"Good-bye…Link."

That's the last thing I heard from my second Fairy friend. Talt just looked at me, on the verge of tears, and told me good-bye.

For forever

She ended it with a look of defeat. A look I know well, I guess. I've seen it on too many people to forget it. The look of letting go by force. Wanting to hold on longer, but having your fingers torn away by another's will.

Not like I don't know the feeling myself. My life is defined by that very emotion…

But then, she had to go and top it off with THE LOOK. Another image I know too well to be mentally healthy. The look that says, "I know that I told you we will meet again, but that'll only happen when Greudo Valley freezes over."

Epona's neigh brings me back to our bleak reality. Looking around at the unfamiliar trees of the new Lost Woods, I try my hardest to find our way to Saria. Why did I try to get her by foot? I could have just warped! I have the Ocarina and everything.

I missed her so much I guess. When Saria turned out to be the Sage of the Forest, I nearly died. First the Deku Tree, Zelda, then my only true friend in the entire world.

Is it just me or do the Goddesses hate me?

Epona stops suddenly, sending me almost tumbling from the saddle. I climb back up; sweat slowing dripping from my temple. About 10 yards from us is a stump. Possibly the only stump in the whole forest.

A young girl plays a yam shaped instrument as she rocks back and forth on her little stump. A lively tune dances from her to me as I dismount.

My knees begin to fold as I try to walk to her. She moves with the beat as I stubble over to her side. My sight begins to fail me. The weeks on end without sleep just HAS to take its toll in front of HER!

'I know you hate me, Goddesses!' I think before the darkness and the feeling of falling takes me…

~*~

"Hey…yo…little boy, wake up."

"Do you think he's ok?"

"I don't know, he just passed out in front of me!"

"He looks like he hasn't had sleep in weeks."

"No wonder he's out, poor thing…"

Voices slowly bring me back to reality, both so familiar. A hand reaches to my brow as I slowly open my eyes. The fingers are jerked away as I spring from the ground.

"WHOA!" Saria screams. "Oh good, you're ok!"

I look at her for a second, almost doubting that it's really her. It seems like decades since I've seen her last. She smiles, a smile I've never seen on her. A smile of almost…pity.

"Oh, Goddesses, it is good to see you again, Saria!" I say from a distance. Something tells me that this is not a time to run to her and hug her to death. Her face confirms it.

"H-how do you know my name?"

I look at her in shock. "What do you mean?" I ask. "I know everything about you! You are Saria, the wised girl in all of Kokiri Forest. Mido has a huge crush on you, but is too much of a control freak to even win a glance from you. This is your 'hiding spot'. You and all your friends come here to play games and do other kids stuff. And I am Link, and you're my only friend in the world!"

She looks at me with a look of shock and fear. "H-how do you know that?"

"That's not all I know," I say, almost about to cry. Of course I won't, the Hero of Time never cries. The Hero of Time CAN'T cry. "I know that when you were 7 you fell of your house roof and broke your leg. Every one came to visit you and gave you 'get well' cards. Then when you were 9 you and I went ino these woods and Mido was so worried that he formed a search party and combed the whole forest for you!" Her expression is pure confusion as she looks at me. A little blue ball peeks from her shoulder. I gasp. "NAVI!"

"WHOA! How do you know my name, freak job? O DEAR DIN! YOU ARE A STALCKER! HURRY SARIA! CALL THE KOKIRI! THEY WILL DRIVE THIS SICKO OFF!"

"NAVI! Y-YOU DON'T REMEMBER ME EITHER?!"

"NO! I think I would remember a SICKO like you! NOW AWAY!"

Well, SHE hasn't changed. But why don't they remember me?

"You mean, NEITHER of you remember me? Mr. No-Fairy?"

Both shake their head.

"I'm sorry…Link, is that right? Anyway, I'm sorry, but all the Kokiri in this forest have a Fairy. I would remember if there was one who didn't." She pauses to redirect her eyes from my face to the ground. "It's amazing, how much you know about me! But, I'm truly sorry, I know no 'Link'."

~*~

I sit at the gate of Lon Lon Ranch. No one remembers who I am. I have no way to prove to them that I did once exist in this land. I don't even have the wallet I got from the Skulltula house. What could have happened? I look out across the green fields around me and sigh. I know it all. I can pinpoint every spot a Great Poe will pop up. I can tell you where every warp hole is located and where they will lead you without a moment of hesitation. But, the one I day I return home, no one can remember me. I don't even know if any of that still exists.

I don't.

When I had finally found my way out of the woods, no help form Navi or Saria, I was attacked by every Kokiri in the forest and thrown onto the dirt of Hyrule's path. Hyrule field had changed since the last time I walked through its grass. No killer pods, popping from the ground to turn you into mince meat. No holes or boulders blocking even more holes. It just wasn't and isn't the Hyrule field I know.

Not really knowing where I was going, I found myself in Kakariko. Hoping to the Goddesses that Darunia still remembered me, I tricked the guard into letting me in. No monsters tried to hurl me back down the steep climb as I reached the gates of the city, not like I could have done anything but run if they DID come.

