If you were paying attention a couple chapters ago, you should know about Naruto's "split-personality" issue Majora cursed him with. Basically, we've got the psycho completely under its control, the hyperactive boy from canon that is nonetheless a false persona, and the real Naruto underneath it all who has been changed by all these events.
I've therefore noticed that this is the only time in my writing that I'm meant to be writing Naruto's canon personality. Then I realized, I'm too subdued of a person to be able to write a Part I Naruto. That doesn't mean he's going to be the stoic, cringeworthy edgelord that I know he's portrayed as in some works, but his "first persona" is going to be a bit more subdued than canon Naruto. I know some people have problems with canon Naruto, so this shouldn't come as such an issue to them, but this is just a heads-up.
Chapter 21: Termina
The whole sequence was like a bad acid trip.
Like he surmised, walking through the large hollow log was like a cave, with the end seemingly not being anywhere in sight. Such a thing should not have been possible for what was a hollow log, but Naruto knew by this point that this object was anything but normal.
Nevertheless, the interior of the log wasn't endless. After no more than thirty seconds, Naruto did come to something that was a break in the monotony, but it only made the impossibility of the situation more apparent.
It was a long dropoff, a seemingly endless void contained within a space that shouldn't be possible. One moment, he was standing on a ledge, and the next his right leg was about to step down into the black abyss.
There was no use in going back now. He didn't know what would happen to him if he actually stepped into the abyss, but he knew what was going on where he had come from.
It wasn't like Majora would let him return at this point, anyway. So, with that in mind, he stepped forward off the ledge, feeling the wind resistance and gravity begin to take hold of him.
Naruto honestly didn't know what he was expecting. This whole "other world" thing was just so ludicrous. Well, about as ludicrous as an evil mask showing up, near possessing him, and destroying everything he loved and cared about.
And even then he would have to give it to the mask.
That was, until bizarre... faces began rocketing toward him as he fell down the hole to nowhere. All-encompassing, they came in different colors and appeared to be non-corporeal image projections rather than living beings.
They were of creatures that Naruto had never seen as well. A humanoid fish-like creature, a round-faced thing that almost looked like a rock, and a sad little tree.
Of course, anything was fair game now. He was now no longer in his world, and about to enter an alien place that may or may not have similarities with the Elemental Countries.
The bad drug trip ended after a few seconds, but Naruto was still falling. Falling, falling, falling. The abyss was really that... an abyss. He wondered how long this would go on.
Eventually, after a minute of falling, he got his answer. What normally would've been a fatal fall didn't even register on the pain scale for the former shinobi. For whatever reason. Naruto could think of a few possibilities why.
It probably helped that he had landed on some kind of large, pink flower that was as big as he was.
"Okay, we don't see this kind of stuff in Konoha..." he said. He tapped his sandal against the massive pink flower; the petal was soft to the touch and yielded easily.
"How is this even blooming down here anyway?" Naruto asked himself, looking around. He appeared to have landed within some cave like complex, but the area was open-ended. Dark, but seeming to lack a ceiling.
There was also no indication that he would be able to get back the way he came.
The chamber he was currently in seemed to have an earthy, forest theme. There was a pool of water in the center and a few torches along the little island across the water. A painted door with a strange symbol was directly to his right.
"Well, only one way out I guess..." he muttered to himself, placing a hand on the strange symbols. He didn't see any kind of doorknob or other means of opening the wooden slab. Yet, with some barely applied force, the door swung open and allowed the foreign boy to enter.
The door slammed shut behind him.
"O...kay. I'll just deal with that as it comes..." Naruto remarked. Now doors were slamming shut on their own; he doubted he was wrong when he thought this world was going to be far different from his own.
He put the automatic door out of his mind and began moving down what appeared to be a long, painted tunnel with an opening near the end that led to another area.
The walls were covered in symbols, similar to the ones painted upon the door that he had previously seen. Some of these were more elaborate however, with complex drawings and figures near the bottom covered by a painted red background.
Nevertheless, the symbols on the door, the lit torches in the other room, and now these paintings all indicated one thing: civilization. Whether or not it was human civilization was yet to be seen.
