A/N: Just a reminder that when Ganondorf has an inner dialogue, the italics that have been bolded are the thoughts of Ganon, the beast, and the non-bold italics are those of the man, Dorf.
Chapter Nine
Link sat at the dining table with a map of Hyrule. He was tracing the best possible route to Zora's Domain from his location. Malon came up to him with a question. "Hey, Fairy Boy! What are you up to?"
"Trying to find the best route to Zora's Domain. I think if I take this road," Link pointed to a pathway on the map, "I should be able to make it there without running into any peahats."
"Wow! You've got quite the plan, now don't you?"
"Yep! I've got all of Hyrule marked up for my quest."
"What's that big red circle there?" Malon pointed to an off-center location on the map where a big red circle had been drawn by Link.
"That's home base."
"Okay…Where's home base?"
"You don't know where that is?"
"I was never good with geography. Where is it? Is it the forest, or the castle?"
"Neither, Malon!" Link laughed, "It's right here!"
"Here?"
"Yeah! Lon Lon Ranch is home base! If I ever need help or a place to rest, I can come here, right?" Just then, Link thought that his assumption that he'd always be welcome here may be untrue. "I mean, I don't mean to impose or anything. I…let me try this again. Am I welcome to—"
"That's a great idea, Fairy Boy! Whenever you complete a task, I expect to see you here with a full report and ready for a game of tag! Is that clear?" Malon jokingly ordered.
Link jumped up from his chair and did a mock salute. "Yes, Sir! I mean Miss. I mean…Yes, Malon!"
"Excellent! You leave tomorrow for Zora's Domain tomorrow at 0800 hours!"
"Um…"
"That's eight in the morning." Malon whispered as if someone was eavesdropping.
"Eight? That's kind of early. How about ten? Maybe eleven?"
"Tee hee! Fine! You leave at eleven. But I expect to see you before you go, okay?"
"You got it!"
"So, don't you think that we should prepare?"
"Prepare for what?"
"If this is gonna be home base, we need to have a hideout!"
"We do?"
"Yeah! Come on! Let's go build one!"
The two kids spent all afternoon building a fort on the far side of the ranch. There was a towering storehouse next to their fort made out of sticks, stones and a bed sheet. Malon took a sharp rock to the storehouse and carved the words "MALON AND FAIRY BOY'S HIDEOUT." The two planned and plotted how Link might obtain the Zora's Sapphire. Of course, neither of them had any idea what Link was in for. Malon decided that Link's cap could act as a parachute if he needed to leap off of any waterfalls. Link questioned if his wooden shield could act as a raft. As the two continued to play, Navi watched from a distance. She had her sneaking suspicions as to what was going on. I don't understand how that after all he and Saria have been through, he can't help but hang out with Malon… But they do look like they're having fun. Link is a kid. And whether Kokiri or Hylian, all kids need to have fun. Navi's thoughts on the matter turned to thoughts on the Great Fairy. I wonder why the Great Fairy didn't want to heal me. She could have easily healed me without any drawbacks… So…what did she mean by calling Link uncaring? If he didn't care, he wouldn't have come back for me. He does care…more than I thought.
Link did care. Even while enjoying his playtime with Malon, he kept wondering how Navi was. He couldn't help but enjoy himself, but there was the question of whether or not Navi would be alright. It wouldn't bother him if he was understood what the Great Fairy's problem was. But worrying was something to do tomorrow. Tomorrow, he would go collect the Sapphire. His quest would then be complete. It wouldn't matter if he waited one day to do this.
That night, Ganondorf was walking away from the great fish that the Zora's worshipped. "Sweet dreams, Jabu-Jabu. I'm sure that those followers of yours will give me that sapphire once they realize how sick you've gotten. Ha ha!" Ganondorf was certain that this would be a victory for himself. Using his magic, he teleported himself back to Lake Hylia where his grand horse waited. "Let us go, Artisa! Onward to the desert! I think the horse needs a new name… Why? It's a nice name! It is a link to your past! I burned my past ten years ago! You know that this name is your way of clinging to her. You really think it is that big of a deal? Yes. Yes I do. Very well then. You choose a name for her. I believe I shall.
Link woke up around 10:30 that morning. He stretched and yawned and found himself in the hideout he and Malon had built the day before. Malon was lying next to him cuddled up. It had been a warm, comfortable night. The two had slept soundly throughout the night. Link could only assume that Talon locked the outside gate to keep the stalchild monsters out, even though it was the sleepy Malon's job. Link gently shook Malon by the shoulder. "Malon? Malon, wake up. Come on."
Malon stirred slightly. Yawning, she sat up and looked at Link. "Good morning. I never thought I'd see you awake before me."
Link chuckled. "Look, I have to get going soon. It's off to Zora's Domain! Then I'll be done with these stupid quests and will finally be able to go home once and for all!" Link excitedly stood up to stretch his arms and legs.
