Richard had everyone give him room as he stitched the cuts closed and he often called for someone with a bottled fairy. He had to work quickly if he wanted Beat to stay with them.
"I need a fairy right now! Navi don't even say it!" he barked.
Link ran up with three bottled fairies and released all of them towards Beat, but they all went away from him.
"Damn it! Why won't the fairies heal him?!?" growled Link.
"We feel dark energy coming from him." sighed Navi. "Your sword from that mask left dark power inside him keeping us fairies away from him. Even if we could help him though, I doubt our magic would help."
"This is all my fault!" cried Malon.
"No, don't blame yourself!" hushed Penny. "He tried to keep everyone safe, he probably planned for Link to do that."
"Why would he do that?" spat Alice.
"He never wants people to be hurt, he'd rather get more scars than injure a friend." snapped Peter. "He fought an entire pirate crew to save our town, unarmed! And he hardly knew us then!"
"He did fight Forvalgia to protect the Kokiri." added Archer.
"And kept Ace from doing anything serious to us." nodded Ivy.
"He did all that to keep us safe, when we were strangers to him, and so he risked his life to keep two safe." concluded Link.
"Right." agreed the crowd of friends.
"Hey, he moved!" laughed Richard.
"Urgh, is Malon alright?" groaned Beat keeping his eyes shut.
"She's fine. Just relax and try to sleep." breathed Richard.
"Is Link okay too?" moaned Beat.
"I'm right here buddy, I'm ok." nodded Link.
"That's good." sighed Beat. "Which Sage Warrior should we awaken next?"
"We're not leaving until you're better." replied Kai wiping sweat from Beat's face.
"But my people!" groaned Beat opening his eyes.
"You'll be no help to them in this state!" barked Gwen. "You can hardly open your own eyes, let alone stand up! If you tried at this moment you'd be killed!"
"Gwen?" gasped Alice.
"She's right." sighed Strafe. "We can't follow an injured man into battle. Besides I doubt the lot of us will manage. We have how many people? Sixteen? A lot of good sixteen versus an army of controlled Gerudo, and this freaking Bone Soldiers."
"Big Brother?" gasped Ai.
"Not to mention Jacob and Edmund." added Travie. "The Dragon Master, and Envious Ed!"
"Those are stupid names." yawned Beat.
This evoked laughter from the friends there. Beat drifted back to sleep as the conversation continued.
"He's so peaceful right now." sighed Malon.
"I wish he'd told us. Then we wouldn't have thought he was insane." muttered Reggi.
"Hey! Be quiet! He did what he did to keep us from worrying!" shouted Ivy.
"Right, sorry." apologized Reggi.
As Beat woke up he felt gentle bumps rocking him.
"Where are we?" yawned Beat.
"We're in Hyrule Field." cooed Penny.
"Link used his wish to get an extra cart full of supplies for our trip." added Ivy. "Now we've got four carts. One for food, one for equipment, one for medical treatment, and one to carry everyone."
"So I'm in the medical cart?" groaned Beat.
"That's right buddy." called Richard over his shoulder.
"So far we're just riding four per cart. You, Penny, Richard and I are obviously in the medical cart with you. In the equipment cart we've got Kai, Link, Vak, and Reggi. In the food cart is Peter, the Shade siblings, and Travie. And in the other cart is Gwen Archer, Ai, and Strafe." explained Ivy.
"Where's Skull Kid and Malon?" grunted Beat.
"Skull Kid left with Tatl and Tael to go back home. Malon was dropped off back at Lon Lon Ranch while you slept." answered Penny.
"Yeah, and now we're headed for Lake Hylia." added Richard.
"We've got to stop, looks like a storms brewing." called Link.
"Great, just what we need with Beat injured." muttered Ivy.
Beat sighed and closed his eyes. He knew he should rest to let his body recover. Right as he was drifting off to sleep he heard loud shouts. He tried to sit upright but his body was in too much pain to move.
"This can be resolved quickly. Hand over Grimsley, and the rest of you move on." shouted an unfamiliar voice.
