Dawn of the First Day – 72 Hours Remain
To Link's relief, he finally got to take in fresh air for the first time in what felt like a full day. The sunlight temporarily blinded him as the wooden doors fell back into place behind him. As his orange eyes adjusted to the light, a whole slew of sensations flooded into Link as he soaked in the new environment he found himself in.
Looking about, the Deku saw he was in a town of some kind, reminding him mildly of the marketplace in Hyrule Castle Town. From a quick glance at the sky, it was clearly very early in the morning, couldn't be any later than six, so the area before him had people going about, but not nearly as crowded as the marketplace back home got in the middle of the day. To Link's mild surprise, the people he saw looked just like Hylians, even down to the pointed ears and the same sense of fashion with robes of all types of colors and patterns. One slight thing that Link noticed was some of the people walking about wore masks of all sorts of shapes and colors. These masked people didn't seem to get odd looks from anyone else, so maybe it was normal here? He even saw a glance at a kid with purple hair and Keaton Mask walking down a staircase farther on.
There were a number of buildings, probably residential ones, along the edges of this area of town. Red bricked buildings that were all multiple stories high. Though it wasn't too terribly crowded at the moment, there was still the buzz of a crowd of people talking in the air. Dead ahead of the Deku was some sort of platform with a man standing on top of it, staring at something in the sky. In front of the tower was…wait, was that…?
Link's thoughts got interrupted as Tatl flew in front of his face, filling his vision with her white light. "Augh!" She spat out, shivering a bit. "That salesman guy gave me the creeps! How long was he following us?!" The fairy gave off an annoyed sigh. "Well, whatever. I can't believe that guy only gave us three days to find the Skull Kid, and he could be anywhere!"
"You…Hhhad…idea…where…h-he was…" Link managed to squeak out. He distinctly recalled Tatl saying something about knowing where the imp was going. Also, her disgust confirmed she really hadn't noticed the two were being followed…
"Well…I kind of lied. I mean, I thought he'd come out here, there's nowhere else to really go after all. That being said, he could be anywhere in Termina." There was a pause. "Oh, right, you're new here right? Guess I got to explain things. Listen up, I'm not gonna repeat any of this, okay?" Link gave her a nod. "Good. The entire land we're in now is called Termina, with Clock Town in the middle and the four areas in each compass direction. Even someone as dumb as you probably worked out that we're in Clock Town."
"Are…we…nnne…nnnear…Hyrullle?" Link felt he at least needed to ask and make sure.
"Heck if I know!" Tatl replied snootily. "All I know is that one day, the Skull Kid showed Tael and I that passage underneath the Clock Tower, taking us to Hyrule. We never left the forest there, so I don't know much about it. Any other stupid questions?"
"Nnn…No…" Link replied. He had never heard of Termina before. Then again, no one back in Hyrule seemed to talk about the areas outside the kingdom very often. He vaguely recalled someone mentioning a place called Hytopia once, but that was it. Still…why was there a passageway from a giant tree within the Lost Woods leading into a Clock Tower? In the end, Link supposed it didn't matter. He just wanted to get back to normal and go back home.
"Good! Now shut up." Tatl went on. "There's four parts of Clock Town, also mapped out using the compass directions, and we're in South Clock Town. Now, we should head to the North, where the Great Fairy lives. If anyone knows exactly where the Skull Kid is, it's her. Got that?" Link gave the demeaning fairy a nod. "Great, now let's get going!"
A Great Fairy? Here? Then again, nothing the cursed boy ever heard about them stated they existed only within Hyrule. While Link wanted to go right away, he knew he had to make sure of something first. In front of that platform ahead was someone that caught Link's eye. "Thisss….fiiirst…" He managed to squeak out, making a beeline towards the platform.
"Hey! Come back! That's South, you idiot! North is the other way!" The fairy hissed loudly in the Deku's…well, not ear exactly, but where his ear used to be.
Ignoring Tatl, Link went on. A few people passed by as the got their days started nice and early. They gave the lone Deku child a curious glance, but nothing more, as they went about their business. When Link got to the platform, he got a closer look at the person, the man, in front of it.
The most notable feature of the man was his large and bushy white mustache. The second was the angry expression that he wore, one directed towards the younger man on top of the platform. The mustachioed individual was short and barrel chested. There was no doubting it…Link had seen this man before.
He was the carpenter's boss, Mutoh.
But how could that be? Why was he out here in Termina? Then again…if the Happy Mask Salesman was here, why not Mutoh? Looking about, Link noticed another one of the familiar carpenters sitting on a wooden crate, taking a sip of water. Perhaps Mutoh and his crew simply moved out here to do more work? Yes, that had to be it! After all, it wasn't like Link had actually seen the men in this timeline. He had never been able to set foot in Kakariko Village since he was sent back in time, so they could've easily have finished their job and left without him knowing. He hadn't actually seen hide nor hair of them since the Gerudo Valley in the alternate timeline.
"Hey! What're you doing up there?!" Mutoh yelled to the man on the platform. "Get yer butt down here and get working! The Moon's not falling, you idiot!"
Tatl, who had been fruitlessly tugging on one of Link's small wooden arms, stopped. "The Moon? Did he say the Moon?" She asked Link. The two of them simultaneously looked up into the sky, where the man on the platform was gazing. The first thing that actually caught Link's eye was the Clock Tower. In terms of pure height, it was the largest building he had ever seen save for Hyrule Castle. A large, brick-laid building with some large wooden mechanism on its front. It took Link but a moment to realize it had to be a clock of some kind, as it turned with each passing moment. It was adorned with odd paintings and symbols, ones unknown to the Deku Boy. He had actually underestimated how high up the tower was, only looking as far as the massive clock. Moving his eyes up, he saw some sort of stone lump on top of the building, its use a mystery to him.
