It was three past noon and little Malon was sitting alone at the entrance of the ranch corral……with absolutely nothing to do. She was bored out of her little mind!! That was worst thing about waking up at 5 a.m. everyday weather you like it or not, it becomes a long day. Especially since the ranch was having a slow month with all the towns preparing for the coming Autumn Festive. Nobody had time to go to Lon Lon Ranch to pick up some milk…meaning no work or anyone new to talk to. Sigh…not even her daily chores of milking the cows, brushing the horses, feeding the cuccos and weeding the garden had filled the tedious day. It was mind-numbing!! She didn't even feel like singing her mother's song (that's a first)……If only fairy boy hadn't taken Epona, then Malon would have someone to talk to (don't ask me way the girl likes to talk to the horse). Sometimes Malon just wished she could go on her own adventure……
"Hey!!" Malon looked in the direction of the barn as two people came into view, "Anyone here!!"
"Hello!!" Malon yelled to the pair as she run over to them, "Welcome!! Welcome to our ranch!"
Meeko and Link both turned to see a young girl, no older than ten, speeding towards them. She had long, wavy red hair that reached down her back and a cream colored dress. She seemed to be extreme happy to see them for some reason……
"Welcome!! Welcome!!"
"I think you said that ready…" Link said, being his usual smartass self.
"My name's Malon! I'm the ranch owner's daughter!"
"Hi there, Malon" Meeko replied in a soft voice, as she bent down to Malon's level, "My name's Meeko…and this is my friend-"
"You can call me…Ordon!" Link proclaimed with a thump outstretched towards him and a cocky half-smile across his face. Malon blinked a couple times as she tried to figure out Link, "You could say I'm a-"
"DON'T SOUND PROUD ABOUT IT!!" Meeko shouted as she pounded Link with a wooden barrel (…where is she getting…?), "YOU LOOK SUSPICIOUS WITH THAT COCKY SMILE!!"
"I-Is he really your friend…" Malon asked quietly, still little shocked from the two's scene.
"In his case, I'm using the term loosely." Meeko and Malon started walk over to corral, away from Link as he lay twitching on the ground. Was it just Link, or was Meeko getting more and more violent?
"So…why have you come for?" Malon asked with bright smile as Meeko and she reached the paddock, "Did you need some milk?"
"No, we just need to buy some horses for our journey." Meeko related back. Meeko just couldn't get over how cute this little girl was! It was like was made from sunshine and strawberries! Malon tilted her head slightly and her smile grew a little bigger.
"That's great! So your going to want ride a few before you get one, right?!"
Oops……Meeko didn't think about that part. She never technical rode a horse before…unless you count carnival rides, in that case Meeko was an expert at age 7! Looking over the grazing animals, the beautiful steeds turn into enormous beasts of terror in Meeko's eyes. One of the stallions reared up on its hind legs and started flailing his front two about. The display didn't help much with Meeko's fears. Link had just arrived behind the two girls when mighty stallion started its flaunting exhibit. It was a creature high breeding, that was what Link's practiced eye had quickly picked out: the horse had a raven black coat that ended before the hoof and started anew in pure white that match the stallion's white mane. His strong back and muscular legs put the stallion above all the rest in the corral, a king among his lower nobles. Meeko notice the awe on Link's face……great, first it was the deadly weapons and now it was the most murderous looking horse.
"Mr. Ordon…" Malon popped in, interrupting Link for his gaze, "Did you want to ride Euros?"
"Euros……" Link repeated. The stallion's name invoked images of the speeding eastern winds, an excellent title for fast horse, "From the looks of him, I just buy him without put him through his paces!"
