The Magic of the Moment

A/N: Just addressing a couple of points brought up by reviewers.

AJ Taylir: Ummm… I'm not sure why the URL didn't come up for the title pic. Probably because ff.net hates me. Check the reviews, I left the URL there too.

Lunar-Space: Yeah, it's weird for me to write Sheik as a guy, but that's how it was supposed to be (Ruto describes Sheik as a "young man"). And in reference to the ReDead, in the last chapter, I said that it fed on life forces. Thus, Trunks was losing all of his strength as it drained him, and the ReDead itself was gaining more power. I don't know if that makes too much sense, but I do plan on addressing it later in the story. Thanks for picking up on it anyway.

Keep on reviewing people. I can't make a better story if you don't let me know what you think.

Epona's Song

Trunks woke the next morning feeling marginally better. Whatever this "ReDead" thing was, it had really taken it out of him. At least he could sit up now.

"I could really use a senzu bean right about now," he mumbled to himself, stretching his arms out. His eyes snapped to the door of the room he was in as he heard it open.

It was just the girl he had met the previous day…or night. Whenever it had been. Malon, he recalled her name to be. There was something peculiar about the way she was acting. She seemed to be sneaking, trying to avoid being seen. I wonder if that has anything to do with the way that Sheik guy was acting. He seemed pretty stressed out… Trunks smiled at Malon.

"How are you feeling?" she asked.

"Better. A little anyway," he answered.

"I brought you some breakfast. Mr. Ingo's not awake yet, so he didn't even notice that I made extra."

"Thank you." Trunks graciously accepted the meal that Malon had prepared for him (meagre though it seemed to a Saiya-jin). As he fed his face, he asked Malon: "Who's Ingo?"

"My…uh…boss. He runs the Ranch."

"Ranch? So that's where I am. That would explain the cows."

Malon laughed. "I'm sorry, I didn't realise Link hadn't told you where he was taking you."

"Well, as I recall, I was quite unconscious at the time. I don't suppose you could tell me where I am. I mean, aside from at 'the Ranch'."

"Its full name is Lon Lon Ranch. It's the only ranch in Hyrule. That's where you are: Hyrule."

Trunks shook his head. "Never heard of it before. But then, you guys probably haven't heard of Earth before."

"No, I haven't, and it didn't look as though Link and Sheik have either. That's where you're from?"

"Yeah. So, where was I when I ran into those two?"

"I'm not sure exactly – probably the Temple of Time. Sheik said something about it last night. Yes, that would make sense anyway, because you would have had to go through Hyrule Castle Town to get here – that's where the ReDeads are."

"That was a town?"

"Used to be a town. The most prosperous town in Hyrule, actually. I loved going to the Markets when I was a little girl. Before all of this happened."

Trunks was now well and truly confused. "What do you mean? Before all what happened?"

Malon glanced at one of the windows. "Ingo won't be up for a while yet, so I suppose I have time to tell you."

"This Ingo sounds like a real slave driver."

"You have no idea." Malon took a deep breath. "But it's been like this for seven years. Before that, when I was just a child, Hyrule was such a beautiful place. The worst thing I had to worry about was my father not coming home from delivering milk to the castle. That was when I first met Link. He woke up my lazy father and told him to come home."

"So what happened?"

"Well, seven years ago, the castle was attacked by an evil man, called Ganondorf. Luckily, our Princess, Zelda, escaped, with her nanny, Impa. But the worst was still to come. Ganondorf allowed Link to open a door to the Sacred Realm, then he stole the Triforce!"

"Whoa! Slow down for a minute there. Sacred Realm? Triforce?"

"The Sacred Realm is a world linked to ours. It is the resting place of the greatest treasure, the Triforce. I'm afraid that's all I really know. You'd do better asking Link, or probably Sheik. He looks like he'd know a lot. Sheikah tend to know about that sort of stuff. But, basically, having the Triforce allowed Ganondorf to take over all of Hyrule. He threw my father off this Ranch, and gave it to Mr. Ingo."

"That's why everyone is so edgy," Trunks stated, putting things together. "The bad guy is still in charge here. One thing I don't understand – what was Link doing those whole seven years? Couldn't he stop Ganondorf?"

"Link was just a kid when Ganondorf attacked the castle. And when he opened the door to the Sacred Realm, he got sealed inside for seven years."

"So, Ganondorf was free to do what he wanted the whole time. Could anyone stop him?"

"Some people resisted – we never heard of them again. Ganondorf has a way of making those who stand up to him pay. He's very powerful. And the princess… she's been missing since that day." Malon looked down, but then she smiled. "But Link's back now. I'm sure he's doing everything he can to restore our land."

"Sheik seems to be a pretty powerful ally too."

"So what's your story?"

Trunks sighed. "Are you sure you want to know? It's pretty depressing."

Malon shrugged. "Can't be any worse than mine."

