A/N: As of right now, this one and the next two chapters are finished. I might fall off of the uploading wagon, as chapter ten is a painfully slow process, as I do want to get Snowhead right and have plans for all the transformation masks. I hope you all enjoy chapter seven.

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 Seven: Of Angers

"Anger is never without a reason, but seldom with a good one." – Benjamin Franklin

Link's eyes opened slowly, the young boy blinking away the grogginess which being forced into unconsciousness brought. His senses, though dulled, still screamed in agony. Something must have hit him. And, as the throbbing in his head and legs grew steadily more noticeable, he decided that, not only must he had been hit, but he must had been hit hard. He closed his eyes in an attempt to call back the memory of his falling. He saw the forest in his mind's eye, though the recalled memory was fogged by the pain which beat at his skull. He remembered dully something attacking his leg, but felt that they did not make contact. Not the beast, at least. He also remembered the yelling of his fairy friend and the old woman of the forest before a sharp pain in his neck and then nothing.

The fairy and old woman.

Tatl and Koume.

Link struggled to sit up, trying to look around the room, but his attempts were cut short by a skinny hand with long, bony fingers, which was cold to the touch. "Lay back down. Now is not the time to be moving. Just a few hours ago, you were bleeding out. Being stung by a Dragonfly is nothing to laugh about…"

A Dragonfly? Link had never known the small, elegantly-winged bugs to harm Hylians. Then again, this was not Hyrule, and he did recall something large with wings, a few of them, surrounding his downed body. But there was no time to sit idly by. Link shook his head, ignoring the swimming which followed, and stood up from the hay-stuffed mattress which he had been placed upon, being awarded a sudden wave of nausea for his efforts.

But he pushed through the sudden sickness, standing from the bed, eliciting an irritated huff from the woman who had awakened him. "Whatever," she said, turning around. Her voice, Link thought, was somewhat familiar. He had heard it before...

He turned to the old woman, and, despite her back being turned to him, he knew who this was. There was no mistaking the black robe, short and hunched stature, and blue gem peeking out over a head of white, bunched up and wild hair. It was Kotate, the Ice Mage and second Twinrova Sister. It explained the flashed of blue before Link lost his senses.

"Um… thank you," Link muttered as he searched the small building he found himself within. The witch turned to him, her long nose with a single boil on it sticking out from her face. She cut her eyes at the boy, but nodded slowly. She must not have seen any reason to continue to berate the boy, as beaten and broken as he was. She turned around and, from under her small counter, pulled Link's sword, bag and shield, handing them to the boy.

"The fairy said she'd be back," the witch said once her elderly hands were free of the weight of the steel equipment. She then turned back to her counter, where she moved around a few bottles of potion. "And I guess you can take a bottle of red potion with you, if you must. That sting on your back left a pretty big gash. I already gave you something for it, but if it reopens, I won't be there to help you."

It seemed like the elderly potion-brewing spellcaster wanted to be upset with the young boy whom she'd had to drag out of the woods, but could not bring herself to. Indeed, this was not the murderous Kotate which Link had done battle with in his Other Life. No, this woman, and her sister, were entirely different people. And that simply raised more questions for Link. Seeing these familiar faces; hearing these familiar names, where was Termina…What was Termina?

The young, green-clad boy had no answer to his own questions, but didn't get much time to ponder the query, either, as Tatl dashed in through the window, her wings beating steadily to hold her aloft as she breathed heavily. "Link! You're awake!"

The now-conscious boy nodded solemnly at the fairy, tightening his belts so as to hold his equipment in place. "I scouted around the swamp! There's no way to get to the other side. You can only get so far as a De-"

The fey froze, looking at Kotate out of the corner of her eye. The witch, however, paid the sprite no mind, but she skipped over the thought of changing into the form of a swamp creature using a magical mask, just to be safe. Before the fairy could continue, Kotate piped up. "My sister owns the store east of here. Despite failing grandly, she's still thankful for your 'rescue' and told me that I should mention a free Swamp Tour to you should you awaken—I mean… when you awaken."

Link nodded and Tatl seemed somewhat upset at the witch's insemination that Link may not have survived his wound, as if he were so weak to let a bug kill him, giant as it may be. But, before the sprite could voice her opinion on the matter of her companion's livelihood, the young boy was already out the door, glass bottle of red potion now in his hand, and the fey was forced to fly quickly in order to reach his side before the wooden barrier closed.

