Saria's Small Dilemma

(cethehedge and Twilight Prince)

Saria sat up in her bed and yawned, the morning sun gleaming through the spaces in her curtains. Outside, the birds chirped happily, and sounds of the other residents of Kokiri Forest could be heard. The female Kokiri stretched and stood up out of her bed. She quickly changed out of her nightgown and into her tunic, then slipped on her boots and strolled out into the village.
Most of the resident Kokiri were out and about today, and each was in his or her usual resting spot, all with their fairy companions orbiting their heads. It was a normal day in the Kokiri forest, as far as Saria could see, so she decided to take a walk to her secret spot. She carefully walked by everyone and climbed up to the entrance of the Lost Woods, ducking inside when no one was looking.
Saria zigged and zagged through the forested maze, humming her ocarina song as she went. She smiled as she passed a group of skull kids practicing with their instruments. They stopped and waved, then returned to their activity. Saria continued on until she finally arrived at the Sacred Forest Meadow, then climbed up to the top of the hedges and skipped across to the main area.
"Ahh….peace and quiet…." Saria said as she sat down on her stump, "And it's such a beautiful day…so relaxing…." She took her ocarina from her pocket and began to play her trademark song, the notes echoing throughout the woods.

Meanwhile, at Lon Lon Ranch, Malon was sweeping the bar floor while her father made her breakfast.  She quietly hummed Epona's Song as she worked, sweeping the dirt and hay into the corner. When she had finished, she fed the cuckoo and left the barn, walking out onto the ranch to check the horses.
Epona galloped happily up to the ranch-girl and nuzzled her shoulder, Malon returning the gesture with a stroking of the horse's mane.
"Aww, hello there Epona, it's good to see you, too!" Malon giggled, continuing to pet the horse's head. A few minutes later, Talon appeared at the house doorway and called Malon, telling her that her breakfast was ready. Malon smiled and eagerly walked back to the house, smelling the scent of fresh cooked eggs and bacon in the air.

Gently, notes floated through the air as Saria gracefully played her song. Throughout the entire Lost Woods the song echoed, only fading when it tried to leave and return to the forest.
Saria finished a loop of her song and stopped, setting the ocarina in her lap and taking a deep breath.  She wiped a bit of sweat from her forehead and sighed, looking up at the canopy of trees overhead.
"I wonder where Link is right now....," she thought aloud, "I hope he's safe he always seems to get into trouble…" It had been a week since Link had left the forest, and Saria had already begun to miss him. "I'm sure he's alright..." Saria said to herself looking around the meadow. Suddenly something caught her eye. She stood and walked over to the large stone platform with the Triforce design on it that sat in the middle of the meadow, then kneeled down and examined one of the outer panels. There were four lines with small symbols on them etched into the stone.
"Its…it's a song…." Saria thought to herself, holding up her ocarina. A single sentence of hylian text was etched under the notes, "envision your destination and play these notes.'…..Hmm….this must be some sort of teleportation song or something….I wonder if I could use my ocarina…" She lifted the wooden instrument to her lips and began to play the notes.
As each note passed, Saria felt a strange tingling feeling in her gut. She was about to finish the song when she remembered she needed to think of somewhere to go. She quickly thought of a place she had heard of a few months ago when the postman had come to deliver things to the shop.
"I want to go to Lon Lon Ranch." Saria thought, and then disappeared in a puff of smoke.

In another puff of smoke, Saria reappeared on the roof of the Lon Lon Ranch house, landing on her rear with a light thud.
"Ooof…ow….that felt really weird…." She said, rubbing her butt and looking around, "Hmm…so this is the ranch, huh? Strange, I thought it would be a bit smaller…." She took a step forward and slipped, tumbling down the roof and falling into a small tear in the shingles. Carefully, she sat up and looked around.
"Oww….I'm confused…how did I fall into the attic if I was on the roof? I shouldn't have been able to fall through that crack...." Saria crawled forward and fell down another small crack, landing in the rafters above the Malon's bedroom. She gasped as she was finally struck with the realization of her predicament.
"I…..I think I've been shrunk!!"

Malon stretched and yawned as she finished her dinner. She stood and gathered the dishes from the table, then walked to the sink and began washing them.
"Dad?" she asked after a few minutes of silence. Talon looked up from the ranch records he was reviewing.
"Yes?"
"I was thinking of going to Kokiri Forest tomorrow to visit a few of my friends....would that be okay with you?"
"I suppose...you'll be back before the sun sets, right? I don't want you out there when the Stalchilds come out...."
"Don't worry Dad, I'll be back before then." Malon replied with a smile, "Thanks."
"I never have a problem with you leaving, just be back safely, and don't go too far." Talon said, still reading, "Now its late. You should get to bed..."
"Alright." Malon finished washing the dishes and hugged her father before running up the stairs to her room.

