A Party to Remember (Tsu/UNLM)

"Psh, just don't die on me yet. It won't help my case," Kinoso teased. She really overdid it this time. I suppose she does owe me, he thought as he helped her onto a seat.

An argument ensued. The Kokiri present erupted into debate as they tried to figure out whose stories to believe. They shouted amongst each other; Mido and Kinoso were yelling back and forth; The fairies flew around each other, trying to make sense of the conflicting stories. With each passing second, the cacophony increased as the Great Deku Tree remained silent, trying to pass judgement upon each of the stories and deliberate justice.

The whole forest was about to come to blows, when finally, the Great Deku Tree spoke, "My children. I have come to a conclusion." His voice had scarcely any volume, but it still held as much power as the forest itself wielded. And so the Kokiri and the fairies instantly became quiet. "These stories which have been presented to me are in conflict of each other. Normally, I would simply let you all deliberate over the validity of these stories, but this trial is examining attempted murder. So I conferred upon the trees and the wildlife to tell me what truly happened last night," the Great Deku Tree's words made everyone feel anxious, and the silent build up to the moment did not help the general anxiety.

"The trees have told me the truth. They side with Kinoso's and Keiliegh's story."

Not a single protest or uproar. Only sighs of relief for some, Kinoso and Le'ip included. Everyone knew better than to question the Great Deku Tree's wisdom. The ones who were lying knew better to press on with their story. Now all that awaited was the punishment.

Keiliegh was about to get up and punch Jenter's head off if it wouldn't have killed her to do so. Luckily, the Great Deku Tree interrupted before then. A sigh of happiness, which hurt her lungs, and a smile crossed her face. She sat there, glad that the outcome turned out in their favor.

Keiliegh mockingly imitated Jenter. "Oh, I'd never lie to you Mr. Great Deku Tree! Bullshit."

The Deku Tree spoke once more. "The guilty will be punished, but that is to be decided when the full guilty party is present. Until then, restitution must be made to Keiliegh for her injuries. Ten rupees each will be sufficient."

The five guilty kokiri grumbled and groaned, but eventually Keiliegh had fifty rupees added to her coinpurse. Sweet~

The Deku Tree then kept speaking. "Kinoso. Do not think I have overlooked your crime. Regardless of outcome, you came to the forest to kill one of your kin. Even though you have proven goodness in sparing Keiliegh, you must be punished as well. Tomorrow, you will return to the deep parts of the forest to return Fenia to the village." Thus the Great Tree had spoken. 

No exile? Damn it, Kinoso thought. Then again, maybe the Great Deku Tree knew that was what he wanted. When the Great Deku Tree had spoken, all of the Kokiri walked back quietly. Five Kokiri walked over to Kinoso to escort him back, but he gave them a stern look as two of them tried to grab his arm, "I'm not the guilty party anymore. I'm pretty sure Jenter and his little crew need this rope more than I do."

They looked back at Mido, who was wearing an unhappy face. "Keep him tied up," he said, "he's not completely off the hook yet."

Sadly, Kinoso still had five Kokiri escorting him back to the little jail cell. Was it unfair? Yes. Was it the worst he had endured? His first moments in Hyrule Castle Town made this look like paradise on a beach. Still, he had no intention of staying. On his way back, he spied his merchant's cart, and then turned to Kokiri holding his left arm, "Hey, I haven't eaten anything since I got, well, you know. I have a small crate of apples in my cart, and if it wasn't too much trouble, do you mind bringing it to my cell? You can have one if you do!" The five Kokiri looked at each other and then shrugged.

One hour after Kinoso was thrown back into the cell, a smelly crate was also thrown into the cell. "Why you want to eat bad, rotten apples is beyond me," said the girl who threw the crate before slamming the door shut. It wasn't the apples that Kinoso wanted. He poured the rotting apples out and revealed a small latch at the bottom. He unhooked it and then removed the cover. Three throwing knives and a dagger laid at the bottom untouched.

Perfect.

Keiliegh frowned as the other Kokiri still restrained Kinoso and brought him to the cell tree. "What the hell, guys? He's innocent!" 

"We still need to ensure he does what the Great Deku Tree asked him to do."

After he got led away, Keiliegh saw Leronah flit into the clearing. "Hey kid, how'd it go?"

"Good. Jenter and the others are in trouble, and Kinoso was charged with finding Fenia and bringing her back, but I'm going with him." 

Leronah chuckled. "That's what I'd do. And before you bring her back, give the bitch a right hook across the jaw."

"Planned to."

