The Legend of Zelda: The Ocarina of Time

Lost Woods

"Then what do you think became of the Kokiri?"

Navi hesitated. "All we can do now is find the Forest Temple and seek the power of its Sage... it's got to be hidden somewhere here in the Lost Woods."

By now, a full bright moon had risen in the night sky. Staring up at it, Link sighed a deep breath, and began wandering the Lost Woods on horseback, in search of the legendary temple. As he went, Link recounted the legend of the temples he heard from Sheik. Five of them... three of which in territories Link had been... one of which in his own backyard... This 'Sage of the Forest' was supposedly Saria. Then there was the matter of the seventh Sage. If Rauru was the sixth after the five from the temples, then who was the seventh?

"Halt!" Link's thoughts were interrupted by the voice of a stocky ginger child with a yellow fairy flapping about him. This boy was none other than Mido.

"Who do you think you are, mister?" He tried to intimidate Link, boasting the same puffy cheek complexion as he did all those years ago. Only now, Link was but a young man, sitting high up on a horse. "That Kokiri-like clothing won't fool me!"

Mido did not seem to recognize him. Link fully took in the situation as he dismounted Epona. Link was standing before a person, who was once contemporary in his age, but now stood younger than him. Mido hadn't changed a bit in the seven years that passed, which didn't surprise Link, as the Kokiri never grew up to be adults... unlike he had...

Link could not conjure any words. He couldn't stop staring perplexedly into Mido's little face as he slowly approached the red-haired kid.

"Don't come any closer, mister!" Mido commanded, "I promised Saria I would never let anyone go through here!"

"Saria..." Link whispered, as a wave of regretful nostalgia rode over him.

"You don't know Saria!" Mido stated, losing confidence. "She would never be friends with a grownup like you."

"Mido... it's me... Link."

Link removed his cap, revealing Navi, who fluttered over to Mido's fairy.

Mido could begin to see it now, but was still in disbelief. "No, Link is a Kokiri like me; we never grow up."

"It's a long story of what happened to me after I left," Link explained, "but... I did grow up."

Mido didn't seem swayed.

Link thought of something... something he still had in his knapsack. He dug into it, pulling out a light-yellow clay ocarina.

"That's..." A rare tear appeared in Mido's eye.

Even to Link it seemed like forever since he laid hands on it, being thrown into the chaos of Ganondorf's plot and away from his childhood.

Overcome with memories from those days, he put the mouthpiece to his lips and played the tune Saria had taught him. F A B, F A B.

"That melody..." Mido's tear was now dripping down his puffy cheek. "Link?"

"She gave it to me before I left." Link paused while they both admired it. "You said she instructed you not to let anyone through?"

Saria must have heard something calling to her from the Temple. If she knew somehow that she was being awoken, as Sheik knew she was, then she definitely would have wanted absolutely nobody coming through to a place sacred enough to house a Sage.

Mido's mouth hung open. "Nobody... except you, Link."

Link suddenly knew exactly where she went. He remounted Epona and grabbed the reigns with purpose. Mido stepped aside, and then gave Link something he never saw from him: a smile.