Chapter 9

We Shall Be Together In Paradise

"Whatever happens, let it happen."

-Albert King

It was the night that we finished with Lord Jabu-Jabu when Link broke down. We all said goodnight after a dinner and went to sleep.

While I was sleeping (I was off with Shania Twain in the mountains somewhere) A strong feeling of sadness enveloped me. The feeling jolted me awake and I looked around. Link was sitting by the river and I could hear sobbing. Navi woke up seconds after me. I guess fairies are conditioned to feel it when their partners have extreme sadness or something. Navi and I flew over to Link.

"Link," asked Navi. She landed on his shoulder. "What's the matter? Why are you crying?" she asked. I could hear the concern in her voice.

"It's n-nothing," said Link. I landed on Link's other shoulder.

"Link, we're your Guardian Fairies. If something is bothering you, please tell us," I said. Navi rubbed Link's shoulder with both of her little hands.
"Come on, tell us what's on your mind," she cooed.

"I..." he sobbed again. "I don't like killing! I don't like battling! I hate it! I hate hurting people!" He started crying harder. Navi shot me a desperate look. What do we do?

"Link, you have every right to feel what you feel. Nobody likes the concept of ending a life, but... You've got to think of it like this: If the deaths of a few people; evil people could benefit all of the world... well, it seems like a small sacrifice."

Link only stared at the ground before him.

"It's good that you're feeling like this, Link. It means that you're still a good person. You're seeing things nobody should have to see and you've taken it in stride each time. We're proud of you. I know you don't like what has to be done, but Jack is right. What you're doing is going to benefit the entire land!"

He sniffed. "Do you think there's more stuff we have to do?"

Navi sighed. "I don't know."

"Time will tell. Don't worry about the future. Concern yourself with now."

Link looked at Navi and I again.

"Thank you both," he said. I felt the sadness linger over him still. Navi kept rubbing his shoulder and I sat with them for a few more minutes.

"Remember, this is what we're here for Link. We're here to look out for you," said Navi. She kissed Link's cheek after a little while longer and said "Good night". Then she flew back to the spot that she'd first fallen asleep.

I sat with him for a while longer and then he lay back to stare at the stars.

"Try to get to sleep, we've got some ground to cover tomorrow," I said. He nodded. I flew back to the spot I chose for the night and returned to the mountains with Shania Twain.

^_O (That's a new one)

Navi shook me awake around the time she got up and flew towards the river.
"Come here, watch the sunrise with me," she said. I groggily flew to the spot she motioned me towards and sat down. I looked at the sky to the east. Navi pointed to a bright speck of light in the sky toward the east.

"That's the Morning Star. It's always there before the Sun."

I squinted hard at it.

"That's not a star," I said. Navi glanced at me. "What do you mean?"
"It's a planet. It's Venus."

"Venus was a Roman Goddess, Jack."

"And it's also the name of that planet."

"How can you tell it isn't a star?"

I smiled at Navi. "It doesn't twinkle."
Navi squinted harder at it. "You're right... but it's still the Morning Star to me," she said. I looked around at the stars that still shone while the Sun began to turn the sky a shade of purple and pink.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" she asked. I nodded and she put her head on my shoulder. I didn't trust the sky. Toward the east the sky was red. Red sky in the morning usually means rain- Wait, did she just put her head on my shoulder?

She yawned. "Sorry, I'm still kind of tired."

I smiled, though my heart was pounding.

"I don't mind."

I really didn't. Cute girl with her head on my shoulder vs. waking up in the morning, doing chores, and cutting my arm on a chain-link fence... I think I'll take the former. I put my arm around her shoulder and waited to hear "What are you doing?"

Lucky for me it didn't come. I wouldn't have an answer prepared.

"Hey, do you think Link feels any better today?" she asked. I nodded. "He seemed more content after we spoke with him."

We fell silent for a little while and kept watching the sun slowly rise into the sky.

"I love when the sunrise is red like that. It's so pretty... but it usually means rain is coming," said Navi.

"And you don't like rain," I pointed out. She smiled. "I don't like rain because it's wet!"

"How do you feel about snow?" I asked. She giggled. "Not a fan!"

She looked at me and I kept staring at the sun until I had to squint. She smiled. "You shouldn't do that," she said.

I nodded while shutting my eyes tight. "Yeah, I was just about to stop."

She took her head off my shoulder and stretched. "Good morning, sunshine!"

(A/N: Okay, that line is really starting to annoy me now. Just saying.)

Before she started back towards Link she turned to me again and smiled. "Thanks for watching with me," she said. She hugged me and flew over to Link.

