A/N: I want everyone who reads this chapter to keep in mind that this chapter is all fan-based. There are things in this chapter that can be done in-game, and things in this chapter that are not. There are also some theories on characters I threw in. So, I hope you enjoy this chapter. (Also, if you haven't yet, I modified chapter 2 a bit, so make sure to go back and check it out before reading this chapter)

Chapter 3: Three Days of Deku

The door to one of the rooms of the Stock Pot Inn creaked open as Gorman once again walked out of his room, stretching to wake himself up. He made his way down the stairs and to the main room of the inn. "Good morning, Mr. Gorman," Anju spoke at once from behind the counter. She gave a bow, "How are you today?"

"Splendid, splendid," Gorman spoke with a smile. "And you, my dear?"

"I am well, Mr. Gorman. How is your troupe doing?"

"Remarkable," Gorman spoke ecstatically. "The Rosa Sisters are preparing a new dance, the Twin Jugglers are practicing their juggling and comedy even more, and Guru Guru himself is even focused on preparing a piece of music for the Rosa Sisters' dance."

"Amazing, sounds like the entire troupe is coming together."

Gorman nodded. "I'll be heading out myself sometime around half passed nine."

"Ah, that's right; you have a meeting with Madam Aroma, don't you?"

"Yes. She wanted to discuss something about my show. I can't wait. I've been planning and striving and fighting for this chance for many years, and now, finally, my dream comes true. I get to be the beginning act for the Carnival of Time! I may yet complete my dream!"

"And what dream would that be?" Anju asked curiously.

Gorman cleared his throat. "That's personal matters, Miss Anju."

Anju blushed. "Oh, please, Mr. Gorman, you don't have to be so formal."

"You say that, yet you refer to me as 'Mr. Gorman'. My dear, if I don't need to be so formal to you, then you have no need to be so formal to me, either." Gorman smiled brightly.

"But it is polite…"

"And that is why I refer to you as 'Miss Anju', because it is polite." The clock on the wall chimed nine and Gorman smiled as he looked up at it. "Another half an hour should do fine. I don't want to be too early. Waiting outside the door for an hour would be rather boring."

"Why not eat some food while you're waiting? Breakfast is always a good way to start a morning. It gives you the energy you need to continue through the day."

Gorman laughed. "Well, I'd have to decline that offer, unfortunately, I have several affairs to deal with before I head out."

"ARGH!" a female voice shouted and a door slammed shut rather loudly. Rosa once again came down from the stairs.

"Rosa, is something wrong?" Gorman asked.

"This dance is impossible!" Rosa shouted at Gorman, getting right in his face. "You want it to be flashy, to be spectacular, well damn it all, we're just plain out of ideas! We've tried everything we can think of, and nothing, I mean nothing looks good!"

"Well, surely you can figure something out-"

"No!" Rosa shouted and growled. "My sister and I are done thinking for right now. We have been working on this for three days straight as it is. We are stopping to rest before we get back into it, understand?"

"Certainly…I don't see any reason that you can't stop to rest, as long as the dance is ready…Do keep in mind that we have only three days…"

Rosa sighed. "I know…" she took a step back and leaned against the wall. "I just…don't know what to do…"

Gorman smiled and walked up to Rosa. "Don't worry, dear. Everything will fall into place. The gods will give you the inspiration you need, right when you need it most."

"But we need it now…"

"Are you trusting in them?"

Rosa sighed. "Not really…"

"Maybe that is why?" Gorman shrugged. "You must trust in them and have faith. They will give you the inspiration you need."

Rosa sighed. "Maybe you're right…I'll go talk to my sister…" She stood to her feet and headed off, heading back up to the top floor rooms of the inn.

Gorman gave a sigh. "Things are beginning to fall apart…" he spoke more to himself then to anyone else. "Can this really be done?" He turned his attention back to the clock. "Close enough…" he spoke and left the inn.

. . .

"Monsieur Gorman, welcome," Madam Aroma spoke as Gorman entered her room. She was dressed in a very expensive looking dress that was yellow in color. Her hair was up in a weird sort of bow-like form, and she was rather large, showing she had always been rich her entire life. She had golden bracelets on her arms and upon her left hand sat the largest ruby the world had ever seen on a ring. She was currently set back in a large chair at the end of the room.