By all means though, he was probably still underground. After a few more trials and movements through the underground cavern, Naruto came across perhaps the strangest sight of all at the end of a ancient gorge of trees.
The sight in question was a tree itself. A small sapling, not very tall but significantly wider than the one he had been nurturing back in the Elemental Countries.
Its roots oddly looked like legs, and the two branches coming off its side disturbingly looked like outstretched arms. A few frail leaves were hanging from those branches, but Naruto was drawn to the tree's face.
Three holes were seemingly carved into the front of the little tree, forming two large eyes and a small circular mouth. Regardless of how intriguing it was, Naruto was beginning to feel very uncomfortable in its presence.
Naruto didn't know if this was a coincidence, a work of art, or something supernatural, but there was something about the expression the tree's face was showing as it stood in its perpetual slumber.
The eyes were droopy and sunken like it was about to start crying, and the mouth was poised in a circle as if the small tree was about to scream. A great feeling of sadness overcame Naruto just by looking at it, and when he turned away, it just seemed to vanish.
"Ugh... what was that?" Naruto asked himself, trying to shake himself free of the thoughts. There was another hallway leading to yet more unknown territory, similar to the ruins he had passed through to get here.
Unlike the last hallway, it would not be a leisurely meander through. The move through this hallway was more reminiscent of Naruto's fall into the abyss than anything else.
The space around him began to warp and twist, and the boy suddenly found his heart beating very fast as he kept moving. The distorted air made his vision seem blurry, and his eyes dilated as it seemed like he began to walk on the walls and ceiling.
Then, the all too familiar white noise resounded within his head as he was walking through the distorted hallway on a path to nowhere. Images of himself, Majora's Mask, Konoha, and the apocalypse flashed through his mind. Strangely enough, they seemed to change ever so slightly as they cycled through, with similar yet different events occurring each time.
Could this have been the transition between personalities that Majora had threatened it would do to him? In the aftermath of the world's end, he would take on his "third personality", something that had clearly happened. But, now that he was in a new world, it seemed he was about to take on the "first personality".
After what seemed like hours to the boy, the tunnels beneath the earth began to return to normal, the twisted hallways and distorted space disappearing as the sounds of clockwork and running water filled his ears.
Naruto caught his first glimpse of sunlight peeking through the cracks in the wall of the building he was in. It was the first pure sunlight he had seen in months.
A small waterway was running through the middle of this seemingly important building, with the design that was much more modern than the old-timey ruins he had been wandering through up to this point.
A large gear spun overhead with the same rhythm and flow every few seconds, and Naruto began to walk up the stairs to a large, ornate door that could clearly be pushed open.
"Huh? What am I even doing here?" Naruto said, his blur of memories melding together with no clear distinction. He put his hand on the door, and before opening it, a few images popped into his head.
"Oh, yeah! That mask and the salesman! That crazy mask brought down the frickin' moon onto Konoha! Luckily, we managed to evacuate everyone in time. But, Jii-chan told me my mission was to reunite with Kakashi-sensei, Ino, and Shikamaru. They apparently made it here with some of the other villagers. Wherever "here" is..."
The false memories that Naruto had been stuck with worked their magic, creating the false persona that Majora said it would cultivate. A wolf disguised as a sheep was about to enter a world that had been exposed to very power of Majora's Mask just a year ago.
With a new spring in his step, Naruto pushed the door open and stepped into the sunshine.
"Agh!" Naruto shielded his eyes at the vast beating of the sun, his billowy orange yukata giving him a shield from the sun. Besides the sun, his eyes widened at all the sensory overload he was going through when being confronted with this new place.
It took him almost ten minutes to adjust to the bright sun, considering he hadn't actually seen proper sunlight in over two months. As his eyesight adjusted, he couldn't help but be amazed by how different the place was from his home.
Well, at least he had been deposited in a town at the very least. But at first glance, the town didn't look anything like Konoha or the cities he knew in the Elemental Countries. The architecture was far too different for that.
The town was large but not unwelcome. It exuded a warm, friendly atmosphere. Even though Konoha was his home and he wouldn't dare say it out loud, this place he knew had it beat in that department.