Let's see... Last night I was with Shania Twain, this morning I was with another cute girl, and today we head back to the castle to deliver the emeralds. Today is shaping up nicely if you ask me!

C.C

Link decided to skip breakfast today in favor of getting a jump on the travels. It was now around 7 or so in the morning and cloud covered the sky. No rain fell yet, but I could tell it was only a matter of time. We were lucky in one way: We managed to clear the path to Zora's Domain before the rain fell or it got too cool. The air around Zora's Domain was very cool. When we got to the field we could see the Castle in the distance.

The trip was one of the few uneventful ones. It was around midday and we were looking for a good spot to stop for lunch. Link wanted to sit under a tree but the clouds were so dark it looked like it could start to thunder at any time.

"Why not there, Link?" asked Navi. She was pointing to a ranch about a half a mile to the west.

Link looked at Navi. She returned his stare with a sly smile.

"Hey... come on now. I think that's where Malon lives!" she said. Link looked back at the ranch.

"We've only just met."

"So?" I asked. "Better acquaint yourselves over lunch. I'll even make lunch for you both! Then again... my cooking will probably kill you."

Navi glanced at me. "Because you're so good?"

I shook my head. "Because I'm the guy that starts kitchen fires preparing cold cereal."

Navi giggled. "Then I need to show you how to cook without hurting people!"

I scoffed. "Good luck with that."

"I still don't know..."

"Come on, Link! It's not like you'll be on a date with her or anything!" said Navi.

"Yeah, you already promised Ruto back there!" I teased. Navi giggled and Link blushed.

"Okay," he said at last. Navi cheered.

"Okay, let's go!" she said. We walked towards the ranch and up the path. By now it was lightly raining.

The ranch was big. To our left was the home that the ranchers lived in (I could tell because it had a mailbox in front of it), and to our right was a stable. In front of us was land that the ranchers owned. I could see part of a corral in the middle of the land. Navi willed Link to knock on the door of the house.

We could hear movement and life beyond the door of the house, and I heard a faint "I'll get it". The voice belonged to Malon. I heard stomping down a staircase. After the stomping ceased the door opened.

The Red-head paused and stared at us. It was as if she were trying to recognize Link. Suddenly his face registered in her head and she smiled. "Hi, Fairy Boy!"

"Hi, Malon," he said. He got ready to say something but she beat him to it.

"Hey... I haven't seen you since Hyrule Castle! Where have you been?" she asked, putting her hands on her hips and tilting her head to one side a little. That little stance reminded me of my sister a little. She'd do that when she was curious or annoyed.

"I've been doing stuff," said Link, rubbing the back of his head.

"Like what? What could be more important than seeing me? Tee-hee!"

(She didn't really say "Tee-Hee" but she freaking could have. Her laugh sounded like one.)

"We were helping save the world, and we didn't have any free time. We're sorry, right Link?" asked Navi. Link nodded.

"Yes'm."

Navi smiled down at him.

"Well, come in! Hey, let's have lunch! Come in and have lunch!"

Link nodded. We were welcomed into the house just as the rain took a turn for the worse.

Malon had some meat and milk out for lunch. She sat across from Link at a little table. Talon was missing in action.

"Where is your Dad?" asked Navi. Link set out some fruit for Navi and I, and we picked at it as the pitter-patter of rain hit the rooftop.

"He's in the stable playing cards with Ingo," said Malon as if it were common knowledge.

"He doesn't mind us here?" I asked. She shook her head while drinking some of the milk.

"Nope!"

We ate for a while in silence and then Malon spoke up again.

"Hey Fairy Boy! Where are you going next?" she asked.

Link swallowed whatever he ate before he spoke. "Back to the Castle."

"Why?"

"To give Princess Zelda something."

"Oh... My Dad is taking me back with him to the Castle in a few weeks too!"

"Is that right?" asked Navi. Malon nodded. "Mm-hmm! He says if I'm good on the trip I can go to the Bazaar!"

"Very cool," I said, although being told that if I behaved I could to to a store would be a punishment, not a reward. I hate shopping, but nobody needed to hear my laments.

We finished our meals in silence and talked with Malon for a little longer before we got ready to leave. We said our goodbyes and thanked her for lunch, and then we left. By now it was raining harder, but Link was determined to get to Castle Town. Thunder roared and lightning flashed; Link was the only one not bothered in the slightest. I cautioned him about the thunderstorm.

