So I suppose I'm a good 20 years too late to be writing a Saria x Link fic but I'll post this anyway. I wasn't planning to but I guess there might be a few depraved Greenshippers out there hehe. I loved Ocarina of time and as bad as it sounds, Saria was my first crush when I was kid so a story with her as a central character was a long time coming.

In order to appreciate this fic you should have already played Ocarina of Time and Breath of the Wild and I understand that a lot of people might have not played both games given how far apart their release dates were. If you haven't played both games, expect to be bamboozled.

There was no place quite as enchanting as the Lost Woods on a sunny afternoon, and if such a place existed, Saria was sure that it would have been on a different realm. Perhaps the home of the goddesses? The forest was truly alive on this day. Woodland fireflies flitting through the air, every manner of bird and beast singing their own tune, the sound of water flowing from the rivers. The little Kokiri skipped around and about, humming her personal song as she went. A bouquet of flowers rested on her hands, she had picked each and every one herself. Each flower was a representation of the most beautiful colors in the forest and were expertly tied together to form a stunning collection. An imperceptive eye would have looked at the green haired sage and seen a picture of cheer and lively youth as she danced her way around the woods. But in her eyes was the unmistakable trace of a lingering pain. The young girl continued on her trek across the forest until she spotted a figure blocking her path ahead. She knew him, though she couldn't decide if she was surprised to see him here.

"Mido?.." Saria spoke softly. Her expression remained neutral as if she wasn't sure how to feel at the sight of him.

"Hey Saria.. Hehe.." the kokiri boy looked nervous.. He twiddled his fingers and eyed everything but the girl in front of him. It was unlike him, "Sooo… it's that day again huh..?"

"Yeah…" Saria answered in what was barely a whisper.

Mido looked at the girl in front of him. Lately she had been different. Not so much the person he was used to anymore. She tried her best to get along and enjoy her time with the other kokiri but she just.. wasn't the same. They were just small changes. Strange looks here and there, times when she would space out, times when she would disappear.. but Mido knew.. He knew she was more than a little broken inside and as much as he didn't want to admit it, He knew why..

"Look Saria…" Mido began, "I uhh.. I just wanted to give you this.." He reached for his back pocket and pulled out a unusual looking emerald flower, It wasn't big or as flashy but in a way.. It suited Mido.

Saria eyed the flower with curiosity before looking back at the self proclaimed leader of the Kokiri.

"Put it with the others will you…" Mido solemnly requested. "I… It would mean a lot to me if you did."

Saria gently took the flower from him. The boy blushed as her hand brushed against his.

"I know nothing could ever replace what you've lost but.. I really hope you can find happiness in the forest again.." Mido looked down at his feet as he spoke before turning around to head back to Kokiri Forest, he had made up his mind to give Saria some time alone.

The young forest sage watched the distance between her and her friend increase, but before he could get too far she softly called out to him.

"Mido.."

He turned to face her.

"Thank you.."

The boy smiled at her and spoke, "He was my friend too…"

SARIA POV

Everything looks the same. The staircase to the forest temple is still broken, the pedestal of time remains untouched, the tree stump I always sat on still stands. It's almost as if time has no meaning here.. My special place.. Still the same…

Then why..? Why does everything feel so different?

My eyes dart to the one thing, the singular object that wasn't there all those years ago. Right there standing in front of the pedestal of time. It pained my heart to even glance at it. A lonely slab of marble on which was written, words I never wanted to hear.

IN MEMORY OF LINK

HERO OF TIME

His grave is simple yet beautiful. It carries the modesty of the man to which it belonged. He deserved to be buried among the legends, the royalty in Hyrule Castle. Though that wasn't what he wanted. In the end he made it clear that he wanted to be put to rest in the forest. His first home.

I kneel in front of my best friend's grave and place the flowers down. The pedestal of time on which it was built was quite comfortable and easy on the knees. Once again I find myself talking to the air in front of me. As if he were still here…

"Hey… Happy Birthday.." I smile, "It's been a while huh?... a whole year since I've seen you last.. Might as well give you an update on things heehee.."

I clear my throat, preparing myself for what is sure to be a one sided conversation.

"The Kokiri are doing well. Everyone is starting to get used to the new Deku Tree! He isn't as mature and straightforward as the Deku Tree you grew up with but he cares for all of us just the same."

