Childhood Dreams
By Pata Hikari
Chapter 3: Learning
What a strange dream. Saria thought as she lay in her bed, her eyes still closed. It was a nice one though… She sat up, yawning and opening her eyes. "Huh?" She looked around, "It wasn't a dream!" She was still in that small; one room house that had appeared when she had became a Kokiri.
When she became a Kokiri…
"Yes!" She cheered, "I'm still here! It's real!"
"Good to hear you confirming our existence." Kalo, who was lieing on a small cushion, said dryly, "What time is it? You woke me up way too early…" He yawned.
"Well, it's morning again, I know that much." Saria got out of bed, "I don't know about you, but I could use a bath." She glanced around her home, spotting her backpack sitting in a corner. "I wondered where this had vanished off too." She walked over and opened it up, "Now to grab a change of clothing." She began pulling clothing out of the pocket she had placed in them. She first pulled out a green shirt, then a green pair of shorts. Then more green shirts, as well as some green skirts. In fact, all her clothing had changed, becoming the same green fabric of the set she was currently wearing. Even though there were differences between each piece of clothing, it didn't change the fact that they weren't the clothing she had packed.
"What's this?" Saria asked, "What happened to my clothes?"
"What about them?" Kalo flew over to them.
"They're not what I brought." Saria said flatly.
"They're Kokiri clothing." Kalo grinned, "What else would a Kokiri wear? If they don't wear Kokiri clothing, then what will they wear? They can't run around naked you know."
"But what if I don't want to wear this?" Saria held up a green shirt.
"You have lots of clothing." Kalo shrugged, "Things are what things are. You're a Kokiri now, so you wear Kokiri clothing. Just like boys wear boy clothing and girls wear girl clothing. Just like dogs have fur and sparrows have feathers."
"But my friend Maple wears boy clothing all the time, and she's a girl!" Saria said.
Kalo shook his head, "Its girl clothing because she's a girl. Just because it was originally boy's clothing doesn't mean it can't change. Everything can change."
"…" Saria pressed her hand against her forehead, "That's just strange."
"It's the way the world works." Kalo sat on Saria's shoulder, "So, you want to go take that bath now?"
Saria walked through the village. It seemed that the Kokiri (she still had a hard time thinking of herself as one of them) weren't out.
"Where to find a place to bathe…" Saria whispered to herself.
"Hi there!" He appeared in front of her.
"Ack!" Saria fell back, "What are you doing?"
Link shrugged an impressive feat since he was hanging upside down from a tree branch. "I was sitting up here, enjoying the peace of the morning. Then I saw you and decided that there had been enough peace for the day." He leaped down, somehow flipping himself over to land on his feet. He eyed Kalo, "So your fairy's name is Kalo? Nice to meet you Kalo.
Saria stared, "How did you-"
"My ways are varied and mysterious." Link grinned.
"He asked me." Navi fluttered down.
"You never let me have any fun." Link muttered.
Saria decided she'd had enough; she slammed her fist into the top of Link's skull. "Are you done making a fool of yourself?" She asked, grinding it in a little more.
"Ow!" Link pulled back, rubbing his head, "Of fine. What is it that you need?"
Saria sighed with relief, finally! "Do you know where I can take a bath?"
"Sure." Link pointed to his right, "Go down that way and turn left at the old tree. There's a hot spring we use."
"Thank you." Saria nodded, and started walking away.
"Just watch out for the creatures that lurk in the depths!" Link cried out.
Saria ignored him.
Saria looked at the spring. It was bubbling cheerfully. Steam was floating out of it.
"Kalo, leave." Saria ordered her fairy.
"Huh? Why?" Kalo blinked.
"You're a boy!" Saria slapped her forehead. "It should be obvious! Boy's aren't allowed to see girls naked!"
"Why is it such a big deal?" Kalo shrugged, "I mean, you see yourself naked all the time. What's the big deal if other people see you naked?"
"…" Saria sighed, "Just… please go, to make me feel better. Tell me if anybody comes."
"Fine." Kalo said, "To make you feel better." He flew out of her sight range.
Saria smiled, throwing off her clothing. "OK, let's see." She slipped down into the water. "Ahh! Hot!" She winced slightly. But she forced herself into the water. "Ohh…" She closed her eyes. "Man… this feels good…"
A sound was heard.
"Huh?" Saria looked around. A ripple appeared in the water. A dark shape was seen through the steam. "Who's there?" The shape started moving towards her. "I- I m- mean it! Come on, talk!" It moved towards her at high speeds. "Stop that!" Saria backed up against the edge of the spring. The shape was next to her now. "I… I…" The shape burst out of the water, causing a massive splash. "Liiink!" Saria screamed, closing her eyes.
A giggle was heard.
"Huh?" Saria opened her eyes, "Malon?"
"Hi!" The redhead said cheerfully. "What's up?"
Saria sighed with relief, "Oh, it's just you."
"Good to see you remember my name." Malon nodded.
"You're pretty memorable." Saria smiled weakly.
"Speaking of memorable…" Malon's smiled grew mischievous, "Why did you call for my brother? Hmm?" She raised an eyebrow.
"I- I did?" Saria paused as she realized she had, in fact, called for Link… "He… that jerk! He, quote, 'warned' me about, quote, 'creatures lurking in the depths!'"
"Oh. That's me." Malon pointed to herself.
"He knew you were here! He was trying to scare me!" Saria threw her fist into the water, "He's going to pay!"
"Neat." Malon shrugged, leaning back into the water. Now she was floating on her back. "Sooo… how's being a Kokiri so far?"
