do. Without a second thought, Link allowed the flower to swallow him. All around him, he felt the magic of the forest swirling, making this place a reality. He opened his eyes, expecting a magnificent sight. Instead, he got little more than what seemed to be thick and heavy roots alongside dirt. The only light to reach the flower was blocked from his eyes by his head, making the inside of the flower almost pitch black. At this, the Deku sighed. He was strangely disappointed after the intense feeling of him and nature becoming a single working entity for a few seconds. He stared at the roots which slowly seemed to be growing…

Or perhaps getting closer? That wouldn't make sense-roots don't just move on their own. Or, so he thought until one of them slowly laid itself flush against his wooden torso. He panicked as he was made sure that the roots were definitely moving on their own accord. They tightened down on him once they covered everything below his neck and Link was sure he was going to develop claustrophobia then and there. However, in the next moment, Link was being launched into the air.

Without thinking, the Deku grabbed two steps on his way out. He flew into the air and raised his arms, expecting fully to hit the ground with a thud. This never happened. Instead, he slowly floated forward with clenched fists and closed eyes. Eventually, he felt his feet touch solid ground and something light fall upon his head. He opened his eyes, finding himself to be on the other side of the chasm he had been staring at just a few minutes ago. "Wow, Deku boy, impressive," Tatl said as she flew over the ravine with ease. Link looked at her, the object on his head tumbling off and floating slowly down the endless hole without being noticed by either of the sentient creatures in the room.

"Well," Tatl said. "Shall we?"

Link rolled his eyes and opened the door before them via lifting it as he had the previous, though this one was much smaller and much easier to open. He and Tatl passed through the portal as it shut behind them. Link took quicker steps through this room, as it was a very simple straight shot to the door ahead of them. As the young hero did so, he felt himself being cocooned by magic. It surrounded him, wrapping him both outside, physically, and inside, seeming to tie itself to his soul. The mystical aura was so potent that it almost smothered him in energy. He felt suddenly dizzy and stumbled the last few steps to the door before opening the door on the other side and falling through, being followed by an equally disoriented Tatl.

The door shut with a slam of finality before the sound of turning cogs and sloshing water filled his ears. Slowly, Link closed his eyes, letting the world around him go dark as he accepted the embrace of unconsciousness.