Zelda's Search
Ch 3 - Realization

I sat awake in the cavern, blankets wrapped around me, shivering. Brian, who was Link's Terminan double, had promised me shelter better than North Clock Town. Was he ever wrong!

He had taken me high up into a mountain cavern, and it was snowing and extremely cold. My hands had lost their feeling, my nose was bright red, and my ears were numb. I hated the snow. If it snowed when it was warm, then that would be fine, but the cold really bothered me.

Brian was peacefully sleeping alongside his horse, Flame. It was too cold for me to sleep, so I just huddled in a corner, with several layers of blankets, and then some more in case I was still cold. Perhaps I had spent too much time in the Death Mountain area...

I crept outside, the flurries falling all around me, and gazed off in the distance. Soon, I could see the beautiful, warm sun peeking over the mountainside.

The Dawn Of

The Final Day


- 24 Hours Remain -

Brian woke up shortly after sunrise. "Are you ready to go?" he asked sleepily, resting his head on his horse.

"Not yet," I said, through frozen lips. He got a strange grin on his face.

"Your lips are blue," he said, laughing. "We better get you out of here. Wake up, Flame. Gotta get the Princess warmed up."

The horse neighed, and walked over to me, as if it knew what Brian had wanted. I climbed up onto her and was forced to leave my blanket. "Hurry up!" I called, rubbing my hands over my arms, trying to stay warm.

Brian laughed at me again, then got on Flame and led her back down to the field. I thanked him a dozen times as it got warmer. I can't stand the cold.

"So, what was our mission again?" he asked, dismounting Flame, then helping me down.

"We wanted to stop the moon from falling," I said, walking toward the town. "You don't happen to have a weapon I could use, do you?"

"Sure," he said, pulling out a bow and a quiver. "Take care of it. Got it from the Deku people."

"How about an ocarina?" I asked. For some reason, I felt that I would need the Ocarina of Time to pull this off.

"I have one of those, too," he said, showing me his glittering gold ocarina. "Why?"

"I just feel like we'll need them. Now, come on. We've got to figure out how to get on the top of the Clock Tower."

"...Um, duh," he said after a while. "There's a little ramp right there, leading to the stairs that open at midnight. I can't believe it's already the Carnival of Time! I've been looking forward to this all year!"

"Why?" I asked. "Is it a very special occasion or something?"

"Yeah," he said, following me to the town. "Usually, people party with masks and stuff on, but this year no one's coming on account of the moon."

"I'll be there," I said quietly, entering the northern gate. "You will, too, of course."

He was silent for a few minutes. "What if we can't stop it? It'll kill us before anyone else," he pointed out.

I sighed. "Well, I came here knowing I was going to die anyway."

"Do you have some kind of deadly disease or something?" he asked, sounding concerned.

We neared the Clock Tower, and I saw the ramp he spoke of earlier. "No, but I was sending Link back in time to fix everything so that my life would be different, and this me wouldn't live anymore. But I messed up, and now we're both here. If you see anyone who looks exactly like you, tell him that Zelda's looking for him."

"Well, if I see him, then you will, too, because I'm staying with you 'till its time for you to leave."

I smiled. "Thank you. I have this horrible problem with thinking too much when I'm alone."

"And talking too much when you're not?" he asked, grinning. I smacked him on the back of the head. "Hey! Don't do that!"

"I'm the Princess, I can do whatever I want," I said smugly. Link would have bought that; but obviously Brian didn't. He drew his sword and knocked me down with it.

"You're not the Princess of here," he said coldly, helping me back up.

"Sorry," I said quietly. Maybe our friendship wouldn't come as naturally as it seemed. I was just jumping to conclusions. Since he looked just like Link, I expected him to act the same.

"See the door-like thing up there?" he asked, pointing up at the tower. "That opens at midnight. We've just got to wait."

"Okay. I'm just going to explore a little bit."

"You can't leave me here!" he cried, running after me. "These people don't like me! But you'll protect me, right, Princess?"

I stopped and turned to face him. "I don't know if I can," I said coldly. "After all, I'm not the Princess of here."

