Chapter 2
Link awoke the next morning at the crack of dawn, just as the sun peeked over the town walls and shed its golden rays across his face. He rubbed his tired eyes and stood up, stretching this way and that. Tatl, the fairy who spent most of the previous day tucked neatly under his hat, fluttered from her sactuary to greet him. Seeing her yellow glow reminded him of how much he missed Navi, and of his current dilema. He was a prisoner of evil, sealed away inside a seeminly useless Deku scrub body. Link sighed, wondering if he would ever be returned back to normal.
"Hey! Wake up!" Said the flittering ball of light bouncing whispfully in front of his face. "What, are you daydreaming again?" Link stared at her for a moment without answering. "C'mon, don't you remember?" Tatl squeaked. "We have 2 days left of our three that we need to stop that Skull Kid!" With his eyes suddenly snapped to attention, Link nodded and started off through the sleepy streets.
As he walked, his mind drifted back to the previous day's experience. Although being stalked by the Mask Salesman, his words still echoed in Link's mind; "You must find the precious item that was stolen from you," he had said. "Then I will teach you the way to return to your former self." Anxious but uncertain of where to start looking, Link stopped walking and looked around himself. The area he had strolled into was very green, with trees and bushes growing in random spots. The cobblestone road became a dirt trail that zigzagged through the area. He noticed another familiar mailbox in front of him, with an odd balloon hovering just above. To his left was a slide, sheilded almost entirely from view by a tree and a few bushes.
Pop! A loud sound interrupted Link's observations. Following the sound, his eyes fell onto a boy about his size wearing a red cap. He carried a blowgun and was firing it at the balloon over the mailbox. He could understand why the boy was shooting at the balloon as it spun and faced him. Printed on it was an image of the Mask that the Skull Kid wore. Link would never forget that horrible mask and what it had done to him. He wanted to pop the evil-faced balloon but he was powerless to do so. Following the dirt path, he left the area.
The trail melted into another stone street, which followed up a set of stairs. The steps winded around towards the right and were shaded from the sun by a straw eve. On the left wall of the walkway were three shops: a curiosity shop, a trading post, and a bomb shop; all with bright, catchy signs right of the doors. On the right side of the walkway was a strange man, who seemed very bored, which sat next to a couple signs and a medium- sized safe. "Clocktown Bank" read the signs. The stairs emptied out into a small square with three more shops.
Link was enjoying his exploration of the town when he found himself stopped in front of an odd statue. It was slightly taller than him and shaped like a familiar owl he once met on the plains of Hyrule. An inscription on the statue read "He who holds the sacred sword leave proof of our encounter." That's odd, thought Link. He kept on his way and soon realized that he was back in the area from which he originally started.
"This is no good," He said, pulling his hat down tighter over his head. "I've been all through this town and haven't seen any sign of that Skull Kid or my Ocarina." Tatl, who was being suffocated under Link's hat, struggled out from her green confinement.
"Then maybe they aren't in town," she flitted, buzzing her wings annoyedly in his face. Link asked where Skull Kid might be with his Ocarina. "Don't look at me! I'm not with him right now, how should I know where he is? Listen, just try looking out on the feild or something." She nudged him towards a large door, which had a green symbol above it. As they moved towards the gateway, they were stopped by a strange voice, obviously not belonging to the guard posted at the gate.
"I wouldn't try going through there just yet, my friend..."
Link awoke the next morning at the crack of dawn, just as the sun peeked over the town walls and shed its golden rays across his face. He rubbed his tired eyes and stood up, stretching this way and that. Tatl, the fairy who spent most of the previous day tucked neatly under his hat, fluttered from her sactuary to greet him. Seeing her yellow glow reminded him of how much he missed Navi, and of his current dilema. He was a prisoner of evil, sealed away inside a seeminly useless Deku scrub body. Link sighed, wondering if he would ever be returned back to normal.
"Hey! Wake up!" Said the flittering ball of light bouncing whispfully in front of his face. "What, are you daydreaming again?" Link stared at her for a moment without answering. "C'mon, don't you remember?" Tatl squeaked. "We have 2 days left of our three that we need to stop that Skull Kid!" With his eyes suddenly snapped to attention, Link nodded and started off through the sleepy streets.
As he walked, his mind drifted back to the previous day's experience. Although being stalked by the Mask Salesman, his words still echoed in Link's mind; "You must find the precious item that was stolen from you," he had said. "Then I will teach you the way to return to your former self." Anxious but uncertain of where to start looking, Link stopped walking and looked around himself. The area he had strolled into was very green, with trees and bushes growing in random spots. The cobblestone road became a dirt trail that zigzagged through the area. He noticed another familiar mailbox in front of him, with an odd balloon hovering just above. To his left was a slide, sheilded almost entirely from view by a tree and a few bushes.
Pop! A loud sound interrupted Link's observations. Following the sound, his eyes fell onto a boy about his size wearing a red cap. He carried a blowgun and was firing it at the balloon over the mailbox. He could understand why the boy was shooting at the balloon as it spun and faced him. Printed on it was an image of the Mask that the Skull Kid wore. Link would never forget that horrible mask and what it had done to him. He wanted to pop the evil-faced balloon but he was powerless to do so. Following the dirt path, he left the area.
The trail melted into another stone street, which followed up a set of stairs. The steps winded around towards the right and were shaded from the sun by a straw eve. On the left wall of the walkway were three shops: a curiosity shop, a trading post, and a bomb shop; all with bright, catchy signs right of the doors. On the right side of the walkway was a strange man, who seemed very bored, which sat next to a couple signs and a medium- sized safe. "Clocktown Bank" read the signs. The stairs emptied out into a small square with three more shops.
Link was enjoying his exploration of the town when he found himself stopped in front of an odd statue. It was slightly taller than him and shaped like a familiar owl he once met on the plains of Hyrule. An inscription on the statue read "He who holds the sacred sword leave proof of our encounter." That's odd, thought Link. He kept on his way and soon realized that he was back in the area from which he originally started.
"This is no good," He said, pulling his hat down tighter over his head. "I've been all through this town and haven't seen any sign of that Skull Kid or my Ocarina." Tatl, who was being suffocated under Link's hat, struggled out from her green confinement.
"Then maybe they aren't in town," she flitted, buzzing her wings annoyedly in his face. Link asked where Skull Kid might be with his Ocarina. "Don't look at me! I'm not with him right now, how should I know where he is? Listen, just try looking out on the feild or something." She nudged him towards a large door, which had a green symbol above it. As they moved towards the gateway, they were stopped by a strange voice, obviously not belonging to the guard posted at the gate.
"I wouldn't try going through there just yet, my friend..."