Blood and Spirit

When I emerge from the front of the temple, I hear a familiar chirp. I look down the steps to see Machi standing there. I'm not quite sure how he made it out this far, but I am happy to see him nonetheless.

"Hey! It's me, kwee! Did you find the girl?"

"I'm afraid not."

"Oh. That's too bad." He scratches his head. "But it sounds like you at least know where you need to search next to find her, kwee. That's… something, right?"

"Yeah. I've found a way to reach another area under the clouds."

"Good! I'm so glad I've finally been reunited with all my Kikwi friends. It's all thanks to you, koo-weep! With any luck, hopefully you'll find that girl you've been searching for real soon, koro-koo! Take care, okay?"

My heart aches at that last line.

Rosa used to say that to Cecil…

He looks at me for a moment; he must've noticed the change in my expression. I quickly hide my tears and smile at him. He then runs off. I walk over to the bird statue and pray. Suddenly, a gust of wind swallows me up and sends me spiraling toward the sky, my sailcloth billowing in the breeze. When I pass through the clouds, I use my strength to rip myself free from the column of light and fall freely through the air. I whistle loudly, summoning my bird to me. Catching my bird's feathers in midair, I ride off to Skyloft, waiting until I am just above the goddess statue before jumping off. I land perfectly in the center of the ornate pattern below my feet then rush inside the statue. Stepping up to the pedestal containing the stone tablets, I slowly slide the stone tablet I received into the pedestal. Immediately, my senses kick in; I know that a new column of light, a red one, has broken through the cloud barrier.

"Master, I have confirmed the location of a second opening in the cloud barrier. It is located in the skies to the northeast. This opening will allow you to access a new area on the surface. I suggest you fly there as soon as you complete necessary preparations."

"I will. Thank you, Fi."

She returns to my blade. With new hope, I rush out of the statue. Sprinting through the courtyard and out of the gate, I soon slow to a stop when I hear a woman's voice calling out.

"Kukiel! Kukiel! Where could that child have gone?! Oh, Kukiel… Where did you go? What will I do if she's been… kidnapped?!"

I walk over to the woman and place a hand on her shoulder.

"Everything okay?" I ask. She turns around. Her bright, wide eyes have tears in them. Her short brown hair sticks up from both sides like a little cat's airplane ears. She wears a soft pink shirt with loose-fitting blue capri pants, sandals, and a blue bracelet on each wrist.

"Oh! Adrienne! What perfect timing! You haven't seen my Kukiel, have you?"

"I'm sorry, I haven't."

"I… I see." She clutches her hands to her chest, lowering her gaze. "Please, Adrienne, won't you help me look for her? I've been looking everywhere, but I can't find her!"

"Of course. Have you asked anyone around town as to her whereabouts?"

"I've asked everyone I could find for help, and a few people have said she's been spotted with some unknown person with a scary face. Someone else even said they thought they'd seen her carried off by a monster. A monster!" She panics, tears streaming down her face again. My eyes soften. "She must have been kidnapped! She's so cute and friendly… Someone must have just walked off with her!" She grips my shirt. "Find Kukiel, please! Please! It breaks my heart to think she's somewhere out there, crying! Please, Adrienne!"

I smile gently at her, taking her hands in mine.

"I will. I promise."

"Thank you! The Knight Academy should be proud to have a student like you. Please, find my daughter quickly!" She turns around and goes back to calling out her daughter's name as loudly as she can. "Oh, my sweet Kukiel… Please… find my daughter before anything bad happens to her. If something happened… I just… I don't know what I would do."

I leave her be and set off into Skyloft. Her description of a monster reminds me of something the old man at the Lumpy Pumpkin had been rambling about.

I think I need to go talk to him.

But first, I have a pit stop that I have to make. Having ventured through the Skyview Temple, I remember that the Bazaar has some brand new merchandise for me to purchase. I rush through town, picking up Stamina Fruits and biting into them along the way. The sweet, slightly sour taste spreads through my mouth. I soon arrive inside the Bazaar, where the familiar friendly shopkeeper eagerly hurries over to me.

"Ahaa! I've got some new gear in stock to show you, friend."

"Let's see it."

"Available now, you can purchase an iron shield and a small seed satchel. I hope they meet with your approval!"

"I'll take the shield. How much?"

"100 rupees!"

"Deal." I fork over the rupees and he happily places the iron shield into my hands. Unlike the wooden shield I'd been using, this one is rectangular in shape and has two bird's feet painted on it in white. He tells me that this shield is strong and won't burst into flames. However, it is much more susceptible to electrical attacks. Considering what lies ahead battle-wise, I will have to be careful.

"Ahaa! The customer is always right!" he says cheerfully. I thank him and decide to pay a visit to Peatrice. I walk over to her stand where she leans on the counter with a bored expression on her face. She has blonde hair done up in pigtails underneath a white hair wrap and wears a green dress with orange spots.