"Why should we trust you?" shouted Kai. "All we know is that you're unarmed!"
"Because, I've got quite a few friends." laughed the stranger.
"Just who are you anyway?" challenged Strafe.
"I'm Clovis Hutl, and I have been ordered to retrieve Grimsley by my king." announced the attacker.
"Stop!" shouted Beat hoarsely. "At least let me see him, I think I should decide if I go with him."
"No, you're too important!" growled Richard. "You've got that Antriforce to protect!"
"Shut up Richard! I want you all to stay safe. I can't risk anyone getting hurt." cried Beat.
"Vak, help Beat out of the cart." ordered Richard.
"But…" gasped Alice.
"It's his decision." growled Richard. "Let him make it."
Beat was lifted by the Vakan and was turned to face the attacker. He saw Clovis and saw he was Hylian, or at least half-Hylian half-human. He had black hair and green eyes, and wore a white collared shirt. He had two gold rings on either hand, one on his index finger, and one on his ring finger. He also had two earrings on his left ear. He had a bored expression as he observed Beat.
"I'll go with you." nodded Beat.
"What?!?" gasped all of the riders in the carts.
"Hmph, that didn't take long." yawned Clovis. "Fine then, Jacob drop him off where our lord wants him." he ordered snapping his fingers.
Jacob appeared next to Vak and grabbed Beat's good shoulder. "Trust me, I'd rather heal him and kill him when he's fully up to strengh. I'm the prideful one, so trust me." he growled.
"If you hurt him I'll…" shouted Ivy.
"We are going to heal him. This is a surprise to us as much as you. I was ordered to halt your advance and take Grimsley to a special place." yawned Clovis. "Now hurry up, I am growing impatient."
"I'll be alright, trust me." stated Beat. "Now let's go."
"I hope you're ready to finally meet Skull King face to face." laughed Jacob.
Jacob snapped his fingers and he and Beat were swallowed by a yellow spiral. The carts were left perfectly unharmed, but Clovis still remained.
"You said we could go on if Beat went with you!" growled Link.
"I know. I'm just waiting for a friend." laughed Clovis.
"Sorry for keeping you waiting." cackled a strange voice. Suddenly Clovis's shadow rose and revealed a tall figure. The shadows fell back to leave a man wearing a strange fish shaped helmet.
"You kept me waiting too long Zant!" growled Clovis.
"Sorry Lord Hutl, but starting an uprising isn't easy." apologized the man apparently named Zant.
"So we now have full cooperation of the Twili?" asked Clovis.
"Yes sir." nodded Zant.
"Good, bring about the Twilight, and let your creatures roam!" laughed Clovis snapping his fingers. Clovis vanished in a flash of lightning, leaving Zant in front of the carts.
"Just what the hell is that on your head?" growled Allen.
"That is not your concern, you should worry about Twilight!" laughed Zant jumping up and down.
"Everyone go now!" warned Richard. He stirred his horses into running and pulled Vak onto his cart.
As the carts rode off the dark clouds over Lake Hylia thundered. And squares filled the sky as strange beasts fell from strange portals in the sky.
"These things are crazy! Where are the faces?" shouted Archer firing an arrow at one chasing after them.
"I don't know, but they seem to be able to take a punch!" called Kai drawing his sword out of the head of one.
Link felt like someone was waiting for him in the strange sky that was following them. He drew his sword and jumped out of the cart.
"Link are you crazy?!?" shouted Gwen.
"I'll stay behind and distract these things! You all go find a safe place!" hollered Link.
"Idiot." muttered Richard. "Reggi, Travie, go help Link!" shouted Richard.
"Oi!" nodded Reggi jumping out of his cart.
Travis drew his hatchet and jumped onto the back of one of the monsters. "Way ahead of ya!" he laughed.
"You die, and I'll kill you!" warned Peter.
"Right!" called Link and his two teammates.
Reggi pulled two bombs out and lit them, a smile growing on his face. "Ready?" he lauhed.
