AN: Kind of a retelling of Ocarina of Time, but I'll get into that later. Before that, there's a little short story. Kinda short and sweet! Expect more chapters soon.

Disclaimer: I don't own Zelda or the storyline or the characters or anything. I'm not making any money out of this. ::sob sob:: I'm not making money period.

Chapter One

The Skullkid and The Mask

...Link...

Among the Kokiri Tribe, a small child by the name of Link sleeps.

He dreams of a dark figure, a dark figure riding a black horse in the distance.

The Dark Man laughs loudly as he approaches the boy and raises his sword.

"Link!? Link, are you okay!?"

"....hunh..."

"Aw, let 'im be! He was having a nightmare again!"

Giggles.

"Shh!" Saria snapped irritably, "I've been having nightmares too, you know!"

Mido raised an eyebrow, "Why?"

Saria paused, unable to meet Mido's eyes. "I don't know..."

Link groaned and threw his sheets off of him and sat up quickly, colliding his head with Mido.

"Arrgh! You freak! Get off of me!" Mido shouted as he pushed Link away in disgust.

Saria frowned, "Link, we heard you shouting something..."

"W-what?" Link opened one eye sleepily, "What happened? Mido? Saria?"

"You were saying something in your sleep, twerp," Mido grunted, "So? Having scary dreams? You gonna talk to the Deku Tree about it again?"

Link felt his cheeks grow red with embarrassment, "No! I-I just...just..."

Mido snorted and stomped out of Link's treehouse, muttering words such as, "Why I even bothered," and "Whining in his sleep again,"

Saria offered a weak smile and rubbed Link's back. "It's okay, you can't let Mido get to you,"

Link gritted his teeth. "I hate him!"

***

"The real reason I came to see you," Saria said as she walked along the path to the Deku Tree with Link by her side, "was because the Deku Tree has summoned us all. It is time for the Fairy Festival, LinK!"

"Fairy Festival?"

"Remember?" Saria smiled as she pressed her nose to Link's, "It's the day when the Great Deku Tree give life to lots of new Fairy Orbs! The whole forest will look beautiful, like it's lit with lanterns!"

Link grinned, "Really? A Fairy Festival?"

Saria nodded, "The Great Deku Tree plans on having a play to be performed in the forest! He summons a meeting today, so we must hurry, we'll be late!"

Saria ran off, calling back to Link, "Catch me if you can!"

Link laughed and playfully chased after Saria on their way to the Deku Tree, where the rest of the Kokiri children were waiting.

***

It is the time when the reddened fruit of the Deku Tree split open. The annual festival of the Kokiri forest which is greatly anticipated is drawing near. Cleaning up all over the forest, practicing the songs and the dances...everyone is busy with preparations.

"So, Great Deku Tree," one of the young Kokiri piped up, "who will play as the princess?"

"Saria!" many of the Kokiri shouted.

The Great Deku Tree laughed heartily, "Ah, yes, Saria, it seems you will play as the princess once again this year,"

Saria blushed and smiled.

"What are you gonna do, Link?" Mido leaned over Link, who was leaning back on his arms, busy looking bored, "It's only natural that she'd be picked for the princess. What are you going to play as?"

"Any part with no lines," Link replied dully. "I really don't like plays. How about you?"

"Can't you already tell? I'm going to be the prince! I am every year, you know!" Mido said proudly.

"And the Prince?" The Great Deku Tree inquired.

"I would like to volunteer my services," Mido said quickly.

"No way! I think Link should be the prince this year!" someone said.

"WHAT?" Link and Mido said at the both time.

"But I'm always the prince! I know how to make the masks the best, too!" Mido said heatedly, "Great Deku Tree, how are we to decide!?"

The Great Deku tree heaved a sigh, "Swing your sword, Mido,"

Mido picked up the nearest walking stick and swung it rather roughly, slamming it hard against the Great Deku Tree's bark.

"And you, Link,"

"I...I can just let Mido,"

"And you, Link," The Great Deku Tree repeated.

Link sighed and picked up another stick and looked from Saria to Mido to the Great Deku Tree. Saria offered a smile, but Mido only snorted. "Go on, twerp, swing already!"

Link took a deep breath, and with a shout, he slammed the stick hard at the Deku Tree, whose leaves shook.

"Whoa! Link all the way!" one of the red headed brothers said.

"Yes, yes!"

"Hear, hear!"

Mido frowned slightly, his eye twitching. "Well..."

"Link!" Saria said, running up to him immediately, "Now that you have a big role, you can make your own mask!"

"Mask?" Link asked, a little confused.

"Cast members are to carve their own mask out of the Great Deku Tree's bark!" Saria said happily, "The mask is very important, as it is a sign of peace and keeps the evil spirits out of the Kokiri forest,"

"Whoa...so...it's that important?"

Saria nodded, "This play is to celebrate the peace in the forest, so it is important that the mask be carved with a lot of care, Link. I'll help you,"

Link grinned, "Thanks, Saria,"

Mido growled, "That freak always gets all the attention! He always does!"

***
"W-what are you doing!?" Saria cried, "You'll hurt yourself carving it that way!"

"Hunh?"

"Like this," Saria took Link's hand and moved the blade so that it moved away from him, shredding the bark off of the wood. "This mask is special, Link,"

"What about you?" Link asked, "Have you finished your mask yet?"

Saria nodded, "Yes, I finished it long ago. You must hurry, though. We don't have much time."

"We've worked enough for one day, though, don't you think?" Link said, stretching his arms out, "I'm kind of tired. Can we take a break?"

Saria smiled, "Sure, why not?"

Mido chuckled from underneath the bushes as he slowly reached for Link's mask, which was left forgotten and alone. Mido laughed as he slipped away, clutching Link's mask.

***

"AAACK!" Link screamed in horror, "IT'S GONE! IT'S GONE!"

"What's wrong?" Saria asked, approaching Link from behind. She gasped, "Where's the mask? Where's the Prince's mask!?"

"Has anyone seen it?" Link cried, running everywhere asking about his mask. "Mido! Mido! Have you seen my mask!?"

Mido was busy sitting behind an old gnarled tree with his fairly, discussing the whereabouts of Link's mask as he carved his own mask, the mask of the villain. "D'you think it could be turned into sawdust by now?" he whispered, "Y'think it got carried away by a bird, or somethin'?"

The fairy tinkled in response, as Link was fast approaching. "Mido! Mido! My mask is missing! Have you seen it?"

"Er...ah, no! No! I haven't. What a shame!" Mido said, his voice dripping with sarcasm, "You're mask is gone! How horrible! I'll help you find it, though," he snickered when Link turned away to ask one of the other Kokiri.

"MIDO." Saria said gravely.

Mido froze and stopped snickering immediately. "Er...ah...Saria?" he let out a nervous laugh, "Heh, it's you!"

"What did you do with it?" she demanded, placing her hands on her hips. She was beginning to make a scene, now, as the other Kokiri were slowly turning their attention to Mido.

"Er...fine!" Mido said angrily. "I just..."

He led them all to some bushes, where he had hidden the mask.

However, when he cleared the bushes away, the mask was not there.

"Oh no!" Mido cried, "It's not here!"

Link growled, "Mido! What did you do with it!?"

"Nothing, honest!" Mido cried, "I just put it here! I planned on giving it back to you...it's just...not here!"

"You expect me to believe that?" Link said angrily, "I put a lot of hard work into that mask, Mido! This isn't funny! Where is it!?"

"Honest! I don't know! I put it here, but it's gone!"

Amazingly enough, he was telling the truth.