"Hyrule is doing fine and will continue to be for many more years thanks to you. I hear Castle town is busier than ever! It's funny, I'm still not used to the fact that the princess is pretty much an old lady!" I couldn't resist a small chuckle at that. "Come to think of it, watching you grow old was a pretty bizarre experience.."

Suddenly I feel my spirit begin to crumble.

"Are you happy now Link..? Malon.. were you able to see her again..? Are you together now? I hope so.. you two were always so happy together.."

My heart is constricting.. It.. hurts.

When Link channelled all of his courage and married Malon, it was the happiest I had ever seen him. The look of pure joy whenever he talked about his darling wife was unlike anything I have ever seen. I never would have wanted to take any happiness away from him.. That's why even when it hurt so much when he rarely ever came to visit the forest, even though it stung when I saw that my best friend was so happy without me, even though I cried my heart out when I felt like I was losing him, I never told him. He didn't need to hear it. He had a family and responsibilities. As he grew older, he slowly started to lose his spunk and energy until the time came when the energetic boy who was always searching for adventure was no more.

"I miss everyone… Ruto and Darunia are still around but Impa, Nabooru, Kaepora… I miss having everyone together.."

My voice is breaking, It's getting difficult to keep myself composed.

"I-I miss you Link.. And I can't explain why, but not having you around hurts.."

Tears… I didn't want to cry today. I told myself I wouldn't. I'm shaking. My words barely escaping through sniffles and sobs.

"I-It hurts so much…"

At this point there's no point in trying to mask the pain and even still, my hands find their way towards my face, trying to hide the tears charged with regret.

"I know all Kokiri live forever but if this is what it means to to be immortal then I don't want to be! There were still so many things I still wanted to do with you…"

It has come to the point where I cannot manage more than sad whispers.

"Come back.. let me see you again.. please... just one last time."

It's getting difficult to remain upright. I rest my body on the stone monument before me as soft sobs and whimpers escape my lips.

"Come back… Please…"

Silence... As always, no one can hear me. What am I doing? What's wrong with me..

Suddenly golden light bursts from the pedestal of time. Brilliant gold traces the line that form the image of the Triforce. The feeling of a light static tickles my skin as the light slowly surrounds me.

"Wh-what's going on?"

Looking around, it's difficult to take this all in after going through that emotional whirlwind. I try to step off the pedestal but before I could even make a move, everything was different.

My body slips forward and I catch myself before I can fall. The object that I was leaning on had disappeared. Link's grave was no longer where it was

My knees still rested upon the pedestal of time, though something was off.. It was cracked and smothered with what looked like dirt and ash. Moss and weeds were growing all over it. In the course of a second, the pedestal seemed to have grown old and decrepit.

Looking up I realize that this wasn't the Lost Woods.. I was in a stone structure and it wasn't in good shape. Shards of broken glass littered the ground from its shattered windows, The entire western wall had crumbled allowing a large stream of sunlight to enter the building.

All sorts of broken furniture and blocks of stone were scattered all over the place.

"What in the- where am I?"

Fear begins to take hold of me. Am I dreaming? My eyes dart around nervously and then it hits me.

I've been here before...

"This is.. The Temple of Time..?" I whisper mostly to myself. "Why is it- What's going on?"

The once great Temple lay in ruins. Its stone foundation in shambles. Moss and all kinds of flora grew on the walls and floor.

Suddenly my legs begin to move on their own and I find myself rushing out of the front exit. Wind rushes through my face as I step outside and for a split second, sunlight blinds my eyes.

…

"I don't understand…"

The Temple of time isn't the only place in ruins.. Everything is… The settlement down below had been reduced into a pile of rubble. Everywhere I look there are these things.. corpses of these big metal entities with long tentacles. They kind of remind me of Peahats..

One slow step at a time I make my way around the area while taking in the surroundings. As I scan the horizon I feel my eyes stretch as wide as they could go when they take in the image of Hyrule Castle.

"This can't be real right..?" I whisper, "There's just.. no.. way.."

My legs feel weak.. I'm shaking..

"That's impossible…"

Darkness surrounds the Hylian seat of power. The great stone castle is enclosed with a menacing aura. I've felt this darkness before.. How could I ever forget.. Ganon…

His presence more powerful than ever before, extreme hatred, burning malice. And its source was none other than Hyrule's seat of power.

My whole body is trembling. My limbs refuse to move. How is this happening?

"The seal was complete.. He shouldn't be back! Not yet! Not now!" It's getting hard to breathe. My voice is shaky. It's hundreds of years too early for that monster to return.