"Born ready." growled Travie playfully.
"Let's do this!" roared Link.
Beat felt a sharp pain in his shoulder as Jacob pushed down on it.
"Quit moving around, the bone was dislocated, so I have to reset it." he growled.
"Let me do it!" offered Clovis.
"Shut up!" barked Jacob.
"Idiot, let me do this." growled a raspy voice.
"Skull King I presume?" winced Beat.
"Very good. Let dark magic heal what dark magic caused." cackled the skeletal man.
"How can I trust you?" growled Beat. "I doubt you left my friends safe."
"He catches on quickly." laughed Clovis.
"Bastards!" shouted Beat trying to get up.
"We won't let anything happen. I swear on my honor." vowed Jacob.
"If he swears on that he won't allow any of us to interfere." yawned Edmund.
"Now sit still." ordered Skull King.
He spread his arms as crimson energy crawled across Beat's body. It kept moving until his entire body was covered, and then seeped into his skin. As it was absorbed into his body Beat felt the pain leaving him. He began to move the parts of his body that were no longer covered in the strange magic. He tried moving his injured shoulder and sighed in relief when he was rewarded with full cooperation from it.
"Now, as for your payment." laughed Clovis walking up to Beat. "You will be going on a vacation to a place far from Hyrule."
"What?!?" gasped Beat. He tried to grab one of his captors, but Clovis snapped his fingers before he had the chance.
Lightning struck Beat and left the table be laid on completely empty. Edmund walked off leaving Clovis with the two holders of the Antriforce.
"You sent him where we wanted you to, right?" growled Jacob.
"Of course, Termina Field, south of Clock Town." yawned Clovis. "Oh man, I need to get something to eat, I'm starving."
"I'm amazed you manage to stay that thin after eating so often." muttered Jacob.
"He was a glutton before I found him, now that's he has power he is even more gluttonous. This is why he is Gluttony." laughed Skull King.
"Oh stop, you're making me blush." laughed Clovis walking off.
"Are you sure we should send him to find those two?" whispered Jacob.
"Trust me, if he finds the him then we could get rid of him and Grimsley before they awaken his powers." reassured Skull King.
"And the girl?" added Jacob.
"She will be able to work on the inside and plant mistrust among the entire group of them." responded the king.
"So the Water Sage Warrior, and another of your Sins. Which will he find first?" laughed Jacob.
Beat woke to find a man leaning over him, checking his pockets.
"Jeez, this kid's got a ton of cash on him!" muttered the man.
"Excuse me, but what the hell are you doing?" growled Beat.
"Oh crap you're awake!" shouted the man running off.
Beat felt his pockets and found his rupees all gone. Beat gritted his teeth and ran after the thief.
"Bastard! Get back here and face ms like a man!" he shouted.
The guard who watched the gate to the Southern Swamp heard the shouts and alerted his fellow guards. When word reached Captain Viscen he smiled inwardly.
"Setton the Prancing Thief, you're finally going to face your crimes!" he laughed.
"Setton?" asked a young man walking into the office.
"Ah, such a pleasure it is to see you…"
"Save it Captain, you have a lead on Setton?" growled the man.
"Yes sir, we finally have a lead. Ever since he changed the location of his hideout our trail has grown cold. But there is a young man chasing after him on foot." explained Viscen.
"I'm coming with you, I want to catch that thief with my own hands!" laughed the young man.
"Very well, follow me sir." nodded the captain.
Beat ran as fast as he could, trying to catch the thief. For some reason his prancing made him faster.
"Damn it!" he growled. "Wait, those are trees! Perfect." he laughed.
He made a sharp turn and ran at an angle that would have him enter the trees from another point. When he reached the trees he leapt towards one and kicked off the trunk to reach higher branches. He continued to leap from bough to bough trying to catch up with the thief.
"I will catch you damn it! I can't wait till I get my hands on you Setton!" roared a voice running towards the trees.
"Eh?" gasped Beat looking towards the voice.