His eyes shot up much higher when Tatl let out a terrified scream.
Link almost screamed himself at the sight. Far above the Clock Tower, but not nearly far enough, was a massive rock. No, not just a rock. Bigger than a boulder even. A gargantuan mass was hanging up in the air over Clock Town! That by itself was horrifying, but this rock, this apparent Moon, had a face. A scowling, grimacing face complete with a nose and two horrifying, piercing eyes. Eyes the same shade of orange as the two eyes of that horrid mask the Skull Kid wore. The Deku expected that, any second, the horrifying object would just plummet down and kill everyone in the vicinity. Yet, it just hung there, as if held by an invisible hand.
"Wha-Wha-What-What is that?!" Tatl exclaimed, pointing to the Moon. "That…That can't be the Moon, can it?! Why is it here?! What's going on?!"
At a loss for words, Link continued to stare at the object hanging over the town. What perplexed him was, well, no one was panicking. No chaos in the streets, no mass evacuation, nothing of the sort at all! Did no one care? By Tatl's reaction, this clearly wasn't normal. That still didn't explain how that Moon, or whatever it really was, got there in the first place! The only thing Link could think of was…no, surely not…
Could the Skull Kid be that powerful?
"Uh, look. Deku Boy." Tatl said, clearly nervous. "I don't know what that thing is, but…it doesn't seem to be doing anything, at least not now!" She sounded as if she was trying to convince herself more than Link. "Let's just go to the Great Fairy! Maybe she can help somehow!"
Tatl was at least partially right. Looking back up at the so-called Moon, Link noted it really was just floating there for now. Who knew when that could change, though? But what else could he do? Not like he could stop that thing! The Great Fairy really was the best option at the moment. "Rrrght…" Link squeaked out. He did everything he could not to show it, but the cursed boy was terrified. What if that monstrosity above their heads suddenly fell, and without warning? No way anyone in the town would survive! He hated to admit it but relying on the Great Fairy was literally the only thing he could do. What other option was there?
With those awful thoughts in his head, Link followed as Tatl took him to the North. As the two went on, Link looked about the town some more. While he did so, he took a closer look at the faces of those he passed by. There was an odd mixture of serenity in those he saw along with nervousness. Some seemed as though they were trying everything in their power not to run away as fast as their legs could carry them. There didn't seem like there was enough people in the latter group, though. How had the town not evacuated? What was wrong with these people? How could they just ignore that hunk of rock literally staring them in the face?
Then again, wasn't Link doing the same thing?
Tatl lead Link past the Clock Tower and up a wooden ramp that lead around the large building. Through a short passageway, the two entered North Clock Town. Unlike South Clock Town, there were no buildings in sight. If anything, it seemed like some sort of large park with a couple of trees scattered about. Green, freshly cut grass bisected only by dirt pathways. Dead ahead was what Link assumed to be the town walls, plain white and ascending up nearly to the height of a small house. The only manmade structures aside from the wall that Link could see was a playground in the far corner of the area with swings and a slide.
Another difference that Link noticed was the lack of people. He was only able to see two people in the entirety of the area. One was a strange man in green spandex, hovering over the area with a red balloon. Link could see that he was drawing something, perhaps the view from above? The other was a young boy with a red bandana, blowing up a blue balloon. The Deku could see a hole in the wall leading North out of town. Surely a guard was posted there, but at this angle, Link was unable to see him. Further, past the hole, was a cave that Tatl was leading the cursed child towards.
"The Great Fairy lives in there." The fairy explained. "She's pretty powerful and knows a lot. If there's anyone that can help us out, it's her." Her voice seemed a bit strained, no doubt still shaken up from the Moon. It was clear, however, she was trying to remain calm and confident.
Link couldn't help but be surprised at how close the Great Fairy was to Clock Town. Back in Hyrule, the Great Fairies were all hidden away to some extent from civilization. Yet this one was out in the open for anyone to just go talk to, apparently. As the duo got closer, something metallic caught Link's eye. He looked over and saw that hole in the Clock Town wall, where he assumed a guard must be standing at a post. It turned out he was correct, but the guard himself struck the cursed boy down to his very core and made him stop in his tracks.
The helmet, the chainmail, the spear…the guard at Clock Town's entry and exit was equipped exactly like the guards of Hyrule. In fact, this specific man looked…familiar. Not just from what he wore but living in the castle for two years allowed Link to familiarize the guards and servants within it. The man on duty noticed Link staring at him and gave the Deku a small smile and a nod of greeting, making Link turn away.
"Hey! What are you doing? Let's go already, Deku Boy!" Tatl scolded, bobbing in front of Link's eyes.
"So…rry…" The cursed child replied as the fairy herded him back towards the cave. Just what was going on here? First the Happy Mask Salesman, then Mutoh, now a Hyrule guard? The first two could be explained fine, but the guard was trickier. Maybe…Maybe this country copied the guard uniforms from Hyrule? It didn't really make much sense, but that was the closest thing to a reasonable explanation that Link could think of on the spot.
The Deku pushed those thoughts from his head as the two neared the cave. He noticed two things as they approached. The first was a small shrine of sorts outside the yawning hole, with bowls and flowers and what seemed to be other small sacrifices to the Great Fairy within. The second thing was an energy all around him, one familiar to the cursed boy. It was literal magic in the air, the kind that could be felt in one's bones. Though, Link wasn't sure if he even had bones anymore. Best not to think too deeply into it. As Link entered the cave, he noticed Tatl started to fly behind him, seeming a bit nervous though he chose not to ask why. Navi never had problems like this, she was fine with Great Fairies.
