Treasure in the Forest

He hated that redheaded jerk more than ever now. No, more than that. He despised his guts! This and much more flew through Link's mind as he lay on his bed in his single-room treehouse, the sun having set on the Kokiri Forest long ago. Everyone else had gone to the meadow, save for Link and Mido, who had been confined to their rooms.

The Great Deku Tree was not tolerant of violence, so the two boys were punished by being denied access to the meadow that night. Of course, neither of them could argue back, as the Great Deku Tree had none of it. True, Link got great satisfaction from hearing the massive wooden spirit chew Mido out for his trick, but Link was scolded for his reaction to the situation. And even more, the Great Deku Tree confiscated his slingshot! As if this day couldn't get any worse.

Still, as he was fuming over being in trouble with Mido, even if this whole thing was the other boy's fault, Link found his mind wandering back to what he had seen when he broke through the treetops. The vast fields and plains, the mountains and rivers were majestic, but the prominent structure at the landscape's most notable point was the best. The blonde boy still didn't know what it was, but he knew it wasn't a tree of any kind. It wasn't made of wood but hundreds of rectangular, surprisingly smooth, and straight rocks of white. So, did that mean that the person building it carved the thing out of a mountain?

But what mountain was white? And better yet, had blue tops on them? Even among the countless theories about what it could be, Link remembered a great wave of emotion coming over him upon seeing the structure. He couldn't exactly pinpoint what it was, but what he did recognize was an immediate sense of familiarity with the towering building of white and blue. As if he had seen such a thing before.

But that made no sense, Link thought. How could it be familiar to him if he had never seen it before? And better yet, why would he know of anything outside of the forest? The only things he was told of the land outside was that it was where many of the stories he heard took place, but it wasn't as if he could just leave the forest to see for himself. True, he spent much of his time in the Lost Woods, but even Link knew better than to try and leave the domain of the Great Deku Tree.

Each Kokiri began life as a seed that fell from the Great Deku Tree's branches. And when they fell to the Earth below, they sprouted and took shapes similar to that of children from the land outside. Why this was, Link was unsure, but each Kokiri grew into a being that had the body of a child, and that body would grow up to a certain point. When that was, Link was unsure, but all the Kokiri were blessed with the gift of eternal youth and life, should they remain within the forest's borders. If one left, that child would become exposed to the outside world and die.

He wouldn't go, but if the outside world was what Link saw, it would be acceptable to watch it from afar. After all, he wasn't breaking any rules (aside from going into the Lost Woods), and he wasn't going outside the forest. It'd probably be the only thing he could enjoy because his slingshot was taken away. And it probably wouldn't have happened had Mido not played that prank on him with the cauliflower. After trying to think of something else, Link returned to hating the redheaded boy's guts, stewing that he had been punished for something that wasn't even his fault.

If anything, Mido had it coming for a while. Suddenly, Link heard someone call out from outside. What was that? The Great Deku Tree usually took his time in telling his stories so that it couldn't have been over yet. Pushing the door cover back and peeking outside, the green-dressed boy didn't entirely believe what he saw.

A small group of children that looked very much like himself stood by the entrance to the Lost Woods, calling for Link to come their way. Link had never seen these three other Kokiri before, but aside from their uncanny resemblance to himself, each of the three boys was dressed in differently colored tunics. One was dressed in red, eyes vast and vibrant, seemingly happy to see the green-clad boy. One was blue and, despite the cool color he wore, appeared to be getting impatient with how long Link was taking. And the last was garbed in violet, his expression calm and aloof.

"Hey!" The red-dressed boy shouted. "C'mon!"

Come on?" Come on where? "Hurry up!" The blue-clad boy shouted, clearly frustrated with Link's lollygagging.

The violet boy said nothing, but his look was all Link needed to know that he wanted the green tunic-wearing boy to come with them. How did Mido not hear these other kids calling out for him, Link thought. And again, just who were these guys? Why were there three? Blue, red, purple….and green.

