As soon as I enter the forest, Fi emerges from my sword to give me some more information about this strange new realm I am in.
"Master, you have entered Faron Woods."
Just then, the cheerful tune of Faron Woods kicks in, and I look up to see a massive tree stretching high into the sky in the distance, presumably in the center of the forest.
"It's beautiful…" I murmur. Fi nods.
"The plentiful water in this region clearly sustains a large diversity of flora, including this massive tree. It is logical that the lush plant life and water resources have attracted animal species to the region. I sense a change coming, so I look down at my map and find that my new area has been revealed on it.
"Looking at the probabilities, it is extremely likely that Zelda is somewhere in the area. I recommend you continue to use your dowsing ability to search for her."
"Understood. Thank you, Fi, I will."
She retreats into my blade, and with those words, I begin to explore the vibrant Faron Woods. Up ahead, I notice yet another bird statue, so I go ahead and save the game before I proceed any further. When I arrive at my first roadblock, a small cliff, I immediately jump across, grabbing hold of the convenient strand of rope tied to a branch above the cliff, and swing myself across. Knowing this area from my many playthroughs of the game, there will be several more instances of me using ropes to traverse difficult terrain. I continue forward until I find a wall of trees in my path. Drawing my sword, I slice through them all at once with a clean horizontal strike, felling them instantly. A flash of red up ahead indicates the presence of more of those bokoblins. Their grunts and screeches hit my ears as I approach. Just then, I realize why. On the ground between them is a plant. But not just any plant, because this plant… well, it's actually a creature.
"HEY!" I shout, raising my pristine blade against the bokoblins. They turn to look at me, gripping their weapons. The creature quivers. When the bokoblins run over to me, I dispatch them quickly. They never stood a chance. I slowly walk over to the little creature and kneel down. It sits up and looks up at me. What I now see is a small, pear-shaped mud-brown creature with a cream-colored tummy, a small swirly green stem sprouting from its forehead, beady black eyes, a pointy black nose, stubby limbs, and a large round plant bulb on its back. When threatened, these creatures can fall face-first onto the ground and open up the bulb to create a leafy fern on its back to disguise itself.
"Huh…? It's gone quiet," it says in a tiny, squeaky voice. Suddenly, it catches sight of me. It looks at me curiously. I smile at it, but it squeaks in terror and shakes violently.
"Oh, no, hey, it's okay!"
"Kwee-koo! Now there's a green one! I didn't even know they came in green!" it screams in its high-pitched pathetic voice. "Don't hurt me, koo-weep!" It starts to run away on its small, stubby legs. I raise a hand after it, watching it sprint away up a steep dirt path.
"Wait! It's all right, I'm a friend! I won't hurt you!"
The creature pauses, but quickly turns back around and runs out of sight. I sigh. Just then, Fi appears.
"Master, I picked up a highly interesting spike in dowsing readings from the creature you just encountered."
"Wait, really?"
"Yes, Master. Based on the creature's characteristics, I must conclude that it is a peaceful, forest-dwelling animal known as a Kikwi."
A Kikwi, huh? I never thought I'd meet one of these in the flesh…
"Kikwis are intelligent beings capable of speech. However, such a creature could obviously not be confused with Zelda. It is unclear why such a creature would elicit a dowsing response attuned to Zelda. You should follow the creature and investigate this phenomenon."
"I plan to. Thank you."
She vanishes once again and I sprint up the dirt path. At the end of it is a cliff edge, and down below is the Kikwi. It must hear my footsteps, because it turns around and screams again, running off. I chase after it, accidentally hitting my body against colorful, giant squishy mushrooms. When I do, I find that it was hiding behind them. It keeps running, and I continue chasing, only stopping for one moment to use an empty bottle in my pouch to collect some spores from a mushroom. Eventually, the Kikwi stops beneath a big tree, quivering. I slowly walk up to it, but it looks up and screams again.
"It spotted me again!" It falls on its face again, the fern on its back opening up again. "Kweeee!" It remains silent for a moment. I kneel on the grass and, reaching out a hand, I gently pet the Kikwi's head. It looks up at me, no longer shaking in fear.
"Huh? You don't want to… eat me? Kwee… And come to think of it, why did you fight off all those red monsters?"
"I'm a friend." I smile sweetly at the Kikwi. The little sounds it makes are quite cute.
"Kee-paleep! I'm Machi. I'm a Kikwi. You seem okay, even though you're scary. Thanks for helping me!"
"Of course, Machi. I am sorry I scared you." I pet his head again. He closes his eyes happily. After a moment, he scratches his head.
"That's weird, kee-koo. A little while ago, I ran into another funny animal like you, but that one was a girl."