To little surprise, a serene glow came from within the cave, and soon it melded from stone floor and walls to the clean white tiles of a Great Fairy's Fountain. Ahead was a shimmering pond that gave off more light than it had any right to. When Link got near the water, a mass of orange, glowing forms erupted from the fountain's center. Getting over the initial surprise quickly, Link found himself confused. There was no Great Fairy, and no regular fairies either!
The entities that came from the water looked like small, deformed children with large heads and shut eyes. Their entire bodies glowed orange, and they fluttered about on wings that seemed too small for them. "Cursed one! Please hear my plea! I have been broken and shattered to pieces by the masked Skull Kid!" A high-pitched voice rang from the swarm of creatures.
That got Tatl to fly out from behind her hiding place. "What?! Great Fairy, is that you?! How could the Skull Kid do something like this, he's not strong enough!"
"I'm afraid I am." The voice said, seeming not to come from any specific glowing entity before the duo. "The Skull Kid is more powerful than you know! Please, find the Stray Fairy somewhere within Clock Town and come back here! I will explain everything when I return to normal!" With that, the creatures, the Stray Fairies, vanished into the water.
Stunned, Link simply stared at the shimmering waters. Great Fairies weren't exactly the most powerful beings back in Hyrule, but to shatter one like this was unheard of! Even Ganondorf never did such a thing, and one was sealed away right next to his castle. He didn't want to imagine that the Moon was truly the Skull Kid's doing, but if he was able to do this to a Great Fairy…
Link's thoughts were interrupted as Tatl flew in front of his face. "This is bad! The Skull Kid is stronger than I thought! This…We've got to find the Stray Fairy right away!"
"But…wwwhere…?" The Deku asked. Where would a Stray Fairy even be? Away from people, he would think, but he really didn't know enough about them to be sure.
"Well, not in North Clown Town, obviously." Tatl replied, her voice condescending. "If the Stray Fairy was here, it'd be able to return on its own. We'll just have to look everywhere we can until we find it."
Link was starting to get annoyed at the fairy's nasty attitude. She really had some nerve to treat him so poorly considering she and her brother started all this by spooking Epona. Link decided to hold off on talking back, however. After all, he was bound to find the Skull Kid by the end of the three day time limit given to him. At least, he hoped so. The cursed boy tried to just keep his mind on his current goal, to not start thinking about what would happen if he failed and was stuck in Termina.
Keeping such thoughts away, Link made his way out of the cave and into the sunlight. As the Deku stepped outside, he was suddenly struck with a wave of exhaustion Stopping in his tracks, the cursed boy leaned against the rocky wall by the cave's entrance. Thinking about it, how long had it been since he rested? Now that he stopped to ponder, Link realized it had been sometime in the afternoon when Epona was stolen, now it was sometime after six in the morning. Somehow, he had been up all night without even realizing it. It didn't feel like he had been awake that long. The horse theft seemed like it was only a few hours ago. Then again, while underground, there was no sun or sky to tell time with, so maybe the hours simply flew by, and it just didn't feel as long. No matter what had happened, all Link knew for sure was that he was completely exhausted.
"Hey, why are you stopping?!" Tatl demanded. "We have to find that Stray Fairy right away! I don't know what's going on, but this is weird for the Skull Kid to do. We gotta find out where he is, right away!"
"Tirrred…" Link sputtered out as he sat down on the ground. "Rrrest firrrst…" He felt pathetic for thinking it, but for the moment he just felt he couldn't go on. "N-Need sssleep."
The fairy let out an aggravated groan. "Really? Right now?! Deku Boy, we don't have time for sleep!" Alas, even as Tatl ranted, Link's eyes started to flutter shut. She let out an annoyed sigh. "Fine! Go ahead and sleep!" She paused as the cursed boy's eyes shut and he seemed to instantly fall asleep. "Maybe a nap could help…" The fairy murmured to herself, curling up on top of Link's hat…
Link found himself wandering.
All around him was darkness, as far as the eye could see. No light, nothing at all was visible. It was all just an encompassing abyss. He didn't know what else to do, so he simply kept walking. He wasn't even sure what he was walking on as his footsteps made no sound. He even realized that the sword and shield on his back made no sound either even though he could feel them. Usually they rattled or clinked lightly, but no such noise existed. Link couldn't help but feel a sense of urgency, like he needed to find a way out and fast, or else something bad would happen. Despite this, he found he couldn't move faster than casual walking.
Time passed at a torturous crawl within this empty void, but Link just kept going. He had to get out or else…something would happen. But what? The boy's thoughts were interrupted when the first noise he heard since entering this dark plain rang out. It was a strange shuffling sound. Leaves? He turned every which way but saw nothing but pure darkness.
Not knowing what else to do, Link simply went on his way. It didn't take long before the shuffling sound came about again, this time louder. Once more, Link looked around the empty space he found himself in. He swore he saw a flash of red, but it was gone before he could even blink. Nothing else happened, so he kept going.
What felt like hours passed as Link wandered through the strange area he found himself in. The scenery, or lack thereof, never changed at all. He didn't even remember how he got there, but all he knew was he had to somehow escape quickly.
The shuffling sound came back, louder than ever. This time, when Link turned about, he saw something concrete and permanent. A Deku Scrub, its leaves red and angry, was standing just a few feet from him. The shuffling came from its leaves as it shook in place. Before Link could even think of what to do, he heard another sound from another direction. Whipping his head to the new noise, he saw another Deku Scrub, its leaves also red. Then another appeared. And another. And another. And another. And another. And another. And another.
Before Link knew it, the empty space was filled with shuffling, shaking Deku Scrubs. The creatures surrounded him, pressed up against him and giving him barely enough room to breathe. Struggling for a moment, Link managed to squeeze his way out of the condensed crowd and ran away. Looking back, he saw that none of the Scrubs were chasing him, to his relief.
