Hey there, this is set at the end of Majora's mask, showing the relationship between Lulu and Link. For this story , Termina is in the same world as Hyrule. Link is twelve years old so it's two years after the Ocarina of time.
He should be celebrating, really he should. He should be preparing to leave victoriously to see his dear princess and tell her how he had saved the day. The carnival had ended on a high note and everyone in clock town knew that it was because of him. He'd finally escaped the time loop. Everyone he helped would remember it and he had even made a close friend.
Link felt lonely.
He'd been happy here, in Termina and it was the thought of leaving that prevented him from being happy. Sure, he was going back to see Princess Zelda, but it wasn't his Zelda. This Zelda didn't remember the other time; the horrible time where Ganon had taken over and Zelda had been in disguise, guiding him. He had told Zelda all about the horrible future but she wasn't quite able to imagine it and she just wasn't the same person he'd known.
Maybe that's why he preferred Termina, here he had taken the time to get to know everyone and had loved helping all of them, they needed him here and he wanted to help them. That was such a difference to Hyrule where he was the hero of a time no one could remember.
Link stood in his Zora form in Mikau's room in Zora hall, pondering his situation. Now that he had saved Termina from being utterly destroyed by the falling moon, he ought to move on and return to Hyrule. He had promised Zelda that he was only going to Termina for the festival and would be back soon. However, he hadn't told Zelda that the reason he left was in the hopes of finding his fairy, Navi. Originally, he had had no interest in the carnival at all.
But in Termina he had found Tatl, the little faerie who could be blunt and inconsiderate at times but was smart and interesting as well. The clock tower here was beautiful and there was nothing like it in Hyrule. Being near the beach was another great thing, Lake Hylia was nothing compared to the coast. He couldn't break his promise to Zelda but leaving would be terrible.
Link was snapped out of his thoughts as he heard the door behind him opening. Someone was entering his room, or was it Mikau's room? He turned to face the person who was making leaving so much harder.
'I have to tell her the truth', Link thought, feeling guilty.
"Mikau let's go," Lulu said looking overjoyed about something as she walked in. She grabbed Link's zora arm and he walked with her through Zora hall.
"What are we doing?" He asked her. She looked rather pretty despite having scaly blue-grey skin like all Zoras. And through his Zora eyes she was just beautiful.
"We're going to the observatory to see our children," Lulu said, looking excited by the idea.
For the first time Link realized that Mikau was the father of those eggs he had rescued from the pirates and the sea snakes. Why hadn't he realized this sooner. Now that he thought about it, he was sure that Lulu had mentioned it to him more than once yet he hadn't understood. He should have assumed that was why Mikau had been looking for those eggs yet it hadn't even crossed his mind.
"Right," Link replied, not sure what else to say. Lulu didn't know that he wasn't really Mikau and it would be even harder to tell her the truth now.
Lulu had been wonderful to be around these past few days. Once he'd managed to get her voice back and defeat the monster in the Great bay temple, he'd spent a lot of time talking to her, imitating Mikau. She had turned out to be easy to talk to and they'd had fun talking about the band and the carnival. He was reluctant to tell her about Mikau's death as, now more than ever, he was sure she'd be heartbroken.
They dived into the sea water together, he loved the feel of the cool water on his aquatic skin. Link really loved being a zora in general actually. He got to be taller like an adult again and his fins were natural weapons as well as allowing him to swim like a fish. Using a little magic, he could also create an electric shield around while underwater, which was extremely useful.
Link quickly raced through the water, smiling slightly as Lulu swam behind him. The aquarium soon grew nearer and he shot gracefully out of the water. He landed upon the small wooden platform where he glanced at one of the strange owl statues. He randomly wondered if Lulu could learn the song of soaring as it'd make travelling much easier.
Lulu soon climbed onto the small platform before going up the ladder and opening the door; Link climbed up behind and looked in amazement at the tank. He hadn't seen the tank since before the carnival and the tadpoles (Zoras?) inside had all sprouted legs and were twice at least as big as when they had hatched.
"Wow… Can we… take them?" Lulu asked the man, also impressed with the sight.
"Not for another week at least, it'd be too dangerous for them now," the man said in a knowing voice. Link watched Lulu's face closely, she appeared slightly annoyed at speaking to the man, could that be because she hated humans?
Lulu simply nodded in reply and turned to Link, "Ready to name them?"
Link looked down at this and resolved to tell her the truth, not for the first time, "Not now, once they're out of this tank?" He though sounded like he was begging to her; begging for more time, but couldn't name her children.
Fortunately, she didn't appear too annoyed and nodded again, before turning back to stare at the young zoras. Link stood next to her and she gripped his hand tightly. They stood there in silence, Link trying hard to stop worrying and to just enjoy the moment. Lulu seemed happy at least.