Link looked at himself, then back to the three other boys. His mind returned to a series of tales that the Great Deku Tree had told, the Tales of the Four Sword. What once was a blade used by someone called "The Hero of Men" (just one of several heroes spoken of by the Great Deku Tree) was taken and remade into a weapon that could split its wielder into four separate warriors. The Hero of the Minish (strange little creatures said to once reside in the forest) had used it against an evil Sorcerer of the Wind. And then, a century later, another would wield the Four Sword to defeat the Sorcerer again, all to defend the land from evil.

And perhaps, as Fado would say, save the Princess.

Link was unsure what to make of this, but then the three other boys ducked in through the tree hollow that led to the territory outside the Kokiri Forest. "H-Hey!" The green-clad boy called out. "Wait!" He exited his house and climbed the ladder, running over to the entrance of the Lost Woods. Then, after one last look around to see if anyone was around to see, Link went through the hollow, his tiny body disappearing into the shadows.

Great Deku Tree's Meadow

The story had reached its conclusion, and the Hero was again victorious in his endeavors. And, above all else, he rescued the Princess. Finally, the children all left, except for one, looking up at the mighty tree.

"You cannot make me change my mind, Saria." The Great Deku Tree sighed. "He needs to learn that violence is not something to be taken lightly."

The green-haired girl rubbed one of her arms as she tried to construct an argument. Her fairy, Compa, rested on her right shoulder. "You know that it's not entirely his fault, right?" Saria asked. "Who wouldn't be mad about something like that, right?"

"His anger is justified," the towering trunk on wood answered. "But his reaction is not. He has to understand this; otherwise…." Then, the Great Deku Tree paused.

"Hm?" Saria was puzzled. She didn't seem to notice anything unusual. "What is it?"

The tree's brows furrowed slightly, a tiny movement in his usually static face. While it was capable of action, it was constrained, and whenever the tree's expression changed, it was held in a frozen state of emotion. But even if he communicated his feelings with his voice, it wasn't as if the Great Deku Tree could physically speak. Many wondered if he even had an actual "mouth," as while he appeared to have a lower lip below his mustache, he never moved it in any way that would indicate he could move it. Nevertheless, Saria couldn't help but feel that her Father was troubled by something.

"Great Deku Tree?"

The wooden Guardian of the Forest's attention was returned to the green-haired Kokiri. "It's nothing, Saria," he said. "Anyway, Link must understand that physical actions are not to be taken lightly," he sighed. "Mido will never have to endure what will come later," he said. "All the changes are becoming more prevalent; his small body is developing in ways that yours will never go through. And then," the tree paused. "Then, when the time is right, the Cycle shall be ready to begin again, and he must be prepared to take his part in it."

Saria bit her lip. "That's…also what I wanted to talk to you about," she told the Great Deku Tree. "I think…Link might've seen something in the Lost Woods today."

"Oh?" The Great Deku Tree was curious. True, he didn't necessarily like Link going off into the Lost Woods on his own, especially without a fairy, but the boy never strayed too far from the entrance of the Kokiri Forest. And ultimately, there were many days when he couldn't blame Link for wanting somewhere to retreat to. "And what would that be?"

Saria shifted around, wondering how to deliver this sort of news precisely. But ultimately, she just decided to come out and say it. "I think he's seen the castle."

The Lost Woods

He ran and ran and kept running, but no matter what, Link couldn't seem to catch up with the three figures! As he ran, Link noticed that the three were leading him deeper and deeper into the Lost Woods, and with this realization, he stopped. Just where was he now? As he looked around, he realized he had never seen this part of the forest before. He was standing in a clearing with patches of overgrown grass and bright, pale blue flowers that shone from the moon above.

What kind of place was this? He had never seen this area, which made Link's gut start to twist. Oh no, he thought. He had gone too far away from the Great Deku Tree's domain, and now he was, ironically enough, lost in the Lost Woods. He looked around, trying to find any familiar landmarks he could make out, but nothing around him indicated that he was anyplace he regularly visited.

His eyes were drawn to the flowers, the blossoming petals seemingly glowing as he approached them. They appeared to rely on the moon as other flowers did on the sun, a phenomenon Link didn't know existed, let alone could. Then, he heard a collection of voices from a short distance ahead. The boy looked around but saw nothing. Then, he ducked behind a nearby tree when he saw something coming from behind.

