Disclaimer: I own lint. Not much else. Not even a set of checkers. Isn't that sad? Oh, and I also don't own the song My Girl. The Temptations do, so go sue them instead of me.

Sunshine on a Cloudy Day
By Megumi, the Absconding One

It was a dark and stormy night. Much too dark and stormy to be running around Hyrule adventuring. So Link was having a bit of R&R at Lon Lon Ranch, just until the storm cleared up.

"Thanks again, Malon," he said gratefully, helping the ranch girl clear the dinner dishes.

"No problem," Malon said. "It's nice to have the company, what with dad off delivering milk to Castle Town."

When the dishes were done, Link and Malon sat down at the table.

"What do you want to do?" Malon asked.

"I dunno," answered Link. "What do you want to do?"

Navi, who had been napping under his hat, popped out.

"Why don't you play cards?" asked the fairy. She was really hoping that they'd play cards. Whenever Link and Malon played cards, Link always wound up losing miserably to the farm girl, and the forfeits were always entertaining.

Unfortunately for Navi, Link had gotten wise to Malon's skill at cards. He was still smarting from the last time she'd beaten him. She'd made him muck out the stables as payment for the thirteen games of Go Fish he'd lost to her. No way was he going through that again.

"No way. We are not playing cards!"

"Aww..." Malon pouted. She liked to watch Link lose almost as much as Navi did. "What else are we gonna do?"

"Er, well..." Link looked around the room. He let out a triumphant whoop as his eyes fell upon an old box sitting in the corner. He ran over and pulled it out, brushing the dust off with a corner of his tunic.

CHECKERS, read the box.

"We can play this," said Link. Inside, he was grinning. Malon would never guess that he'd been the Kokiri Village checkers champ!

"Ok," said the girl, in an uninterested tone. Inside, Malon was grinning. Too bad for Fairy Boy, he'd never guess that she'd won the Castle Town Checkers Championship three years running.

Navi was grinning, but she didn't have to hide it. This was gonna be interesting.

~*~*~*~*~

"Ha! I win again!" Malon crowed, and Link groaned. This was the fifteenth time in the last half hour the girl had beaten him at checkers!

"Geeze, Link," said Navi. "No offense, but you suck at this game."

"Got that right!" Malon sang, doing a little victory dance around the table.

"Aw, man." Link dropped his head against the table. "What do you want this time, Malon?"

Malon paused, thinking. Her side of the table was already covered with her winnings (three Deku sticks, forty-seven Rupees, fifteen Deku nut, a bottle, a red potion, and a rubber chicken named Fred) and Link's bottomless pouch was nearly empty. What could she ask for now? His hat? No, that would be mean. And besides, Navi would get mad at her for taking away her favorite napping place. Hmm... This was a tough decision.

There was a loud booming noise, rather like a cannon being fired. Link got up and ran over to the door, opening it just as Talon was about to knock again. This resulted in Talon falling face first into the house, bringing with him a good deal of rain and wind.

"Oofh," said Talon, trying to get to his feet. Due to the heavy rain gear he wore, he wasn't doing very well. "Er, um... Link, my boy, would you lend me a hand?"

As Link attempted to pull Talon up, something caught Malon's eye. It was an advertisement from the Kakariko Post that had been blown in with the wind.

KAKARIKO VILLAGE FESTIVAL!
featuring food, fun and a TALENT SHOW, for all ages.
Also, special guests the Indigo-Go's

"A talent show," said Malon, thoughtfully. "Hmm..." The more she thought about it, the more she liked it. Behind her, Link was struggling with her father. He'd almost gotten Talon to his feet when Malon announced, "I've got it!"

Her proclamation was greeted with a loud crash, as Link let go of Talon in surprise. Navi burst out laughing as her charge tried to wiggle his way out from beneath the rancher.

"Got what?" Talon asked, confused and not seeming to notice the boy pinned beneath him. Link was rapidly turning blue.

"What I want from Link as payment," Malon said. She walked over and hauled her father to his feet. "You've got to sing a love song at the Kakariko Village Festival, allright?"

"...You're joking, right?" Link asked. His voice cracked on the word 'right', making him sound like a scared mouse.

"Nope."

"You're crazy!"

"It's possible. But that's what I want you to do."

"No way!"

"C'mon, fairy-boy," Malon said. "You lost, fair and square. Don't tell me you're gonna back down..."

Link, sensing that he was fighting a losing battle, glanced at Navi for support. The fairy was still laughing at him, causing him to decide that he wasn't going to get any help from her. Not that he ever got any help from her, growl mumble bicker... "But Malon, they'll kill you!"

