Author's note: I'm glad this story was liked so much so far. And I hope it continues to be liked, as this is one of my stranger fanfictions. Kinda. I mean, LOZ is strange enough...what with giant pigs and sea monsters, and a kid running around dressed in green and all that.

Thanks to those who reviewed the previous chapter (Sorceress of Shadows, LimeLavender, chibis of evil, and Nami-chaan) and please, tell me what you think as we continue this crazy train-ride! Enjoy!

Chapter One

Link hopped aboard the Spirit Train and turned to offer Zelda a hand up, which she promptly ignored, climbing up behind him and leaning against the railing of the engine. She watched him get the steam-powered engine roaring to life and set the controls, and the train lurched forward.

Link looked back at her once they were at full speed. "You sure you're not mad at me?" he asked.

Zelda sighed and looked out at the landscape passing by.

"No, Link," she replied, turning her gaze back at him, "I'm not mad at you. I could never be mad at you."

Link smiled. He turned back to watch ahead, making sure that no monsters would pop up and harm the train.

Zelda sighed and looked out at the landscape again, enjoying the wind against her face. She was still annoyed, but she knew she couldn't take it out on Link. He had been the only one to see her when she was just a spirit...he had been the one to help her out when she thought all hope had been lost.

She saw that Link was watching her out of the corner of her eyes. She glanced at him, receiving one one his smiles.

"What?" she asked.

"Nothing," he said quickly. Behind him, ahead on the track, a large, monkey-like creature was running toward the train. Zelda saw it and shouted, "Look out!"

Link whipped around, and immediately began to break. The monster kept at it, though, and Link aimed with the cannon Alfonzo had attached to the train a long while ago, and fired. The monster was hit once, and it jumped onto the engine before jumping onto the cannon, disabling it, and swiping at Zelda. Its face was swollen red from where it had been hit. Link pulled out his bow and fired, sending the monster flying off the cannon, dead.

"Are you alright?" he asked.

Zelda nodded, still pale. "Thanks..."

Link nodded.

"That's the fifth time, you know."

"Yeah, I know, Zelda," Link said. He walked up to the cannon and looked at it. "Alfonzo's gonna have my hide for this one," he muttered. Alfonzo was Link's teacher, and a stern one at that. A rough and veteran warrior but also a great engineer, Alfonzo wasn't going to be happy about a damaged cannon. "I'll have to get it fixed." He looked about them on the grassy field. He spotted Aboda village in the distance.

"You wanna stop by and say hi to Niko?" Link asked.

Zelda sighed. "I kinda just want to get back home to the castle. I've had a very trying day." Her voice was tense again, filled with annoyance.

Link nodded. "Let me just make sure the engine wasn't damaged...if Anjean were here, she wouldn't be too happy with me getting the spirit's special train all damaged." He jumped off and walked around the engine, making sure it wasn't damaged and running a hand over the fine steel. There were a few dents in the top, but nothing too bad and nothing he couldn't fix when he got back to a station.

Hopping back on board, he started the train up again and sped off toward Castle Town and the castle. All the time, he looked around, making sure there were no more approaching monsters. Soon, though, something else rose above the horizon. A tall tower loomed overhead. It was the Tower of Spirits, the many floored tower that had acted as a key to seal away the demon king. Now, with the demon king dead for good by Link's hand, the Tower of Spirits was just a landmark. Link sighed, wishing for the good old times when the Lokomos were on the earth...and his thoughts drifted to two Lokomos in particular, Anjean, who had guided him and Zelda through their journey to save Hyrule, and Byrne, who had helped Zelda regain her body after being turned on by the forces of evil.

Before he knew it, they arrived at the Castle Town Station. The sun had set and barely any light could be seen above the horizon.

"Aren't you going to stop?" Zelda asked as they came along side it. Link shook his head to clear his mind and hit the breaks, backing up a little before stopping altogether. The train belched white steam and Link hopped out, offering his hand once again to help Zelda down.

This time, she took his hand and hopped down.

"It's late. Why don't you stay at the castle tonight?"

"I don't know. I kinda wanna get back to Aboda...I should get the cannon fixed soon. But if you want, I'll come back tomorrow afterward..."

Zelda sighed. She looked up at the castle with its glowing windows. She still was annoyed with being rescued so much. And she was tired. It had been a long day.

"I guess...sure, Link." She looked at him. "I'll see you then, I guess."

"Ok," Link said. "Goodnight."

"You, too." Zelda turned and went off into town. Link sighed and lit the lamps on the train: the one above the controls and the one in front that lit the tracks before the train. He hopped aboard and started off, blowing his whistle one last time, heading back to Aboda Village.

He was in sight of the small, peaceful village when it happened. Link stifled a yawn and shook his head to wake himself up. Suddenly, there was a loud screech and his train, moving along so nicely before, suddenly shook and jolted to a hard stop. Link gasped and fell backwards as the Spirit Train came to a sudden and complete stop. He tried to make the train move, but the loud screeching sound of metal on metal sounded and he gave it up, not wanting to damage the train. He glanced about the darkness.

A laugh sounded, deep and malevolent. Link drew his sword, the Lokomo sword, given to him by Anjean. Could he make it by running to Aboda...?

It was his only choice. He jumped from the engine and started to run. Something swiped at him, missing him...but his hat went flying. A dark shadow blocked his path. Link skid to a stop and jumped over the track, but the black shadow blocked him again. There was another evil laugh and a monster emerged from beside the black shadow. Link gasped. It was the same monster he had thought he killed earlier when it attacked the train. It had a large red welt on its face from the cannonball and a wound from the arrow in its side.

"Thought you killed him, didn't you?" a dark voice stated. Link raised his sword. The monster raised his claws. "Well...he's back."

The monster lunged. Link slashed with his sword and felt one of the monster's claws scrape his arm. The Lokomo Sword went flying and all went black...

Zelda leaned her arms on the window sill in her private room. Her head was resting on her arms, and she looked out over Hyrule, sighing happily. The sky was bright today, the sun never seeming warmer. A train pulled into the Castle Town station, reminding Zelda of Link...

"I was so rude to him," she muttered. She left the window and wandered about her room. She was restless now. She didn't want to go down to the throne room because then she'd be getting questions as to why she seemed so worried.

She sighed again. She was going to have to apologize when he came back from Aboda. Yes...that's what she would do!

There was a knock on the door to her room.

"Yes?" she asked.

"Princess." It was Teacher, her tutor. "Princess," Teacher said again through the closed door, "An engineer has an urgent message for you."

"Which engineer?" Zelda asked going to the door. She opened it and saw the elderly Hylian standing there looking worried. "Link?"

"No. A newer one, I think." Zelda started out of the room, and Teacher followed her with his slow gait. Zelda and Teacher walked the short distance to the throne room, where a young, timid engineer waited, staring around him curiously, one Link had been training. Zelda assumed he hadn't been able to look around the throne room before this. He saw Zelda entering and bowed.

"What is your news?" Zelda asked.

"Your majesty, I was on my was to Aboda and I saw the Spirit Train. No one was aboard...and it didn't seem to be in working condition..."

Zelda stared at this engineer. "Y-you're sure no one was around?"

"Yes, your majesty, I'm sure. I got off my train and looked about for Link, but I didn't see him. It looks like there was a fight."

"Can you take me? I want to see this for myself." The young engineer nodded.

"Princess, it would be unwise to go about in these times," Teacher said. "Not without protection."

"Very well," Zelda sighed. She had to find Link...no matter what.