Legend Of Zelda Fan Fiction ❯ The Return ❯ The Return ( Chapter 1 )

The Return

 

 

The Trouble Begins Again

 

 

 

 

Link stood awkwardly at the entrance to the Kokiri forest where his house stood. It had been so long since he was last there; he would probably be bombarded with all sorts of questions. Where he had been, how had he survived, what was life like outside the forest, the usual stuff. He had his gilded sword on him, along with his mirror shield. He had all of his masks and items also, rather than selling them as Tatl suggested. His gilded sword gleamed in the sunlight as he looked at it.

 

It really was an amazing blade, worked to such a fine edge with such strength that was unknown before. The mirror shield itself was a wonderful item too. Reflective for all light and magic, yet strong enough to deflect even the toughest blow. Yet his biggest love was his fierce deity's mask he kept nearby. It gave him his adult link form and his strongest weapon yet, while being more powerful than Majora's mask, yet it doesn't have control like that over him, not without lack of trying.

 

Epona trotted softly beside him; he would have to return her to the Lon Lon Ranch near by the castle town soon, after all he was sure Epona missed her old home. He spotted Mido outside of the hollowed out tree that served as the gate to the forest's village of Kokiri. “Hey Mido.” Link said lazily, trying to walk past the now smaller boy, it had been some years since he left, Link was now fifteen, and much taller than the `great Mido'.

 

“Who are you?” he asked, stepping in the way of Link.

 

“Oh right. Its me, Link.” He said to his old bully.

 

“Link? You've been gone for years…” Mido said looking at the blonde boy with the horse suspiciously.

 

“Can I get through to my house?” he asked plainly, obvious disdain for his return trip home to be routed by the one person he didn't want it to.

 

“No. I need proof you're link.”

 

Something snapped in Link, he was tired, and hungry, and he wanted to sleep in nice soft bed, and hang out with friends again, but here this runt was blocking his path. He picked Mido up by the collar of his shirt, lifting him a good ten inches up off the ground, so they looked eye-to-eye. “Listen to me the `great Mido”, I have been traveling for years, filled with self-doubt, pain and hunger. Lack of sleep and loneliness, filled my nights, now get out the way you son of a whore or I will make you move.” He told him snarling, using language most Kokori's didn't know, but something he picked up from a bar fight a while back.

 

“You're Link alright…” he gulped and nervously mentioned, stepping out of the way of the blonde boy, who switched his green clothes for something he had found to fit him, when his clothes had become too small. It was something similar to the fierce deity's tunic, very light colored, but with a blue cut across, making his left shoulder down to his right hip, dark blue. He had his ear pierced, liking the look he had seen himself as an adult, and it dangled closely to his lobe. “By the way, there is a strange red-haired girl in your house who says she knows you.”

 

“A strange red-haired girl…” he muttered to himself, walking along the path, until he reached his old tree house. He let Epona go graze while he began to climb up the ladder, and then he heard footsteps coming. He looked up to see a slightly familiar face, the ranch girl he often visited in his first adventure here in Hyrule. She is almost as pretty as the first time we kissed… he thought to himself, of the best moment of his life that Malon will never remember. She's only your friend now; you learned your lesson Link. She had grown since he last saw her though; her cheeks were now fairer, very feminine, and still pale, even after all the work she did in the sun on her ranch, no longer had she any baby fat, but she had blossomed quite nicely to a beautiful young woman. Then, after Link's awing in mid air on the ladder, Malon tackled him.

 

“FAIRY BOY!” she shouted, and hugged him. Link gulped down something in his throat, as they landed on the ground, on his butt.

 

“The name is Link.” he told her, moving her to arms length, so she didn't crush his ribs, but then he noticed she was straddling him, and blushed when he noticed. Malon did the same and got off quickly, putting out her hand to the blue-eyed boy. “May I ask why you are here?” he asked her, brushing himself off, and looking at his old friend he knew from years ago.

 

“You hadn't visited me in years, so I came to visit you, but I kind of got lost in the woods for a few days. That weird blonde girl found me in the forest and brought me here.” she mentioned, and began to climb up the ladder, than looked at the dress on her bodice. “You go first.” She said, getting down for him, and Link started climbing first.