A local raced by Naruto as he stepped into the town, and a yippy Scottydog barked and wagged its tail while running in a few circles around the town square.
"Come to think of it, the way these people are dressed..."
Well, it was very different than standard dress of the Elemental Countries, but Naruto couldn't help but feel he had seen the style before. Putting the style of dress out of his mind, he also noticed that every single person he glimpsed wandering around town had strange... ears.
Long and pointy, very much unlike his own.
"Oh, now I remember!" he blurted out suddenly and much too loudly, making a few passerby stare at the odd-garbed boy standing in front of their clock tower.
"These people look just like the Happy Mask Salesman!"
The visitor he had bonded with before the Kyuubi had mentioned the village of Konoha as being an exotic locale far from his home. Was this place his home? From what it seemed the portal from the Elemental Countries to this place was a one-way ticket. Still, maybe the salesman had his ways.
"Okay, what do I do now? I was separated from my team during the evacuation. Orders are to reunite with them as soon as possible, but I don't know the first thing about this place. I don't even know where the escaped villagers are hiding."
Naruto furrowed his brow, seemingly getting very lost in thought. While his mission was obviously the most important thing on his agenda, it might be a good idea for him to see what this town has to offer.
The boy began to walk forward, stepping into some shade for a moment after passing through a makeshift tent sprawled in the middle of the town. Another structure similar to the tower he exited stood before him, and beyond that and to the sides Naruto could see walkways that led to other sections of the town.
The ticking of the clock tower behind him worked in calming Naruto's frazzled nerves for the time being as he stared up at the structure he was walking toward.
"Weird..." he said. As he walked up the ramp on the side of the tower, he passed an owl statue that almost seemed that it was staring at him personally.
The wooden ramp seemed to lead to another section of town. But unlike the southern portion of the town, this one didn't have any houses or establishments. It resembled a park or recreational area rather than a residential or business district.
"Hey, there's an exit out of town! I think I saw one near the southern edge of town too. Then again, I haven't finished searching this place yet. I haven't even talked to anyone!"
Nevertheless, Naruto began running toward the gate in order to get a glimpse of what may be beyond this town, but he only noticed the individual guarding the gate when he was much closer to it.
"Halt!" the man said as Naruto approached. "What business do you have in the mountains? It is dangerous outside the city walls, and I cannot allow a child such as you to run about the field unsupervised!"
Naruto scowled underneath his breath, while taking note of what seemed to be a guard. The silvery armor he was wearing was different than any samurai armor he had seen on displays, but that spear in his hand gave away his position pretty easily.
The guard's beady eyes gave away his little emotion, but Naruto could at least tell the man was confused by his foreign attire.
"A kid?! I'm a ninja of Konohagakure sent here on an important mission! I don't want to be treated like some kid!" Naruto argued back, but was both annoyed and slightly impressed when the guard refused to yield.
"I am sorry, but unless you have a symbol or icon that can prove your status as an adult, I cannot allow you to pass through these gates on your own..." he said, never losing his polite tone. He didn't even stop to ask what Konoha was.
On the bright side, at least he knew now that the place he was in was called Clock Town.
It couldn't be helped. The guy was technically just doing his job, and Naruto really didn't feel like starting a pointless fight in such a dire situation. Still, maybe it was a good opportunity to ask about the town.
"Hey, is there anyone in charge that I can talk to?" Naruto asked, the anger fading from his voice. The guard saluted.
"If you wish, you could try and get an appointment with Dotour, the mayor of Clock Town. He is a very busy man however, and I cannot guarantee he will give you a walk-in audience."
"Uh... thanks," Naruto said, as the guard's posture relaxed. Naruto turned away from the gate without another word, wondering just where he could find this mayor.
The thought occurred that maybe he should've asked the guard, but he didn't really feel like talking to that uptight soldier anymore. So he settled for wandering around Clock Town for a couple of hours until he found the mayor's office, thoughts drifting from the mission he was supposed to be on.