"Euros is the fastest horse on the ranch, Mr. Ordon! Even if he's a little old…" That was little surprising, since the steed looked like he was in his prime, "I'd hate to see him go…his little daughter is out having an adventure of her own…"
"…How does a horse have an adventure?..." Meeko whispered to Link, but Link caught on to Malon words…
"Say…you wouldn't happen to know a boy named Link, would you?" As soon as Link asked the question, he was assaulted with the little girl's inquiries……
"YOU KNOW LINK!! How long ago did you see him?! Was Epona with him?! Was she ok?! Did Link mention me?! He wasn't doing anything stupid, was he?!" Malon paused a moment and looked Link over, "Hey…you dress like Link……Are you his big brother or something…" Meeko gasped as Link tried to think of something…
"Aaaaahhhh…" Why does this always happen?! "You could…say something like that…"
"Oh! Wow!! Link's big brother!!" Malon exclaimed overjoyed to meet the 'sibling' of fairy boy, "I've always wanted a big brother, so can I call you Big Bro!"
"Ah…yeah, sure…" …weird girl…
"That so cuuuutttttee!!" Meeko squealed and jumped in to the air (……), "How about me!! Give me a name!!" As Link walked over to a cliff to jump off of, Malon took a minute to think of Meeko's name……
"Hhmmm…how about…" she seemed pretty serious about whole matter, "…how about…Grammy!"
"……what……" Suddenly Malon wasn't that cute anymore, Meeko thought. She walked over to the same cliff and took a leap over the edge……
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In the modest cottage situated just at the entrance of Lon Lon ranch, one sound dominated the whole of the house…… SNNNOOORRRE!! Talon, the humble ranch owner, was sound asleep…again…much to the annoyance of Meeko, Link, and most principally Malon. Link really didn't know how to gauge situation, it wasn't that late in the day for this guy to be dead to the world. Looking over to Meeko, Link saw that the maiden was still stun for the whole 'Grammy' thing……Malon couldn't take it anymore. Grabbing one the cuccos that were darting around the room, the girl placed the fowl by her father's ear and gave it a squeeze………COCK-A-DOODLE-DO!!
"What In Tarnation?! Can a person get a little…Oh, Malon!" The man heaved himself up and fixed his attentions on Link and Meeko, "Ah! Customers!! It's been so long…I almost forgot what they look like! Ha ha-"
"DAD!!" Malon bellowed, causing Talon step back in dread, "YOU WERE ASLEEP, AGAIN!!"
"Ha ha ha…Nothing wrong with the man taking a nap ever once and ina' while…"
"MORE LIKE ONCE AND ALL THE WHILE!! DAD!!"
"Ahhmm…is it possible to buy our horses now…?" Link jumped in before the father and daughter could continue their exchange, "I was hoping to buy Euros and my friend was……Oh, sorry!" Link turned back to his companion, "Which one did you want, Meeko?"
Oh no…Meeko didn't want to pick one, she didn't even want to look at them!! What was she going to do?! Just say a color, Meeko resolved……
"…Ah……the blue one!!" Meeko exclaimed with her eyes closed. When she opened them up again, Meeko found everyone looking at her in bewilderment…even the cuccos…"What?"
"Meeko…please, PLEASE don't tell me that you can't ride!" Link pleaded, but Meeko's sheepish smile doused his hopes, "Sigh…I'm too tired to think about this……Will figure out something tomorrow. Mister, do you mind if we stayed the night here. We can definitely pay you."
"No need! No need!" Talon replied, "You can stay here for free! Have dinner too! Just so that you call me Talon……my father-in-law was Mister…"
"Oh, boy!! Big Bro and Grammy get to sleep over!!" Malon cried out in enthusiasm. Link laughed at the display and Meeko crouched in the corner, the cloud of gloom hung over her……
"…She called…me…that name…again………"
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Supper was smorgasbord of country delights: corn on the cob, fluffy mess potatoes, fresh garden spinach, roasted chicken (cucco), hot apple pie, golden cornbread, fermented cider…….the cider. Link never had consumed alcohol before and had always thought about what it was like. After the first sip, his mouth contorted and throat burned a little (it was strong cider). Link wondered why anyone would drink the stuff……three cups later……Link wondered why anyone wouldn't drink the stuff!! Talon soon recognized the look on Link's face and let out a howling laugh……
"HA HA HA!! THIS THE FIRST TIME DRINKING, MY BOY?!" Talon was a little smashed too…"YOU BETTER GET TO BED BEFOR-" But before he could finish, Talon tipped back and fell out of his chair.
