Gray

When they became solid again, Gray noticed that they were back in Faron's spring, though Faron was not visible.

"Heroic ones…" Faron's voice came out of the water. It had a solemn note to it, "Do not think for a moment that Hyrule is saved from the spread of twilight… Leave these woods and go west. There you will find the land protected by the spirit Eldin."

"So does that mean we have to turn into animals again?" Green asked.

"Yes, if that is what it takes to stop the darkness. Go to Kakariko Village, it is there that Eldin resides. Link, it is also there you will find those you seek…"

"The children?! Are they okay?" Gray gasped. Were they really there? Hope flared in his chest.

"They are there," Faron confirmed, "But know that these lands lie in twilight… They are now a dark realm covered by the clouds of dusk. Though they do not completely realize it, they are now spirits in that realm. You will not be able to touch them, and they cannot see you until the cursed twilight has been lifted."

"Come on, the twilight's not that bad," Midna complained, "I live there!"

"Little one, the twilight does not belong in this world. It cannot stay here."

"Why not?" Midna asked defiantly, raising her chin.

"Midna, I know you are scared, frustrated, and angry for what happened to you, and understandably so. But if it helps, all is not lost for your kind." Faron said.

Those last seven words had a huge impact on Midna. She completely lost her usual uncaring demeanor. Her visible eye widened, and she gasped, her body stiffening. Then, she sighed sadly, sinking to the ground and hanging her head, "I'll never forgive him for what he did to me and my people," she spat bitterly, eye narrowed.

"All things will turn out as they should in the end. They just need time. Go and help the young heroes, as they will later help you."

Midna gazed at the water, sadness nearly emanating off her face. She stood there for a minute, before finally nodding, jumping into the air, and recovering her snarky attitude.

"Well, what are we waiting for? Let's get moving!"

~/_\~

Zelda

Zelda couldn't help but feel relieved the rat was gone. She rubbed her arm where its teeth had torn a hole in her glove. She would ever think of rodents the same way again.

Together, she and Young Zelda had explained to Valensuela what was going on, watching anxiously as he pondered the situation.

"Well, this certainly isn't good." He sighed at last, "What are we going to tell the Captain?"

The Captain, of course, was Link's father. He would probably want to know what had happened as well. Zelda chewed her lip.

"I don't know, but I do think we should tell him," she decided.

"Alright. One more thing," he gazed at Young Zelda, "Is it wise for you to be here? I mean, you two look so much alike, and you're from a completely different time. Wouldn't someone be missing you?"

"I want to help," She stated, "Besides, I don't think anyone will know I've been gone. Chancellor Cole thinks that I should be locked in my room all day. He's no fun. It'll be good to go out and get some excitement for once… As long as there's no more rats."

Valensuela still looked a little uncertain, but he didn't protest.

"Alright, let's go see the Captain."

~/_\~

Valensuela

"So," the Captain stated after a while of thought, "My son -or sons, as it is right now- is trapped in another time but you have no idea where, our guest is from the future, and you have reason to believe my son's counterparts are separated because a robot you made appear said something about knowing a kid clad in green named Link, but no other colors."

"That's about right," Valensuela watched Zelda knit her hands together in anxiety and bite her lip. He admired her courage to tell him at all. Valensuela himself had volunteered to tell the story, but Zelda had insisted that it was her fault and her responsibility. Thus, she had confronted the Captain herself, he and Young Zelda by her side to support her.

Young Zelda intrigued him. She looked so much like Zelda, but different at the same time- younger, straighter hair, and less... less regal. She acted more like a child her age than Zelda did. That was good in his opinion, for Zelda already acted a lot older than she was. Without her father, she was forced to grow up too fast.

"Do you think you can bring him back?" the Captain asked.

"We're trying," Zelda responded, "But seeing as no-one knows how the harp works, it will take time."

"Do what you can, please, My Lady. I hope my boy is alright."

"As do I, Captain, as do I…" Zelda sighed.

"Captain, we are going to be in my chambers, if you need us," Zelda informed him, "It is the best place in the castle to figure out the harp- lots of space, bright, and no rats."

"Alright. Is that all, my lady?" the Captain said, then did a double-take, "...No rats? Do we have an infestation?"

"Oh, did I say that out loud?" Zelda muttered and blushed fiercely, raising her voice to normal, "No, no rats anywhere Captain. We shall go now," then she led the way to her chambers, leaving a very confused Captain of the guard in her wake.