AN: I'm so glad you guys like the story! Yay! Yes, I read the manga, but I'm upset because the manga isn't in America! BLERGH!
Chapter 3
A Dark Tree loomed over the Lost Woods, with various shaped Wolfos and monsters standing behind it patiently.
"You say you've caught a fairy child?" the tree hissed in delight, "Very well, Skull Kid! Now, I can repay that Deku Tree! Heh, heh, heh,"
The Skull Kid fiddled with his flute as the other Skull Children climbed the trees branches and applauded with praise..
"From longer than I can remember, that tree has ruled this forest by himself!" the tree shook with anger, "I'll show him the differences between our powers!"
"Boss," the Skull Kid asked quietly, "the Kokiri children always stay like kids and never grow big right? So...when you said 'when he becomes big', what did you mean?"
"He is not a Kokiri," the tree sneered, "He is from the outside world,"
"Outside?"
"The Deku Tree broke the ancient laws by allowing this child to reside here. I can see into the future, I can see that he will become an adult. He will indeed grow up,"
"Grow!?" the other Skull Kids gasped, "He'll grow!?"
The tree nodded, "Yes...he will become the great proclaimed 'Hero' and slay us all,"
The Skull Kid gasped in horror.
"Why!? I hate adults!!!"
"Yes...yes...." the old gnarled tree grinned, "That is why you must get him before the Great Deku Tree realizes his potential,"
Saria huddled in the small cage she was in as she listened to the gnarled tree whisper. "Link..." she murmured.
***
"Saria!?" Link shouted into the forest, "Saria!?"
Link sighed and collapsed down near a tree, "What'll I do if Saria loses her face? If I...if I lose Saria, I'll really be alone, won't I?" Link whispered as he stared at the mask that he had carved with her. "I'll be all alone..."
Snap.
Link jumped up when he heard a twig snap and saw the Skull Kid jumping high above the trees.
"Skull Kid!!" Link shouted, "What have you done with Saria!?"
"I hate adults..." Skull Kid whispered to himself, "I'll get him...I'll get him..."
Link jumped after him, but Skull Kid was far too fast. The Skull Kid kicked Link in the back, causing him to slam into a nearby tree. "I hate you," the Skull Kid hissed as he aimed his dart filled flute at Link's face. There was no possible way the Skull Kid could miss, they were a mere few inches apart. The two were panting heavily.
Link stared blankly at Skull Kid, bewildered. "Why? Why, Skull Kid? I thought we were friends?"
The Skull Kid paused, not moving. Suddenly, without warning, the Skull Kid jumped into the trees, disappearing.
"Skull Kid!" Link cried as he tried to follow, however his chase was futile. Skull Kid was gone.
***
"Why...why do I feel something like...like longing...like I feel homesick when I look at his face?"
The Skull Kid buried his face into his hands as he kneeled down on the forest floor. "Why?" he asked himself. When he closed his eyes, he saw a little boy, a little boy running through the Lost Woods...
"What is this scene in my head!?" he screamed, "I do not know! I do not know!!!"
***
Saria was crying quietly with her knees brought up to her chest. "Link...where are you?" she whispered.
Suddenly, the door was open.
"Hunh?" Saria looked around and saw the Skull Kid standing beside a tree, whispering to her.
"Leave, now!" he urged. "Go! Before you get caught!"
"Oh, Skull Kid! I knew you were our friend!" she hugged him, but he pushed her away.
"Go! Go!"
Saria nodded and fled, running as fast as she could.
The Skull Kid heaved a sigh as he watched her go, but did not notice the other Skull Kid who stood watching him from behind.
***
"THE FAIRY CHILD HAS ESCAPED!!" the Dark Tree roared, "EVERYONE AFTER HER! DO NOT LET HER ESCAPE! AND KILL THE BOY! THE HYLIAN BOY!!!"
Wolfos ran off into the forest to track her down along with many of the creatures of the forest.
The Skull Kid was about to leave, as well, but...
"Except you..." the tree hissed as he twisted his gnarled roots around the Skull Kid's body.
"W-why?"
"Oh, don't you
know why?"
"Y-your mistaken! I didn't let her free!!!" the Skull Kid writhed and flailed against the Dark Tree's grip, but it only shook the Skull Kid fiercely.
"TRAITOR!" he roared and he flung the Skull Kid against the rocky wall.
The Skull Kid slid to the ground lifelessly and watched the monsters of the forest run off into the forest, hissing, "Kill the heretic...Kill him while he's weak!!!"
The Skull Kid groaned and slid away from them, pulling himself up weakly.
***
"Gossip Stone!" Link shouted as he hit the to stone with a rock. "You know a lot of rumors, right? Well, I've got a question for you!"
The stone merely shook and giggled, "Mido may boast that he's the boss of the Kokiri, but I've heard that he still wets the bed! The Deku Tree is troubled because he cannot scratch his back!"
Link groaned and hit the stone again, "No! I want to know about the monsters of the forest and where Saria is!!"
Byooooon!
"I've heard that the Bagu Tree is the Deku Tree's great rival, but the Bagu Tree has not beat him once! I've heard that children who enter the forest become Skull Kids!"
"Skull...Skull Kids?" Link asked, kneeling down beside the stone.
"The Skull Kid is the final form of a Lost Child."
"Final...Form? Clarify a bit, would yah?"
"EEEEEEEEEEK!!!"
"Saria!?" Link jumped up and turned around, "That was Saria!"
"It may be said that Saria successfully escaped, but is now being chased by monsters!" the Gossip Stone said gleefully.
"Shut up already!!" Link said angrily as he left the Stone to talk to itself. Link ran towards the sound of her voice, calling out for her. Finally, he came across a Wolfo, a huge wolfo who was snapping at Saria viciously.
Saria fell helplessly as the foot of the Giant Wolfo.
"I need something to fight with..." Link muttered impatiently. "AH!" Link said as he found a Deku Stick lying on the ground.
The Wolfo approached Saria with a look of hunger in its eyes.
"Link!" she screamed as the wolf opened its jaws wide.
Link jumped upon the wolfo's head and slammed the stick on top of it. The wolfo whined, momentarily stunned.
"Link!" Saria said happily, "Thank goodness!"
"Uh-oh..." Link said as the Wolfo regained its senses. "Looks like Deku Sticks don't work all that well,"
The Wolfo snapped the the stick, causing it to light afire.
The Wolfo immediately retreated, whining all the way.
"Link! The Deku Stick is lit!" Saria said.
Suddenly, a gnarled hand shot out of the darkness and flew towards Link.
"Come and get it!!" Link shouted as he held the stick out to meet the tree.
"Link!!!" Saria cried.
Out of nowhere, the Skull Kid pushed Link out of the way and took the beating the tree had planned for Link.
"Skull Kid..." Link whispered.
"He rescued me," Saria murmured softly.
"You gave me a face..." the Skull Kid said happily, "It made me....happy..."
"Traitors are nothing but a nuisance," the gnarled tree hissed, "They only get in the way. Now! I will set things into order!!"
Link growled as he threw the blazing Deku Stick into the gnarled hand.
"Ah!" Link cried as the Deku Stick broke, "It's broken!"
"I will not forgive you for that, boy!" the tree quivered with anger.
"Link!"
