The figure stepped closer into the clearing so their face was illuminated by the moonlight. It was a Keaton. It was fox-like, and had three tails. It had black fur at the tips of it's ears and tails.
"It is nice to meet you, Linkle. My name is Tsukiko, and I am your familiar" she said.
She bowed her head and met Linkle's eyes with a small smile.
"My familiar"? Linkle asked.
"Yes, your familiar, I have been sent to aid you on your quest to save Hyrule" Tsukiko responded.
"What is a familiar"? Linkle asked.
"A familiar is someone who aids magic wielders, and is eternally bonded to them with a ritual. We have yet to perform the ritual, but I am already feeling the connection" Tsukiko answered.
"What is this ritual"? Linkle asked.
"It involves music, the moon, and a magic gem," Tsukiko responded.
"Where do I get these things"? Linkle asked, getting frustrated.
"You can summon them here with an incantation," Tsukiko said.
Tsukiko drew a circle into the dirt with one of her paws. Then she wrote the incantation inside the circle. She asked Linkle to step into the circle with her. She then asked Linkle to read the incantation.
As Linkle read it, the circle and letters began to glow and she continued the incantation. Suddenly there was a flash of light. When they uncovered their eyes, there were two items in front of them.
The first was an amber gem on a black thread, and the second was the Ocarina of Time. They both gasped at the sight of it.
"That's the instrument my father told me that the Hero who saved Termina used"! exclaimed Tsukiko.
"It's the instrument that allowed Ghirahim to escape," Linkle said.
"Who is Ghirahim"? Asked Tsukiko.
"I'll explain later, now about this ritual" Linkle responded quickly.
Linkle picked up the ocarina and the gem.
"You have to put the necklace on me, and play a song that is close to you" Tsukiko said.
Linkle noticed that the sun was about to rise, and they were running out of moonlight. She knew exactly what to play though.
Although she had never touched an ocarina before, she somehow knew how to play. The smooth surface of the blue stone seemed almost familiar. She placed the necklace on Tsukiko and held the ocarina to her lips. She played the song that Ilia would sing to her as a child. It was about Link's horse Epona.
The gem lit up and Tsukiko was lifted into the sky. She was now in a trance-like state, and one of her paws began to glow. Within a few seconds she was back on the ground, and the gem turned back to normal. Linkle ran over to her to find that Tsukiko now had Linkle's name etched on her right hand, but that wasn't the only change.
She wore a long sleeved white shirt with ruffled cuffs at the ends. The shirt was covered with a plain brown vest, and she wore a long green skirt. She also wore tall weathered brown boots and a dark turquoise cloak. She had light brown hair that was pulled back into a half braid, half ponytail. Her skin was pale, and her ears were pointed like a Hylian. She carried a satchel and two cheaply crafted crossbows. She still wore the necklace around her neck. On her back she carried a shield with the symbol of the Triforce and a white dragon. Tsukiko was now a Hylian.
Tsukiko woke up with a start. She looked down at her new appearance and laughed.
"It seems as though I've taken a little bit of your style. Plus, now I don't have to hide from everyone" Tsukiko responded.
Linkle was about to ask her if she was ok when she found herself pulled into darkness.
Linkle found herself in a cloudy version of Hyrule. She could hear panting behind her. When she turned around, she saw a golden fox. Linkle went to run after it, but it quickly disappeared in a puff of smoke. A few seconds later, it appeared again, but farther away than it was before. She began to chase after it as it kept teleporting from one place to another. Finally, she began to notice a pattern in where it appeared. So, she stood still and waited. After a few moments, it popped up and she caught it.
"Gotcha"! She exclaimed.
It squirmed and motioned for her to put it down.
"For playing my game, I'll give you a clue. You will find the wood from an ancient tree's son" it said.
Then it disappeared again, and Linkle came back to consciousness.
"Linkle, wake up! Are you ok? Should I get help"? She heard a voice call out.
She slowly opened her eyes and found that Tsukiko was trying to shake her awake. Linkle slowly stood up, and was a little wobbly, but she regained her balance with the help of Tsukiko.
"You gave me a heart attack"! Tsukiko shouted.
"I had a vision," Linkle said casually.
"You did? Tell me about it" Tsukiko said excitedly.
Linkle then proceeded to explain her chase with the golden fox, and the clue it had given her.
"Oooh, I love riddles"! Tsukiko exclaimed.
"Let's see, the son of an ancient tree could be a stick, or it could be a sapling"! Tsukiko continued out loud.
"There are hundreds of sticks in saplings in the forest! How will we know which one it is"?! Linkle said in frustration.
"It would probably be the oldest tree in the woods. I know exactly where that is, come on"! Tsukiko exclaimed as she dashed out of the ruins.
"Wait for me"! cried Linkle as she dashed after her.