When Link looked ahead again, however, he saw a mass of red in front of him. Out of the ground, a massive Deku Scrub was rising from the inky blackness. Despite wanting to change direction, the boy found himself unable to stop running straight towards the monstrosity. The giant Deku Scrub stood there, awaiting as Link got close. The child panicked over what would happen when he got there, what that thing would do to him, what-
"Hey! Come on, nap time's over!" Tatl's voice rang out.
The cursed boy's orange eyes flew open to see his fairy companion floating right in front of his face. "Nnn?" He groaned out, blinking a few times.
"I said wake up!" Tatl yelled out again. "We were asleep for too long! We've got to get moving!"
Feeling a bit sore and stiff, Link stood up and gazed up into the sky. Tatl was right, as judging from where the sun was in the sky, he reckoned it was around eleven about now. That left them with about 67 hours to go. As he gazed upward, he looked over to the Moon. Was it…bigger? No. No, surely not. It must just be his imagination. "Where…d-do we…gggo nnnowww?"
"I think right now our best bet is asking Jim if he's seen anything. He always hangs out around here. If anyone saw the Stray Fairy fly off, it'd be him."
"'im?" Link asked, still finding certain sounds impossible for his unusual mouth.
"Yeah, he's right over there." Tatl said, flying towards the boy Link had noticed earlier with the red bandana. The balloon he was inflating was up in the air. To the Deku's surprise, it had the mask that the Skull Kid was wearing on it. The boy was shooting at it with a blow dart but kept missing. "Hey! Jim!" The fairy called as she got close.
Link followed after her, hoping that this Jim kid saw something. When Jim turned, Link felt his heart skip a beat. The boy before him…was familiar to the Deku. He remembered a small child that would wander the graveyard of Kakariko Village, trying to imitate his gravedigging hero. The cursed child never caught the boy's name, but apparently it was Jim, and he was here in Termina as well.
No. No, it was just a crazy coincidence. That had to be the case. A lot of children looked the same, especially that young. Right? This Jim kid simply resembled the boy from the graveyard. Just happenchance. That's all it was. What other explanation could there possibly be?
Jim looked between Link and his fairy companion; his head cocked slightly in confusion. "Hey, what's up? Why are you with this Deku, Tatl? You ditch the Skull Kid?"
"Not…exactly. It was more he and Tael ditched me. Deku Boy here is just with me until we find him. You haven't seen those two around, have you?" Tatl's tone was a lot less nasty with Jim, apparently her behavior towards Link was just her not liking him.
Jim shook his head. "Nah, I haven't seen 'em since I kicked the three of you out of the Bombers." He sounded a bit sour about whatever happened back then. "You guys get in a fight or something?"
"Mind your own business!" Tatl snapped. "Have you seen anything weird in this part of town? Anything at all?"
Not seeming phased by Tatl's attitude, Jim closed his eyes in thought. "Mmm…No. Not really. Why? Is that Skull Kid up to something bad again?"
"No! Look, if you see anything weird, or the Skull Kid and my stupid brother, let us know, okay?"
"Yeah, alright. It's our code to help anyone that needs it, and I guess that'd include you too." Jim said, still sounding a bit annoyed at the fairy. He then turned his attention to Link, who had just been staring at the boy. "Who's the Scrub anyway? You new in town, kid?"
It took Link a second to realize he was being talked to, his mind still trying to reject that Jim looked just like that boy in the graveyard. "Y-Yeees. I'm nnnewww…"
Link's odd speech seemed to surprise Jim, but apparently his parents raised him right because he didn't further acknowledge it. "Huh, alright. Welcome to Clock Town, then. If you ever need help with something, come to one of the Bombers, and we'll help you out!"
Before Link could reply, Tatl piped up. "Right, right. Got it. Just remember to keep an eye out, Jim!" The fairy said as she started to flutter away, Link following behind.
"Yeah, yeah…" Jim half-heartily replied before turning his attention back to the balloon he was trying to shoot down.
Once Link and Tatl got out of hearing range, the Deku spoke up. "Bombersss? What…arrre they?" He couldn't help but be a bit curious, especially since Jim and these Bombers had some kind of history with the trio of horse thieves.
"They're just a group of dumb kids. They want to help people and spread justice or whatever." Tatl said dismissively. "Jim's the leader, and I guess he's still sore about when the three of us were part of the gang. Skull Kid…well…the details aren't important, but he got us kicked out."
Link couldn't help but notice the bit of hesitation there and wondered just what the Skull Kid did. He didn't think Tatl would tell him, and he supposed it wasn't really important in the end. "Ssso…what d-do we do nnnowww?"
The fairy let out a small sigh. "You're an idiot, you know that? There's not much we can do except just…look ourselves. There's a lot of nooks and crannies in town for the Stray Fairy to hide at." The fairy explained, looking down at Link with distaste, though the light she gave off hid it. "If I had to guess, I'd say the Stray Fairy is outside somewhere. I mean if it ducked into someone's house, surely it would've been returned by now…"
Needless insults aside, Link agreed with the plan and Tatl's logic. He still felt a bit worried. If the last two areas of Clock Town were as big as the ones he just went through, it could be a long time before they combed through any hiding places for the Stray Fairy. But what choice did he have? "Lead…th-the…waaay."
There was little conversing between Link and Tatl for quite a long while after that. He didn't want to socialize with her, and she clearly felt the same way. Honestly, that was just fine with the wooden boy. When the fairy first took Link into East Clock Town, one of the first things he noticed was another boy around Jim's age, but this one wore a yellow bandana. He seemed to be guarding some kind of entrance. All this did was reinforce Link's theory that the resemblance between Jim and the graveyard boy was simply a coincidence. After all, the kid in the yellow bandana very strongly resembled Jim. Heck, they could be twins.