"Madam Aroma, it is nice to see you," Gorman spoke with a bow and a smile. "I must say, it is an honor that you decided to put the Gorman Troupe as the opening act for the Carnival of Time."

"Yes…about that…" Madam Aroma spoke, her voice fading as she did and her eyes looking away.

"H-huh?"

"Monsieur Gorman, I would like you to meet Monsieur Toto. He is the manager of the Indigo-Gos." Madam Aroma waved to a rather large fish-like creature sitting on a couch next to her chair. He had a tiny white top-hat on his head and a long pointy beard. He held a rather old looking cane in one hand while he held a brown book in his other. He had bags under his eyes, showing he was extremely tired.

"H-hello," Gorman spoke with a bow.

"Hello, Mr. Gorman," Toto spoke with a bow of sorts.

"What…is going on, Madam Aroma?" Gorman asked as he looked back at the large woman.

"Well, you see, with the disappearance of my son, as well as…other matters which Monsieur Toto shall explain here in a moment…we have no choice but to cancel the act."

"Wh-what?" Gorman almost screamed.

"I am sorry, allow me to help you understand..." Toto began. "You see…a few days ago, the lead singer of the Indigo-Gos, Lulu, lost her voice. It occurred through a strange set of ordeals that even we don't fully understand, so I'll spare the explanation. Suffice to say…unless these matters change…the Indigo-Gos will have no choice but to withdraw from the act."

"Th-then…what is to become of the Gorman Troupe's act?" Gorman asked as he turned back to Madam Aroma. Fear showed on his face as he realized that, without the Indigo-Gos act, this meant his act was likely cancelled as well.

"It's all been cancelled," Madam Aroma spoke, and Gorman realized his fears had come true.

"I…I see…" Gorman looked down.

"Oh, but dear, don't worry…it's not your fault…and suffice to say…the entire town seems to be falling apart…"

Gorman nodded. "Is…is that all?"

"Yes, you are dismissed, Monsieur Gorman."

Gorman gave a bow to both Toto and Madam Aroma before turning away and leaving the building. "Figures…this has always happened in the past…I should have expected it would happen this time…" He gave a sigh as he turned his head down. It was then that he felt something hit him in the back of the leg and he quickly whirled around. "What the hell?" He looked around for a moment before looking down once more, this time seeing Link at his feet. "You!" he shouted. "Did you run into me just now?"

"I'm sorry," Link spoke, "I wasn't watching where I was going…"

"Bah!" Gorman shouted. "I don't have time to deal with you…run along to your parents!" He spun on his heel and marched off. He made his way over to the nearby pub known as the Milk Bar, where he slammed the door open. "Hey!" a man shouted at once. "You can't come in here! We don't open until ten, and this bar is members only!"

"I just need a damn place to sit, ok?" Gorman shouted. "A place to sit…and a place to drink…I just…need to clear my mind…"

The man grumbled. "Fine, but you make a mess, and I'll kick your ass out of here."

"Whatever…" Gorman stumbled his way in and sat down at the bar where he immediately demanded the closest thing to alcohol he could get, Chateau Romani.

. . .

"What are we going to do?" Tatl asked as she slowly flew around Link. The two were now sitting in the center of East Clock Town, near the Stock Pot Inn.

"I don't know…" Link spoke. "I couldn't save this world last time…but there must be something I can do now…" He turned to the Inn for a moment before looking up to the moon. "There must be-" He felt something hit him hard in the back, causing him to topple over. However, it wasn't only him who toppled over, it was also the man behind him who had just tripped over Link. The man wore a white leotard-like outfit with a red hat and red bag.

"Augh!" the man shouted. "This is not good! I'm going to be late now…" The man quickly pushed himself up. He quickly fixed his hat and Link quickly grabbed onto him. "What the…" The man looked down, seeing Link at his feet. "Let go, Deku Boy! You're going to make me late!"

"What's so important you have to move so quickly?" Link spoke up.

"I don't have time to talk to you!"

"Just tell me and I'll let go!"

