Ukyo sneezed.
"Um, bless you!" Tael said.
Ukyo wiped her nose. "Thanks..." she muttered. She then shook the water out of her green tunic. "Damn, Link, did we really have to swim through that tunnel beneath the well?"
"It's the shortest way back to the main chamber," Link explained. "And you know we need to hurry... Saria is in danger!"
"Link, I hate to say it, but that final Poe could be ANYWHERE in this stupid temple."
"We looked everywhere..." Navi said in a sad voice. "The only explanation I have is that she's toying with us, leading us around in circles while she's waiting directly in the middle of the temple, the only room we haven't been in for some time."
"And how do you know that we completely explored every single part of the temple?"
Link held up and old piece of parchment. "We found the dungeon map, remember? It it clearly says that the only rooms we haven't been in yet are the rooms of the lower level... and we need the final torch to enter it."
"All right, all right, I got it!" Ukyo grumbled. "I still don't know why you all believe that those maps are trustworthy..."
"Dungeon Maps are always trustworthy!" Tatl said in a surprised voice. "Don't you know that the Goddess Nayru herself helps any travelers that are lost in such dungeons by sending them chests with magical items? That's how we got the Map, the Compass and the..."
"And the bow..." Ukyo sighed. "So that's how all of those chests appeared out of nowhere, okay, I think I got it. But what about the keys?"
"I take it Ganondorf sealed certain doors by himself," Navi spoke up. "We can only open them by using the keys his servants are protecting with their lives."
Ukyo frowned and pulled out the huge key they found in an upside-down chamber, where its treasure chest was hanging from the ceiling. They had to defeat the Wall Master guardian and activate a special mechanism so the room turned right side up, and they could claim the chests content, the key.
"And what about this one?" she asked.
Navi shrugged. "I have no idea... but from his looks, I'd say he's very important."
"What are you doing back there?" Link shouted from ahead. "Hurry up already, we don't have all day! Saria's waiting!"
"R-right, we're coming!" Ukyo shouted. "Sorry about this..."
She couldn't help but notice how strained Link's voice had been ever since Veran had re-captured Saria. Of course she was worried about her friend's safety as well, but... there was something else. A certain flash that has appeared in Link's eyes ever since he had met Saria again.
"Link..." she murmured to herself so that her friend couldn't hear her. "I hope you won't let yourself be fooled by your feelings..."
Just a few minutes later, they were back in the Forest Temple's main hall.
Ukyo looked around. "Nobody here!"
Link drew his blade. "I know she's here..." he murmured. "She's hiding... COME OUT, YOU COWARDLY GHOST!" he suddenly yelled. "I know you're here!"
Ukyo and the fairies covered their ears and winced from Link's sudden outburst. Ukyo was a bit shocked... never before has she seen her friend like this!
A purple-clad, female Poe came floating out of the ground. "No need to yell!" she said and rubbed her ears. "I may be dead, but I still can hear perfectly fine, you know?"
Link aimed the Master Sword at her. "Where's Saria?"
"Who? Oh, that Kokiri girl!" Asuka smirked. "I'm sure Lady Veran and the phantom are taking care of her just now. You wanna join her down there?"
"No..." Link grumbled. "I'm gonna rescue her and free this temple and the whole forest from you and all the other monsters!"
Asuka growled. "Monsters, you say?" she snarled. "I have been a member of Hyrule's richest families, and my father was a respected guest at the royal court... I won't let you disgrace my family name by calling me a monster!"
"Aw, come on!" Tatl huffed. "We all know you wouldn't be in Ganondorf's service if he hadn't promised you something. Most Poes are mindless beasts, enslaved by his dark magic... You and the other three Poe Sisters are different, you still have your free will!"
"You pesky little fairy..." Asuka grumbled.
"So what is it that Ganondorf promised you?" Link asked in a cold voice. "Power? Wealth?"
"Eternal Life!" Asuka proclaimed and raised her fist. "As a spirit, I can live on forever, and my beauty will remain untouched for centuries! Look at how ugly all the common Poes are... but not me!"
Ukyo looked the undead girl over and sweatdropped. "Um... beauty? I hate to say it, but every Dodongo will win any beauty contest against you!"
