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

A Pair of Time

Chapter 8- Rich of the Poor, Part 2

Kakariko Village; Day

"This used to be the great Impa's house, but she doesn't live here any longer," the soldier replies. "It is now open to all villagers. You two are free to go on in."

Link and Malon does some more exploring of the village. They think that it's best to find out as much as they can about the village, in case such knowledge comes in handy. There is a large house that seems to dominate the south of the village, so the two headed there first, asking questions from the guard stationed outside.

"Wow. This Impa sure is a great person to do all this for everybody, isn't she?" Malon asks.

"Yes. Everybody feels that a great amount of debt is owed to her, but she says nothing more than caring for the people. A very humble woman, indeed."

"So, before this village was opened up to the Hylians, she used to live here with other Sheikahs?" Link asks.

"Yes, but when the Sheikahs became decimated by the Great War, there was really nothing for this village. So, the great Impa, being one of the only few Sheikahs left, opened it to everyone."

"Oh, thanks for allowing us to ask you some questions, Mister!" Malon said happily.

"You're welcome, young ones. If you'd like to go in, you're most welcome."

"Well, we know this is Impa's house," Link says as he opens the door.

"Didn't you say you once met her? In the Castle Courtyard with the Princess?"

"Yeah. She's a bit scary, but she's honest, and seems willing to protect the Princess at all cost. She's the one who taught me Zelda's Lullaby."

"Oh, yeah. That song that indicates connection to the Royal Family, right?"

"Yep. Impa says that it's going to help me a lot."

"Ah-hem. You?"

"Oh, I mean… help us a lot."

"Hey! You two!" an annoyed voice shouts out at them.

The house isn't vacant; a man is inside, standing next to the main table with his arms folded.

"Do you always enter other people's houses without permission? Didn't both of your parents teach you any manners?"

"Well, sir…" Link steps up, "didn't Impa open this house to everybody to come in and go whenever they want to?"

"Yes."

"Then, why are you going off that we went in without permission?" Malon supports.

His expression softens quite a bit. He sighs. "Fine. I just wanted this house for myself for a while, all right, kids?" he shrugs. "Oh well. Did you two see a lady behind this house? She's going through some hard times."

"Yeah, we helped her out a bit."

"Is that so...?" the man said, then thinks for a while. "Oh well. If that lady asks you about Cuccos, you should listen to her. Okay, kids?"

"Okie-doke, Mister!"

"Well, feel free to stay here if you want."

"Oh, we're just exploring around the village, sir," Link said.

"Well, okay, kids. Heh, did you two go to the Graveyard, yet?"

"Graveyard? Why?" Malon doesn't see the point in going to such a place.

"The gravekeeper there always have the Heart-Pounding Gravedigging Tour for a way to make profit and have some fun. You two should try it, if you feel like exploring."

"Um, no thanks. It sounds nice and all, but no."

"Whatever, little girl."

Nothing is in the house much. Just the standard two-story house, with its own objects and necessities. But, a cage with a cow in it in a corner really puts a smack in house perspective. Not to mention that a Piece of Heart is inside the cage, just barely out of reach. Deciding that it's impossible to get the thing (for now), they exit and head toward the house near Impa's, a long house that has closed windows, and nobody ever going in or out. Opening the door, sunlight from outside floods the dark house, which seems deserted. But, there are an unusual number of cobwebs, a lot of them. In fact, some of them are still new…

"I don't like this…" Malon whimpers. "Maybe we should skip this one…"

"Why?"

"It seems like… nobody's home?"

"Maybe someone is."

"What makes you so sure?"

"I don't know. Would the door be unlocked if nobody's home?"

"But… Link, what if this person, or persons, isn't…"

"Isn't what?"

"You know… Hylian?"

"Why would somebody other than a Hylian own a house?"

"I don't know! Why are you asking me so many questions?"

"Well, why don't you want to see who lives here?"

"Because! What if… what if the people that are living here ar- AH!"

