[002 ∆ the song of time]

[childhero]

Characters: Link (Majora's Mask) and YOU
Setting: The hallway of floor one
Format: Action
Summary: Where has Link been? Not in the Tower, but instead wandering the ruins of Termina... and now he's back. And he isn't really taking any of this too well. ENJOY.
Warnings: Writing from 3:30am. Angsting children. Timey wimey shenanigans. THREE DAYS.

[This can't be.

It can't.

It was a dream. It was a nightmare. It wasn't real.

He saw it for his own eyes. The ruins of a world he knows almost as well as his own, full of people he knew better than the people of his own, one that he had come to love. He was there. He breathed the air, felt the broken earth, walked among what was left. He couldn't stop shaking. He doesn't know how long he was there -- an hour? a day? a month? Time felt strange there. Time felt broken, too.

Time...

He still had time.

Right?

He had all the time he needed. (But if time was broken, too -- if Termina had been so utterly and thoroughly destroyed that not even time -- not even the gods -- no.)

Link can be found standing in the middle of the hallway. He is clutching a blue ocarina in his hands and he is playing a song. Just the one. Over and over and over and over and over again -- because obviously, if he keeps playing it, it has to start working again, right? He can't stop. He can't afford to. He only pauses for breath, but the song never stops.

It has to work. It has to. It will.]

Comments

[childhero]

[The current loop ends, but another one begins. It doesn't seem like he's going to stop unless he's made to.]

[notagiraffe]

[Taiki isn't one to make anyone stop playing, though after a time he will sit on the floor to listen, watching him as he plays.]

[childhero]

[... this person...

Link isn't sure if this is what they intended, but -- he appreciates the company. He isn't alone now, even if this other person is a stranger.

Eventually, he stops playing, because if this person has waited for so long when they don't know each other, there must be some reason.]

... can I... help you?

[Maybe from other people, that question would be sarcastic, but not when a Link asks it.]

[notagiraffe]

[Taiki got lost in the music, even though it was repetitive it was pretty and he listened happily. When it stopped he blinked and pressed his lips together nervously.] No... sorry... I didn't want to interrupt... I just liked the music...

[childhero]

[He blinks. Ah... Well...]

Okay. I'll keep playing, then...

[That was what he really wanted to do, after all, right? So it works out.]

[notagiraffe]

[Taiki smiled and nodded, sitting still and listening again. He wondered why he was playing the same tune over and over again but he thought it would be really rude to ask and so just listened. Letting him play. After a little while, hearing the same tune over and over again he began to hum along quietly.]

[childhero]

[Link wasn't expecting him to hum along. It surprises him, but it also... is nice. Even if the person doesn't understand why he's doing this, it's nice to have the company, and it's nice that they're enjoying the music enough to sing along. It soothes him.]

[notagiraffe]

[Taiki continued humming, he wondered what the song was called, if it even had a name. It calmed him though, and he was perfectly happy sitting there humming.]

[childhero]

[Eventually, Link stops, letting the last notes hang in the air.]

... thank you.

[notagiraffe]

[Taiki smiled nervously not sure why he was being thanked.] It was very pretty... you are very talented...

[childhero]

I've... had a lot of practice. [Especially with this song.]

[notagiraffe]

Was it hard to learn?

[childhero]

[He shakes his head.] It can take some getting used to, but a good friend of mine helped me through it.

[notagiraffe]

They must have been a good teacher...

[childhero]

[He smiles softly.] Yeah. She was...

[... Saria. His chest tightens painfully.]

... oh. I'm Link.

[notagiraffe]

Taiki smiled nervously in return.] Link... it is nice to meet you... My name is Taiki...