The man grumbled. "I am the Postman and I have a very delicate schedule. I cannot be even a fraction of a second late for my pickups or my deliveries."

"Postman, huh?" Link let go. "Sorry…" The Postman didn't speak another word as he quickly turned and ran off. "Well…I was hoping I might get some kind of information from him…"

"Hey, Link, remember last cycle?" Tatl asked and Link looked up at her. "The Bombers…we first saved the Great Fairy in North Clock Town and then we chased the Bombers down. They gave us a code to their hideout, remember?"

"What about it?"

"Don't you get it? It's still the first day! That amount of work took us almost two days on its own, and we still didn't find their hideout the next day."

"So?"

Tatl growled and bonked Link on the head. "You idiot! Isn't it obvious? We've got to start where we left off! Let's find that hideout."

"But we looked everywhere!" Link protested.

"Not in this section. We checked West, North, and South Clock Town, but when we got here the moon crashed down, remember? Let's check this area! Do you remember the code?"

"Yeah…it was…let me think…five, four, one, three, two…I think…"

"Right, let's check around then." Link quickly got to his feet and the two split up. Link made his way to the northern side while Tatl flew off to the southern side. It took them only about an hour before Link quickly called for Tatl. "What is it?"

"Here," Link spoke as he pointed to an alley. "We haven't gone down there yet."

"Wait!" a voice shouted and Link turned to see one of the Bombers running towards him. "You can't go in there! That's the Headquarters of the Bomber's Secret Society of Justice! Only Bombers can get in there!"

"Err…well…" Link looked at Tatl, then back at the Bomber. "Five, four, one, three, two."

The Bomber kid jumped. "You…you know the code?"

"Well, of course, I am a Bomber, after all."

"But…I've never seen you before…" The kid put his hand to his chin. "Although, Jim said 'Anyone who knows the code can get in.' So…I guess…maybe you're a new addition…Fine, I'll let you in."

Link and Tatl smiled. "Awesome," Tatl spoke. "Thanks."

"Hey, Tatl! I didn't even see you there!"

Tatl giggled. "Don't worry, kid, it's okay."

With that Link quickly rushed into the alleyway. There inside he found the path seemed to slant down as it went underground into a long pathway. As he made his way through, he found the path was not so easily traversed. The first trouble he had come to was a large pool of water. Link had had an experience with this before, and he knew he could not swim in this form. However, he was light enough to hop across the surface of the water, at least, for a time. He quickly took a running jump and hopped onto the water.

Quickly, he pushed off, hopping across the water a ways until he came to a small island of sorts in the middle of the pool. He then leaped again, hopping across the rest of the way. "That was fun…" Link spoke sarcastically.

"Well, at least you got across it," Tatl spoke and Link nodded. It was then he found his second obstacle as a massive spider dropped down from above. The creature's backside looked like a rather large skull, while its head and eyes seemed to sit at the bottom of it, looking almost like teeth. "Skulltula!"

"Damn, I hate these things…" Link spoke and growled as he backed up. "I wish I had my sword right now…"

"Link, try using that power the Great Fairy gave you!"

Link blinked for a second as he tried to remember. "Oh yeah!" He stood his ground and right as the Skulltula jumped at him, Link twirled around. Magic swirled into his hat and his hat became as sharp as a blade. It quickly cut the underside of the Skulltula and it reeled back in pain. Link rushed forward and quickly pulled himself up onto a single foot, twirling on his toes as he once again unleashed the magic into his hat, striking the creature in the side and causing it to roll over onto its back. Link then pulled himself back and formed a bubble of magic at his mouth. He shot it forward and the Skulltula roared as it was struck in its weak underside, causing it to finally pull its legs in on itself and die.

"We did it!" Tatl shouted.

Link gave a sigh of relief and wiped his forehead. "That was close…I thought I was a goner…"

"We don't really have time to dawdle here…even if we did just kill our first monster."

Link nodded. "You're right. We got lucky that we somehow got pulled back in time the first time, but there's no guarantee it will happen a second time."

"Exactly," Tatl spoke and the two took off, heading deeper in. It wasn't long before Link found himself in a strange circular room. A set of circular stairs seemed to climb up infinitely while a scarecrow sat in the center of the room. A couple of large pots sat off to either side and a cucco in a cage could be seen behind the scarecrow, as well as a couple of other minor odds and ends.