"Who?"

"The fangirls! They're everywhere, and they all think that I love them, and if I sing a love song for you, they'll be out for your blood!"

"Yeah, sure," Malon scoffed.

"I'm serious!"

"Seriously crazy, you mean," giggled Navi.

"Malon, I just don't want you to get hurt!"

"..." Malon paused. He seemed really serious about this. But it wasn't as though she had anything to worry about, right? After all, the rest of the girls who liked Link barely had half a brain between them. They didn't deserve him! She was the only one who did.

"You're the crazy one, fairy boy." Malon said finally. "Are you in or what?"

The Hero of Time sighed, and muttered, "Yeah, yeah, I'm in," sealing his doom.

Outside, the thunder cracked and boomed ominously. Above him, Malon grinned triumphantly. Link sighed. He just knew he was gonna regret this....

~*~*~*~*~

"Why me?" Link implored the cloudless sky. It was the day of the festival, and he was really regretting this. He could hear Navi's tinkling laughter coming from inside his hat.

Nervously, Link tiptoed over to the curtain and glanced through at the audience. Over the past week, Malon had been running around Hyrule and making sure that every member of Link's fangirl club attended the festival. He guessed that it was because she wanted all of them to hear him sing her a love song. Malon always had been pretty jealous.

Looking out now, Link saw every girl who'd ever tried to get his attention sitting in the stands, most of them holding banners or flags with his name on them. One girl was wearing a shirt with his face silk-screened onto it.

Link sucked in a breath. No, he was not afraid. He was not afraid, and it was not manly to cry and run and scream for mommy.

...Okay, that wasn't working. He was still terrified, both for himself and for Malon. There was no doubt in his mind that the fangirls would be ready to lynch the red-head when this was over. And then they'd want to lynch him, because they were girls, and therefore crazy. What had given them the idea that he was madly in love with them, anyway?

He could back out, he supposed. But then Malon would think he was a wimp. And of all the things in this world that he didn't want, that was defiantly at the top of the list.

"Crap," he muttered, coming to the conclusion that the situation was hopeless. "Crap, crap, crap, crap, crap- Ow!" He rubbed his head as Navi emerged from his hat, holding a bunch of blond hairs that she'd pulled from his scalp.

"Watch your mouth," she scolded. "What's got you so worked up, anyway?"

Wordlessly, Link pointed out at the crowd. Navi looked out, then shrugged. "What? I don't see anything too bad."

"'Too bad?'... Navi, look at all those people!" '

The fairy rolled her eyes. "It's a festival, Link. Lots of people come to festivals."

"Malon's out there! So's Saria! All the fangirls are here, I think... Oh, sweet merciful Din... Ruto's there too!"

The fairy looked at the crowd again. "For some reason, I don't think she's here to see you."

"What makes you so sure?"

"Well, she's holding a flag that says 'I (heart) Mikau'..."

At hearing this, Link brightened visibly.

"...No, no, wait. She's turned it around, and it says 'Marry me, Link' on the other side..."

Link put his head in his hands and groaned. "Crap, crap, crap, crap, crap, crap, crap-"

"You're up next, kid," a man with glasses and a clipboard said, oblivious to his plight.

"Ack!" Allright, that was it. Malon could think he was a wimp, for all he cared. He was getting out of there. No way he could do this!

Link glanced quickly around, trying to find an escape route. There, a door! He could make a run for it, but Navi was blocking his way. Annoying fairy...

"You're not seriously thinking of backing out, are you?" Navi asked in disbelief. "For the love of Nayru, Link. You're Courage! You faced Ganondorf and Majora! This can't be that bad!"

"It is!"

Navi rolled her eyes. She hadn't wanted to do this, but... "If you don't go through with this, Malon's gonna think you're a sissy for the rest of your life. Is that what you want?" There, the big guns. No way could he say no, now.

Link stiffened upon hearing this. Darn. Why did his darn fairy have to know him so darn well? Of all the cards she could have played. Crap, crap crap...

"...No, that's not what I want," he muttered, meekly.

"That's what I thought," said Navi. "Now get out there and show them your stuff."

And so it was that Link found himself on the stage, in front of most of the female population of Hyrule, clearing his throat and trying to remember what song he'd chosen. Malon sat in the front row, grinning wickedly to herself. Saria sat next to her. Ruto sat a few rows behind her, screaming her head off, waving her flag. The legion of fangirls filled the rest of the seats.