Keiliegh walked up to the tree Kinoso was being held in, seeing a guard at the door. "Sophie, give me a chance to talk to Kino." She looked up, seeing Keiliegh and chuckling. 

"Sure, I've just got to pat you down. Maybe he can share a meal with you." The kokiri pat down Keiliegh for anything she could smuggle in to him, and when she found nothing, walked off to give them some privacy. 

Keiliegh walked into the room with Leronah in tow, seeing Kinoso looking at the knives. "They have GOT to crack down on security here, huh?"

The door opened conveniently as Kinoso was putting away his knives. It was too convenient. He drew his dagger and readied himself into a stance. Then he realized that it was just Keiliegh. She wouldn't tell anyone about this. He lowered his dagger and returned back to his smelling task of putting his last knife away.

"What do you want?" he asked her. The night sky was clear, and the full moon shined brightly through the cell window and right onto Kinoso.

Keiliegh frowned a little when Kinoso acted so cold to her. Leronah was the first to chime in. "See? No concern at all. This prick doesn't care in the slightest!"

Keiliegh put a hand on her hip. "Leronah, shut up. If he didn't care about me, I'd be dead." That said, Keiliegh now walked up to him to show him why she was here. She put her arms around Kino, hugging him tightly. "Thank you... Thank you so much Kino... If you hadn't been here... I'd.... Just thank you..." It was obvious by the end that Keiliegh was crying now.

"I care. Of course I care. She's the only one I've ever cared about! he yelled at Leronah. Of all her snide comments, this one bit into him the most. His internal struggle was broiling, "If I didn't care, I would have taken the money! If I didn't care, her life would have been worth fifty rupees to me! No more, no less." He was breathing rapidly. He didn't know it, but she was a special person to him. And it took less than a few hours for Keiliegh to work her girlish ways into his heart. For a moment, the only thing audible was Kinoso's breathing. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have come here anyway. And I'm going to get out of here. Fenia can rot in that forest for all I care."

He started on his way out.

Keiliegh found herself moved by the fact that Kinoso said she was the only one that had mattered... But he was walking away from her... Leronah scoffed. "I know you've got some ulterior moti-" 

"Leronah, shut the fuck up!" The stern and commanding nature of her voice making Leronah stop immediately and remain quiet, stunned. Keiliegh never talked to her like that....

Keiliegh looked at Kinoso as he walked away, really not wanting him to go. "Kino... I don't care if you're coming with me or not, I'm going to find Fenia, and I'm going to make her pay for what she did to me."

He stopped as soon as Keiliegh told him that she was going to find Fenia. It was his job, and his punishment, and someone else was going to risk their life for him, again. No sound came out of his mouth, but he heard multiple thoughts run through his mind. He wanted to leave all this behind so badly and pretend that nothing ever happened. "If that's the case," said Kino in a volume barely more audible than a whisper, "then I might as well come with you. I don't want you to get hurt."

He let out a long sigh and turned back to the bed in his cell. "I'll see you tomorrow morning then," Kinoso laid in bed and turned away from her.

Keiliegh smiled as Kinoso saw it her way. She always DID like it when things went like that. Keiliegh froze from that comment. That was... Almost along the lines of what Fenia and the others were saying... How... Much of it was right? Certainly not all...

Keiliegh found herself doubting her own thoughts more and more until she realized Kinoso was trying to sleep. She lightly walked next to him, leaning down and kissing him on the cheek. "Good night Kino... Rest well." She then turned away and walked from the tree, Leronah still quiet for once. 

Keiliegh made it back to her tree without issue, but when she tried to climb the ladder, the pain was excruciating. She made it to the top, but not without her vision going entirely blurry. She stumbled through the mess, eventually finding her back and laying down. She didn't bother changing, merely throwing her blanket over her and slipping into pained thought. 

Kinoso had said that... She was the only one he cared about. That made Keiliegh feel strange, an unfamiliar feeling in her gut. Best not pondered now... She had a tough day ahead of her. With her final thought before falling asleep, she wondered if Kinoso had fallen asleep yet... She then shut her eyes and drifted into a slumber. 

He felt a pair of familiar lips kiss him on the cheek as he was trying to sleep. Maybe he didn't mean to blurt out that he cared about her, and maybe he tried to deny what he said in his own mind, but it was the truth. It was a long day, and he wasn't going to fight it any further. Even though his body was exhausted, he could still feel his heart racing from the anticipation of the next day. Plus, there was sure to be an uproar about the knives in his belt. Despite the air getting colder, Kinoso's body still somehow drifted off into sleep ....

Le'ip floated next to him and whispered into his ear, "I'm proud of you, and I will always be proud of you."