Chapter Thirty-Five
Link woke up in the Sacred Grove. He had played the night away with Saria. After hours of tag, hide-and-seek, stop sign/go sign (which isn't as much fun with only two people,) the two friends eventually collapsed on opposite sides of their favorite grove and slept. Link woke up before Saria did. He stretched his arms and yawned as he sat up. Wow. I haven't had so much fun in ages… Link thought to himself. Actually…let me rephrase that… I haven't played so much in ages…Was it really fun though?
Link pondered this question in his mind as Saria woke up from her slumber. "Link? Hey! You woke up before I did. What a surprise. Those adventures must've really changed you!" Saria laughed.
"Saria? Can I ask you a question?"
"Sure."
"…How old are you?"
"How old am I? Don't you know you never ask a girl that question?"
"I don't want to embarrass you, but it's important."
"Well...I've been around for about…fifty years now."
"Fifty years?" Link gasped. "And…and you still enjoy these games?"
"Well of course! I may have been around for fifty years, but I'm still a ten year-old girl!"
"I see..."
"Why?"
"Um…I think that although I've only been around for ten years…I may be a seventeen year-old at heart."
"…Really? So…you didn't want to play all those games last night?"
"No, no, Saria! You have no idea how much it meant to me to be able to hang out with you again. But…well, no. No, I guess I didn't really want to play games. I just wanted to hang out with you."
"Oh…so…you didn't enjoy playing with me."
"No, I did enjoy playing with you because I was with you. I don't want you to think I've outgrown you. You will always be my friend, Saria."
"…Best friends forever, right?"
"...Yes, Saria. Best friends. Always and forever. You're like an older sister." Navi…
"If you really think you're an adult, shouldn't you go back to the future?"
"If I did that, I would be in a completely different timeline. You wouldn't see me again."
"You said I'm a sage, right?"
"Well…yes."
"Well, sages exist outside of time. Which means that I will see you again, Link."
"You will?"
"Yes! Definitely. Go Link. Go back to where you belong. I'll see you there."
"Thank you, Saria."
Link hugged his forest friend and left for the Temple of Time. After Link was gone, Saria's eyes saddened. "I hate to lie to you, Link… but you need to do what's best for you. The passion of friendship, will last throughout time…though I will not see you ever again. True friendship grows over time. It does not whither, it does not die. Friends will come and go, but a true friendship will grow over time. Good-bye, my brother."
Link rushed out of the Lost Woods and ran into Mido on the way. "HeyMido IHaveYourSword HereYouGo IGottaGoBye!"
"Uh…thanks?"
That Afternoon, in the Temple of Time…
Rauru was working with one of the other elders. "So how do you propose we close the Door of Time?"
"Don't we need the Ocarina of Time to do that?"
"We'll get it closed."
"We'd better hurry. We don't need anyone rushing in here and taking the Master Sword."
"Come on. It's not like anyone ever comes to the temple anyway."
At that moment, Link rushed in through the Door of Time and pulled the Master Sword from it's pedestal. Rauru and the elder watched in horror as the young boy disappeared from sight. "We are so going to get fired…"
You were too young to be the Hero of Time…
My name is Sheik…
Fairy Boy, you've returned!
I will always be your friend…
Now we are TRUE brothers…
If you see Sheik, give him my thanks…
Take care of the princess…
Bigger problems face this world…
Zelda…
Malon!
Navi!
Give me your bow…
I was a foolish child…
You were cheated…
"I made it? …I made it!" Link looked at his full-grown body. "I MADE IT!" Link rushed out of the temple and ran outside. The marketplace was empty. Not a single redead was there. "The monsters are gone!" Link rushed outside to Hyrule Field. It was a few hours before the sun would rise, and the stalchild monsters were out and about. "The stalchild monsters are back! Yes! Everything's back to normal! Wait…the stalchild monsters are back…oh no." Link's screaming caused a group of stalchild monsters to spot him. "I'm going to run to the ranch now…"
"Dad? What are you doing up so early?" Malon asked her father. It was a still a few minutes before the sun would rise, and for Talon to get up earlier than noon had to suggest a miracle.
"Well, I guess I just woke up early."
"Well, since you're up, how about some breakfast?"
"I could go for some eggs, darlin'."
"Eggs, coming up." Malon repeated her father's order. Although the tone in her voice was happy, Talon sensed that something else was on her mind.
"Malon? You still thinking about all that stuff, aren't ya'?"
"What stuff, Dad?"
"Come on, ya' can't pull the wool over mah' eyes. That boy saved your life a good number of times. He was yer' best friend too. Don't pretend you don't miss him."
"Come on, Dad. He was a hero, but it's not like he belonged to me or anything." Malon said as she turned from her father to the stove.
