((The Fairy's Fountain had been given an impromptu renovation when Majora's Mask split the Great Fairy into the Stray Fairies. It was returned to normal after the events of the game.))


Fairies

When children are doing nothing, they are doing mischief.

-Henry Fielding

Music: Zelda Reorchestrated's (zreomusic:dot:com) Great Fairy's Fountain

Link cautiously entered the Fairy Fountain. It was more beautiful than his father had described. The green torches shed an eerie yet compelling light, which reflected off the pale pink crystal of the floor. He approached the main fountain, stemming the flow of blood from the wounds that had broken open with his hand.

Suddenly, there was a great flash. The fountain was suddenly occupied, but not by the Great Fairy. Instead, one of her mischievous attendants had appeared. She was surrounded by a green glow, and couldn't have been more than four inches high. Link struggled to see more details, and then blushed. The fairy was relying on her natural glow for cover, and wasn't wearing anything at all. Link looked away and held out the stone the wizard had given him. The fairy didn't seem too interested. She said, "I'll bet the crazy old coot in the observatory said that would keep you safe. He lied. Well, maybe not deliberately. It will guarantee an audience with the Great Fairy, but it won't stop me from having some fun before she wakes up. Let's see, where shall we start?"

Music: Zelda Reorchestrated's (zreomusic:dot:com) The Great Sea is Cursed


"First, I need to make sure you won't keel over dead partway through" she said, and his wounds stopped bleeding. "Now, you obviously haven't seen a fairy before. I think I should give you a taste of everything we do. We can confuse your senses". The room suddenly seemed huge, and Link couldn't tell which way the exit was. Everything seemed to twist as he watched, and phantom voices moaned softly in his head. "We can alter your body". Link suddenly sprouted rabbit ears, a fox tail, and a wolf's snout. "We can cause your emotions to run wild". Link was suddenly very afraid. He knew he had to leave. He began running, hoping he was headed the right way. "We can rob you of your coordination, or your strength, or your force of personality". Link suddenly couldn't stand up. His muscles just wouldn't work properly. He tried to continue, but he couldn't even crawl straight. "Even your intelligence can go right down the drain, but we don't do that often. It's no fun taunting something that doesn't understand". Link didn't know which way to go. He simply couldn't remember what 'away' meant; he just knew that was where he needed to be. His fear subsided, so he stopped attempting to run. What was he running from again? Oh yeah, he was running from a fairy. Why? He couldn't remember. His mind began to clear, and he realized that he had been transformed again while he was too stupid to notice. His hands were talons, and his legs had lizard feet at the end of them. "I see you like wearing dresses. Here, this one's prettier." Link's tunic became a green dress, with a long trail of fabric behind and a hole for his tail. He knew there was no way he could move with any speed in this thing, and he didn't want to be seen wearing girl's clothes. "Hmmm, that dress doesn't fit too well. Maybe I should fi-"

"Mythisper, that's enough!" a new voice cried. Both Link and the fairy looked over. The Great Fairy had arrived. She was easily four times Link's size, and flew without wings. "I want you to change him back to normal this instant! You know better than to torment those sent here by Randolf!".

"Okay…" replied the fairy. Link found himself back to normal… almost. He was still wearing a dress.

"His tunic too." the Great Fairy commanded.

"As you command" the fairy said, rolling her eyes. Link's tunic returned to its ordinary state. "Mythisper, I will deal with you later. Now, young man, what brings you to my fountain with such grievous injuries, and sent by Randolf no less?"

Music: Zelda Reorchestrated's (zreomusic:dot:com) Great Fairy's Fountain


Link explained how he had run into Majora's Mask, how he had found the Lifesong Orb, and how he had fought a Stalfoes in order to talk to Randolf about the Orb. The Great Fairy said, "So, Majora's Mask has returned. That would explain why we have lost contact with the other fountains, and why I have felt my power opposed. I must think on this."

"Now onto the matter of your injuries. I am afraid I will not be able to help you so easily. Under normal circumstances, I would heal you as soon as I knew you were there. Unfortunately, with my powers being suppressed, anything I do will be undone as soon as you leave the fountain. However, there is one thing that may work. If one of my fairies were to accompany you, he or she could maintain my spell despite the meddling of Majora's Mask. Be aware that I would not send away my servants without good cause. If you choose to have one of my fairies accompany you, you must do something for me." Link thought for a moment. He didn't want to die, but he didn't want to go on a quest or stay here forever.

Link said, "What task would I have to do in order to have a fairy accompany me?"

The Great Fairy replied, "Take this bottle; within it is some of the magical water of this fountain. Go to the Great Fairy Fountains in the Southern Swamp, Snowhead, Great Bay, and Ikana Canyon and sprinkle a few drops into them. Feel free to sprinkle a little into any minor Fairy Fountains you find as well."

Link asked, "Is there any other option, other than staying here for the rest of my life?"

"Well," replied the regular fairy Mythisper, "I might be able to heal you, and my healing wouldn't be undone. However, I'm not very good at healing spells. For your wounds, stabilizing them was the best I could do. If I were to bind the healing to some other spells though…"

"No thanks!" exclaimed Link. He'd had enough of fairy spells for a while. He didn't want to repeat the experience.

"Are you sure?" asked Mythisper, "You do actually look good in a dress, and with a few other modifications…"

"I'll take the quest!" Link shouted.

"Spoilsport" said Mythisper.

"It is decided. Mythisper, you shall accompany Link on his quest." the Great Fairy commanded.

"What? Why me?" protested Mythisper.

"Because you are the only one I can spare right now. Besides, it will do you good to leave the fountain for a time. The limits on your power may teach you something." said the Great Fairy. "Now, close your eyes and relax.". Link did so, and felt his wounds melt away. "Now Link, here is the bottle. Mythisper, follow Link and make sure he doesn't just ignore his task. And Mythisper – put on some clothes. The boy's only eleven!".

Music: Zelda Reorchestrated's (zreomusic:dot:com) Clocktown Day One Soundscape


Link returned home. It had been a long day, and he wanted to get to sleep. When he got home, Mythisper said, "So you live at the Stock Pot Inn? Pretty lucky. You must get a lot of good meals.". Anju burst out the door as soon as Link got within sight of the window.

"Oh Link I'm so glad your safe!" she said as she rushed over and hugged him. "I'd heard that you had almost been killed by a monster and – Is that a fairy?".

"What do I look like?" Mythisper asked sarcastically, "A humming bird? Of course I'm a fairy!".

Link said, "Mom, I'm going to have to leave in a day or two. I'll tell you and Dad at supper.".

Link explained to his parents the numerous events of the day. "And that is why I have to set out adventuring soon." he finished.

After a tense silence, Kafei said, "Well Link, I can't stop you. Your father was about your age when he saved the world, and no son of mine, adopted or otherwise, is going to be known as anything except a man of his word. Pack your things tonight, you can leave in the morning.". The next day, Link would leave Clocktown for the first time in his life.


Comment: Some may wonder how healing magic could be undone. I see this type of healing as making tempoary magical replacements for organs, flesh, etc. until the body can heal itself. These replacements could be dispeled if you knew they were there.