"Who?" I ask.
"I don't know who she was, but she seemed to be in big trouble when I saw her. She a friend of yours, kwee?"
"Yes, she is."
"A pack of those mean red guys were after her, kwee, but she escaped with the Kikwi elder."
"Elder?" I ask. Just then, Fi emerges from my sword again. When Machi sees her, he screams again and falls on his face. Fi looks at him quizzically, then speaks.
"Master, we have obtained new information on Zelda's current status. This information indicates that she was assailed by monsters but somehow evaded capture. However, I infer that she is still in significant danger."
I open my map.
"I have marked the position of the Kikwi known as Machi. Please confirm your current location. Furthermore, my analysis suggests that this Kikwi most likely produces a false-positive dowsing reaction due to previous direct contact with Zelda. Using this hypothesis, I theorize there is an 85% chance that the Kikwi elder will also generate a dowsing reaction for the same reason. I propose you continue dowsing to search for Zelda."
After she disappears, Machi gets back up.
"You really spooked me, kwee… You keep some very strange company, friend."
Yeah, tell me about it…
"Kee-paleep… It sounds like you are set on finding this friend and the elder. If you're heading that way anyway, kwee, would you mind telling our elder that I'm safe?"
"Sure thing." My voice must sound sad, as Machi tilts his head while looking at me.
"Cheer up, koo-weep! I bet your friend is safe with our elder."
"Thank you. I truly hope so."
With that, I leave Machi behind in search of both the Kikwi elder and Zelda.
Something tells me I am going to encounter several more Kikwis along the way…
I run over to a nearby huge log and push it as hard as I can until it drops off an edge with a loud thunk. Underneath it, I find an Amber Relic; another one of the materials I can pick up along my journey. I put it in my pouch with the rest of my things. I then go along another route, running past a plant monster and up another dirt hill. At the top, I find a lovely, crystal-clear waterfall. Standing next to it is a red bokoblin. I slash at it with my sword, killing it. A tiny golden skull charm drops from it and I pick it up. It sparkles in the sunlight. I kill a few more bokoblins and monsters, then push another giant log over another edge, creating a path for me to return to the most recent bird statue whenever I need to. I save my game again, then once more rush off into the colorful, vibrant forest.
I wander around for what feels like hours and probably are hours. After collecting trinkets, battling strange monsters, and even stopping to eat delicious fruit hanging from the trees, I soon come across a strange sight. Lying face down in the center of a plateau covered in thick, rich green grass and a ring of tiny colorful flowers is… a giant Kikwi. He is much, much taller than I am, but the fern on his back is… quite small. I jump across a small ledge and grab a convenient piece of rope dangling from the nearby tree branch and swing across to meet him. I step into the flower circle and lightly tap his back with my hand. He jolts awake mid snore and stands up, turning around to face me. As I said, he is very tall, so he has to squint down at me. Unlike Machi, however, the elder has a very long brown mustache on his face. I smile awkwardly at him.
"Kweeeee-heee… I am Bucha, the Kikwi elder." His voice is much deeper than Machi's.
"Um… Hi."
I'm surprised he introduced himself so soon… Although I suppose considering his size, I wouldn't be nearly as much of a threat to him.
"I saw the way you spotted me through my ingenious camouflage."
Your what now…?
"Kweee, you are clearly a master woodsman."
"Oh, uh, thank you. So, um, have you… seen a girl wandering around here? Her name is Zelda. Do you know where she is?"
"Zelda…?" Just then, he remembers. "Ah, the girl creature with the blonde hair. She looked like one of your kind. Yes, she was with me, kweee."
"What happened to her?"
"But now is not the time for such talk… The woods are full of monsters. I am worried about my missing tribe. Kweeee… The shock and worry have made my memories of the girl quite hazy…"
"Ah, right, yes, about that…" I quickly explain the situation.
"What? You say you've met some of my people, kweee?"
"Yes, that's right."
"Kweee… So Machi is safe, eh? Ahhh, but the monsters! They are still lurking in the forest. I don't dare leave this spot. Three Kikwis are still unaccounted for. Could I ask you to search for them and make sure they are safe, kweee? I am worried sick for my fellow Kikwis. If you could calm my fears, I might be able to remember more about where the girl you seek went off to, kwee."
Fi emerges from my blade. Yet somehow, unlike Machi, Bucha is unafraid of her. He watches her speak.
"Learning that Zelda is no longer with the Kikwi elder is an unfortunate setback. But he may still have useful information. Taking this into account, I calculate an 85% probability that your quest will be aided if you find the lost Kikwis for the elder. To expedite your search for these forest-dwelling creatures, I have added Kikwis as a dowsing option."