 

The two entered the house as some Kokiri came to look at the odd pair, both being older looking than anyone else in that forest. Link dropped the heavy travel pack on the ground in the middle of the room and began to open it. As soon as he did masks and item and rupees began to spill out. He tossed his wallet onto the nightstand by his bed as Malon began to look through his stuff in the middle of the floor. “Nice mask…” she said, picking up the fierce deity's mask, and beginning to put it on her face.

 

Link dove and snatched the mask from Malon. He did not know if that mask would control her like it had tried him. “Don't put on this mask.” He said in between pants. “You can wear any other mask but these five.” He pointed to a zora-like mask, a goron-like mask, a deku-like mask, and an iron mask she wouldn't want to wear anyways.

 

“Why not?” she asked, picking up the great fairy's sword he had in the pile.

 

“They have strange powers. You may find out what they do someday, maybe not.” He told her, locking the five masks in a huge cabinet, where they would not be touched. “It is going to be dark soon, would you like a ride back to the ranch?” he asked her, as she began to lift the great fairy's sword and swing with it, it was too large for him still, so it was much to large for the now shorter girl. It swung awkwardly and dangerously around, until Link stopped it, catching the blade with his palms, before she destroyed something.

 

Feeling embarrassed, she blushed and nodded her thanks at the offer for a ride. Link nodded back and offered her a smile. He jumped off his balcony into a roll, taking the bunny hood with him. Epona nudged his shoulder and he got on her back, and Malon, after climbing down the ladder patted the grown mare's nose. “Remember me girl?” she asked, and was delighted as Epona neighed in joy at their reunion.

 

Malon was helped onto the back of the horse, not really needing it, but liking the contact for some reason. “I might be in trouble when we get back. I was lost in the woods for a few days but this strange blonde girl left me in the village, after I beat up that Mido guy.”

 

“The woods are easy to get lost in.” Link sighed out. He hoped Talon wouldn't scold her; he hated yelling in anger.

 

“What is that smoke?” Malon asked, looking at a very large stack of black smoke, coming from a place below the next hill.

 

“I don't know, lets go check it out.” Link made Epona gallop further, until his hat fell off his head, where Malon, caught it for him. “Thanks.” He told her as she placed the hat on his head.

 

The two reached the edge of the forest over that next hill, where they saw three men burning trees after throwing a strange liquid over their trunks, and the load groans of pain coming from the forest throbbed in Link's ears. “Stop that!” he shouted and he recognized those men, the ones the Kokiri hated. The charcoal makers. They constantly tried to get into the forest, the trees made the best charcoal, bright and hot burning, with little smoke and lasted a lot longer than any other charcoal from any other wood.

 

“Eh. It's jus' a kid fro' tha forest.” One of the men said and started to light another match. Link galloped over, his sword ready, but a deku seed landed upside the head of the man, and Malon held up Link's old slingshot that he couldn't use anymore.

 

“Sorry, you looked like you didn't use it…” she blushed, having realized she forgot to ask about the slingshot, but it was so pretty with its ruby wielded tips, she couldn't resist.

 

“You can keep it, if you help me get this guys away from here.” He told her as he took out his bow and arrows and opted for that instead of hacking away with his sword. “Step away from the trees and this arrow wont have to ventilate your skull.” He warned, he was not in the mood to play games, and these men disgusted him.

 

“That's a little harsh.” Malon whispered to him, loading her new slingshot.

 

“I wanted to relax for a little while.” He whispered back to her. “Not worry about these pigs of men.” The men began to pack up, but left the fire burning. They sneered as they left Link and Malon. Link himself got off the horse and ran with his ocarina in front of the trees and began playing a strong jumpy melody, making clouds form around the trees and rain began to pour down on the flames, making them die out. Then another melody came into play, something calm and soothing, and the trees began to get greener and browner, they became healthy once again.

 

Malon looked questioningly at the glowing ocarina and the blonde boy, putting away her new slingshot. “The song of storms and the song of healing. They work wonders. How I ever got by without them, I will never know.” He muttered to himself, giving a sad glance at the trees that were beyond saving and were smoldering. He put his hand to one of the trees; the leather gauntlet on his hand began to give off a light smoke. “I'm sorry.” He said to the tree and a light breeze came through, blowing through Link's hair. “Thanks.”