While Link's mind was focused on finding the Stray Fairy as Tatl led him about the area, he couldn't help but make observations about the part of town. South Clock Town seemed to be a residential area, with a lot of houses and apartments visible just from in front of the Clock Tower, and there had clearly been more elsewhere out of direct eyesight. North Clock Town was more in touch with nature, with the only structures being the wall and the playground.
East Clock Town seemed like a place of pleasures and entertainment. At least as far as Link could tell. While he couldn't read the various signs about the place, the signs themselves had pictures to go along with them. One had an arrow hitting a target, obviously a shooting gallery. One building had pictures of bottles of liquid on it, which Link guessed was a bar. While he was too young to actually go into bars, he recalled being told about them by Zelda. He even remembered coming across someone called a 'drunk' during his first visit in Hyrule Castle Town. Another building was in the shape of a treasure chest, and even had a sign on it depicting a chest full of riches, so perhaps some way to play for money.
There were also a number of stalls about the area. One was lined up with toys, one had a large collection of masks, another had trinkets and bobbles, another was stocked with fireworks of all shapes and sizes. Children gathered about these stalls, parents at their side as Rupees were exchanged and the customers clamored for their purchases.
That lead to the next observation Link had; the town was now a lot livelier than when he first entered it. It was about on par with the marketplace back in Hyrule at its busiest. It was a bit harder to maneuver and push his way through the crowds. He found himself getting bumped around and even knocked over once or twice by adults that simply didn't notice him. Even when he was ten, he was tall enough where people in the marketplace were able to see him a bit easier and at least not push him over by accident.
Another bit of trouble was the people that actually did take notice of the cursed child. A few concerned adults in the less-busy parts of the area would stop and ask Link if he was alright, inquiring about where his parents were and if he needed help. It was at these moments that Link was thankful for Tatl's attitude and blunt nature, as she would pipe up and tell the adults to mind their own business and go away.
Link was someone who almost never turned away kind attention thrown his way. Growing up with only one person that cared for him made him starved for the affections of those around him. Despite this, he found it nerve-wracking when multiple people would talk to him or if a line of them conversed with him in such a short time frame. All it took was three or more people and he could feel his anxiety build up, even if they were his friends or other kind people. He just wasn't used to more than person having a conversation with him, and he despised how it affected him so much. Link couldn't help but see it as a disgusting aspect of himself and was horribly ashamed of it. The Deku was just thankful that Tatl took care of these situations, and that his inability to make facial expressions meant he couldn't outwardly show how nervous he was.
The duo spent several hours searching about East Clock Town, Tatl seeming to know the place like the back of her exceedingly small hand. She showed him all the alleys and hiding spots that the Stray Fairy could potentially be found, but unfortunately nothing came up. Something interesting that Link did see was during the search, he saw a Goron walking by with a large pack on his back. He didn't ever remember hearing that Gorons only lived in Hyrule, so he wasn't too surprised. After all, Dekus clearly lived in Termina as well, so why not Gorons? He even swore he saw a few Zoras in the crowd at one point, but before he could even blink, they were gone.
Something that did concern Link, however, was he swore some of the people in the crowd looked familiar to him. No names attached to the faces, but these people looked like ones he would see bustling about the Hyrule marketplace from time to time. He convinced himself that it was a coincidence, or perhaps that with all the stress and exhaustion he faced over the last day or so, his mind was just playing tricks on him. He did everything he could to keep his mind busy thinking about where the Stray Fairy could be. The familiar faces, Epona, whether he could ever return to normal…such thoughts were forced down and locked away. The wooden boy had quite a lot of experience shoving memories out of his conscious mind over the last two years. He was practically an expert on it. All the concentration meant nothing, however, as there was no luck in the East Clock Town search.
Before Link knew it, the sun had set over the horizon…
Night of the First Day – 60 Hours Remain
"Well, the Stray Fairy isn't around here." Tatl declared as the two stood in the main area of East Clock Town. A lot of the bustle of the area slowed down, allowing the two to easily stay in one place and not get pushed around by the crowds. A lot of people were filing off towards South Clock Town, with a number of them heading towards the building Link assumed to be a bar. He also saw several Zoras head past the guard standing at his post. The Deku tried not to think about the uniform again.
"Wwwest…Cl-Clock Town…?" Link asked, still feeling foolish for not being able to talk properly yet. That being said, he barely talked at all since entering East Clock Town, so he didn't get much practice in.
"I guess we might as well try. There's not nearly as many hiding places there, but it's worth a look…I'm wondering where Skull Kid and Tael could be too. Surely they're still in town somewhere…" Genuine concern filled the fairy's voice as she led her Deku companion towards South Clock Town.
As the two went through South Clown Town, Link noticed the platform from earlier was built up a bit higher. What was being constructed? It was right in the middle of the main square, so it couldn't be some kind of residential building. Oh well, it wasn't important. He felt a small chill run through his body, as though he were being watched. He would bet anything it was the gaze of that horrid Moon up above the town. A part of him was tempted to look back at it, but he couldn't bring himself to.
What if it had gotten bigger?
West Clock Town, from what Link could tell, was a place of trade. Again, while he couldn't actually read the various signs, they were specialized with pictures showing off what they held within. One shop's sign had a bomb, for instance, clearly a place to buy bombs. Another shop had a picture of a cauldron next to it, obviously a potions shop. On top of that, there were a few stalls here selling things like food and jewelry that were still open. Another thing Link noticed was all the businesses and stores were built within the walls of the town. There weren't really any buildings to speak of in West Clock Town, not technically.
