A/N - *sees the readers glaring at her for the long delay* Uh oh… *gets various sharp objects thrown at her* OW!! ACK!! GOMEN NASAI!!! WRITER'S BLOCK!! HAVE MERCY!! FOR THE LOVE OF NAYRU, CUT IT OUT!!!

Chapter Three

If I hang my head and droop my shoulders I'll never arrive
At the wonderful, hope filled goal

~Translation of Keep On

Link would've gladly traded every magic spell he had if it could get him out of this situation. Half of him was begging for mercy, and the other half was ready to run screaming in terror. Of course, neither side helped him. One punch later, Link's pride and his cheek were bruised and he was ready to kick butt and teach them a lesson. "Didn't the Queen teach you not to beat up people smaller than you?"

And he pulled out his Master Sword. A gasp went up from the boys. Only the dead Hero of Time had that sword. And it had been in the Temple of Time, where his ghost lived. And only one person could get into the Temple of Time. That means… "HELP!! GHOST!!!!" And they left a baffled Link behind them, wondering if he really scared them that badly.

Then, it occurred to him that he didn't have time to be standing around here all day. "Hmm…" He thought for a few seconds. Who would have the pieces of the Triforce? Ah… Maybe the Sages! They were sure to have the pieces… Out of the clear blue, he decided to call upon Saria. She was his best friend, and surely she would help him.

Then, a big bomb hit him squarely in the head. Well, a thought bomb anyway. The people. He felt like crying. They would see him, and ask questions, and probably go nuts, and… Ah! He pressed his ocarina to his lips again, and played Saria's Song.

Who is calling me? Only Link would call me…

Saria? It's me…

Link? But… you're dead…

Uh… Long story. Please, Saria, you must help me…

How? How can I help you?

Where are you?

In Sacred Forest Meadow…

I shall come to you…

And Link again pressed his ocarina to his lips and played Minuet of Forest. Suddenly, in a flash of little green lights, he was in Sacred Forest Meadow. And Saria was seated on her stump, just like she had always been there. "Link?… Link!! It's you!! You're alive!! I can't believe it!! After all this time…" And she ran forward and hugged Link tightly.

Link silently hugged Saria back. How he had missed her! She was his best friend… She and he remained in this embrace for a very long time, breathing in deeply of the other's scent, and happy to see each other again. "Okay, Link, you owe me one of the longest explanations you'll ever gonna give me."

"Well, I was a ghost for a while… Then, the goddesses showed up, and they told me that I would have to find the Triforce, and then they told me that I had to live in it or something, and then they gave me weapons and stuff…" Saria laughed. Link was exactly the same as before, speaking with his old childlike frankness. "So, do you know where any of the pieces are?"

Saria bit her lip as she thought. The Sages were keeping it a secret where each piece was actually located, and she didn't think Link would be very pleased if he knew how many dungeons he was in. "Well… Each of the Sages is hiding a piece of the Triforce… As you know, the Sages are myself, Ruto, Darunia, Impa, Zelda, Nabooru, and Rauru. (Me: Was that all?) But we employed the farm girl, Malon, to hold on to a piece, and the last piece is hidden with someone else."

"Nine parts? You broke the Triforce into NINE parts?" Link could just see how easy this mission was going to be… I mean, he gets go to NINE different dungeons, and the defenses are going to be HUGE… "Wow, I just can't wait…"

Saria smiled at Link. "It gets harder. The pieces are hidden in secret dungeons and temples, and there are puzzles, enemies… It's a good thing you've got new weapons!" But then she turned sober, and she stared at him solidly. "But I promise you this Link: I will always help you, no matter what the costs!"

And Link smiled.

A/N - Okay, about the couplings. Suggest any one of these characters: Malon, Zelda, Saria, Nabooru, Ruto, or Impa for the coupling. But if you submit Nabooru, you need to explain who she is. I haven't even passed Forest Temple yet!!