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

A Pair of Time

Chapter 20- The Belly of the God, Part 3

Inside Jabu-Jabu's Belly; Day

Malon enters the chamber with Navi and Ruto at top. A strange, long thing that looks awfully familiar hangs from the ceiling. Malon looks up in bewilderment, as this would be a challenge for her. Malon puts down Ruto, keeping an eye on the thing.

"Gently, Malon…" Ruto said.

"Whatever…"

Navi… Malon mentally calls to her, seeing if it works.

I knew you would've called me out sooner or later.

"Okay," Navi flies out, "let's see…"

Navi scans the thing for a while, then heads back to Malon.

"I think it's a Parasitic Tentacle," Navi reports. "It seems that the narrow part is its weak point… I think you should use the Boomerang to get it!"

Malon nods. She aims and let loose the Boomerang at its narrow part. Bits of flesh and blood flies from the tentacle, before it retracts into the ceiling.

"Great." Malon stares at what little the tentacle shows. "How do I get the narrow part now when I can't even see it?"

"Lure it out!"

"How?"

"Get near it. I think it'll sense your presence and try to hit you."

"Get near it…? Isn't there any other way?"

"No… not that I know of…"

"Well, be like Link and be courageous…"

Malon runs up close to the tentacle. Like a reaction, the tentacle extends itself and throws itself at Malon. She side-jumps out of the way while the Boomerang flies out and slices the weak point. Again, it retracts into the ceiling.

This is okay… I just need to be brave… Fairy boy does this all the time, it shouldn't be so hard.

She repeats the luring, slicing the narrow part again. Believing that the tentacle is as good as done, she lures it out again, absolute focus on throwing the Boomerang quickly. Of course, since she's not paying attention, she misses the motive of the tentacle's end and gets a smack from it.

"AH!" Malon yells, flying backwards. "Ow…"

"Get up!" Navi screams at her. "Before it tries to hit you again!"

Malon shakes her head and quickly jumps to her feet, sending the Boomerang at the weak point. Slicing off what's left of the narrow part, the lower part of the tentacle falls off, breaking into pieces from being cut off from its owner.

"Whew!" Malon sighs. "I did it."

"Great job!" Navi compliments. "I knew you could do it!"

A treasure chest appears. Malon finds a Dungeon Map inside.

"A Dungeon Map of the inside of Lord Jabu-Jabu?" Malon examines it before putting it away.

"Well, it'll help us navigate through the inside easily…" Navi reminds.

"Strange… a map of an inside of a giant fish."

"So, what… an amusing performance, Malon," Ruto comments as Malon picks her up.

"Oh, whatever…"

Exiting the room, they find Link sleeping on the switch.

"Oh, Link…" Navi flies over to him. "Always sleeping."

"I guess fairy boy was tired."

"What a lazy Kokiri," Ruto said.

Even Malon has to agree, a giggle escaping. "I guess so." Malon puts Ruto down.

Malon walks over to Link. His face has the look of boredom when one waits too long.

"Hey, fairy boy… Wake up."

Link's blue eyes squint, then open to greet Malon's blue eyes. She is leaning so close that her fiery hair is brushing against his face.

"Hey."

"Hey, sleepyhead," Malon giggles.

"What took you?"

"Oh, something that you've never seen."

"Something tells me we're going to see what you've seen again."

"Oh, your sixth sense, right?"

"Naturally." Link then notices she's red. "Are you hurt? Because you look red."

"Yeah, but I'm okay."

"Well?" Link asks as he stands up. "Anything besides the monster you fought in there?"

"I found the Dungeon Map."

"A map of-"

"The inside of Lord Jabu-Jabu, yeah. Definitely weird."

"Let's get going, then."

"Let's. But, it's your turn to carry Ruto…"

Link shrugs, then carries Ruto.

"Careful!" Ruto said. "I'm not just some rock!"

"Hey!" Navi flies out of Link, towards an opening on their left. "The red slimy thing is gone! That must be because you cut the red tail, Malon!"