Once Link was free from the choking stench of brewing potions, something he had not entirely noticed until getting into fresher air, he breathed deeply and took stock of his current situation. The sun was already high in the sky, meaning that this second day was nearly halfway through. He had a wound on his back, which was stiff and stung as his tunic rubbed against it. Most likely Kotate had to pour the potion directly onto the damaged area. In sped up the healing process, but not in the way that ingesting a potion did. Instead of causing the regeneration of tissue to occur immediately, the potion clotted up to stop the bleeding, then worked painfully slow compared to its normal effects. The thought of this made Link shutter, as not only was the process slow, but it was actually physically painful. The last time the boy was forced to rub potion directly onto a wound, in his Other Life, he had to grit his teeth for a solid twenty minutes until the pain subsided.

Link looked down at the healing remedy in his hand before stuffing it into one of the pockets of his bag. He shouldered the burlap sack, letting it hand over his shield as he climbed down the ladder of the cauldron-shaped building which he found himself in. On his right, he saw the pure spring water, from which Link assumed the witch brewed potions, and, after just a moment of consideration, saw nothing wrong with filling his water skin full of the crystal-clear liquid. With this done, and after refreshing himself directly from the spring, Link began moving again. With Tatl at hs side, flitting to and fro, the young boy warrior made his way down a small, short canyon-like opening within the naturally forming rocks. Between them was a beaten, dirt path, which told Link that this was the way which he was intended to enter.

Unfortunately, it did not take him long to run into trouble. It was nothing he couldn't handle, and at first seemed like absolutely nothing. A Deku Baba, short and stiff from its age, burst from the ground. With a single clean swipe, Link felled the monster, which lay there sadly. Link, after a moment of staring at the dead plant, cut its teeth-riddled head off, taking its stiff body, which was akin to a Deku Stick. And, though not as tough, the item could take quite a beating and was flammable to the point of being able to be used as a torch. Link slid the long stick beside his sheath, tucking it under the leather of the bolster holding his weapon in place.

Link continued moving down the short path, encountering another, more limber Deku Baba. It snarled at him, but he stared down the carnivorous plant, blade drawn. Venom dripped from its maw, winding and sliding past its sharp, jagged fangs. It lashed out at the boy, and he easily sidestepped the attack which had been telegraphed by the beast's reeling back and stiffening up. As it reached him, Link brought his sword down onto the beast with a savage cry. The head split open, spilling its purplish, blood-like contents onto the grass. Link nodded to himself and cleared the remainder of the path without issue.

It was then that the boy reached the river, in all of its stinking, purple glory. The sulfuric stench which reached his nostrils gave Link pause, and he stared at the oddly-colored water nervously. "That doesn't look safe," commented Tatl… how insightful.

Link simply nodded however, not in the mood to respond, and instead plucked a few blades of grass from the fertile dirt. He dropped it into the river and watched as the current began dragging out the plant life. However, this did not happen before the organic material dissolved in the poisonous swamp water… "Really not safe."

"Well. That's no good…" Link muttered. Was it just organic matter… or…

Link looked up. No, it couldn't just be organic material. Link drew the stick on his back from its place, dipping it into the water. Nothing happened, making Link wonder what it was causing the reaction which the grass had shown. Perhaps the strong skin of bark was left unaffected by the water. Link broke off the poison-covered piece of the stick before returning it to his back. With an idea forming in his head, Link withdrew something from his bag. It was one of the two things within it, and was not hard to locate without looking. He thumbed over the wooden face of the mask before slowly raising it to his face. This was a true test of the power of the item.

He felt his nose touch the inside of the faux face, and thought that, perhaps the Mask Salesman had lied in saying it would return him to his Deku Form. But then, it happened. Suddenly, the mask, originally stiff, collapsed its edges around the young boy's face, gripping his skin tightly. Link tugged the wooden item in a hopeless attempt to pry it from his face, but failed. His hands slipped from the wooden mask each time, and the boy eventually resorted to yelling out in pain as he felt something crawling under his skin. His vision went white, the pain unbearable, and Link thought that there was a chance he had died. But this was not the case. He could still feel, and feel he did. He felt his bones shorten and thin out. He felt his head grow larger and weightier, his lips and nose painfully stretching into a snout. His eyes, cobalt and powerful, filled with a red liquid, as if the boy had busted a blood vessel. He felt his finders thicken and his toes conjoin into a large mass of flesh. Then, the wooden texture crawled from the mask and down his skin, turning it into the bark which he had lived with previously.

