A/N: Disclaimer: I do not own the Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time.
A Pair of Time
Chapter 27- Tie the Bond
Lon Lon Ranch; Day
Our heroes decided that they need their much deserved rest off. So, as agreed, they are going to spend a few days in Malon's home. After all, who wouldn't like the comfort of a ranch life after killing monsters, solving brain-bending puzzles, and having evil conquer the world? Saving Hyrule can wait, they figure. It's not like Ganondorf has anything worse to do.
Throughout the whole next day, Malon teaches Link how to ride a horse, with the unlucky volunteer, Epona. Fortunately, Link is an adept learner, and tames the wild Epona himself. Riding her around the corral's track with ease now, he rears her back when he crosses the white line.
"Yeah!" Link shouts. "I've got it hands down! Run like the wind, Epona! Whoa!"
Link loses his grip and falls down. Malon giggles to the accident, or purpose if she knows what Epona is thinking.
"Uh, yeah, fairy boy," Malon said when she walks up to him, staring down at his frustrated face. "You've got it hands down…"
"I just lost my grip, that's all."
"I see, then."
"Hey, didn't you say you set the record of that obstacle course?"
"Yeah. Just gallop around the corral, jumping the fences. My record is 50 seconds."
"That doesn't seem so bad."
"Oh, you think that isn't? You have to go around the corral twice. Two laps, Link."
"Uh…"
"While you're a ten year old." Malon crosses her arms.
"Sometimes I think the Goddesses are favoring you over me."
"Well, they can't just stand by and let the hero win everything, can they?"
"Figures Fate would do this to me…"
"Well, now, it doesn't mean you could try to beat my record. However, it's still hard, even for grown-ups."
"Oh, yay. I have nothing better to do anyhow…"
Trying the obstacle course, Link manages a 54-second entry.
"At least it's close," Malon compliments.
"At least you have the forced courtesy to say that," Link comments, his tone discouraged.
"Okay, then…" Malon points at him. "You stink! You're bad at riding!"
Link sighs. "I didn't say you had to drop it."
"Hee hee hee! You wanna try again?"
"Still have nothing better to do…"
It takes Link several tries before his time is exactly 50 seconds.
"Impressive, fairy boy. But can you beat it?"
"Like before, nothing better to do…"
More tries before the record is broken by one second.
"Oh, yay!" Malon smiles. "You got 49 seconds!"
"Alright, that's enough for me…"
Link lets go of his grip and slides off Epona, hitting the ground face down.
"Ow…"
He feels a weight on his back.
"Oh… I hope that's not you, Malon."
"Yeah, that's me. Sittin' on ya." Malon giggles. "And you make a good, soft thing to sit on. I've been standing too long waiting for you to beat my record."
"Oh, great…"
Night; Wolf cry
Link hasn't had a hearty dinner in a long time. Bread and cheese may provide enough energy, but frequent subjection to eating it almost everyday can rot his sense of taste. Tonight, it's Cucco meat simmering along with various vegetables in a thick stew, courtesy of the nice Ingo. The four on the ranch all gather around the main table inside Malon's house. Malon is telling Talon and Ingo everything that went on in her and Link's quest. Instead of the gasping and warnings, the two enjoy hearing an adventure that no one has ever gone before. Especially Ingo for some reason. Every time he hears an evil act of Ganondorf, he sometimes says disrespectful words about him. However, the thing that needs most convincing of the two is being sealed away in the Temple of Time for seven years. This leads to the importance of Malon and Link as the Heroes of Time, and anybody could imagine the expressions Talon and Mr. Ingo have on their faces. They waited for those long years, while Malon and Link barely have a half a year gone by.
To settle it all down, Link plops himself down in the hay pile that is his 'bed.' Sacks of hay, covered by a thin cloth sheet, make a rectangular makeshift bed. All in the loft just above the barn floor underneath.
At least it's not hard ground I'm sleeping on. Nor is it cold… well, THAT cold.
He takes off his green pointy hat, tossing it to his pack, sword, and shield in a corner nearby. Later, when his mind is about to enter sleep, he hears the barn door silently open and close. Link hears footsteps for a while, then it stops, as if the person down there is thinking about something. The footsteps begin again, this time ending with a climb up the ladder to his loft.
"Link?" Malon's voice reaches his ears.
