Shortly after, they were all sitting inside the ranch house, Taro back to his normal self.
"I still can't believe it..." he whispered. "At last... free from that mind control."
He then glared over to where Ingo was sitting, back in his usual farming attire. "That still doesn't mean I'm gonna forgive you that easily, you hear me?"
The mustached man slumped in his chair and hid his face within his hands. "I'm sorry..." he said again and again. "I'm so sorry... if I ever could undo it..."
"Hey, I don't think that's quite fair, Taro," Ukyo intervened. "Sure, he has done a few stupid things... but you gotta remember that he was a victim of that cursed bracelet as well."
"No, he's right," Ingo sighed. "He's right... I should have never accepted Ganondorf's offer." He shook his head. "I was greedy. And envious. I always thought that Talon, well... That he didn't deserve to be the owner of such a nice farm, considering how rarely he stood up from his naps. Still, without the influence of that bracelet, I would have never..." He sighed.
"Well, it's true that Daddy can be a little... slack sometimes," Malon agreed. "I suppose I have to talk to him, once he returns." She smiled. "I still can't believe it... Daddy will return." She turned to Ukyo, Link and their fairies and bowed. "Thank you! Thank you so much for what you did! How can I ever repay you?"
"Aw, it's nothing," Link replied bashfully. "As long as we may return here every once in a while when we need a place to stay."
Suddenly, his tummy started rumbling. He chuckled. "Um, and a nice meal would be nice as well."
Malon giggled. "Of course, I'll get right to it. How does an omelette sound? Made of real LonLon Eggs?"
Tatl grinned and rubbed her tummy. "Sounds good! I'm so hungry, I could eat a whole cow."
"Um, don't look at me, please," Taro chuckled. They all had to laugh at that.
"Hey, lemme help you. I'm pretty good with cooking," Ukyo said when Malon stood up.
Malon smiled. "Sure. And tonight, you can stay here on the ranch. I won't let you sleep out there, where the Stalchildren and Poes might get you."
----
Early in the morning, Link woke up. He yawned as the warm rays of the sun shone into the barn. Malon had offered them to sleep in the house, but Link, being a gentleman, left the two beds for the girls and decided to spend the night in the hay, as Taro did.
The sound of clopping hooves made him turn his head. He snickered when Epona came up behind him and touched him with her muzzle.
"Hey there girl, how're you doing? What, you hungry?"
The mare nickered affirmatively and sniffed at his pocket. He laughed and pulled out a few Deku Nuts. "Here, have some! When you don't need them to stun some monsters, they're actually quite tasty."
Epona seemed to agree, as she greedily slurped up the small nuts with her slobbering tongue and made Link's hand all wet."
"Well, looks like the two of you are getting along quite well," a pleasant voice came from the entrance.
Link stood up to face his hostess. "Well, you could say I always liked animals. I mean, I spent most of my life in the forest, remember? Wouldn't do any good not to like animals when you're surrounded by them."
"I guess so," Malon smiled.
Link looked around the barn. "Hey, where are Taro and Ingo?"
"Oh, they are up already, they're used to it. When you work on the farm, you have to get up early to take care of the animals. Besides, I believe the two of them wanted to try and start anew with their 'relationship'. Taro thought that he might forgive Ingo if he spent some time with him working, seeing that he really was serious when he apologized."
"Good idea," Link said. "So, and what are you up to?"
She came closer to him and tipped his nose slightly with her finger. "I already told you, silly! On a farm, I have to get up early. I'm here to feed the animals. I would have come earlier, but I didn't want to wake you up."
"Oh, how considerate of you!" Link said in a mocking tone of voice. "You could have fed the animals while I was asleep, you know? I have a very deep sleep."
"I already figured as much," she grinned. "I could hear your snoring over in the main house. Still, I thought it would best to let you wake up by yourself. I mean, what if I accidentally put YOU into the cow's through? You have been sleeping in the middle of their food, after all."
"Oh, now I am supposed to be grateful, all of a sudden?"
She smirked. "Maybe."
They both had to laugh afterwards. Epona shook her head as she trotted over to her own morning meal of hay. Humans... she would never understand them.
Later, Link and Malon were sitting on the fence that surrounded the horse pasture and watched Epona and the other horses running around.
Malon shuffled around nervously and fidgeted with her thumbs. "Y-you know..." she finally said in a quiet voice. "I like you very much, Link..."
"So?" Link asked as he watched Epona galloping by.
"Y-yeah..." She blushed. "And I was wondering if you, um... if you felt the same way."
He blinked. Then he nodded and said: "Yeah, sure! Of course I do!"
"R-really?" she asked hopefully. "You really mean it?"
"Of course! I mean, you're a nice girl, you're cute and you're good with animals. What's not to like?"
Malon hid her face in her hands, to hide her intense blush from her childhood crush's view.
'Oh Farore help me, he said yes...' she thought. 'Oh my... what do I do now?'
Link looked at the redhead in confusion. Why was she acting so weird? All he did was saying that he liked having her as a friend.
"Um, and would you consider, uh... staying with me at the farm?" she asked in a squeaky voice.
"Huh?"
"I mean, not right now! Um, perhaps later... when you finished with your travels. You told me you had to help someone in the forest, and a few other guys as well, but... If you are finished, would you come back to me?"
Link smiled. "Sure, why not?" Hey, he always liked to visit friends. And Malon was a great cook, almost as good as Ukyo.
"Oh Link!" the ranch girl cried in joy as she hugged him. "I'm so happy!"
"Um, good to see you are," Link replied, still a bit confused. She was acting weird. He shrugged. Girls... Go figure!
Well, but she was cute, so that was okay.
"Hey, you guys are coming or what?" Ukyo shouted from the main house. "Breakfast is ready!"
----
Later, after breakfast, Link and Ukyo decided it was time to leave. Malon insisted they should take along Epona, as she figured that travelling across the plains of Hyrule would be much faster on horseback.
"Besides, I don't think I would've been able to keep her away from her," she giggled as Epona once again sniffed at Link's pocket, searching for Deku Nuts. "She seems to have taken a liking to you."
"Yeah, seems so," Link chuckled. "Thanks for everything, Malon! We'll be back, I promise!"
"I know you will," she gushed, her eyes sparkling with excitement. She was a little sad to see her love leave already, but the excitement of waiting for his return made it worthwhile.
"And you two, be nice to each other," Tatl scolded Taro and Ingo. The two men grinned at her, then at each other.
"Leave already, ya silly firefly!" Taro laughed. "And don't worry, guys... we'll make sure neither Ganondorf nor any of his flunkies will set their feet on this ranch ever again."
"Good to hear it, sugar!" Ukyo said. "Well, have to go now. We can't let our friends back in the woods keep waiting."
And after Link and Ukyo had mounted the chestnut brown mare - Ukyo sitting behind her friend - they waved a last time and then rode away.
"Good luck on your adventure!" Malon shouted after them. "And may Nayru protect you!"
While both Link and Ukyo were grateful to hear those words, they were particularly meant for the male half of the duo.
'Please, Link, come back safely...' Malon pleaded silently.
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(Posted Sat, 07 Apr 2007 11:02)
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