Chapter Three:

“Past meets Future”

Link was surprised to see two girls about his age inside the temple. What happened to Rouru? His blue eyes moved from the horror stricken face of the brown haired girl to that of the blonde and then to his own hand which was still holding onto the girl. As if the two had realized this, both Faye and Link moved away from each other rather confused.

“Are you the sages in charge of protecting the temple of time?” He asked calmly before he was practically attacked by Saki. She immediately went for the ears.

“Oh wow, look at this! He has really long ears, it’s so cute! And his eyes, and oh touch his hair- OW!”

Faye had come up beside her and slapped her hand away from touching the new comer and dragged her back a few steps. Link was red in the face due to all the attention he was getting. Did the future know him as well as the past did?

“Come on Saki, don’t touch him. We don’t know who or what the hell he is!”

There goes that theory, he sulked sadly.

The Hero of Time turned about and examined his surrounding, the temple looked like it always did- shimmering with light. As he paced about, he kept his eyes on the two girls now bickering with each other. They were whispering feverishly and once in a while sent a piercing glance at his direction which made him not question their powers. Maybe they were sages; maybe Princess Zelda had brought them in his aid.

Zelda, he thought as he remembered seeing her collapse on the floor. He would save her-

“All right, I give up!”

Link turned back to where the two girls were standing, the brunette seeming flushed while the blonde was happy and jittery. Saki began to walk towards Link once more dragging Faye who didn’t even look at him. He straightened up proudly and looked down upon the two girls. He braced himself again for if she tried to hug him or something but all she did was step right in front of him and extended out her hand.

“I’m Saki and this is my friend Faye.” She said calmly smiling at Link; he nodded and returned the smile as he shook her hand.

“Link, nice to meet you.” He turned to shake Faye’s hand but she defiantly crossed her arms in front of her with the same pompous attitude that he held. He put his arm back down and turned to Saki who was looking at him questionably.

“Where did you come from? This temple has been locked up for years.”

“Well of course, only the wielder of the tri-force is illegible of entering the Temple of Time.”

“The Tri- Force?” Faye questioned nervously, her eyes were still shifty not letting him see her excitement. All of this was new, scary but new! Link smiled and raised his fist showing them the tri-force on his hand, to his surprise the two girls gasped. Saki quickly tried grabbing Faye’s arm but she put up a strenuous fight in order to keep Saki at bay but it was no use, Saki grabbed her arm quite forcefully and showed Link the marking on her hand.

“Look Faye, it’s identical!” Saki exclaimed looking at the surprised look on Links face. “You’re a wielder of the Tri- Force.”

“No I’m not!” Faye struggled for Saki to let go but Link took her hand and everything went quiet, he was gently stroking its outline making Faye nervous. After a long moment of silence he looked up at the girl, his blue eyes looking torn and pleading.

“Zelda?” His voice was quiet and hurt.

“Err… no I’m Faye.”

“No, this is Zelda’s marking. Look, see how this triangle alone glows more then the other two?”

It was true, both girls caught sight of what he was talking about and all though Saki was completely amazed and cheerful, both Faye and Link looked drain. For some reason, Faye understood who this Zelda must be- a loved one or some friend back home. But where home was, she had no clue- he had just…come out of the light. He let him stare at it for a while, out of pity and finally, Saki began conversation once more.

“Where did you come from link?”

“Hu? Oh….I came from Hyrule.” He said plainly finally letting go of her hand smiling his apologies, Faye just hid her hands to keep that from happening again- boys were awkward sometimes.

“But we are in Hyrule, and your ears, what’s they are amazing!”

“My ears?” He stated blankly noticing what they actually looked like and was taken aback. They were not Hylians, their completions showed signs of Hylians- the light skin, the average nose, the colored hair other then red- but no ears? They must be Gerudo, but what are they doing in Hyrule? He couldn’t just say that tat’s how his ears were so Link dove into his memory trying to find the actual answer to the question.