His vision returned and he hastily felt his face, which had once more taken on the features of a Deku Scrub and not simply fallen off as he had irrationally feared it would. His hands were once more covered in the leather of the small gloves. Similarly, his oversized hat was resting on his head and the green kilt once again covered his lower body, tiny boots on his feet. The footwear, however, was promptly removed and handed to the fairy. "Whatever. Guess I'm a pack-fairy now, eh?" she complained.

Link stared ahead. In the water, just past the wooden dock which Link had been standing upon for the last few minutes, was a series of flowers. Tatl, following his daze, explained. "Those are lily pads. Water Lilies grow on them. They can hold a little weight, and you don't seem like much, so…." Link wondered momentarily why the plants were not dissolving in the liquid, but opted instead to thank the Goddesses that he now had a way to cross the river.

He backed up, getting a running start at the water, his foot meeting the liquid. He skipped easily across the poison, and was in the air again moments later, bouncing upon his return to the Earth. With his third leap, he felt the lily pad below his feet. It sunk slightly with his weight, wetting his feet with the toxic water. In fact, it also wet the previously-dry flower, which steamed and dissolved.

"Looks like the pads are the only thing thick enough to not be absolutely melted," Tatl explained. Link nodded to her, having come to the same conclusion himself before hopping back onto the water. Little bounce after little bounce, lily pad after lily pad, and poor flower after poor flower, Link made his way east. It was grueling and tiring, and Link could feel himself getting less and less distance for each jump as water soaked into his wooden body.

Finally, however, the end was in sight, and Link could see a long dock which lead to a raised building. Under said building was a small, floating boat, tied to the wooden dock with a thick rope. The boy, his determination renewed, hopped across the water speedily and to the wood of the dock, where the poison water he had collected drained out of his feet, lightening the boy once more. His wooden skin dry once more, Link took his small boots back from Tatl, slipping them onto his feet. Then, he felt along the edges of the mask. There was no seem, but somewhere in his mind, he could feel the itching idea that he could remove the cursed item. He imagined it, willing his mask to fall off and separate from his face. Magic stirred in his veins and obliged to his wishes. He felt the edge separate from the rest of his wooden skin, and Link pulled off the wooden mask.

Becoming human was much more pleasant than becoming a Scrub. That was not to say it was enjoyable, but at least he couldn't feel his skin stretching unnaturally anymore. Instead, it seemed to heat up and melt back into place. Link was glad for this, replacing the mask in his bag, as he didn't have to scream in pain anymore. He turned to the ladder, which was only a few feet away, stepping over the puddle he had left as a Deku Scrub. He grasped the wooden rungs of the ladder, hoisting himself up, his fey friend flying up to the raised platform effortlessly. "Come on, Deku Boy, you're going too slow."

Link groaned as he raised himself onto the platform and glared at the sprite, eliciting an evil giggle from the fairy as he stood, walking to the door, above which was a sign. "Swamp Tourist Center," Link read it softly aloud, nodding to himself as he twisted the iron handle on the wooden door, opening it wide. Tatl flitted through, followed by Link. "Good work, door opening slave!" the fey giggled, and Link actually returned the soft laughter. The wooden shack was tidy and smelled of something unidentifiable, but not unpleasant. Perhaps it was one of the plants which were in pots around the interior of the building. Perhaps it was simply the crisp wood, though Link doubted it.

"Ah! Welcome!" called a familiar, aged voice. Link cast his eyes across the store and, there in the corner, was Koume. "Thanks for what you did back there!"

Link smiled at the woman and moved slowly towards her. "It was no issue."

The elder clapped happily, staring down at the boy. "Wonderful! So, I'm sure my sister told you, but this is the Swamp Tourist Center! We give boat tours of the swamp for a reasonable fee, of course. But, as a special thanks to you, I'll let you take one of our boat cruises for free!"

"Yes, thank you," Link responded, smiling at the witch's cheery disposition. It was a good contrast from her sister, who Link was sure Tatl would eventually argue with. With this sister, Link noticed Tatl bobbing happily around. At least exposure to Koume wouldn't cause her temper to flare, Link thanked the Goddesses once more. Today was just full of miracles, it seemed.

And so, with the elderly woman, following behind him, Link boarded the boat which floated idly in the calm water below the shop. Koume stepped onto it, rocking the wooden vessel back and forth. "Stupid paint," the witch growled under her breath. Indeed, the paint was gone, the water having eaten it away, most likely a while ago. But, Link didn't think much on that as he stepped over the small gap between the boat and the docks. The boat, as it did with Koume, rocked with the weight of the young warrior and his steel weaponry, mask and bottle full of healing potion.