"Oh, hey." Link sits up.
"Um, how's it up here?" Malon leans on the top rung.
"It's okay." Link lies back down.
"Liar."
"Alright. It's a bit chilly, this bed feels like sleeping on a lot of bumpy sticks, it smells of animal in here, and occasionally, I get sounds from them. Better?"
"No. I'm just making sure you tell the truth more often."
"Right… Right, then, Mal."
"Mal?" Malon blinks in surprise. "Why did you shorten my name for?"
"For the same reason you call me fairy boy."
"Okay, so you think it's cute, then?"
"No. I just say it to try to annoy you."
"Oh, ha ha. I'm hardly annoyed. Especially by you, fairy boy. So, it won't work."
"Crud."
"Hee hee hee!"
She ascends all the way up and sits next to Link.
"So, I finished telling our adventure together to Dad and Mr. Ingo."
"You don't think Mr. Ingo's really changed, do you?"
"I think he did. I think he's trying to be nice just in case Ganondorf ever finds out." Malon pulls her knees toward her. "Mr. Ingo… He must have been tempted by evil powers. He's not really a bad person at all…"
"Yeah, I guess so. Ganondorf's really milking it here."
"Uh…" Milking it? "Well, that's what this quest is all about, right? To stop him."
"Did you tell them…" Link pauses for the right word, "those moments?"
"… You mean…"
"You know, like… what we… told each other at the Fishing Pond?"
"Oh, no. That's… that's between us."
"Okay, then."
"Okay."
"Hey, back there at the corral yesterday… I didn't really help you much."
"Oh, I… It was something I wanted to do on my own."
"You asked me to help you save the ranch and I didn't do much."
"You kept me company."
"Is that it?"
"And you help me and Epona escape from Mr. Ingo's trap."
"But, that was it, right?"
"Yeah. Humble, aren't ya? Still, I rather have you there than anybody else, or nobody at all. Like I said, you kept me company. Though, I would have escaped on my own. You just… speed it up."
"Now, you're making me feel bad."
"Tee hee! Sorry, but sometimes I find it funny."
A sigh to this moment. "Whatever."
Silence hangs over them. Malon breaks it by scooting down to Link and lying down next to him. Link could feel his neck tickled by her hair.
"So, same old, same old, when we're done having our break?" Malon asks.
"Yep."
"Just off for some more of this adventure."
"Yep."
"Two best friends, going around saving Hyrule."
"Best way to put it."
"Is not."
"Is too."
"Is not."
"Is too."
"Is not."
"Is too."
"Is not."
"Is not."
"Is too… Oh, you got me there, fairy boy."
"Finally."
Malon giggles. "You know, maybe we should act more like adults. We are seventeen, not ten."
"Probably."
"But… I like the days when we were little, when we traveled together. We had so much fun."
"Me, too. But, we're here, seven years later."
"I know. But, we're still best friends."
"Yeah. Definitely. Best friends."
"Forever?"
"You know the answer to that."
"So, it's no, then…"
"What?" Link sits up and stares at her. "I didn't say no…"
"Hee hee. I was just kidding, fairy boy."
"You're still the best actress ever then." Link lies back down.
"Oh? Was that a compliment?"
"No, it was an insult. You kid too much."
"Liar."
"Again, you caught me."
"Because I'm your best friend. I know when you're lying. Well, most of the time."
"Great. Now, I can't lie."
"It's good for you to tell the truth."
"I guess that's the reason why you're there to remind me."
"Yep."
Malon suddenly snuggles up close to Link with a sigh. She wraps her arms around one of his.
"I'm glad you're my best friend, Link. I'm always happy with you around."
"Hey, me too. But… don't you have a bed to sleep in?"
"Hey, we're close enough to sleep together, right?" Malon smiles at him.
"Right…" he beams back.
"Good night, Link."
"'Night, Malon."
The animals are sleeping, the men in the house snoring, the night sounds in the air. The moon shines through the gap between the logs of the barn. It dances on the two, deeply asleep. If not the comfort of the moon, then maybe… the comfort of the ties of friendship.
A/N: During the whole time I wrote the ending, it felt like I was writing Link and Malon as… as brother and sister. I don't know how to explain it, but the closeness formed by their friendship is almost like that of close siblings. I find it absolutely interesting…