A Note from the Author: This chapter isn't exactly a long one; only 3,549 words (the last one was 4,600 or so). But all the same, I hope it's to the reader's satisfaction. I had to work with a lot of original material here until the second segment, because for the purpose of this story Ocarina of Time doesn't give me enough plot material to use by itself. The segment was originally part of Part I, but because there was still more to come and such, I decided to split them into two separate parts. There will still be a Part III.

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Zelda characters (c) Nintendo
OC (c) Me

Part II ~ The Truth

"Link, I think he wants you to go inside the painting," Navi suggested.

"Yes," I replied, "but how?" Navi didn't reply. I decided I'd have to figure things out on my own. Prodding the painting seemed to make it ripple; perhaps I was suppose to just step inside. Turns out that did the trick. On the other side of the painting was a room--brightly lit up by a massive chandelier--completely white with golden linings on the walls, with a single, huge picture on the back wall. It was a portrait of three youthful characters: a young Deku man, a beautiful green-haired Kokiri girl, and a smiling Skull Kid between them. They all looked so happy, standing there in front of what looked like the Forest Temple while grinning with their arms around each other. The temple behind them was much nicer looking than the one I knew; instead of mossy walls, a destroyed staircase, and cracks in the supporting pillars, the walls were a marble white, with artistic pillars (each in the traditional style of a different race) standing proudly in front of them, and a grand staircase descended from the cliff the temple sat on to the Sacred Forest Meadow where Saria always liked to hang out. It didn't take long to guess that it was a painting of the three founders of the "Forest Art Museum," as Arbren called it. There was a circular flower garden in front of the painting, with a bench between them. A waterway quietly flowed in front of the garden, a charming wooden bridge permitting me to cross it.

I cheered with excitement when I saw who sat at the bench, playing a familiar tune on her ocarina. Her green hair was unmistakable, and the warm delight on her soft face welcomed me back into the light. The long-sleeved shirt she wore under her Kokiri Tunic was as green as her hair, her shoes the color of pine needles. She looked just like she had seven years ago. "Saria!" I called, tears starting to spout from my eyes. "Saria, I've finally found you!" I dropped my sword and shield, and she nearly dropped her ocarina. With almost child-like glee I ran across the wooden bridge and around the flower garden to the marble bench my friend sat at. There I picked her up in my arms and squeezed her tight. She was almost half my size, light as a feather, but it didn't seem like I was hurting her. "Oh Saria, I was so worried!" I cried. "I thought something terrible had happened to you!" Above us, Navi and Tuto, Saria's fairy, rejoiced.

"Calm down, Link, I'm alright now!" she giggled back, hugging me just as tightly. Her voice was like the beautiful chirping of little song birds in the early morning, mixed with the dignified stateliness that only Zoran Royalty could match (Ruto excluded). It was sweet and soothing, yet stern and wise, just like her. "It's so good to see you!" She may have been trying to be composed, but I saw the glimmer of watery eyes when I picked her up. But as usual, Saria always had to be the mature one. "Put me down so we can talk face-to-face; you look so different, I want to have a look at you!" I gently set her back down on the bench and sat down myself. She looked me over. "By Farore's Book, look what happened to you!" she exclaimed, resting her arm behind the bench and crossing her legs. "How'd you get so big? Last time I saw you, Mido was busy calling you 'shrimp!'"

I shrugged, though I was sure my face was red from being examined so enthusiastically. "I don't really know why."

Saria looked into my eyes with that motherly look that I always loved. Her green eyes sparkled; everything about her was green. "Where were you all these years anyway?"

"In a place called the Temple of--"

"Oh yes, the Light Temple!" Saria interjected, her face beaming. She took pride in her knowledge of the world outside the forest, after all. "The one over by Hyrule Castle, right? It sounds so lovely, what'd you think of it?"

"It was...nice. But anyway, I was in a coma there. Don't exactly understand why, except they didn't think I was big enough to use the sword above the temple."

"The Master Sword? So you tried to use it?"

I nodded. "Yes, but apparently I was too small. So they waited seven years until I got bigger."

Saria frowned. "But...that doesn't make sense! You're a Kokiri, you can't age."

I shrugged again. "Well, maybe it was growth magic. I'm as confused as you are."

It didn't matter to dear Saria. She just shook her head and smiled. She looked like a sunflower opening up to take in the sun's rays. "Always surrounded by mysteries, aren't you?" she remarked, brushing the hair out of my eyes. "Ever since you were a little boy, I've been about knee deep in mysteries and adventures whenever I'm around you; always a surprise. Never thought I'd wind up here, yet have a look around! I'm up in the old Forest Temple, of all places; and I've even seen a few ghosts!"

