The Twilight Princess 2: The Time Forgotten

Two

Aria popped her head through the doorway and gestured for Zoey and Kai to meet her outside. After explaining everything that Old Man Wahsit had told her, the trio made their way to the old man's tiny cottage. Dr. Michael Krawl, resident scientist and son of Old Man Wahsit, greeted them as they walked up the stone steps and through the doorway. "Pleasure to see you all again," he said, studying their figures. "My, my, you have all grown!"

Aria pointed to an odd looking machine in the back. "Is that what we plan to use to find the Emerald of Trox?" Dr. Krawl straightened his bright lab coat and went over to stand right by the machine. "Why yes. This here kids, is a time machine. Fascinating, isn't it?"

Kai looked up at the enormous piece of machinery in awe. "Woah, I didn't know these things even existed! How does it work?"

"If you press this little button here while the machine is fully charged with power...," Krawl picked up a long black cord. "Then a laser will shoot out from this scope at the top here, sending you back in time. Pretty neat, huh?" Aria and Kai both nodded, still looking at it in awe, but Zoey wore a puzzled look on her face. "How do we know it's safe? Have you even tested it before?" She crossed her arms. "I just don't think it's a very good idea."

"Well, no, I haven't quite exactly tested yet...but I assure you that it is perfectly..."

"Are you two seriously considering doing this? Traveling back in time?" Zoey questioned Aria and Kai. Upon Aria's command, Kai let the two girls have some space for a moment.

"I know they say you can't turn back time," Aria began slowly. "That...you can't change the past. But, what if that changed? This...this machine here, it's a breakthrough. A breakthrough in technology. In culture. In civilization. The only way we can change the future is by changing the past. And that's what I plan on doing." She put her statement down firmly.

Zoey bit her lip. "I know...but...I just...I worry. About many things. But this, this is something that no one has ever done before. You know why? Because things happen, Ari. Things that one could never see coming. And I'm afraid that...that something could happen to you...it's just...I..."

"Zoe," Aria placed a hand on her best friend's shoulder. "If I don't do this, the entire realm could be destroyed. It is both my duty and responsibility as the Chosen One to prevent that from happening. If I don't do this...I...we...could lose everything. And I don't want that."

Zoey nodded solemnly, trying her best to try and understand. "I...I see. Do what you have to. I'll trust that you're doing what's best." Aria's face lit up a little. "Thank you." She brought her hand back down to beside her waist, and joined Kai and Krawl once again. "Okay, we're on board. What do we do?"

Dr. Krawl almost got a bit excited hearing this, but still managed to contain this excitement. "Now we wait for the machine to build up all the proper power it needs." He plugged in the chord. A single jolt of electricity shot through it. The machine brightened up.

A small screen on the side suddenly lit up and displayed a number with a percent sign next to it. The number started out as zero, and every few seconds it went up, until it reached one hundred. "Any second now!" Dr. Krawl exclaimed, a hint of excitement clearly piercing his voice. The button that he showed earlier had now lit up, and the machine appeared to be ready.

The trio was about to step on the indicated circle that had just been flashed on the floor when Dr. Krawl stopped them. "I'm sorry, but only one can be transported," he told them. "It should be me," Aria said, stepping forward. "I am the Chosen One, after all." Krawl nodded, and agreed that it was a good idea for her to be the one to go.

Kai frowned. "So that means..."

"...that we won't be able to go," Zoey finished for him.

Dr. Krawl shrugged. "I'm sorry." He turned to Kai. "I know how badly you wanted to go, Kai. But I'm just afraid that if we exceed capacity, there could be a side effect in the system."

Aria heard a cane tap against the floor and spotted Old Man Wahsit making his way over to them slowly. "Don't ya worry you two," he said to Kai and Zoey. "I could actually use some help around here. See, there have been reports of a menacing bounty hunter on the loose."

Zoey bit her lip nervously. "A bounty hunter?"

The old man nodded. "You betcha."

They all turned their attention over to Dr. Krawl, who was making final preparations to the time machine. "Alright, we're ready over here," he called. Old Man Wahsit tapped his cane against the floor. "Can I have 'em for a second?"

"Sure thing."

The old man led Aria over to a corner of the room. "Now, remember, the emerald you're lookin' for should stand out above thy rest," he told Aria. "But be careful. My radar is picking up signs of some unusual dark magic in the area we're sending ya to."

Aria furrowed her brow. "Dark magic? In 1962?"

Old Man Wahsit nodded. "Yes. Like I said, this emerald is like no other. You must find it quickly, before it is too late."

Aria started to turn around, but the old man had one last piece of information for her. "Oh, and there's one more thing. Or, for us, maybe even the present. Never trust anyone either. You never know what their true identity is, or what they're hiding. Got it?"

Aria nodded.

"Good. Now, off with ya!" He gestured for Aria to head back over to Dr. Krawl. "You ready?" He asked her. She sighed. "As ready as I'll ever be."

"That's the spirit!" He pressed the glowing red button and signaled for Aria to stand on the luminous circle still on the ground. "Now, when you're ready to head back, just stand on this circle. It should stay in the same place where you first appear at. Good luck!"

A lime-colored laser bean shot from the scope above her, landing in line with the circle on the floor. Zoey and Kai bid her farewell. Aria closed her eyes, letting the light from the laser sink onto her face, almost like the way it was in her dream.

"On the count of three," Dr. Krawl announced. "One...two..." Hot air drifted off the beam and began to consume her body. "Three." What sounded like a really loud engine ringed throughout her head, and before she knew it, she became intertwined with time and space.