[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]

[... blink.

He was not... expecting anything like this at all.]

Wh -- Really?

[theherourherocouldbelike]

If you would allow it.

[childhero]

I... I guess... I mean, don't see -- any reason why not...

[theherourherocouldbelike]

[His smile widens.]

Then from now on I will be your guardian.

[Call him Papa Link.]

[childhero]

O-Okay.

[theherourherocouldbelike]

You may call me Link or whatever seems fit.

[He doesn't know how this works he's never been a dad before]

[childhero]

All right. [That's what he would've done otherwise. He doesn't know how this works, either, having never really had a... Hylian father before...] I guess... that's what you can call me, too.

[theherourherocouldbelike]

[He moves his hand off the other's shoulders and leans his arms on his knees.]

I haven't met you before now, are you a new arrival?

[childhero]

[Link shakes his head.] No. I've been here for... [He hesitates.] I'm not really sure. But I just re-visited where I came from, so...

[theherourherocouldbelike]

You re-visited where you came from?

[childhero]

Before I was in the Tower, I mean. I wasn't in Hyrule. It's... complicated.

But I went back, somehow, and saw nothing but destruction.

[theherourherocouldbelike]

[That makes his heart feel heavy.]

....nothing but... destruction. How worrisome...

[Does that mean.... does that mean that Skyloft is really... gone?]

[childhero]

[He knows that look. It strikes Link suddenly that he has to believe that what he saw was an illusion not just for himself, but for everyone else, too. Because they will and do still feel the same fear and heartbreak he does.]

Princess Zelda is certain it's an illusion. So does Sea -- I mean... The youngest Link. He says this place pulls evil tricks on people all the time. [a pause] And Termina... Without me there, it might have just been destroyed by its moon anyway.

[theherourherocouldbelike]

[His smile returns, though softer then before.]

I suppose you're right.

[Nope he's gonna stop moping for once. He's done enough of that since he got here, it's about time for him to shape up.]

[childhero]

Oh... I should let you know -- the youngest Link came up with nicknames for everyone. Since there are four Links... it'll get confusing, even for us. So, this is the solution we came to. The nicknames are based on where everyone comes from. Does that sound okay?

[theherourherocouldbelike]

That sounds alright with me.

[childhero]

You're Sky, and I'm Forest, and the young one is Sea... and the other me is Woods, if he's okay with it.

[theherourherocouldbelike]

[He grins.]

Alright, that will make things a lot easier.