“They say that Hylians have ears like these to be able to listen to the Gods.”

“That is so romantic!” Saki shouted and quickly ran to mess with the ears again, Link just stood there wishing she was more like Faye, who was looking at him like if he were some kind of malformed being. Although her face showed signs of disgust, she was actually thinking.

Those ears, they are elf ears. Every year, Hyrule has a great festival where everyone wears masks. The most prominent feature that they all have in common is the ears- long and pointy. The festival in general was to celebrate the ‘keepers of the Gods’. Everyone wears black- almost like mourning yet no one in this world had ears like those.

“You all look like you come from the Gerudo Tribe.” Link fumbled as Saki was forcing his hat off in order to catch a better view of his ears.

“Yes, we are part of the Gerudo but everyone calls us Hylians.” Faye stated as a matter of factly.

“Impossible!”

Links voice echoed through the whole room and even into the deepest parts of the Temple. Saki had stopped fidgeting with the ears taken aback by his outburst and took a few steps back while Faye just looked back at him perusing his eyes for any sign of rage- she only found confusion.

“That’s impossible. I come from the Past, a Past where the Gerudo’s are our enemies. We would never let Hyrule fall into their blood stained hands for we alone are the true keepers of time- the protectors of time!” His voice sounded broken and confused, he was finally learning that the far Future was very different as if something had gone wrong.

“Link?” Saki called shyly as he turned his piercing stare at her making the girl blush nervously before she spoke. “If you come from the Past, weren’t you there for the war?”

“War? What war?”

“Saki please!” Faye insisted shaking her head defiantly, “You don’t even know it’s a true story, or just some stupid legend your family made up.”

“It isn’t a stupid legend Faye!” the girls exclaimed bringing her hands into fist’s threateningly, “It’s the truth! And if his presence hasn’t made you realize it, then the Gerudo did well in keeping it secret and brainwashing it out of you!”

The two girls looked at each other bitterly as Link glanced from one to the other- he was utterly confused. After a while, Faye nodded and beckoned Saki to continue as she herself looked intently at Link for any signs of reactions towards the story.

“Well, you see Link,” Saki began hesitating slightly as she spoke looking at Faye for a way to begin the explanation. “Supposedly, the Gerudo have been living here in Hyrule since the beginning of time. They said that the Gods themselves placed their ‘chosen people’ here. But the truth is, that wasn’t exactly true.”

“I don’t exactly know the exact date but a long while back, The Gerudo’s went to war with the Hylians in order to take their land.”

“And after almost one hundred years of war, the Hyrule finally fell to the will of the Gerudo’s.” Faye added closing her eyes in thought as Link began to protest oncemore.

“That’s impossible; the weilder’s of the Tri Force would have been able to save them!”

“That was the problem, Link.” Saki interrupted sadly, “The Tri Force wielders were killed during the last years of the war in battle. They said that there was only one Tri Force weilder, and that was part of the Gerudo tribe. So when he killed the other ones-“

“He was truly in control of the whole time and space…” Link said glumly looking at the two sadly. Faye nodded and Saki shrugged as she continued knowing the rest of the story would not cheer him up. “Well, all though the other two wielder’s were killed, my mother told me that some hero of time appeared to defeat the nuisance- he did. But it was too late to save the Hylians.”

“Why?” Link exclaimed knowing that the person might have been him.

“Well…” Saki began nervously but Faye was the one who told the truth straight out.

“The Gerudo had all ready slaughtered off the Hylians in fear that other chosen tri force wielders would appear.”

Link couldn’t speak, he couldn’t even breath. When Faye said that, it was as if he his heart had skipped a beat- it was painful. His people would be exterminated in the future? This was a fact he was not willing to accept yet Faye continued, he could feel her eyes upon him but she didn’t look at her back.