"Hello… and welcome to the Item Check. Want to put stuff from your pouch into storage? Okay. Want to take something out of storage? That's fine. So is there anything in your pouch or in storage that you want to move?"

"Yes, please."

"All right. Let's see it."

I hand her my old, banded shield.

"Okay. Thank you. Come again…" She sighs.

I walk away, slinging my new iron shield over my back. I look over my shoulder at her and she waves at me absentmindedly.

How ironic that this girl, though she seems bored out of her mind now, later comes to fall head over heels in love with me.

I cannot say I remember what exactly I'll end up doing that triggers this change, but I do know that when she does… well, it'll be interesting.

With that, I leave the Bazaar. Next stop; the Lumpy Pumpkin. As I run through town, I notice one of the townsfolk lost in thought. I approach her.

"Something wrong?"

"Did you hear? A child who'd been playing in the graveyard went missing. Can you believe it? Do you really think there are monsters abducting children in our little town?"

"...maybe."

"What?! So there's a chance she was dragged off by a monster? Let's not be ridiculous here. This monster business is going a bit far."

"Agreed."

Yet with the things I've seen, you have no idea…

"Oh… Now that you mention it, there's an old man who lives near here who's always ranting about hidden monsters here in Skyloft… Everyone knows he's a little loony, though, so no one takes him seriously."

"I need to speak with him."

"Ah. Well, I'd imagine he's still at the Lumpy Pumpkin to the east of here if you do. Good luck."

I bid her farewell and continue on my path. As I make for the nearest platform to jump off of, I look to my left, slowing down as I notice the very graveyard she had been speaking of. I'll find Kukiel. And that monster? Well… that's a more complicated situation. I resume my pace and leap over the edge, summoning my loftwing to me. We ride off toward the Lumpy Pumpkin. This time around, I decide to try something. I fly way up over the building before dismounting. As I fall through the air, tiny, colorful flying squirrels gather around me; only a few at first but the further I descend, the more join me. Once I collect enough, I am given 20 rupees. I soon land on the roof of the Lumpy Pumpkin where I find the other goddess chest that I'd forgotten about. I kneel down and open it. Inside lies…

A gold rupee?! But that's worth… 300 rupees!

I hold the magnificent gem in my hands for a moment, admiring its rich, golden beauty, before pocketing it. I jump down off the roof and circle the building until I reach the entrance. I then push open the doors. I immediately approach the old man. He looks at me for a long moment before speaking.

"You have that gullible look that says you might take an old man's ramblings seriously.

Gullible…?

"So tell me… Do you believe in the Skyloft monster? I shouldn't even call it a monster! It's a demon, I tell ya! But no one can say fer sure because no one's seen it and lived to tell the tale!"

"How… do you know about it then?"

"Wha-huh? You wanna know how come I'm tellin' the tale if nobody who's seen it is left alive? Is that it?"

"Y… Yeah."

"Yeah, well… I saw it, but I was able to escape by the seat of my pants. I was saved by my catlike reflexes, I tell ya! Any regular person wouldn't have lived long enough to scream! Anyway, I saw the thing, I tell ya! There's a great big tree in the cemetery. I walked by that tree in the middle of the night and… I saw it hit the gravestone nearest the tree, and the gravestone lit up! It pushed the gravestone, and the door to the storage shed opened up all by itself… The monster then went into the shed and then… it closed the door behind itself, which was unexpectedly polite for a demon… It was the most terrifying thing these old eyes have ever seen! If you're smart, you'll stay clear of the cemetery in the middle of the night!"

The old man tires of his tale and goes back to his soup. I leave him be and exit the Lumpy Pumpkin. Although he may be a bit crazy, he has given me invaluable information.

I jump off the edge and onto my loftwing. Soaring through the sky, I return to Skyloft. I'll need to rest up before going to the graveyard. Luckily, I know a woman who will let me stay in her house for the evening. I open the door to her house.

Upon closing the door behind me, I immediately begin coughing. A thick layer of dust and spider webs covers most of the inside of the house. I'll later help her clean her house, but I'm not at that point yet.

Stepping across the dust on the floor, I sit down on a chair to catch my breath. A woman with shoulder-length wavy brown hair, a flowy orange blouse, and a floor-length pale pink skirt smiles at me.

"Hi, Adrienne. Are you tired? You look beat."

"Yeah, a little bit."

"I know how you feel! I'm always up for a quick nap. You just make yourself at home."

"Thank you, ma'am."

I decide to lie down on the guest bed and sleep; not until morning, but rather through the evening until the moon has risen. I unlatch my shield and set it down so it rests against the bedframe. I then climb into the bed and close my eyes.

I sense the woman turn out the lights. I wish I knew her name so I could properly thank her for her hospitality.

After several hours of surprisingly dreamless sleep, I wake up and sling my shield over my back. Quietly making my way to the door, the woman calls after me.

"Leaving already, Adrienne? If you see Pipit out on patrol, make sure you wave and say hello!"

