Well, for such a short start, I'm glad I've collected a small gathering of followers for this story. I'm not too sure how often I'll be updating, considering I'm in school and have three ongoing multi-chaps, but I'll try not to space updates too far apart from one another.

One note before I start, there is no Ingo in this fic. For a while I was debating whether or not to put him in, but eventually I settled for not having him. If for whatever reason I decide to include him, he won't have much of a role or even be working at Lon Lon Ranch.

Disclaimer: Refer to chapter one

Talon and Malon

The sound of waves filled the air, accompanied by the squawks of seagulls and the scent of the ocean. The atmosphere was warm, as if the sun was directing all its heat onto one spot. The smell of tropical fruits and fish wafted along the salty sea breeze, lifting up the spirits of any who may be fortunate enough to experience it.

Slowly opening his eyes, Link's vision was clouded by a haze of some sort. Rubbing at them gently, the blurred scene reconstructed into what appeared to be the inside of a small home. As he looked around, the scene became more and more familiar, from the table in the corner of the room to the single bed on his right. Was this some sort of dream? It wasn't possible that he could have returned…

The sound of someone snoring caught his attention, and he glanced upwards to see a chubby man napping in a rocker while the sunlight streamed in through the window onto him. A large, round nose ruffled the man's moustache with each exhale, and the sound of his breathing was almost comically loud. Unable to find another way to react, Link chuckled lightly at the sight of Tarin, a man who had basically been a father figure while he lived on Koholint Island.

"You're awake."

Quickly shooting his gaze toward the doorway, Link's heart nearly stopped at the sight his eyes were met with. Standing in the doorway with a small tub of water was the woman he thought he would never see again. She smiled at him so peacefully, as if he had never left, but he knew that it had been days, possibly even weeks since he had seen her. Was any of this possible, or had he died and reunited with her in the afterlife?

"M-Marin," he stuttered as she pulled a chair up next to the bed and sat beside him. "Is it…is it really you?"

She giggled and dipped a cloth into the water, wringing it out before she placed it on his forehead. "Of course it's me. This is my house, after all. Were you expecting someone else to be here?"

Link could not tell if she was messing with him. How could she act so nonchalant at a time like this? They had literally been separated in such a way that would make it impossible to see each other. Unless he was dead or this was some kind of dream, none of this could be real. This house, Marin, Tarin, the bed he was lying in, the entire island itself shouldn't even exist!

"How is this possible?" he asked, pulling his hands out from underneath the sheets to look at them. "This place…this island… Everything should be gone."

"Shh," Marin soothed, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Just take it easy right now. You need to rest, Link. Once you've regained your strength, I'll show you just how real all of this is. For now, just close your eyes."

As she stood up, Link quickly grasped onto her wrist. Turning back to him, she smiled and placed the water tub on her chair. Using her free hand to gently hold onto his tense one, Link felt himself relax a bit as their eyes met.

"Marin…you won't…disappear again, will you?" he asked shakily, his hand trembling in fear of what might happen if he heeded her words.

Marin shook her head and bent down over him, her long auburn hair dangling around his face. "I promise I'll be right here when you wake up. Have a little faith in me, love."

Link fully relaxed as she cupped his cheek in her hand. Her words worked wonders, even if he wasn't sure he could believe her. Slowly shutting his eyes, the hero felt his consciousness begin to fade, and as he slowly allowed the sleep to overtake him, he felt Marin's lips press softly against his own. As if placing him under a spell, the kiss sent him straight to sleep, and he did not even stay conscious long enough to feel her pull away.

∆V∆V∆V∆V∆V∆V∆V∆V∆V∆

"Hey now, it looks like he's comin' to! Mal, go fetch some milk!"

"Right!"

Link groaned as he stretched out his body. Had he even slept at all? It felt as though Marin had just sent him into his deep slumber only moments ago. Somehow, his body and mind still felt as though he had rested fully, but he could have sworn that he just fell asleep. In any case, it wasn't really an issue at the moment.

Before even opening his eyes, Link couldn't help crinkling his nose at the odd smell of wherever he was. To put it bluntly, it stunk of animal. Having taken care of a horse or two in the past, he knew all too well that one large animal could be rather pungent, but this was overwhelming. Cracking open his eyes, he was rather surprised to find himself in an unfamiliar setting. The walls were rather plain, adorned only by a few hanging pictures and a medium-sized window across from him. The bed he found himself lying in was coarser than he was used to, like a straw mattress of some sort. While Marin and Tarin's home had been nothing spectacular, this room seemed completely different despite also being rather unremarkable.

