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Mido couldn't sleep that night.
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They all felt the sudden emptiness of The Great Deku Tree’s passing. The Kokiri race being finely attuned to the forest could feel the guardian spirits protective spell shed like snake-skin that afternoon, the afternoon Link had just gone to visit him. Mido’s fears were confirmed when Link ran past him out of the forest towards the Hyrule Field.
A death sentence for any Kokiri
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“Link must have done something!” the distraught voice of the eldest Know-it-all cried, grabbing at the grass nearby in frustration.
“Link would never kill him,” the sweet blonde Fado curtly responded. She had sat down grasping her arms tightly around her knees.
Mido quietly watched the panicked Kokiri talk amongst each other. The events of the day not fully processed, as he remembered the wisdom of the Deku Tree, the repeated advice not to enter the Lost Woods or leave the forest.
Link is dead.
The Deku Tree is dead.
“Mido what should we do?” Fado asked, the nervous twitch in her voice prickling at his skin.
And the great Mido had to be brave, had to keep everyone safe. Taking a breath he stood tall. “Link must have done something but that doesn’t matter anymore. Everyone needs to learn to use the sticks and shields, without the Deku Tree monsters might attack at night.” He could already feel the demons entering the woods, creeping towards their village.
The Know-it-all brothers nodded, “We’ll grab some deku-sticks tomorrow,” one of them said.
-
Despite all his prior boasting fighting didn’t come naturally to Mido. It didn’t come naturally to most Kokiri, but much to his frustration he was woefully inadequate even compared to the other Children of the Forest. After snapping his third stick that afternoon he stormed off ignoring the protests of his sparing partner.
-
Link is alive. Mido saw him by the Lost Woods, he had a new metal shield much too large for him to ever properly use and a skull mask obscuring his face, but Mido knew it was him. The blonde tuffs of hair peeking out under the hat were more than enough to prove it.
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Link is alive. Mido saw him jump down from his tree house one evening. Link was always the most acrobatic of them, not even flinching as he hits the ground. Mido had always been jealous of him for that. The boy climbed up to the entrance of the Lost Woods and vanished from sight.
Mido wondered if he was a skull-kid.
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Link Is alive. Mido wonders why no one else notices him picking rupees from the tall grass. This time he leaves trough the main exit to the field.
Mido wondered if he was a ghost.
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Link is alive. Mido confronted him.
Link came back once a week, Mido had been keeping track, this time he perched by the Lost Woods.
“Are you a ghost?” He asked, upset by how weak his voice sounded. Upset by the tears welling on his freckled face.
“No.” was all he got, Link was never one for words. It didn’t matter
Mido hugged the boy. Squeezed until his muscles were forced to relax from the pressure. The crying making him ugly. Link wordlessly hugged back.
Sniffling he tried to control himself. “W- I thought you were dead. The Deku Tree died and you ran away.”
Link guided him to a nearby log, sitting down next to him. “The Great Deku tree was cursed by an evil man, he told me to go find the Princess of Hyrule.” Of course Link was chosen, Link was always favored by the spirits, by Saria too the bitter memory hissed.
He wanted to sneer at him, build back up the wall of superiority, but he didn’t. Couldn’t after such a display of weakness. “Did you find her?”
Link nodded. “She’s sending me to talk to the Goron and Zora.” Races who Mido had never seen but had heard the stories of.
The once-fairyless boy looked back at him, holding he hand reassuring him as he explained his journey in the fiery caverns and through the belly of a beast. It was a matter of fact retelling with no hint of pride, Link spoke in an even tone as held out the spiritual stones for Mido to examine. After peering into the glistening deep turquoise gemstone he looked back at Link. “Will you be coming back when you’re done?”
“I promise.”
-
Link was a liar.
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Some days Mido twists and turns through the night wondering if Link was sent to his death by the princess.
-
The monsters grew bolder with every passing week. Occasionally a scream would ring out across the town as a Deku Baba shot up next to an unarmed Kokiri. Mido and the brothers were constantly on edge ready to run to cut down the plants before they could do harm.
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Most Kokiri didn’t want to leave their homes anymore.
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“You can’t go into that deathtrap!” Mido yelled more loudly than intended at Saria. The self-appointed leader more scared than angry.
Saria sat calmly as he paced the room, processing the vison she had just told him. A calling towards the Lost Woods.
He almost didn’t feel the hand of the girl on his shoulder, turning to face her Mido could feel the confident aura she exhibited. Her eyes meeting his without a hint of fear. “I need your help Mido, someone will be coming to visit our woods, someone important. You need to help him to find our temple.” Taking a deep breath he nodded and helped her pack.
-
Saria had stopped him at a clear pool and told him to wait. “You’ll have plenty of water here. The man is coming soon, you need to point him in my direction, guide him. Only the man who knows me should enter the temple.”
-
Mido couldn’t sleep that night, he could hear the rattling and creaking of the forest, the quiet melancholic music of the skull kids carried by the night breeze. How long did it take to become a skull kid? Mido’s mind kept him awake as he swore he felt his limbs changing. Grabbing at them every few hours to make sure they were still there.
-
It had been a week and Mido was starting to fear Saria was dead, but as he was getting read to brave the forest and go looking for her a man came running into the clearing. Breathing heavily he ran straight to the pool and pulled out a jar to scoop the water, downing it so quickly the drink dribbled onto his green tunic.
Mido stood still processing how to talk to the man, was this the one Saria needed to see? It must be right? “The woods are still impossible to navigate I see.” The man who had regained his breath called to him from the poolside. A fairy flew around the man, whispering something in his ear. Approaching Mido the tall man stopped and looked down at him, for the briefest moment he seemed unsure of himself.
“Are you the one Saria wants to see?” he asked looking up at the looming figure. He’s so familiar but Mido can’t place him. Pulling out a blue instrument the man plays a meditative tune. It’s an ocarina, Saria used to have one, and the melody brings back the memories of years past.
Smiling he finishes the song and pockets the small oval instrument. “That song, Saria used to play it all the time.” The man nods and as Mido look up at him the pieces fell into place. Gasping the words “You’re Link!” left his mouth before he had time to second guess himself.
Awkwardly the man stood there for a second before nodding his head again. “I promised I’d come back.” The voice was different but it was his.
Mido wanted to say so much, ask so much, but instead pointed the direction of the temple. “Saria is this way, she’s waiting for you.”
-
In hindsight the fact that Link wasn’t a Kokiri should have been obvious.
-
Link came back through the woods that evening, walking slowly, but unharmed. “Saria is safe but she’s not coming back.” He didn’t elaborate.
Mido handed him the remainder of his rations which Link silently accepted. “Are you going away again?” the Kokiri asked knowing the answer.
Link hummed affirmatively, causing Mido’s heart to sink just a little. Between bites Link spoke “I have to find some people to save Hyrule, if all goes well the monsters will disappear from Kokiri forest completely.” The uncomfortable silence settled between them as Mido didn’t respond. When Link had finished the small meal he stood back up and Mido was once again reminded of his height. “Do you want help getting back to your house?” Link asked looking down at him. Seven years ago Mido would have been offended by the offer, would have sneered that he didn’t need help, but now none of that mattered.
-
The Hylian expertly slashed through the Deku baba and scrubs, not giving the monsters a single chance to land a hit on him. Weaving in and out he kept them both safe.
When they got to Mido’s house Link quietly knelt next to him, bringing his head level with his and brought him into a tight hug. “I’m going to fix all of this, then I’ll come back I promise.”
If the taller man noticed Mido trembling he didn’t say anything.