"A red tail?" Link looks confused.

"It must be that Parasitic Tentacle that I sliced with the Boomerang in that room," Malon connects the information together.

"So, these Parasitic Tentacles…" Link repeats the name, "if we chop them, we can get rid of these slimy things?"

"Probably." Navi flies back into Link.

Later, Link actually finds a Parasitic Tentacle, a color of blue on this one.

"Well, you're correct, fairy boy." Malon looks up at the tentacle. "I don't wanna take this one. You do the honors?"

"Oh, yeah, leave me to do the thing." Link sighs. "How do you take it down?"

"Get the Boomerang to hit that narrow part. Once it goes into the ceiling, just get close to lure it out, okay?"

"Sure."

Link does a better job of slicing the tail. Soon, the blue tentacle is cut, finishing off the blue tail going through Lord Jabu-Jabu. Continuing on, they find another tail, this time green. Of course, the last tail is not without protection from Biris floating around.

"Rock, paper, scissors? Loser takes tail," Malon asks.

"No two out of three?" Link kicks in the rule.

"Deal."

Rock, paper, scissors. Link gets his scissors smashed by Malon's rock.

"All right, I get the tail," Link sighs. "But, you take out the Biris first."

"Done."

And just like that, done.

"Here you go." Malon hands over the Boomerang.

"Thanks."

Killing the tail, Link catches the Boomerang and twirls it in his hand.

"You two…" Ruto said, "you've done this type of thing before?"

"Yep," Link answers.

"It's all part of helping people and finding things," Malon explains as she picks up and carries Ruto.

"Okay, that green slimy thing from the chamber with the sucking flesh should be gone," Link figures. "It should get us to that chamber that we couldn't reach before…"

Like Link said, the green slimy thing is gone. They let themselves be sucked in to the chamber below, then proceed to the next room. A large platform is in the middle of the room, and on it is a blue shiny stone.

"Ah!" Ruto starts to squirm in Malon's hands. "That's it! That's what I've been looking for! Throw me up there! Onto the platform!"

Malon throws her next to the stone. Ruto walks over and picks it up. She giggles, finding her item at last.

"Wait." Link looks at the stone more closely. "Isn't that… the Spiritual Stone of Water?"

"What?" Malon looks more closely, too. "That's the Spiritual Stone we've been looking for?"

"But… why Ruto?"

"What are you two mumbling about over there?" Ruto demands.

"Nothing…" Link answers. "Is that the thing you're looking for?"

"Yes. It's… I finally found… my mother's stone…"

"Your mother's?"

"Yes. I got very upset when Lord Jabu-Jabu swallowed it… You see, when I was feeding him yesterday, he suddenly decided to swallow me. I was so surprised I dropped my mother's stone inside… But, now that I've found it, I don't need to be in here anymore!"

"Thank goodness…" Malon sighs.

"So, take me home, right now, you two!"

"Okay… fairy boy, it's your turn."

Link sighs in acknowledgement. "Right…" Link slowly walks up to the platform.

Suddenly, the floor rumbles. Ruto shrieks to this, but is completely stunned when the platform begins to rise upward. Soon, she disappears in the hole above Malon and Link.

"Keeeyaaaah!" Ruto's voice is heard from above. "What is this! An octopus?"

That is all they heard before the platform lowers, but instead of Ruto on it, a large octopus with feet-like legs appears. The slice of flesh behind them closes with the hard substance. They are trapped, with this… octopus.

"Bigocto!" Navi shouts madly as she hovers over it. "Attack it from behind! Pincer attack it!"

Link pulls out the Boomerang and stuns the large thing.

"Malon, you go around! I'll stop it in its tracks!"

"Right, gotcha!"