"You feeling all right there, son?"

Somehow Link had missed seeing the plump man standing beside him. The hero blinked a few times as he and the strange man partook in a brief staring contest. If not for the baldness and brown moustache, this man would look almost identical to Tarin. So taken aback was Link that he could not even begin to process what to say. It was clearly not Tarin, but the resemblance was uncanny, almost unnervingly so.

"Aw, geez, I really hope this kid knows Hylian…" the man muttered to himself while scratching his bald head. "Uh… YOU OKAY? FEEL GOOD? HURT ANYWHERE?"

As if the man's elevated volume had somehow released the lock on Link's vocal cords, he shook his head a bit before speaking. "Oh, y-yeah, I'm fine. I'm not hurt or anything."

The man sighed in relief upon hearing Link speak. "Phew, well, I'll be, you had me worried there, fella! Didn't seem like you were ever gonna wake up, and that means a lot comin' from someone like me. Trust me, my daughter would know."

The man laughed heartily with that slight quip to himself, but Link wasn't sure how he was meant to react. As he looked around the unfamiliar room, though, he felt his heart sink at the realization that his reunion with Marin had only been a dream. Of course, it was foolish to think that it had been real, but he truly had felt like he was there in her home again. Everything from the sound of the island to the touch of Marin's lips had been so vivid that it was like this was the dream and that was reality.

"So, you got a name?" the plump man asked once he had stopped laughing.

"Huh? Oh, it's Link."

"Link," the man repeated, putting his hand to his chin in a thinker's pose. "Kind of a weird name, but I'm not one to judge. Call me Talon. No need for a Mr. or anything, you'd make me feel old."

Not only did this man look almost identical to Tarin, but their names were almost the same, too! Link was pretty good with remembering names, but in a situation like this, he wouldn't be surprised if he ended up calling Talon by the wrong name.

"Um, sorry…but where are we?" Link asked, slowly sitting himself up.

"Hmm? Oh, I s'pose you'd be curious about that, given you were passed out when I found you."

"Found me?" Link tried to think back on what had happened since Koholint disappeared, but the only things he could recall were waking up in the middle of the ocean and then having that dream just now. Everything in between was wiped clean from his memory.

"Yup, out in the middle of the Gerudo Desert, no less," Talon whistled and took a seat on a stool next to the bed. "You're a lucky one, though. I haven't had to make a trip out there in who knows how long. There you were, though, collapsed on the sand by one of the marking posts. Those darn Gerudo women said they wouldn't have anywhere to keep you but a jail cell since you're a man. Sounds like a load of bull to me, and I know all about that stuff. Anyway, to answer your question, you're at the one and only Lon Lon Ranch, famous throughout all of Hyrule for our premium milk!"

Link's mind was racing as the last few words left Talon's mouth. The very idea that he'd been found only served to confuse the hero more than answer any questions he might have had. What was he doing out in a desert? How did he make it back to land from the middle of the ocean? Where exactly was this Lon Lon Ranch? Unfortunately, the more pertinent questions weren't ones that Talon could answer.

"I'm surprised by how healthy you are right now, though," Talon remarked, his expression showing his surprise. "You've been passed out for three days since I found you. Just what was a fit young sprout like you crawling around in the desert for?"

"I…I wish I knew," Link said in disappointment. "Honestly, I don't even recall making it onto dry land. The last thing I remember was being out in the middle of the ocean after…after…"

He felt his chest squeeze painfully as he recalled exactly why he had been out in the middle of the ocean. The memories of the actual event were still eluding him, but Link could feel the agony he had gone through as he clawed his way through the desert. To re-experience the emotional pain of hopelessly chasing a mirage through the burning, biting sands of the desert was more than he had prepared himself for. His ears began to block out the sound of Talon's concern as his mind filled with those last moments with Marin.

She was gone; it was all gone.

No, that wasn't quite right. She wasn't gone; she had never existed in the first place. He had fallen in love with an imaginary person, someone created by the unconscious thoughts of a sleeping god. There was no Marin, no Koholint, no anything; the only real things about that entire experience had been the Wind Fish and himself. Everything else was nothing more than a dream, no realer than the mirage he had chased through the desert.

Clutching at the back of his head with both hands, Link dropped his gaze to his lap, unable to find a better way to cope with the pain he was experiencing. After all the physical toil he had been through in his life, the only lasting damage was on an emotional level. How could he hope to pick himself up now? Why did Talon have to save him? It would have been better if he had perished in the desert.

"Dad? Is he doing okay?"