"Oh, excellent. Thank you, Fi."
She quickly explains that she disabled the previous Kikwi's signature, so once I find one, I won't have to worry about accidentally finding them again. After that, she retreats, and I set off in search of the remaining Kikwis. The big tree nearby the elder has a small opening, so I crawl inside to find a vine path and several big yellow fruits. I break them with my sword and claim the rupees inside, then hop up the vines. At the top of the vines is a strong white rope path leading across a ravine. Luckily I can still see the bottom. Realizing I will have to tightrope walk across… well, let's just say I'm glad I have good balance. I place my right foot on the rope and hold my arms out. Unfortunately, there are a few sharp burrs attached to the rope. I push my weight down slightly more on the rope, hoping to and succeeding in shaking them off.
Once on the other side, I rush into a clearing. I spot a red bokoblin, only this one has a horn to summon more, which it promptly does. I am able to fend them all off without getting hit. Somehow.
After killing them, I hear a small voice call out to me.
"Kikwi!"
I look around for the source and soon find it. Sitting up in the tree in front of me is another Kikwi. This one has a softer, more feminine face (although I think it is also a boy) and three fan-shaped leaves sprouting from its head. He waves to me, quivering in fear.
"Are you okay?" I call, smiling warmly at him.
"You fought off all those red guys. So does that mean that you're… a good guy?"
"Yes, indeed I am."
"See, I've got this problem. My legs have turned to jelly, and I can't get down. Think you could help me, kwee?"
"Of course! One moment, okay?"
Fi appears.
"I detect no monsters in the immediate area and therefore conclude it is safe for the Kikwi to leave its perch. It seems that this Kikwi is unable to descend the tree. I suggest you find a way to expedite his dismount."
"I think I have an idea."
Noticing a vine attached to the tree, I roll into the tree to unravel it. Unfortunately, I do so a little too hard, causing the poor Kikwi to fall from the branch and land promptly on his face.
"Oh, no! I'm so sorry, are you okay?!" I hold out a hand to pet his head gently. He accepts the gesture with a happy hum and then stands up.
"Ouch! That, uh… was effective."
"Forgive me. I should have caught you."
"Anyway, thanks to you I'm saved, kee-paleep!"
"Thank goodness you're all right!"
"Really? The elder was worried about me? Well, I'm glad to hear he's safe, kwee-koo. My name's Lopsa. If you see the elder, can you please tell him where I am? Oh kwee… My legs are still shaking."
"Oh, you poor thing…" I murmur. I open my arms to Lopsa and envelop him in a hug to help him feel better. He wraps his tiny little arms around me and chirps happily. Fi appears once again, accidentally scaring him.
"I have marked the location of Lopsa the Kikwi on your map. However, dowsing readings indicate there are still Kikwis to search for." She disappears without another word.
"I thought you were another monster. Don't scare me like that, koo-kwee!"
"I'm sorry. She tends to pop out at random but she won't hurt you. I promise." With that, I go off on my way. I grab hold of the vine that unfolded, pull myself up it, and swing to the next platform. Now, I finally notice something I haven't yet seen, something I will need to remember.
Wait, is that… a temple?
I rush over to the steps, avoiding attacks from birds, and then look around at my surroundings. I notice a tall platform nearby that has a trail of vines leading up to it. If I climb, I have a feeling I'll find another Kikwi hiding up there. I put away my sword and rush up some of the rock formations until I reach the vine cluster. Grabbing hold of the leaves, I climb up the wall until I find myself on top of the platform. I hear familiar squeaking sounds, so I slowly walk over to the cluster of tall grass. Drawing my sword, I cut down the grass until the only thing remaining is the fern on top of yet another Kikwi. I watch him slowly crawl around, adjusting his hiding place, until he finally stops. I pet him on the head to let him know I am there. This one has a tiny mustache made of little leaves and a soft facial expression. He has two small branches with leaves poking out the top of his head.
"I've been discovered! And here I thought I had a good hiding place, kwee…"
"No worries. You still did. It took me a moment to find you."
"I'm Erla. You won't find another Kikwi in these woods that's half as good at hiding as I am. Except the elder, of course. Kwee!"
No, you're um… you're better. Trust me.
"Speaking of the elder…" I explain the situation to him while Fi marks his location on my map. He too is not afraid of her.
"You met the elder? And he's okay? Phew, glad to hear it, kwee! If you see him again, would you please tell him I'm here?"
"Of course."
