Disclaimer: If I really did own the Legend of Zelda series, I'd be making this into the next game. So really, don't sue, I don't own anything worthwhile and my assets amount to (checks wallet)... ... ... I should really stop using all of my money on Pop Tarts(I don't own those either).

"Speech" – Speech

'Inner thoughts' – Inner thoughts

A/N- One quick comment, if anyone knows had to bold, italicize, or underline something in submission to , please, please tell me by email or review(Update: Someone has already told me, and I've thanked them). Now, on to the story:

Chapter II: Old and New Friends

Lon Lon Ranch

Link did his best, and failed, to stifle a rather large belch that came with being satisfied with a good large meal. He was sitting at the table in Lon Lon Ranch, content after a long dinner shared with Malon and her father, Talon.

"So Link," asked the large but friendly Talon, "Where did you say you were from again?"

"He's from the forest Daddy," said Malon informatively, "He's one of the fairy children you told me about earlier!"

"Fairy child," said Talon, "Right, I got it," 'I should really stop telling that girl fairy tales at bedtime,' thought Talon. Shaking himself out of his parenting thoughts, Talon asked Link, "So when do you think you're heading home?"

Link glanced out the window. The sun had long since set over the fertile Hyrule Fields, and he could swear he heard a wolfos howling in the distance. "I had planned to leave for the forest today," started Link, "But it's already kind of late...so,"

"Don't worry about asking," offered Talon gratuitously, "It's no problem at all if a good friend such as yourself saves the night. I've only just met you today, but I feel like you're a good person somehow, you just have one of those likeable personalities,"

Link blushed, unsure of how to deal with the compliment. Malon took that matter into her own hands and said, "Don't worry about it, Link, Daddy always gets long winded when he's sleepy," she said. In a whisper to Link, she continued, "He's always a little sleepy though,"

"Goodnight!" said Malon, loudly once more, as she left upstairs for bed.

Talon got up slowly from the table and motioned Link to follow.

"Ingo! Where are you?" bellowed Talon.

After a rather long pause, Ingo showed up, grumbling sleepily, "Here sir,"

"Take this kid to the loft in the stables, he'll sleep there tonight," ordered Talon.

"Yes sir!" said Ingo, with sarcastic enthusiasm, "Com'ere, kid. The loft's this way."

Link distrustfully followed the mustached stable hand. His distaste for Ingo had always been there, but it grew to a swell when he had seen how horribly he had treated Malon and the horses in the future. 'Well,' thought Link wryly, 'At least that won't happen again,'

Ingo showed Link to the loft, tossed a blanket at the boy, and went off, grumbling the whole time. Link scowled at the stable hands back, and waited for him to leave before drifting off to sleep in the comfortable loft.

Early the next morning, Link's rest was gently concluded by a soft, beautiful, voice, singing softly somewhere past the window. Still half asleep, Link slowly got up and climbed down into the stables. Surreally, the beautiful voice had him almost hypnotized as he suddenly found himself in the middle of the corral, behind Malon who was still singing softly. Malon let her song come to a close, and then she turned around.

"Good morning, Link," she said quietly, quite unlike her usual cheerful self.

"Hi," said Link stupidly, 'Is something wrong with her? Hmm, maybe I should cheer her up somehow,' he thought, 'Maybe if I compliment her somehow?'

"I really love that song you were singing Malon," started Link hesitantly, 'Why is this so hard?' thought Link, 'It's like someone's choking me, how my throat feels...'

"Yeah, it calms the animals," said Malon, still in her quiet and demure mood. "My...my mother taught it to me."

'Stupid!' thought Link, 'How could I have forgotten that! Well, better try to cheer her up anyways,'

Link walked up to Malon and put his hand on her shoulder, saying, "You miss her, don't you,"

"Yeah," whispered Malon, a tear dropping from her eye, "I just...I'm starting to forget what she was like... I'm starting to feel like by forgetting her, I'm losing her...forever,"

The dam that had been holding back her tears burst and she flung herself into Link's chest. Link slowly and awkwardly started patting her back; feeling happy that he was there to help his friend, even though some sick perverted part of his mind couldn't help thinking, 'Score!'

Link waited until Malon's sobbing started to slow, and then said, "You know, I never knew my parents."

"...Really?" asked Malon, in between sobs.

"Yeah," said Link, staring off towards the forest, "I always used to wonder who they were, and what they were like. What they looked like, what they would have said to me, you know, I just wanted to know who they were. But then I realized something. Despite the fact that I had never known my parents, I had more than enough family all around me. All the Kokiri, they treated me like a little brother, and Saria was the closest thing to a mother I ever had. I mean, none of us were actually related, but we were still a family," trailed off Link.

"I guess what I'm trying to say is to be grateful for what you have. Talon's a little forgetful, but he's a great dad, and a girl as cheerful as yourself must have loads of friends in the Hyrule Castle Town."

Malon blushed, and pulled away from the embrace she had shared with Link. They both stared at their feet uncomfortably for a rather long embarrassing moment. The pause was broken when a brown pony with a white spot on her forehead came up to Malon and began nuzzling her.

"Whoa Epona!" said Malon, as she tried to keep her footing. That little pony could be rather persistent in her nudging. "Hey Link," she said, her depression suddenly gone the way a dark thunderstorm is replaced by the shining sun, "Meet my best friend, Epona!"

