Redux II: Triforce Redux
By ArchangelUK & DigiCowboy

We do not own or condone any anime, manga, film, television or computer game series featured herein, we do however possess this Ocarina which is gold, has keys you press and a big network of pipes... Wait a minute, this is a trombone!

Chapter 2: Old Friends & Unfamiliar Faces

Link sat on a tree stump - at last it was over. He polished diligently the overly long blade known simply as Biggoron's Sword in tribute to the massive Goron who had forged it. Link pursed his lips together and blew a strand of his long golden hair out of his eyes. He should really think of his own name for the sword, he after all had not made the tribute but Biggoron himself. It was now his only sword, since the Master Sword rested peacefully within it's pedestal in the temple of time.

Long may it rest. Link thought, subconciously feeling the spot on his belt where the Ocarina of Time used to be, but of course the royal treasure was back where it belonged. Back in the hands of the seventh sage and heir to the throne, the Princess Zelda. This did not mean the spot was vacant however, another much plainer Ocarina made of rich Kokiri oak hung in it's place. Idly his fingers traced the carvings, ran over the holes shaped with nothing short of artistic flair and fluid expression. For a moment he smiled as his fingertips lingered on the symbol of the forest, even so it his lips were tinged with sadness.

Saria.

It had been a very long time but he was finally back in Hyrule.

Back home...

Epona who had been busy eating grass by his side whinnied at him as if sensing her master's sadness and nussled his cheek affectionately. Link patted her nose and was rewarded by a lick on the ear.

"Okay girl, I'll cheer up." Link chuckled, "Okay now?" Epona snorted an affirmative, "Say, why don't we go and see Malon?"

Epona neighed and stompt her feet, Link took that to be a yes. He knew Epona must miss her and to be honest so did he. So they set off together on a slow trot down to Lon Lon Ranch.

"I wonder why all the girls I know have similar destinies in line with my own?" Link wondered out loud, Epona whinnied and swished. "I mean look at Zelda - she's the Princess of Destiny then there's Ruto, Saria and Nabooru who are all sages. I suppose the odd one out is Malon even if she did end up giving me you." Epona looked around and rolled her eyes. "What? Oh come on, are you saying you're not important to me girl? Of course you are. I'm just saying though it's funny isn't it. Even Navi had a destiny, she shared all my adventures... up until the bit where she left anyway."

"HEY!" Came a loud noise inside Link's ear, he yelped and fell straight off Epona's back. The chestnut mare breyed with laughter as the Hero of Time landed in a heap in the thankfully soft grass.

"Alright!" Link snarled getting up only to find the Mirror Shield had swung around his neck and had plunged him into darkness. "Who's the wise gu-" Link stopped mid-sentance as he finally got out from under the shield and found himself looking at the familiar face of "Navi?"

Link blinked at the pink ball of light as it did a little loop-de-loop. "It's me Link! Did you miss me?"

Link looked down at the dirtied knees of his tunic and waggled a finger in his ear. "Yes, apart from that particular aspect of your personallity."

"What aspect?"

"The yelling in my ear! I must have dulled hearing by now..." Navi giggled and flew around his head, "Where have you been anyway?"

"On holiday." The fairy laughed, the noise sounded like tiny bells jingling in the air." "I needed one after all the Ganondorf business."

"Oh." Link dusted himself off, "Well it was VERY nice of you to TELL ME! I ended up in Termina and all sorts of places looking for you!"

"LISTEN!" Navi screeched, this time down Link's other ear. The elvin youth held his hands to it and bounced away from her.

"OW! STOP THAT!" He howled, batting the air with his hand to get the mini public announcement system away from him.

"It's my job!" Navi giggled, "Okay so maybe it was a bit overdramatic but hey, I'm out of practice."

"And whose fault is that?" Link glowered.

"Fair point - mine. But I told you to LISTEN! Princess Zelda needs to see you in the Temple of Time."

"Does she now..."

"Something strange is happening to the Door of Time."

Link straightened out his belt and adjusted his saddle bags, before remounting Epona and beginning to trot away. "Well, I'm officially retired, so she'll have to get someone else."

"Link!" Navi snapped and began to buzz around his head rapidly. "You do as I say, Lazy Link, just as lazy as he was when he was a boy." Link didn't answer her but removed something from his tunic. "What's that?"

It was a jar...

Link removed the cork stopper and looked at Navi pointedly, her eyes widened. "Oh no you do not! You might get away with that with other faerie folk but not me here! I-"

(Swipe)

Link pocketed the glowing pink jar and pulled on Epona's reins and patted her on the nose. "Looks like we'll have to see Malon some other time girl, come on, off to the Temple of Time we go."