"Hey, howdy, ho!" the scarecrow spoke suddenly which made Link jump. "I'm Pierre, the music-loving scarecrow!"

"Pierre?" Link asked as he looked over the scarecrow. "From Hyrule?"

The scarecrow twisted his head in confusion. "What's 'Hyrule'?"

"N-never mind…" Link spoke and rubbed the back of his neck. "Where are we?"

"This is the home of Professor Shikashi, the Astrologer. He's currently upstairs doing research on the moon. He says it's going to fall…like that'll ever happen."

Link turned to Tatl and they nodded. Link quickly rushed his way up the stairs and soon found a man standing before a massive telescope. He was dressed in a blue robe and cap and his hair had gone gray in old age. "Professor Shikashi!" Link spoke up at once.

"Hello," the Professor spoke as he turned to Link. "You're new around here. Did you become a friend of the Bombers recently?"

"Something like that…Pierre told me you know the moon is going to fall…"

"Ahh…" the Professor sighed and nodded. "It could…but I would rather not trouble a child over such matters…"

"I'm not a child," Link spoke. "I was turned into this by the Skullkid."

"The Skullkid? You mean the little imp?" the Professor asked and Link nodded. "That imp…I wonder what other troubles he has caused…right now he is standing at the top of the Clock Tower…but…I wonder how he got up there…The door to the top of the Clock Tower opens only once, and that's on the eve of the carnival at midnight. It closes the next day…"

"You hear that, Link?" Tatl whispered. "We've got to get up there at midnight on the third day. It's our only chance to stop him."

Link nodded. "Yeah."

"Oh…I'm sorry," the Professor spoke, "would you like to have a look? The view of the world is amazing from the telescope."

"Sure." The Professor picked Link up and he looked into the telescope. When he did, he saw Skullkid standing high on the top of the Clock Tower. Skullkid pointed at the telescope and Link guessed he was laughing as his body was jiggling as if he was. He then turned his attention to the sky. "Look up," Link spoke and the Professor cranked the telescope up. It was as if the moon began to cry. A small tear seemed to form from the moon's eye and began to drop to the earth. There was a loud crash as the ground shook and Link pulled away from the telescope. "What was that?"

"Almost felt like a meteor…maybe it was a Moon's Tear?" the Professor spoke.

"'Moon's Tear'?" Link asked.

The Professor nodded. "Look here." The Professor set Link down then grabbed a small blue gem out of a glass container. He held it up to Link, and he noticed at once that it looked much like a tear. "On occasion the moon has been…I guess you could say 'crying'… These small gems that look like tears have been falling all over the land. I have dubbed them 'Moon's Tears' because they come from the moon's eyes and look like small tears."

"But…why would the moon be crying?" Link asked.

The Professor shrugged as he stood up and put the tear away. "Maybe it's being dragged down unwillingly?"

"Skullkid…" Link spoke. "He's using the power of the mask to drag the moon down. He wants to destroy this land with the moon, but it doesn't want to…"

"Yes, it is as if the moon is fighting whatever power is dragging it down," the Professor spoke. "I imagine that, if it was not fighting it, the moon would have fallen much quicker…"

"But…what could that mean?"

"It's a conflict…a conflict between the moon and the sun…"

Link looked up at the Professor with a quizative look. "What do you mean?"

"The moon and sun are in constant conflict. One rules the day, while one rules the night. It seems that whatever this force is that is pulling it down draws power from the sun…or rather…represents the sun…In this way, it is using the power of the sun to drive the moon down to the land. This is proven by the way the moon descends. During the day, the moon descends at a slow pace, but during the night, it halts. I've determined…it will fall on the morning of the carnival. When night hits on the carnival's eve, the moon will have only about thirty three yards to descend. With its current rate of descent being at a remarkable sixty-seven yards an hour…this land will be destroyed in about half an hour after the sun rises."

"Half an hour…" Link spoke.

"That sounds about right…" Tatl whispered to Link.

"So then…Majora's Mask is a mask…of the sun?" Link asked as he looked up to Tatl before turning back to the Professor who gave a shrug.