Malon's face became one of worry. She stood up to ask Link, "You're going back home after this?"
"Yeah. Why?"
"You're going home…permanently? You mean…I won't see you again?" Malon's eyes were swelling up with tears.
"Oh no! Malon, I didn't mean that! I just meant that…I wouldn't have to leave the places I love to go find a stone or whatever. I never meant for you to think I would leave you permanently!"
"You wouldn't?"
"Of course not! You're my be—" Link caught himself before continuing. He remembered calling Saria his best friend. But then again, Saria had been his only friend. Of course, he had only known Malon for a short time. …Is Malon my best friend?
"I'm your what?" Malon asked.
"You're my…friend!" Link finished. "Yeah. I wouldn't leave you forever! I'm your friend and you are mine!"
Malon smiled, even though she thought he was going to use the term "best friend." "Well, that's good, Fairy Boy! I wouldn't want you leaving forever! Tee hee!"
"I should be going, Malon. Navi?" Link called out for his friend. "Navi?"
"Coming, Link! Are you ready to go?"
"Ready as I'll ever be! Bye, Malon! I'll see you later!"
"Bye, Fairy Boy! Come back as soon as you can!"
Link headed in the direction he had outlined on his map. "So we need to take a left…"
"Link? That's a right." Navi corrected.
"Oh. Thanks."
"So, you've been spending a lot of time with Malon, eh?"
"What do you mean?"
"I mean you've had plenty of free time you could have spent with Saria. Instead, however, you came back to Lon Lon and played with Malon."
"I'm allowed to have more than one friend, right?"
"Of course, but you just seem to treat Malon…special…is all I'm saying."
"Whatever. Let's just keep to the right path."
"Okay then, Lover Boy!"
"Excuse me?"
"Or do you prefer 'Fairy Boy?'"
"I don't get it."
"No, I don't suppose you do."
The trip towards Zora's River was quiet until Link couldn't resist defending himself. "So what if I do?"
"Sorry?"
"So what if I do treat Malon special? I mean, she doesn't have any other friends besides me and that horse. I can't imagine growing up without anyone to play with or just hang out with… I mean, if it wasn't for Saria, my childhood so far would have been torture! Malon only had a horse. I just want to be there for her, you know?"
"I know, Link. You like her."
"What? I do not!"
"Yes, you do."
"Do not!"
"Look, Link, you like her. There's nothing wrong with that. You two have become great friends so quickly. That's completely fine! I'm happy to see you having fun with her. You enjoy her company and that's why you spend more time with her than with Saria."
Link was silent.
"I want you to enjoy yourself, Link. Really, I do. Just don't forget that we have to finish this quest first, okay?"
"Yeah…okay."
Navi smiled. Ah, Link, you are so young. You don't realize your feelings for her, but I do. It's a shame… you'll never grow up, but she will.
"Link?"
"Yeah?"
"…Just, don't get too attached. Okay? I don't want to see you get hurt."
"Hurt?"
"Well, you see…"
"Hey! I hear running water! I think we're getting close!" Link began running towards the water and Navi followed after him. "Bingo! So…" Link took his map out again. "We need to head east now!" Navi picked the map out of Link's hands and turned it upside-up. "I mean west!"
"We need to get you a compass."
"Actually, I'm not sure that would help my lack of sense of direction."
"Perhaps not. Come on. It's going to be a long hike up the river."
As the two began to trek the mountain leading to the Zora's homeland, a giant owl landed in front of them. Link and Navi froze in place. The owl opened its mouth to speak. "Link,"
Navi freaked out. "It knows your name!" Navi flew in front of the owl's face to provide Link a target to shoot at. "Over here, Link! Use your slingshot!"
Link shakily took out his slingshot, loaded it with multiple seeds and began firing at the overgrown owl. "Take that, owl!"
The owl shrieked in pain. "Ow! Link, stop-ow! Stop it! OW!" The owl fluttered its wings and took off.
Navi and Link looked at each other. Navi spoke first. "These monsters are getting weirder."
"I know. First the gohmas, then the stalchild monsters, then the Dodongo and now a giant owl? What's next? Jellyfish?"
"Don't ask me. Let's keep going."
It was two days before Malon saw Link again. When she did, she was thrilled. The two ran to their "secret" hideout and Malon asked Link how it went. Link smiled and held out the Zora's sapphire. Malon was beaming when she saw the stone. After the initial joy of seeing Link again, she took note of what he looked like. His hair stood on end, their was holes burned in his clothes and it looked as if he had been struck by lightning. "What happened to you, Fairy Boy? You look horrible!" Link began his story. After telling of his run-in with the giant owl, Malon asked "Let me guess. There was jellyfish, wasn't there?"