Much to Link's embarrassment, it turned out that he had been alarmed by nothing more than a fairy. Specifically, Phoebe's fairy, a flying aqua-colored orb named Gui. Just what was she doing here? Link watched the fairy go into a small section of tall grass as he watched her disappear behind the thick blades. Curious, Link followed, easily distracted by the fairy's sudden appearance, and he peered through the dense grass and foliage to see a small gathering of fairies nestled around a small body of water. Link kept quiet, watching and listening as the aqua fairy entered the small crowd.

"Gui! There you are!" Fado's yellow fairy, Gato, greeted. "I was afraid you'd never show up!"

"Ugh, sorry about that," Gui apologized to Gato, both fairies reclining on a rather stalky grass blade. "They may be twins, but those girls are like night and day when it comes to their sleep schedules."

It was then that Link realized he had stumbled upon a gathering of fairies from the Kokiri Forest, all of whom belonged to the other children. All the winged creatures he knew of were female, making Link wonder if there were any male fairies. From the looks of it, everyone was here except for Saria's fairy, Compa. Gui mentioned the twins' bed schedule, so Link began wondering how long he had been out here. Everyone's fairy was out, so were they all asleep?

Oh man, he was probably going to get in trouble for this! Everyone else was in bed while he was out here! The Great Deku Tree would ground him for life! He was about to panic, but his apprehension made the fairies suspicious. So they looked, but saw nothing, Link hiding behind a nearby tree.

Seeing as no one was there, the winged creatures began conversing again, unaware of the eavesdropping kid nearby.

Great Deku Tree's Meadow

Despite having no blood, the Great Deku Tree felt his roots and the deepest, most inner parts of him grow cold. "What makes you say that?" he asked the green-haired girl.

"Because I managed to pry for some information when I went to check up on him," Saria explained. "He told me that he managed to break through the trees."

It was somewhat startling to see, but the Kokiri girl saw what could only be described as fear come over the tree's face. "He what?" the Great Deku Tree was in disbelief. "But how? I haven't yet lifted the barrier of this forest! No one should be able to pass through the treetops!" He then calmed himself, realizing that he was growing too panicked. "Save for you," he asked, "What did you see?"

"Just as Link described it," Saria said. "Great Deku Tree, do you think that it's…well," the girl wasn't sure how to say it, as she didn't want to admit it herself. "This is a sign that he's been chosen?"

"Of course, I'm aware of that, Saria," the Great Deku Tree said. "I knew that he was the one that the Divine Three chose; that much is certain."

"No, I mean," Saria clarified. "This is a sign that he's been chosen to fulfill that role?" she said. "As in, right now?"

The Lost Woods

"Cauliflower? Did he get tricked that easily?"

"Sure did," a pink, glowing orb with wings said to the other. "You'd think he'd get the clue when they weren't sprouting as they should've."

Upon hearing Recti, Mido's fairy, answer Gato, Link scowled. Of course, she would bring that up, he thought. She was Mido's fairy, so why wouldn't she be as vile as he was? As tempting as it was to jump out and scare the living daylights out of her, Link didn't want to scare off the other fairies. Thus, he remained in his hiding spot, hoping he wouldn't have to hear any further reminders of his humiliation earlier.

"Don't you think that's going a little too far?" Karya's green fairy, Diea, asked. "I mean, what's Mido got against that kid anyway?"

"Isn't it obvious?" a purple fairy named Patha, who belonged to Flint, spoke. "Do you see how Mido looks whenever Saria's around Link?" she inquired. "His face gets about as red as his hair!"

As red as his hair? Like, he got mad? Why would Mido be angry about Saria being around him, Link thought? Sure, they were friends, but Saria was everyone's friend, always able to draw people to her effortlessly. But that was all that Saria was to him! So why would Mido be mad at him about that?

Link felt he was missing something but ultimately couldn't figure it out.

"If you ask me," a bright, almost palish-blue fairy began. "That kid should've just stuck with the seeds given to him," she said. "That way, there wouldn't have been a problem in the first place."