I jump from the ledge and onto a clearing below, rolling out of it to avoid hurting myself. I then spring back into the air and slam the edge of my blade into the skull of an unfortunate red bokoblin, killing it instantly. I backflip and spin around, swinging my sword into the other bokoblin behind me. Once they are dead, I hurry off again. I crawl through another small opening and find a path leading up into the giant tree in the center of the forest. I follow the path and then notice something on one of the large fungi attached to the tree's trunk that I didn't notice before; a red heart embedded in while filigree.
A piece of heart! If I get three more of these, my max health will increase.
"I must have it," I say to myself. Slowly placing my feet along the taut rope, I make my way across and claim my prize. I then go back the way I came and continue wandering until I find a hole in the ground. I backflip into it and fall until I land in a hero pose at the bottom. After taking a moment to get my bearings, I follow the narrow path to a small tree. A golden fruit hangs from it, and beneath that fruit is the last Kikwi. I reach a hand out to pet him too. He stirs, then pops up and screams.
"Don't eat me! I taste TERRIBLE! Let me go, kwee!"
"It's okay, little guy. I'm a friend of the elder." I smile at him. He has a mohawk of leaves on his head and a pointy nose.
"Huh? The elder was worried about me? I'm glad to hear he's safe, kwee! I'm Oolo. If you meet the elder, tell him I'm here, kee-paleep! I don't know if it's safe yet… I'm going to stay here awhile longer and wait for those monsters to go away."
"All right. Take care of yourself, okay?"
Fi emerges from my sword, frightening the little Kikwi.
"I am not detecting any additional dowsing responses in the area. I suggest you go speak with the Kikwi elder." She disappears as soon as she arrives.
"What WAS that just now, kwee? Don't scare me like that!"
"It's okay, Oolo." I pet his head again, then begin to make my way back to the elder's location. Luckily, he is easy to spot due to his large size. When I return, he greets me with a hearty laugh.
"Kwee! So all my fellow Kikwis are well. And they want me to stop worrying? Aha, excellent! They know me too well. You have a real talent for finding whatever is missing, kweee. I don't know who you are or where you come from, but you have my thanks. Kwee hee hee, I feel much less worried now! I believe I just remembered where that young lady went! That young girl…Zelda—was that her name? Yes… it's all coming back to me. She said she had to travel to the temple deep within these woods, kweee… Oho! I tried to warn her about how dangerous it was there, but the clever little thing vaulted off my belly and ran off on her own just the same." He looks off in the direction of the temple. "I think she headed down that way toward the temple, kwee… but be sure to take great care if you follow her. That area is crawling with monsters. Oho! I almost forgot, kwee!"
"Huh? What is it?"
"As a reward for finding all my fellow Kikwis, I will give you a precious Kikwi heirloom."
A Kikwi heirloom? What could that be…?
"Let me just fetch it for you right now, kweee. Pardon me a moment…" I look up at him curiously, then panic as I realize he is about to fall right on top of me!
"AHH!" I hurriedly jump out of the way as he collapses to the ground with a thud. The fern on his back opens up to reveal…
Wait… is that a… slingshot?
I climb up on top of the Kikwi elder and wrap my fingers around the slingshot's handle. The wood beneath my fingers is smooth and strong and smells faintly of paint. I pocket it and the ammo—Deku seeds—and slide off the elder's back. He stands back up.
"With that slingshot, kwee, you should be able to find a path into the Deep Woods where that temple is. To get started, why don't you shoot that vine over—Huh?" He realizes the vine he's looking at is already loose. "Couldn't wait to shoot it, could you? Well, kwee… I suppose that's a good thing. It will make my explanation that much easier to understand. Now go find that girl! I'll be rooting for you. Kwee heh heh."
"Thank you, Bucha."
I start running as fast as I can toward the temple. I pick up stamina fruits along the way and eat them so I don't wear myself out. I also grab yellow fruits from the trees, collecting seeds from their bright, sticky flesh. As I draw near to the top of the temple, Fi emerges. She hovers beside the nearby bird statue.
"Master, I highly suggest you save the progress of your quest before you set out for the temple deep within the woods in pursuit of Zelda."
Once she leaves, I raise my hands to the bird statue and save my game. Then, I continue on my way. I start towards the entrance to the temple which is shrouded in darkness. A vine is entwined around a branch above my head. I step back and, placing a Deku seed in my slingshot's pouch, fire it at the vine. It unravels, now hanging limply in front of me. I grasp it with both hands, hoist myself up, and swing my body upwards until I clear the cliff face before me, and jump up. Now, nothing stands between me and the temple entrance. I step forward, my hand on my sword handle. As I walk into the darkness, I stop for a moment; I sense a presence behind me.
Yet when I turn around, I see nothing… other than a cluster of faint, magical diamonds.
He's here.