On the more disturbing side of things, Link noticed another familiar face as he and Tatl went up the main ramp of the area. A man kneeling in front of a large vault was giving Rupees to a woman as they made idle chatter. He was someone that the boy couldn't forget; a beggar he had seen back in Hyrule. After all, how could he forget the lesson he learned on what poverty and homelessness was? Then again, Link hadn't actually seen this man for over a year. Maybe he simply went off to Termina and was now doing better for himself. Of course, it was such a simple solution! What else could possibly be the case? Just another odd coincidence, that's all it was…
It was as Tatl said, there weren't as many hiding places in this part of town. No real buildings meant no alleyways. There were some old holes in the walls and checking behind some piles of boxes in a few corners of the area, but that was really it. That on top of how this part of Clock Town was less busy, with less crowds to push through, get swept up in, and wait to disperse, meant the search was concluded much faster. Within two hours, the entire area was combed through.
"Giants smite it!" Tatl exclaimed as Link sat down to rest by the guard post. "What do we do now? I mean South Clock Town is just so full, if the Stray Fairy was there it'd have been found by now. There's nowhere to hide in North Clock Town, and we searched everywhere else!"
"Isss…there…rrreally no…where…elssse?" Link asked, feeling concerned. What if the Stray Fairy wasn't even in the town anymore? What if it flew off to…well, whatever laid beyond the walls?
Tatl stayed silent for a bit, simply bobbing up and down in place. "Wait!" She exclaimed after a minute. "There's one last place! Come on!" Getting up, Link followed as Tatl flew off ahead of him. The two went back to South Clock Town and up a staircase that, after a moment, Link recognized. That's right! That boy in the Keaton Mask came from here…but where did it lead?
Going through a small pathway through towering walls, Link found himself in a remote area of Clock Town. It was the size of a small house in its entirety, a closed-off area with a manmade river running through it with a tiny stone bridge going over it. There was grass, flowers, a tree with lush green leaves as well. While there was a bench, and even a door leading off into some building farther on, the area was devoid of people. The only thing of note was exactly what the one thing Link and Tatl were looking for. Hovering above the water was an orange flowing creature: The Stray Fairy. "Th-There it is…" Link squeaked out.
"Of course, always in the last possible place!" Tatl exclaimed, sounding both relieved and annoyed. "You'll have to go get it. You should be able to hop across the water as you are now. Go on, Deku Boy!"
Hop across the water? Granted, Link did feel a lot lighter, but was it really possible? As much as he didn't like Tatl…she had no reason to lie right now. Taking a deep breath, the Deku charged towards the water and, to his surprise, bounced off of its surface rather than just falling in. It was automatic, almost natural to him, and it propelled him towards the Stray Fairy. Kicking off of the water again, he reached out and gently but firmly grabbed the creature out of the air before landing on the other side of the small river.
The Stray Fairy feebly struggled for a moment but then, as if sensing Link's intentions, calmed down. "Young one! Please hear my plea! I have been broken and shattered to pieces by the masked Skull Kid! Please, return me to my fountain!"
"Of…c-course." Link promised, gently keeping the Stray Fairy in his grip as he went back over the bridge.
"Alright! Finally, you did something right, Deku Boy!" Tatl cheered backhandedly.
Ignoring the nasty fairy, Link ran past her and towards North Clock Town, his companion following behind him. The more natural part of Clock Town was still rather empty. The only people out and about was the guard, the man on the balloon, and a few adults meandering through. Jim, noticeably, was absent.
Before long, the duo found themselves back at the Great Fairy's Fountain. As Link approached the water, he let the Stray Fairy go as the other pieces of the being emerged from the fountain's center. All the orange fairies flew around in a vortex-like motion and a light erupted that left both Link and Tatl seeing stars as a triumphant laughter echoed through the room. As their eyes recovered, the peered at the being before them.
The Great Fairy was, to Link's mild surprise, exactly like the ones back in Hyrule. A large woman, much larger than any mortal one, floated above the two. A stunningly beautiful face resting below waves of long, orange hair looked down at Link. The wardrobe was also quite similar, the Great Fairy wearing nothing but vines and leaves that left little to the imagination. Link had recalled the first time he saw a Great Fairy. He felt strange looking at the…unusual style of not-quite-clothing they wore. Afterward, he had asked Navi about it, but she quickly said she'd just tell him about it some other day.
Thinking about it…she never got back to that subject…
"Tatl…and you who are trapped in that altered shape…you have my thanks." The Great Fairy said. Her voice had a natural echo and force to it, though she sounded tired all the same. "I foolishly let my guard down around that masked imp and paid the price for it."
Apparently feeling braver than before, Tatl flew above Link and looked up to the Great Fairy. "So, the Skull Kid really did this to you? He's gotten that strong?"
"I am afraid so." The Great Fairy responded. "I am sapped of my energy, but I can still grant you power. As the Great Fairy of Magic, I extend my gift to you, cursed child." The air itself hummed with a mysterious force as the Great Fairy spoke.
Link started to feel light in the head as a strange sensation coursed through his body. All of a sudden, Link felt a sort of…clearing in his throat. As if instantly recovering from a nasty cold. When the magical power in the air ebbed away, Link felt vaguely more comfortable in this new form of his, but not dramatically different. Still, he looked up to the Great Fairy. "Thank you. I…" He stopped in shock. His voice came out squeaky and unusual still, but now he was able to speak without exerting so much effort. "I can talk? What's going on…?"
"I helped you settle into your new form as much as I could at the moment." The woman interrupted. "There is also a latent power within Dekus that I awoke within you. I insist you try using it, it may prove helpful."
Nodding, Link looked down at his wooden hands, flexing his fingers lightly. He had to wonder just what that power was. "Thank you, Great Fairy."