As he sat, the stick tucked under his belt push against the ground and his back uncomfortably, so he pulled it from its place and tucked it underneath the seat. "All aboard!" called the witch despite it being abundantly clear that Link was the only one in the vicinity before setting off. The boat moved at a slow but comfortable pace, cutting easily through the disgustingly-sulfuric swamp water. Soon, they were cruising by a familiar dock. "On your left," the witch said in an overly-cheery voice. "Is the road leading to a potion shop run by my older, less beautiful sister."

While the witch chuckled softly at her comment, Link paid it little mind. Unfortunately, despite this, the elder did not stop her narration of the tour. It didn't bother Link per se, but it was a minor annoyance and made it difficult to compose his thoughts. However, during his short time as a noble, Zelda had taught him how to quell his annoyance when dealing with irritating people.

"We're now crossing into the southwest swamp! On your left are the lily flowers! Frogs come from all of Termina to sing their songs on the pads of these plants!"

Link took a moment to observe the pads and the small, slowly hopping from amongst them. It stared at Link with each hop, dopey eyes meeting steely blue ones. Link couldn't help but worry as the frog landed on a log slick with moss. Surely the thing knew the danger that awaited it should it fall from its perches… Link leaned back, staring up at the moon, which had grown closer during his unconsciousness. It glared down at him and his fairy, who sat idly on his shoulder, equally as bored with the actual tour. Link felt the heat of the falling rock, a memory he hastily cast aside, replacing the unwelcome, recalled warmth from his mind, feeling the actual wind biting at his exposed arms and legs.

"Woah!" yelled the hag, stopping the boat short. Link looked up and around, setting his eyes on the cave ahead of them. Standing guard was one of the largest octorocks the boy had ever laid his eyes upon. "Well, that's an issue. I'd ram it, but I don't want to be covered in octorock guts… What do you think, kid?"

Link stared down the angry-looking creature. He drew his sword from his back and stared down at the short blade. Oh how he wished it was just a little longer. When he had it reforged, the smithy did draw out both the blade and the tang just a bit, but only by about an inch, and the sword was still just a bit bigger than a dagger. It seemed the witch thought the same, but didn't keep quiet about her opinions on the matter. "That dinky little thing won't stop you from getting shot, kid. That shield's too small, too. Those pellets hurt, and something of this size is surely spitting one the size of your head."

Link nodded in unfortunate agreeance, sheathing his weapon. The boy looked around. There wasn't much other than empty water, but, on the cliff which housed the opening the giant octorock guarded, was some sort of plant. It was long and thick, extending down into the waters of the swamp, its skin resisting the poison which corrupted the liquid.

"Guess we'll be turnin' back then, kid," said the old witch. But, Link held out his hand. "I have business to attend to deeper in the swamp," he explained.

Koume quirked up an eyebrow. "Funny, kid. Let's go."

But the boy persisted, shaking his head determinedly. "I really must venture further into this swamp," he said, his noble's tongue, developed from his time in the castle, showed itself in his elegant speech. "It's true!" Tatl persisted with the boy.

And the witch sighed, closing her eyes. "Alright. You seem like you can handle yourself. I can drop you off here."

Link nodded, pointing out the previously spotted vine. "Looks like I can use that to get around the octorock."

The old woman waded the boat over, lining it along the wall. "Good luck, kid. Be careful. I'd fly you over, but I'm not back to full strength yet."

"It will be fine—I will be fine," the warrior assured the spellcasting elder. She gave only a set of pursed lips as acknowledgement and Link grabbed the vine, beginning his climb. The witch watched the boy hoist himself up the vine, climbing over the top of the cliff which it grew from before turning and making her way back to her shop.

Link brushed off his tunic, ridding it of grass stains and making his way through the foliage atop the cliff. It was thick, having been thriving away from the poisonous waters which waded softly far below them. As such, Link was forced to cut down weeds which had overstayed their welcome. Large thickets of thorn bushes stood in his way, and though he was an expert in moving around in a forest, he was unwilling to take the time to avoid the prickly vegetation. It fell to his blade, and the boy trampled it under his thick leather boots. Another swift slice fell yet more bushes, and the boy trekked on, making his way onward and to the Palace.

"How close are we, Tatl?" Link asked as he slipped under a low-hanging vine.

"I'd say another good thirty minutes of hiking. You should see it once we're close. It's kinda hard to miss."