"You can tell how far away a thunderstorm is by counting the seconds between the flash of lightning and sound of thunder. Each second is one mile, or a little over a kilometer. The storm I hear is around four miles away from us and closing in, Link. If it gets too close you need to ditch your shield and get as low to the ground as possible. Lightning strikes the tallest object. You don't want to be that object."

Link nodded a few times during my shpiel, and we took off again. This time Link ran. Navi and I hid in his hat as the rain was too much for us to handle. We were in his hat for a few hours and the rain got worse. Eventually we came to a stop and Navi and I peeked our heads out under Link's hat. The Castle's bridge was closed... and it wasn't nighttime yet. Lightning flashed (it was around a mile away now and I was nervous) and the bridge suddenly started coming down. Link dove out of the way and I tumbled out of his hat along with Navi. A white horse dashed past carrying Impa and Zelda. Zelda looked back at us and threw something. It landed in the moat of Castle Town just behind us and sunk. The white horse vanished from sight and a black horse carrying the familiar figure of Ganondorf appeared. He stopped his horse in front of us and squinted at the horizon, then scowled in frustration.

"Darn! I lost her..." He looked at Link, who was just now standing up and dusting himself off.

"Hey, you! Boy! Have you seen a white horse run by here just now? Answer me!"

Link scowled at Ganondorf and gave him a cold stare. He drew his sword. Ganondorf chuckled darkly.

"Heh...heh...heh...Kid, I like you. You've got spunk... but you're a fool to think you can defeat me!"
With that, Ganondorf held up a hand and a bright ball of... energy for a lack of better words appeared, and was fired at Link. Link took a step back but the ball of energy had enough punch to hit the ground before him and knock him backward. Navi and I fluttered to Link worriedly but he was already standing again, and Ganondorf rode off in a direction he'd believed Zelda and Impa took off in. Unknown to him but known to us, the direction he chose was dead wrong. Link looked back at the moat and without a second thought, he jumped in. I was about to say "No!" but it was too late. I tapped my foot with my arms crossed while in midair and Navi giggled. "What?"

"Water conducts electricity! He's in a lot of danger as long as he's in the water- no, as long as he's wet!"

"Do you know everything?" asked Navi.

"I don't know math, most history, how to cook, and much more."

Link's head burst out of the water and he held a blue ocarina. It sparkled a few times and I could sense something about it. It was important. Link did not discard his old ocarina; he kept it as a gift from Saria. You don't throw away gifts. He climbed out of the water and I bopped him on the head.

"That's dangerous during a thunderstorm, Link! If lightning is involved, don't swim!" I said. He looked like he was going to respond but he held his tongue. Suddenly his eyes rolled back in his head and he fell down with the ocarina glowing brilliantly in his hand.

-Revolution! Revolution!-

In a bright abyss of nothing but white stood one boy in green. In his hand he clutched a blue ocarina and it sparkled like mad. A voice rang out through the white abyss; the voice of Princess Zelda.

"Link... can you hear me? It is Zelda. If you can hear my voice, then you've received the Ocarina of Time... and I am no longer in Castle Town. I live, rest assured. Do not fear my safety. But I leave you this message in the Ocarina that you may open the Door of Time... for I have failed to protect the stones you have obtained. This is the song that will open the Door of Time and allow you entry to the Sacred Realm."

A song rang through the abyss of light. It was a song of intelligence and power, purity and courage. The song played twice and Link took the ocarina to his mouth and played it himself twice. The ocarina sparkled in his hands, and Zelda's voice rang out again.

"Bring the Spiritual Stones to the Temple of Time. Place them in their hollows and play the Song of Time you just learned. Open the Door of Time and take the Master Sword. Hurry, Link. All of Hyrule depends on you."

-Revolutions do not last.-

When his eyes opened again, Navi and I were overwhelmed with relief. The rainwater had gathered in his eyes and we had to turn his head so he didn't drown in the rainwater.

"Link," I said. Navi finished for me.

"Are you alright?"

Link only nodded. "The Ocarina... I learned a new song. Zelda told me to... to... to play the song in the Temple of Time. She said to put the Spiritual Stones in their hollows..."

"Slow down, Link," I said. "Zelda's long gone." He shook his head. "No, you don't understand. She left a message in the ocarina... I learned a song."

"What's the song?" asked Navi. Link squinted, as if he were trying to remember the name of the song. I didn't get it. A moment ago he'd passed out. Now he's up and acting as if nothing had ever happened. What song? Nobody came around while he was unconscious; I was sure of that.

"She said it was the Song of Time," he said at last. "It was a vision, that's it. We have to go to the Temple of Time now. Come on!" he said. We pursued (the rain let up enough for us to fly. Navi was still upset with the rain. She was turning a light shade of red. Hah... red for anger... I'm liking this fairy thing more and more... when it's not me.)

