A/N: Disclaimer: I do not own the Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time.

A Pair of Time

Chapter 3- Untimely Request, Part 2

Hyrule Castle; Night

Malon feels like she's flying. Well, for a moment, anyway. The ground becomes broader as she falls towards it. Remembering what Link said, she does a somersault just as her body hits the ground. Now, if she hasn't done that, it still wouldn't hurt to land, because, like Link said, it's not THAT high. But, on the other hand, Link rolled forward as he hit the ground, and if Malon didn't do the same thing, she would have got a pretty good, twisted arm.

Malon pants greatly as she just experience what it is like to jump off of high heights. Exhilarating, exciting, and best of all, it never did hurt, just like Link promised.

Just like fairy boy promised. He… promised it didn't hurt… and he kept it…

"Well, that was fun!" Malon exclaims as she lets go of Link. "I haven't had much excitement in a while!"

"Yeah, well, imagine falling from even a higher gate."

"What?"

"I've jumped off higher places where if I don't get it right, it would have hurt."

"So, why are you telling… Oh, you think I'm too scared to jump off something even higher than that?" Malon points at the gate.

"No. I'm just saying that…"

"Well, you can stop bragging about it," Malon smiles, "because I'm going to jump off an even higher place than you did."

"Oh, no, you're not."

"Yes, I am."

"No, you're not."

"Yes, I am!"

"No."

"Yes."

"No."

"Yes."

"No."

"No."

"Yes, I mean…"

It takes a bit of time to figure out what just happened that tricked Link into saying yes.

Malon giggles. "It looks like I win, fairy boy!"

"Aw, man!"

Malon giggles at Link's confusion. It's a lot of fun just to make Link jumble up his mind.

"C'mon!" Malon said. "Let's find a way around the guards!"

A sign in front of them catches their attention. It says, "Dead End." This dead end has a dirty, yellowish boulder that is, well… ?

"Uh-oh. We have a problem," Malon said when she examines the path up ahead. "The way up ahead has four guards posted at every nook and cranny."

"We could go through there."

Link points at a slope between the two middle guards. One can see up ahead a small patch of flowers.

"But…"

"Trust me, I'm pretty sure the guards won't be paying attention through that opening."

After all, Link's trust did get Malon this far.

"Okay."

"I'll go first; stay close behind me."

Link crouches down, and urges Malon to do the same. There, they quietly advance up the slope. When they reach the top, they aim for the flowers with the butterflies on top (very strange at night). Then, they stay still, for a moment, to see if anybody notices.

"Looks like they haven't seen us," Malon whispers a while later.

"C'mon, follow this path to the next patch of flowers."

Being comfortable with such a distance between them and the nearest guard, they rush toward the next patch easily.

"Oh, great. How are we going to get past the metal fence?" Malon points out.

She's right. The fence is too high to climb, and it has spikes. The only opening in this fence has three guards posted near it. Link looks around, trying to find an alternative way.

"There." Link points to a cliff. "We can climb that. It looks like it has stones we can climb on."

"Right. Lead on."

They strafe pass the guard nearby until they manage to get to the climbable cliff. When they reach the top, they yet see another strange sight; another Gossip Stone unusually put there for some reason. It doesn't bother them, so long as it sits there. The two jump off the cliff to find themselves inside the fence, with a moat in front of them.

"Okay, now what?" Malon questions.

"Hmm, we can't open the drawbridge."

"Uh, yeah, don't we all know that?"

Link shrugs, then dives into the moat, coincidently finding a green Rupee.

"What are you doing!" Malon yells, still lowering her voice in case the guards near the fence opening hears.

"We can swim to the other side. It's an easy way past the guards. And look!" Link holds up his newfound green Rupee. "I think some of them drop Rupees in here!"

"Oh, what choice do I have?"

At least she swims. They swim to the other side (finding a good number of Rupees), where there is a slope that allows them to get out of the water.

"Well, at least it was refreshing," Link says as he pulls Malon out of the water.

"Yeah." Malon is squeezing water out of her hair and dress. "But, we did get past all the guards, didn't we?

"I think so."

Nearby a snore is heard, low, but still audible.

"Oh, no," Malon says as she near the source of the snoring.

"Is that your…"

"Yeah. This is Dad."

Malon's dad is sleeping next to two crates of milk, completely oblivious to his surrounding. He's dressed in overalls, red and blue. He's a little of a heavyset, but he seems fit enough to do good, honest work. His face shows laziness, though. Besides a mustache, he's a little bald above, with the rest of his brown hair tied into a ponytail.

"Z Z Z Z Z… Mumble mumble… Welcome… our ranch is so fun…" he says in his sleep. "C'mon and look around…"

"And he honestly promised me!" Malon becomes steamed. "I can't believe he just broke our promise!"

"Oh, well, I'm sorry," Link gives some pity.

"Don't be. At least, we found Dad, didn't we?"

"So, how do we wake him up with that Weird Egg?"

"Oh, just wait," Malon said, then gazes at the sky. "It's about to be sunrise…"

Malon pulls out the Weird Egg, ready for something the sun will make happen.

Day; Cucco crow

Sure enough, the sun rises. Just as the sun pushes through the horizon, the egg starts to move. A chirp is heard inside, indicating it's about to be born. Link is surprised at this, for he never saw an egg hatch before his eyes. The shell breaks, as the bird inside starts to open up its tiny world to the one outside. Soon enough, the bird's free. It shakes itself to fluff its white feathers up. Then, it lets out a small crow.

"Wow. It hatched!" Link is admiring the little bird. "What is it?"

"Oh, fairy boy, it's a Cucco! It's a farm bird that lays eggs that can be eaten!" Malon smiles. "Or, it itself could be eaten, but I never did liked that."