The horse looked visibly disappointed and her ears flattened against her skull, Link too was upset it had been far too long since he had seen the ranch hand and horse trainer. It was now the middle of August and the weather would soon change from the pleasantly warm summer to the autumn as the milder winds blew the colder fronts from the north in the direction of Hyrule. Autumn was a transition, Link had been feeling recently though he was in permanent winter, the cold of the fight and the loneliness of the journey the Hero must take weighed heavily on his heart like a sheath of ice. The road never ended and he often wondered what justice there was that he who fought for peace would find none himself. Ironically at the end of this particular journey he would be introduced to one who understood completely. For the briefest moment he cursed Din, Fayore and Nayru for making his life so miserable only to repent it immediately.

Link took off the golden gauntlet that covered his left hand and looked at the back of his fist. The mark of the triforce remained but was a dull browny black and no longer glowed with a divine golden presence, the Triforce of Courage had not been seen with him since he defeated Ganon, if it was within him after that he long ago realised that it most likely left him when he in turn left Hyrule. He could not bare to watch the past unfold as he knew it would.

When the future Zelda had sent him back it would be only to see Hyrule fall into 7 years of darkness before his 'other' older self returned to defeat Ganon as he had. So off Link had journeyed to find his now pocketed fairy, via the adventures in Termina, the campaign in command of the Goron Expeditionary Guard before he found that magiciain and that shard of evil metal. The sword... that evil sword, well, both evil swords... Even if he did not possess them or destroy them he had had a significant say in their final destiny, he was satisfied with that and the outcome. He swallowed, put the gauntlet back on tightly and nudged his steed forward faster with his heels. Epona's hooves left a trail of dust in the air as they thundered across Hyrule Field, the hard sunbaked ground only adding to their speed.

It was around two thirty when they arrived in the courtyard of Hyrule Castle, wary of leaving Epona at the gate Link had insisted leading the mare into the city itself. The guards had objected at first, the gruff leader of the castle guard blocking the entrance with all of his not all inconsiderably fat belly. This man obviously had no idea who Link actually was and it took a good ten minutes of bellowing and the eventual arrival of a familiar face for them to gain access.

"Let me pass." Link had said, growing rapidly weary at the delay.

"I've told you before, no entry to common animals." Epona snorted angrily and clopped a pace forward. The Chief Guard looked alarmed but Link just tightened the grip on her reins and she stopped but the horse continued to stare daggers at him.

"Cuckoos aren't common animals?" Link asked, noting the hatred blazing in the horses eyes focused as they were on their rotund obstacle. Epona had been rather spoilt by Malon Lon Lon in her youth, and Link's nickname for Epona was princess because she liked being treated like royalty. Epona knew how to act towards royalty too, often having Zelda eat out of her hand (or hoof) in the old days rather than the other way around. Naturally calling Epona a 'common animal' was somewhat disrespectful.

"Cuckoos are exempt."

"Really?"

"Yes." The man straightened and pulled his belt upwards slightly, "Under the 1704 Cuckoo Exemption Act passed by King Hikarian the Tenth." He smiled smugly, "And that I believe is not a cuckoo."

Epona whinnied and thumped the cobbles with her feet, were it not for the enchanted golden gloves Link wore the horse would have leapt at the man. The Chief backed away straight into a tall man carrying a spear.

"YEOW!" The Chief leapt ten feet into the air holding his backside, Link stifled a laugh.

"Serves you right!" The spear carrying guard said, "Don't you know who this young lad be?" Link suddenly realised who this was, it was his old friend from the guardhouse who long ago had broken boxes and vases with him to pass the time when they were bored.

"He was trying to bring a horse into the castle Lieutenant, and as Watch Captain I am enforcing the law!"

Lieutenant Price took no notice, "That ain't no common 'orse sir, that be Epona. Finest mare in the kingdom that - raised by Miss Malon 'erself!"

"Where does some urchin get a horse like that? He must be a thief."

"Or he be the great warrior Link who bested Ganondorf and saved us all?"

"What? This boy?"

"This be the 'ero o' Time sir, now if you be a-steppin' out the way so 'e may pass that way he won't be forced to plunge that big sword into your flabby gullet." The Watch Captain cast his eyes down to see the tip of Biggoron's sword hovering over his Adam's apple.

"Y-You may pass!" He stammered and Link did after thanking Lt Price, that didn't stop the Captain though after he believed Link to be out of earshot screaming at the young man that he would be taking this up with the Princess herself.

The rest of the trip to the Temple of Time was met with no resistence, and it wasn't long before Link strode into the holy building itself. Standing before the Door of Time were all seven sages, the door indeed was glowing a dull orange colour. His arrival had not gone unnoticed however and his view was rapidly replaced by a green rocket which zoomed over and leapt at him.

"Link!" Saria yelled in joy, hugging the young man around the neck as he laughed and swung her around. "Oh Link I've missed you so much!"

"I've missed you too Saria." He put her down and wiped the tears from her face.

"I-I thought you'd never come back." The Kokiri smiled through the beads of water springing from her eyes.