I took her hand and held it tight. "That reminds me," I said. "What happened? What were you doing in the temple?"

Saria's smile faded. "I don't exactly know. I was sitting on my tree stump, playing my song as usual, when I heard a voice coming from the temple. It said, 'Saria... Saria... I need you, Saria...' It sounded like dear Fado--you remember, the yellow-haired girl. I thought she might be in trouble, what with all the Wolfos in the forest, so I searched for something to climb up to the temple with. Finally I came across some vines, grappled onto that old tree outside, and climbed up. As soon as I stepped in the temple, though, I heard the voice again. 'Saria... Saria... I have you now, Saria...' Before I could run away, four ghost women appeared around me and grabbed me. They started to sing, 'We have the Sage, we have the Sage, oh look, we have the Sage, ha ha ha ha ha.' I didn't know what they were talking about, but when I asked they dropped hot wax on my hand, and that hurt like mad! They threw me into a dungeon in the basement and left me to die. Then a man with a skull for a head stepped in and grabbed me. He shook me hard, demanding I tell him the location of some Medallion he said would make him more powerful, but I didn't know what he was talking about either. Eventually he got so mad he took me into this one art gallery, and threw me into a painting! Then there was some commotion and...long story short, I found myself here, all healthy again. It wasn't long before I met you here, Link."

"Well I'm glad you're alright, Saria," I smiled, patting her hand. "I don't know what I'd do without you."

"Oh Link, you're so sweet," Saria chuckled. "I'd say the same to you, but I've been without you for seven years! I wish I did what you did, then I might have gotten bigger too!"

I looked at the floor. That wasn't my fondest memory; I was a Kokiri (or thought I was), after all, so I felt like my growth spurt made me a freak of the forest. "Saria... My size... It won't complicate anything, will it?"

Saria shook her head. "Not at all. I love you all the same. Whether you're big, whether you're small, whether you're a Zora, whether you're a Goron, I'd care for you all the same. I've said so ever since you were really young, haven't I?"

I gave her another hug, tears running anew. "Oh Saria... You're so good to me! I'm so glad you're okay!"

Saria patted my back. "There there, calm down! I'm sure I'm not the only good soul out there!"

"Mido was so mean... He didn't even accept that it was me! He even called me an adult!"

"Well I wouldn't blame him too much; you certainly look more like an adult than the rest of us do! But you don't act like one, so I wouldn't worry."

"Saria?"

"Yes?"

"Let's get out of here."

As I rose from the bench with Saria's hand in my own, I smiled and wiped away my tears. Perhaps, once this was all done, we could get together and...

"Halt!" The low voice of Arbren made me jump a mile into the air. He appeared above the flower garden, his hand raised into the air in a very urgent gesture. "You cannot do that! The temple guardian must remain here, no exceptions!"

"What are you talking about?" Saria asked. "What guardian?" I could see it coming; I grabbed her hand defensively.

"You do not know the guardian? Why, she was your own ancestor: Florissa Minerva, my late wife and guardian of the temple. You must take her place in this temple until the vile storm that ravages Hyrule is decimated."

"You can't do that!" I yelled. "I just rescued her!" I clung to Saria protectively. "She's leaving with me!"

"Link, what's happening?" Saria moaned dizzily. "I... I hear a voice..."

"Look, you're making her delusional just thinking about it!"

"It wasn't my choice, young hero, it was the gods'!" Arbren snapped angrily. "She has to stay until the forest is safe again, or those ghosts will return!"

"But I came to take her back!" I felt the tears coming; somehow, I knew he was right.

"That can't be helped; whether that was your reasoning or no, her destiny is to remain here until all is well again. Until the evil Ganondorf is demolished, she will stay."

"But...but!"

"I'm sorry, but if you do not leave her willingly I will be forced to do something I shall regret!"

I couldn't help myself, I was so angry. I whipped out my sword and charged at the stupid ghost. "I've defeated worse than you, and I'll do it again!" Before I could strike I heard a thump behind me. I stopped in my spot and turned around. Saria's body lay on the bench, motionless. "Saria!" I cried, running back to my fallen friend. "Saria, are you alright?" I looked at Arbren with more hatred than I'd ever felt before. "What did you do to her!?"

Arbren put his hands up in the air. "Nothing, nothing! The poor girl must have been so confused by our argument that she fainted!"

