Just a few things I want to clarify before the story begins:

1. This Link is the Link right after the end of Majora's Mask, who is also from Ocarina of Time. Cause that's the only two Zelda games I've played, and really know about.

2. Link doesn't really have a personality in the games, so I've taken some creative liberties in terms of that~

3. And I've written a bunch of chapters ahead of time, so it should be updated weekly. Hopefully, anyway.

That's it. Enjoy~

---

"Are you sure you don't want to stay for the carnival?" A small scarecrow-like being said while he dropped a large bag in front of a boy. He knelt down and searched through it, occasionally pulling out a weapon and examining it closely.

"Yes I'm sure." He said finally, fingering a boomerang that he had drawn out. He looked up at the Skull Kid after putting it away and closed the bag using a string wrapped around the. "Is this all you stolen from me?"

The Skull Kid nodded, but refused to meet his eyes like he was still guilty from the incident. "That should be... Are you really going to bring all that along? It seems cumbersome."

"I'll be fine." He tied the bag to Epona's saddle before climbing on the horse himself. He turned to his new friend and his fairies, unsure on how to bid them farewell.

Saying good-byes were hard. Even to someone that almost destroyed this land, to someone that helped him prevent that catastrophe, and to her brother. In the end, he just gave them an acknowledging nod and spurred his horse to gallop forward.

"Bye Link! I hope you find your friend!" The Skull kid and the purple fairy shouted after him. The yellow fairy said something different.

"Link!" Tatl almost flew after him. Who knew that she can grow so attached to someone in three days? Even three repeated days.

"... Thank you."

---

Link had some time to think when he stopped by a pond to let the young filly have a drink. This was roughly the same place where the Skull Kid, possessed by that mask, stole his stuff. Where his quest to save Termina begun. It was amusing to him that he was now a hero of two realms. Especially since he started his second adventure during his search for a beloved friend.

Would he have to save another? He couldn't imagine yet another world, much less one that needed a hero like him. The boy wouldn't turn away a call for help though, if he heard one. He was just like that.

Maybe the Skull Kid was right. About his equipment that he carried with him. Maybe Link didn't need all these weapons and masks. Especially the masks. The four that he brought with him were useful in Termina, but not exactly very pleasant. Did he need their help outside of that world? He couldn't bring himself to throw them away though. He felt like discarding them was disrespecting the souls that made the masks and their unique power.

While Epona rested, Link went through his bag again, afraid that he left something behind. If he did, he had no way to get it back. As far as he can tell, his entrance into Termina was an accident, never to be repeated again.

He had his bow and arrows, regular and magical. His bombs and some bombchus stored in a separate bomb bag. His hookshot from Termina and his boomerang from Hyrule. His collection of bottles, some empty and some filled with potions. His various magical spells and objects. His wallet full with Rupees. And he had the supplies he needed for a long journey, like food and water.

His most important possession in the bag however, was the Ocarina of Time. It was a gift from Princess Zelda and the only thing he has, besides his memories, to remember her by.

It saved his butt several times too. He had to play the Song of Time in Termina in order to reverse the three day cycle he was on, so he could save all the giants before the moon fell. He briefly wondered why the song didn't have that property in Hyrule, or whether it worked like that in other places, but then decided that it was best to leave those questions unanswered.

"Are you ready to go?" He patted Epona's side while tying the bag to her saddle again. She whinnied in response and he promptly climbed up on her.

Link had no idea where he was heading. All he was actually doing was wandering around in the forest, hoping to find a clue to the whereabouts of his friend. It wasn't exactly efficient, but he had nothing to go on, so this was the best he could do.

Where was Hyrule? The forest he was roaming in now was part of the Lost Woods, though it extended past the country's boundaries and he was sure he passed that before he stumbled upon Termina. It was a vast place, too massive to be charted on a map. So could he find his way back home, if he ever wanted to? Or was he stuck here, to be forever wandering among the trees? And he knew what happened to people that got lost...

The thought didn't scare him. He was certain that he was going to find his friend sooner or later. And then he'll be able to go back home...

Link didn't know how long he was riding forward. The sun he relied on to keep track of time wasn't visible above the treetops. And it seemed like in this endless sea of leaves and wooden trunks, time had no meaning here. No matter how much of it had passed, he would be seeing the same thing over and over again.

It dulled his mind. He couldn't remember much about the time he spent travelling in the forest. All he could remember was trees, trees, the occasional stop to rest, and more trees. It felt like he had be going on for days, though perhaps that's only what it felt like. Perhaps, in reality, he had spent only a couple hours on the move.

That didn't matter much to him. He wasn't thinking about that at all when a gust of fresh air blew through the branches and around him. It definitely came from outside the forest, which meant that they were near the exit. Rejuvenated by the breeze, Link spurred Epona to move faster, so they could get out of these woods already.

---

The boy never felt so relieved to see the sun above him, a dusty road in front of him, and no trees around him. For a moment, he thought that he had gotten himself permanently lost and would never be able to leave. But he proved himself wrong!

This place definitely wasn't Hyrule or Termina though. The air had an entirely different smell, and the landscape looked more... exotic? Foreign? He couldn't come up with the right word to describe it, but he knew that it wouldn't hold anything familiar.

Would his friend be in this strange land? Somehow, he doubted it, but he should look around anyway. And he was tired of walking around in the forest. A day's rest here would do him and Epona some good.

After taking a break for food and water in the nearby meadow, Link rode on along the road. It should lead to some place civilized, and he didn't feel like sleeping out in the open. And if the town wasn't friendly... then... well, he'll deal with it if that's the case.