"I… I don't understand!" I grasp my hair in disbelief and sprint the other way. Away from the darkness if only to save myself from this crippling fear.

I run and keep running. I run in a place that I recognize as Hyrule but everything was off. The ground was misshapen, large patches of land had been burned, buildings destroyed, forests cut down. As I sprint across Hyrule field, I only now notice its vast emptiness. What once was a land filled with all manner of travellers and merchants found itself devoid of sentient life. What on earth is going on?

One thing that hasn't changed is the vastness of Hyrule Field. The endless sea of lush green would've been quite beautiful if not for the stain of evil on the horizon. My legs are beginning to tire. I can't run any further..

3rd Person POV

Saria sunk to the ground leaning on the wreckage of one of the nearby metal entities, tears forming and threatening to let loose. She had just asked to see her best friend again only to be reunited with the one being that she wished she'd never see again. Her confusion and heartache had been building up ever since Hyrule changed. Her hands clenched into fists, her face scrunched up in pain, she let her tears fall as all her mixed emotions run rampant. Curled into a ball, the once sweet and lively Kokiri had lost all semblance of her old self

"Why is this world so cruel…" She whispered as her small figure quivered from her soft sobs. There she sat, alone and afraid like she was years ago in the Forest Temple. Only this time she knew no one was coming to save her. No one was going to comfort her, to tell her that everything was going to be alright. She had no one. For the first time Saria had felt truly alone.

Slowly she noticed light begin to emanate from behind her. A strange glow of dark Maroon. She turned her head to locate the source and it seemed like the metal entity was coming to life. A foreign humming could be heard. The grooves around it began to glow with the same malicious hue as Hyrule Castle and what appeared to be its head began to rotate.

Saria quickly stepped back from the now active machine. She'd never seen anything like it. Steel was such a lifeless element but here right before her was a huge creature made entirely out of it. The machine's head continued to rotate until its singular eye came into view. Suddenly it stopped rotating and a stream of bright red light shone forth from its eye and centered right at Saria's chest. The machine began making strange noises, high pitched beeping that got faster and faster as the seconds went by. Saria, being physically and mentally exhausted couldn't make sense of what was happening and just continued to stare with teary eyes at the machine flashing a bright red light at her. The noises got louder and faster and at this point Saria was taking a few steps back, clearly spooked by the way the machine was behaving. Suddenly, just when she thought that it couldn't get much louder, a voice rang out to her side,

"MOVE!"

At that moment she felt all the air knocked out of her as an unknown figure pretty much tackled her aside into the ground. For a split second, Saria could see the metal beast unleash a concentrated beam of energy from its eye that completely obliterated the ground where she once stood. An explosion bigger than any she had ever seen left nothing but burning grass and smoldering soil in its wake. Eyes wide open and mouth agape, Saria looked on in horror, taking in what could've been her fate. She didn't have much time to process things however as the same voice from just a moment ago was shouting at her to get up and move.

"WE HAVE TO GO NOW!"

The much taller figure quickly took hold of Saria's hand and dragged the Kokiri away from the machine which was now once again taking aim at them.

Saria ran as fast as her childlike legs could go, only now realizing the danger she was in. Even while sprinting like her life depended on it, she was able to have a quick glance on her savior. He was a middle aged Hylian from the looks of it. The stranger quickly pulls her towards the edge of a small hill and throws her down, jumping down himself soon after. A loud bang was heard as the ground shook and Saria witnessed another explosion above her as she tumbled down the slope. She collapsed with scraped knees and bruised elbows at the bottom of the hill and for a while, things were quiet. It appeared that she was safe being out of the machine's line of sight. The peace didn't last long however as the man who had pushed her came sliding down. He made a beeline towards the fallen Kokiri, crouched down and held her by the shoulders.

"What were you thinking?! You must be out of your mind facing off with a Guardian like that!"

Saria, still a bit rattled by recent events, could only stay silent and stare at the man in confusion.

"You're lucky that thing was missing its legs! Where are your parents? How could they just leave a child wandering the wilds on their own!?"

His voice began to tune out as Saria's eyes began to involuntarily close. She felt her body shutting down on her. All her energy leaving at that one moment.

"Hey can you hear me? What's wrong? Hey!"

His voice got softer and more muffled. She had reached her limit. Her body and mind couldn't take any more of this kind of strain. And so her body did the only thing it could do to relieve itself. Saria felt her consciousness slip away. Memories of better times slipped into her dreams.