As we weaved in and out of town I paled. Remember that guy with the white robes and weapons I pointed out long ago? There were several people around town dressed like that, and they were all mutilated. These murders practically reeked of Ganondorf or Jack the Ripper. Either or, it was nothing positive. Navi saw the bodies and began sobbing. Link ignored them and I did my best to ignore them as well. There must have been hundreds of these people dead or dying on the ground. I took a shot in the dark and assumed that they'd planned some kind of organized assault on Ganondorf... maybe an attempt on his life... and they obviously failed.

We made it to the enormous Temple that rivaled Hyrule Castle and The Great Deku Tree. It was old in it's design but very well kept. Around it I felt safe; like nothing bad could happen here. It felt like this place was blessed. Link wasted no time to gawk at the sight; he just ran inside we followed.

Inside the Temple of Time... it was largly empty. Several locked doors lined the walls. One door was labled "Retreat", another door was labled "Truth", another labled "Corruption", and several others looked to be defiled; intentionally worn down as if the very names gave away a dark secret. The feeling of holiness in the air was strong. It was as if the Three Goddesses had built this Temple themselves. Ahead of us was a pedestal with three hollows in it. Beyond the pedestal was a big door, and this door was labled "Proceed". An engraving was above the hollows, and under each hollow were other engravings.

The main engraving simply read "Place the stones with their events."

Under the first hollow read "First... plucked from a TREE in a forest..."

The second read "He kept his FRIENDS close..."

And the third engraving read "The stone COOLY performed miracles..."

We all knew the first had something to do with The Great Deku Tree. Link placed the stone in the hollow. This seemed like an easy riddle to us... but anyone who did not go through what Link went through wouldn't know what to do.

"Wait a minute, wait a minute..." Navi said. "The second reads 'He kept his FRIENDS close... 'Friends' is obviously the key here. Darunia didn't want anything to do with us at first... His stone... 'cooly'... The Spiritual Stone of Fire kept you cool. Jabu-Jabu ate us... maybe in that way he kept us close..."

Link placed the stones in the order Navi reccomended and nothing happened. We didn't know if anything would have happened if we were right or wrong.

"That has to be right," I said. "Link, play the song."

Link took his Ocarina and put it to his lips. The notes of a very unusual yet...

...The song was soothing... but at the same time each note rang out in such a way... I can't describe the song. No words come to mind for it.

With a loud rumble the Temple lightly shook. Link took a step back and the big doors slowly opened. They opened fully and Link proceeded.

Another almost empty room was behind the doors. A lone window high up in the Temple's new room allowed a bright beam of sunlight in. The sunlight shone on a sword stuck in a pedestal. The pedestal had a triforce marking on it's front. Around the pedestal in a large circle were engravings of what looked like medallions. We paid no mind to them and Link approached the sword.

"It's the Master Sword..." said Navi in awe. "Link... The Blade of Evil's Bane! Pull it from it's pedestal, and let's show Ganondorf what we can do!"

Link nodded at Navi and smiled at me. He took two steps closer to the sword, placed both hands on it's hilt, and he yanked upward. The sword came free, and all at once...

...

...

...All...at...once...

...

...Tired...

Link...he passed out... Navi...she...she fell, too... and...

...Me, too...

...

End of Chapter

Next chapter comes up when I get 8 reviews.

I'm only kidding. I like hearing what you have to say about the story, but I won't force anyone to do it.

I don't care if she's in her mid-40's. Shania Twain is hot.

I added the scene with Navi and Jack because I can.

This chapter alone is about 3,600 words or so. I told you it would be shorter. Next chapter will probably be pretty short, too. I can't describe an old man waking up a kid and telling him a story for very long thanks to that Attention-Deficit thing I've got.

"Revolution! Revolution!" doesn't have anything to do with the story. It's more of a way for me to change the perspective of the story from Jack's to a Narrator's. It's no secret that I've pretty much slaughtered the whole smiley thing for transitions. (Again, I do that just to piss you off.)

I was going to write about Malon teaching Link Epona's Song but I forgot to. I'll just do that later in the story.

Those guys all dead in Castle Town... I may consider writing a seperate story depicting what they did. I already have three main characters for such a story.

I don't know if the end of this chapter made sense, but I was trying to make it like Jack fell into his part of the coma mid-way through explaining what happened to Link and Navi.

Next chapter will be waking up from the 7-Year coma, Link learning his destiny, and so on.