I put my weapon away. "Well...what do we do?"

Arbren snapped his fingers and a blue light surrounded me. "Go to Kokiri Forest. I'm sure there's somebody who can help her. She and I will wait here for your return."

I wasn't about to fall for that. "But..."

"I'm not trying to trick you, young hero! Truce?"

"For now."

"In that case, I shall see you soon!"

I nodded. The Poe snapped his fingers again, and a blue crystal formed around me. I felt some sort of suction, and everything turned white...

-

I'm not going to kid you, I was frightened. When I had left, Saria hadn't just fainted; she had been ghastly pale, motionless. I wondered if the Poe Arbren had lied so that I'd think she was okay. I plead to the goddesses that she'd be okay.

The world that faded into my eyes was one I was very familiar with. It was late at night (my, how time flies), and all the animals of the forest were sleeping. I heard the snarling of monsters not too far away. I drew my sword, just in case. There was a howl in the distance; a Wolfos, perhaps? Navi looked around attentively. I wasn't particularly in the mood to battle, but when you get attacked you don't really have a choice. That's what I've learned, anyway. Perhaps it's different for other people.

Standing before me was a ghastly reminder of the past, of what started this continuous nightmare for the past seven years. His grey, dead bark stuck out like a ghost in the moonlight, which shone through his leafless branches. The only leaves that remained on his rotting lumber were those that made up his eyebrows and mustache. His mouth still lay open, the wind moaning as it passed through the great hollowed space inside. He was so familiar, and yet I could see how seven years had taken their toll on him. Insects feasted ravenously on his decaying body, and mushrooms had already grown to recycle and decompose his trunk. It was the body of a dead god, a body that should never have existed. Yet because of Ganondorf, and because of the struggle I had with the parasitic curse that was cast upon him, the God of the Earth, the Great Deku Tree, lay lifeless before me. It was a chilling sight, like seeing a zombie rise from the dead. I've seen ghosts galore, even a few skeletons, but they had no meaningful connection to me like the Deku Tree had.

It was because the Deku Tree was dead that all this had happened to the forest. He was not just the God of Earth; he was the guardian of the Lost Woods, the great entity that kept evil away from the Kokiri and Deku. Whenever Hylians entered the woods, it was the Deku Tree that turned them into Stalfos and Skull Kids. Yet on the other hand, he killed any Kokiri (except me) that left the forest. He was all-knowing, and immeasurably powerful, yet as Ganondorf found out the key to his destruction was to be eaten out from the inside. He found that out all too late. With him gone, Ganondorf was able to infest the forest with monsters. It wasn't that noticeable by the time I had gone into a coma, but it has been obvious seven years later. The forest is no longer a safe place.

I heard a howl behind me, and I spun around to see the gleaming yellow eyes of a Wolfos. It eyed me hungrily, but came alone. Navi was quick to fly over it, illuminating it even more so that I could see it easily, and I moved to defeat it. The Wolfos wasn't just like any canine; it had well-developed front arms, and had fur that was as protective as Titanium. Its only weak spot was its tail; one strike there, and it would burst into flames and die. A gruesome ending, but they were the product of evil and had to be killed; the Deku Tree said so before he died. I held my shield up, waiting for the Wolfos to make its strike. The Wolfos ran towards me and drew its claw back, but I instinctively backed away before it struck. The speed of its slash forced it to spin around, and I made quick work of its tail. It howled in pain and burst into blue flames, and within seconds it was gone.

The flames illuminated the grim landscape for me for a few seconds. Before they were completely gone, I saw something in front of the Deku Tree: a small plant, twitching and moving excitedly in the moonlight. As far as I could tell, there was not a single other plant in the forest at that moment that was squirming in joy. My curiosity got the better of me, and I approached it to take a closer look. I kept my sword drawn, in case it was a Deku Baba; but as it turns out, it was not the case.

My approach towards the little sprout was enough to excite it even further. With great enthusiasm it launched itself from the ground, revealing itself to be a small tree. The rise of the tree shook the ground enough to knock me off my feet, and I hit the dirt hard. I got myself to my feet just in time to see a face grinning at me on the short little tree. "Hi!" it yelled, startling me so hard that I nearly fell back down. I could only stare at it with awe. "Hey, why don't you talk to me?" it asked. "Don't ya know who I am?" I shook my head slowly. The tree beamed at me proudly. "I'm the Great Deku Tree!"

"T-The G-Great Deku Tree?" I stuttered. I didn't know what to make of this guy. "You can't be the Great Deku Tree." I pointed at the dead tree behind him. "That's the Great Deku Tree!"