"If that is the evil power driving the moon down…then yes."

Link put his hand to his chin. "Then…why wouldn't he be trying to pull down the sun?"

"Well, his power comes from the sun…the world would be destroyed long before the sun would ever reach our world…which means, he may not get the enjoyment of watching people run scared…"

"He's doing all this just to scare people?"

The Professor nodded. "It's the likely idea. The evil force wants us to be aware of our impending doom. It knows there is no safe haven in our world. When the moons crashes, all will be wiped out. In turn, we have no options but to be afraid. He wants to sow doubt in our hearts…doubt, despair, fear…these things will stop our salvation…"

"Faith," Link spoke as he looked up at the Professor. "Only faith will save us."

The Professor nodded. "But there is no faith…even I, who knows all of this…I don't even have faith…Our world is doomed…" He turned away. "Termina…"

"Excuse me?" Link asked.

"Termina…it's the name of this land…it means 'to pass away' or 'to be destroyed'…or simply 'termination'."

"Why would your land be called something like that?" Link asked.

"Because of our sins…" the Professor sat himself down in a nearby chair and closed his eyes. "The sins of our race long ago…"

Link stepped forward. "Can you…tell me what happened?"

The Professor shook his head. "There is only one now who knows…and it is not me…" He turned to the telescope. "But if you're right…and the moon is being brought down by that imp…then the only one who knows…is also the one who will bring our end…"

Link turned to Tatl. "Skullkid knows?"

"Link, you know what this means…" Tatl spoke. "We have to stop him now more then ever."

Link nodded. "Then let's go. The eve of the carnival at midnight…that gives us two days…"

"But…it's still the first…"

"Which is why it's two. We don't even half a full day left…in fact, the sun is setting as it is. That leaves us with two days, because when night hits on the third day, we have to be ready."

Tatl nodded. "I understand. What are we going to do until then?"

Link looked up for a moment as he thought. "Faith…we'll try to build the people's faith…"

"Wait, before you go," the Professor spoke, "that last Moon's Tear must have hit just outside of this place. Go outside that door and you should see it." He pointed to a nearby door. "Take it then hurry back to town. I think…no…I know…you are our only hope. I…have faith in you…"

Link's eyes went wide at those words. Someone had faith in him? Someone believed he could stop this? He clenched his fist. There was no way he'd let him down now. Someone had faith, and that gave him strength. "Thank you, Professor Shikashi," Link gave a bow and quickly rushed out the door. There, lying in a small crater, was the Moon's Tear just as the Professor had said. He quickly scooped it up, ran back inside, and headed back for Clock Town.

. . .

"Kafei…" Anju spoke as she stared at the ceiling of her room. "Can I really meet you? Will you be able to explain everything?" she turned onto her side and looked at the letter lying on her stand next to her bed. She then looked up at the clock, noticing the time. "It's almost two…"

Anju tossed the blankets off of her and dressed, then stepped out into the inn that was her home. She then began to make her way down the stairs into the main room of the inn.

"This will break her heart!" Anju's Mother shouted and Anju quickly hid behind a wall.

"I know…for Kafei to do something like this…I can only hope it's not true…" a female voice spoke and Anju gasped.

"What's happened?" Anju shouted, jumping out from behind the wall. She now saw who her Mother was talking to. It was Madam Aroma, the wife of the Mayor of Clocktown and the mother of Kafei.

"Anju…" Madam Aroma spoke as she looked at Anju. "Kafei…he might be…at Romani Ranch…"

"What's wrong with that? Cremia is a friend of ours…"

"He may be cheating on you with her…"

"What? There's no way that he-"

"Anju…he went missing about a month ago…" Anju's mother spoke up. "Also, Cremia's last visit was a month ago. That could mean that Kafei went with Cremia…"

"No…I don't believe it at all…" Anju spoke as she stepped back, completely mortified by this news. Tears were again trying to come to her eyes and she fought them back as hard as she could. "He…he would never do something like that…"

"There's no denying that it's a possibility…"

"I won't believe it!" Anju shouted and rushed forward, throwing the door to the inn open.