"Mal, we all miss him. That's nothing to be ashamed of. But I know he meant somethin' more to you than just a friend or a hero."
"I-I don't know what you're talking about."
"I think you do, hon'. Don't fight the truth. Just accept it. He's gone back to his own time; the princess said so herself. It's where he belongs. We're just gonna' haf' to accept it and move on."
Malon fought hard to hold back her tears, but it was a losing battle. She turned back to her father. "Why, Dad? Why couldn't he have stayed? He was my best friend!"
"Aw, dear… These things happen. It's all right. Let it all out." Talon embraced his daughter as she cried into his shoulder.
At this point, Ingo came downstairs. "Talon? What in the world are you doing up so early?" Ingo noticed his niece's state. "Malon? What's wrong?"
"Nothing… nothing…" She claimed.
"She misses Link." Talon tattled.
"Oh…you know we all do, Malon. You know, I was actually talking to him about this kind of stuff. What did that guy call it? 'The Passion of Friendship?' Yeah. While friends come and go, the friendship never dies. Even when separated by seven years."
"I know…I know. It's just so hard. I can almost here his voice right now."
"Me too, darlin'. Me too." Talon comforted his daughter some more.
"Wait a second… so do I."
Malon looked up from her father's sleeve and listened closely. Though faint, a familiar scream could be heard from outside. "Link?" Malon stepped from her father's embrace. She opened the door and ran outside. Talon and Ingo followed her as she ran down to the ranch's main gate. It was still dark out, and stalchild monsters were surrounding the man with the sword. "Link?" Malon asked. The sun finally peered over the horizon and the stalchild monsters retreated into the earth once again. The swordsman turned his head to the ranchers on the other side of the gate. "Link!"
"Open that gate, Talon. Open that gate!" Ingo ordered as Talon fumbled for his keys. Talon opened the gate and let the Hero of Time into the ranch. Link would've entered the ranch if Malon hadn't tackled him to the ground. "You came back! Fairy Boy, you came back!"
"Hi, Mal!"
"I missed you, Fairy Boy!"
"I missed you too, Mal. Mind if I get up?"
Malon helped her best friend up off the ground. "How?"
"I may have stolen the Master Sword to get here, but I'm sure after all my heroics, the sages will excuse this little incident."
Talon and Ingo walked up to Link. Talon embraced him in a tight hug. "Welcome back, son!"
Ingo's grin was as wide as ever. "It's good to see you again, Link. How long will you be staying?"
Talon loosened his grip from Link. "Well…I planned on staying here…permanently…if that's okay with you."
Malon looked at her father with puppy dog eyes. Please let him stay, Dad…
Talon smiled. "Son, you are always welcomed at Lon Lon Ranch. Welcome home!"
Malon could not have been happier. Ingo was overjoyed that Link would be staying, because it would mean less work for him. Talon was happy to do this, because he'd probably get to sleep in some more. But everyone was happy to have Link as a member of their family.
"Link?" Malon asked. "Where's Navi?"
Link looked down. "She…died in the fight against Ganondorf. She sacrificed herself to protect me."
"Oh no…"
"I'm sorry I couldn't prevent it." Link said as if the wrong had been committed against Malon.
"No, Link. I'm sorry it happened. I know she meant a lot to you."
"Yeah. She was my friend…my sister."
"Well…" Ingo started, "Let's all go upstairs. We should sort out arrangements for you to stay Link."
The family of four walked up to the ranch. The sun continued to rise into the air. Link did have one more errand to run that day though. It was that afternoon that Link rode Epona to the Lost Woods. It was in a hidden clearing near the Forest Temple that he was able to lay the Master Sword to rest. Though it would be more difficult to find, he knew that fate would lead the next hero to the location of the Kokiri Forest continued to heal, Saria returned to the Forest to aid in it's progress. While Goron City continued to rebuild, Darunia returned to his home to aid in the reconstruction. While Zora's Domain continued to thaw, Princess Ruto returned to her home to aid in it's progress. While Kakariko Village began to rebuild, Impa returned to aid it's restoration. While Gerudo Fortress started to rebuild, Nabooru returned to lend aid in it's repairs. Yes, the sages were back, and Link would have to go visit his friends soon. But for now, he just needed to relax. That's the way the legend goes. Of course, the Ocarina of Time was only this hero's first adventure. If you'll remember, there is still a traveler in Hyrule that Link has yet to meet. Of course, that story is for a different time…
A/N: Whoo hoo! It's done! Wow! I did not think when I first started this that I would ever finish it.
So yeah. Sequel coming up. Plus, this explains why the Master Sword is in the Lost Woods and not where the Temple of Time once stood in Twilight Princess.
Please tell me if you liked the ending. I would love to see some reviews.
Thank you SO MUCH for reading this whole thing. I appreciate every one of you who read it all.