“The Gerudo’s after their leader had been killed and they realized they had completely exterminated a race off of the face of the world, they became ashamed and regretful. They moved into Hyrule but only to try and begin a better life. For the future generations, they began to make them believe that elves were Gods, spirits and that the Gerudo were the chosen people.”

“That’s why no one believes in elves anymore” Saki sighed sadly remembering all the hard work it had taken her to make people understand- they hadn’t. The two girls looked at Link nervously thinking he would cry or something but he didn’t, instead, he took a firmer grip of his shield and sword and looked at the two girls.

“Thank you.” He said monotonously. “You have given me more of a reason to end my mission here quickly and precisely. I will not let Hyrule fall. Now if you’ll excuse me-“

“Where are you going!?” Both girls shoutd out after him as he had all ready made his way to the door. He stopped and turned to them smiling weakly that he would be all right.

“I’m off to kill Ganondorf.”

“Ganon-what?”

“Ganondorf, He went through the Temple of Time and came here, into the future. I am here to bring him back- dead.” He said slightly more business like then before and with great confidence as the other girls ran towards him.

“You can’t go out there!” Faye scolded him pushing him away from the door, “Didn’t you listen to Saki’s story? People will get freaked out if they see and elf running around!”

“It’s true!” Saki insited nervously, “You got to keep a low profile, or they’ll get you and do experiments like the pigs and chickens and-“

“Saki!”

“Sorry, sorry, it’s true though, you can’t go out there looking like that.”

Link turned his whole self towards them and then looked down at himself feeling slightly sheepish. What was wrong with how he looked? He could just hide his ears under his cap…

“I can hide my ears under my cap, there’s no problem with that.”

“True, but you can’t wear a skirt out there.” Faye smirked looking down at him, even Saki began to giggle as she pointed whispering in sing-song “He’s got tights!” over and over again. Link felt himself blush.

“It isn’t a skirt, it’s a tunic! And those aren’t tights!” He exclaimed feverishly but the two girls weren’t buying his excuses. He finally just sighed and gave up the adrenaline in his veins no longer keeping him pumping on and on. “So what should I do?”

Saki was pondering now, her blonde curls bouncing with the rhythm she was bouncing making both Link and Faye look at each other nervously before she finally opened her eyes excitedly.

“I got it! You take him home with you, Faye!”

“WHAT!?”

“I can’t take him home my parents are always there. Your parents are always working and like that, you won’t get emo and be alone.”

Faye was glaring at Saki and Link as the two of them were smiling at her so chipper and go-lucky. Why did she get all the troubles in the end? After a few seconds of trying to use reverse psychology with her eyes, she found that the decision was made by the two of them, and thus, she consented with a grunt.

“All right, so tonight we rest and in the morning we go out looking for this Ganondorf. I was thinking that maybe he was the one who opened the door to the temple of time first.”

“What do you mean Saki?” Link questioned as the three began to walk towards the door.

“Well, before we entered this temple, the doors in the front were closed shut. It was impossible to open them. But before I called Faye to come and check this place out, the door had been opened. I saw it, the light and everything!”

“Yeah, yeah, come on.” Faye beckoned as Link opened the door for the girls and they all stepped outside. At once, Link was amazed and dumbstruck as he starred at all the neon lights around the town. Saki was grinning as Link took a few steps forward towards the main street starring at all the lights like some child while Faye shook her head questioningly.

“This is amazing!” Link shouted in glee as he was about to make a run for it when both Saki and Faye took hold of his arms to keep him at bay. Saki shook her index finger scolding him as he frowned.

“What did I tell you, incognito man, incognito!”

“Come on Link, let’s go home.” Faye stated with a yawn as the three separated into gangs of two and began to walk down a street towards home.

It was such a beautiful day to go on a walk through the plains. The grass was colored in dark orange hues as the sun began to set and the autumn winds made the grass blades dance about in a synchronized motion as Faye gaily ran about the flower field- this was the life!