They left soon after, planning to come again in seven days. It was as they left that Link spotted Mikau's grave in the distance and froze. "Lulu wait," he said.
"Mikau?" She said, turning to him.
"A few days ago the pirates stole your eggs and Mikau tried to get them back, but he couldn't" Link said tonelessly. How did he say this?
"You got them all back eventually and that was incredible," Lulu replied in a tone of reassurance and gratitude.
Link didn't know how to continue but he tried, "No. There was a boy who came to Termina from a distant land, searching…" Link paused taking in Lulu's face which was showing concern for him, "This boy had a bit of power and he stopped the moon from falling. He also found Mikau, who was dying, and tried to heal him."
"Mikau? You're fine now, did that really happen?" Lulu asked, becoming increasingly concerned. Speaking in third person would seem odd.
Link took out Mikau's guitar and began to slowly play the song of healing on it. It helped him and it seemed to soothe Lulu. Her eyes were closed and she quietly sang along. Link looked over at Mikau's grave and thought he could see a ghost above it.
When he stopped playing he began to speak again, "Mikau died. But he gave the boy his powers so that he could defeat a great evil. I'm not Mikau... but he gave me his mask." Link couldn't look at her.
"No! You're Mikau! You're not dead! Stop it!" Lulu screamed looking terrified and confused at what he was saying.
"Follow me" Link replied quietly, feeling horrible. He knew this would hurt her. He dived into the sea again, swam to the shore and walked over to Mikau's grave. Lulu had followed him, fortunately. Now he would have to break any trust she still had for him but he had to explain this and words failed him.
"Mikau? Mikau…" She stared at the grave for several moments before collapsing in front of it. He couldn't know what she was feeling at that moment.
Link stood awkwardly to the side, randomly destroying any monsters who came near them, not sure what to say or do. He thought he could hear her sobbing.
Eventually Lulu stood up, walked over to him and stared up into his eyes, she looked terrible with sand on her wet face and yet she glared at him with anger.
"Who are you… really?" As Link hesitated she continued angrily, "tell me!"
"I found Mikau dying and he asked me to help you. I used his spirit and did. I helped everyone," Link replied awkwardly, hoping he sounded honest.
"So you stole Mikau's spirit?" Lulu accused, glaring at him, she didn't appear to be thinking straight.
"He asked me to help." It sounded like an excuse. "I did save your eggs and now they've hatched, I- I'm sorry, Lulu," Link said. What else could he say right now?
"Yes." She paused, "So who are you? Why do you look so much like my husband?" Lulu asked, now sounding sad and tired. Link wasn't great at reading Zora's faces yet but she seemed pale, her cheeks were still wet.
"It's a mask," Link replied, looking down.
"Then show me your true face."
"No! I can't- It's not my real face!" Link didn't know what he was saying. He didn't want Lulu to see him as only a twelve-year-old boy. He used to be seventeen after all. Two years ago he had been seventeen and now he was twelve. His head hurt just thinking about it, his life seemed so messed up; sometimes he wished he could be someone else. Someone like Mikau.
"Why are you hiding? I must see you," Lulu insisted, sounding desperate.
"How old are you? How old is… was Mikau?" Link asked, trying to delay.
"We were both twenty," Lulu said and closed her eyes tightly as if in pain. "Please…"
"I don't know how old I am. I used to be seventeen but now-" Link couldn't finish. He then took off the mask.
As always it felt odd taking off the mask, a little painful but it wasn't bad. It seemed to leave him with an empty feeling though. He guessed that's what it felt like to lose one's soul. Lulu jumped back in shock, taking in his new face. He was much shorter now, about a head shorter than her. He watched her carefully, but her expression was unreadable.
"What's your real name?" Lulu asked after a long pause. She seemed to be taking this rather well all things considered; she hadn't run away or screamed and she was speaking again after all. But she couldn't be pleased to see a human boy in place of her lover.
"Link, I'm a Hylian," He replied.
"Link… you said you used to be seventeen?" Lulu asked, she actually sounded rather curious.
"Yes. I helped save Hyrule from an evil sorcerer, Ganondoth. He stole a precious item from the Temple of time, I got sealed in there for seven years so when I came out, I was seventeen. But there was a way to reverse it. I was ten again. That was two years ago. Since then we found a way to stop Ganondoth early so he was defeated years earlier. I'm the only one who remembers that time now. Time was sort of… altered, changed," Link explained as briefly as possible, hoping she would get it.
"You toy with time as well as identities? But you save people? Could you prove any of it?" Lulu asked unhappily.
"Yes! I've shown you the magical mask. I can't show you my past but I can alter time a bit." Link said, excited at an idea, "just grab my arm and I'll play the song of double time, it's around midday right now, this'll make it night."
Lulu did take his arm hesitantly as Link got out his ocarina and began playing.
That's the first chapter and I'm planning this to be several chapters long. Please give me some feedback on it.