All I found at the Goron City was more questions.

And pain.

No one remembered me, or even saw me as a friend. It turns out that the King of Hyrule and Darunia are no longer, and never will be, 'Sworn Brothers'. I pretty much was chased out by a pack of ticked off Gorons.

What a 'Welcome Home' that was.

Next I wandered to Zora's River. In the place of the boulders, a stone wall had been put up to keep visitors away. Forgetting why I even thought of going to see Ruto, I returned to the open fields of Hyrule.

"Are you ok, Link? You look like you are about to cry."

Malon sits next to me by the wall. Losing my train of thought, I shake my head. "I don't cry…I can't cry."

"Why is that?" she asks. She is every bit a child as you could expect of her.

"I've seen people die, Malon. I've killed things and messed up too many lives for me to count. I've seen things no grown-up, let alone a boy, should see. All that time, I've never cried. A voice just told me to move on. I don't even think I have that emotion left…"

She looks at me puzzled then draws me into a hug. If it wasn't for the fact she has no clue who I am, I would feel right at home in her arms. But they are empty. A hug of pity.

"That's really sad, Mr. Link."

~*~

"Pity…"

I form the word on my tongue again as I stare at the plaster ceiling. I haven't been in a bed for…years you could say. Yet, tonight I can rest.

No more evil to fight for me…no princesses to save or worlds to be a savoir for. I'm off the hook. Finally, I can rest.

Do I want to? Knowing not a soul on this planet knows my name?

No, one does. Someone on this small piece of our world knows who I am.

Zelda still knows me…as Link, the messenger boy.

I was born into this world, I do exist…

But do I want to?

If no one remembers I saved them, no one remembers me as who I am.

Or what I am.

Can I really start over again? Can I live my life out as a normal kid? Knowing all I know and seeing all I've seen when ever I close my eyes, can I?

I know it's still there. I can feel it.

That bond that holds me to all the sad and terrible memories I have.

The reason I can't cry or feel or want.

The title I keep.

The title that no longer exists still holds me. I can't escape it.

Even if none of the sages exist, if none of the temples stand, if none of the people even recall the legend, I'm still the under the curse of its name.

I'm still the Hero of Time.

Zelda was waiting at the gate of Castle Town when I finally left Malon. She said she had been waiting for me.

I couldn't believe it.

Some one knew who I was…

But not what I was.

After I told her I wasn't the 'Link' she spoke of, she asked me if I somewhere to stay for the night.

Of course I didn't. I would just be chased out of Kokiri if I tried to find my house.

Like it's still there.

I would go sleep in the Temple of Time, but it's not there anymore. There's no need anymore.

There's no Triforce to protect anymore.

So Zelda paid my fee for the night…

Out of pity.

I turn over in my covers. Not a fabric on Hyrule could keep me warm tonight.

I can still feel pain.

The only emotion I can recognize anymore.

I close my eyes and turn to my side.

I'm alone again. I don't want to be alone, I've never wanted to be alone.

Yet here I am, in a strange room in a strange world.

It may look like Hyrule, but it's not.

Please sleep, take me…

~*~

"Link…oh Din, Link…wake up…please…"

Tear drops touch my cheeks. The feeling of grass on my back returns.

"LINK! GET UP! NOW! DON'T MAKE ME HIT YOU!"

I open my eyes to a wooded area; trees cover every side. A girl about my age sits over me, her green hair falling over my face as she cries. A blue body sits on my nose, her little sleeve rolled up, about to hit me over the temple.

I spring to my feet.

"Link! Oh thank the GODDESSES!" Saria says as she rises to her feet to give me a hug. Navi, who was two seconds from giving me a hard one on the noodle, flies into my hat and snuggles into my hair. "We thought you were hurt!"

I look at her dumbfounded. "Y-you know who I am?" I ask, my lips strangely dry.

"Of course we do, silly!" Navi calls from my forehead. "What? You don't remember us?"

"Link, are you ok?"

"You really remember me," I say again. "You know who I am, Mr. No-Fairy right?"

"WHAT AM I!?" Navi screams as she pops from my hat's him. "CHOPPED GORON?!"

"Of course we remember you!" Saria insists. "Why wouldn't we?"

"You didn't" I correct. "You didn't even remember about the time I helped you get back into your house when you fell, or when you and I snuck away to the skull kid's home and got yelled at when Mido made a search party and found us playing."

"Link," Saria says as she holds me tighter in her grasp. "Why in Hyrule would I want to forget that? I loved spending that time with you. What made you think I forgot you?"

"I don't know…I just don't know."

"He hit his head, I bet." Navi offers before returning to the safety of my hat. "I missed you, numb skull."

"I missed you too, Navi…both of you…"

~*~*~

There it is, my first one shot.

If it's crap, tell me

If you love it, tell me

If you have questions, ask me ^^

((thanks to EKG for all the help, this is for you ^^))