"Well, here I am." Link said, opening his arms only to be knocked off his feet by a fiesty blue tidal wave this time. Link fought his 'welcomer' off as best as he could but still it tried it's best to kiss him to death, "Guuurggghh!"

"Don't you EVER go off and leave me again!" Princess Ruto exclaimed tossing her head, "Not that I actually cared you left..."

"And it's good to see you too Ruto." Link dusted himself off only for Nabooru to take her place trying to out do the Sage of Water.

"Don't forget about me fairy boy." The sage winked before giving Link a big smacker on the lips.

"Okay, that's enough!" A pair of big rock hands encircled the red haired woman's waist before lifting her easily into the air.

"Hey! Lemmie go Darauna!"

"I'm pleased to see you brother." The Sage of Fire beamed, shaking Link's hand once setting Nabooru down.

"Likewise brother, how is your son?"

"Little Link continues to make me proud."

"I would expect nothing less than the Son of Darauna and the person named after me." Link laughed. Similar joy filled greetings were expressed by Impa, who saluted then hugged him and Rauru before Link found himself standing before someone he for a very long time believed he would never see or want to see again. He bowed respectfully nonetheless, she reached forward and took his hand in hers pulling him back up to face her.

"It's good to see you Link." Their eyes locked and Link for an instant could see almost into her soul, her eyes were full of pain and regret, her inner being branded with the strain of past and a future yet to come. The Triforce of Wisdom flared brightly into life on her hand and he could see no more. "I've... missed you."

Link didn't know what to say so just nodded in understanding. "You summoned me Princess?"

Zelda blinked in surprise for a moment, he hadn't meant to make it sound so annoyed. "Yes, though I'm surprised Navi was able to find you so quickly. We were most fortunate that we were able to enlist her aid."

"Is it Ganon?" He gestured at the door which still glowed a dull orange.

"We don't believe so." Rauru said, folding his hands.

"Then what is it?"

"We don't know, but something is coming through into our world."

It was at that moment that the walls started to shake, the orange glow increased in brightness and intensity. A mighty wind ripped through the hall, the banners and tapestries on the wall billowed in the gusts and almost knocking the slender form of Saria over. There was the sound of rushing water before the light ceased abruptly and pair of thumps came from the other side of the Door of Time.

"OW!" Came a voice after a while.

"Well nice one Angelus." Came a second.

"Er, excuse me Alzari." The first - Angelus - huffed in annoyance.

"I can't believe you opened the portal on the wrong bloody side of the door!" Alzari scowled.

"You were the one who gave me the temporal co-ordinates oh Master of Entherial..."

"I'll update the co-ordinates when we get back." Alzari sighed but this only seemed to aggrivate Angelus more.

"No you won't! You never do!"

"Then ASSUME I will."

"Tell you what." Angelus growled, "Next time I'll do the quantum mechanics and you can rip open the fabric of space time and we can see how you like it!"

"Why do we always fight when we're on holiday?"

"WE AREN'T ON HOLIDAY!" Angelus bellowed, his voice echoing through the dark room beyond the door.

"Just think of it like one of those adventure holidays. Explore a foreign location, meet the locals."

"Save the world..."

"Yeah, that thing." Alzari mumbled.

Angelus sighed, "You just don't get it do you?"

"What?"

"You really buy into this white knight stuff."

"Well, it is my job I suppose."

"Did you choose this job? No. The frelling universe screws us over and you're happy about it!"

"Er, hello?" Zelda asked tentatively knocking on the door, "Is someone there?"

"I suppose I buy into the White Knight theory becasue it at least implies a sense of purpose in what we do. If it didn't i'd stress about it like you do." Said Alzari, both he and Angelus ignoring the Princess.

"I am not stressing!" Angelus insisted, "It just so happens though that I don't like being a prisoner, that's what we are you know - prisoners."

"That's your point of view."

"Fine, you live in your magical happy land with chocolate houses and butterscotch seas and meanwhile I'll live in the real world."

"But this isn't the real world..."

"My point exactly."

In the darkness the Traveller scratched his head. "Look, Wonderland never had paperwork like I do. Besides which I'm a Traveller, I travel, it's what I do and what the name implies. On that note couldn't you make an effort to blend in? A tunic maybe? After all that leather jacket and jeans is hardly going to help you keep a low profile."

"I think you'll find that when we can actually see, my clothing has changed yet again."

"Must be fun having a interdimensional wardrobe."

Link put his sword back in its scabbard, "Well, at least we know it isn't Ganondorf."

"How do you figure that out?" Ruto asked.

"He didn't bitch."

"We heard that!" Came a pair of voices behind the door, Alzari adding "Look, sorry to about this but you couldn't be a pal and open this door could you? It's blooming dark in here and I keep tripping over the steps leading to the Master Sword."

Link sighed and looked at Saria, Darunia and Ruto who shook their heads in disbelief and took out the three Spirital Stones.

To Be Continued....

ArchangelUK 0:o)
Digicowboy c):o)