"It's still not fair..."

Everyone at Lon Lon Ranch was in jubilation about the end of Ganondorf's seven year reign of terror. There was dancing, singing, music, and several other expressions of joy. Everyone was elated. Everyone, that is, but Mido.

When he and the other Kokiri had been told that they were free to leave the forest by the Deku Sprout, they could not tell whether he was joking or serious. Everyone knew that if a Kokiri left the forest, they would surely die. The Deku sprout, however, insisted otherwise. He told them, "words do not always mean what they seem."* Mido, being leader of the Kokiri, insisted that he leave first. 'I don't have much left to live for, anyway. Now that Saria is gone...' he thought as he stepped out. Upon exiting the forest, Mido was astonished that he did not instantly shrivel up and die or burst into flames and turn to ash. The land out there was so large and expansive, so much bigger than the forest. The other Kokiri soon followed, and they all romped about the incredible plain. Soon, they were attracted by a large figure** dancing on the top of a hill, and they found Lon Lon Ranch, and the party within it. It was like nothing any of them had ever seen, they were all having the time of their lives. Everyone, but Mido.

Mido wasn't in the mood for all the fun and games, he sat down next to the only other person who wasn't dancing, King Zora. The two talked, for lack of a better thing to do, and found that they had something in common. Both of them had lost someone close to them. Mido's normally uptight demeanor broke, and he talked like King Zora was his only friend.

"Why... why did I have to lose Saria? I was mean to everyone I knew, and for what? To have my favorite person in the world disappear? I wish... I wish I hadn't been such a jerk to everyone... to Link. He was Saria's real best friend... those two were always together... every living moment in the forest. But then Link left, and... and Saria was never the same. Nothing I could do would cheer her up... nothing. And then when she had that dream and went to the forest temple... she never came back. Even after she was gone, I guarded the pathway to the temple for several years... just for her never to show up. And then Link came and told me what I already knew... she was gone... it's just not fair..."

King Zora sat quiet for a long time, then passed a glance at Mido.

"Fair? Fair?! Dear boy, do you think life was made to be fair? Was it fair that I got froze in a block of ice? Was it fair that I had to sit there and let evil take over my realm? Was it fair that when I was unfroze, my beautiful daughter was gone? No! Life doesn't always play fair. It deals difficult hands, hands that can be manipulated, but not necessarily hands that are fair. It matters not whether life plays fair, what truly matters is that when bad things do happen, you don't let them hold you down, you have to move on. So your best friend passed, it's okay to mourn for her. But do you really think she would want you to mope around for the rest of your life? Heavens no! There is a time for sorrow, but it needn't last forever. You must learn to pick yourself up after you fall. Not fair, hm, indeed, life is not fair."

"Yes... I suppose you are right. Saria wouldn't want me down here in this funk, I should be off celebrating with the others! If anyone hasn't been fair, it's me. I haven't been fair to the other Kokiri, and I most certainly haven't been fair to Link. I treated him like dirt, called him names, made fun of him, hit him when he was to young to fight back. And why? Only because he didn't have a fairy, because he was different? No, because Saria liked him more than me... why, I think more than like, if you know what I mean. It wasn't fair of me to pick on Link, and it definitely wasn't fair to blame him for the Great Deku Tree's death... I knew it wasn't his fault, but everyone thinks it is his fault... because of me. I wish I could make it up to him..."

"Well, you met him again not too long ago, did you not?"

"Oh yeah, when he went to the lost woods to find Saria. I could tell was mad at me... but yet... he could have beat me to a pulp... and didn't. I acted like I didn't know it was him, in fear of what he would do to me. I sort of offered an apology... I don't know if he took it. That guy hardly ever says a word to anyone."

"The important thing is, you were sorry, and asked for forgiveness, that is not an easy thing to do. Whether he forgives you is his decision, so why worry about it? You have done your part."

"Wow, I've never thought about it that way. I suppose the best thing I can do is make it up to everyone else, and not be so bossy. Saria would like that... I wish she were still alive..."

"Son, there are plenty of fish in the sea, I'm sure she is smiling down on you from the land above."

"Yeah... huh?"

A green speck of light floated past Mido's face, and then another. He jumped to his feet and looked up. A green ball of light shot across the sky, followed by a blue one.

"S-Saria?"

"Ruto!"

The sky was soon alight with several other energy balls, five in total. Glowing particles of many colors rained down upon everyone as the mysterious orbs sailed over the horizon, towards Death Mountain. When at last, they disappeared from sight, the sky lit up with a flash.

"I... should I-?"

"Go, child, go and find your friend."

Mido started to bolt off, but stopped short, and turned around.

"Thank you, sir. Thank you for the talk, I needed to get all that off my chest."

"You're quite welcome, feel free to speak to me any time."

Mido did something he had not done in a very, very, VERY long time, he smiled. He took off for death mountain like a bolt of lightening as the sun began to rise. Mido's voice echoed across all Hyrule as he cheered to the sky.

"Yahoo! Saria is alive!"

*I'll be getting back to this line, don't you worry.

**For those of you wondering, it's Biggoron.

Author's Note

Well, this is how I always imagined that scene with Mido and King Zora at the end of Ocarina of Time in my head. I know this isn't exactly like the other flashbacks, as this isn't one of Saria's memories, but I feel it may contribute to the plot a bit.