He froze as those words pierced through his deafened ears. Her voice; that was her voice!

Link's deafness to Talon's concerned words was suddenly broken by the sound of Marin's voice. Whipping his head up in the direction of her voice, he began to tremble as he gazed upon the redhead standing before him.

"M-…Marin," he breathed, shakily getting to his feet.

Without thinking, he suddenly rushed at her, grasping her hands in his. She squealed and dropped the tray of milk she'd been carrying, sending it crashing to the ground. Link didn't care, though. She was here in this place, the real world. How was it possible? It wasn't possible, but he didn't care. Her clothes were a little different and she didn't have an orchid in her hair, but she was the same girl he had fallen in love with! Marin was here!

"Hey, take it easy!" Talon said roughly, charging over and pulling Link away from the girl. "I don't care if you're recovering from a coma; no one rushes at my Malon like that!"

"Malon?" Link said, releasing her from his grip. "B-But…I thought…"

Upon realizing his mistake, his legs suddenly gave out from under him, and Link would have collapsed had Talon not been holding him up. With a few grunts of effort, Talon managed to drag Link back onto the bed. Once again rendered speechless, Link stared at Malon in disbelief, unable to comprehend how one could look so much like Marin. As he examined her more, however, her facial features began to differentiate, and he soon realized that his thoughts of Marin from before had simply tricked his mind into thinking it was her.

"I-I'm sorry," he managed to say as he ran a hand through his shaggy hair.

"D-Don't worry about it," Malon responded shakily, wringing her hands together. "No one got hurt, so it's fine."

The room was silent for a while after that. None of the three people knew what to say, so they simply remained where they were, as if frozen by the tension filling the air. Talon kept a sharp eye on Link, Link continued to stare at Malon, Malon nervously darted her eyes between her father and the hero. It wasn't until the sound of restless animals came in through the window that anyone made some sort of movement.

"Ah, shoot, gotta let them out for a while," Talon said as he hopped to his feet. "Mal, clean up this mess, will you? And you, Link; I don't know what your deal is, but I'll let this one slide since you've obviously gone through some rough times. For now, just rest up, but I'll be wanting an explanation later on."

"Yes, sir," Link complied, keeping his gaze fixed on Malon.

As both residents left the room, Link covered his eyes with his palms. Why did he do something like that? It was impossible for Marin to exist in this world and he knew it! Jumping up at some girl simply because she looked a bit like his lost love was completely reckless! He was lucky that Talon seemed to be such an understanding person, but there was no way another slip-up like that would be okay with him.

Link looked up at the sound of glass clinking into a pail. From the bed, he could only see the top part of Malon's head moving around as she picked up the pieces of shattered glass. Should he apologize to her again? He was afraid that saying something might scare her, and making her jump while there was broken glass around was probably a bad idea.

"Um," she mumbled from the foot of the bed, "are you feeling okay?"

Link cocked his head a bit as she peeked up at him. She really did look a lot like Marin, only her face was a bit different. Was this just some odd coincidence that Malon and Talon looked so much like Marin and Tarin, or was Link simply forcing himself to see them in such a way? Either way, it didn't really matter whether they looked like each other or not.

"I'm fine," he said quietly, averting his gaze. "Just a bit weak on my feet is all… I'm really sorry about that, though. I don't know…what I was thinking…"

"It's okay, really," she said sweetly, giving him a small smile. "Like I said, no one got hurt, and you must've had a reason for doing it. Besides, I have horses and cows running towards me all the time; you only startled me because you've been unconscious for three days."

He smirked a bit at the idea of being likened to a horse or cow. His gaze traveled back to the redhead as she stood to her full height. While it hadn't been his intention, he found himself admiring her looks. Though she did look quite a bit like Marin, there was a certain aura to Malon that made her seem much different than the girl from Mabe Village. Malon seemed more reserved than Marin had been, and she was clearly more fit, though that was somewhat a given considering she lived on a farm. Link couldn't quite get a good look at her figure with the loose dress she wore, but that was probably a good thing, as gawking would likely lead to Talon kicking him to the curb.

"I'll be back in a minute," she said, picking up the pail and mop she'd used to clean up the milk. Leaving and re-entering the room, Malon returned with a tall glass of milk to replace the one she had before. Placing it on the table next to Link's bedside, she took a seat on the stool where her father had been sitting before.

"Thanks," Link said and took a sip from the milk. Despite Talon's claims that this milk was famous throughout Hyrule, it really just tasted like regular milk.

"So, 'Link' was it?" Malon asked, to which he nodded in affirmation. "Nice to meet you. I'm Malon. If you don't mind my asking, is it true that my dad found you in the middle of the desert?"