"DAD!!" Malon rushed over to other side of the table where her father laid. The girl bent down to snoring Talon and sighed, "Oh no…what I'm going to with you, Dad…"
"I guess its bedtime." Meeko stated as she and Link carried the passed-out father to his room. After getting Talon settled in, the three quietly walked out of room and silently closed the door, "There……Now which rooms do me and Ordon sleep in?"
"Oh, there's only one guest room" Malon avowed simply, receiving a gasp from Meeko. NO WAY was she sharing a room with the perv!!
"Isn't there some cellar or closet for Ordon to sleep in?!"
"The c-cellar……" Malon gazed over to a door down the hall, she seemed timid about even mentioning the cellar, "N-Nobody sh-should go d-d-down there…"
"I'm sure Ordon will be fine!" Meeko retorted as she pushed Link to the door, "He's been to places far worst!"
"Hey!" Link proclaimed (a little hammered still), "Why do you automatically get the guest room!!"
"Because I'm the girl!" Meeko opened the cellar door and shoved Link down the stairs, "Goodnight!"
"But" The door slammed shut.
"Now where's this guest room!" Meeko said, looking back at Malon. The girl expression was still held uncertainty about Link's predicament……
"A-are you sure that Big Bro will be ok…d-down there…" The poor girl was shaking! "D-dad always told me to stay out of there…He said ghosts and Poes lived down there!!"
"Don't worry." Meeko reassured the girl with a smile and placed her hands on Malon's shoulders, "Ordon has fought things worst then Poes"
With Malon calmed down, the two girls preceded to the ranch house guest room……
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Link found that with a little alcohol any bed felt heavenly soft. Even one made of flour sags and an old, scratchy blanket in musty basement. It actually worked out this way. Link was able to strip down to his underwear, which he could then fall asleep faster. If he had to share a room with Meeko…Holy Farore…she would have killed Link if put his hand on his belt……
"What's with that girl…" …is Link talking to himself? Good cider! "All of this started when she saw Izunoo helping me." Link thought back to that moment, "The way she acted……and what she said………does she think…that…I'm GAY?!"
Link pushed the thought aside and climbed into the makeshift bed. Meeko was definitely different from his last traveling partner, Link mused to himself as lifted his left hand and gaped at his Triforce birthmark. Midna did boss him around…and she was a little violent…and treated Link like a dog for awhile (pun not intended). But there were those moments where they catch each others eyes…and stare deeply at one another. A smile creped up Link's face as a warm feeling emerged on his cheeks. Great, the Hero of Time was blushing like a school girl! Midna…the smile and blush disappeared……the memory of when Link last saw the Twilight Princess jumped into Link's mind, "Link…I…See you later" The sound of breaking glass filled Link's thoughts…and stinging sensation struck Link's heart……Dropping his hand and pulling the itchy blanket up to his chin, Link resolved to get some rest…
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Meeko found the guest room to be a very warm and comfortable. Malon had said the room had once belonged to the form ranch-hand, but had recently been refurbished and changed into a guest room. She didn't go into the matter much more, so Meeko left it at that. Meeko was changing into her nightgown when hear the sound of the doorknob turning. She quickly pulled her head through the top and turned meet the person……no one was there…the door was closed…
"Great…now I'm hearing things…" Meeko softly whispered. At least it wasn't Link trying to sneak a peek! Gods!! She would have killed him!!