Link walked up to the young horse and raised his hand to pet his once faithful companion. Epona neighed, bucked, and ran away, leaving the young hero rather annoyed.

'I save her from a horribly insane ranch owner, travel all of Hyrule with her, and the little brat of a pony can't even remember me despite some time travel!' thought a rather offended Link.

Malon just giggled, saying, "Yeah, I forgot that Epona is pretty shy. She really only warms up to people who can play my song. Tell ya what, I'll teach it to you!" offered an enthusiastic farm girl.

Link smiled, and pulled out his ocarina. The pale blue sheen of the ocarina glinted off the morning sun. Malon was flabbergasted that a simple forest boy had such a magnificent instrument.

"Where'd you get that?!? That ocarina has the crest of the Royal Family on it! You didn't steal it, did you?" asked Malon, amazed that her friend had such a valuable item.

"No, I didn't steal it!" said Link, 'Got to think fast here, hmm, a likely excuse...got it!'

"It was a gift from the Royal Family to the forest," lied Link, "So, you were going to teach me a song?" asked Link. 'Yup, it's time to learn a song I knew already, but I guess I have to or Malon might get suspicious.'

"Alright then," said Malon, looking relieved that her new friend wasn't a thief. "The song goes like this:"

Malon proceeded to sing, and Link captured her voice perfectly with the ocarina. They were only playing a short time when Epona felt it right to interrupt yet again. This time Link was her target and she started nuzzling into him. Link smiled and began to lovingly pet his faithful steed.

Malon, on the other hand, was shocked. 'I've never seen Epona get that close to anyone but me!' she pondered, 'Maybe forest boys have the power to make animals like them, or something like that...'

"Hey, fairy boy," said Malon. "I've never seen Epona react that way to anyone else before...I think, I think that it would be best if she went with you."

"What?" asked Link, his eyes widening, "But I thought Epona was your best friend?"

'It'd be great to have Epona back, but I don't want to tear her away from Malon..." mused Link.

"All my life, I've dreamed about exploring Hyrule with Epona, just me and her, but the way things are turning out, I doubt I'll ever be able to leave on such a journey. You see, my dad's really forgetful, and without me to manage the ranch's accounts, Lon Lon Ranch might just go bankrupt. I want you to take Epona with you. Something about you, I can tell that you'll go far and wide throughout the world. Please, as a friend I'm begging you, take Epona and let her see the world outside this ranch. Please!"

Link, taken aback by the sudden ferocity of the request, could never let his friend down.

"I'll do it Malon, and I promise I'll take good care of her," swore Link.

Link glanced at the sun, "It's getting pretty late in the morning, I'd better leave now if I want to reach the forest before dark."

"Hey Link," said Malon, once again quietly, "Could you do me a favor and stop by whenever your in the area?"

"Of course!" said Link, "Do you think I'd just abandon my new friend?" he asked indignantly. "Well, I'm off, I'll bring you some souvenirs from the forest next time I'm around!"

So saying, the young child from the forest leapt on to his once again fateful steed, and rode off into the sunrise.

"Humph, who would have thought two of my best friends would leave me all in one day, and I'd still be happy?" asked Malon to no one in particular.

A/N: Well, you just read another chapter of Chosen Illusion. I added a few more romantic elements to this one, but don't worry, the action's coming up fairly soon. The chapters are still kind of short, but I'll keep them that way so I can update more frequently. I'm giving out a poll to all of my viewers: I have another fanfic idea that I will work on eventually, and I'll either start it now or later. If I start it now, Chosen Illusion will probably be updated less often, but you'll have twice as many stories to read. So vote, start the story now or wait?

Also, I'll be including some elements from Majora's Mask shortly (take that as a clue) and I need some information about it incase I can't get back my game cartridge (I lent it to my friend). Also, if the kid in the graveyard in OoT has a name, please tell me, I'll be including him soon. Yes, I know this is a kind of hint of what is to come, but I haven't given away anything major yet!

Yet another note, from now on I'm thanking all of my reviewers, since you are the people I write for. I wish you could see the smile on my face for each review I have, so I'm going to write little messages to all of my reviewers at the end of every chapter I write. Here goes:

H7: Thanks for reading my fic! I'd just like to say that I'm personally a fan of your works and I'm really awed that a writer such as yourself would stoop to my lowly fic and write two reviews. I think you'll like my other story idea a lot; based on your fic, so stay tuned.

TalonClawFange: Again, yet another great author bothering to waste your time with reviewing my work. If anyone else wants to read a great story, check out TalonClawFange's, they're great!

RoseOfTheMoon: I updated, but if you still want to hunt me down... I'm always ready ;).

Tint: Thanks for reading critically enough to spot errors! Your advice is invaluable, and I hope you continue to read my fic. By the way I checked out your story, and again, if anyone is wasting their time reading this, read his stories, they're far more interesting!

HikariNoPurinsesu: Otoko no fanfiku mo ii desuyo! (I hope that says what I wanted it to say, my Japanese is a little rusty since I've been off school.) I hope that I've managed to change your mind about guy's fanfics, but if not, send me a line, I could always learn how to write like a girl.

That's all my reviewers to date, thank you all and have a good night! (It's three in the morning as I write this.)

The Inversion