"I have no idea," Link answered flatly, putting the glass back down on the table. "All I remember is waking up in the middle of the ocean with my boat in pieces. Next thing I knew, I woke up here without any memories in between."

"The ocean and then the desert, huh?" she mused, tapping her chin with her index finger. "Sounds like you don't have much luck when it comes to finding civilization."

"Guess not," he chuckled dryly, earning a giggle from her. "Hey, this might sound strange, but…have you ever heard of a place called Koholint?"

"Koholint?" Malon asked, cocking her head to the side. "I don't think so. Is that across the ocean?"

"Er…something like that," Link quickly brushed it off. He knew she wouldn't know about it; after all, it would be ridiculous to expect someone to know about an island that never existed.

"To be honest, I don't know much about geography," Malon admitted sheepishly. "I know my way around Hyrule, but anything outside this kingdom is a mystery to me. I don't have much interest in seeing all the stuff that's out there, though. I guess I'm not really the adventurous type."

"Things are simpler that way," Link said, casting his gaze downward. "I've traveled all around the world, and I was finally ready to settle down, but…some things happened and I wound up here instead."

"Did you not mean to come to Hyrule? That seems surprising, considering how far inland Dad says you were."

"It's not that I wasn't trying to find land, but…it's kind of hard to explain."

Malon eyed him curiously, and Link did his best to avoid making eye contact with her. He wasn't feeling quite ready to explain what he was doing out in the middle of the ocean, and it wouldn't matter even if he was. How was he supposed to explain a situation like the one he had been involved in? True, having encounters with gods and other guardian spirits was not as rare throughout the world as one may expect, but to attempt explaining that he was trapped within the dream of a giant, flying whale would probably get him labeled crazy. He'd already caused enough trouble for Malon and her father.

"Marin," Malon said quietly, causing Link to perk up at the sound of her name. "That's what you called me before, wasn't it?"

"O-Oh…yeah, it was," he spoke shakily, reaching for the glass of milk.

"Was she…someone from that place you mentioned before?"

Link paused for a moment, unsure if he should venture into this conversation. Was he ready to speak about Marin or his memories with her? Considering Malon didn't know much about the world, it would be simple enough to convince her that Koholint Island was real, but it felt too soon for him to return to that subject. At the same time, though, he felt obligated to give his caretakers some kind of explanation; after all, the two of them had saved him from death. While he realized that he had probably wanted to die in the desert he was saved from, Link understood that being saved and taken care of was not something he could treat lightly. The least he could do was give her a short version of his experiences.

"Yeah, I met her on Koholint Island," he spoke slowly and softly, taking a sip from his drink. "I…mistook you for her because you look strangely alike…"

"I see," Malon said, leaning forward so that her elbows were resting on her knees. "I suppose you had to leave her behind for some reason or other, then?"

"In a sense."

"Were you in love with her?"

"Yes."

No hesitation. The word slipped out of his mouth before he even had a chance to think about it; however, he doubted he would have answered in another way. What difference would it make if he pretended that he did not? It wasn't as though lying would make any sort of difference at this point.

"Well, in that case, I'm sure you'll see her again," Malon said cheerily, placing her creamy hand on his arm. He was surprised that her touch was so warm, despite the paleness of her skin.

"It's not that simple," he sighed, meeting her smile with a slight frown. "If I could go back and see her, then I would in a heartbeat, but…there are some circumstances that have made it impossible for me to see her again. I-I'd rather not talk about it…"

"Oh." Malon's cheerful tone turned slightly downcast as she removed her hand from him. "I-I, um… S-Sorry for bringing it up. It must've been hard…being separated from her."

They sat in silence for a while, neither quite sure what to say to the other. The awkward tension from bringing up such a sensitive subject left both of them at a loss for words. Suddenly switching to a different topic might only serve to further the awkwardness, so they simply allowed the sounds of livestock from outside to fill the room.

Link felt a bit guilty for shutting her down so quickly. He knew for a fact that he wasn't ready to go into detail about Marin, but somehow he felt that he had been too quick to avoid the subject. Perhaps if he had done so a bit more gently, then the tension would not continue to stagnate the room. Glancing at her from the corner of his eye, he could see that she was unsure where to look, constantly flicking her eyes between him and random places in the room.

"U-Um," Malon finally managed to say after what felt like hours of silence, "I-I don't know what your plans are…but you're welcome to stay as long as you need to. I'm sure my dad won't object, and it doesn't sound like you have anywhere to go right now. You might have to help out around the ranch if you plan to stay, though."