A large Skulltula falls from the ceiling and lands in front of them. Link immediately draws his sword, while Malon hides behind him, holding a shaky slingshot aimed at the… rather deformed Skulltula.

"Wait! Don't attack me!" the Skulltula… said?

"… Huh?" Link does his blink of confusion.

"Don't kill me! I'm actually a Hylian!"

"What? Hylian?" Malon says as she stops aiming.

"Yes. Now, please, don't hurt me."

"What… Why do you look like a… Skulltula?" Link asks, sheathing his sword.

"Well… It's because…"

Link starts to walk up to it, but Malon quickly draws him back by the arm, a worried look on her face.

"Link! Don-"

"It's okay… I think he's telling the truth."

"Him? It's a Skulltula! We don't know if it's lying or not!"

"Malon, I have a feeling that it, I mean he, is not lying."

"But…"

"Trust me."

"I… I…" Malon pauses for a breath. "Okay, then. If you trust him…"

Link resumes his walk, with Malon behind him, her hands holding his shoulders firmly. Finally, when the two's presences are near the Skulltula, he begins to speak again.

"So, do you two… think that I'm telling the truth? That I'm a Hylian and not dangerous?"

"Yes." Link nods. "Please, tell us, sir, why do you look like a Skulltula?"

"I, well, actually, me and my 5 other kids here…"

"Five kids? That looks like Skulltulas?" Malon couldn't see how more of them could be around.

"Yes," he sighs sadly. "Come out, kids! It's okay. We can trust them."

As the Hylian-looking Skulltula mentioned, five more, smaller Hylian-looking Skulltulas fall from the ceiling, staring at Malon and Link with Hylian eyes where the gap of eye sockets on a Skulltula's exoskeleton should be. Malon shudders a bit, seeing how horrible these people look.

"We all look like this because of the spider's curse," the big Skulltula explains.

"Curse? Of a spider?" Link has a hard time seeing a spider putting a curse over something 50 times its size.

"Yes, if more specific, the punishment of the Golden Skulltulas'."

Okay, 10 times its size.

"I've seen those. I've killed some of them." A thought of horrible mistake enters Link's mind. "Is it okay to kill them? Nothing wrong happens when they're dead, right?"

"Oh, quite the contrary," the Hylian face said, showing what looks like a face of appreciation and a terrible grin. "If every Spider of the Curse in the entire world were destroyed, the curse would be broken."

"Oh, then we should kill one whenever we see one?"

"Yes. When you destroy a Spider of the Curse, a token will appear. Collect it as proof of your achievement."

"Okay. We'll try our best to find and destroy them, then. We'll look high and low, right, Malon?"

"Uh, yeah. We'll get rid of them for all of you." Malon is close to a stutter.

"Thank you. Remember, look for them not only out in the open, but also inside the dungeons."

"Got it." Link nods in acknowledgement. "Also look inside dungeons."

"Of course, this is just our dream… Both of you don't have to do it if you don't want to… If you break the curse on my family, we will make you two very rich…"

"Um, we're just glad helping you guys out. That's pretty much why we're doing this."

"Don't be so humble. We can't possibly give you two nothing if you break our damned curse. My family greatly despise being like this. We realized that greedy riches lead to ruin. That's why we want to give away our things when the curse is lifted, so that we would feel better and learn something."

"Uh, sure. If that's what you and your family wants."

"Please, return whenever you destroyed a good number of the Spiders of the Curse. Chances are one of us will have the curse lifted, and that person shall give you one of our possessions."

"Okay. We'll do our best." Link nods again. "C'mon, Malon."

Malon is still shaking when they both leave the house. Link notices that she hasn't let go of his shoulders yet.

"Hey, Malon? We're out, now. You can… let go."

Taking a deep breath before reacting, she lets go, looking up to see her eyes into Link's, a little worried.

"Are you okay?" he asks.

"Yeah, I'm fine."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah, it's nothing. I'm just a bit…" Malon tries to think up a false reason, "shaky."