The girl bent down to pick a flower, it was small yet very cute and she found that it was impossible to pick. Perhaps the roots were way to deep, perhaps the fact that it was screaming that it would never let go might have kept it from being pulled out. Either way, Faye stood back up completely disappointed-she really wanted that flower. But who could pick it for her?

Out of no where, a gloved hand appeared and grabbed the flower pulling it straight out of the ground and into Faye’s hand…. it was Link. She stood there as the smooth face smiled and began to talk, but she couldn’t hear what he was saying and didn’t bother to read his lips. Instead, she began to frolic about again forgetting all about the green tunic boy calling for her… until she fell in a whole and bang- she was awake.

Not even because it was Saturday could she find the time to sleep in. What a shame.

The girl turned in her bed completely disappointed that her dream had been interrupted and huddled closer into her blankets when she heard a familiar voice.

“Faye, aren’t you going to get up?”

At once, Faye sat up completely freaked as she turned to see Link standing over her beside the bed looking at her with a smile. “Morning!” He called out cheerfully but Faye was not in the mood of being friendly.

“What the hell are you doing in my room?!” She shrieked with a glare in her eyes that Link took as a sign for him to step back a bit. He hesitated before speaking and began innocently.

“Well, its morning isn’t it?” Link said cheerfully as Faye turned to the watch by her nightstand- it was 5:30 in the morning. The poor girl had actually been looking forward to the Saturday, she was planning on doing nothing but sleep- sleep and eat. She cocked her head sideways to look at Link who had begun to rummage about the room comepltly fascinating by everything-especially the lamp.

“This is amazingly peculiar! It is as if holy light were being stored in this glass container!” Link pestered on as he kept clicking the lamp on Faye’s desk on an off until the girl became annoyed and slapped his hand away.

“It’s a lightbulb and it runs by electricity… you know electrons and all that stuff?” She breathed as she tidied up the work area Link had messed with and ignored the blank face he was giving her.

“Let’s go make some breakfast…”

Boy was this going to be a long day…

About thirty minutes later, the company was about to set out on an ‘adventure’ as Link kept calling it and find Ganondorf. Saki had arrived some time before and the two girls were trying to conceal Links enormous ears under various things but everything made him noticeable. While the two girls ran about the house trying shawls, hats, anything- Link was revising his attack strategies.

“All right, I think I got it this time.” He said for almost the twentieth time as the girls heaved a sigh as they both tried to cram his head into a beanie.

“We all split up, ask a few settlers- we’ll ask for anything that’s been going around here that’s awkward. Then, we all meet in the temple of time and report in. Is that a good idea?”

“Ha! Perfect!”

“He looks too skater, don’t you think?”

“It’ll have to do…”

Link looked at the two girls as they took a few steps back in order to fully appreciate their work. Pretty much, Link was in a black shirt with a black sweater showing some green stripes here and there- a striped beanie and some blue jeans- adorable, the girls thought. On the other hand, Link felt slightly vulnerable, not only did he miss the elasticity and the feeling of nothingness from his old outfit, he felt ridiculous.

But oh well, if it won the approval of his fellow teammates, he was willing to make a sacrifice.

“Now, please.” He insisted making his big blue eyes plead on their behalf. “Please can we get going, I really wish to find him before this becomes a mess!”

“Say no more, Link.” Saki exclaimed picking the weirdest super hero post she could conjure as she ignored Faye’s questioning stare. “We shall venture off on this journey to save the past Hyrule and restore peace to our time!”

Maybe it was the way she said it, with such excitement and determination in her voice that made both Faye and Link smile to the prospect of beginning an adventure. Maybe it was the smile, the high optimism that led them all through the door and down the street. Maybe it was truly destiny that had brought Link upon these two girls.

Just maybe…

Still, there was much more to just running about in search of a criminalistic and murderous mastermind such as Ganondorf. Why, just about now, he was watching them prance almost down the street towards the market place.