"Mmhmm." Link continued his story. "It took about an hour from there to reach Zora's Domain. When we got there, everyone was in a state of panic. Apparently, their princess was missing. I helped out with the search and eventually found a clue. She went missing just as she was scheduled to feed their overlord, Jabu-Jabu. Jabu-Jabu is a giant fish that isn't exactly bright from what I could tell. Someone said they had seen the princess head to Jabu-Jabu's lake. I searched the lake but couldn't find her. I began to fear the worst. I thought Jabu-Jabu might have eaten her! The problem was, as I found out from a Zora, the princess has a habit of carrying the sapphire with her wherever she goes. So if she got eaten, chances were that so did the sapphire. I turned back and headed to Goron City where I met Darunia again. He was excited to see me. I was only barely able to avoid a rib-crushing Goron hug from him. I explained that I needed help. Well, to make a long story short, I trekked back to Zora's Domain with two Gorons accompanying me. No one seemed to notice who I had brought back, so we snuck over to Jabu-Jabu. The two Gorons forced the fish's mouth open. This allowed me to creep into its mouth. The Gorons closed its mouth and waited for me to need to come out. I walked around and it wasn't long before I came upon the stomach. I searched the stomach until I found the Zora princess. She was not all that happy to see me. Her name is Ruto. She had apparently lost the sapphire when she got swallowed. So the two of us searched for it. Actually, I searched. She made me carry her. We did eventually find it, but when we did, we were attacked by a huge creature that was armored by jellyfish! Basically, Navi found its weak spot, told me where it was, I hit it several times and it eventually died. Ruto and I climbed back to Jabu-Jabu's mouth. Before I could knock on the mouth to get it opened by the Gorons, Ruto offered me the sapphire. She said it was something like the 'Zora's engagement ring.' I was happy to take it, but she kept looking at me with a huge smile. When I called for the Gorons, she whispered to me 'Don't tell my dad.' The Gorons opened up the mouth and we went our separate ways."
Malon's eyes were wide open. "Wow! That's an amazing story! But you're done now, right?"
"Almost I just gotta deliver all three stones to Zelda and then I'll be done."
"Well, you're not going there like that!"
"What do you mean?"
You clothes are in shreds, you smell like fish and you've got burn marks! No, that won't do. You can't meet the princess like that."
"To tell you the truth, I'm not all that worried about impressing 'her royal highness.'"
"Even so, you need to go change. I'll see what I can do about sewing up your clothes. Take a bath and my dad will be happy to lend you some of his clothes."
Link was thankful to get freshened up. While Malon cleaned and repaired his clothes, Link bathed and changed into the clothes Talon lent to him. Link emerged from the bathroom wearing a red shirt that was easily three times the size of his body. "If you even so much as smile…" Link started, but Malon had already burst out into laughter.
"I'm sorry, Fairy Boy! I'm sorry, but that is just too funny!"
"Alright, you asked for it!" Link said rushing towards Malon. As he did, he tripped over the shirt and fell over. This caused Malon's laughter to renew itself for another session. "Okay, I get it. It's funny. Now stop laughing and help me up."
Malon lifted Link to his feet and inhaled deeply. "Well, at least that fish smell is gone! Don't worry about your clothes, Fairy Boy. I'll have them washed, repaired and ready for Zelda in no time."
"No rush, Malon. Thanks for all your help."
"No problem." Malon smiled. I consider it an honor to help the hero of Hyrule.
"Hah. I'm no hero. I'm just Zelda's errand boy."
Malon put her sewing needle and Link's tunic down and stood up. "What do you mean you're 'not a hero?' You fought off the monsters inside the Great Deku Tree! You were there to play with me when I was lonely. You saved my life from a stalchild! You helped out the Gorons by fighting off that Dodongo! You saved Kakariko Village from more stalchild monsters and you saved Navi by bringing her to the Great Fairy! You saved Princess Ruto! You're a hero, Fairy Boy! You are a true hero. It doesn't matter that only a few people know who you are or what you've done. What matters is that you've done heroic things. Even if no one else cares, Fairy Boy, you are my hero. "
Link couldn't help but blush at Malon's words. "Do you think?"
"Do I think? I know. Trust me, I know."
"Thank, Malon."
"Your welcome. Now sit down before you trip over Dad's shirt again."
A/N: And thus ends another chapter! Yes, I did let Ganon reference a video game. Kudos to those of you who spotted the pun before I told you. I know I was one of the people who couldn't stand Kaepora (the hint-giving owl) and I hadn't planned on letting him in the story. However, I thought he could provide some comic relief by letting Link mistake him for a monster.
Thank you all for reading. I did use try a different approach to explaining the dungeon this time. Please let me know how you liked it.
Coming soon, Link is on his way to put this quest of his to rest as he goes to deliver the three Spiritual Stones. As they say, "all good things must come to an end." Thankfully, Link can't stand this quest, which means we are far from over!