"Okay."

Malon knows it when his gaze is torn away. She knows that Link knows she's scared when they were inside. But, he doesn't tease about it. He says words of comfort and leaves it to that. She feels embarrassed again for being so scared.

Well, at least I didn't… wet myself again. Oh, Goddess, that would have been horrible!

"Hey, c'mon! Let's check out that 'windmill,' as they call it!" Link yells from a distance.

Music. Strange music. Strange music that seems to follow a rotary, wooden structure inside the windmill when Malon and Link enters it. They have no idea what this spinning pillar does (it's an ancient wooden gear that drives the windmill, pumping or draining water from the nearby well). A hunched man nearby is playing a music box in motion with the rotary pillar. A tube emitting the box's music is spinning above him, also in motion with the pillar.

"Uh…" Both Malon and Link start as they walk up to the man.

"Go around! Go around and around and around! What fun! I'm so happy!"

Link and Malon exchanges looks, knowing what's on each other's mind. The word, "Uh…" appears again simultaneously in their thoughts.

"Who are you, sir?" Link discards the thought first.

"I'm a music man who loves to go around and around! Go around and around!"

"Um, sure…" Malon said.

"I'm trying to come up with a musical theme inspired by this windmill… going around and around and around!"

"Could we help you?"

"Yes, kids! Go around and around! Remember to go around and around and around!"

Link pulls out his Fairy Ocarina, while Malon takes a deep breath.

"Um, how about this, sir…?" Link starts first.

Fingering the holes, Link plays a tune that has a swirling nature, but isn't close.

"No, no! That's not right! It must go around and around!"

"Okay, what about this?" Malon said, readying herself.

She sings low to high to low again, but it isn't even close to what the music box puts out.

"No!" the music man yells out of tune. "That doesn't work! It has to go around and around! You two are messing me up! Go away!"

"Huh," Malon scoffs. "Well, fine, then."

The two are outside, closing the door behind, which shuts off the music from being heard outside.

"Well, he's certainly rude," Malon comments.

"Let's go to the Graveyard next."

"What! Why are we going there?"

"I wanna see what it looks like. I don't have a graveyard at home." But Link has heard of them in books. "It's a place to bury the dead, right?"

"Yes…"

"So I want to see what it's like."

"But…"

"Hey, if you're scared of the Graveyard, that's okay. I'll go by myself."

"No, it's not that!"

"Then, what's wrong?"

"I… I… It's just that… there's something… I don't want to see again…"

"What don't you want to see again?"

"… Nothing. C'mon, let's go there, then…"

Graveyard

All the cheeriness of the village disappears once the two lay their foot on the still grass of the Graveyard. A sign near the entrance says,

'Heart-Pounding Gravedigging Tour!

From 18:00 to 21:00 Hyrule Time

--Dampe the Gravekeeper.'

"Why would anybody come here at night to see a gravekeeper dig up something?" Malon asks.

"I don't know. I don't know about graveyards, remember?"

"Oh, right…"

A young boy holding a stick is walking around the Graveyard, in a hunched-back stance. He walks over a dirt mound, then strikes his stick into it, and then pulls it back up, sending dirt flying everywhere.

"Hey! What are you doing?" Malon yells to him.

"Oh, me?" the boy points to himself.

"Yes, you! Why did you just dig up the dirt there?"

"Well, um… Little kids can't go on the 'Heart-Pounding Gravedigging Tour' described on the sign. Since I can't do that, I'm just imitating Dampe the gravekeeper all day."

"Um, by digging up dirt mounds?" Link stares at the boy's stick.

"Yea. One has to be heart-pounding to look at and dig up things, right?"

"I guess so." Malon shrugs.

"But with my cute face, I'm not heart-pounding at all, am I?"

Maybe if women shriek out loud how cute he is.

"Um, no, I guess," Malon agrees. "Do you have anything to make you look a little more… heart-pounding?"

"I wish I do. But, I don't. Maybe if I had a scary mask or something."