"Our next contestant," said the emcee, "is a guy known throughout Hyrule for his dazzling charm, boyishly good looks, and gigantic female fanclub. That's right folks, Heeeeere's Link!"

The girls screamed.

"I've been informed that he's here to sing the one he truly loves a song of devotion. Is that right?"

"Er..." said Link. He wanted to move a little, but his knees were refusing to corporate. "Um..."

"I LOVE YOU, LINK!" Ruto shrieked.

Sheik rolled his eyes, reached over and pinched Ruto on one of her gills. She was promptly knocked unconscious. Link gave him a grateful look.

"C'mon, fairy boy!" Malon called.

"You can do it, Link," Saria called, helpfully. "I know you'll sing me a great song!

"Get on with it!" Zelda yelled. "I've got a manicure in twenty minutes!"

Link tried, but he couldn't for the life of him remember what song he'd chosen. Nervously, he looked out over the crowd of girls. Why him?

Suddenly, inspiration struck him like a... sweet merciful Din, what was that thing!

"I LOVE YOU, LINK! MARRY ME!" Ruto, awake again (unfortunately), shrilled. Link had a sinking feeling that the very skimpy piece of clothing that had just landed on the stage belonged to her.

Deep breaths, Link. Remember, it's not manly to run screaming for your mother. Just get it over with, darnit!

He sucked in a breath of air and looked directly at Malon. She was smiling at him, sweetly. That made it a little bit better, he supposed.

Behind him, the band started to play. He was ready. He was ready. He was... singing?

"I've got sunshine," he began, "on a cloudy day.
And when it's cold outside, I've got the month of May.
I guess you'd say, what can make me feel this way?
My girl."

Mikau the Zora had heard the emcee's introduction of Link from his dressing room. Remembering all the good turns Link had done him, he grabbed Japas and dragged him up onto the stage behind Link. The two began to sing backup for the Hero.

"My girl, my girl, my girl!" They crooned.

"I've got so much honey," Link continued, "the bees all envy me.
I've got a sweeter song than the birds in the trees.
I guess you'd say, what can make me feel this way?
"My girl."

"My girl, my girl!"

"Talking 'bout my girl." Link kept his gaze on Malon throughout the song. He loved it when her eyes got all shiny like that. Around her, the fangirls were all screaming, but he'd long since gotten used to that.

"Hey hey hey," Mikau and Japas got jiggy with it. Backup dancing was fun! "Ooooooooooooo!"

"I don't need no money, fortune or fame.
I've got all the riches that one man can claim.
I guess you'd say, what can make me feel this way?
My girl. Talkin' bout my girl."

"My girl! Ooo, ooo, ooo, yeah, she's my girl, ooo ooo, yeah yeah."

"I've got sunshine," Link sang, still staring at Malon. "On a cloudy day.
And when it's cold outside, I've even got the month of May.
With my girl."

At long last, the song was over. The audience seemed torn between screaming and bawling, so overcome were they with emotion.

"That was for you, Malon," said Link. "'Cos... Well, you'll always be my girl."

Malon rolled her eyes at the corniness of it all, but she was still smiling. He'd done it! He'd really done it! Now the world would know that she was his girl, and no one else's.

"Woah! That was like, totally awesome, dude!" Mikau said. Japas nodded his agreement. Link smiled thankfully, then jumped neatly off the stage. Malon greeted him on the ground.

"Ooph," he grunted, as the red-head tackled him with a hug.

"Thank you, fairy-boy," she said.

Navi floated a few feet above their heads, congratulating herself on a job well done. She could hear wedding bells ringing already. Or maybe that was just the ringing in her ears from when Mikau had accidentally hit her during one of his more energetic dance moves. Well, either way it was sweet.

The sun was just beginning to dip below the horizon, creating a perfect ending to what had been a perfect day. Well, almost perfect, anyway.

"I STILL LOVE YOU, LINK!" Yelled... Oh, I think you can figure it out. You're smart people. Sheik pinched her again, and she fell limp to the ground.

And then, they all lived happily ever after.

~*~*~*~*~

...I had way too much fun writing this. Probably a lot more fun then anyone reading it is gonna have. Oh well. I blame this ficlet on a) Andy. You know who you are. If it wasn't for you, I never would have picked this song. And b) Dark Cloud. Yes, the game. I'm in the middle of it now, I'm hooked, and I'm amazed that I was able to tear myself away from my PS2 for as long as it took me to write this fic. I get my best writing done when playing video games, I think.

Meh. Frolick with the bunnies. I do.

Peace, love, and all that jazz,
Meg.