Chapter 2: Clock Town
Dawn of the first day
As Link continued to walk, he was amazed by how the hallway had even managed to turn him upside down and yet he was still walking normally. As the hallway turned him up-right again, he looked to Tatl.
"If you're thinking 'does this always happen?', just so you know; it does." she told him quickly.
Link continued through the entrance. As he passed the opening into the dark room ahead, a heavy metal door slammed shut right behind them with a loud boom! Link turned around, looking at the door. He let out another deku's cry. He hit his small fist on the thick door, but knew it was useless. So he continued on.
"Looks like we're stuck!" Tatl blurted out after a second.
Link ignored her and continued up a small ramp above flowing water. He looked up, observing clockwork, something he had never seen in his homeland. Large gears turned constantly, powering other smaller, gears close by, which in all was powered by a few large poles and one large wheel by the rushing sweage water. The ground was cold and moist, like moss.
"Um, who's that guy?" Tatl suddenly whispered, interrupting Link's wonder.
Link looked back down in response to see a man in a purple suit with red hair, carrying a massive back-pack covered in masks. He looked like someone Link knew back in his homeland. The memeories came back. He was the happy mask salesman! He was breathing heavily, apparently tired of the constant weight on his back. He was pretty skinny, after all. Yet he kept a smile on his face as he eyed Link and the fairy on his shoulder.
Link hobbled over to the mask man, looking up at him," You've met a terrible fate, haven't you?" the mask man suddenly asked, putting his hands together, looking at the Deku Link's face kindly. Link nodded quickly in response, letting the man continue," Now you might think me as rude, but I have been following you," Link stood motionless," and I have seen what that imp has done to you. I know how to return you to your former self!"
"Find the item the imp has stolen from you, and bring it he-" the mask man was inturrupted suddenly by Tatl," how do you know of his music-thingy?"
"As I said, I have been following you! And all you have to do is get your ocarina back, and I'll help you!"
"That's great! So, I guess we'll go now?" Tatl blurted out enthusiastically.
The mask salesman shook his head," You see, I want something in return," Link and Tatl both rolled their eyes, only to find the salesman laugh," you see, I travel far and wide selling and collecting masks. I searched very hard to get the mask that imp is now wearing! It is called the 'Majora's Mask', which most say has a powerful demon imprisoned within it, who could possess anything. It was used by an ancient tribe in it's hexing rituals, and the mask is very dangerous. Unfortunatly; your friend, Skull Kid, stole it from me, and now this world is in more danger than you can imagine! Just one little magic trick could become the end of the world! You've got to understand that this is no laughing matter at all! It's a wonder the imp hasn't killed anyone yet. Or how would I know? That mask is unpredictable!" he explained.
"Please," the salesman continued," I am begging you to bring me that mask back! You see, I am a very busy fellow, and will be leaving here in three days starting about now. You must get me that mask back!" Link nodded," I know it's a hard thing to ask, but I'm sure a boy like you would have the courage. Just believe in yourself. Believe!"
"Alright, me and the kid will do it, but how are we expecting to do it all within a three day time-limit?!" Tatl exclaimed.
"Just have faith..." the salesman replied.
"That doesn't seem very-"
Link squeaked to interrupt her. He had made up his mind, and he was going to help the mask man, whether she would or not.
"Okay, sorry!" she grumbled.
Link led her across the large room and to a large wooden door over a few stone steps. Hobbling up the steps, he forced the door open, allowing sunlight to blast into the room. Link covered his eyes a moment before stepping out into the early morning light. He closed the door behind him, before looking at what was before him.
A large, orange sun was rising from the east, lighting up a town. The town was apparently surrounded by tall, stone walls. A puppy barked and ran about the area. Stairs led up to an opening in the gates, which link guessed to be a garden or something. Large construction workers milled about, working on a small tower. A few empty market stalls had been set up with on one near-by. A few early risers were just leaving their homes. A guard stood across the large plaza; protecting a large opening in the wall. He was dressed much like the guards in Link's homeland, chainmail, iron chest plate, helmet, spear, long grey boots.
More steps led up to another opening, and there were walkways behind Link." Welcome to Clock Town..." Tatl mumbled. Link took a few steps forward.
"Oh, and, we need to go see the great fairy, who would be in North Clock town right now in a cave! She will know where that Skullkid is. Just between you and me, Skull Kid doesn't stand a chance against her." Tatl told Link as he looked at the new sights. He nodded, and started to hobble over towards the largest stairs he saw.
I thought she'd have an idea on Skullkid's whereabouts! Not someone else who did! Link thought.
He ran up the stairs, and stopped to look at what was before him now. Two men pranced about and juggled, while a small boy wearing a bandana watched them and giggled everytime they messed up with juggling. There were a few shops and one or two market stalls set up off to the side. There was a large opening leading out into what Link thought was the outside, guarded by a soldier carrying a spear. A small man carrying a bag full of potatoes made his way past the two. The near-by homes and shops were still full of sleeping people.
One of the market stalls was full of meat, accompanied by a very large man wearing a nasty looking apron. Yet the man smiled. Other than another kid on the balcony and the occasional tourist passing by, this area of town was relativly empty.
"This is East Clock Town." Tatl explained," Go up those stairs across the next plaza and go through the large opening. Then you'll be in North Clock Town."
Link did as he was told and ran over to the stairs and ran up them. He saw a door across from him, a place blocked by another small boy with an orange bandana, and a huge opening. Link looked to Tatl, and she pointed at the opening. So Link ran through there.
Coming out of the small tunnel, he found himself in a grassy area. An old lady sat on a bench, and another kid wearing a bandana was shooting spit wads at a balloon. But the balloon had the same figure on it as the skull kid's face! Link looked to the side to see a small playground with no kids on it, and then a cave on a hill several feet behind the boy. It was a pretty big and peacful area, with vines and rose bushes climbing up the town walls. Link had never seen a town quite like this!
Link hobbled past the boy and ran up the hill into the cave. For awhile as he ran through the darkness, he couldn't see anything. He just heard water dripping. Dripping from where, though? He'd occasionally walk through a slimey puddle of water and immediantly want to wash his foot off. He heard something his, and it wasn't Tatl. He froze and looked around. A second later something brushed up against his little foot. Link squealed and started to run until he thought he was safe.
One thing Link always would remember about getting to the great fairy was the cold. The cave was indeed, freezing. Making the slimey water even worse. Link could feel Tatl shivering on his shoulder, and the cold, hard ground beneath him. Was it really worth this? To travel through a long cave that might not even hold the fairy within it? Maybe Tatl was thinking of a different cave!
Just as the thought came to him, he saw an eerie blue light a bit further down the tunnel. He stopped walking and started to run. As he did, the tempature went up a bit, and there was no more puddles of cold, slimey water.
Soon he could see a fountain, and quickly enough, he was there! Yes, he had made it! Now maybe he could get to defeat Skull Kid, get his ocarina back, become normal, and go back home!
"The Great Fairy!" Tatl suddenly cried. As she exclaimed this, Link immediently quit thinking of defeating Skull Kid and returning home. What he saw was, a bunch of fairies. They had tiny wings keeping them in the air, and each one of them glowed brightly. They had very large heads, yet there was not 'a' Great Fairy. Their eyes were closed, and they looked left and right as they flew aimlessly around the fountain. Each one glowed dimly.
Suddenly one of the fairies flew forward and started to talk to Link," Please! Hear my plea! The masked skull kid has shattered my pieces and has hid one in clock town. Help bring the missing fairy back!"
"We will!" Tatl replied. She then turned her gaze to Link," Lets go!"
