A/N: Disclaimer: I do not own the Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time.

A Pair of Time

Chapter 33- Minuet of Forest, Part 1

Kokiri Forest; Day

After re-exploring Kakariko Village, it's off to the Forest Temple. Our heroes see old faces, feeling relieved to see them, know they're okay, but depressing because of the current world around them. But, it'll all change. The Heroes of Time promised themselves that.

The same goes for the Kokiris. The problem? Monsters outside their houses, so they have to stay inside. But, funny thing happened when they ask them.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa…" a Kokiri boy stops them from entering his own house. "What are you two adults doing here?"

"Hey, don't you recognize us?" Link asks.

"Recognize…? Well, you two do look like some other kids I know of back then…" the Kokiri then shakes his head. "But, the one I know of that looks like you… He can never grow up. The other, well, I'm not sure about her."

"But…"

"You're still adults. What makes you think I'll talk to you?"

"Maybe the clothes I'm wearing?"

"Ha, you may wear our green clothes, but you ain't one of us!"

"How about this?"

Link mentally summons Navi out.

"So? A fairy still doesn't mean a thing!" the young boy points at Link. "You're still a grown-up! And Kokiris don't grow up! So, adults aren't welcome here!"

Link sighs. "There's no convincing you, then…"

Malon and Link can't find a Kokiri that would say that Link looks like the one they knew of seven years earlier. Link is about to give up. They can't recognize that a Hylian lived with them long before.

"Say, mister, you look like Link," a Kokiri girl asks when they enter her house.

"Well, I…" Link pauses, "never mind."

"Have you two been traveling around much? Have you ever met Link? You just look like him, mister. And a girl was traveling with him… A Malon, I think. And you, miss, look like her…"

She pauses for a moment, but doesn't figure out their identities.

"Oh, well." the girl shrugs. "Mido… I can't believe what he said about Link…"

"What did he say?" Link automatically asks.

"He said that the Great Deku Tree withered because Link did something wrong to him…"

Of course, Malon knows the whole story. And back then, she saw the dead, rotting wonder with her eyes during her first stay in Kokiri Forest. The tree is of enormous size, larger than any other tree in Hyrule. And the tree had, on its bark, grooves like that of a face.

"Only Saria defended Link…" the Kokiri girl shakes her head slowly, "until she left… Maybe we misunderstood…"

"Saria?" the name pangs Link as he hears it accompanied by 'she left.' "Where did Saria go?"

"She… went to the Forest Temple. An… An evil wind was blowing from it. Saria said she had to do something about it before she left. And… Mido is gone, too…"

"Where would this Forest Temple be?" Malon asks.

"At the far end of the Sacred Forest Meadow."

"Thanks."

"Are you two going to do something about those meanies out there?"

"Yep," Malon replies. "We'll try to make them go away."

"Really? Thanks!"

Lost Woods

The bewildering feeling of the woods comes rushing back to the two, as they figure their way again through the forest of illusions.

"Saria…" Link says her name, "I can't believe you would do this…"

"She's that kind of person, fairy boy," Malon reminds. "She had to do something."

"I know, but… Hang on, Saria, we're coming…"

Passing through familiar landmarks of the woods, they easily remember the path to the meadow beyond. It will only take a matter of time before they-

"Hey, watch where you're going!" a familiar, commanding voice sounds out.

Mido meets their sight. He's blocking one of the tunnels leading to the Sacred Forest Meadow.

"What are you?" Mido eyes Link and Malon suspiciously, especially Link. "Though you wear Kokirish clothing, you can't fool me! Even with that fairy!"

"Look, we hafta go through!" Malon demands.

"I'm not listening to you two Hylians! I won't budge!" Mido crosses his arms. "I promised Saria I would never let anybody go through here."

"We're friends of Saria," Link states.

"Oh, really? And I suppose you have some sort of undeniable proof? Ha, I'd like to see you try."

Link and Malon turn their heads towards each other, then nod in acknowledgement. The only way to show this undeniable proof is…

"That melody?" Mido hears Link play and Malon sing Saria's Song. "Saria plays that song all the time! You… Do you two really know her?"

"Yes…" Link replies. "We're her friends."

"That song…" Mido lowers his head. "Well, she only teaches it to her friends, so…"

After a while, his head perks up. "OK… I trust you two."

Mido eyes Link again, but this time without suspicion.

"When I see you, especially you…" Mido starts, "I don't know why, but I remember… him…"

"Remember who?" Malon asks.

"… Nobody…" Mido dismisses the thought. "Forget what I said."

Mido moves to the side to let them through. Link stops seconds later, leaving Malon running ahead. He turns back to Mido.

"Look…" Link tries to be reassuring, "Saria… Saria will be okay. Don't… Don't worry about it."

"Hmm…"

"I know I'm different, because I'm an adult to you. But, just trust me that I'll get things done right, okay?"

"Right, fine," Mido replies shortly.

Link continues on, towards the Sacred Forest Meadow. He leaves Mido with a strange thought.