 

He trotted back to Malon and the horse. “What was that? Apologizing to the tree?” she giggled out, thinking that was hilarious.

 

“Yes I was, and they forgive me for it.” He said coldly, climbing onto the horse. “The trees have a spirit of their own too. They die too.” He told her.

 

“I am sorry. I didn't know.” She said. “I grew up on a farm, I know what animals like, not trees.” She said quietly to him.

 

“I shouldn't have snapped at you like that.” Link apologized and spurred Epona into a slow gallop. “We should be at the ranch soon. I will came see you tomorrow, after I rest up and relax for a bit.”

 

“Alright.” She began to get her usual smile again, as she relaxed with the sounds of the hooves clomping on the ground and Link breathing in front of her. Malon looked around, the field was still the same physically, sure there was an extra lookout attached to the castle town, incase of emergency messages, after one of the Zora messengers almost got killed by a pack of ravenous wolfos.

 

She began to look beyond the scenery, into her own thoughts; Hyrule had changed since he left, four years ago. The fields were rampant with wolves at night, and stalchildren ran until dawn. Ingo had tried taking over the ranch almost as soon as Link left, but princess Zelda intervened, almost as if she was watching Malon, she began to up the payment the Lon Lon Ranch was receiving, and issued the land as private property in the name of Talon, instead of public. But even with the move to private property, it remained open to everyone who wanted to buy, sell, or even just hangout for a while with the animals. After all, Talon was a pretty personable guy.

 

Still, they had their horrible hardships; the Gerudos had taken her cousin one summer, they were still hoping to get him back. He was attractive, she knew from all the girls who came by to see him all the time while he was working with them on the farm. With copper-toned hair and thick muscles and a tan. His eyes held the same youth and strength as fresh earth, and he was tall for his age, at sixteen being six foot, three inches. The Gerudos weren't going to kill him, heavens no; he had some good genetics in him that the Gerudos will use, if anything escape would be like torture to him for the rest of his life, after all the fun he was sure to be having.

 

Her mother's nephew, goddess, she missed her mother; she was very young when her mother died, but it stuck in her mind. That terrible fire in Kakariko that stole her mother's life and caused her father to move out into the field and build a fortress-like ranch to keep his only daughter safe.

 

“We're here.” Link said, patting Epona's neck as the steed breathed deeply from its gallop. His words brought Malon out of her musings of the past.

 

“Ok.” She flatly stated, feeling deflated at the past angers and problems they had.

 

“You alright?” he asked, putting a hand on her arm as they got off the horse.

 

“Yes. I am fine, just…thinking.” She began to walk up the slope. “Bye Link. I will see you-” she turned to see Link climbing up with her, the horse in tow.

 

“Epona would like some rest back at the ranch. You should take care of her for now, but I won her in a bet, so I will come to get her back.” He told her, gently leading the horse.

 

“In a bet?” she asked, obviously not remembering the race with Ingo when Gannon still had rule of the land two years from now, before he was sealed.

 

“Yes.” He said, smiling, not going to tell her anything more. “Race you to the horse pen?” he offered and she grinned, taking off suddenly, as fast as her legs could carry.

 

Link slipped on his bunny hood, which barely fit on his now, and burst out, giving Epona a run for her money too, the horse made first place to the pen, to be expected, interacting with the other horses after so long, and Link made second, leaning against the gate.

 

“Wow…you got…fast” Malon said panting a little.

 

“It's the hood, it has a special power to it.” He told her, taking the bunny ears off his head. “I should be going now. I have some much-needed sleep to catch up on. I'll be fine on my own.” He waved his goodbye with a smile and slowly walked out of the ranch, backwards to get a good view of his farm girl friend for as long as he could.

 

He replaced the hood and darted across the field at the speed of a small mare, passing early wolves and grasses with ease. He entered the forest, weaving his way across the path until he spotted Mido keeping guard again, where Link jumped over him with ease.