Now I remember; she's Pipit's mother, the handsome young knight from the academy I spoke to before Zelda's disappearance.

I nod to her and leave the house.

Upon arriving outside, a chill washes over me. Somehow, being outside in the dark is both comforting and frightening. I do not fear the "monster" here. I fear something, or rather someone, much much worse.

I head for the graveyard nearby. All of the words on the tombstones have mostly faded now, so I can't read who is buried beneath. I reflect on the old man's words…

Okay, so I need to strike the gravestone beneath the giant tree and then move it.

I wander over to the tree and, drawing my sword, slam my blade into the nearest one. A dim pattern of light resembling a demon's horns glows on the stone. I lean my body against it and push. It shifts under my weight. Suddenly, the large wooden door to the storage shed opens. Inside is a square hole in the ground with a ladder leading down below. I walk over and descend.

Here we go…

Lightly gripping the sides of the ladder, I allow my feet to slip out of the rungs and I slide all the way down. When I land, I am quite surprised as to where I find myself. I now stand on a rickety wood bridge leading somewhere underneath Skyloft. I can see the edge of a waterfall fading into oblivion across the way. I walk across the bridge, trying desperately not to look down.

They said this place is for storage, but… how exactly do you store something here…?

When I reach the end of the bridge, I hear a child's scream. I immediately draw my sword and, raising my foot, kick open the door to the strange little house in front of me. I stand in a dimly lit room with various framed paintings of demons on the walls. Tattered banners hang from the ceiling, as well as tiny skulls with glowing eyes. And, at the back of the room stands a creature with large, bat-like wings covered in tattered cloth, long red horns, and black robes. It has its back to me. Sensing my presence, the demon slowly turns around and steps forward to meet me. I grip my sword tightly. The demon has long, blood-red claws and small beady eyes mostly hidden by gold markings on its face. It growls at me, baring its sharp teeth. Just as it is about to attack, I raise my sword in response, ready to strike. Suddenly, to my shock, the demon cowers away.

"Stop! Please! I beg of you… don't hurt me!"

"...what?"

"Oh goodness, I know how bad this must look to you right now, but I assure you I mean no harm! We were just playing the scream-as-loud-as-you-can game!"

"Wait… huh?"

"Isn't that a fun game…? Oh, dear… Perhaps an explanation is in order! My name is Batreaux, and I am a monster who resides here in this humble dwelling below Skyloft. But please allow me to correct one popular misconception. While I'm certainly a monster, I wouldn't dream of terrorizing the people of this town!"

"...really?"

"You see, this adorable little girl is the only one who didn't let loose a blood-curdling scream at the sight of me! Since she began to visit me here, I've felt positively jubilant! You see, my heart's only wish is to become friends with the lovely people of Skyloft."

"...sorry?"

"But as you can surely imagine, it has proven quite difficult to break the ice when they are struck with paralyzing fear at the mere sight of me! I assure you, nothing would fill my heart with joy more than to be friends with the fine people of this town. But as soon as I try to approach any of them and extend my claw in friendship, they run and scream as though they've seen a walking nightmare! Oh, right… Silly me. I've gotten ahead of myself! You see, there's an old tale among my monstrous kin that goes as follows…"

"Yeah?"

"It seems that when humans make other humans happy, the happy humans produce a substance known as a Gratitude Crystal. Gratitude Crystals are quite amazing! Just looking at them and knowing there was such gratitude in the world could turn me from a monster into a human!"

"Incredible!"

"Oh goodness, nothing would delight me more than to become a human! From the moment I laid my regrettably demonic eyes on you, I could tell you had a gentle and generous heart. Won't you please gather Gratitude Crystals and show them to me?"

"Sure."

"Truly?! You'll help me?! I've heard that you can obtain pure Gratitude Crystals by helping people solve their troubles! They could also be merely lying about here in Skyloft or elsewhere among the clouds… anywhere you find people! I'm sure someone with a heart as pure and genuine as yours will be able to see them. Please, solve some troubles and gather me all the Gratitude Crystals you can find! Any help you can provide will be dearly appreciated. I promise your assistance will not go unrewarded!" He smiles at me. "That dear girl should be back home safe and sound by tomorrow morning. Give her parents my warmest regards when you see them."

I don't think that's a good idea, but okay.

"Oh, and good luck gathering the Gratitude Crystals I require. To start, please bring me five if you can! That would be so splendid! If you do a great kindness for someone, you may even find several at once!"

I walk over to Kukiel, the adorable little girl, and kneel down in front of her.

"Are you okay?"

"Yes! He's not a bad man! He saved me one time when I almost fell over the edge! And he lets me come here and scream as loud as I want! Anyway, he said it was dangerous to go out alone at night, so I'll just hang out here for a while. Tell my mom I'll come home in the morning!"

"As you wish."

As I leave Batreaux's makeshift home and bid Kukiel farewell, I can't help reflecting on the Gratitude Crystals.

Only the truest happiness can create one of them…

And, furthermore…

Could I create one?