"Ah! Wait, before we leave!" Tatl interrupted, sounding nervous. "Great Fairy of Magic, please, do you know where the Skull Kid and my brother are? We're looking for them…"
The Great Fairy solemnly shook her head. "All I can say for certain is that the imp is nearby. Likely within Clock Town. I suggest going to the elderly man in the observatory outside of town. Surely he can aid you."
"The observatory guy, huh? Well…if you say he can help, I'm sure he must know something…" Tatl replied, not quite sounding confident and clearly trying to suck up to the Great Fairy.
"One more thing, Great Fairy." Link spoke up. "Please, may we rest in the fountain tonight? There is nowhere else for us to go."
Offering the two a small smile, the Great Fairy nodded. "Of course, you have more than earned the right. I myself must rest and regain my strength. I wish the two of you the best of luck!" Letting out another bought of laughter, the magical being shrunk down into the water below and vanished in a flash of light.
There was a pause in the room, which Tatl broke as she flew in front of Link's face. "Well, at least we know the Skull Kid and Tael are in town, and where to go next. We'll have to talk to Jim about the observatory."
"Why Jim?" Link asked, moving away from the central part of the fountain and sitting against a wall.
"The Bombers guard the only direct path to the observatory. Didn't you notice that kid with the yellow bandana?" Link gave the fairy a nod. "See? You can use that brain of yours if you really try! I guess we'll have to wait until morning, though. Jim will probably be back soon after the sun comes up…"
Giving another nod, Link rested his head against the fountain wall. He only then realized just how exhausted he really was. Aside from a few brief rests in East Clock Town, he had been quite active since his nap that morning. Thinking further, he recalled he hadn't had anything to eat or drink since he cooked up that rabbit in the Lost Woods. What did Dekus even eat? Fruits and berries, he assumed. If he had Rupees, he could buy some food, but he was outright broke. He'd have to worry about that tomorrow. For now, he needed rest.
"Okay. We talk to Jim tomorrow. I'm going to sleep." Link said as he closed his alien orange eyes.
Tatl gave a grunt of acknowledgement as she perched on the cursed child's hat. "Right. Good night, Deku Boy." She said in a dismissive tone.
"Link."
"What?"
"That's my name. Link." The Deku didn't think Tatl cared, but hopefully it would lead to her dropping that nickname.
There was a pause. "Link, huh?" The fairy's voice was impossible for the Deku to read. "I think I like Deku Boy better. I'll just stick with that."
Figures. Link should have known better. This was the fairy that helped steal away his horse and felt no guilt for being involved in his cursed nature, which was caused by her friend. Well, he only had two days left so surely within that time he'd part ways with her and never see her again. With those negative thoughts swirling in his head, Link fell asleep.
Link didn't know how he managed to do it, but he escaped Termina. Somehow he got through those steel doors and left Clock Town behind. Unfortunately, he was unable to get the Ocarina of Time back or return to normal. Trapped as a Deku, he wandered through the Lost Woods. He was so exhausted, so ready for rest, but he had to get back to the castle…
As he went through the winding, infinite trees of the forest, a familiar figure appeared before him. Green clothes…green hair…it was Saria. Sitting on a stump in the middle of the Lost Woods was one of the most important people in his life. She had her eyes closed, Ocarina in hand as beautiful notes floated through the air and the leaves.
Thank Farore! She could help him get out! Link sprinted towards his childhood friend, the one that knew Link inside and out more than any other living soul. As he got closer, he stopped and called out to the girl. "Ngghh! Frrruuuu!" What the heck was that?! No…he had learned to talk properly! Why was he still making these odd noises?!
Saria's eyes flew open as she looked down at Link. To his surprise and slight horror, she put on an expression of disgust as she gazed at the Deku. "Who are you? A Deku? What do you want?!"
What…? Why was she being so mean? This was Saria! She was nice to everyone! She had never expressed hatred for Dekus before, so why now? "Nghhaa! Llll…" No matter how hard Link tried, he just couldn't get the words out.
"Get away from me! I have nothing to say to something like you! Get out of here!" She yelled, her voice harsh and angry in a way Link had never heard before.
"Mmmnnnggg…Rrraaffff…" Link squeaked out as he got closer. He had to somehow make her see who he was, that he was her Link. Her precious Link.
A foot shot out and rammed the Deku between the eyes, knocking him over. "I said get away! You're disgusting! Don't make me say it again!"
Terrified and panicking, Link scrambled to his feet and ran away. He felt so confused, so hurt, from Saria's words and actions. The cursed child felt tears streaming down his face as he ran through the trees, every direction he looked seeming exactly the same.
Somehow, Link found himself before Lon Lon Ranch. How…did he get here? He was just in the forest, wasn't he? Well, no matter. Maybe he could somehow get Malon to see who he was! Without hesitation, he rushed into the ranch proper. There he saw Malon, singing with the horses. When he approached her, to his relief, she at first seemed surprised but then smiled at him. "Hey! Who are you?" She tilted her head to the side. "You're one of those Deku things, right?"
Frantically, Link nodded. Of course Malon would simply accept his presence. That's just how she was! "Nggrrr…Graaa…"
That made Malon seemed concerned. "What's wrong? Can't you talk?" Link shook his head. "Well, that's okay. We can still be friends. You're from the forest, right?"
"Rrrnnngg…Ffffoooo…" Link gurgled, waving his hands about. How was he supposed to convey who he was? He couldn't speak, couldn't write, and he had nothing of his to show to her! Wait…his hat! It wasn't the same size, but it was very similar. The Deku patted at the overly large headwear of his.
"Hm?" Malon seemed confused. "Hey…that hat…it's kind of like Link's! Do you know him?" A nod from the Deku. "He never told me he had a Deku friend before…how odd…"
"Mmrrrrrggh…." Link whined, not knowing what to do next.