"We don't have anything to help you out," Link said.

"That's okay. I guess I will be the cute little gravekeeper when I grow up."

"Uh, does Dampe mind if we explore the Graveyard?"

"Sure! But don't pull the graves. Dampe will get mad at you if you do that."

Nobody in their right minds would do such a thing. But, hey, this is Link. He just thinks that all he'll see is a skeleton underneath.

By the entrance of the Graveyard is a huge stone carved with the inscription,

'R.I.P

Here lie the souls of those who

swore fealty to the

Royal Family of Hyrule.

The Sheikah, guardians of the

Royal Family and founders of

Kakariko, watch over these spirits

in their eternal slumber.'

"'Souls of those who swore fealty?'" Link reads. "So, these people buried here are ones who pledged loyalty to the Royal Family."

"But, this part about the Sheikahs. How would they watch over these souls if there's nearly any left?"

"Probably watches over them when their souls left their bodies, too."

"Hey, is that the gravekeeper's hut? Maybe he can tell me about… something."

Malon rushes up to the door of a small hut and knocks on it. An annoyed voice of somebody who's been cooped up too long at something this unique rings through the door.

"Be quiet! It's only 08:27! I, Dampe the gravekeeper, am in bed now! Go away and play! Maybe you can find a ghost in the daytime?"

"Mister, I need to ask you som-"

"I said, go away! All questions will have to wait until nighttime! Now, good day!"

"But, Mister!"

No more response is heard after that. Malon sighs, walking over to Link.

"Well, maybe I can find it out here by myself…"

"Find what?"

"My… mother's grave."

"Oh…" Link remembers the non-presence of Malon's mother in her life. "Um… Here, let me help you search for it."

They split up and start to search. Though it is golden hearted for Link to find Malon's mother, he has no idea which grave belongs to her. He doesn't have to go far, though.

"Hey, Link. I… I found it."

Malon is standing on the left side of the Graveyard, next to a tombstone of the top of its column. Link slowly ambulates up to her, seeing her trying to read the stone. He sees that the stone's inscription is worn away, probably by years of rain. Malon closes her eyes, as if trying to remember what the inscription bears.

"Link… meet… Mom."

Link doesn't know what to say. Being that he's created from the Great Deku Tree, he's never knew what it's like to be closely attached to a person that takes care of one because of hereditary, and then losing that person. He admits, he never is that close with the Great Deku Tree. Only knows him as the great father that protects every Kokiri, and that's it. Guilt is surfacing inside him, but Link suppresses it, to the almost empathy of Malon's mother.

"It's been… five years since… I last saw this grave… I… can't believe that the writing on this has worn away." Malon leans in closer to read the writing. "Dad wouldn't have enough money to replace it…"

"Is… is your mother famous? Because she's here and…"

"Yes. She's one of those generous people who takes in others in times of need and provides the food and shelter. Because a lot of people got back on their feet after being taken care of by Mom, the Royal Family blessed her, and gave her a spot in this Graveyard when she passed away."

"How did she…"

"Died?" Malon says the word with no fear. "It's… It's…"

"Maybe it's better if you don-"

"No. I can say it." Malon's voice trembles. "I can remember it clearly like it was yesterday. I was five. There was that one day when everything went well. The harvest went fine, the animals did their more than fair share, and the work was done early. Mom said that she could spend some time with me. We played in the corral, from the rest of the day to night. Dad was sleeping in the barn, tired like always. We had so much fun. I thought it was one of the best days of my life…"

Malon's eyes close again, the lashes a little wet from tears. Link sees how much this hurts her.

"Malon, you don't have to say anymore if this hurts you a lot."

Malon shakes her head, then continues.