Who was this fairy, Link wondered? He had never seen her before. Was she new here? Even if he didn't know how fairies were "born" or "created," this one must've been a recent addition. Otherwise, where did she come from?

"Although I suspect Compa knew something was up, she didn't say anything to spare the kid's feelings," Gui said.

"Speaking, where is Compa?" the pale blue fairy questioned. "She's not usually late."

"Maybe something's happened back in the Kokiri Forest?" Gato suggested.

"You mean, like, something serious?" Diea asked.

"No, of course not," Explo, a sky blue fairy, answered. He sat between the red fairy (Ro) and a green fairy (Ere), the three males serving as guardians for the Know-It-All Brothers. "If it were, the Great Deku Tree would take care of it," she assured the other fairy. "Although," she continued. "There have been things going on around here lately."

"Hm?" the pale blue fairy grew curious. "What sorts of things?"

"Well, for starters," Recti began. "Not that I think this Link is a bad kid, or anything, even if he DID bruise up Mido,"

Link furrowed his brows as he listened in on his enemy's fairy. Of course, the boy only "bruised him up" because he was the one that started it! But, then again, what should he expect from the companion of Mido? The little pink jerk was still just as malicious, but she was much more passive-aggressive than her Kokiri child. And truthfully, Link was unsure who he hated more between the two.

He swore that when he got his fairy, they'd be much better than Mido's could EVER be! Assuming that they would come at all…

"I think that, whatever's going on, he's tied to it, somehow," Recti concluded.

"How so?" Ro asked.

"I don't know how to explain, exactly," the pink fairy said. "But I know there's some reason he doesn't have a fairy. The Great Deku Tree doesn't leave any of his children unaccounted for. We all came to exist simultaneously as our Kokiri, but that one boy was alone from when he sprouted."

"Well, then, what's your theory as to why?"

"I can't say for sure," Recti continued. "But I overheard Compa talking to Saria about something the other day, something about when it'll be the 'right time,' or whatever, but they also talked about other things," she continued. "Like how he's getting stronger than everyone else, can run faster, and all of these other developments they've supposedly seen."

"Ok, so what?" Ere wondered why that would be something to raise a concern about. "That kid goes into the Lost Woods all the time. Maybe whatever he does out there is building up his muscle?"

"If it were just that, then his strength would stop at a certain point, right?" Recti countered. "After all, Kokiri are forever young. Their development stops around the time when a child is about to begin the process of becoming an adult," the pink fairy continued. "But he's not like that. He just seems to be getting stronger. Stronger than any of the others."

"Your point?" the pale blue fairy questioned. She began to feel as if the kid Recti was talking about was being attacked.

"My point is," the pink fairy said. "That I don't think he's from around here."

"What do you mean?" the other fairy asked.

Indeed, what did she mean? Link leaned in closer.

"I mean, I don't think he's even a Ko-"

SNAP!

A small branch near Link's head was torn through as a whirling object zoomed by. The thing then grazed the middle of the small water source the fairies gathered around, splashing them all. "What was that?"

"Is it a Mad Scrub?"

"Let's get out of here!"

Link ducked, keeping himself concealed in the shadows to avoid being seen by the fairies. He then looked up to see the blue "him" with a curved tool in his hand. It wasn't a slingshot, but it could be used to target things from long distances. Before Link could ponder what it was or yell at the blue doppelganger for not letting him hear the rest of the conversation, the blue "Link" disappeared back into the Lost Woods, the original green Link pursuing after.

Great Deku Tree's Meadow

"Now?" The mighty tree's usually calm voice sounded a little concerned. "So soon? He's still no older than any of you!"

"I know," Saria said. "But something is going on outside the forest, all over the land that rests outside," she bit her lip. "You feel it too, I know."

The Great Deku Tree grew despondent. "Yes, I have," he said. "I fear that the Cycle shall begin again," he sighed. "I just didn't believe it would be so soon."

