"The Ocarina Lesson"
By Indigo Lafayette
Author's Note:
This is a quick little story I wrote based on a picture I saw, drawn by the infinitely talented Yachio Underwood, and of the same name as this short. The picture features Link and Saria in the midst of an ocarina lesson, but Saria has dissolved into giggles as a rather flustered-looking Link tries to grasp the complexities of mastering the little instrument. At any rate, this is my elaboration of the picture. Hope all you Saria fans out there enjoy. ^_^Oh, I almost forgot.....visit Yachio's site (and see the inspiration for this fic) at
http://members.tripod.com/Raikochan/One last thing...I borrowed the names of the other Kokiri from Post Rapture's series of stories. If there's anyone out there that has an affinity for Kokiri, it's him. Be sure to check out his stuff later on.
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...And though nobody knew his name
They all recognized the potential he possessed.
~Barenaked Ladies, "Sell Sell Sell"
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The Sacred Forest Meadow, deep within the secluded protection of the Lost Woods, echoed with the joyous tones and stirring harmonies of an ocarina. The small, delicate faes and sprites that were ever-present in the tranquil air of the woods danced in large chains, swirling and bobbing in time to the quick tempo of the song. To the accustomed ear, you could hear the tiniest voices, like the hushed tinkle of miniscule silver bells, laughing and singing in joyous rhapsody.
After a few choruses of the melody, it suddenly stopped for the briefest of pauses, then started up, tentative at first, but gradually increasing in confidence. It continued on as it had for a few beats, then the dissonant squeal of a botched note cut the melody short. At the jangle of that note, the chains of faes exploded into separate beings again, the sonic vibrations disrupting their rapturous conga line. As they flew off to hide for the moment, an explosion of barely contained giggles flew about the meadow, followed by a shout of indignant frustration that formed a single name.
"SARIAAAAA!!!" The source of the shout, a small, blond-haired Kokiri boy with wide blue eyes, looked at his companion, an equally small green-haired girl, disgusted at her display of mirth, which was at his expense. The boy wore the standard Kokiri garments: a green tunic, belted at the waist, and soft brown leather boots. His green-headed friend wore a long-sleeved, forest green shirt, a green vest with matching shorts, and green leather boots. Her hair was held back by a deep green hairband. At present, she clutched her sides, shaking with bright, shimmering laughter.
"O-oh, Link, I-I'm sorry...BWA HAHA!!!" Saria managed to gasp out before collapsing back into hysterics. "I can't help it!"
Link glowered, clutching the reason for his discontent, a small, wooden ocarina, in his small hands. An angry flush was spreading itself up his face, to the tips of his pointed ears. "That's not the point! You said you wouldn't laugh this time!" He pooched out his lower lip, pouting. Saria was teaching him, as she did many other young Kokiri, how to play the ocarina effectively. Ocarina music was a pillar of Kokiri culture, and every one of the ever-young children could play. So far, Saria and Link were into their fifth hour of practice that day. Link was an incredibly fast learner, but he put himself down whenever he made the smallest error.
Saria took a moment to collect herself, managing to bring herself to a snickering, chuckling halt. "I know...I'm sorry. You did really well this time! You actually made it past the tough part at the end of the phrase today." Saria smiled. "Three days ago you couldn't play three notes in a row without banjaxing one of them."
Link sighed. "I know....but you make it look so easy! It's not fair, not one bit."
"Hey, I've also been playing a heck of a lot longer than you have." Saria put a hand on Link's arm. "Listen, you have a huge amount of potential. It takes everyone a different stretch of time to learn the ocarina. You're picking it up much faster than anyone else."
"Really?" Link's anger faded, his usual curiosity and optimism returning.
"Yep." Saria chuckled. "You wanna know something silly?"
"Sure!"
"It took Dore about a fortnight to even get as far as you have in the past three days." Saria smiled. "He's so impatient. However, my point is that people learn at different paces."
Link snickered. "Dore? Naaah....he's not impatient." He rolled his eyes. Saria chuckled as she took the ocarina back from her friend's hand. Link sighed, preparing himself for yet another performance. As he watched her play, he tried to memorize the exact way she placed her fingers on the holes in the ocarina's smooth surface. In her ultra-dexterous hands, the little instrument seemed to become an extension of her being, doing exactly what she wished, when she wished it. When he picked up the same instrument, it became an unruly, petulant creature, refusing even the slightest command Link gave it.