In the ensuing hours before he had reached the mayor's office, he had essentially wandered all throughout Clock Town, noting that the four main exits were manned by identical guards, each located in the four cardinal directions.
The eastern and western parts of town proved to be far more interesting than the northern and southern parts. The western side was a narrow strip that seemed to be home to several small businesses. The eastern half was far more wide open, having both houses and a few larger businesses as well as the mayor's office.
It was definitely the part of town that was easiest on the eyes. It seemed rather welcoming, as Naruto passed a homey looking building on the left. The sign said...
The sign... said...
"Ugh, I can't read this crap!" Naruto shouted in frustration, throwing his hands up in the air. How was it that he was able to speak and understand the spoken language, but was utterly lost on the written portions?
He decided to come back to this place later, heading up a few steps while heading off a few running boys before they could bump into him. A building that seemed significantly fancier than the rest hung in the very back of East Clock Town, yet the sign on the door was still a mystery to the likes of Naruto.
If he was going to be here for a while, he would have to work out the local writing. Nevertheless, Naruto decided to enter the building, and was met with the sight of a clean, well-kept waiting room with a desk near the front.
"Uh... can I speak to the mayor, please?" Naruto asked to the green-haired girl at the desk who was swaying her hips in a highly exaggerated fashion.
"Hmm, do you have an appointment?" she asked in a surprisingly enthusiastic and almost seductive tone. Not your typical secretary. Did she do this for everyone?
"...No," he said. For what it was worth, the secretary's demeanor didn't change.
"Hmm..." she hummed in that same tone, "Well, the mayor is a very busy man, so I'm afraid I can't just let you in automatically without an appointment. However, if it turns out his schedule has an opening, then I can pencil you in for a meeting within the next few hours."
Naruto drummed his fingers against the desk, not a fan of boring offices or having to wait around. It would have to do, though.
"Well, alright. I guess that will have to do..."
The strange secretary smiled at him before getting out of her seat and poking her head into the door directly to her left, shutting it gently as silence rang over the room.
A few minutes later, she exited the room, her expression never once changed. She sat back down at the desk and began flipping through what seemed to be a calendar or a timetable.
"Hmm, let's see. Mayor Dotour has a thirty-minute opening at approximately twelve-thirty. I have already penciled you in for a walk-in appointment at that time."
That was approximately two hours from now. It could've been worse. Naruto moved to thank the secretary and began to find a chair to sit down in, but her voice stopped him about halfway there.
"Hmm, hold on a second. If you don't want to just sit there for the next couple hours, you can check out the door on the right opposite the mayor's office. Madame Aroma, the mayor's wife, may have something interesting for you to do if you talk to her."
The green-haired secretary pointed to the door opposite the mayor's office, and Naruto scratched his head before shrugging. Maybe he could talk to his lady before the mayor, if she was his wife. It sure beat sitting around in a stuffy waiting room for hours on end.
Naruto thanked the secretary before walking over to the door on his right. Testing the handle, he found it to be unlocked. Creaking the door open just barely, he poked his head in and surveyed the room.
It wasn't the bland office room he was expecting; in fact it was quite feminine.
"Oh my! And who might you be, young man?"
Naruto's attention was drawn to the frumpy-looking woman who was lounging around in the middle of the room. To be honest, Naruto would've mistaken her for a man if it weren't for the incredible frilly clothes and shocking red hair and makeup.
"Um, I'm looking for a Madame Aroma. Is that you?"
The woman's big red lips curved upward into a slight smile, and her eyes twinkled with mischief.
"Ah, that ditzy girl. She told you to come see me, didn't she? While my husband is busy?" Madame Aroma said, no doubt referring to the secretary from outside. Nevertheless, her words indicated to Naruto that he may have come in at a bad time.
"Anyway, what can I do for you?"
Well, the frumpy woman was accommodating, at the very least.
"Well, the secretary said that you might have something to do for me... I have an appointment with the mayor in two hours and I have nothing to do in the meantime..."
"Hmm... something to do? Did I tell that ditzy girl this morning that I needed help with a task. Let's see... Ah!" Madame Aroma pondered the situation, before seemingly having a "Eureka!" moment.