Bigocto spins around to fight off the paralysis. Link, repeatedly, stuns it with each throw successively. Malon makes it to the other side, just in time to see Bigocto's green, shiny behind. It closes and Bigocto spins again. Again, Link stuns it, opening up its weak point. Malon takes a crack at the green behind with her trusty Deku Stick. Bigocto snaps out of its paralysis, then charges towards Link, making the spiky platform beside them rotate. Again, Link begins the cycle of stunning with Malon attacking from behind, a perfect pincer move. Bigocto eventually faints, leading to its defeat. It takes a final puff before disappearing. All that's left is that the platform can now be boarded.

"Let's get on this platform!" Link motions. "We've got to rescue Ruto!"

"Like I said, I'm not all too excited," Malon comments.

Lord Jabu-Jabu sure has the weirdest body in the world, because Malon and Link push on with the utmost amazement of how parts of his body work. They soon find themselves in a green, stone-hard room. Triggering a hard-to-reach switch, the two find themselves in a large chamber.

"Where's this, fairy boy?"

"It says this is the main monster room," Link answers. "Having a Dungeon Map and a Compass navigating the inside of a fish is strange, but when it points out that this room is where the strong monster is, that's just wrong."

At the end of the tunnel, they step out. The tunnel seals itself behind it. But, they shouldn't be scared. Malon and Link knows what to expect. The main monster's dramatic entrance. And there it is, a giant thing spewing electricity from itself, the strangest of body composition if anybody's ever seen one. And it's attached to Lord Jabu-Jabu by these tentacles. There's also the fact that giant Biris are electrical attached to it, and looks like they're guarding it. Even though it's dark in this chamber, Malon and Link can see this unusual creature perfectly, because of the electricity flowing through it.

"All right! Listen up!" Navi flies out. "This is the Bio-electric Anemone, Barinade! Many parasitic jellyfishes swarm around this monster. Aim for its body, protected by the jellyfish!"

Barinade sends a quick jolt of electricity at them, electrocuting Malon and Link.

"AH!"

Link shakes his head, seeing Navi hovering around.

"Okay, Navi… How do… we get it if it's shocking us?"

"Try to aim the Boomerang for the tentacles attached to the ceiling! It's providing energy!"

"Got it! Malon, follow me, and try to keep up! Watch out for the electricity!"

"Easy for you to say!" Malon shakes her head. "Let me get this dizziness out of my head…"

The strategy goes into motion, as Malon runs right behind Link while he's taking out the tentacles. With each successive slice, the tentacles spill out blood, as they are detached from the ceiling. When all three are sliced off, the jellyfishes take off from Barinade, and, with the plasma guidance of Barinade, starts to fly around the chamber. Malon takes a stinging blow from one, paralysis from the shock. Link lets loose the Boomerang at Barinade, effectively stunning it, and stopping the merry-go-round of the jellyfishes. Malon gets up, seeing Link dish it out on Barinade.

"You're not just going to stand there while I have all the fun now, would you?"

"Oh, no, fairy boy! I'm going to do more than have fun!"

Having enough damage, the jellyfishes around Barinade instantly die. Barinade spins around, whipping up a new batch of jellyfishes for protection. After a while of blocked attempts, Link manages to stun Barinade with the Boomerang again, but this time, it submerges itself in the fleshy floor. Seeing no other choice, Link finishes off the jellyfishes hanging around, all the while Malon and Link dodges the desperate attempts of Barinade electrocuting them.

"Got the last one!" Link said as he catches the Boomerang.

Does it really matter to Barinade? It brings itself to ground level and starts spinning again. But this time, with no protection from the Biris, Link easily paralyze it, and, with Malon, gives it a good whacking. Again, it submerges for protection, shooting electricity at its attackers, who easily dodges each shot by the slow-charging dishes of Barinade. Repeatedly, it surfaces and Link brings it down again, this time for a final assault. With its last intake of pain, Barinade wrings in the damage done to it. Its body begins to clot all over. For a second, it is a big pile of bloating flesh. Then, it breaks down, the flesh falling apart, green blood covering it and the floor after.

"Yeah… we got it!" Malon cheers, then hugs Link tightly. "Hee hee! Nothing can stop us two, right?"