And with this knowledge in mind, Link chopped at the thorns anew, cutting the pesky plant life down in seconds and stomping it into the dirt moments later. And just as Tatl said, he did not miss the Deku Palace once the two of them closed the distance. Link stood there, staring at the large, intricate palace, which seemed to be carved out of some giant tree, large limbs having been cut or having fallen off at some point in the past, leaving only a follow stump with a built-on roof. Surrounding the main palace were tall, wooden walls with savage points on top of them. Link could see how the issue of crawling over those spikes could deter would-be thieves… however, they were not enough to deter him. Standing in front of the wall, blocking the only open entrance visible to Link, were two tiny Deku Scrubs. The boy, determined and prepared moved to step out of the tree line.

"Wait, Link!" Tatl said suddenly, halting the boy in his tracks. He turned to her curiously, questions floating in his eyes.

"I don't think the Deku take too kindly to other species. Maybe you should—uh… not be a human?"

The boy thought about this for a moment before nodding his agreeance. Indeed, approaching the palace as a human could spell danger for Link. While Deku Scrubs were nothing compared to what he'd done battle with in the past, they weren't pushovers, either, and their little pellets stung unmercifully. By the Goddesses how the pellets hurt…

So, the warrior withdrew the wooden mask from his bag, bracing himself for the pain of the transformation once more, He slipped on the mask, feeling the wooden material clasp down on his flesh once more, holding tight to Link's face. It didn't take nearly as long this time, and after a brief flash of pain, most likely from all of his bones shifting at once, Link was able to look down and see his Deku body. Letting out the breath he had taken in as a human, and finding that that wasn't a good idea, as he hadn't necessarily taken that breath as a human and taking a deep gulp of air, Link moved towards the beginning of the long, tied-off log bridge that created a barrier across the poisonous water and to the palace.

As eh grew near, he could overhear the soft conversation of the bored Deku guards, which stopped soon after they noticed Link. The two tiny Dekus stood at attention, setting the boy up with a glare. "Halt, young Deku child! This is the palace of the Deku Kingdom. Only those on official business may enter!" said the smallest Scrub.

The larger of the two, however, leaned over and whispered something in the other's ear… hole… side of his head… Link was still unsure, but he was pretty confident it was an ear-hole which received sounds. After all, Link hadn't really explored his wooden body yet and was unsure of how things worked still. After the larger whispered to the smaller, it took a moment to look abashed before setting its face stony once more and gazing through the young Deku Scrub before him. "…But you may enter to see the public humiliation of the foolish monkey who angered our king."

Monkey?

Now that caught Link's attention. If one of those monkeys were here, it would need help. The boy could not see the small primates he had assisted in the forest being capable of anything mischievous as other apes were. Intrigued and slightly concerned, Link nodded in response to the guard. The small Scrub turned in his flower, staring down the corridor. "Follow this hall straight to the Royal Chamber. Do not. I repeat. Do not. Enter. Any, any areas other than the Royal Chamber for any reason."

Link nodded once more to the enthusiastic guard, and it dived into its Deku Flower, the other Deku-warrior (Were they even capable of fighting?) doing the same with its own. Link, straightening his kilt, padded down the corridor and through the darkened doorway. As he neared the chamber, he could see the faint firelight which casted the dark shadow that had consumed the door.

The sight was less than normal, as four small Deku Scrubs shook in their leaves across the chamber, their foliage clothing rustling loudly with their movements. In front of them, causing their cowardly quivering, was one of the biggest real Deku Scrubs the boy had ever laid his eyes upon. It thrashed to and fro in an outrage, whipping the staff in its hands in many direction. Atop its head rested a crown, large and mighty.

…

Perhaps the Scrub was not as large as Link first anticipated. Now that the looked a little closer, the figure of the Deku was not very intimidating. It was actually quite short and stocky, with short legs and arms. On its face was a silly-looking leaf mustache which seemed to be well-groomed. The only thing of majesty on the creature was its crown, which made it appear much taller than it actually was.

On the left of the room, however, was what Link had come for. There was a large, wooden cage, with a tall pole resting inside, tied to which was a small, white and fluffy monkey, squealing and thrashing its tiny legs in a desperate hope to escape. Tatl, who peaked out of Link's hat, growled angrily at the condition of the poor monkey before fuming silently in Link's headwear.

Slowly, Link approached the throne—or large chair, as Link would prefer to call it. Sure, it was very nicely carved, but lacked any sort of comfort which the young noble had seen in the thrones in the castle. As he did this, the royal Deku spotted him, stopping its movements to stroke its moustache. Beside him, a butler, who had previously gone unseen by Link, stood, stony-faced and silent as the wind.