"Well, maybe I wasn't clear enough. I'm the Great Deku Tree Sprout! I'm his kid!"

"Y-You are?"

"Sure! I've been waiting all this time to pop out of the ground so I could help you guys out in your fight against the evil Ganondorf! I've been waiting for...seven years, tops! My seed was planted when Pops here kicked the bucket!"

I shook my head again, a bit angrily. "But why did it take you so long? Look at what happened to the forest while you were gone!"

"Well, I can explain that. You see, evil was starting to infest the Forest Temple ever since my Dad died. The Forest Temple and the Deku Tree work hand in hand; it may seem like it's just a hunk of rock, but the Forest Temple is a Temple of Power! With it going all whack, the forest can't grow correctly. There haven't been any new trees since the Forest Temple was taken seven years ago; me included! We're all just sprouts! I should know; we've been talking to each other about it through the soil. That's one dark place, buddy. But with the evil in the Forest Temple exterminated, I've been able to sprout! And it's all thanks to you, buddy!"

"How did you know that?"

"I'm the new God of the Earth! I know everything there is to know about this forest, straight from birth! What, did you think Pops went out in the world and learned all his knowledge? Sheesh, wisen up, kid, or I'll have ta turn ya into a Stalfos!"

I put my hands up defensively. "Whoa there, little guy, I'm a Kokiri. Granted, I'm a big one, but I live here!"

"Watch it, bucko! Who ya calling little?" the Deku Tree Sprout snapped. "And you certainly are not a Kokiri! Ol' pops must have lied to you or something! You, my friend, are a Hylian!"

My jaw dropped. Seriously, it just dropped. I had no words to speak; I just hung there in shock. I couldn't believe that all this time I thought I was a Kokiri... And yet, at the same time, it all made sense; no wonder I got so big in seven years. I was virtually an adult Hylian now.

"Hah, you should see the look on your face!" The Great Deku Tree Sprout snorted a laugh. "But fun and games aren't exactly what I should be doing right now. You're lucky the Earth Temple isn't taken over; otherwise I'd have no power! Check this out!" The Deku Tree Sprout grunted a little and looked like he was squeezing really hard. The ground began to shake, and once again I fell flat on my face. The entire forest seemed to tremble. All around, I could hear Deku Babas, evil-possessed Mad Scrubs, Wolfos, and Poes all screeching in pain. "Pretty cool, isn't it?" the Deku Tree Sprout grunted. "I'm purifying the forest! When I'm done it'll be just like old times, seven years ago." He stopped. I weakly got up to my feet, still preoccupied by my new revelation, but I could see and hear the forest doing better. Flowers had suddenly started to blossom, and I could hear Kokiri (of which I was no longer one of) cheering in the distance. "There," the Deku Tree Sprout sighed, "all done. The Lost Woods is now evil-free! As long as I'm around, nothing's gonna change that! And your friend over in the Forest Temple is doing better too; all she needed was some good clean energy from your's truly! Sheesh, I'm better than the doctors they've got over in Hyrule Castle Town! They should do better than that!" The tree made another huge grin. "You should go see her; I think she's looking for you!" he added.

"Saria?" I stammered, still under shock.

"You bet your buckets! Would I lie to you? I'm a God, a better one than ol' Pops, I've got no reason to lie! Go on, go see your sweetheart!"

"Yeah..."

Somehow, I didn't exactly want to go see her; not now, not when I was a...a Hylian. Yet I knew there was no choice; she and Arbren were waiting for me. I said my good-bye to the new Deku Tree, and started off. Behind me I could hear the tree with its funny accent replying, "No problem! Good luck on your quest, I'll be seein' you when you return! And don't worry about bein' a Hylian. Pops had his reasons; you can stay however long you like!"

A Note from the Author: Ha ha, I always picture the Deku Tree Sprout as having a sort of New York accent, kind of like Curly from the Three Stooges. And Wind Waker calls the Deku Tree (who I just know is the same one from the end of Ocarina of Time) the "God of the Earth;" that makes the Earth Temple kind of like a temple in tribute to him, doesn't it? Link doesn't know about the Earth Temple, though. But at least this shows that Jalhalla's still not in it. Saria, on the other hand, I picture with sort of a sharp English accent, like Rose from Doctor Who. Kind of an adultish voice, to match her maturity. Though when playing the game I always gave her a sort of Southern accent... Weird. But anyway, if you didn't catch why I named her fairy "Tuto," it comes from "Tutorial."

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