Dum dee dum dee...next chappie...by the way, who has played Majora's Mask?

(The Other Link) I'm glad you enjoy my story, lol. Hah...ha...ha...well, maybe I can look into your mind...but I never reveal my secrets...MUAHAHAHAHA...

(Nemesis, Avatar of the Unreal) :D:D:D Lol, tell Roy that I'd like two more cookies, crispy and fresh from the oven. Ow. (sympathetic look) Another Cucco attack, eh? LOL. If Roy is dressed completely in green, then...(eyes Sebat's frying pan)...well, he's in for a bit of pain...

(Chris-Haliwell) Ha...ha...ha...my age is secret, lol. My bio will tell you, and I'll leave only one clue. My age is double digits, and yet I'm younger than you. He...he...hee...Kirby? Pink floating guy? :) He's a good super smash brothers character, but I play Link, lol.

(SilentVamp) :D Yep, I was re-reading my chapters and I read the surfer chapter and..well, yeah, lol.

(dannyphantomsgf / Yamisgf) Lol, I get the feeling you like this story, haha.

(Mr Kyle) :) Wow, change of sympathy now. (gives Mr Kyle slice of cake) Oooh, Twinrova. I hated that boss, eugh..it was so hard for me to reflect their attacks. DARN.

(Cat of Darkness) (strokes imaginary beard) Maybe, I don't really know where to insert that in the story.

(Kyrstal Fox) Lol. Linkie-poo will live and prosper! At least I think. For now. MUAHAHAHAHAHA....ahh, that's a good idea, I'll use it for the next chapter.

(Tristezza) Oh, good. (smacks lips) I love chocolate chip cookies. Care to give me some milk along with it? :D

"Saria!"

Link's cry was quickly swallowed by the darkness as the Kokiri smiled at him, standing on the green platform with the odd symbol they had seen at the beginning of the temple.

"Link." Saria sighed softly. "I knew you'd come save me."

Link beamed.

"Great, because, I needed to talk to you about something."

"What?" Saria asked, bewildered.

"Well, you see, my collection of junk has been neglected all these few years," Link explained patiently. "Have you been checking up on it? Dusting it? Keeping all those nasty little bugs that eat away at it?"

Saria's face turned to stone.

Navi had this bad feeling and gazed at Link's right cheek with pity.

"Owwww!" Link cried out. "I save you and this is what I get??"

"YOU SAVED ME TO TALK ABOUT SOME SILLY JUNKY COLLECTION?" Saria roared, seeming to grow bigger every moment.

Link shuffled around nervously. "Erm, well..."

"So, um, what were you doing in the temple, anyways?" Navi asked quickly, diverting Saria's attention from Link.

"Not gonna work, Navi. I'm still going to yell at him after this."

Link whimpered and all of a sudden it seemed like Saria was the older one.

"But I'll answer your question anyways. I went back to the temple to save the forest, or what was left of it, anyways. I got locked in though, by some weird spell. I kept winding up in the same room, and finally I met the Wolfos, and..."

Saria shivered.

"They just had me cornered," Saria sighed.

"So how come..."

"I was lucky. There were some vines up by the east wall, and I just jumped like mad and fled. I made it and started climbing up, but the Wolfos had caught up with me and were clawing like crazy."

Navi glanced pitifully at Saria's feet, which had a few cuts and scratches on them.

"Yes," Saria smiled weakly as she noticed Navi's stare. "I think I'll need a pair of new shoes."

"But..." Link protested, something tugging at his features. "Who...why...why is the forest in such a horrible state?"

"Kokiri Forest draws it's beauty and power from the Deku Tree," Saria explained. "And the Deku Tree receives energy from the Forest Temple. And since the Deku Tree died, the magic stopped flowing, and the portal to the other world was completely open to outsiders."

Navi nodded.

"You would've of had an extremely long journey to cross the bridge if the Deku Tree was still alive," Saria added. "The bridge would never get any shorter. Anyways, the forest fell into a horrible condition when the Deku Tree died, and the only revival spell that would work had to cast by the Forest Sage, but the Sage was currently locked up and couldn't do a thing."

"Who's the sage?" Link asked stupidly.

"C'mon, Link, isn't it obvious?" Navi teased, punching him on the shoulder. "It all fits."

Link looked blankly at Navi. "Who is it?"

Saria rolled her eyes. "No use trying, Navi. One thing I've learnt over the years is that a dummy is always a dummy."

"But I'm a hero," Link boasted, his chest puffing up.

"A pretty dumb one, too." Saria laughed. "Anyways, Navi will tell you who the sage is later. For now, here, take this."

The Kokiri raised her arms up in the air and closed her eyes. A flash of green light shone and blinded Link momentarily, and finally the light faded.

Saria was holding a green medallion similar to Rauru's, except the symbol was different.

"Here," she said gently. "Take it and keep it close to your heart forever."