"Anju!" Anju's Mother shouted, then gave a sigh of defeat. "Well…now she's definitely unhappy about this…"

Anju continued to run once she was out of the inn, making her way through Clocktown until she reached the small pool that many referred to as the Laundry Pool. It was here that she stopped, still attempting to fight back the tears. In front of her was a small bell on a post, and it was here that Kafei had asked her to come in his letter. He had said that if she rang the bell, he would appear and explain everything. However, she didn't have the courage to do it and she sat down on a nearby bench.

"I don't understand, Kafei…what's going on?" Anju asked before closing her eyes.

"Anju!" a voice shouted and Anju quickly looked up. Much to her surprise, a small Deku boy came running up to her.

"A…Deku boy?" Anju asked as she looked at him.

"Hello," the Deku boy smiled and Anju stared at him.

"Who are you?"

"My name is Link. I've been wandering the town trying to bring faith to the people."

Anju looked down. "Faith, huh? That's nice…no amount of faith can help me, though…"

"What's wrong?" Link asked as he stepped up close to her.

"It's…nothing…you're just a child, you wouldn't understand."

Link smirked the best a Deku could. "Try me."

Anju sighed. "My fiancé went missing a month ago…Yesterday I got a letter from him saying that I could meet him here and that he would explain everything. All I had to do was ring that bell." She pointed over at the bell near the bridge.

"Why don't you?"

"I'm afraid…"

"Of what?"

"I'm afraid…I'm going to find out why he disappeared, and then it's going to be bad… There are rumors going around…that Kafei left me for Cremia…"

Link tilted his head. "Never."

"Excuse me?" Anju asked as she looked up at Link.

"Kafei would never leave a beautiful woman like you for someone else! If he really loved you…no way!"

Anju looked away. "What if he doesn't love me, though?"

"That's crazy talk! How could someone not love you? Look at you! You're beautiful!"

"But Cremia…"

"Did Kafei and Cremia ever meet while you two were together?"

"Yes…quite a few times…"

"Did he ever give you a reason to doubt? To believe that he thought she was more beautiful?"

"Well…no…" Anju spoke.

Link folded his arms. "Then why the hell do you think he would just suddenly decide 'Oh damn, Cremia is more beautiful, I've got to ditch Anju'?"

"Well…the rumors…"

"Damn it, Anju!" Link shouted. "Do you really believe that Kafei could leave you for Cremia? Do you really believe a guy could be that shallow? You know what? If he is that shallow…then…fuck him!"

Anju gasped. "Such language for a young boy…"

"I don't care! Fuck him! If he would leave a beautiful woman like you for someone else? Then fuck him! He doesn't love you!"

"I…I guess that's true…"

Link shook his head. "No…I doubt that's true at all. Rumors are rumors, Anju. They have no grounds unless proven. I mean…damn it…that Skullkid is running around the town causing a mess. He's dragging the moon down every day. It's going to crash in the morning two days from now. I'll bet you anything that the Skullkid caused something."

Anju nodded. "You're right…I didn't think about that."

"Ring that damn bell, Anju. Meet with Kafei. You won't regret it."

Anju nodded. "You're right." She stood to her feet and summoned her courage. She rang the bell and after a moment, a nearby door opened. A small boy, looking no older then Link, stepped out wearing a fox-shaped mask. He had shoulder-length blue hair and wore a purple tunic that had various designs over it. A necklace was around his neck that had a charm on the end in the form of a gold and blue bug. "That's…it can't be…"

"Anju!" the boy shouted and quickly rushed over to her. Anju knelt down and the boy smiled behind his mask. "Anju, I've been waiting so long…"

"I…know you…" Anju spoke as she looked him over. She reached up and took the mask in her hand and slowly pulled it away. At first, the boy grabbed hold of it so she couldn't, but after a moment, he let go, letting her pull the mask from his face. "Kafei?" she shouted.

The boy looked down. "It is…"

"What happened to you?"

"The Skullkid…I was celebrating with my friends…and then the Skullkid appeared…he attacked me and turned me into this…"

Tears rolled down Anju's cheeks as she smiled and wrapped her arms around Kafei. "Oh, Kafei, I'm so happy to see you."