"It's like a dream." Saria waved her hand through the water. "What about you? How does being a Kokiri compare to your old life?"
"Old life?" Malon glanced up at Saria, "No idea. I've been a Kokiri as long as I can remember."
"You were born as one?" Saria opened the bottle of shampoo she had brought with her, rubbing some of it into her hair.
"Oh no. People aren't born as Kokiri. They become them." Malon moved her arms through the water, somehow she kept on floating. "I'm just saying that me and Link got here when I was still a baby. I didn't get Tatl until I was twelve. After that I stopped growing like everyone else." Malon started drifting away, "Hey, where's your new Fairy… Kalo, anyway?"
"Oh. I told him to wait until I was done bathing." Saria took a breath, ducking into the water to rinse out her hair. When she surfaced, she looked around for a moment. "Where is your fairy? Did she not want to take a bath?"
"Oh, she's over-"Malon suddenly sat up, turning to her left. "Tatl? Tatl?" She rushed over to the left side of the spring. "Tatl!" She cried out.
Saria followed Malon, "What's wrong?"
"Tatl!" Malon stopped at the edge, "Oh no... Not again!" She looked around the water. "Why can't she just stay in place?"
Saria spotted a dim yellow light under the surface. Huh? Saria reached down, wrapping her hand around something small. What's this? Saria pulled the thing out.
It was Tatl.
"Oh my g…" Saria whispered.
"Tatl!" Malon snatched the Fairy from Saria's hands. "Why do I ever take you here?" She squeezed the small person. To Saria's shock, Tatl's eyes shot open and water squirted out of her mouth. Her wings fluttered, shaking the water off.
"I'm awake! I'm awake!" Tatl shouted in a panic.
"What am I going to do with you?" Malon said sternly, "You need to stop sleeping so much!"
"I'm sorry Mal! It's just that the spring makes such relaxing steam…" Tatl blushed, waving her hands in a panic.
"How… she could have drowned!" Saria said in shock.
"What? No!" Tatl grinned, rubbing the back of her head, "We Fairies can't die from something as silly as breathing. Because really, water's just air that's little thicker then normal."
Saria snickered, then she began to giggle, then she finally burst out laughing.
"Huh?" Tatl took flight, hovering in front of Saria's face. "What's so funny?"
"It's just…" Saria said in-between giggles, "If you had told me… ha-ha-ha… a week ago… that I would be talking to a fairy who thinks water's just as good as air…. tee-hee… I would have said you were crazy!" She fell into the spring, still laughing.
"…." Tatl held still for a moment, "I'm crazy?"
"I see you're done." Kalo landed on Saria's shoulder.
"Hi there. You must be Kalo." Tatl was now flying around Malon's head, as if making up for her sleeping earlier.
"Yo!" Malon waved.
"Hello there you two." Kalo smiled. "Soooo…. What can a new Kokiri and Fairy do for fun around here?"
Malon smirked, "Well, first, I think you two better get to know the whole gang." She laughed, ginning broadly, "You'll love them!"
"Hey there, freckles!"
Mido looked to his side, sure enough, it was Link. He looked mildly irritated. "Hello there hotstuff." Mido said back to him. "Is something the matter?"
Link growled. "You… I…" He sighed, "You've just managed to make me angrier then usual." He glared at Mido, "Look. Just stay out of my business, OK?"
Mido narrowed his eyes, "Every other Kokiri may think you're the greatest thing ever. But I'm not going to follow you blindly."
Link just folded his arms, "Remember who keeps them away."
Mido just laughed, "I think you attract them."
Link rolled his eyes, "Whatever…"
"Oh! Oh! It's Zelly! Hiiiiii Zelly!"
Zelda rolled her eyes, turning to look at Malon and Saria. Their fairies hovering above them.
"Hey!" Tatl waved, "Is Tael with you now?"
Zelda nodded, and a purple fairy came out of one of her pockets, wearing a long shirt that covered most of its body. Long bangs hung from each side of the face, as well as a short ponytail hanging in the back.
"Aww…" Saria smiled, "She's so cute!"
"Erm…" Tael blushed, "M- Miss… I'm a b- boy…" He fidgeted a little.
"Sorry!" Saria flushed, "I didn't know…"
"Hah! That's different!" Tatl laughed, "Nobody's ever said that before." She flew in front of Saria, "This is my little brother, Tael."
"Hello there, Miss…" Tael said softly.
"Hi." Saria leaned in close to the purple Fairy.
"Eeep!" Tael flew back behind Zelda's head. "D- Don't get t- to close… it m- makes me nervous…"
Saria smiled, "Sorry."
"Tael is… unique." Zelda said gently. "So, Saria, where are you from?" She placed a hand on her shoulder.
"Seattle." Saria made a face, "It's so rainy!"
"Oh! I know how you feel." Zelda said sympathetically, "I'm from London."
"In England?" Saria blinked, "That's on the other side of the world!"
"Don't try to understand it." Zelda grinned, "Logic gets you nowhere here."
"Hey!" Link's voice rang out. "There you people are!" Link seemed to suddenly appeared in the middle of them all. "How's my favorite sister?" He smiled at Malon.
"Where'd you come from?" Saria glared at him.
"Ah, the lovely Saria." Link winked, "Ask and I won't tell you. Don't ask and I will."
"… but I already asked you." Saria said flatly. Then her eyes narrowed, she swung her arm, whacking Link on the side of the head, "That's for trying to scare me!"
"Ow…" Link rubbed his head, "What did I do to deserve that one?"
Authors Notes: Forgive the short chapter. I just hit a block on this story… don't worry, I'll get on better with a new chapter! So please forgive me! I'm giving you the puppy eyes!