A Familiar Tune [Any], Saria's Song

[Saria]

The green-haired Kokiri thumbed the heel of her boots against the stump in time with the music coming from her Ocarina. It hadn't been that long ago that Link had returned from adventures in the Outside, but he had changed quite a bit.

He didn't stay in the forest anymore- not for long, at least. He'd come to visit her every once in a while, and it was those times Saria felt truly happy.

The girl sighed and lowered the Ocarina, gazing sadly down at it. Something was different- she could always tell. But Link refused to talk to her about it. She could never get past, "it's for your own safety you don't know."

Well, not exactly like that- but close enough. She leaned back, setting the ocarina next to her and pressing her palms into the ancient wood of the stump, gazing up at the trees.

Sometimes...Just sometimes, she wished she could go with Link outside the forest. If only just to see it.

[Link]

Clear at the other end of Hyrule, Link's thoughts were staying back to his former home and the people he now hardly ever saw. Saria. . .The last time he had visited her, she had begged him to take her out of the forest with him, but he had refused.

Saria may be the Sage of the Forest and therefore able to protect herself relatively well, she would weaken greatly if she were to leave the forest. Besides, the forest needs her. The young Great Deku Tree's powers haven't fully developed yet. If she left, the forest would be vulnerable to attack. Still, he really did wish he could let her come, if only once.

His sapphire gaze swept over the surface of Lake Hylia. He had spent a lot of time here lately, just looking at the water. It was amusing to see the Tektites chasing each other across the water's surface. They hadn't tried to attack him since Ganondorf's fall.

With a tired sigh, he took out his ocarina. It would take hours to get back to the forest, and he didn't want to exhaust Epona more than he already had. Everyone seemed a bit too eager to give him chores to do for them, as usual. His status as the Hero of Time invited these requests, apparently.

He put the mouthpiece to his lips and played the upbeat tune that Saria had taught him. As the song progressed, he could feel his mind connecting with hers.

"Hi," was all he could say. No other words wanted to come.

[Saria]

Saria sighed softly, hugging her knees to her chest as her fairy flitted about her in a worried manner.

"it's nothing," She told it with a small smile. "Just bored, I suppose. Bored and lonely."

Her fairy pulled a face. "You're being emo." She squeaked, and Saria giggled. "I guess so. A little.... I guess I can't really help it th-"

She didn't get a chance to finish as she felt someone's mind connect to her's. Link..

"Hello to you too." She greeted, smiling as she felt her spirit lift immediately. "What's the matter? YOu usually don't contact me this way unless you're in trouble, or something..." Jokingly she added, "Have you been eaten by a Like Like again?"

[Link]

"Nothing's wrong," he assured her quickly. I was just feeling a little nostalgic and I wanted to talk with you." He sighed before continuing, "I'm really sorry about refusing to take you with me. It really is for your own good, and I'd really appreciate it if you wouldn't ask me to do that again."

Refusing you to your face is too hard. . .




((the Like-Like comment nearly made me die laughing))

[Saria]

Saria frowned lightly, laughing softly. "Ok Link...I'll stop asking, I promise.

Well, for now at least. She smiled to herself. She could wait for a time, but one could wander the forest for only so long before it got terribly predictable.

"Well...What did you want to talk about?" She asked, unsure of what to say next. "When are you going to visit again?"

She'd been wanting to know that for a while now, actually and hadn't thought to try and contact him this way. "Maybe you could bring that girl you met while you were out...Zelda?"

"Out," of course referred to while he was outside the forest. "Or maybe the one who gave you Epona?"

((haha. If you're wondering why Saria knows this stuff, we could say it's cause Link would tell her about the "World Outside the Forest" xD; ))

[Link]

"I don't know when I'm going to be coming back," he admitted. "I mean, everyone has been giving me so much to do for them. It's not that I'm complaining about it. It's just hard, you know? I have a new life now as the Hero of Time, and it doesn't allow much room for my past life."

He sighed. "I really will try to return soon. I might even stay for a little while. I know for a fact that Zelda and Malon won't be able to come with me. Zelda is now the Queen, and she's always working on important political things that I don't understand at all. As for Malon. . .she has a ranch to run. I saw her the other day, and she said that her father's bad to his old laziness." He laughed. "Ingo's not too pleased. So Malon has a bit too much on her hands right now to come to the forest."

Though it was awkward at the beginning, he was finding it easy to talk to Saria now. Maybe it was because he didn't have to worry about her asking to go with him anymore. She had just promised not to, and he knew that she wasn't the kind of person who would lie to a friend.

"How're things back in the village?"

[Saria]

Saria giggled lightly and listened to Link talk. She always loved to hear the going-ons behind the forest. "That's good, that you'll be staying for a bit. You need to rest, Link." She sighed lightly. "Even the Hero of Time needs a break every now and then."

Going on around the village? "Hmm...There's nothing much to say... Mido is still attempting to Rule, but he's not doing too good of a job."She giggled lightly.

"Umm...The Baby Deku Tree is doing well...Heehee, he's simply adorable when he's so young! But I can't wait until he grows older."

She sighed lightly. "But...there's something up with the Forest. Not like last time, but..I don't know. Things aren't quite the same. I don't quite know how to explain it..."

