The Magic of the Moment
Sun's Song
Link sighed as the stranger disappeared out of the Temple of Time. He had tried to stop him, but it wasn't his problem anymore.
"Any idea who that was?" he asked Sheik.
Sheik shook his head. "He looked just like you, which confused me a lot. But I do remember him saying his name was Trunks, if that means anything to you."
"Trunks? As in, tree trunks? No, I've never heard of him. Do you suppose he's working for Ganondorf?"
"No, I don't believe so. He was lost and confused, but not evil."
"Link! Shouldn't we go after him?" a tiny voice chirped. Link's companion fairy, Navi, emerged from her hiding place, and hovered above Link's left shoulder.
"He didn't want anything to do with us," answered Link. "It's not our problem."
"But what about the ReDeads! They could attack him!"
Link cursed. He had forgotten about the strange mummy-like monsters that had infested Hyrule Castle Town. If the stranger didn't even know where he was, he also wouldn't know the dangers he faced.
"We'd better keep an eye on him," Link replied, running out if the Temple with Sheik close behind.
Before they had even entered the confines of the Town, Link, Sheik and Navi heard the horrifying shriek that meant a ReDead had paralysed a victim. Link quickened his pace.
He found exactly what he had expected, but not hoped for. A ReDead had attached itself to the purple-haired stranger and was leeching his life away. Though he was struggling, the stranger appeared to be losing the battle. Link shuddered, remembering how he had once been attacked by a ReDead himself. He had been lucky to escape.
"Quick Link!" Navi cried. "Play the Sun's Song! The one you learnt at the graveyard. It seemed to paralyse the ReDeads!"
"Good thinking, Navi!" Link took out his ocarina and played a shot tune.
The monster that had attacked the stranger – as well as the others in the immediate area – froze instantly, and released its grip. The stranger collapsed on the ground.
Sheik knelt next to him, and placed a hand on his brow. "He is not in a good way. That monster was draining him for a long time. He's lucky to be alive."
Link glanced around nervously. He knew that the paralysis caused by his song was not permanent. They would have to leave quickly. "If we take him to Lon Lon Ranch, Malon may be able to help us."
"Lon Lon Ranch is still under Ganandorf's rule," Sheik said, gravely.
"I know, but I am still welcome there. Malon is not a servant of Ganon." Link scooped up the stranger in his arms. After a moment to adjust to the weight, he started running to where the drawbridge had once been. He could hear soft footsteps behind him, and knew that Sheik was following.
As they escaped into Hyrule Field, they found that it was night, which was fortunate since it meant Ingo, the Ranch's new owner, would be asleep. Link kept running, ignoring the fatigue that was developing in his limbs. I need to get a horse!
Despite it being night, Link and Sheik were still wary as they entered the Ranch. It was possible that Ingo was still awake. But they were not hindered, and were able to proceed into the horse enclosure. Link knew that was where he would find his childhood friend, Malon, the daughter of Lon Lon Ranch's true owner.
"Malon!" Link called, as soon as he saw her.
She smiled, but it faded as soon as she saw the expression of urgency in Link's face. "Link, what happened?"
Link laid the stranger's body on the ground. "He was attacked by a ReDead. He probably shouldn't even be alive. You were the only person I could think of who could help."
"Who is he? He looks…he looks just like you!"
"We're not sure who he is. We're hoping to ask once he's better."
"Take him to the tower. I'll meet you there."
Link picked up the stranger again and lugged him to the stone building in the southwest corner of the Ranch. Link assumed Malon was going to get a bucket or jar; something to put milk in. The tower was home to several cows, and Lon Lon milk was known to have special healing powers.
Link burst into the tower and placed the stranger on a pile of hay, leaving the door open for Sheik and Malon. Sheik stepped inside, appearing very on-edge.
"What's wrong, Sheik?" Link asked. "You look a little nervous."
"I do not wish for Ganondorf to sense my presence," Sheik replied. "I cannot linger."
"Calm down. It's fine."
Malon arrived, carrying two glass jars and a blanket. She pushed one jar into Sheik's hands and pointed to one of the cows. "Start milking! And, by the way, I'm Malon."
"Sheik…" Sheik stammered. "H-how do I…?"
"I'll do it," Link offered. "You keep an eye on our friend and make sure he doesn't die on us."
Sheik did as he was told, spreading a blanket onto the hay and moving "Trunks" onto it, to make him more comfortable. He mentally urged Link and Malon to hurry, for the purple-haired stranger was starting to shiver, despite having an obvious fever. Turning towards them, he saw the last thing he expected. Link had taken his ocarina out again, and was playing a song to one of the cows. Similarly, Malon was singing the same song to another cow.
"Is this really the time for a concert?" Sheik asked, a note of annoyance in his voice.
Link smiled, and held up a full jar of milk. "The cows like that song – it makes them produce a lot of milk. Good milk. I learnt that when I was a kid. Meant I didn't have to pay Talon for refills all the time."
