Malon In the Dunk Tank

By

Sunflower

Authors Note: This story was written to honor those who have gone before me, bearing the hallmark of Zelda Fanfiction and WAM Fiction. Many of those now sleep in a peaceful slumber. There duty done, there time on the internet done. There race finished. You inspired a younger me, to take up the craft and follow it. And through perils of hell I have. To those who read this, may this light in your heart a flame to follow in our footsteps. Until the end of this age, and the birth of a new one.

Kakariko Village was nothing more than a collection of houses, and shops located at the base of Death Mountain. The streets where not paved in cobblestones or flagstones and where mostly dirt. The houses though where brick with tile roofing. The people who lived in the village, belonged to the pheasant class.

Lacking skills, and education many toiled away there life's as common field hand and workers for the Hlyain bourgeoisie who dwelled behind the thick castle walls of the market and who's voices command the kings ear.

The Feast of the Golden Goddess, was in full swing, the common of Kakariko Village was filled to the brim with people from all walks of life. The goodwife's of the village where dressed in there feast day best. Colorful form fitting blouses, homespun from cotton. The cotton came from small holding that dotted the Zora River. The young girls wore simple solid colored dress's. Soft, lace up leather shoes guard the feet of all the women folk.

The men wore simple button up shirts, made from the same how spun cloth the dress's had been cut from. The tails of the shirts where tucked into heavy brown leather trousers. Rough, slip on boots guard there feet. Around there waist they wore a simple belt of brained rope. The rope had been fashioned from long sections of Bomb Flower leafs.

The boys of the village, wore a scaled down version of there fathers clothing. Everybody seemed to gather around a collection of wooden tables. The tables where set with brown and white earthen pottery. Slaps of beef floated in a sea of brown gravy. Chicken, roasted to the skin was golden brown lay upon huge earthen platters.

Beside the meat, one would find silver pitchers filled to the brim with dark, red wine. Next the to pitchers, there could be jars of a sweet juice. The juice called Deku Juice by the locals was made by mixing the pup of Deku Seeds with the clear water collected from many hidden springs that dotted the jagged and rock outcrops of Death Mountain. And finally, round barrels of brown ale, from the cellars of the farmers.

Beside this table, there could be seen a rounded wooden tank. The tank had been constructed from scrap pieces of wood, and sealed with tar and pitch. It had been filled with water, the water, deep and blue seemed almost welcoming as the late summer sun beamed down upon the brows of the fair goers. Above the wooden seat, there sat a wooden platform. Sticking out from the wooden platform, one would see a rough wooden target. A ring of red, inside that ring was a ring of white and finally inside that was a third and final ring of red.

Standing beside the tank, earthen mug in hand, was a big, bold man. His arms where the size of hams and his voice carried above the noise of the crowds.

"What do you mean! What do you mean that lice infested bastard is sick!" Boss said reaching down and taking a drink from his mug. Groaning a little he lowered the mug and shook his head. "I mean, it's a bad time to get sick, but it his seal that approved the damn idea!" He muttered to one of the town soldiers.

"Took to bed last night, complaining about a sore throat and a mild fever." Said the solider taking a deep breath. Like the town other nine castle soldiers who acted like a make-shift police force. He was dressed in a open face helmet that was trimmed with gold around the edges. He wore a breastplate of polished silver over a coat of blue. Three downward pointing chevrons marked him as the commander of the ten man unit station in the village.

"Sergeant." The boss said taking another swing from the ale. "You know the village Wisdom can cure everything and anything. I've seen her cure spotted eye fever and mend broken bones that should kill a man. Hell, the Hunters boy, fell from a tree last noonday. Thought he should be dead, she cured him like it was nothing!" The words stumbled out of his mouth.

"What ever you say boss." The sergeant said taking a deep breath. "But who's going to sit on the dunk booth?" He said peering toward the tank. The man at arms quickly shrugged his shoulders and tapped the bottom of his spear down upon the ground. "I mean, somebody has too, go in."

"Of course, I vote one of the members of the Women's Circle." Proposed The boss. As he finished the last bit of his ale. Small brown droplets could be seen upon his big bushy beard. His beady brown eyes peered toward the sergeant with a grin. "I mean it was there idea to build the damn tank! Have one of them staff the thing! The Men's council only supplied the lumber and put up the money!"

The sergeant grunted a little as he peered toward Boss. Taking a deep breath he nodded his head, then he started to speak.

"You know, Boss. I don't get into village politics. The castle soldiers report to me, and I only report to the Capitan of the Guard in the castle. What happens between the Men's Council and Women's Circle is a pure civilian concern." Sergeant said taking a deep breath.

"Your spineless that's all!" Shouted Boss.

"Pardon me?" A young women said from behind them. She was tall for a girl, her skin was brown as a nut, tanned no doubt from countless hours of running and playing in the fields. Her hair was long and fiery red. And her eyes where blue, a deep colored blue that looked like two sapphires.