Moving over to the cushy bed, Meeko plopped herself under the heavy quilt and rested her head the smooth pillow. This traveling thing wasn't as bad as she thought, Meeko deliberated as she sighed contently. Suddenly the slow creaking of the door opening filled Meeko's ears, throwing the girl fit of terror.
"Who's there!!" Meeko squealed, sitting up and facing……the closed door…"Ha Ha. Very f-funny" The maiden awkwardly called out to the either, hopping there was someone there to blame, "Now let's go to bed now…"
Dropping her head back onto the pillow and covering herself up again, Meeko thought back to what Malon said about the cellar. Meeko did know that Poes and ghost skulk around Hyrule's graveyards and tomes…but a nice ranch like this one? No…Talon must have said it to Malon to keep her away from the basement. Meeko remembered her one aunt telling a 5-year-old Meeko that tiny Miniblins lived under her aunt's bed and if she looked under there they would try to get her. Meeko later found out that her aunt was hiding rum bottles under her bed……
"Miss Meeko…" a voice whispered into Meeko's ear causing her to jump up.
"EEEKK!! What…Malon?" Malon was sitting on the bed next to Meeko, barefooted and in her light blue pajamas. The younger girl looked pale and scare of her mind, "What's wrong?"
"Miss Meeko…I-I keep hearing noises…I t-think the ghosts are walking around…"
Meeko pulled the frighten child into hug and try to comfort Malon and herself. They had both heard someone…or something……Maybe Meeko was over reacting. She was acting like a kid, afraid of beeps in the night and hiding under the covers. It probably just Talon walking down to the bathroom…or Link being a perv! Oh…she wish it was Link been a perv……SLAM!! The girls screamed as the door burst open! Malon charged out of the room with Meeko in tow. The two ran into Talon's room……
"Dad!! Dad!!" Malon yelled as she shook her father.
"Mr. Talon! Please wakeup!!" Meeko tried her hand at stirring Talon, but the ranch owner merely rolled over and continued his slumber. Grabbing Malon's hand, Meeko exited the room. Now what? Looking over to the cellar, she decided, "Come on!!"
Running to the cellar access, Meeko flung the door open and hurried down the small flight of stairs. The sounded of bare feet running on the stone floor awoken Link from his doze. Lifting his head up a little, Link saw Meeko and Malon in their sleeping-clothes with panic in there eyes.
"Meeko? What's wrong?"
"We heard something upstairs! It keeps moving around and slamming doors!!"
"Sigh…Aren't you little old to be afraid of the boogeyman…" Link replied flatly as sat up straight. Meeko was about to retort, but the blanket rolled off of Link's naked chest…making her face flush crimson red…
"Wha…What were you d-doing down here?!"
"Sleeping…until you came along…" Link clutched his head in his hand. Aren't you suppose to have the hangover in the morning!! Ow……he thought to loud…
"JUST GET OFF YOUR BUTT AND HELP US!!" Meeko yelled, which didn't help Link's headache one bit.
Link reached over to his white pants and stuck his legs into them. Standing up and grabbing his sword with a heavy sigh, the hero started to walk over to the stairs. A sudden cracking noise halted Link and the girls in place. Taking hold of the blade's hilt, Link ushered the girls behind him. That cracking noise resonated again, it sounded like stone being crushed…but duller. Then it happened…the floor gave way!! The three yelped and screamed as they plummeted into the darkness…then landed…
"……Malon…are you alright?" Meeko asked. Feeling the girl shake her head yes in the darkness, Meeko sighed in relieve……What broke their fall?
"…Do you mind…getting off…?" Link's voice chocked from under the two. Gasping, Meeko and Malon jump off of Link……Did he throw himself under them as they fell? Meeko wondered.
"Where are we?" Meeko asked aloud.
"My dad said that our ranch was build over an old castle ruin from the Warring-States days…" Malon quietly answered Meeko. She clung to Meeko's arm, shaking a bit.