Link smiled. "See? I knew it all along," he spoke,

"And what if he had left for Cremia?" Tatl asked.

Link shrugged. "Then she'd have to get over him…but I knew it wasn't true…I had faith…" Link turned. "Come on, there's more still to do."

Tatl nodded. "You know…they look like mother and child…not fiancés…"

"It's Skullkid…" Link shrugged. "We just have to stop him. On the third day at midnight…we'll put an end to this once and for all…"

. . .

The clock struck midnight and Link turned towards the Clock Tower. Fireworks shot up, exploding near the Clock Tower as the whole thing began to shift and change. The clock rose up high, then fell backwards, forming a flat platform at the top. The door to the Clock Tower shook a moment before it slid down, forming a set of stairs that led up to the top of the tower. "This is it…" Link spoke as he stared at the tower. "Time for all of this to come to an end."

"We did a lot of good," Tatl spoke with a smile. "Let's finish this."

Link quickly dived into a nearby Deku Flower and flew up into the air. He held his hands up and flowers sprouted from his hands, forming into two propellers of sorts that allowed him to glide through the air. When he reached the door of the Clock Tower he closed the flowers up, making them vanish. He then landed upon the ground and rushed forward, climbing the stairs up.

"Skullkid!" Tatl shouted.

Skullkid turned. "So, you've come," Skullkid spoke in a rather unnaturally deep voice.

"Skull…kid?"

"Tatl!" Tael shouted as he flew around Skullkid. "Quickly! Swamp, Mountain, Ocean, Canyon! The four who are there, bring them here!"

Skullkid's hand came around and quickly struck Tael hard, knocking him to the ground. "Don't speak out of line, stupid fairy!"

"Skullkid, do you still think we're friends after that?" Tatl shouted.

Skullkid laughed. "Like I care?" He held up Link's ocarina. "Well, anyway, even if you did summon them, they'd be no match for my power." Skullkid let out a rather high pitched scream and the moon above began to shake. "By the power of the sun, by the powers of Hell, I command you, Holy Vessel of Night, descend and destroy this world!" The moon began to slowly descend once more and Skullkid laughed. "You only have a few minutes left, fools!"

"How is this possible?" Tatl asked. "The sun isn't even up yet…how is he using its power?"

"He's using the power of the ocarina! Its magic is fueling his mask, and he's forcing the moon down without the sun's help!"

"We have to stop him!"

Link looked down at himself for a moment before looking back up at Skullkid. "This ends now!" he shouted and formed a bubble of magic in his mouth. He then shot it forward and it hit Skullkid hard, knocking him back a little and making him drop the ocarina. Quickly, Link rushed forward. As the ocarina grew close to the ground, he dived, barely catching it before it struck the ground. "Close…"

Link stood to his feet and looked the ocarina over. When he saw it was not broken, he smiled and looked back up at Skullkid. "You've got your ocarina back, big whoop!" Tatl shouted. "Now what the hell are you going to do about Skullkid?"

Link bit his lip and closed his eyes. "There's only one thing…" he spoke and held the ocarina up to his mouth. Memories flooded into his mind.

. . .

"So, you're really leaving, huh?" a young girl spoke as she turned to look at Link. She was dressed in a pink, halter-style dress. She had long, waist-length, blonde hair and amazing blue eyes. In her hands was a blue ocarina. This was the Princess of Hyrule, Zelda.

Link nodded. "I have to find her," he spoke as he looked down. "I have to know why she left…and where she's gone…"

"Is it really that important, Link?"

Link nodded. "It is."

"I see…" Zelda looked down. "Well, then, take this with you." She held out the ocarina. "When you play it remember that Nayru, Goddess of Wisdom and Time, is watching over you. Please come back one day."

Link nodded. "I will." He took the ocarina and turned as he left.

"I'll wait for you!" Zelda spoke as Link walked off. "I'll always wait for you…"

. . .

"Zelda is waiting for me…I have to save this world…there's only one option…" The ocarina in Link's hand began to glow. "Nayru, Goddess of Time, lend me your strength." In an instant, the ocarina formed into a set of large pipes that wrapped around his body and formed into several small holes at the top.

"What the hell?" Tatl shouted. "Where did you get that instrument?"