He didn't ride on in silence for long. After a couple of minutes, he heard a strange squawk and saw something coming towards him on the road. He gripped the sword on his back in case it was hostile, but as it came closer he saw that it wasn't.

It was just... odd. The beast looked like a cross between a large bird and a horse. And on it was another person, who was gawking at Link like he was gawking at the strange creature.

"What's that you're riding on?" The man asked and pointed a quivering finger at Epona.

"I could ask you the same question." Link replied, a little dumbstruck. How could anyone not know what a horse was? Unless he was secluded in a forest inhibited by fairy children, everyone in Hyrule knew what a horse was.

That's right. He wasn't in Hyrule anymore.

"This? My girl's an ostrich horse! She's dead useful in carrying goods and people! Why do you have that funny thing instead?"

The mare snorted in disgust at the unintended insult. Link patted her side and tried not to glare at the man. He might've done so anyway.

"She's a horse! She's probably better at carrying stuff than your... ostrich horse!"

The man leaned in closer, staring at her in disbelief. "A horse? Just a plain old horse?"

"Yeah..." This conversation was getting weirder by the second.

He straightened up and harumphed. "Never thought that it was real. Wait til I tell the folks back at home I saw a real live horse. And a strange boy riding on it! They'll get a kick out of that!"

"Uh-huh." He tried to not let those words bother him. "Do you know anything about the town this road leads to? Is it friendly or- Hey! Wait!"

Before he finished his sentence, the man laughed loudly and dashed away, leaving a cloud of dust for Link to cough on. Well, if there was someone coming from it, then it probably was safe. He had a bad feeling about this place though...

---

The sun was setting when Link rode into town. No one attacked him, or stole his stuff. That was a good sign. He breathed a little easier as he looked around, though he still was waiting for something to happen.

The town faintly reminded him of Kakariko Village, in a way. Maybe it was the houses, or maybe it was the people out and about without any worry. He found it comforting, even if the bystanders were looking at him strange.

Did no one here really know what a horse was? He urged Epona to keep on moving forward and ignore the small crowd that was starting to gather around them.

He really needed to find an inn of some sort to stay the night in. And to find out where he was. It was hard to do both since he couldn't read any of the signs hung around, which he found odd since he could apparently speak their language.

All the staring was making him awkward. Link decided to dismount and lead his horse though the small town instead of riding. It didn't do anything about the dumbstruck people still around him, but it didn't make him feel like he was sticking out like a sore thumb.

There was a stable nearby, although it was for ostrich horses rather than normal horses. And when there was a stable, there was usually some place to stay in for the night.

He was relieved that Epona didn't protest when he brought her closer to the unusual animals. He let her drink from the water troughs and rest up while he looked for the owner of this place.

---

"Why hello." An old man peered down at Link, his tone flat from the lack of interest. "Are you looking for a room for your parents? I don't have much room for a family."

"No." He hated it when people assumed that he was travelling with his parents. But he had to keep his tongue in check if he wanted to stay here tonight. "I'm looking for a room for myself. Do you have one?"

The innkeeper gave him a quizzical look, like he didn't quite believe him. "Yes I do... if you have the money for it."

The money! He was travelling in an entirely different country, so they would have an entirely different currency. And he didn't know what it was, though he had a feeling it wasn't Rupees.

"Er..." Link grabbed the wallet on his belt and looked through it. He didn't have a lot of Rupees either. Grabbing the biggest one he had, a red Rupee, he placed it in front of the man and shrugged.

His eyes grew wide and his mouth was slightly gaping when he realized what was in front of him . He closed it as he picked up the gem and examined it in the light. Then, after he had gotten over the initial shock, he tucked the Rupee into a bag and smiled at the boy.

"I believe that's enough for a room." He said, his eyes glittering with the prospect for more jewels. "Do you need any... food? Another pillow? We can be more accommodating... with another one of those gems."

"I'm fine." Link didn't like the look in his eye and gripped his bag tighter.

"Are you sure?" The old man looked a bit disappointed but he kept up his 'accommodating' mood. "Well, your room is on the second floor, the second door on the left. If you need anything, just tell me..."

He nodded and walked out of the conversation as quickly as he could. He was considering looking for another place to stay, but he already paid for the room. He pretty much had to use it. And the inn itself was nice and had some vague feeling of home.

"Oh and..." The innkeeper's voice made him stop in his tracks. "That is your... mount... out there in the stables, right?"

"Yes." He replied with irritation before heading up the stairs. Was Epona going to get this response all the time for everyone?

---

That was over with. Link wasn't as good with interacting with shifty people as he was with killing monsters, and the experience was always more a pain for him. He was really starting to doubt that his friend was in this world at all, but he had to check at least. And that itself would be amusing. Would he be asking these people if they've seen a floating ball of light passing through here?

The boy was aching and tired from horseback riding all that time in the woods. He was glad to be able to catch some sleep in a bed for once, though it didn't come too easily. While he usually slept with his sword and shield on his back, he left them propped against the wall near his cot and his bag near the door. There shouldn't be any danger here in this inn that he couldn't handle without his weapons. He didn't sense any, in any case. And he was good at sensing danger, especially those associated with monsters.

Link yawned and tried to fall asleep. It was hard to do so in a strange land though, in a strange house, with strange people nearby. He stayed silent and listened for anything that might ease him. The crickets outside were soothing. And the whinny of Epona was familiar and comforting. But the squawks of the ostrich horses weren't exactly...

He yawned again and closed his eyes. Focusing on the sounds he had heard before at home helped him calm down, helped him get over the prospect of being in this new world. He could feel his mind drifting off and soon he was falling asleep...