"Damn…we can't see a thing down here the dark-" but Link cut himself short when a light appeared behind him. Looking back, Link found Meeko with a small ball of illumination in her outstretched left hand……she seemed to be focusing on it and speaking a chant……
"O Heavenly glow that thy do till; gather together and obey thy's will. Gather together from starlight ash; light the darkness of thy's path. Nayru's Sheen…"
The ball silently blew apart into hundreds of sparkles and spread across the room. The stone floor started to glow and illuminate the room in a dull light. Well, well!! See the amazing lantern girl, Meeko!!
"This spell should last a few hours and will light an area around 30 feet." Meeko stated to the now visible Link. Malon marveled at the glowing floor beneath her feet…it wasn't even warm, "It's ok Malon…its helpful magic we maidens use. It won't hurt you."
"There's a doorway over here." Link announced, pointing towards a square opening in the block wall, "Let's try to find our way back up."
Meeko took the front as the light the spell moved with her, Link and Malon following close behind. The three found that the doorway leaded to a second, larger room with the walls that were built of colossal stone slabs, colored a dark blue. The chamber was massive…massive enough to hold the entirety of the ranch within it. How the ancient builders were able to construct such a room, Link, Malon and Meeko could only have guessed. Meeko's spell had reached its limited length within the immense chamber. The only part of the floor that was lit was a thirty foot diameter circle, though the light from the circle did carry on another 50 feet around them. As the three walked to other end of the chamber, the floor lighting suddenly started to be cut off. The circle quickly became an arc, then a half-circle……
"AHHH!!" Meeko's form stank into the blackness that the floor lighting had disappeared into. Link rushed forward and swiftly halted when his bare toes felt the edge of the cliff……
"MEEKO!!"
"…I'm down here…" Meeko's voice soft called from below Link. Gazing down, Link found Meeko hang for her life at the edge of floor, "…could you pick me up…?"
Quickly kneeing to the edge, Link place his sword down and grabbed on to Meekos wrists with both of his hands. Link started to haul the maiden up, but Meeko wasn't going to wait that long and started to climb up Link's arms and clung herself around his shoulders. As her feet passed the edge of the cliff, Meeko kicked herself forward and knocked Link and her on to the ground.
"Damn it……" Link sighed in relief with Meeko still clutching to his neck, "…That…was close…"
"You're telling me!" Meeko replied…then gasped! She promptly pulled herself away for Link (almost falling off the cliff again) and settled herself a foot from him. A blush found itself on Meeko face, once again, as Malon ran over to her.
"Miss Meeko!!" Malon cried as she hugged the maiden, "I thought you were going DIE!!"
"I'm ok, Malon…" Meeko slowly stroke the small girl's ruby hair. Meeko could feel Malon's heart racing…her heart was speeding as well…but was it entirely from the fall? Link had picked up his sword when notice something……
"Oh no……"
"What?! What is it?!"
"The door." Link related as his pointed to the other side of room…and the other side of the chasm Meeko had all most fell into, "That's the only other doorway I've seen since came in here…"
"B-But there has to be another way!!" There was NO WAY that Meeko was going to stay down in that abandon chamber with the perverted Link around!! Meeko's mind began to wonder back to when she was laying on top of Link's bare, muscular chest…his smooth skin felt…NO!! That wasn't right, Meeko thought to herself, she was going to marry Izunoo and enjoy his naked chest (………yeah).
"…The people who built this castle wouldn't have built it over some chasm…" Link contemplated aloud, "This must be an opening into the lower levels……So we can climb down the chasm and find a way out through another level!"
"But it was shear drop when I fell down it!" Meeko quickly jumped in, "How are we going climb down?"
"…Mmmhh…" Linked paced along the edge of the chasm as he looking down it…a thought occurred to him that made Link laugh, "Ha…maybe we can tie our clothes together and make a rope!"