Suddenly, the entire meadow grew quiet. The chirping of crickets had died, and the rustling of nearby animals and the forest's natural denizens ceased. An unseen presence had made them afraid. The Great Deku Tree looked at Saria, the sole Kokiri in the meadow.

"Saria," he said. "Take Link, and hide in the Lost Woods until I call for you."

Saria was confused. She didn't think she'd love to see it, but the towering tree looked as if he were afraid. Afraid of whatever was coming, but not for himself. "Great Deku Tree, what's wrong?"

"There's no time to explain; just take Link and go!" The tree commanded.

"But-"

"This instant, young lady!"

Saria bowed her head in defeat. She did as she was told, running over to Link's house. She climbed up the ladder and pulled back the curtain serving as the "door." "Link!" She whispered but received no answer. "Link!" She called again. She looked around, still seeing no sign of him. The interior was dark, so Compa provided a service by showing her where the bed was. "Link, get up! We've got to- "she then noticed that what she had thought to be the boy's form was the pillow covered by a sheet.

Saria ran outside, unsure of where to look. The Great Deku Tree wasn't telling her something, she knew that, but Link's safety was the more important matter at hand. But, in her search, it was then that she saw the source of her Guardian's disturbance. A figure garbed in a black cloak came from the giant tree hollow that led out into the Lost Woods. On his dark cover were golden trims that spelled out various characters in a language Saria didn't entirely understand. Neither Saria nor Compa knew who they were, but it was clear that this stranger wasn't a native to the Great Deku Tree's domain.

As curious as she was, Saria didn't exit Link's house because she feared the stranger's presence. Nonetheless, she watched them walk through the small collection of homes until they reached the entrance to the meadow. They stopped for a moment as if hindered by some unseen force. Was it the forest itself showing that they did not welcome this person? Regardless, whatever it was, the figure stepped past whatever was holding them back, going straight for the Great Deku Tree.

Saria grew exceptionally worried when she saw this occur, and her fears for Link and her Guardian heightened. Yet what could she do? She couldn't afford to draw attention to herself, yet she had no idea where Link was! Saria debated what she should do while looking where the figure had come from. Of course, it was just a theory, but if Link wasn't in the Kokiri Forest, where could he have gone?

I hope he hasn't gotten even more lost now, especially since it's night.

It was a thankful thing that Saria slipped into the Lost Woods, completely undetected, for had she been seen, The Great Deku Tree wasn't certain if he could save her. Before the mighty tree stood the darkly-clad shape, face partially hidden, but they had the features of a humanoid, much like the Kokiri, only this figure was much older. They looked up at the Great Deku Tree, utterly undaunted by the fact that there was a massive tree with a face before them. "So, this is it," the figure spoke, voice deep and male, but their words only served to make the large tree even more on edge. "The home of the Fairy Children."

Lost Woods

Just how long was this going to go on?! Link was beginning to regret even entering the Lost Woods, for it felt like he was going nowhere and everywhere simultaneously. When he first followed the three doppelgängers into the dense forest, Link had no idea where he was being led to or if he was being led. He was beginning to feel like an idiot for just following the three specters, but that made him wonder what they were. Why did they look like him, and what did they want?

Furthermore, why did they appear eerily similar to those described in the Tale of the Four Sword?

Finally, at long last, the three figures led Link together through the tree hollow ahead, the boy in green coming into a clearing. There were very few trees or other plants aside from grass, and the way Link came also appeared to be the only way out. And the other "Links" were nowhere to be seen. So just where was he now?! If he didn't return soon, he suspected The Great Deku Tree would let him have it!

It was then, however, that the three figures reappeared, and they all gathered around an object in the distance. Upon spotting it, the "original" Link was puzzled (this whole situation had been confusing) but curious. For a while, the three copies of "him" had seemingly led him through the entirety of the Lost Woods; they never harmed him. And now, where Link stood seemed to have been their destination all along. But was taking him in all those directions necessary?

He began to approach the area where the three other "Links" stood, a tree stump, similar to the one Link hid his slingshot, stood in the center of the clearing, but that wasn't what drew Link's focus. Embedded in the stump was a glimmering blade of smooth, light metal with a brown hilt and guard, a red jewel placed in the center of the latter. Link was stunned upon realizing what was in the tree stump, adding a million more questions to the ones that still hadn't been answered. Was this really what he thought it was? Was it the weapon he had heard of in all of the Great Deku Tree's stories?