"But, I don't understand. How's this going to wake up your dad?"

"Cuccos, while they can't fly like other birds, they can certainly crow real loudly." Malon then looks at her dad with the same excitement before. "Loudly enough to wake up a heavy sleeper like Dad here."

Malon leans over to her father, placing the Cucco next to his ear. She tickles the Cucco on its neck, sending a nerve sensation. It crows again, but this time much more loudly. The man wakes up and stands on his feet so fast, he doesn't have time to open his eyes.

"What in tarnation?" he shouts. "Can't a person get a little shut-eye around here?"

"Dad! You told me you're slept early so that you wouldn't sleep on the job again!"

"Huh? What?" he blinks several times to adjust his vision. "Malon? Wha… What in the world are ya down' here?"

"Trying to find you, Dad!" Malon then looks down. "Only to see you broke… our promise…"

"Uh, what? I…"

Then, the memory hits him like a cold slap.

"Oh, Malon! I'm so sorry! I'm so sorry I broke the promise. It's just that, after I delivered the milk, I sat down here to rest, and I guess I fell asleep. I'm truly sorry, Malon."

"No, you aren't! After so many times, you still sleep while delivering!"

Malon's father kneels down and puts his hands on her shoulders.

"I messed up bad, I know. I'm truly, really sorry, Malon. Really, I am."

Link wonders how long an apology between a child and a parent should be. He knows how long it goes on between friends, but between families, he doesn't. Malon doesn't stir, but mutters,

"Are you really?"

"Yes, I am."

"With sugar on top?"

"Yes, with sugar on top."

"Cross your heart, and hope to die?"

"Cross my heart, and hope to die."

Malon looks up at him, giving a smile.

"Thanks, Dad."

"You're welcome, Malon."

He turns his head around, looking down at the green-clothed boy next to Malon.

"Hello, and who might you be?"

"Um, Dad, this is Link," Malon introduces despite Link's readiness. "He's a fairy boy from the forest."

"Oh, gosh! A fairy boy from the forest? You certainly come a good way to be here."

"I'm looking for Princess Zelda," Link explains. "Do you know where she might be in the castle?"

"Princess Zelda?" Malon's father laughs a bit. "Why, ya must be outta your mind, boy! There's really no way to get in, except though the drawbridge and that door to the supply room over there. But, the guards won't really let anybody through the drawbridge unless otherwise, and the supply room is locked."

"But, surely you can get inside, can you, sir?"

"Haw haw haw! You don't hafta call me 'sir', boy. My name's Talon, owner of Lon Lon Ranch if ya didn't know," he said. "And sorry, Link, but even though I'm one of a handful of people to deliver somethin' to the Royal Family, I can only deliver to the outside of the castle."

"So, there's no way I can get in?"

"Well, I heard the princess goes to the Castle Courtyard every now and then. See that drain over there?" Talon points to a small opening underneath a wooden board. "It leads water away from the courtyard, I think. You could try to enter it, but I don't think you would be able to reach it from here."

"Oh, thanks." Link gazes at the drain, then to the crates.

Hey, I think I got an idea. Link sees his plan forming in his mind.

"But, Malon," Talon asks, "how did you get past the guards?"

"Oh, Link here helped me."

"Is that so?" Talon nods at Link. "Thank you, Link, for the trouble of bringin' Malon here."

"He's good, Dad. He's my new friend!" Malon beams at Link.

"Really…? Your first friend?"

"Dad! I can't believe you just said that!"

"Hey, don't worry about it!" Link smiles back. "I don't care if I'm your first friend or not. I'm just glad you think of me as a friend!"

Malon is shock at this. Link really doesn't care; he just wants to be friends with her. Now, that's a true friend.

"Thanks!" Malon said.

"Well, now, are ya gonna see the princess, Link?" Talon asks. "Despite all these guards?"

"Yep," Link replies. "I have to see her, for something important."

"Well, aren't you mighty brave to past all these guards, and still goin'!" Talon grins. "I don't know whatcha have in mind, but trespassin' the guards to bring my daughter here and see the princess, I'm just gonna hafta wish that luck holds out for ya, fairy boy."

"It's really nothing."

"Well, we're headin' back to the ranch now, so this is good-bye. Drop by sometimes if you're not busy, ya hear?"

"Yes, sir."

"Bye, Link!" Malon says as she follows Talon.

Malon and Talon waves at Link as they head out of the castle gate. When they disappear from sight, Link looks up to the milk crates.

Hmm, I think I could move them. Yes, I could move them right over there, then climb up, jump from the crate to the drain, then enter inside…

"Fairy boy!"

Link turns around to see Malon dash up to him, panting a bit.

"Malon! What is it?"

"I… I… I mean…" Malon is having a hard time saying this, both physically and mentally, "I…" she takes a deep breath. "Would you like to be my best friend, fairy boy?"

She said this sentence so quickly she isn't sure Link understood it. She's a little anxious of what the answer might be.

"Sure, I would like to be your best friend!"

Malon gasps. "Great! Me, too! Tee hee!"

"So, I'm your first best friend?"

"Yeah, you are, silly you!" Malon smiles. "Are you going to come over to the ranch after your meeting and play?"

"Yeah, I'd like to!"

"That's so great! I'll be waiting!" Malon is about to turn around, but forgets the one little thing. "Um, wait."

"Yeah, Malon?"

"Um…" Malon takes a deep breath, "do you promise, fairy boy? Promise you'll come over?"

"I promise." Link nods. "I promise I'll come over and play."

"Great! See ya later!"

Malon runs off, aware that she has to take up some of her dad's time just to do this. But, she did it. She now has a best friend, and a promise is made between them. It's worth it. She would tell her dad all about it. Her best friend is coming over to play.

My best friend… is coming over to play…