After Saria completed her turn of the song, she handed the ocarina back to her student. "Ok...try it again." She smiled reassuringly, then sat back to listen to him play. Link raised her ocarina to his lips, shut his eyes, and began to play again. He got a few bars farther than he had the first time, swaying in time to the music, and he thought he just might make it.........
SQUUUUEEEEEEEE!
The ocarina blared out a jangling wheeze of a wrong note, startling Link into dropping it, and sending Saria into yet another paroxysm of laughter. Link shook his head, then glowered, even darker than before, at Saria. Then, a small mischievous grin came over his face. He jumped to his feet, grinned when Saria looked up at him curiously, then snatched her hairband off her head.
"Hey! Link, give that back!!" Saria cried out, jumping to her feet as well. She made a grab for the pilfered hairpiece, but Link merely dangled it before her, using what small height he had on her to his fullest advantage.
"Uh-uh…you're gonna have to catch me first!" With that, Link darted off, quicker than a squirrel with its tail on fire, toward the massive staircase that led to the meadow maze.
Saria's blue eyes narrowed. "Grrr….YOU GIVE THAT BACK RIGHT THIS INSTANT, LINK!!" She ran after him, her small legs pumping as fast as they could, carrying their owner after the blond-haired thief.
Link looked back and grinned, running full speed down the staircase. Small sprites that didn't sense the speeding boy found themselves spun violently off to the side as they were caught in his wake. He flew down the straight-away in between the staircases, running down the second set of stairs just as fast. He heard Saria coming up fast behind him, and he swerved to dodge her snatch at the hairband.....And caught the wall of the staircase. He smacked into the mossy wall face-first, coming to a complete stop, then sliding down to the ground. As his vision straightened itself out, Saria reached down and plucked her hairband from his hand.
"Humph....Serves you right!" She told him, sliding the band back into her hair, then smoothing the emerald strands back into their accustomed position. "I swear, Link, you're more unpredictable than a mad Deku scrub!"
"Hehe...and just as quick!" Link replied, sitting up, shaking his head to clear the shock from it. Retrieving his hat from the ground, he shoved it back onto his head, he added, "Besides, Saria, we needed a break."
Saria smirked. "I guess you're right." She helped him to his feet. "C'mon....go try it again, one last time, then we'll head home."
"Alright.....but don't laugh this time, or next time I won't purposely crash into the wall so you can catch me!" Link chuckled and ducked a swing from the emerald-haired Kokiri. They headed back up to the meadow at the base of the Forest Temple, sitting back in the grass, where the ocarina lay amongst the sweet-smelling grass. Saria shooed the sprites that sat on the instrument, then handed it back to Link. He took it, cracked his knuckles, then raised it to his lips again. He shut his eyes, and began to play Saria's song again.
Saria blinked at this attempt; This time Link played as she had, and the faes and sprites returned to their rollicking dance to the tune of her song. Shutting her eyes, she hummed the harmony to the tune, feeling the energies of the meadow respond to Link's playing. She smiled, proud of her best friend; He'd finally figured out how to play.
After he finished, he looked down at the ocarina, a look of amazement on his face. "I did it!" he breathed, a big grin on his face. He looked at Saria, his eyes twinkling. "I did it! I can play now!"
Saria giggled. "Great! I knew you could do it!" She got to her feet, dusting off her shorts, a wide smile on her face. "C'mon; Let's go on back home. Tomorrow, we'll come back and I'll teach you a couple more songs."
Link got to his feet, handing Saria the ocarina. He chuckled, "Hey who knows, maybe I'll be teaching you stuff tomorrow!"
"I doubt it." She stuffed the ocarina into her vest pocket, then took off running. "LAST ONE TO THE VILLAGE IS A DEKU SCRUB!!" she yelled back, her laugh echoing in the still of the forest.
"Hey! Saria! Wait for me!!!" Link shouted, then took off after his friend. There was no way he'd be made a Deku Scrub....not today!
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Well, I hope you enjoyed. Feedback is welcome and appreciated. J
God Bless