Time Trouble
Part one: The missing Ocarina

By Susanne - SheikahWarrior@hotmail.com


Chapter one

Zelda was digging through her wardrobe, and Link sat on the floor, half asleep. He tried to concentrate on what Zelda was saying, but he just couldn't.
"Link?" Zelda asked. "Have you seen the Ocarina of Time?"
"Of course I've seen it - it's almost a part of me."
Zelda sighed. "I mean, RECENTLY."
"Well, sure. So what?"
"It's gone, genius!"
"Gone?"

Saria sat down in front of the Forest Temple. "What do you mean, gone?"
"Exactly what I'm saying," Link told her. "The Ocarina of Time is gone."
"Really gone?"
"As gone as it can be."
The Kokiri girl frowned. "I think we have a problem here."

A ray of light fell in through a window in the Temple of Time. Link, Zelda and the six Sages stood in front of the altar.
"Listen up, guys," Link said. "The Ocarina of Time is gone. Has anyone seen it?"
The six Sages in front of him shook their heads. Saria was still frowning, and she was deep in thoughts.
"It can't be Ganondorf," she said. "He's still sealed, and we know that for sure. But are there other evil people who wants the ocarina?"
"Agariah?" Link suggested. "The Sage of Evil?"
"Isn't she dead?" Darunia wondered.
"Of course she is dead," Ruto said. "It can't be Agariah."
"What if the ocarina is just...gone?" Rauru said.
Impa sighed. "We KNOW it's gone, Rauru. We just don't know where it is."
"It could be hidden somewhere," Nabooru said.
"Or perhaps Link lost it on his last adventure," Impa said.
"Lost?" Link said. "Do you think that the ocarina is something you just lose? 'Oops, I lost the Ocarina of Time which we need to protect the Sacred Realm'? I don't THINK so."
"But it IS possible," Saria said.
"Stop accusing me all the time," Link said.
"This is getting worser and worser," Ruto sighed. "Let's just state the fact that it's gone, all right?"

Chapter two

In Kakariko Village, everything was peaceful and quiet. Mauru sat under a tree and played his ocarina. The young man could finally get some vacation. Link wasn't around to tell him how bad things were, or that the princess needed another guard or something like that. Mauru was free to just hang around, talk to his friends and relax. He played the Song of Time just for fun. Usually, nothing happened when he played that song. But this time, he heard something unusual.
"They don't know what's going on, do they?" a voice said.
"No, I don't think so," another voice replied. "But they'll find out, sooner or later."
"But what if they finds out too late?"
"That's not our problem, you know."
"Probably not, but I feel a little sorry for them."
Mauru scratched his head and tried to understand what was happening. "Uhh...hello? Is anyone there?"
"What's that?" the first voice said.
"I don't know, it sounds like one of THEM."
"Oh, then we'd better be quiet."
Silence.
The now confused Mauru got on his feet. "I don't understand this," he mumbled. "Maybe Link knows what's going on."
Mauru mounted his horse and rode towards the village's exit. He talked to the guard at the entrance of Kakariko Village, and he told Mauru that he'd never reach Hyrule Castle before night.
"Oh, I think I will," Mauru said.
"But Mauru, it's not possible. It's already six o'clock, and they will close the market any minute now, and..."
"Just let me handle that, would ya?"
"You're waisting your time, Mauru!" the guard yelled after him as he left Kakariko Village behind.
"Sure, sure," Mauru muttered. He entered Hyrule Field. It was already night. Suddenly he heard the familiar sound of skeletons popping out of the ground. "I'm getting tired of you guys," he sighed and took out his ocarina. He played the Song of the Sun and smiled when he saw the skeletons disappear into the ground again. The sun showed above Death Mountain, and Mauru rode towards the market.

When he reached the castle, he found that something was wrong. All the guards, Link, princess Zelda and the six Sages were out in the garden, and they were looking for something.
"Hey, guys?" Mauru yelled. "What's up?"
Link looked up and saw his friend. "Oh, hi Mauru. We're looking for the Ocarina of Time. Zelda must have lost it."
"I have NOT!" an angry voice cried. "I'm sure it was your fault!"
"Excuuuse me, princess," Link said. "Well, Mauru, why don't you help us look for  it?"
"But I have this really weird thing to tell you about," Mauru said. "Yesterday, I played the Song of Time, and suddenly I heard two voices, speaking about you, I think."
"What did you drink last night?" Link asked.
"Errr....nothing. I mean...well, maybe a little, but...not very much."
Link sighed. "Well...try it again in front of the Sages. If we all can hear the voices, you're probably right. But otherwise, we'll consider you as drunk."
"But I KNOW I heard the voices," Mauru objected. "I wasn't drunk. I'm never drunk."
"Sure, and I'm Ganondorf."

