Chapter 4
"I'm not going to tell you, so stop asking already!"
Gator retreated higher into the warm afternoon sky. Dosol and Fasol pleaded at him with their eyes. Misol loaded and fired a net at him. The fairy squeaked as the net brought him level with the curiosity-crazed Know-It-All Brothers.
Fasol thrust a data sheet towards his captured friend.
"The information we gathered last night indicates that the ghost was at least five hundred years old!"
Gator turned up his nose haughtily. "Yeah? So?"
"So," Dosol answered, "It means we have no way of discerning his identity on our own. We need to ask someone who already knows."
"So spill it!" Misol commanded. "If you won't tell us yourself, then tell us how you found out!"
"I was in the right place at the right time, okay?" Gator pouted. "They knew I was there, and they made me promise not to tell anyone. And a fairy always keeps his promises!"
At this, the brothers relented. They released Gator and started walking away.
Then Fasol remembered, "Saria knew who the ghost was."
"I didn't say that I knew his identity," Saria stated as she walked past them. "I said the ghost convinced me he could be trusted."
She winced and walked faster as a growing wail from the three boys filled the forest.
Saria found Link, Mido, and Lado at the wall of slate. They had put down their chalk to see where that alarming cry was coming from.
"Don't worry," Saria assured them. "It's just Dosol, Misol, and Fasol."
"Wow," Mido gaped. "I haven't heard anything like this since we told them they weren't allowed to enter the castle ruins."
"It's of the same breed," Saria noted.
Lado nodded sagely. "It's because no one will tell them who the ghost was, isn't it? Mido and Link were complaining about the same thing just a moment ago."
Mido spat. "I wasn't complaining! I was just... I was just expressing my displeasure. That's all."
Lado shrugged. "At least you got to see the ghost. Nobody invited me."
Link sympathized with the chubby boy. "Well, that's why we're trying our best to draw him for you. The Know-It-All Brothers wanted to keep the meeting secret, and I had no reason to disagree with them."
Lado pondered this as Link and Mido picked up their chalk pieces and continued to draw.
"You know, I did say drawing skills could one day prove important."
Link didn't pause in his work as he replied, "You said that it would be important if I lost my voice. How often does that happen?"
"It's called intuition," Lado declared. "It doesn't matter so much if the reasoning is great, so long as it prepares you for a real eventuality."
"If you say so," Mido muttered.
Saria frowned. "Is something wrong, Mido?"
Mido stopped and turned. "What? No. Nothing's wrong. I... I just stayed up too late last night. I should be fine by tomorrow..."
Saria folded her arms. "If you say so..."
Mido stared deeply at his own rendering of the skeleton knight. He put down his chalk and dusted off his hands.
"Can we continue this later? I'm in the mood for a little music."
Back at the Sacred Meadow, Link put down his ocarina after he and Saria finished a duet.
"I can hardly believe we met an actual ghost last night. It seems like it was just a dream."
Mido fingered his own ocarina. "It wasn't such a big deal for me. I hang out with a ghost every day."
A look of concern was showing on Saria's face. "Are you sure you're alright? You asked to play music, but you've hardly played a note."
Mido stuffed his instrument in his pocket. "I said I wanted to listen to music. I didn't say I wanted to play music. And will you stop asking me if I'm okay? You're starting to annoy me."
Saria stood up. "Now I know something's wrong. What is it?"
Mido glared up at her, then forced himself to divert his eyes.
"I don't know."
Saria placed her fists on her hips. "Then figure it out. You're the Great Mido, aren't you?"
Mido leaned back, weary in more ways than one.
"Maybe I'm not."
Saria grabbed his shoulders and made him look her in the eyes.
"You are Mido. Now tell me what is going on."
The boy groaned and shifted. "I guess the ghost affected me."
Saria glanced at Link's worried face, then asked, "In what way?"
Mido shrugged. "I don't care."
Saria's eyes widened in shock. "You don't care?!"
Startled, Mido jumped to attention. "I don't know! I meant to say that I don't know!"
Saria knelt in front of him. "Mido, I don't know what's going on either, but you're really scaring me."
The flustered boy stepped away from his two closest friends and stared into the black emptiness of the ruined castle.
"He was different, you know? He had strength. A strength I've never known."
Link responded, "His strength didn't involve being rude to others."
"I know! I know!" Mido shouted. "I can't explain it! Even though he was falling apart in every possible way, he was still strong! He was powerful!"
"That doesn't justify the attitude you've been displaying," Saria firmly stated.
Mido sighed. "I know. I'm sorry. I'll try better in the future."
Saria placed a hand on his shoulder. "I forgive you."
Link patted his other shoulder. "I forgive you, too."
Mido smiled wanly. "Thank you. Thank you both."
As night fell, the three friends put away their instruments and began to head back into the Lost Woods. Link and Saria were engaged in conversation, so they didn't notice that Mido had suddenly fallen behind.
He was gazing intently into that mouth of a door leading into the forbidden ruins. There, in the shadow darker than night, he saw a single glowing red eye.
Mido considered the feeling that emanated from it.
It was not the eye of the skeleton from the night before.
It was different.
It was far more powerful.
It spoke.
"Mido. Come back here tonight. There is something we must discuss."