"I haven't seen your face before," boomed the surprisingly-strong voice of the Deku King. Link's eyes widened in fear. Was it abnormal for newcomers to enter the palace? Was there any chance the king knew all the Deku? Would he be ejected from the palace? That wouldn't be good. He had a job to do and a monkey to free!

"Are you visiting?"

All the panic which had built up inside of Link escaped with the relieved sigh that he heaved before nodding to the king.

"Usually," the crown-clad Deku said, stroking its leafy beard. "I don't allow the likes of you in the Royal Chamber, but today is different!"

"We're about to punish the foolish monkey who kidnapped the Deku Princess!"

"Kidnapped?" Link heard Tatl hiss in his hat. He was similarly curious and disbelieving, but kept his suspicions silent.

"He has insulted the Royal Family. I'll show him what happens when you do that," the king said as he turned to the ape's cell. "That foolish monkey is up in that cage. Take a look at his face!"

Link did and wanted to frown, but his snout did not allow such. He stared at the struggling and pleading monkey for a few moments before returning his attention to the king. "Soon, we will interrogate the monkey and figure out where he has hidden the princess…"

Link stepped closer to the cage, looking for anything that could help him. He saw nothing other than a window which led to the outside world. However, considering the size of the palace and the height of the window, it was an impossible climb.

Link left the Royal Chamber with his head working quickly. He was trying to think of some way—any way in which he could reach the window. Nothing came to mind, but that was fine, as his thoughts were cut short by tiny, lighthearted voices. "Was my brother alright?" asked a small monkey, staring up at him. "You change shape! Smell the same!" continued the monkey, answering Link's unspoken question.

"Did you see entrance to cage?" the small creature asked, blinking its beady eyes quickly. Link nodded, looking around at the two other primates which did not seem keen on, or perhaps were incapable of, speaking.

"We know secret route there. Enter secret route from Outer Garden entrance."

"But entrance in tall place. No can reach it. Need bean from bean seller. Live beneath palace garden," the monkey continued. "Sneak there. Use powers. Many luck!" The monkey rushed over to a hole on the left side of the corridor, the opening doorless: without barricade. "Here! Through here!" And with that, the monkeys scampered off, clambering up the walls and into the trees.

Link knew not what to think of the strange animals which twice had lead him down the correct path and did not see any reason why they would lead him astray. He ducked into the opening, and around a small corner. He found himself in a roofless garden, small plants and flowers growing all around him. Tiny, unusable Deku Flowers rested within soil which was in wooden boxes. In some places, high towers cast shadows upon the ground, blocking the light from the grass. Link looked up at the sun. It would be setting soon. He had to get a move on. Luckily, the approaching darkness would give him a chance to sneak through undetected by the short Deku Guards wielding odd spears. The weapons seemed abnormal in the hands of the wooden being, but the tip, its steel glinting in the torchlight, was just as deadly as any other. Link definitely didn't want to find himself caught by it—or on it.

Crouching down, Link pulled the mask from his face in order to speak to him fairy companion. "Tatl," he said. "Get in my hat. Don't want your light attracting attention."

The fey nodded as Link slipped the mask back on. Once more, his bones shifted, but as with the last time, it was quick and nearly painless. Tatl slipped into his cap, settling herself in his leafy hair, the fabric of his headwear snuffing out her light. All that remained now was the light of the sun, what little of it there was, and the light of the torches. Link would have to avoid the guards carefully. Failure, unfortunately for the young Deku who wished nothing more than to flop on his face and go to sleep, was not an option. So, he smoothed out his kilt and moved deeper into the garden. His short stature helped hide him under the wooden boxes, which held the flowers, and his wooden skin blended with the walls. He was sure, however, that the Deku guards would easily spot him. So, he could not rely on his natural camouflage.

He ducked quickly as the eyes of one of the guards swept the area, making sure his head was hidden behind the barrier, then peaked out as he heard the tiny, shuffling footsteps of the Deku. He dashed from the box he had hidden behind to one of the tall towers, pressing his back against the wood of the structure. Peaking around the corner, he could see two guards patrolling. He found it odd for them to all be patrolling this one small area, but ignored the thought and dashed through their blind spot when they turned their back on one another, his booted footfalls muffled by the thick, soft grass beneath his feet. He slipped under another archway and into a new room.

This one was not much different than the other. The boxes were painted a bit different and the tower was located a bit closer to the center, but that was it. Link couldn't think of a reason which they may have built a wall, chalking it up to "having something to do." His head ducked under the barrier that was a planting box, he waited for the Deku guards to expose their backs, which gave Link the chance to slip past them. This happened time and time again, and the young Deku made his way around the guards of a similar species. The hole he could now see, which existed just within the line of sight of a guard, was within sprinting distance. The guard blinked, then turned its back on the hole, and Link strained his tiny legs to reach the opening in the ground, leaping into it. His decent seemed maddeningly slow, and he did not know how long it took him to hit the ground within the grotto.