"There is something I can think of you to do. Do you know of the Stock Pot Inn?"
"No, I'm new to this town," Naruto replied.
"Ah... are you here for the Carnival of Time? It is coming up soon. Anyway, you probably passed it on your way to this office. A small, two-story building to the left of East Clock Town. It has a bell on top. Does that ring any bells, pardon the pun?" she asked.
Naruto pondered this for a moment, before snapping his fingers.
"Yeah, I think I remember seeing a place like that on my way here!"
"Well, my daughter-in-law is a worker and a tenant at the Stock Pot Inn. It has been operated by her family for years now, but they are always running low on help in the weeks leading up to the Carnival. If you could find the time after your appointment with my husband, could you pop into that inn and see if she needs anything that needs doing; I've heard that one of her friends at the ranch is having some trouble recently. Just talk to the young red-haired woman at the front desk. Her name is Anju..."
"Anju... Well, since I came here this morning, I haven't known what to do with myself! Maybe I will go and check out the inn. I didn't come here just to ask for a job or anything..." he said.
The large woman's eyes twinkled with kindness, and Naruto was thankful at how accommodating she was being. She wordlessly offered for him to continue.
"It's just... it's about what I made an appointment with the mayor for. I'm looking for a group of people who should've passed through this place not too long ago. Have you seen any weird-looking dudes traveling in a group? They would've looked really different than you or the townspeople, and they would've been wearing these on their foreheads..."
To emphasize his point, Naruto withdrew his battered hitai-ate from his pocket, showing it to the mayor's wife. Madame Aroma reached out a well-manicured hand, scratching the metal surface.
"Hmm, I'm sorry, young man. Can't say I've seen any peculiar strangers around town recently. I also don't recognize this symbol. You're not from around here, are you?"
Naruto smiled, before shaking his head.
"Nah, I'm from... far away. We've had a little... trouble in my village recently, and we're here to take refuge here for the time being. We were supposed to meet up here, but I've been so in the dark about everything I've just been lost."
"I see... well, I'm sorry I can't help you. My hubby usually has his eyes and ears to the streets when it comes to visitors. If you are truly looking for your party, then perhaps could you ask him for assistance at your appointment."
Naruto and Madame Aroma talked for a few minutes longer about such matters, but Naruto couldn't help but feel uneasy in the back of his mind. Something about this mission just didn't add up.
"Well, thanks for your time. I'll be sure to go find Anju and help her out if she needs anything!"
Naruto was about to walk out the door, remembering at the last moment that he probably should've bowed in respect or something of that matter. Nevertheless, Madame Aroma stopped him for one final word before he exited the room.
"Oh, and if it means anything dear, I hope you find your friends as well."
Naruto turned his face around to look at her, his eyes downcast. He was still feeling that unease, and the near destruction of his village had taken quite a number on him during the past few weeks.
Judging from the amount of time he had spent talking to Madame Aroma, Naruto realized that he still had quite a bit of time leftover before he had to meet with the mayor.
"Yeah... thanks."
With that, he stepped out of Madame Aroma's room and back into the waiting hall.
In the land of Hyrule, fewer were more elusive and isolated than the race of Kokiri. Even after the death of their guardian and father the Great Deku Tree, they had remained at arm's length with the rest of the world.
They stayed within the creeping and confusing forest that most Hylians would not dare to enter, within their own hidden village. Nevertheless, there was a young Hylian living amongst the fairy touting, forest dwelling race.
Said Hylian was currently napping in his treehouse, like he always was. He may have travelled through time to save his homeland, AND saved another world from an apocalypse, but the eleven-year old Link wasn't always a motivated individual.
The blonde boy opened his eyes as sunlight filtered through the window. He stretched his arms and sat up on his bed, shaking the sleep from his eyes. On the tree stump table in the middle of his house lay the majority of his equipment.
It had been almost a year since Link's adventures in the land of Termina. He had been on a search for a dear, lost friend of his when he had stumbled across the realm opposite Hyrule.
It was by far the oddest experience of his life, even surpassing the adventure where he traveled through time to save his homeland from an evil desert thief who had captured the Triforce.