"NO WAY IN HELL WILL THAT HAPPEN!! PERVERT!!" Meeko hollered as she threw a hefty rock at Link's head. Luckily he avoided it……
"HOLY NAYRU!! I WAS ONLY KIDDING!!"
"DON'T KID ABOUT STUFF LIKE THAT!!"
"Wait…come over here!" Link said with his waving towards him. He had stopped some feet away for the magical floor lighting, at the edge of the chasm.
"NO WAY!!" Did she still thing he was serious about the rope thing?
"Just come over here!!" Meeko took a second to pout, but complied with Link's command. With Malon linked around her waist, Meeko walked over to Link and look down the chasm. On the cliff wall protruded ledges leading downward, only seven feet between each ledge, "We can climb down here and find the next level."
Malon dared to look down the chasm……there wasn't a bottom……
"I can't do it!!" the young girl screamed and buried her head into Meeko's chest, "I'll fell!! I know it!!"
"Malon…it'll be ok" Link calmly said as he pulled her away from Meeko, "I'll do all the climbing. You can trust me……What kind of Big Bro would I be if I let anything happen to you!"
Seeing Link's smiling face gave Malon courage that she didn't know she had. With tears running down her cheeks, the young girl gave a Link a weak nod and they were ready to go. Tying his sword and scabbard to his waist, Link bent down and let Malon grab around his neck with her arms. Moving over the edge slow, Link stopped suddenly and glanced over to Meeko……
"Meeko…stay close to me as we go down" Link looked behind him at Malon on his back, "Malon…if anything happens…ANYTHING…you jump over to Meeko…ok?"
Malon gave Link another weak nod and the two were off, Meeko close behind. The process down was simple: Land on the ledge below, carefully lower oneself over the ledge and hang off the edge. Then let go……the hardest part of the process. Every time Meeko released her hold, she know she was going miss the next ledge and fall down the chasm…but…every time she let go she somehow hit the ledge instead…like she's done it all her life.
Link was having the harder time with the climb. Even though Malon was small, her extra weight pushed Link off balance and slowed his pace downward to a crawl. Malon's hold was starting to get tighter and tighter…Link needed to do something before he choked to death……
"Malon, I've noticed something…" Malon didn't reply, "…You stop calling Meeko 'Grammy'"
"Miss Meeko didn't like it……" Malon whispered her response. Meeko stopped when she heard Malon's explanation. The two were a few feet above her, "…She kept…getting sad when I said it…"
"Why'd you call her that in the first place?"
"……She looks like my grandmother……" Now Link stopped, "…I never meet my grandmother in real life. I only saw paintings of her when she was really young…like Miss Meeko. She had long blonde hair like Miss Meeko and was really beautiful like her, too."
"Malon…" Meeko smiled softly at the little girl. Now she could appreciate Malon's nickname, "Malon, you're beautiful as well!"
"Hee hee!" Malon had relaxed by now and had un-tighten her hold around Link's neck a little, "I really wish you could see the paintings of her…but Ingo throw them away!!"
"Ingo?"
"He…used to work at the ranch…" Malon's hold started to tighten again, "……then he went down into the cellar……and never came back…"
Suddenly a sinister laugh sounded from under the three. Look deep into the chasm, Link and the girls saw a dim ball of light form, it started to swayed back and forth. The air around them began to cool down rapidly. The laughter continued……
"Heh heh heh heh heh!! More meat has come down to where they shouldn't be!!"
"Malon!! Remember I said before…!!" Link exclaimed and received a nod from the young girl, "DO IT!!"
Meeko had just climbed up beside Link when he finished speaking, giving Malon here chance. Outstretching an arm, the maiden ushered the younger girl to jump and Malon leaped off of Link's back. To Malon, the moment lasted a lifetime…a second of weightlessness…then the girl ran into Meeko and stuck to her like her life depended on it (because it did!). Just as Malon joined Meeko, a form flew at breakneck speed out of the chasm and hit Link dead on. The hero and the form continued upwards into the darkness……
