Hello Everyone! This is our first story.. a friend and I decided to take a basic story idea and make our own versions of it.

So, on this account, there are two stories, each one version of the same idea, that have the same chapter 1 (that we both worked on). The rest of each story is written individually, by each of us.. so it'll be interesting to see where it goes from here!

Simply, this is one of those "main characters switch places"-kind of fic.. This is based entirely off of Ocarina of Time, right after Ganondorf has been defeated. Link returns to his original time to find that things aren't quite right :)...

So please read both versions, review, and rejoice(?)!! Thanks!

(Oh, and of course, we don't own The Legend of Zelda or any of its characters. We probably wouldn't bother to claim ownership of any original characters we make up either... )

It was over. It was finally over.

"Thank you, Link," Zelda said.

Link could not recall, at that moment, where they were or how they got there, after the blinding light that was Ganon's ruin. Ganondorf's words were still echoing in his head. Curse you… Link!!

The icy feeling of those dreadful words were shaken away by the image of Zelda, standing before him and smiling. A calm aura radiated from her, the kind of calm one gladly drifts into after a terrible storm has passed. Relief.

"Thanks to you, Ganondorf has been sealed inside the evil realm!" she exclaimed quietly, beaming. "Thus, peace will once again reign in this world…" Zelda's voice trailed off.

"For a time."

Link smiled a little in mutual happiness that it was truly over. However, sadness and grief seemed to silently pervade the space between them, about what had happened, about what was going to happen. About what will never happen. Link couldn't help but stare, long and unwavering, at Zelda as the smile slowly faded from her lips and she turned away. She closed her eyes and placed her hand over her heart, as if it ached.

"All the tragedy that has befallen Hyrule was my doing. I was so young, I could not comprehend the consequences of trying to control the Sacred Realm." She exhaled slowly, as if harboring a great deal of pain. Link continued to do absolutely nothing but stare. His hands twitched, his lips parted, as if he wanted to say something or do something. Do anything, then just inspect this girl as if she were behind an impermeable window of glass. To watch Zelda…

Zelda. His time with her seemed to flash before his eyes, so long and so short at the same time. He remembered watching her from behind so many mental barriers as he was now. He remembering staring at a Young Princess of Hyrule, headstrong and resolute; and also, at a lean, shrouded man with that keen red-eyed gaze, who had been his shepherd and, at temporary moments, companion, on the confounding quest he was suddenly thrust into. And now, he gazed at the Seventh Sage, at this woman who seemed to possess a natural majesty and grace about her. Leagues above someone like himself, who could not even utter a single word throughout the lengthy goodbye that was taking place. Painfully, he acknowledged it. This will be the last time he will see her.

With great poise, the Sage controlled her feelings and regained composure. She spoke again. "I dragged you into it, too. Now it is time for me to make up for my mistakes…"

She took another breath. Link recognized this. The goodbye.

"You must lay the Master Sword to rest and close the door of time. However, by doing this, the road between times will be closed."

This, this is goodbye.

Zelda finally turned to Link once more. She did not immediately return his gaze, but seemed to hesitate for a moment. A chance, a chance for Link to say something. Anything. He opened his mouth, but was cut off a Zelda continued to speak.

"Link, give the ocarina to me," she commanded softly as she held out her gloved hand with resolve. "As a sage, I can return you to your original time with it…"

Link felt his heart sink to his stomach, yet didn't know why. Surely, he should've known that this would happen. What else did he expect? Link buried such thoughts hurriedly in embarrassment.

Crestfallen, he slowly took out the ornate blue Ocarina, the Ocarina of time. In a way, it was also a companion to him, ever since he fished it out from the bottom of a slimy moat. He examined it introspectively, a bit reluctant to let go of something he had mentally designated as his own. As he placed the instrument in the Sage's hand, he continued to hesitate, still holding the top of the ocarina as the bottom lay in Zelda's hand. The Princess softly placed her hand on the back of his, perhaps sensing his frustration that he himself could not properly deal with. For, although they were both 17, Zelda had always been a little more mature than her age, and her mind had matured from headstrong boldness to humble wisdom in the 7 years Link spent asleep. Yes, he had grown radically ever since he awoke from that long slumber, but even that was not enough to make up for the years lost. Where Zelda was a precocious young woman, Link knew that, emotionally, he was still just a child.