Link reluctantly outstretched one hand, closed his fingers around the warm surface of the medallion and held it back, admiring the metal.

"It's not worth as much as Rauru's," Link concluded, looking disappointed. "But it's still worth a good deal, I guess."

"Make sure he doesn't sell it," Saria said to Navi, her eyebrows moving up.

"Of course," Navi agreed.

Link, for some weird reason, placed the medallion on where his heart would be and waited awkwardly.

"I didn't really mean you had to put it on your heart, Link." Saria said dully.

"Uh...um...who said I was???" Link said, a fake smile stretched on his lips. "Just...um...getting to know this little guy."

To prove his point, Link rubbed the medallion fondly.

"Whatever," Saria sighed. "Your next stop is Death Mountain. Go to Goron City, and talk to the little Goron there. He will fill you in on your next mission."

"What's his na-"Link began to ask, but the rupee he was enclosed in started to rise up, and light flooded through again, making him squint down at the green figure.

Navi smiled and waved down at Saria for the last time.

Outside in Front of Where the Deku Tree is...

"Wow..." Link had his face pressed against the glass of the rupee and was staring outside as they floated down from the sky. "It's pretty."

Navi couldn't help nodding in agreement as she gazed at the trees. It was incredible-every flower started blooming, the grass was healthy and green, and most important of all, the monsters started dying, like they were withering from the lack of evil.

Finally, the rupee touched the ground gently and shattered into one tiny little blue one. Link scooped it up eagerly and brushed his tunic.

"We didn't land flat on our faces, Navi!" Link cheered excitedly. "Woo hoo! This rupee is a good luck charm!"

"Hello, there." A familiar yet squeaky voice greeted.

Link turned around, spotted the little sapling on the ground talking to him, and fell over, scrambling away.

"It's a talking tree!" Link screamed, pointing to it.

"You spent your childhood in a forest with a talking...tree...that...was...protecting it," Navi said though clenched teeth. "How...can...you...be...scared...of...it?"

Link shrugged and stopped screaming.

"I apologize if I gave you a fright," the sapling said politely. "I am the Deku Tree sprout, and I've come to take my father's place."

Link opened his mouth to ask something, thought of it, and then closed his mouth again.

"I have to reveal something to you, Link." The sapling continued mysteriously. "Please understand that it is nothing to be ashamed of..."

Link looked tense as he motioned for him to go on.

"Link, of Kokiri Forest..." the sapling said slowly in a booming voice. "You are not a Kokiri. You are a Hylian."

Link's lower lip slowly, very slowly, started inching it's way down.

Navi was stunned.

"Not a Kokiri?" Navi sputtered. "But...but...why..."

"His mother died in the earlier wars of Hyrule," the sapling explained. "She crawled here to the Lost Woods and collapsed of fever. A Kokiri found her, and a crying baby. The Kokiri took the child to the Deku Tree, and the Deku Tree decided to raise him as a Kokiri because he knew that in the future the Hylian would have a powerful impact on Hyrule."

Link was still frozen in the same position, gaping at the sapling.

"It is hard to believe," he said sympathetically. "I understand, but you must set back onto your journey."

Link didn't move.

"Who was the Kokiri?" Navi asked quickly.

"Saria."

"What??? So she knew the entire time that Link was a Hylian, and she was still his friend?"

"Well, you know, Saria is very much different from the other Kokiri."

Link moved his hand, rubbed his cheek gingerly and muttered, "That's for sure."

"Did anybody else know?" Navi asked.

"Only Saria and another."

Link groaned. "No prizes for guessing who."

"Mido." Navi sighed. "That little rat, no wonder he hates Link so much. How did he find out? How come he didn't tell the rest of the Kokiri?"

"He snuck in one time into my father's grove and saw Link, a mere toddler. The Deku Tree was taking care of him till he could pass off as a Kokiri and blend with the other children. He forbade Mido to tell anyone, upon banishment from the forest."

"Why didn't he tell everyone after the Deku Tree died?"

The sapling laughed.

"Believe me, he tried." The sapling chuckled. "Nobody believed him, of course. Link, a Hylian?"

Navi just stared at the sapling in amazement.

"C'mon, Navi, let's go." Link said quietly, his shoulders drooping slightly.

Navi struggled to regain her composure and waved at the sapling, nodding her head.

"Farewell, Navi and Link. Good will always conquer evil, as you will. Take courage and hope, and destroy the evil that haunt-"

Link stopped the sapling with a hand. "Just say goodbye."

"Goodbye," the sapling squeaked as Link placed a hand on his scabbard.

"Good. See, you're learning already!" Link chortled, and started running off.

"Where do we suggest we go?"

"I dunno. I get this itch to visit Francis, you know?"

"Francis?" Navi asked, surprised. "Why ever do you want to visit Francis?"

Link shrugged.

"Oh, maybe get a little advice."

"Okay," Navi said, a bit confused. "Let's go visit him, then."