Could it be him? Mido studies the image of Link in his mind. No… It can't be. But, he does know… Saria…

Sacred Forest Meadow

The air is different when Malon and Link reach the Sacred Forest Meadow. Something tainting has filled the meadow. The vividness and liveliness of the place before are of missing presences.

"Wait, guys!" Navi flies out suddenly. "Hang on, I hear something…"

Navi levitates upward, noticing soldiers with spears in the meadow maze. But, they look like hogs for some reason.

"Okay, there are some soldiers of Ganondorf's up ahead," Navi reports. "Watch out. Try to peek around and surprise them."

"Got it," are the responses she gets.

Our two heroes tread softly through the tall, thick grass, hearing snorts and growls within the maze.

"What did you see anyway, Navi?" Link asks, still uncertain of the enemies.

"Some Moblins," Navi answers. "Big ones."

"Now, that's off," Malon comments. "Moblins? Here? I don't believe tha- Whoa!"

She trips forward, catching the sight of one of those hog warriors. Seeing her, the warrior readies his spear and charges forward. Link quickly pulls her back towards him, then takes his sword and thrust it in the Moblin as it passes by. It gags, then grows limp, signaling its death.

"Watch your footing, Mal." Link pulls out the sword from the wound. "You always trip too much."

"Fine. I wouldn't mind you going ahead, then."

"Okay, then."

It's more safer with Link in front, mostly because he has the Hookshot to shoot at the soldiers' behinds. But, the tunnel ahead after the maze proves more difficult. Link tries to run through, but is knocked back by an impact. A Moblin is striking the ground with a club to create these shockwaves.

"Give me your sword," Malon suggests, holding out her hand. "I'll try…"

"Suit yourself." Link tosses her his weapon.

Holding the powerful Master Sword, she dashes past through the shockwaves with little trouble. Once behind the monster, she cuts it down easily, due to the fact that it can't turn with its big body and club. Link walks up to her, seeing a smug face greeting him.

"There is a good reason you made me the smart one, fairy boy," Malon said as she hands him back the sword.

"Don't gloat," Link advises despite these words. "It's bad for confidence."

Soon, they enter into once again the stage of the Sacred Forest Meadow. Everything is the same as before; the platform is there, the tree overlooking from above, the broken stairs leading to somewhere, an empty stump where Saria used to sit…

"Saria?" Link sees Saria's usual spot empty.

He slowly makes his way to the stump, as if hoping she would reappear with one of his footsteps.

"Saria…"

"She's… gone…" Malon's voice behind him said.

A presence enters the peaceful air of the forest, quick as a blink of an eye. They turn around to find Sheik.

"Sheik…" Link says his name.

Slowly, Sheik begins to walk up to them, saying words to each step.

"The flow of time is always cruel…" Sheik's words hit their hearts. "Its speed seems different for each person, but no one can change it…"

He gazes at Saria's stump.

"We… We all change with time, don't we?" Malon asks. "Instead of the other way around…"

"A thing that doesn't change with time…" Sheik's eyes go to Malon, "is a memory of the younger days…"

How true are those words to Link. He sighs. "Yes." Link then closes his eyes. "I can still remember it… But, Sheik, why are you here?"

"To partially assist you," Sheik answers. "In order to come back here again, play the Minuet of Forest."

Sheik pulls out a gold harp, shining as if it hasn't age at all in its life. With his flighty fingers, Sheik picks at the strings, creating a melody that seems to contain the forest and its spirit within itself. Going along, Malon and Link repeats Sheik. With the melody in play, they continue along, their part a mirror of Sheik's harmony. It ends in grace with the forest.

"Link, Malon…" Sheik said as he puts his harp away, "I'll see you again…"

"What?" Link's surprised he's going away so soon. "Aren't you going to help us?"

Sheik doesn't answer. He simply steps backwards, then, with a quick hand, blinds them with a flash of a cracked Deku Nut. When the strong light is gone, he is nowhere to be found.

"That wasn't really nice," Malon said as she continues rubbing her eyes. "Leaving us to do this, and blinding us to get away…"

"I know about the blinding part, that's something these Sheikahs do to disappear," Link explains. "But, I don't understand why he didn't stay with us to go into the Forest Temple."

"Aw, who cares? Let's just get there."

"Where would it be?"

"My guess, that entrance up there."

Malon points at the opening with the broken stairway.

"But, how to get up there, I have no idea." Malon shrugs.

"This Hookshot should help…" Link aims the object at the overhead tree. "Maybe it can grapple onto that tree. Then, we'll reach the stairs."

Link abruptly grabs Malon around the waist, surprising her. Her heart goes off pounding.

"Ready?" Link asks.

"Uh…" Malon smiles nervously at her best friend. "Yeah, sure, always. Watch, uh, where you handle me there, cowboy."

TWANG! The Hookshot makes contact with the tree and quickly reels them in to the stairs before letting go.

"Now, that… was fun," Link comments as he puts away the Hookshot.

"Sure, whatever, cowboy." Malon shrugs off as they enter the Forest Temple.