"I… think we played up 'til midnight, because I saw the moon above me when we both laid down on the grass together, tired from the fun. Then, I heard a cry of a wolf. Mom looks at the entrance of the ranch, then dashes to it. I went after her. We were at the corral entrance when a Wolfos appears running up. I think it was hungry for some Cuccos, I wasn't sure. Seeing Mom and me there, I think it thought we were trying to hurt it. Mom was in front of me, hands blocking the way. Then, the Wolfos jumped at her… It… It…"

"Malon, please, just stop it. Seeing you cry from this…"

"No! I can do this!" Malon violently shakes her head again. "I… can say it, I know it!"

"Okay, but…"

Malon grabs Link and pulls him close, her face on his shoulder, wetting it by the moment. Her voice trembles greatly with each word.

"Oh, Link!" Malon sobs. "It was horrible! Mom was being torn and bite at! I couldn't do anything to stop it, but watch as Mom's being killed by the Wolfos! Dad stopped it, coming in with a hoe and driving it into the monster. But, it was too late. It was horrible, too horrible for me to see it again. I can't get the memory out of my head, no matter how many times I tried, or how hard each try was."

"Malon…" Link starts, but instead comforts her by holding her back, feeling the tremble ebb away.

"Mom… was dying… Her breathing was so hard… Her face was white… like… the moon above me back then… She had cuts all over her… and blood everywhere…"

"Malon… it's okay…"

"Her hand was so cold when I hold it… like she was dying from the cold instead. I remember Dad telling her to hang on. I remember yelling, 'Mom! Mom! Please be okay! Please! Please don't go away! I don't want to be alone!' Mom looked at me, and smiles. Her hand went up to my face, and I remember her saying, 'Don't cry for me, Malon… I will always be with you… Remember my song?' I nodded, clearly playing the song over and over in my head, trying to make all this go away. She said that singing the song will always make her close to me, even after she's gone. 'Good-bye, sweetie… Remember my song' was all she said before her eyes… closed… and she stopped… breathing…"

The familiar sound of silence hangs in the air on them. Link could feel Malon stop shaking, the sob going away, his shoulder stopped from getting wet any further. Malon's mind drifts off as the memory fades in her mind as painfully as it came.

Oh, fairy boy... I told you a very personal thing of me, something painful to remember… and how from there I don't ever like to be lonely… not even now… And here you are, holding me… making me feel better.

Malon, the moment she grabbed Link, loves the feeling of warmth surging through her body, all from him. It's like riding a horse and smelling all the hundreds of flowers passing her by. Her heart again beats rapidly, with the sound of the thumping amplified by 10 times. She feels that Link could feel the heartbeats, or at least hear it. She almost would have let out a sigh of pleasure if she didn't have more self-control.

At least, for now.

Oh, Link… How you make me feel better by holding me is so nice… like a best friend. But… I… want something more than that… Link… I just really… really… like… yo-

"Malon…" Link pulls his head away and looks into her eyes, "do you feel better?"

"Y… y-y-yes… I feel better." Malon smiles. "Thanks, fairy boy."

Link smiles back, sending Malon's heart to a near-melting point. She is feeling better in more ways than one.

"Ooooooooooo!" the Graveyard boy yells out with pseudo-pleasure. "You two touched each other!"

Forced to break the personal air above Malon and Link, they both let go of each other, Link having a hand on the back on his neck, while Malon looks down at her feet trying to hide her blush on her cheeks. The Graveyard boy laughs.

"Ha ha! You two hugged each other! You two have cooties! Ha ha!" he yells out towards them. "Or, do I see hearts over you two? Lovesick! You two are sick with love! It'll become something all smoochy sooner or later! All wet, gross, love-dovey!"

Malon's blush just becomes redder with every word that comes out of the boy's mouth. She's sure that she'll explode if he goes on any further.

"We're just best friends, okay?" Link yells back.

"Sure you two are… Promise me you'll invite me to your wedding!"

With that flying out of his mouth towards Malon's ear, she feels hot enough to cook scrambled eggs, and not just limited to over and easy. Her face is now a good shade of red, its intensity almost making it to the art books. Malon's heart feels like it's desperate to break open her chest and bounce around the Graveyard at a fast speed.