"When peace returns to Hyrule, It will be time for us to say goodbye," Zelda continued, gazing sadly at their connected hands. Link knew that she was trying to ease his uncertainty and frustration, and willingly let go of the ocarina at long last. Zelda held it close to her and smiled at the boy before her encouragingly.

"Now, go home, Link. Regain your lost time! Home… where you are supposed to be… the way you are supposed to be." Link knew that she was just trying to comfort him. Although he still did not wish to leave, he knew that she was right, and gave in to her soothing words. He took a step back and nodded. The Princess returned his nod and closed her eyes as she held up the Ocarina. The familiar melody of the Royal Family cooed through the air, and Link watched those familiar crystalline walls close around him. As he began to rise through the air and lose consciousness in a flash of white light, he heard remnants of her voice.

"Thank you, Link… Good bye…"

Regaining his sight, he found himself back in the familiar Chamber of the Master Sword, with the sword firmly in its stone slab and his height reduced to its 10-yr-old state. As the blue light faded, he turned to Navi, his fairy companion. Normally, she was quite a nuisance, constantly nagging about doing this or that, or asking how what he was doing at that moment had any relevance to his Quest. Yes, she was better to have around than nothing. Yet, at many times, he had still felt lonely, and wished he could talk to someone who did not try to veer the conversation in some way toward his grand task. So, as Navi turned toward the high window and disappeared in its rays of light, Link could only describe the feeling as bittersweet.

He sighed, paying a few more moments of time toward the memory of Navi, before turning away and walking out the chamber. As he left, the door shut, sealing away the Master Sword for that time. Link couldn't help but feel a little empty as he watched the great stone door slowly descend. He eyeballed the altar, and curiously noticed that the three elemental stones were gone. The door was closed for good.

As he walked down the checkered hallway of the Temple of Time, he quietly wondered, what now? He supposed he would return to the Kokiri Forest, back to his little house in a tree. It would never be the same though, would it? So many saddening questions floated through his mind.

Pushing all his thoughts aside, he suddenly became aware that his clothing felt unfamiliar, unusually light, and that his head felt drafty. Looking down, he was surprised to find himself wearing a black tunic with gold trim, fancy looking boots, and also found that all of his weapons and other possessions were gone. In addition, his long green hat was missing. Running his hand through his hair, he felt a thick metal ring resting on his head. Removing the ring and looking at it, he found that it was a plain heavy golden circlet. What was this doing on his head?

He continued to stare down at the crown in his hands, thoroughly baffled, as he hopped down the steps of the Temple, sunlight cascading upon him. Walking through the temple courtyard, a group of Monks, Rauru among them, were chanting some sort of hymn. He silently walked by, still looking at the golden ring, when suddenly all of them stopped chanting, bowed, and chorused:

"Good Afternoon, Your Highness!"

Then, as if he did not exist, they returned to their hymns. Link stared, eyebrow raised, mouth slightly hanging open. Uh? What was that about? The Monks did not seem to notice the little boy gawking at them after that. Shaking his head, Link decided to drop it. I just wanna go home…

Stepping in the town, into the familiar bustling marketplace of Hyrule, Link ran into random townsperson after townsperson, all wishing him a good afternoon. WHAT was going on? He began to run, not understanding, just wanting to leave. As he was about to run through the gates, across the drawbridge onto Hyrule field, a guard stopped him. Link readied himself for interrogation. He thought the guard probably suspected him of stealing or doing some crime. After all, that is what any adult suspects when they see a young boy running out of town.

"Young master, where are you going?" He asked unusually politely. Link stared at him in disbelief. No guard has ever been that polite to him, remembering the numerous times they've thrown him out on his rear end for trying to sneak into Hyrule castle. Inhaling, he decided to take a chance and respond to such kindness.

"Why are you being so polite to me?" Link asked, desperate for answers.

The guard blinked, as if asked to stand on his head. "W-well… why wouldn't I be? You are the Prince of Hyrule, after all!"