Sitting atop the tower once more, Levant was playing his music. Mahbu came up the ladder. "There you are. I figured that you'd be here. I bet you're more than a bit nervous."

Levant sighed. "I suppose so. Wouldn't anyone be?"

Mahbu sat down beside him. "Adults always have to have things their way. That's why I generally don't like them."

She looked wistfully skyward. "It's a bit stange, isn't it? Why are only Nagi able to Purify? Mother Garai says it's Divine Power, but most of the villagers don't seem to think so."

Levant chose to ignore the swift change in topic. "It's like Chief Grotta says. Fie on what they think. What matters is what YOU think."

Mahbu smiled at that. "Thanks, Levant. I'm glad that you were the one i was chosen for."

Suddenly, a voice rang out. "Who's up there? And why are you playing that awful flute music in the MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT?!"

Levant frowned. Lui. Just... of course.

"Why are you playing that? After all that's happened today? Do you want those monsters to come back again or something?"

Levant said, in a deadpan tone, "No, Lui. I need to practice my flute playing to do my job in the morning. This is important too."

Mahbu said, snarkily, "Oh. You must be scared. Isn't it past your bedtime or something? Or are you too afraid to go to sleep?"

Lui returned angrily, "Like I already told you: I'M NOT A KID!" Then to Levant, he said, "Good luck with that. Try not to get eaten alive out there, tough guy! But then again, I guess there's nothing scarier than Mahbu!" Then he left, chuckling.

Mahbu called down angrily, "Oh, shut up! You're such a brat! And making me lose my temper, you little twit!!"

After that, she sighed. "Well, we better get to bed. But don't oversleep, partner of mine. You have a big day ahead, young Cocoon Master."

After that, she left. Levant stood, playing one more melody before retiring for the night.

Levant awoke, again in that strange forest. The atmosphere felt more... oppressive than before. Suddenly that strangely garbed man appeared as before.

"So, now you dress as if you are a man. Still, you are little but the som of a coward! That maiden of yours shall be left behind once you die in the forest. Pitiful, I say!"

With that, the man summoned a creature, this one rather small. Levant was able to defeat it with a few swipes of his dagger. Easy.

"So, you are more capable than I expected. But such isn't our true power."

The man engaged Levant. First attacking playfully, solidly smacking him with his weapon. Levant countered with his dagger, hitting him back rather more lightly, seemingly doing little damage. Then the man changed tactics. He played his instrument and vanished, summoning his dragon-like creature.

Levant smiled smugly. Surprisingly, Mother Garai had prepared for something like this. From his side, Levant pulled a longsword, which glowed dimly with the energy of the forest, enhancing his abilities significantly Apparently, however, this would only work in situations of dire need. Basically, when he was severely outclassed. It may or may not allow him to defeat some enemies, but it would force them to head back wherever they were to lick their wounds, at any rate.

Lunging at the draconic beast, he struck a solid blow on its face. The monster roared out in pain before taking a swipe at Levant, which he deftly avoided. This time he was slightly more able than the dragon. He had a chance!

The strange man chuckled, being heard from nowhere in particular. "So! You have yourself a weapon worthy of a warrior. Well, then. Time to kick things up a bit."

As he finished saying that, music started to play; guitar-ish music. But this tune carried an aura of... darkness? Was that right?

The monster started to glow with a blackish red tint. Suddenly, it became faster, more able to match -and soon, outmatch entirely- Levant's moves.

Soon, the creature clashed with Levant's blade, causing a power struggle. Which Levant was sure he was going to lose.

Suddenly, a new voice rang out. "This is totally unfair. He is such a poor sport, isn't he?"

Levant looked around. Who was that?

The moment of distraction caused the dragon to win the struggle easily, knocking Levant back. But as it prepared its deadly breath attack, a thick shield of vines sprung up before him, taking the hit instead.

From nowhere, an equine form appeared. She had red dreadlocked hair with bands of white gold, green in coat colour. Her eyes were a bright blue.

"What say we even things up, dude?" she said.

Levant's eyes widened. "Who... Who are you?"

"Name's Tree Hugger." the small horse said. Looking around, she smiled. "In a place like this, my magic's at its highest. Totally radical." she commented, then taking a deep breath.

Levant could feel the dream forest's energy flowing into her, as she seemed to be meditating. Suddenly, the flow stopped and she exhaled. Then she pulled Levant to his feet. He could feel strength radiating through her. A tune came to mind, which he took his flute and played, readily.

Tree Hugger engaged the dragon. She started singing aloud.

You think that you can take us on? Well, you're mistaken!
There isn't a single move you got that we'll be takin'.
But if you wanna have it so,
Two are gonna let you knoooooow.... Yeah!

The dragon swiped at her, which she easily dodged. In exchange, she bucked, hitting the dragon solidly, causing it to rear its head back. She even kept singing, moving in tune. (1)

"Get off of our BACKS!
An' into the get into the game.
Get out of our WAY,
Brother, use your BRAIN!
You two now have a serious laaaaack..."

.
By this time the dragon was swiping at her furiously as the man played more quickly, enhancing the beast's power further. But not enough. Tree Hugger kept dancing to the beat, connecting with -and dodging- the creature in tune to the music.

Yeah, get off of our BACKS.

You think that this is just some GAME.
That you are PLAYin'?
With my strength and the dude's muSIC!,
We'll cave your FAces in!

But if you wanna try aGAIN,
We still ain't gonna let you wiiiiin!

By this time the two were actually pushing the creature back. Levant wasn't idle either. While playing his flute, he was still able to deftly cut at the dragon's legs, and its wings when possible.

YEAH!
Get offa our BACKS!
And outta our FAces.
Get out of his HEAD.
Yeah, know your PLA-CES!
Just get moving yourselves A- LONG!
You won't get another CRAaaaack!
Yeah! GET OFF OF OUR BACKS!

With the last exclamation, the two unleashed a flurry of strikes, causing the two foes to bump against a tree. The dragon did however, manage to get off one fireball, managing to get Levant in its blast zone. This wasn't enough to deter him as he stabbed the dragon in its neck. Just after that, the two foes vanished.

Tree Hugger nodded. "An' let THAT be a lesson to ya."

She turned back to levant. "That dude was a total bummer, little bro. Really had no chill. Though, mosta the time, personally, I'd rather meditate than agitate, ya know?"

As it turned out, Levant was still severely burnt, also bleeding somewhat.

At first, Tree Hugger was unsure of what to do. But suddenly, words came to her mind.

She stepped over and gingerly gave him a warm hug, incanting,

Three destinies now Intertwiiiiiine,
Through pact of the Eternal Liiiine.
Once your burden alone now too is miiiiiine...

The two of them glowed green as she sang. She could feel their souls (and Mahbu's) connecting to each other, on a higher, metaphysical level. The dream slowly vanished.

Levant awoke with a startled cry. He wasn't in pain this time? What happened?

His mind waking up, putting the pieces together, he noticed a familiar green form next to him.

My love and strength are now thiiiiine...

The equine finished something that she was singing. He felt a deep connection to her now.

Suddenly, Mahbu burst into the room. "Levant! What happened? I suddenly felt another soul bond to us some... how?"

She paused as she saw what was lying next to her destined one.

Tree Hugger yawned as she awoke, smacking her lips as she did. "Whoa. That dream was far out."

As her mind came to full wakefulness, the two others noticed that on the Pony's chest was the symbol of the Navi, a dagger and flute laid beside it.

Levant and Mahbu noticed a matching symbol on their chests.

Mahbu hesitantly said, "I... get the feeling that this is... exactly what it looks like."

Author's Note

1: If it isn't obvious, with the capitalized bits