Saria frowned, playing with her ocarina. "There's really not much going on, however. Its so very boring here... Not at all like the fun you must be having, getting to explore new lands, meeting fascinating people..."

[Link]

Link frowned. "Saria," he said disapprovingly. She had technically kept her promise by not asking directly, but the hinting could possibly turn out to be a whole lot worse.

"To be honest, there really isn't that much to see out here. Sure there are a lot of new things to see and people to meet," he added quickly, correcting what he said, "but it gets a bit dull after a while, too. I hate to say that, but at least things were interesting while Ganondorf was. . .well. . .nevermind. Forget I said that."

He felt simply awful for mentioning Ganondorf. The evil king had, after all, trapped Saria in the Forest Temple for years. He didn't know if it would be a sore topic or not.

"Do you think something evil has entered the forest again?" he asked, narrowing his eyes in concern. "Have there been unusual monsters in there lately? Have the wolfoses been acting strangely? What's wrong?"

He would have to visit the forest very soon. If something was wrong there, then it was his duty to set things right.

[Saria]

Ganondorf... Saria's eyes narrowed slightly at the thought. Damn that man! how could h-

She stopped this internal rant as the an eerie wind began to blow, it seemed to get darker...

"U=-uh..." She stammered out, eyes going wide, before she squeezed them shut and concentrated solely on Link and their...link.

"Saria! It's ok!" Squeaked her fairy from it's clinging to her shirt, and Saria's eyes opened again. The forest appeared to be back to normal.

Realizing that she'd been silent for a bit too long, she quickly stated, "No, there hasn't been nay monsters, from what I can tell. Not yet anyways. I don't know, it's just...an eerie feeling. It's like...everything's dying." She said softly.

The sage rubbed her arms, shivering lightly. She didn't want to worry Link though, but she knew better than to try and lie to him. "And...the trees..."

She trailed off lighty, glancing around at the near-bare trees. "They're losing their leaves, and it's getting colder... It's just weird."

[Link]

"That sounds a lot like what happened before, when the Great Deku Tree was cursed." He hoped that wasn't the case.

Saria's voice was becoming more distant and cold by the second. Was she that disappointed about him not taking her out of the forest? No. . .She was too rational of a person for that. It had to be whatever was going on in the forest. It was taking an effect on Saria.

I'll have to apologize to the scientist later, he decided. Saria needs me more than he does.

"Saria, I'm coming back to check things out. Meet me at the bridge at around sunset, alright? Don't try to do anything about this by yourself."

If I lost you. . .

[Saria]

" I don't think the Deku Tree's in trouble. He seems perfectly fine and healthy to me..."

The Sage frowned lightly but nodded. "But alright Link, I'll wait for you."

I'm always waiting...What if you don't come this time?

She shook her head. "Should we close the link now?" She asked, before seeming to remember something.

"Oh wait! How's Navi doing? Is she helping you...?"

Saria looked to her own fairy, bouncing on a dying flower and smiled sadly. She could still remember when Link first got his fairy. Of course, that had also been the day Link found he had to leave the forest.

She sighed.

[Link]

"That depends on your definition of 'helping,'" he answered as he started tacking up Epona. He had taken the heavy saddle off her while she grazed. I actually don't see her that often. She's very quiet now, which is really odd. She used to talk my ears off. It's strange. And she's contantly leaving without telling me where she's going or when she'll be back. I don't know what's going on with her."

[Saria]

Saria was quiet a moment,gazing at her own fairy. "Maybe...She can sense something you can't." She offered, getting up and starting to move around the small area.

"I'll cut the link now. I'll see you when you get here." She was quiet a moment, and it seemed as though she wanted to say something else, before she closed the link.

Saria moved her hair away from her face and started back, smiling to herself. Link was coming back! She didn't notice that as she left, new leaves beginning to bloom on the trees, and the grass turning form it's drying, brown color to lush green.

Even the previously dead flower Pari* had been playing on had new life.

She gave small 'hellos!' to the other Kokiri children, but couldn't be bothered to stay for long and chat. She'd wait by the bridge all day if she had to...

((*= "Pari" is the name of Saria's fariy. It's Persian for "Fairy." FEAR MY ORIGINALITY!))

[Link]

Bye, Saria, he said, noticing right away that the connection had been broken. I'll see you soon.

With Epona tacked up, he climbed into the saddle and nudged her sides gently. With a neigh, she broke into a relaxed canter, heading back towards the forest.

He reached the forest just as the sun was going down, which was very convenient. He didn't feel like dealing with the gangs of stalchildren that appeared in the field at night.

When he reached the bridge that lead into the Kokiri Forest, he saw Saria waiting for him and rushed over to her. "Is everything okay?"

[Saria]

Saria sighed, drawing designs on the wood of the bridge. What if he doesn't show up again...? No! He promised her would... He promised.

When Link came onto the bridge, the forest seemed to be in a dilapidated state. The trees were almost bare, and the grass was a sickly brown color.

However, as soon as she heard Link, she jumped up in excitement. "Link! You really came!"

The trees around them seemed to suddenly burst into bloom, and the grass turned a deep, healthy green.

Saria frowned. "It's been going on and off like that since we closed the link..."