"Oof," Link's lungs (should he have them) complained as he hit the ground, the fall being softened by his spine. He stood slowly, shaking his head. "You good, Deku Boy?" Tatl asked, having flown out of his hat during the fall. The boy nodded in response, taking wobbly steps towards a torch which burned in the darkness of the hole. As he stepped, he removed his mask. He still hurt, unfortunately. Looked like he couldn't cheat his punishment for stupidity.

As he rounded the corner, carved out of stone, he laid his eyes upon a small shop—if it could be called that. Sitting upon a rug, munching away at his own merchandise, was a chubby, shirtless man. He had a few blue tattoos on his arm and a bald, shiny head that reflected the torchlight as he munched away on something in a large pouch in his lap.

"Well," the bald man said slowly between chomps. "You're the first customer I've have in a looooong time! Do you need any Magic Beans? They sprout leaves as soon as you water 'em."

"Uh… yes, please," Link said as he cleared both his head and the distance between he and the bean salesman.

"Mmm," the salesman hummed in pleasure as he munched on a particularly tasty bean. "I'll give you one free sample. You can always buy more, too, if you like 'em."

The man reached back into his bag, withdrawing a long, green pod, which he handed to Link. The boy took it, examining its colorful insides for just a moment before slipping it into his bag. "Hey, thanks!" Tatl said happily, having been mostly silent for the last while, and definitely excited that their journey had managed to not crash and burn the last few hours.

"Noooo problem," the salesman replied before resuming his never-ending meal. Link turned, making his way back to the opening of the hole. He slipped on the Deku Mask, reverting to his smaller form once more, as had been the pattern that day, and climbed back up the hole which he had fallen down. The climb, strangely enough, seemed faster than the fall. Link didn't think on it. His head already hurt.

Peaking outside, Link caught sight of one of the guards, it's back turned to him. He scampered out of the hole, thanking the Goddesses for his good fortune as he rushed out of the garden. The return trip was much easier than the one there, as the Scrubs, like most guards Link had encountered, were only content to move around in a pattern, something even he had found himself doing out of boredom from time to time when keeping watch at the castle or ranch.

He moved slowly back through the corridor, his ears(?) picking up the sound of a small, one-sided argument. "Absolutely not! You can not enter! No non-Deku can! Why are you just standing there? Shoo!"

The smaller guard hopped up and down, much to the chagrin of the larger. Despite the situations comic value, it left much to be desired in way of his companion's maturity. Even now, he was arguing with a small, fluffy monkey that sat dopily on the wooden bridge. As he did so, the small Scrub which they had let in earlier pushed its way past them. The monkey sprung onto its feet once it caught sight of the child.

"This way!" it called, hopping from lily pad to lily pad. Link followed easily, hopping gracefully across the water, confusing the guards, who wanted nothing more than to return to their flowers, which they did, the desire to forget the situation overtaking the need to guard the palace.

After a few of the thick lily pads, Link and the monkey reached solid ground once more. The little creature pointed up, to a small hole in the wall of the Deku Palace. "Secret route," it said simply. Link nodded, taking off his mask. The monkey gave a short, startled intake of breath, muttering. "Strange powers…"

Link reached into his leather pouch, the cow's face smiling at him as he raised the flap on it, taking out the magic bean. Just below the hole, the warrior ripped some soil from the ground and placing the bean within the small hole he had made. Grabbing his waterskin from his belt. He uncorked its top, drinking from it before pouring the contents of the leather bag onto the bean, replacing the soil overtop of it and washing his hands on the grass.

"Now, we wait," Link muttered as he stood, watching the haphazardly piled soil. It did not take long, either. Within minutes, the sprout broke the surface of the soil, then seconds later, its stalk thickened and grew big, strong leaves.

"Fly!" the monkey yelled.

And indeed it was. The plant life was floating mere inches above the ground without any explanation other than the magical origins of the seed. Link stepped slowly onto the plant, and it made an attempt to lift off the ground. However, the leaf which Link found himself on did not budge, pinned to the ground. "Wow, Link. You're fat!" Tatl teased as the plant made something akin to a sound of physical strain.