 

He grinned at the yelling form behind him, and made his way to his tree house, quickly climbing the ladder and opening the door he had made before he left for Termina. He found his cabinet and items still safe. He relaxed and placed his hood on a rack by the door, for later use, along with his sword and shield, fierce deity's mask, and wallet. He closed the lock on the door so no one could get in, and placed the boards over the windows, fitting into the slots easily but impossible to enter from the outside. After the ordeal with Gannon, he began to think of personal safety a lot more.

 

Finally he flopped down on his bed, and looked at the ladder in his ceiling. The Great Deku Tree had blessed his home; it was a growing tree in itself, with a balcony higher up and a ladder leading up to that balcony. He though of the Great Deku Tree, and missed him dearly, but the seedling had sprouted and tomorrow he would go visit before he left for the Lon Lon Ranch. “Home sweet home.” He muttered happily as he looked around, everything was in place and decorated nicely, and it was expanding with him, to accommodate his growth.

 

His left hand began to glow as the triforce reacted to something, had been reacting to something nearby. He began to walk around the room, after taking off his gloves and boots to feel more at home. Soon the glowing grew stronger as he neared the rack for his most commonly used items, which was conveniently located by the door. The fierce deity's mask began to glow too, along with his sword. He lifted his sword, not wanting to touch the mask in such a unique state.

 

The mask, propped up by the wall, opened its mouth and began to speak in a low guttural voice, but still, Link wasn't afraid of that voice. “Link. I am the embodiment of the strongest warriors to ever walk this planet, you have surpassed them all and tamed the power in this mask, but you must improve. You will come of age soon, and then you need to be ready for the greatest trial, the greatest test ever invented. A true warrior is well versed and at least mediocre in all areas of combat.” The mask told him, the eyes staring at Link's blue orbs.

 

“I don't want to be a warrior! I want to relax for the rest of my life.” Link protested, feeling his sword pulse with disagreement.

 

“Yet you still hold your sword and shield, all your items and money, even though you know in such a peaceful village as this, all of that is useless. You are a warrior thick and thin, true to the end. And your life will get easier, after one last trial for you to face, then you can settle down, as long as you can keep the peace.” The mask offered him, and Link seemed slightly less angered, but still not happy. “This task is something you must do through, and do train in all forms of combat, you will never know what the test is.” After that his hand stopped glowing, the mask settled down and fell over, and sword finished throbbing for battle. Link sighed with regret. “So much for relaxing, but hey my birthday, that the Deku Tree told me, isn't for half a year!”

 

He lied down back on his bed and smiled as sleep began to roll over him. Soon blackness edged his vision and he fell into a deep and comfortable, dreamless sleep. He slept for a few hours before a loud knocking came from his door, and then a sob in the form of his name came out. “LINK!” it shouted at him and he jumped up, moving swiftly to the door, unbarring it, grabbing his ocarina and sword and shield. He opened he door swiftly, to see a sobbing Malon, with a slumped form of Talon over her shoulder.

 

“MIDO!” Link screamed into the night, and got the attention of the very Kokiri doing patrols, just coming from the Deku Tree gravesite, Mido looked up at Link and the two other forms.

 

“What?” he yelled. “These two bothering you?” he yelled up and the whole village was up.

 

“Get some deku leaves, and the twins, over to my house now! Severe burns and cuts!” Link shouted, taking Talon's slumped form, how Malon got the heavy man up to his balcony was beyond Link, moving him to his bed. Mido ran off, going to the twins' house and telling them to get over to Link's house with their deku leaves supply, while he went to the storehouse.

 

The twins rushed over and told the sobbing Malon and the confused Link to go somewhere else, it was too cramped and there was really nothing the two could do. Link Led Malon up to his second balcony and watched her sob quietly over the edge of the railing that had been grown out naturally. “Want to tell me what happened?” Link asked, leaning next to her, unsure of what to do.

 

She shook her head.

 

“Alright, I will be here for when you want to talk.” He told her, putting a hand on her arm, and Malon turned to him, latching her arms around his chest pulling him close as she sobbed into his tunic. Link began to pat her back and make shushing noises to calm her.

 

“It's the charcoal makers from earlier, they came back for revenge on me.” She sobbed out finally, clutching him ever tighter. “I never should have hit that guy with the slingshot. I should have let you handle it!” she wailed and Link held her closer to him, feeling that she needed this reassurance.