"WHAT DID YOU SAY?" Asuka screamed. "Ooooh, that does it... you will all DIE!"
She floated up in front of them, raised her arms to the side, seemed to concentrate... and all of a sudden, three identical copies of her split up from her form and surrounded the heroes.
"What?" Ukyo asked and drew her spatula. "How did she do this?"
"Be careful!" Navi said with a shaking voice. "I can't tell which is the right one..."
Asuka and her copies grinned. "So, what do you say now?" her spooky voice was coming from all directions at once. "Can you tell which one is the real me?"
"Oh, now what?" Tael groaned. "How can we win if we don't even know which is the real one?"
"Shut up and let the heroes do their job, bro," Tatl muttered. "We know how to deal with such opponents."
"W-well, if you say so..."
Link and Ukyo were standing back to back, their weapons drawn, and watched how the four identical, ghostly figures were circling them.
"You really know how to deal with her?" Ukyo whispered from the corner of her mouth.
Link shook his head. "Not yet... but every opponent has a weak point! And we have to find hers quickly, Saria is waiting!"
'Once again he mentions Saria,' Ukyo mentally sighed. "Link, forget about Saria for a moment and concentrate on the fight! We won't be able to find out the real one if you are constantly absent-minded."
"How can you say that?" Link snapped. "Isn't Saria your friend as well? Don't you want to save her? Do you plan to abandon her?" The last part he yelled out loud.
"Of course not!" Ukyo said firmly. "But we won't be able to save her if we let our feelings affect our actions. Stay calm, focus on the enemy and we'll be able to beat her easily."
Link took a deep breath and tried to relax. "Where did you hear that?" he murmured. "Sounds like something some wise guy would say..."
Ukyo smirked as she recalled her one and only visit of Death Mountain's peak. "A Great Fairy told me..."
Link smirked. "Well, then let's put that theory to the test, shall we?"
Ukyo nodded, and together, they carefully watched the floating spirit's movements.
"Now I've got you!" Asuka screamed in a shrill voice. "DIE!!"
"Ukyo, to your left!" Link shouted.
Ukyo twirled around her weapon, made an impressive leap, Asuka and her illusions were approaching them, raising the burning torch for the ending blow...
And then Ukyo's spatula came down on the original Asuka's head, smashing her downwards. A huge shockwave bursted forth from under the spatula as it was smacked down on the hard stone floor and made the three doubles disappear.
"I... I don't believe it..." Asuka choked from under the spatula. "How... how did you find out that I was... the real one?"
Ukyo smirked. "A true warrior observes his opponent and knows when to strike. You gave yourself away when you attacked, that's all!"
"Damn you..." Asuka muttered. "Just you wait... I will watch you from beyond the grave... and sooner or later, Ganondorf's servants will kill you! Just you wait!"
And then the female Poe dissolved into ghostly, purple flames, while her torch dropped to the ground.
Link caught it. "That makes four!" he said as he carried it over to the final torch that was surrounding the non-functional elevator that was leading down to the lower floor. He lighted it with the purple flame and...
Slowly, the elevator rose from the ground.
Ukyo stepped up next to her friend. "So... you ready to save our friend?" she smiled.
Link nodded with determination. "Yes, I am!" He then smiled back at her. "Thanks... I nearly lost my head back there. And that was a sweet attack... where did you learn it?"
Ukyo shouldered her spatula as she smirked at him. "A Great Fairy taught me!"
Link chuckled. "I have to meet a Great Fairy as well, one of these days..."
"Ukyo..." Tatl said. "Link... You two go on ahead! I'll stay here for now and make sure nothing happens to Tael."
"But sis, I don't wanna stay here! I want to save Saria, too..."
"And what do you plan to do?" she snapped. "Irritate the kidnappers by buzzing around their heads? Link and Ukyo will have their hands full with making sure Saria won't be harmed. They can't look after you all the time, so we'll just search for a nice place to hide until all of this is over."
"O-okay, Tatl..." Tael murmured.
"We'll make sure to come back as quickly as possible," Ukyo said. "Don't you worry!"
Tatl looked at her blue counterpart sternly. "Navi... you help them in my place! Got it?"
Navi nodded. "You can count on me!"
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(Posted Fri, 24 Aug 2007 11:28)
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