Was this a sword?

The three other "Links" stood around the stump, eyes on Link, the boy feeling as if they expected something from him. The boy in green thought for a moment, but the only thing he could think of was something he wasn't sure he should do. They stared at the sword in the stump, then back at Link, their intentions clarified. But should he? Whose sword was this, if it belonged to anyone? Wouldn't taking it be stealing?

Regardless of his questions regarding morality, Link couldn't deny the sword itself was aesthetically pleasing. True, it wasn't as big as he would've liked (the bigger, the better, he thought), but it would do well for someone his size. It took a few moments for him to work himself up to it, but Link grabbed the hilt of the small sword and, ever so slowly, lifted the object out of the stump. He held the sword in his dominant left hand, the blade reflecting the moonlight from above. He looked, but Link saw that he was now alone in the small clearing.

His three doppelgängers were gone.

Great Deku Tree's Meadow

The figure looked around, accounting for every detail he saw. The green grass, flowers of various colors, and a light breeze complemented the still, cool night. "Yes, this is a perfect place for a child," he said, a twinge of envy in his voice. "Perhaps I should invite the children of my tribe to come here," he said to the giant tree. "It would certainly be a better place for them than the harsh conditions of the Valley."

The Great Deku Tree didn't respond to the stranger's proposal. "How did you find this place?" The towering Guardian of the Forest questioned. "No one but I allow entry into my children's home."

Beneath his cloak, the figure smiled. "Oh? It seems you've forgotten your old friend on the other side of the forest," he then looked up, burning eyes of fire meeting the tree's. "He certainly hasn't forgotten you."

"Impossible," the Great Deku Tree said. "He's been confined to the darkest depths of my domain. And, even if he did tell you how to come here, he has no power over anything that takes root in my territory."

"Impossible," the figure sneered. "But here I am," he said. "But enough dancing around the issue," he continued. "You know why I've come here. The only reason I'm here is because the old hags said you denied my first offer."

"Those old devils? Oh yes, I know them," The tree's brows furrowed. "And my answer is the same. Your offer would result in complete disaster and destruction!" The Great Deku Tree countered. "You're mad to believe I would even consider surrendering one of the Keys to the Door! Especially to you!"

The figure's smile faltered. "Whatever I do with your little Key is none of your business," he said. "And whether you have a problem with what I do or don't is irrelevant," His eyes narrowed, growing angry. "If anything, you should be concerned about whether or not this section of the forest here stays as it is, for, even if it's pretty obvious, you're not as mighty as you were a few centuries ago," The Great Deku Tree scowled, but the mysterious intruder went on. "If you don't provide me with what I seek, then I can't guarantee your section of the forest will be safe for long. It may become quite dangerous for all the young ones here."

Then, the entire Kokiri Forest began to "react," the wind blowing furiously and trees rustling. Even the Great Deku Tree's usually dormant roots began to move. "You shall not harm anyone that is mine! I care not who you are or where you come from! This is MY land! All things here have been given to me to protect and nourish, and the last thing I will do is allow you to sully it with your malicious intent!"

Then, the wind died down, and everything went quiet again. The cloaked figure stood before the mighty tree. "So, is that your answer?"

"It has been since your spies first came to me, and it has not changed," the Great Deku Tree said. "Nor will it ever. Remove yourself from my sight!" He commanded. "Whatever business we've had here is finished."

The figure was quiet for a while, quite unsatisfied with his answer. But, truthfully, he didn't expect the old tree to part with his "treasure" willingly, especially with someone such as him. "Very well," the stranger said. "I shall go," He turned away from the large tree. "But, should something befall this place, least of all, your children," he smiled. "Be warned. You might not be around long enough to protect them from what's coming!"

He then bellowed a laugh as he left the meadow, his voice echoing throughout the small area of the Kokiri Forest.

