Author's Note: In case ya haven't noticed...I'm already pretty deep into this fanfic. I'm posting a few chapters a day for whoever wants to read them and I'm pumping out more chapters, so I might be putting up two chapters a day at first to catch up and such.
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A man named Stephin. He was after a man named Stephin. With a deep search of his new gift, the wisdom of Farore, he delved deeply into the information of the man he was after. Stephin was a very tall, thin man who wore black, flowing robes. He was very tall and thin, with long, black hair that reached very well past his waist. His hideout was—Link double-checked this—far in the depths of the Gerudo Desert. He had trekked through this sandy wasteland once before; it would NOT be pleasant. Link shuddered as he remembered the long 3-day trip to the Desert Oasis and the Spirit Temple. It was amazing how the climate could differ in Hyrule just by a few miles. Why, a gap no less than a mile or so separated grasslands from a vast, heated desert.
Link shook his head. "Concentrate..." he muttered.
But he couldn't. He finally gave up and let his mind wander as he traveled across the field yet again. He wasted a day and wouldn't give up any more time to stupidity; he would stay awake twenty-four seven.
"But," he thought, "wouldn't THAT be another act of stupidity?"
He stopped thinking about it.
Halfway through the night, he realized how much he missed Epona. He sure could use her right about now.
"Maybe it's time to visit that old ranch," Link said to himself.
At the Lon Lon Ranch
Link approached the gates of the ranch. It was very large, and on the inside it looked calm and peaceful. Of course, chickens and horses couldn't be out at this time of night. But he had work to do now.
He headed toward the stables where he knew very well the horses were kept, but he stopped right as his hand touched the wooden doorknob.
It may have sounded dumb, perhaps even inappropriate, but he was going to ask for her. After all, the goddesses sent him on a quest, and he shouldn't be stealing horses in the name of their requests.
And so, Link went across the narrow "hall" of land between the stables and the house and gently tried the doorknob. They must have had a long day; the door had been neglected and was left unlocked. Link smiled. This would make this much, much easier.
As he walked in and silently closed the door, any light provided by the moon disappeared and he plunged into total darkness. He tried to make his way silently to the steps and up them, but he only managed the silence on the way to the stairs. He then tripped over the trick step.
Link swore. "No more stupidity...I forgot about trick steps..."
Link waited for what seemed like an eternity, his breath held.
Nobody came.
Releasing his breath, he continued his way up the steps, never tripping a second time. Finally he made it to the door that separated him from Malon and Talon. He slowly opened the door, and into more darkness. He edged to the bed opposite the loud, recurring snores, and, sure enough, he found Malon tangled in the bed sheets in the bed nearest to him. He slowly reached out and grabbed her shoulder, shaking it gently.
She snapped awake. "Muhh...morning...n-now?" she mumbled. She let her head fall back onto the pillow and she mumbled indistinctly for a few more moments, until Link lost patience and leaned over, whispering in her ear,
"Malon! Wake up!"
She bolted upward.
"What?!" she screamed out.
The snores from opposite the room faltered. Link clapped his hand over Malon's mouth and stared over his shoulder in the direction of Talon's bed.
"Baggdasleepmaluh, youhadabahdree..." he mumbled. The snoring resumed.
Link bent over, whispering again,
"Malon, it's me, Link. I just need a favor."
He removed his hand and she answered,
"What do you need? Anything."
"I need Epona."
"Well, why, though?" she said suspiciously. "Will you...return her?"
"Please Malon, you need to trust me with Epona before I tell you why I need her."
There was a long pause.
"Okay, Link, I'll trust you."
Link proceeded to fill her in on everything that happened, starting with the meeting of the goddesses, his purpose of being where he was, and then why he met the goddesses in the first place.
"...and so, here I am, alive and ready to stop all of this."
"Oh, Link," Malon said. "That story...it's really hard to believe, you know..."
"You need to trust me. Zelda and the king are counting on me AND YOU now."
"All...alright, Link. You can have Epona."
"Thanks Malon. You're a good friend." Link said happily. He hugged her and walked back out the door.
"Link!"
Link turned around, realized Malon wouldn't have been aware, and decided to respond with "Yeah?"
"...be careful..." came her response.
"Don't worry." Link replied. "I'll take care of everything."
Within another half hour, Epona was saddled and was being ridden by Link out of Lon Lon Ranch.