"Thanks," he responded quickly, keeping his focus away from her.

"A-And if you ever need someone to talk to…you can come to me. I don't have much experience when it comes to relationships and adventure, but I can at least listen to you if you need to vent or something. Dad'll probably lend an ear to you, too."

Turning to her, Link saw that Malon's cheeks were flushed and she was keeping her gaze fixed on her lap. He couldn't help but crack a tiny smile at how cute she looked. She definitely wasn't the best person for this, but he could see that she was trying, and just that gesture was enough to make him feel a bit better. There weren't many people who would so openly welcome a stranger into their home and help them back onto their feet, especially if that stranger had nothing to offer in return.

"Anyway, you should probably get some rest," she said and quickly stood up while brushing some non-existent dust from her dress. "If you need anything, just shout for one of us. It might seem a bit unorthodox, but it'll be quicker to do that than to try looking for us."

Nodding to her, Link watched as she quickly twirled around and exited the room. Now that he was alone in the room, he came to the realization that he wasn't actually tired. Was it that the three days' rest had replenished his energy? It was certainly possible, and would also help to explain why his legs had given out from under him earlier; after all, three days without use would likely have weakened them enough to make standing an effort.

Rather than heeding Malon and Talon's advice, Link swung his legs over the side of the bed and lightly placed them down. If he took his time, he would be able to wobble around the room at least. Carefully hoisting himself up, the hero felt his legs tremble slightly until he was standing straight up. Gingerly stepping around the room and towards the window, he looked out to see a number of horses running around the fenced area.

Link had not visited many farmlands in his travels, and found the new sight before him rather intriguing. Talon graciously brushed a horse's mane, completely unaware of another chewing on his overalls from behind. On the other side of the small field, a pony shakily wobbled onto its feet and attempted to trot along with some of the older horses. Just below where he was, Link could see Malon spreading grains or seeds of some sort for a flock of cuccoos. To the hero, happy animals in captivity had always seemed like an oxymoron, but the way each of these ones seemed to run and graze in such a carefree manner proved him wrong.

As a gentle breeze blew toward him, it carried a sweet melody along with it. Soothed by the calming sound, he looked down to where Malon was feeding the cuccoos. It was a simple tune that she was singing, but it carried so strongly and seemed to excite the animals as she worked. Link had never heard such an enchanting melody since Marin's Ballad of the Wind Fish, though he had already realized that her song was also something created by the Wind Fish itself.

Laying his head on the windowsill as the sun warmed his skin, Link closed his eyes and allowed the music to fill the atmosphere around him. Allowing only his aural and tactile senses to be stimulated, he relaxed and felt a calming sensation wash over his body and mind. Picturing the island in his head, he could see and sense Mabe Village, filled with happy people and Marin singing by the statue. Perhaps it wasn't real, but he wanted to stay in this peaceful moment for as long as he could. However, the visions slowly began to fade until only Marin stood before him, her song, or rather Malon's song, no longer filling his ears. Smiling her sweet smile at him, she closed her eyes and took deep breath.

"Sweet dreams, Link."

And before he had a chance to determine whether the voice was real or not, Link's consciousness slipped, leaving his slumbering body to rest on the windowsill in the light of the afternoon sun.

It felt longer while I was writing it than it actually turned out being, though I'm not upset with the length. Now that the story has begun, I think I'll be able to start writing chapters that are about this length and longer on a regular basis. Besides, the only way to truly build character relations are through chapters of a decent length, and there needs to be a whole lot of buildup if Link and Malon are going to get anywhere. Of course, his love for Marin needs to dwindle a bit for that to happen, but it's still early in the story.

So, other than one key character that won't show up until much later on, this is basically the main cast of the entire story. Unless I suddenly get inspiration to add someone else in as an important character that will help further the plot, anyone who hasn't appeared yet will probably just be a side character. Even that key character is more or less a side character, but their role is important later on. For now, don't even worry about them, though.

Thanks to Arison Nakaru, MadSkillz, and 9tailsfox2 for reviewing! I forgot to mention, and don't take this in a negative way, but I tend only to respond to long-ish reviews most of the time. It's easy enough for me to send out a PM to everyone who reviews that just says "Thanks!" if you leave a one or two line review, but it would seem redundant if I don't actually have anything to say in response. While I am perfectly content with receiving reviews of any sort and will thank everyone in the A/N, I want to make sure everyone knows my responding process so that they don't feel ignored or neglected.

Anyway, thanks for reading and please review!

-GengaJupite