"I guess I'll leave that up to you to decide." Then Trunks told Malon his story. About how Juunanagou and Juuhachigou had destroyed most of the world. About how the Earth's only hope had been killed before the battle had even started. About how Trunks had found the body of his master and closest friend, and how that had pushed him over the edge. About his mother's plan, to send him into the past, to cure Goku of the heart virus that had taken him from the world of the living. About his time in the past, meeting his parents before they had even found each other, and his younger self. And, of course, how none of his efforts had changed his own timeline. They had simply created a new one. The future could not be changed.

Malon had hung onto every word Trunks spoke. Tears had spilt from her eyes throughout the story, and now that he was finished, she looked down at her feet, ashamed. "I'm sorry."

"What for?"

"For believing that your story could not possibly be more painful than mine. No one should have to live through what you have."

"You've been through a lot too."

"Yes, but…" Malon looked up to the same window she had previously. "I should go. Mr. Ingo will probably want his breakfast. I'll come back later, and see how you are."

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

That was how it worked for the next few days. Malon would sneak food to Trunks whenever she could, and the two of them would talk for as long as she could. Often, Malon would make him Trunks drink some milk, which she assured would quicken his recovery. Sceptical as he was, Trunks drank the milk anyway, and found that it did indeed make him feel much stronger. Soon, he was completely healed, but he remained in the Tower, as Malon requested him to.

Link had also come to visit on one occasion. Apparently, he had just fought an incredibly powerful dragon, and needed to rest. Malon commanded him to stay in the Tower with Trunks for a night, and she tended to both of them.

Trunks noticed how, when Link was around, Malon's smiled seemed brighter, and she laughed more. As Link told them about how he had fought the dragon and freed some creatures he called "Gorons", Malon sat and listened intently (though the fact that she had done this through his story completely slipped from Trunks' mind). Before he even realised, Trunks was jealous. But the feeling passed, when Link left the next day. Apparently, he was looking for Sheik again, and Navi had suggested a place called "Zora's Domain".

"Good morning," Trunks greeted Malon.

"How are you?" she asked.

"Fine. Especially since I don't have to share my room anymore."

Malon laughed. "You should just feel privileged that the cows are letting you share their room. Did Link say where he was going?"

"Maybe, I don't remember though. It was pretty early." Trunks' sensitive Saiya-jin ears suddenly pricked up. "Can you hear that?"

"Hear what?"

"Music. Outside."

A look of confusion passed over Malon's face, and she opened the door slightly. She gasped. "That's the song my mother taught me. Mr. Ingo hates it! So, why would anyone be playing it?" She pushed the door open a little more, so that they could both see out.

"It's Link!" Trunks stated, seeing the familiar green-clad young man. "But who's that other guy? And what are they doing?"

"That's Mr. Ingo. And by the looks of it, they're going to race."

"Why?"

"Mr. Ingo has a bit of a gambling problem. He's probably made Link bet on a race."

"They're about to start!"

Malon and Trunks stared through the crack of the door as Ingo and Link raced each other. The horse Link was riding was a beautiful chestnut mare, with lightning fast feet. Link rode her to an easy victory.

"He won!" Trunks cried.

Malon shook her head. "Mr. Ingo won't lose that easily. See, they're going to race again. Is that Epona he's riding?"

"Who?"

"Link, I think he's riding Epona. That would explain the song." Seeing Trunks' confused expression, Malon explained. "Link met Epona when she was just a foal. She was scared of him at first, but then I taught him that song, and she followed him around the Ranch. I guess she remembers him."

"Here they come. Looks like Link's winning again."

"Epona is the fastest horse on the Ranch, but she tends to be hard to control. I think Mr. Ingo wanted to tame her and give her to Ganondorf."

Epona managed to win the race for Link a second time. Malon and Trunks quietly cheered. But something they didn't expect happened next. Recovering from his anger over losing, Ingo stood up straight. Even Malon, whose ears were not sensitive enough to hear what was being said, knew what Ingo was going to do. He shut the gates of the Ranch, so that Link and Epona could not leave.

"What a sore loser!" Trunks growled.

"What did he say?" Malon asked.

"He promised Link that if he won the second race, he could keep the horse. But now, he won't let Link ever leave the Ranch."

"I told you he wouldn't lose that easily. Wait! What's Link doing? He's not going to jump the fence, is he?"

Sure enough, Link was steering Epona straight towards one of the lower sections of the fence surrounding the Ranch.  Malon had squeezed her eyes shut, unable to watch, but Trunks remained focussed. And he stayed that way, until Link and Epona had sailed clear over the fence.

"They made it!" he cried.

"What?" Malon gasped. "I don't believe it. Amazing!" She threw her arms around Trunks' waist, causing him to blush furiously. "I was so sure they wouldn't make it."

"I thought you had a little more faith in Link than that."

"Well…I…uh…" Noticing that she was still embracing Trunks, Malon quickly pulled away. "I should go now. Mr. Ingo will no doubt be very unhappy. I…uh… I'll bring you some dinner later."

Watching her departing form, Trunks smiled to himself. What a girl!

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

A/N: Romance is in the air. But will Malon chose Link or Trunks? And how will Ingo react to losing his most prized horse?