The sergeant was about to respond to the insult when the voice of the young women broke his train of thought. Taking a deep breath, he spun around, slowly a little grin crossed the bow of his lip as he peered toward the girl. She was a county belle by all accounts. Strong, slender arms. A loving smile and a perfect nose. Her light cotton blouse was tucked into the waistline of a deep violet skirt.

"Pardon me, who would you." The boss said taking a deep breath as he peered toward the red haired beauty.

The sergeant took a deep breath and shook his head.

"You're a wool headed fool you know that." He stated as he peered toward the man who was peering into the bottom of the brown mug. "That young women is Malon, of Lon Lon Ranch." He said tapping the bottom his spear once more upon the ground. "Sorry Miss. Malon, Boss here's been dipping a little too much into farmer Browns, home-made ale." he said turning toward Malon.

"Oh Malon!" Boss said taking a deep breath, for a minute his eyes flickered a little. "Your father is Talon! Normally he's the one that comes here. Bringing the weekly shipment of milk?" He said setting the mug down a little.

"Yes sir." Malon said taking a deep breath as she peered toward the two. "Daddies down sick though, took a fever. And we'll are new field hand is a little too green to handle the milk delivery."

"We'll, young lady that real sweet of you." Boss said taking a deep breath. Slowly a little smile formed upon the bow of his lips. "We'll get Granny, she be are village Wisdom to get ya'll money all ready and stuff. She double check everything. But since your hear. How would you feel about making a little bit of extra pocket money?"

Malon blinked and blinked a little and made a notion for the Boss to keep going. But the way her eyebrow arched up, one could tell she was hooked.

"We'll," Boss said shifting his eyes toward the Dunking Booth. "As you know, today where celebrating the Feast of the Three Golden Goddess. And as part of the celebration, we have a dunking booth. Now are Mayor, The honorable Shark was suppose to sit upon the seat. But he's taken a late summer cold and is nursing his fever in bed." Boss said nodding his head with each word that passed his big, fat lips.

"And how does that concern me?" Malon said, as she eyed the dunking booth. "And how does that mean I can earn a little extra pocket money." She was growing short with the rambling of the little man in front of her.

"Oh pardon me." Boss said. "We'll we need somebody to sit in seat. And we'll we where hoping that you'll take the spot there, above the tank. Of course, we'll offer you something for your trouble. For example, we'll give you a red rupee now and at the end of the day. A purple rupee at the end of the day." He said grinning.

Malon blinked and blinked again as she peered toward the little, balding man standing in front of her. Taking a deep breath she finally held out her hand. "Sure, I don't see what arm could come of it. I mean, I don't have to be home for a few days."

"Wonderful!" Boss said quickly reaching down and taking the offered hand. Squeezing her hand in his, he reached over and placed his hand upon her shoulder and gently guided a red jewel into the pocket of her skirt. "Now, if you step behind that screen there. You'll find a cute little dress for you to wear." He said with a wink.

Malon blinked and blinked again as she peered toward Boss. Taking a deep breath she shifted her weight and started to move toward the screen. The screen was nothing more than four bed sheets that had been strung up to form a blind. Once behind this blind, Malon would notice a small wooden chair sitting in the center, tossed over the back of the chair was a deep, sky blue dress. Blushing a little she held up the dress, her blush grew deeper when noticed the dress was a size too small for her.

"Blood, and Bloody Ash." She swore as she looked the dress over.

Fighting down her blush, she reached over and removed her blouse, quickly she pulled the blouse over her head. Once the blouse was remove, she tossed it to the side. Then stepping out of her skirt, she removed her woolen stocking and soft leather shoes. No sense in getting them soaking wet. Then closing her eyes, she folded the dress over her head. Swearing again under her breath, she started to tug the dress down over her breast, and hips.

Once the dress was in place. Malon swore slightly under her breath. Twenty Rupee's was starting to seem like insult now that she felt the dress hugging her frame. No doubt the water would be extra cold. A worried smile formed upon the bow of her lip as she looked up at the morning sun, breaking through the white clouds. Ten o' two in the morning going on its position in the sky.

"At least." She said stepping out from behind the blind. "I'll have a cool seat." She said taking a deep breath as she stepped toward the tank. Quickly her baby blue eyes fell upon Boss. How was standing behind a wooden bench. Beside him, a wooden crate filled to the brim with dark wooden balls. A hand painted sign next to the wooden crate read.

"Dunk the rustic beauty: One Blue Rupee gets you three balls. One Red, six balls. Your prize? Sending the little lady for a nice cold bath!"

A sudden blush colored her cheeks as she sounded out each word. Slowly a little smirk formed upon the bow of her lip as she started to walk around the wooden tub. Grinning like a fool, she mounted the wooden steps and eased her bottom down upon the seat. The trigger seat gave a low groan as her full weight was pressed down upon it.