He had put his masks back into his magical pouch to where he kept all his equipment. He had had a plethora of collected masks from the time he had saved Termina from the moon, but he hadn't kept most of them.
The Deku, Goron, and Zora transformation masks were the only ones he had kept to be alongside his other equipment. There was a fourth transformation mask, but that battle within the moon with Majora's Mask seemed almost like a dream...
The warrior's mask that had turned him into a bloodthirsty deity was nowhere to be found once he left Termina. It had just disappeared, and he had never seen any trace of it since.
Life had returned to normal for Link in the past year, and he often found himself living in the same manner as before within the Kokiri Forest. Honestly, it was kind of strange that he would have two grand adventures right next to each other.
Not to say the adventures hadn't changed him. Wise beyond his years, Link's time as an adult had left a lasting impression. He didn't always feel like the child he was anymore. The fact that he was Hylian weighed on his mind too. Right now it was fine, but once he hit age fourteen or so, the other Kokiri children would definitely begin to take notice.
"I'll have to tell them soon... at least Saria."
Link filed that information to the back of his mind, grabbing his Gilded Sword and equipment and heading out of his treehouse. The fresh air of the magic forest assaulted his senses as he began to climb down the ladder.
Looking around, he saw some of the other Kokiri playing or doing chores, but there was no sign of Saria anywhere around within the village. She must've still been in her house. Still, he had already said goodbye to her last night, and he would be sure to talk to her once he got back. It was only for a couple days after all.
Slowly, Link began walking to the forest exit, the hollow log that led out to Hyrule Field. The boy guarding the gate did not stop him, knowing that Link could somehow leave the forest unharmed.
As Hyrule Field came into view, Link whipped out the memento of the Royal Family, the Ocarina of Time. Playing a simple melody that he knew by heart, the young hero called Epona.
Within minutes, the young horse appeared, having trusting Link ever since Malon had lent her to him during his search for Navi. The russet red foal neighed happily before Link got on her back, making the trip to Hyrule Castle Town so much quicker.
Epona had gotten used to these usual visits to Hyrule Castle to see Princess Zelda. This one would prove to be a little bit more than just the usual visit that he was accustomed to.
The reason? In the past few days, he had noticed that it was coming up on one year since he had saved Termina, and the annual Carnival of Time in Clock Town was going on while he was there. The next festival would be in a couple weeks, and Link wanted to have a chance to enjoy a vacation in Termina without a constant threat hanging over his head.
He didn't want to go alone this time, either. It would be a lot more enjoyable if he could travel around with the company of a friend. Plus, Link wasn't exactly sure if Zelda fully believed him about that Termina business, even if he didn't exactly go into full detail on what happened over there. He wanted to be the first to show her.
There was one problem, though. A young princess going off to explore of parallel realm to her world for a week or two. That would so fly over well with the rest of the Royal Family.
After dismounting Epona, the young hero made his way across the drawbridge into the walled city of Castle Town, with the magnificent Hyrule Castle in the background.
He stroked the horse's mane before taking note that it would be sundown soon. Epona could take care of herself, but the drawbridge would be closing for the night very soon.
Link walked into Hyrule Castle Town, nodding to the guards stationed at the drawbridge. They nodded back, being well aware of the boy's connection to the Royal Family of Hyrule.
The hustle and bustle of Castle Town was a sight for sore eyes, and he never got tired of it. It was like Ganondorf's seven year reign of terror had never happened. Though, Link supposed it actually didn't.
Once Link was sent back to his own time period, he and Zelda worked tirelessly to expose Ganondorf and get him arrested. The King of Thieves was currently rotting some place in the deep desert, waiting for his execution date.
Gone were the days when he would have to sneak into the castle, so the trip up the hill to see the youngest member of the Royal Family didn't exactly take long once he left town.
Some of the guards didn't exactly like him, but the carefree young hero didn't really give them the time of day. Before long, Link was taken to the usual spot in the castle's courtyard that Zelda liked to frequent.
"Link!"
As soon as the young hero entered the courtyard to no sign of Princess Zelda, he was ambushed from the side. The hero found a pair of arms wrap themselves around his neck in a hug, with girlish giggling emanating from the person beside him.