"Freeloader," Malon commented, also holding a full jar of milk. She walked over to where the stranger was laying. "Uh…Sheik wasn't it? Could you hold him still so I can give him this?"
"Of course." Sheik lightly held the stranger still by his shoulders. Malon pushed his head ever so slightly backwards so that his mouth opened. She put the jar to his lips and poured a small amount down the stranger's throat. He immediately started spluttering and coughing.
"Come on, you need to drink it," Malon whispered to him. She tried a second time, this time, gently massaging his throat to encourage him to swallow. It worked. The stranger stopped shivering, and his fever decreased dramatically. Malon repeated the process several times, until the young man had consumed a full jar of the magical milk.
"That's amazing," Sheik breathed. "I never knew the milk from this Ranch was so powerful."
Malon smiled at him. "It tends to work better if the cows are in a better mood. That was why we played that song to them."
"Forgive me for my earlier comment."
"There's nothing to forgive." Malon motioned to the stranger. "He should wake up very soon. The milk just needs a bit of time to work. So, Sheik, how do you know Link?"
"He startled me in the Temple of Time when I finally came back from the Sacred Realm," Link answered. "He's one of the last remaining Sheikah."
"The Shadow Folk? Like Impa?"
Sheik nodded. "The Princess' guardian was very close to me."
A groan from the stranger broke up the little introductory session.
* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *
Trunks slowly became aware that the horrible dream that he had been having – about Juunanagou holding him under water, slowly drowning him – had been simply that. A dream. But he was also aware that he wasn't home. He could smell hay, and livestock. He was at a farm of some sort. He was soon able to work out voices nearby. He groaned.
"Hey, he's waking up!" one of the voices cried.
Opening his eyes, and seeing who the voice had come from, made Trunks remember everything. He wasn't at home. He was in some strange place, where a young man who looked amazingly like himself lived. He also remembered running out of that temple-like place, into the remains of a town. There, some bizarre creature had attacked him. That was all he remembered.
"Feeling better?" It was Trunks' blonde twin who had been talking, along with the strange young man in blue, and a young redheaded woman.
"I feel like I've just been to Hell and back," Trunks mumbled back. "What happened to me?"
"ReDead. They feed off the life force of the living. You're lucky to still be here."
"I suppose I have you to thank? And I suppose you're Link."
"That's right. I'm afraid I don't recall your name."
"It's Trunks."
"That's what Sheik thought." Link pointed to the other two people present. "Oh, by the way, that's Sheik and Malon. And this," He pointed to the floating ball of light above his shoulder, "is Navi. It's actually her you should thank for saving you."
"Um…thanks." Trunks stared at the ball, wondering how it could be considered female, but the closer he looked the more he was able to make out. First, he saw two sets of small wings, and eventually, what could have been a body. Insane. A fairy or something!
"You're quite welcome," Navi, the ball, replied. "We all pitched in really."
"Would you be offended if we asked who you are?" Sheik asked.
"I told you my name is Trunks. I come from a place called Earth," Trunks answered. He didn't notice a sign of recognition in any of their faces. "I was travelling into the past to visit some of my friends there…"
"You're a time traveller?"
"You could say that, yeah."
"So is Link…"
"What!?" Link cried. "I wasn't aware of this!"
Sheik smiled. "That was what I was going to tell you, when you returned to the Temple of Time. But Trunks here showed up first, and you know what happened after that."
"You mean I can travel back through time?"
"Only to the time, seven years ago, before you were sealed in the Sacred Realm. And you will be returned to your childhood form."
"That's no fun," Trunks commented. "The first time I went into the past, I visited a time before I was even born!"
"Why can't I do that?" Link whined.
"Because that is not what fate has chosen for you," Sheik answered, sternly. He turned to Malon and Trunks. "I will have to steal Link away from you for am moment, and then take my leave. It is too dangerous for me to remain here. It was nice to meet both of you."
"You too, Sheik," Malon replied, and Trunks nodded. He hadn't realised that Malon and Sheik had only just met too.
Sheik and Link left the tower, and Malon turned to Trunks. "It's uncanny, how much you look like him."
"I don't really see the resemblance, myself," Trunks stated. "I mean, he's blonde, and he has pointy ears like Piccolo-san."
"Who's 'Piccolo-san'? And just what's wrong with pointy ears?" Malon motioned to her own ears.
"Oh, nothing! It's just, people from where I come from don't usually have pointy ears."
Malon frowned at him for a moment, then her expression softened. "You should get some rest. I'll come back tomorrow morning and see how you are. Good night."
Trunks settled back against his hay bed, wondering just where he was. They still hadn't told him that. I still haven't found my time machine, either. I guess it'll have to wait until tomorrow. I'm too tired now. In fact, Trunks could hardly remember a time when he had felt so exhausted. He fell into a deep sleep, despite the noises his roommate cows were making.
* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *
A/N: Yay! Another chapter out. If you want to see the title pic for this story, check out
Next time around – Will Link get the horse he desires so much? And what about Trunks? Is he trapped in Hyrule forever?