Link sighed, knowing just what would make the plant move. He withdrew his mask once more, wishing for nothing more than the chance to rest, and shoved it onto his face. The mask took over his being quickly, Link taking on his Deku form for the fifth time that day. Unfortunately, Link felt that it may not be the last. AS he expected, the plant lifted off the ground, allowing Link to hop into the hole in the wall and make his way above the garden. He looked down, seeing the hole he had fallen into previously, a Deku guard staring into it in its boredom. It laid down on its stomach, straining its tiny arms to find the bottom of the hole with its long spear. The wooden and steel weapon went into the hole, then fell from the Scrub's hand. It jumped back, looking around to see if anyone witnessed its failure, then continued its patrol as if nothing happened.

Link held back a chuckle and Tatl giggled beside him, grinning down at the Deku who had just lost its weapon to a hole. Looked like the bean salesman might be able to start a weapon's store, too. The small Deku looked out over the garden. The tall tower was much too far to jump to, but Link found it interesting that, atop the raised platform was dirt and a large, purple Deku Flower. He started at the tower, then at his own feet. The platform his stood upon had its own Deku Flower, but Link was unsure if even a Flower Jump could cross that gap. But Link was not someone to avoid maybes.

Link stepped onto the flower, closing his eyes and sinking deep into the plant. He breathed slowly before letting his body launch from the plant, grabbing the stems of the two spinning flowers on his way out. They opened up above them, their tilted pedals keeping him afloat as he shifted his weight, the flowers carrying him towards the tall tower. Below him, the guards did not even spare a glance upwards, much to Link's relief. Ahead of him, the tower steadily grew closer, but he could feel the stems of the flower beginning to wilt in his wooden hands, and he knew it was do or die time. He kicked his feet in a desperate attempt to get just a little more distance.

Four feet.

Three feet.

Two…

The flowers gave out, and Link plummeted, his arms flailing to catch an edge which he could use to hoist himself up, anything on which to catch himself to avoid hitting the ground. His palm found an anchor, and he held onto it with one hand tightly, growling in his light Deku voice at the strain, working furiously to pull himself over the edge of the tower before the guards got wise to his presence or decided to do some stargazing. After a few moments of struggling, Link pulled his wooden body over the edge of the tower, laying on his side and huffing breaths heavily. He stood slowly, taking stock of the new situation.

It was clear what he had to do now. The other tower was just in reach, and so he once more tunneled into a Deku Flower, firing himself out of it and floating slowly towards the other tower. Unfortunately, he did not expect resistance. From the purple flower, another Scrub appeared, peaking its head out and spotting Link. He worried it may raise an alarm or yell to its friends, but instead, it stood from its flower, stomped angrily, and fired a Deku Nut at the floating Deku, who narrowly avoided being removed from the sky by the tiny projectile. It stomped again, jumping and angrily up and down like a child before firing yet another nut. This one struck Link's torso, and he squeezed his eyes shut in lieu of clenching his nonexistent teeth. He was within range now, and the other Scrub was yelling something in its native tongue. The Deku Petals in Link's hands gave out, and he tumbled into the other Scrub, knocking the poor creature off of the tower and into the dirt below. It squealed angrily, the other guards rushing over and making failed attempts to pluck the Scrub, who flailed uselessly, from the dirt.

Link took his chance and burrowed into the flower, floating over to the bridge that seemed to connect the two gardens. Link ran across the wooden beam, making his way to a second platform which overlooked the other garden. As with its partner, this garden featured many wooden boxes, with two towers casting their long shadows over everything else. The tiny Deku Scrub dove into yet another Deku Flower, launching himself at the first available tower. He landed, surprisingly enough, without issue, and prepared to burrow into the flower atop the tower.

However, before he got the chance, another Deku Scrub emerged from the other tower's Flower, staring down Link with angry red eyes. It popped out, stomping, just as its twin-Scrub had, before firing a Deku Nut. Having solid ground below him, Link was able to twist his body expertly out of the projectile's path, eliciting much anger from the Mad Scrub. As it stomped, the Younger Scrub charged up one of his long-neglected magic bubbles before sending it at the creature. It slowly shrunk, becoming a deadly pellet. The bubble struck the other Scrub, whose skin seemed to be made of sterner stuff, as the little thing simply fell over with the impact of the pellet, falling off of its tower, unconscious. Link took a moment to breathe easy, then made his way to the other tower, and finally, the hole which was a window to the monkey's cage.

"Surprisingly enough, that was good work, Deku Boy," Tatl commented, eliciting a proud grin from the warrior.

Link dropped his grin, looking high into the air. There the moon hung, up in the sky, making its way towards Clock Town and its inhabitants. He hoped only that he'd have enough time…