He saw a man with purple hair rushing towards the thief.
"Setton? Why is that name familiar?" muttered Beat. "Ah well, I'm sure it will come back to me. As for now, Give me my damn money!"
The pursuit lasted quite a few hours and Beat had grown worried. He didn't know his way around this area, so he had no clue where civilization was. He couldn't even hear the shouts of the other man. Soon he spotted Setton walking up to a cliffside surrounded by thick marsh grass.
"Great, I'm in a swamp now." groaned Beat. "What's that?" He noticed a red balloon floating by, and hanging from it was a rather small child.
"Hmm, this area isn't on Tingle's maps, Tingle must add this!" cheered the child.
"Hmmm, I wonder." thought Beat.
Viscen panted in exhaustion as well as his fellow off duty guards. They had given up chasing after their leader.
"Viscen," panted one of the guards. "Why do we have to chase after Setton with Kafei?"
"So he doesn't get lost or hurt. What would Madame Aroma do if Kafei went missing again?" snapped the Captain.
"I wonder how far he got now that he stopped shouting." muttered another guard.
Kafei shoved through the underbrush and soon found his hated enemy prancing in front of a cliff.
"Still has the same qualities as his lair in Ikana Canyon." muttered Kafei. He looked up when he branches rattling.
"I've got you now thief!" shouted a boy jumping from a tree.
The boy stepped onto the balloon holding Tingle in the air and kicked off towards the cliff side. Tingle's balloon popped and he fell to the ground. Kafei ran and caught him, and after assuring the mapmaker was safe he turned his attention to Setton.
"There's nowhere to run Setton!" laughed Kafei.
"Oh shit, the town guards are here too?" gasped Setton tying to slide up he cliffside.
"Give me back what you stole." growled the boy pushing the thief towards Kafei.
"Huh?" gasped Setton as he stumbled towards Kafei, who held him with a tight grip.
"Now, what did you plan to do? Add this kid's treasure to the hoard of trinkets you've stolen?" questioned Kafei.
"No no no! It was just a game! I didn't want to keep his money!" cried Setton. "Please let me go! I've done nothing wrong!"
"Pathetic. You stole my wedding ceremony mask when I was cursed. You stole from this boy. You are a criminal and you must pay for your crimes." spat Kafei.
"Ah, there you are Sir!" hollered Viscen running up with the rest of the guards. "Sorry, we need more training. I see you've caught the thief."
"Yeah, thanks to this young man." laughed Kafei. "Return his money, and if you try anything funny I will break your arm!"
Setton shakily pulled out the boy's wallet and returned it to him.
"Thank you sir." nodded the boy towards Kafei.
"No problem. Viscen take Setton to prison. I will escort this boy to where ever it is he was headed." nodded Kafei.
"Yes sir." saluted the captain. He had several guards tie Setton's legs together so they had to carry him.
"Alright, now where were you headed?" laughed Kafei.
"I don't know. I just woke up in that field and had him taking my money." sighed the boy.
"Hmm, where are you from?" asked Kafei.
"I'm from Hyrule, my name is Beat Grimsley."
"Hyrule? You'll probably say no, but do you know a boy named Link?" gasped Kafei.
"Yeah, I was with him before I…" started Beat. "before I blacked out." he lied.
"So you do know him!" cheered Kafei. "Alright you're coming with me, I've got just the place for you to stay."
"Wait where am I?" asked Beat as Kafei dragged him through the swamp.
"You my friend are in Termina, and I am taking you to the Stockpot Inn in Clock Town. You will love it there. Carnival is just around the corner, and I've got a room reserved for a special guest. And you young sir, will get to be my special guest." laughed the man.
"Termina?" gasped Beat recalling Link's tale of how he repeated three days over and over until he had successfully freed all four giants to stop the moon.
Kafei laughed when he noticed Beat looking up trying to see a moon hovering right over them.
"Haha, relax. The moon isn't invited to this Carnival." reassured Kafei.
"Alright. If you say so." muttered Beat.