The Lost Woods

He was now alone, wondering just what to do. The other three "Links" were gone, leaving the boy in green alone with a sword he had just taken. He wasn't sure whether or not it counted as theft, as no one he knew owned a sword, but that was only because the Great Deku Tree didn't allow anyone to have anything dangerous. For this reason, Link's slingshot was taken away, so if the Great Deku Tree saw the sword he held, that'd indeed be confiscated too. Thus, the boy was left with a dilemma on what to do. Should he take the sword back with him, or just put it back and find it later?

Link couldn't remember many details on how he got to this specific clearing, so there was a chance he wouldn't be able to find this place again. And, if the sword didn't belong to anyone, it technically wasn't stealing. So with that conclusion, Link put the sword in his belt, made his way out of the clearing, and back into the depths of the Lost Woods, hoping he'd find his way back. As he ran, he found that his path seemed to be leading him back to familiar territory while he still didn't have much of a sense of direction. It took a far shorter time to return to the entrance of the Kokiri Forest than some of the other days he came out to the Lost Woods.

These woods seemed to direct Link where to go, even if they were perplexing and confusing. Or, given what he had seen tonight, perhaps it was something else? Regardless, the boy didn't get to ponder much as he ran into something far more prominent and taller than him.

"Hm?" The cloaked stranger looked down at the young boy, the youth staring up at him, paralyzed. "What are you doing out here, kid? Isn't it dangerous out here?" He then noticed no fairy companion with the lost boy.

Link said nothing, eyes locked onto the figure. He was male, but he was not a child. And his voice was only a pitch or two higher than the Great Deku Tree's. Was this person from outside of the Lost Woods? Was he…an adult?

"What's wrong?" The darkly-clad stranger questioned. "Can't you talk?"

Link's brows furrowed, and he responded with, "Yes, I can," apparent offense to the comment evident from his tone. "I just don't have anything to say to you."

The figure chuckled upon hearing the boy speak. "Ooooh, listen to him!" He mocked, far from intimidated. "Aren't you all big and bad?" Link didn't answer, but he didn't appreciate being mocked.

It was then that the figure laid his eyes on the boy, studying him closely. Link stepped back, intimidated by the taller man's inquisitive but burning eyes. The figure remained silent, looking at the boy for an uncomfortably long time. So much so that Link considered making a dash for home, fear notwithstanding. Eventually, however, the stranger ceased his observation, his intense gaze growing calm.

"No," he said. "You can't be."

Link didn't understand. "Can't be who?"

"It's not important," the stranger responded. "But really, what's a kid like you doing out here? Do you just like exploring? Or do you just not get along with the other kids?"

Link balled up his fists. "No!" He retorted, fear transforming into anger. "It's… it's not like that," the blonde boy said. "And…well…" he began to stammer, his speech becoming more challenging to control. "It…I…"

"Look, you don't fit in," the cloaked man answered. "I get that. In fact," he said. "I come from a place where no one likes me."

The green-dressed youth was still apprehensive, but the man's words intrigued him. "No one?"

"No one," the stranger said. "My people are loathed and despised everywhere," he explained. "This is the first time I've ever seen a forest before," he paused for a moment, looking around. Link watched him as he did so, the man seemingly transfixed by the multitude of flora surrounding him. "The sun isn't as hot, nor does the ground burn underneath your feet," he mused aloud. "The land is fertile, and sources of water are prevalent." He then thought I'll give the old, twisted root that much credit. But no more. His attention then fell back onto Link. "Say, kid," he said. "How about you do me a favor?"

"F-Favor?" Link asked, regaining control over his tongue.

"Yeah, a favor," the taller, cloaked outsider answered. "Here's the thing," he then produced a round object of bright pink with several markings. "This is from my homeland. It's very rare and very priceless," he said.

Link inspected the strange sphere. "Is it a seed?"

"Exactly. A seed," Whatever you want it to be, kid. "But it can only grow where the light doesn't hit it. I live where the sun always shines bright and hot, so I have never seen the flower for myself. I came to this forest to plant it, but I don't know my way around this baffling place," he then extended his hand out. "But you seem to know your way around. Could I trust you to do that?"