"Ha ha…" Link laughs sarcastically. "We're just best friends! And I'll be glad if you just stop now, okay?"

"Whatever. He he he he…"

"So, Malon… Do you want to try that Heart-Pounding Gravedigging Tour tonight?" Link asks Malon as soon as the boy resumes his 'gravedigging.' "I want to try it. We can wait for night to come at that kind woman's house."

"Oh, um…"

"If you're scared, that's okay. I understand."

"Oh, no. I like to try it, too."

"You won't scream during it?"

"Wha… How dare you think I'll scream during it, fairy boy!" Malon gives Link a friendly push. "How do I know that YOU won't scream and squirm away?"

"Because…" Link returns the push, "I won't."

"Oh, and you think I will?" Malon pushes back.

"Maybe." Link returns the push, again.

"OH! That's just it! I'll just have to come with you and prove you wrong!"

Malon pushes to the point where it's more of a tackle, making Link fall backwards. She laughs, but is interrupted when Link stands up and does the same push, Malon landing on her behind. Like Malon, he laughs at this. This makes Malon so steamed (and yet, so warm at her heart) that she really does do a tackle, sending Link back to the ground, this time with Malon on top of him to make sure he stays down. At this playful scene, she giggles, the whole thing starting to look familiar.

"You can never beat me, fairy boy! No matter how hard you try!"

Link tries to push her off, but Malon reacts to this by laying herself on him, her hands restraining his wrists, her feet on his ankles.

"Un-uh! You're trapped, Link! There's no hope of winning for you! Tee hee!"

Link sighs, looking up at Malon's eyes. Actually, Link could easily win this, just by throwing her off. But, again, letting her win occupies his mind. It just feels… right for him. What is wrong with him? He's making himself look like he's weak in front of Malon, but… something is just bothering him to do so. And every time he does, his heart beats rather funny. Not bad, but funny, in a good way.

Malon grins, seeing Link give up. It's nice that she won, but now, her emotions let her see what's going on. She has him in her grasp. He can't escape. Did Link let her win? She has no doubt of that. But, the most noticeable thing her emotions point out is how close and touchy they are, especially their faces. Her face is just inches away from his…

Does she dare lean in?

No, that's for grown-ups… who are more than just best friends…

Despite this thought, her face DOES start to lean in, involuntarily. The air starts to warm up on her face, she feels Link's breath mixing with hers, her lips attracted to its opposite.

It's for grown-ups only… isn't it?

Link's eyes is now the only thing she sees, blue, as blue as it can be. More color in it than the whole sky, more color in it than all the water of the world, so much more color… Is this what Link is thinking also? The same thing? The same thought flowing through Malon's mind like warm milk? How blue her eyes are compared to the world? How close they were? And… how close they are about to-

"Hey, Malon!" Link simpers. "You're getting a little too close for both of us!"

"Wha…?" she softly said, still stuck in her lovesick world.

"I mean, we look like we're about to kiss!"

"Yea…?" Nope, she still thinks nothing of it.

"We're best friends!"

The sentence hits hard on Malon like a rock to the head. The real world Malon comes at her with a splash of cold water.

What are you doing! You're about to kiss your best friend, Link! Are you that stuck in your head, Malon?

The lovesick Malon answers,

Yes, I am! Why can't I kiss him?

HE IS YOUR BEST FRIEND! A kiss on the cheek, that's a bit okay, but on the LIPS?

Argh! Why can't you stay shut up in that corner of my head?

"Malon?" Link's heart grows a bit nervous. "Are you feeling all right?"

"Huh?" Malon answers, then shakes her head. "Oh, yeah… Um, I'm okay."

"Then, could you get off me?"

"Oh! Um, sorry, fairy boy!"

"Are you sure you two are best friends?" the Graveyard boy laughs at them. "Because you two just touched each other again!"

Oh, man. Malon shakes her head. These bad, little things keep happening to me every time I try to show Link my feelings…