Once she was seated, she felt the eyes of what must have been the whole population of the hamlet upon her. Smirking men, and catty women peered in her direction. Soon they where storming around the booth, jostling each other to lay down there rupees. Soon a line had formed. The men over eager to send the little red haired women to a ice cold bath.

A scared little smile formed upon her lips, as she watched a tall man step up. Taking a deep breath he slammed down a blue jewel. Boss grinning pocked the blue jewel into his pocket and placed three hard brown balls down upon the table. The big man, grinned a little grin as he wrapped his thick fingers around the ball and tossed it toward the target.

The ball sailed through the air. Before striking the center of the wooden target. Malon could only whimper as she felt the seat give way from under her, causing her to fall bottom first in the ice cold water. For a minute her whole world turned blue as she felt the coldness of the water surround her, her dress closed in on her and became soaking wet. Her nibbles became rock hard.

Malon took a deep breath as she broke the surface of the water. A deep blush colored her high cheekbones as she peered toward the gathered crowed. Giggling like a little school girl, she cupped her hand and started to splash some of the water toward the gathered crowds. The crowd responded by laughing. Soon she had the trigger reset and her soaking bottom was once more seated over the pool of ice cold water.

The day progressed in that fashion. One by one, somebody would step up, toss down a blue rupee, and take there three toss's. At first, Malon was getting soaked every other toss. But shortly after noon, the effects of the wine and ale was starting to be felt, and the toss's became more and more poorly aimed and as a result, Malon found herself getting dropped in the water less and less often.

Finally around two in the afternoon, after sitting upon the trigger for a good three and a half hours. Malon was starting to grow tired. The big, bald man, who seemed to be called by "Boss" by all seemed ready to switch Malon with somebody else. The blue satin dress was dripping wet. The cups of the dress was starting to become transparent, reveling her budding breast.

The last hour of her shift opened with a burning wind blowing down from the ash encrusted peek of Death Mountain. The wind, blew through the crowd, teasing the skirts of the ladies and cooling the brow of those who had been drinking since the start of the festival early that morning. The wind cooled her soaked satin cut cups. And caused a chill to run up her spine.

Then from the crowd there came a young man, a good head taller than the rest. His shoulders where broad, his arms toned and strong. His baby blue eyes seemed hard as ice. His youthful face was freshly shaven and had the right hint of boyish charm about it. For a minute, there eyes locked, she blushed and he smirked.

Still smirking he made his way through the crowd, peering toward Malon who had at this point wrapped her arms around her breast to hide the exposed skin. Despite her best efforts, she felt herself become flushed at the sight of him strolling through the crowds. He looked like a prince ready to battle for his ladies hand, a knight ready to throw down at the drop of the hat.

Not breaking eye contact, he strolled toward the wooden counting table, where boss was counting his money. The big balding man was handling each colorful jewel with the utmost care, making sure to mark there value in a make-shift ledger with a quill pen. From her vantage point high above the crowds. Malon could see a line of numbers running down the pages.

Smirking a little, he looked up and reached into the pocket of his tunic, After a minute or two or rumbling around, he pulled out a small, brown leather straw string sack. Quickly he pulled the strings apart and dipped his heads into the confines. Grinning a little, he then pulled out a blue jewel. Smirking a little he placed the blue jewel down upon the counter and was reward with three balls.

Smirking a mile wide, the young man reached down and picked up the first ball. Taking a deep breath he leveled his aim and fixed his eye upon the target. Releasing his breath, he tossed the ball toward the center of the target. The ball sailed from his hand, through the air and spun in a circle pattern toward the wooden trigger.

Malon took a deep breath as she watched the wooden ball sail through the air. Blushing deeply she closed her eyes and mentally started to count to ten, she had reached to five when she heard the ball come flying over the target. Slowly she opened her eyes to behold the young man wilding up for a second pitch.

"That was just a warm up." He said smirking a little as peered toward Malon. Taking a deep breath he drew back the ball and tossed the ball once more, this time he dropped his aim a little lower, sending the ball crashing through the air. This time, the hard, brown ball hit the painted target dead center. A loud metal click could be heard, the click echoed loudly across the common.

Malon blinked and blinked again, her eyes became wide, like two saucer plates. The wooden board holding her up became lose, and then gave way all together, sending her crashing down into the tank. Her whole world turned a bright, pale blue as she felt herself falling down into the pool. Once her bottom touched the bottom of tank, she peered toward the surface of the water. Soon she found herself swimming toward the surface, she broke the surface of the water smiling as her long, soaking red hair streamed out behind her and her dress molded around her frame.

"Good job!" She shouted as she smiled toward the youth who had dunked her, then because she felt a little playful, she bend down and blew him a kiss.