"You know, he went off to the forest a few days ago. I wonder how he's doing…" She trailed off, then gave the Deku a serious look. "If you're smart, you'll avoid him from now on."
…Avoid? What did she mean by that?
The farmgirl let out a bitter sounding sigh. "Honestly, I'm glad he's gone for a month. It will be a nice break. I'm so sick of him, my only regret is I let him take my horse." Her frown deepened. "He's just so NEEDY all the time. Always wanting to hold hands or be held…always wanting my attention. When we first met, he kept freaking out about stuff and crying constantly…it was so annoying! But I wanted to be nice, so I pretended to be his friend…what a mistake…"
Link couldn't believe what he was hearing. Just how long did Malon feel this way about him? Did she ever really love him at all? Or even like him? He remembered being suspicious at first, but Zelda had told him it was just paranoia. He was right…the whole time she was just pretending…
"Okay, Deku?" Malon asked, staring intently at Link. "Just stay away from Link. He's nothing but a leech. Alright?"
Using every fiber of his being not to cry, Link turned and ran away from Malon, who silently watched him go. He didn't know what to think. Why did she pretend all this time? Just out of pity? He knew it! Link had told Zelda numerous times how strange it was that Malon could tolerate him, and it turned out he was entirely right! Who could ever love him like that? No one. No one ever could…
Before Link knew it, he was in Zelda's garden. But…how? He wasn't even the Castle Town, and he had no memory of getting passed the guards. Still, he found himself where he and Zelda had first met. The Princess herself was kneeling just in front of him, her back turned to the wooden boy. Maybe she could help…maybe. "Zelda!" The Deku shouted out, surprised at how the word came out flawlessly. How come only now he could talk?!
That made Zelda jump in place. Standing up, she turned to see who was in her garden. Her eyes widened in surprise at the sight of her guest. "Who…Are you? A Deku Scrub? How did you get passed the guards?" She sounded cautious, but not overly worried. Just like when she and Link met for the first time…
"Zelda…It's me, it's Link!" The boy in wooden form exclaimed. Normally, him keeping his stoic mask meant not raising his voice, but he was panicking too much to keep up the charade. "I've been cursed! Please, help me!"
That seemed to further surprise the girl, and she didn't move from her spot. "I…I need some sort of proof. Tell me something Link would know."
Fair. If Link was in Zelda's shoes, he'd be uncertain of the situation as well. "This is where we first met! You gave me the Ocarina of Time before I went to the Lost Woods! I've lived in the castle for two years! I traveled through time!" He spouted out whatever he could think of as they entered his head.
"You…You really are Link…" She murmured, approaching the cursed boy, and kneeling down so they were closer to eye-level. "What happened to you? Who did this?" She asked as she placed her hands on his shoulders.
Link couldn't help but feel slightly comforted at the touch. "A Skull Kid with some weird mask! He stole Epona, and the Ocarina, then turned me into…this! Please, I need help!"
To that, Zelda's face darkened. "The Ocarina…? You got it back…right?" Her grip on Link's shoulders hardened a bit.
"I…N-No. I didn't. I'm sorry, but he was too powerful for me…" Link admitted, feeling like absolute scum.
There was a pregnant pause, the air feeling with an almost audible tension. "You lost it…and you returned without getting it back?" Zelda asked coldly. "After all I've done for you, the time I've sacrificed trying to help…and this is how you repay me?" Her voice had grown cold and almost hateful, her eyes glaring into Link's.
What? How could she say that? Didn't she care at all what had happened to him? Yes, he felt awful about losing the Ocarina, but was it really more important than him? "Zelda…Please, I'm so sorry…I didn't mean to…If you help me become a Hylian again…I can go look for it!"
The Princess put on a face of disgust as she released Link and stood up. "You're revolting. After all of this, and you can't even keep a single instrument safe. Two years of my life wasted. I never, ever want to see you again!" Before Link could respond, she started to yell. "Guards! Guards! Intruder! Help!"
Almost instantly, as though they were there the whole time, two guards had grabbed Link by the arms and started to drag him off. The Deku struggled, but the men were simply too strong. "Zelda! Please, I'm sorry! I'm so sorry! Don't do this! Help me, please! I'm sorry! I'm-"
"Deku Boy! Hey, come on, get up!"
Link jolted awake, momentarily confused as to what was going on. Then, things rushed back. He was in the Great Fairy's fountain. Before his eyes was Tatl. On the ground was…a bunch of grapes? The Deku quickly mentally and emotionally recovered from the nightmare. That was far from the first time he had a dream like that, where those he held dear turned on him. It was sad to say, but he was used to such things. "What time is it?" He couldn't help but ask.
"It's a bit after six. Come on, I even got us something to eat! I…found it just a bit ago." Tatl said, gesturing to the grapes.
Looking closer, Link realized one grape was missing from the bunch. From the way Tatl talked, he knew these were stolen. Well…it couldn't be helped. Now he just had to figure out how to actually eat it. "Thank you." He knew Tatl didn't do it out of the kindness of her heart, but because he wouldn't be able to function without food. He plucked a grape and just…inserted it into his mouth. The small fruit got sucked up instantly and Link felt it enter his stomach. No chewing, huh?
Within a minute, the rest of the grapes were gone, and the wooden boy felt better. "Alright, you done? We gotta get going! Jim's out in his usual spot!" She said, flying towards the cave's entrance on her own. "Hurry up, Deku Boy!"
Withholding a sigh, Link got up and followed after the fairy, trying to get himself ready for the day ahead…
A/N: The very first day of Link's trip into Termina is cleared. Not much I felt like I needed to add this time, probably the biggest thing was Link recalling Hytopia being mentioned. Even that's so very small of course. Just another two chapters and I can get started with new things, and I'm really looking forward to it.