"It's good to see you, Zelda..." Link said without even checking who it was. The princesses' arms stayed wrapped around him for a few more seconds, before the girl released her grip on him and let him breathe.
"Link, what are you doing here?!"
The princess had been in a generally good mood ever since Ganondorf had been arrested. The dark cloud of the prophecy she had dreamt up no longer hung over her.
"Oh, I was just in the neighborhood, after all..." Link said, at least trying to be smooth.
"Oh, come on. The castle hardly qualifies as being "in the neighborhood." Zelda shot back, using air quotes to demonstrate her point. Her eyes twinkled with mischief, a trait Link found particularly endearing.
Zelda took a seat in the garden amongst the flowers, watching a butterfly as it passed overhead. Link took a seat next to her, shaking his head wistfully.
"It just seems so weird. I've saved Hyrule, but looking at everything it's like nothing ever happened..." he said, no doubt referring to the excursion seven years in the future.
"That's the nature of time... and the Ocarina of Time. We managed to prevent that horrible future before it even happened..." Zelda commented serenely.
Link mulled that over, thinking back when the adult Zelda had sent him back to before Ganondorf had even taken over. Was everything really wiped clean? He was the one who was sent back; it wasn't like that future just ceased to exist.
"Hey, listen Zelda..." Link started, unwittingly using the catchphrase of his old companion, "I'm going back to Termina again, soon..." he said, watching Zelda's face go from one of confusion to one of recognition.
"Termina? You mean that strange place that you visited before? Are you planning on searching for Navi again?" Zelda asked, her voice taking on a concerned edge.
Link shook his head.
"No, she wouldn't be in Termina. I stumbled across that place only by accident last time. Besides, I may just have to accept that Navi is not coming back..."
Zelda looked sad, making Link regret bringing up his past issues with searching for Navi.
"So, if you're not going there to search for Navi, why are you leaving Hyrule?" she asked, apparently not willing to let go of the subject by any means. At least it was veering to a brighter topic than a lost friend.
"It's been almost one year since I was in Termina. When I got there the first time, there was a great carnival in Clock Town, but pretty much no one was able to enjoy it because of what was happening. I want to go back there and see it for myself, without having to do something like save an entire world..."
Now, Zelda was a smart girl for her age... having doomed Hyrule in an alternate future notwithstanding. She was easily able to link together Link's planned visit to Termina and his trip to see her.
"Ohhhhh... you were going to ask me to go, weren't you?" the young Princess of Hyrule said, giving Link a cheeky grin.
Link shrugged his shoulders, looking somewhat sheepish.
"Eh, yeah. Termina is a really interesting place. It's almost exactly like Hyrule, except it's... not. I can't explain it. I just want to bring someone with my this time, so I can show them this unique place for myself. Everyone I tell about my last adventure doesn't seem to believe me..."
"Well, this carnival sounds like fun. I can't really think of a similar event we have here in Hyrule. But... when is this carnival?" Zelda asked.
"Uhh... oh yeah. It's a few weeks from now, but the carnival is three days long, and we'd need extra time to get there and back. I should've realized that I'm literally asking royalty to leave their kingdom to venture into an unknown one without any protection for an extended period of time..."
Now that Link thought about it, it seemed kind of stupid. Impa or the guards would never allow this.
"Well, it sounds interesting. I'll go! As a "diplomatic mission" to the Land of Termina!" the headstrong princess said, and Link wondered if that last part was necessarily just an excuse.
Hyrule and Termina had existed just fine without the knowledge of one another, forming foreign relations would have its benefits and its potential risks. Link knew that Zelda wanted to go mostly to get out of the castle, though.
"What about Impa, though? And the king?" And that guards?" Link asked.
Zelda waved a hand, her familiar mischievous smile working its way onto her face.
"I have my ways..."
And we're done here.
So ends the second chapter of Part II. I have no idea how long this part will actually be. Maybe it will be as long as Part I, maybe not. It may even be longer.
Anyway, please review and I'll see you next time.
Alban55