Chapter three

Mauru, Link, Zelda and the six Sages sat in the Temple of Time. Mauru took out his ocarina.
"If we don't hear those voices, you're in big trouble," Link murmured. "I'm sure they'll be very disappointed."
"I guess so," Mauru whispered. He started to play the Song of Time, but didn't finish it. "Promise that you won't hurt me if this doesn't work," he said.
"Yes, we promise," Darunia said. "Now let's hear the song."
The young man played the Song of Time, and this time he finished it. They all waited.
Nothing happened.
"I can explain, I mean-" Mauru started.
"Sssch!" Saria said.
Two voices began to talk.
"I really don't like this," the first voice said.
"What's wrong?" the other voice asked.
"I don't know, but I think someone's listening to us."
"Listening? No, no, no. You're just imagining things."
"No, I'm not. I KNOW someone's listening."
"Well, if they are, why don't you say something important instead of that nonsens?"
"All right."
Silence.
"Umm...hi?" the first voice said after a long pause.
The other voice sighed. "Was that all you had to say?"
"All right, all right! Err...hi, I'm the voice of destiny and I think..." he stopped. "Do you really think someone's listening or am I just making a fool of myself?"
The second voice giggled.
"I don't think this is funny at all!" the first voice complained. "You're always making fun of me! I'm leaving!"
"No, wait!" the second voice said. "Wait for me!"
Silence.
When the voices were gone, all the Sages, Link, Zelda and Mauru took a deep breath.
"This is amazing," Link said. "I can't believe it - Mauru is finally right."
"Thanks, buddy," Mauru snorted.

Zelda, Link, Saria and Mauru sat under a tree outside the castle. Link and Mauru faced the castle walls, while Zelda and Saria looked the other direction. It was late afternoon, and the sky was already turning red.
"Mauru, why did you play the Song of Time?" Zelda asked. "You know that Link and I are the only people allowed to play that song in the Temple of Time. What if an evil person played that song? He would be able to enter the Sacred Realm and get the Triforce."
"But that's only if that evil person gets the Master Sword, and that sword is in Link's hands right now," Mauru said. "And I was just playing it for fun. Link always tells me not to play certain songs, but he'd never mentioned the Song of Time - have you, Link?"
"No, I don't think so. I told you not to play the Bolero of Fire. Since you don't own a Goron Tunic, it'll be dangerous for you in the crater. And I told you not to play the Nocturne of Shadow. I don't want you running around in that scary temple without me. And I know I told you not to play Epona's Song. She's my horse, and that's that!"
"Tsss," Mauru said. "The Hero of Time shouldn't be greedy."
"It's not that I'm greedy!" Link objected. "I don't want anyone to mess around with my horse, that's all. You have an own horse!"
"Guys!" Zelda said. "Quit it!"
"All right, your highness," Link said.
"And don't call me that!"

Chapter four

Link didn't want to go up. He felt somehow strange, in a way he'd never felt before. His body was aching and his head was heavy.
Suddenly princess Zelda rushed into his room. "Link, what are you doing? It's almost twelve o'clock! You have to get up!"
All Link managed to get out of his mouth was a weak humming sound.
"Link, what's wrong with you?" Zelda asked. She went up to his bed and put her hand on his forehead. "Holy Triforce! You're burning!"
"Eaahh," Link said.
"What in the name of Din?!" Zelda sat down on his bed. "Are you trying to tell me something?"
"I...I..."
"What?"
"I feel...strange..."
"Of course you do! I'm sure you have a fever."
"I've never been sick before," Link panted.
Zelda thought about that a moment or two. "I'll get you a doctor, Link. Stay here."
She ran out of the room.
The last words weren't really necessary. Even if he'd wanted to, he hadn't been able to move his hand more than a few inches. But lucky for Link, he didn't want to move. All he wanted was to die. Now.
After a few minutes, Zelda came running with Mauru and a doctor behind her. Mauru bent over Link.
"Link! Are you sick?"
"No, I'm dying," Link replied with a tiny voice. "At least I hope so."
The doctor put his hand on Link's forehead. After a few seconds he turned to the two people standing behind him.
"Don't tell him, but I think this could be dangerous," the doctor whispered. "Din knows what has happened to the poor young man. He's burning up. His temperature is way more than it should be."
"How much more?" Zelda asked, worried about her friend.
"Well, he SHOULD be dead by now, but he's not."
"Holy Triforce," Mauru murmured. "I'll go get the Sages. Maybe they know what's going on."
"Hurry, Mauru!" Zelda said. She turned to Link again. "It's nothing serious, Link. You'll be fine."
"I don't want to be fine, I want to die."

Saria and Impa stood next to Link's bed. Darunia was on his way, and Ruto was already climbing the stairs up to the room. Nabooru couldn't leave Gerudo Valley today, but she'd promised to arrive next morning. Suddenly Rauru showed up in a bright light.
"How is he?" he asked.
"Not well," Impa said. "He's unconscious."
Saria sighed. "How did this happen?"
"I don't know," Impa said. "Maybe it's got something to do with the Ocarina of Time. Link never leaves it."
Ruto ran into the room. "Tell me he's alive!" she cried. She turned to Zelda, who was sitting on the floor next to Link's bed.
"He's alive, but I don't know how long he will stay with us," Zelda whispered. "It can be a month, a week - or one hour."