He sighed. "Look, I'm sorry, okay? Just don't let them see me alone."

"Fine," I said shortly, resuming my exploration. I traveled into West Clock Town and talked to the Bomber kid, then wished I hadn't. Those little monsters just don't shut up.

As you can probably imagine, I was starving by the time the sun began to set. "We can go to the ranch," Brian suggested mildly. "They sell Romani Milk, and it is excellent! You would totally love it."

"What about the big rock in the way?"

"Oh, that's right," he sulked. "We'll just have to go tomorrow."

"Are you brain dead?" I said incredulously. "The moon's gonna kill us by tomorrow!"

"Oh, yeah," he sulked again. "Then, if we live, we'll have to go tomorrow."

I laughed. "You are so much like Link, but at the same time, so different," I said thoughtfully. I never thought that two people could be alike and different at once. I always thought it was one way or the other.

"I have to meet this Link guy," he said. "Maybe we can fight to the death, and whoever lives gets to go to Hyrule with you."

"Don't even say that!" I cried. "I need Link back home!"

"Why?" he cooed. "'Cause you're in looove with him?" He started laughing. "Zelda loves Link, Zelda loves Link..."

"I do not! Cut that out!"

"Zelda loves Link, Zelda loves Link..."

"Stop it! I'll be forced to hurt you!"

"Zelda loves - OW!"

I had shoved him to the ground, using all of my strength and all of my Sage power. He was hurt pretty bad, but I healed him immediately. "I warned you," I said. "Now don't do it again."

"Okay," he said in a syrupy tone. Then he started coughing, and in between coughs, whispered, "Link lover. AAH! I'm sorry!"

I sighed and headed back to the Clock Tower, awaiting its opening. Five minutes until midnight. I tried to keep calm, but I was as nervous as ever. Perhaps I was even more afraid than when Ganon trapped me inside of that giant, pink-tinted glass Rupee.

And that was scary.

"Ten seconds," Brian whispered, holding his breath just as I was. Suddenly, fireworks lit up the sky in all colors. The stairs fell into place, and Brian, Mutoh, and I were the only ones there to see it. We stood there in awe for a moment, then I grabbed Brian's arm.

"Let's go!" I hissed, pulling him up the ramp. We climbed to the ledge and ran up the newly opened stairs.

"What are you doing here?" a confused Skull Kid asked.

I stepped forward, Brian watching. "I was looking for a friend. He looks like this boy right here, and his name is Link. Have you seen him?"

The Skull Kid laughed. "Sorry, Princess, but you're out of luck. The moon will hit Termania any second now!"

One of the fairies flew forward, panicked. "Tael!" the other one yelled discouragingly.

"Swamp. Mountain. Ocean. Canyon. The four who are there...bring them here!"

The Skull Kid swatted the fairy. "Don't talk out of line! Stupid fairy!"

"Hey! Don't hit my brother like that!"

"What's gotten into you?"

"Even if they were to come..." he trailed off, as if no one cared. Then, he raised his arms, and violet lightning surrounded him. The moon, seemingly frozen inches above us, started falling at a shockingly quick pace.

"We're all gonna die!" Tael screamed. "Tatl! We're gonna die!"

"It was you!" Tatl screamed angrily. "You caused the moon to fall! How could you do this to us, Skullkid!?"

"Play the Song of Time!" Brian yelled. I didn't move. I was frozen in panic. "It's the Carnival of Time! It's only right to summon the Goddess of Time to save us!"

"You're really quick to catch on, aren't you?" I said after a few seconds. We both pulled out our Ocarinas, and played the sacred song. Then we clasped hands, afraid of what was going to happen next.

The world started to shake violently, a horrible wind rising. The tower shook, and I stumbled and fell off the side. Luckily, Brian grabbed my arm just in time. Then, he fell, and we both screamed.

The ground beneath us turned white, and we fell through it. Still screaming, we fell and fell until everything got horribly dark.

º*End Chapter Three*º

How do you like it? I think it's a bit shorter than the other two, but that's all right. Hopefully it didn't lessen the quality (though I have a feeling it did). Anyway, chapter four out soon. Please review!!