"Not even Ganondorf," Link said.

"Hey, a Heart Container!" Malon notices.

They let the item heal themselves. It always feels good to heal after a battle.

"Hurry it up, you two!" a familiar voice demands.

"Ruto?" Link looks around.

Ruto is in the blue light of teleportation nearby. And, contrary to what a rescued person might look like, she looks frustrated and angry.

"You two… You're late!" she yells at both of them. "What took you two so long? You're useless!"

"Excuse me?" Malon steps into the light. "Did you just not happen to see what went on here?"

"I don't care! You are late!" Ruto aimlessly shakes a hand at her.

"Why does it matter if we're late?" Link asks.

"I was just lonely, that's all… Just a little!"

Zora's Fountain

The light leads the three out to the fountain, still as beautiful as ever. The only thing different is, is that Lord Jabu-Jabu is feeling good. He's splashing the water happily. Link, Ruto, and Malon land on a tree that has fallen in the water. And Ruto's face is just an inch away from Link.

"He he he!" a giggle escapes from Ruto.

Link is caught off guard and sent plummeting into the water. Ruto dives in after him, while Malon simply sits down, staring down at the two. Ruto slowly gets close to Link.

"You!" Ruto said to Link. "You look cool… cooler than I thought you would, anyway… Just a little!"

"Er, thanks."

"I don't know about you, though, you up there on that tree."

"I'm fine up here," Malon said. "Unless you want me to come down there."

"No, you can stay up there. Anyway… You two saved me, so I guess I'll reward you. What do you wish? Just tell me…"

"Nothing really…" Link answers.

"Heeheehee…" Ruto gazes at Link's eyes. "Don't be shy. I can tell what you're thinking… This stone, right?"

Ruto pulls out the Zora's Sapphire.

"Well, we… we… Yeah, we need it," Link confirms.

"My mother gave it to me and said I should give it only to the man who will be my husband."

"WHAT!" Malon's mouth involuntarily lets out the word.

"Wh… Wh… What?" Second thoughts run through Link.

"That's right." Ruto's face now has an interested look. "You might call the stone the Zora's Engagement Ring!"

"I… uh… I… Maybe…" Link is stuck with two arguing thoughts in his head.

"Since you just said yes to receive the stone, and haven't changed your mind, I declare you to be my fiancé. No going back, now!"

Great, Link thought. The things I do to save Hyrule…

Up above, Malon's face goes red, to where it contrasts the blue water deeply.

"All right!" Ruto giggles. "I'll give you my most precious possession, Zora's Sapphire!"

Ruto extends the Zora's Sapphire toward Link. Seeing as there's no other way to go back on this, Link receives the Spiritual Stone. It lets out a radiance blue glow, lighting up the whole fountain. The water grows bluer from the stone, a deep color surrounding Link. When he stashes the stone away, Ruto isn't there.

Must have gone back to Zora's Domain, Link figures.

"Don't tell my father…" Ruto's voice echoes through the air.

Um, I'm sure I won't.

SPLASH! Malon dives in and surfaces next to Link.

"Whew… Fresh water at last," Malon comments.

"All in a day's work as a hero, huh?"

"Oh, yeah, especially being engaged to a Zora so that you can have the Zora's Sapphire."

"Oh, man… I can't believe that. I'm engaged to Ruto…"

"Better get used to staying in the water, then.

"Well, you see… I'm not so sure about accepting the engagement…"

"Oh, you're a bad person, then, if you refuse an engagement."

"It's not that I don't hate Ruto… It's… it's… just that… I…"

"Yeah? You what, fairy boy?" Malon said naughtily.

Link gives what seems like his umpteenth sigh since finding out about Ruto. "Never mind. I think we both know… I don't have to say it."

"So true. So, we've got all three Spiritual Stones, no?"

"Yes. We should go back to see Princess Zelda. She'll know what to do next."

"All right! To save Hyrule from Ganondorf!"

"To stop him. For Hyrule."