Link looked at the seed, then back to its owner. "You're a stranger. I can't take it."

All right, fine. The mysterious man thought. How about this? "This flower is very special, for if you're the one that plants it, you get to make a wish."

Link wasn't expecting to hear that, but he was skeptical. "How do you know?"

"Because someone I knew made a wish on one long ago," the figure said. "It was a wish she told me about. And soon, I shall make that wish come true," the stranger then held out the seed to Link. "Is there anything you wish for, kid?"

Link bit his lip, unsure of how to say it. True, there were always things he wanted, things he wished for. But, if he had to be honest, there was only one thing he hoped for. Something that would make all the difference. Something that would perhaps allow him to fess if he belonged with the others.

"You don't have to say what it is, but you could use something like this to get it," the stranger said. "With it, you can get anything."

Link looked at the seed, then to the tall, darkly-dressed man, then to the seed again. Or what he claimed to be a seed. Link was doubtful, but the possibility of a wish grabbed him. Thus, he took the round seed from the cloaked figure, the taller man pleased with his decision.

"Thanks. I knew I could count on you," he said. "Remember, plant it somewhere where the sun doesn't shine." And with that, he left through a darkened passage, disappearing into the blackness, out of Link's view and the forest. As the man went down the long, dark path he had come from (a way he had been given by the Great Deku Tree's old "friend"), he shook off the words of his two closest associates, as well as the one who guided him here. No, that's impossible, he thought. He's just a kid.

Back at the entrance to the Kokiri Forest, Link looked at the seed in his possession, the pink sphere nearly encompassing his hand. It certainly wasn't like any seed he had seen before, but if the tall man said it was true, it would have to be planted tonight. He tried to think of a good place, but it would have to be somewhere with lots of shadows, somewhere dark. But where could that be?

Then, Link felt a hand on his shoulder. The boy yelped in fright, whirling around to see a frazzled Saria. "There you are!" She said, Link unsure whether she was relieved or angry. Or perhaps both. "What are you doing out here? The Great Deku Tree told you too-" she gasped when she saw what was in Link's possession. "Is that the Kokiri Sword?!"

Link's eyes widened in horror when he realized she had seen the blade he tried to hide. "Oh! Uh, it's…."

"Where did you get that?" Saria questioned her friend.

Link was trying to find words, but how could he explain what led him to the sword in the first place? "I…." He began, trying to keep his cool and concentrate on answering Saria's question. "I found it." He answered.

"Found it?" Saria asked. "How? You can't…" her blue eyes fell on the sword. "You can't just find that sword. It's…" she then sighed. "You know what? We can discuss this later. You just need to get yourself in bed." She then took the blonde boy by the hand into the tiny hamlet where they lived, leading him to his house. Her grip on Link wasn't painful, but it was firm; the boy was surprised that Saria had such an amount of strength. The two went to his treehouse, Saria dropping the boy off at the ladder. "Sorry," the green-haired girl sighed. "You just…had me worried, was all," she looked at the sword again. "I won't tell the Great Deku Tree," she assured Link. "But I wouldn't let anyone see it if I were you. Especially Mido."

"Well, duh." Link said. No way was he going to let Mido take this away from him."

"Still, don't go into the forest at night," Saria told her friend, her actions motivated solely by concern. "It's not safe," she said, voice softer. Her eyes fell onto the sword a final time. "Goodnight, Link." She then made her way to her own home.

Link was about to go up the ladder but then remembered the seed he had in his possession. Just where could he plant it? He wasn't good at raising crops, so if planting was all it took to grant a wish, that worked out perfectly for him. Assuming that it would work as intended. Or if it even worked at all.

Had he just been made a fool of?

Regardless, Link had the seed now, so he might as well plant it. Spotting a good, shadowy place by Flint's house, the blonde boy ran over and planted seed behind the Kokiri's house. Then, he ran back to his own home before anyone saw him. If this worked, maybe he could finally get a fairy of his own! Perhaps he could fit in for once.

All of this went through his mind as he ran back home, unaware of how the strange, round seed began slightly shaking and stirring. As if it were alive.