Link began to blow into the pipes and at once the area around Link began to feel warp and become distorted. Tatl noticed this and quickly flew into the distortion. Just as she did, Link vanished, taking her with him. In their eyes, they saw time slow to a stop around them. Then, suddenly, it began to move backwards. Tatl watched events that occurred throughout the day begin the change and move backwards, and suddenly, time stopped once again. The next noise she heard was a tick from a clock and instantly time returned to its normal flow. "What…did you do?" Tatl asked as she looked around. "Time has…started over again…"

"Exactly, time has started over, and now we have three days to heal this land," Link spoke as he looked at the ocarina in his hand. "Things have changed…time has rewritten itself…" He looked up at Tatl. "Skullkid no longer has the Ocarina of Time, but that still has not stopped anything. It just means we have a little more time then before."

"What? A day? Two?" Tatl asked.

"Six hours…Skullkid won't be able to use the Ocarina of Time's power to drop the moon, so he'll have to wait until morning on the day of the carnival."

"Six hours…so now we have seventy-two hours instead of sixty-six…"

"What did your brother mean? 'The four who are there, bring them here'?"

"I don't know…but he might have meant something about one of each of the areas outside Clocktown. We'll have to return you to normal first, though."

Link smiled. "Not a problem." He turned, pushing the doors of the Clock Tower open and entering inside to where the Happy Mask Salesman was. "I've got my ocarina. Now turn me back."

The salesman smiled. "I see, very good." Suddenly, a massive organ appeared from nowhere with him sitting upon it. "Listen to the tune I am about to play." The salesman began to play upon the organ and Link listened intently. After a moment, he pulled the ocarina up to his mouth, causing it to form into the pipes once more. He played along with the music and a vision appeared in his mind. A giant Deku was walking away and he was standing courageous, waving to it. When his eyes opened, his face fell off as a mask.

"I'm…" Link spoke as he looked himself over. "I'm back to normal!" He looked back up and the salesman was standing there once more, the organ nowhere to be seen.

"That song heals troubled souls and turns them into masks. It is the Song of Healing. Remember it well."

Link nodded. "I will."

"So, I have fulfilled my side of the bargain, where is my mask?"

Link looked away. "I…don't have it yet…"

The salesman's face shifted in an instant to one of intense anger and he grabbed Link up by the throat and began to shake him. "Do you realize what you have done?" he shouted and Link gripped his hand. "That mask…its evil power is too much to be controlled by mortals! In the hands of that imp…he will destroy everything! Do you think I can continue this? I have already brought you back in time once, and again you have travelled back in time after claiming your ocarina! I cannot keep travelling back in time over and over! This is your last chance!" He dropped Link to the ground.

"What the hell are you talking about?" Link asked as he gasped for breath.

"You don't understand…" the salesman spoke with a growl. "That mask…it was used by an ancient tribe long ago in their hexing rituals. Soon, the ancient ones feared its misuse and they sealed it away…but then…something happened, and it became free once again. It ravished the land and the land became Termina. I did what I had to…I stole the mask before it could do any more harm…but then…on that day…That imp stole it from me!" He slammed his fist into the pendulum of the clock.

"With its powers he will bring about the destruction of this world. The first time, I brought you back because I knew you could stop it…Then you got your ocarina back, and what do you do? You go back in time, so I had to move again. I'm running out of power, and if I have to go back so much as one more time, I won't have any left." He turned back to Link. "You must stop the imp this time, because if you don't, I won't be able to fix it…or did you think that going back in time just undid everything?"

"What do you mean?" Link asked.

"Every time you go back in time, you create another timeline, another pathway. In order to prevent this, I have to go in and for every timeline you leave, I have to destroy it as if it never existed. You see…if I didn't, it would cause such a great cataclysm that all of time, and every dimension, including your precious Hyrule, would be destroyed. You're only hope is to complete the task this time, and complete it right. If you fail…I will not help you again." The salesman turned away and walked off deeper into the Clock Tower.

"Link…if what he said is true…" Tatl began.

Link nodded. "Yeap…we have to save this world this time…we have no other options…" He turned and pushed the doors open once more. Tatl and Link's adventure had now truly begun.