"Malon's a good friend of mine...I bet she could help me get back to normal..." Saria thought, carefully walking across the rafters. Suddenly, the door opened and in stepped Malon with a smile across her face. "Well she seems happy.....Wonder what's up...."
"I should get some rest if I'm going to walk all the way to Kokiri Village tomorrow." Malon thought aloud, walking over to her dresser. She quickly changed into her nightgown and sat down on her bed. She turned and grabbed the milk bottle on her nightstand, uncapping it and taking a sip.
"Ahh...nothing like some milk before bed..." she said to herself, yawning. She placed the bottle back on the nightstand with the cap off before pulling back to sheets on her bed and snuggling in, "Tomorrow's gonna be fun."

A few minutes passed before Malon was quietly asleep, snuggled against her pillow and dreaming of the day ahead. Above her, on the rafters, Saria sat cross-legged pondering her next course of action. It was true that Malon was her friend, but she had no idea how she would react to seeing the pint-sized Kokiri at her current size.
"She'd probably faint..." Saria mumbled to herself, "But she's my only chance at getting back to normal now. If I tried walking back to Kokiri Forest, it would take forever....not to mention I'd probably get snatched up by a bird or spider or something...." After a moment more of thinking, Saria decided that she would try to make contact with Malon. "I just hope she can help me..." she paused and looked around, "...wait...so how do I get down from here?"

"Well now I have another problem..." Saria grumbled, sitting on the edge of the rafter above Malon's bed, "How am I supposed to get down there to her? Ugh...this just hasn't been my day..." Saria hung her head, leaning forward a bit.
*crack*
Saria's pointed ears perked up. "Huh?"
…...*crack*
"Okay, that time I definitely heard-"
*CRACK!* The splinter of wood she was sitting on gave way from the unexpected weight, sending Saria tumbling down through the air.
"Eeeeep!!!" the little Kokiri screamed as she fell. Everything was a blur, the scene around her spinning and flipping as she came closer and closer to the floor. She closed her eyes and waited for the end. At last the tiny green missile finally landed, bumping her head on something before blacking out altogether.

Everything was still a blur as Saria slowly opened her eyes.
"Wh-what happened? Am....Am I...dead?" she said softly as her vision re-aligned. Slowly, Saria examined the area around her. She seemed to be in some sort of tube, a shiny tube....made of glass? The tiny Kokiri's brain started adding things up when she realized that she was floating in some sort of liquid. She cautiously tasted it, then gasped.
"M-Milk!? Then that means..." she paused and tapped the glass, "I fell into Malon's milk bottle!"

Malon coughed several times as she sat up in her bed. She massaged her throat gently, continuing to cough for a few seconds.
"Ugh....curse these summer nights....the air gets so dry, my throat dries out too!" she mumbled to herself, "Good thing I keep my milk by my bedside...." The ranch girl yawned and reached over to her nightstand, grabbing the bottle. She gently lifted it to her lips and began to drink.

Just as Saria had shaken the last bit of blurriness from her vision, the entire bottle shook, causing a wave of milk to toss her about.
"Augh! What...what the!?" Saria exclaimed, looking around. She gasped. Around the outside of the bottle was a massive hand, and she could see the background rushing by as the bottle was moved through the air. "Oh no....please don't...."
Unfortunately, her fears were realized when the bottle tilted forward and Saria saw Malon's lips at the opening of the bottle. Before she could even scream, the torrent of milk slammed into her, flowing down into Malon's waiting mouth. Saria struggled as the waves rushed by her, grazing her shoulders and pushing her back bit by bit. Malon's lips passed over her and she felt her belly slide along her tongue. She felt Malon's entire head tilt back. The tiny Kokiri reached out, trying to grab something as she felt the whirlpool at the top of Malon's esophagus begin to catch her and a final deafening *GULP* echoed around her.

Malon tilted the bottle back further, the last of the milk draining out into her mouth and down her throat.
"Ahhh....that feels much better....." she breathed, placing the empty bottle on the nightstand. She was about to lay back down when she felt something with her tongue. Curious, she stuck her fingers in and poked around.

Saria breathed heavily, gripping a huge molar as the last of the milk drained down Malon's throat. It was terrifying, she had never felt so helpless before, that all she could do to stay alive was hang on here and wait to see if Malon noticed her. "P-perhaps the worst is over.....I guess I sh-should be praying to the goddesses for thanks...." She climbed up and grabbed at Malon's tongue, trying to get her attention. As if on cue, Malon's lips parted and her fingers moved inside. "She can feel me! Lets just hope she can find me..."

After a few moments of poking around, Malon jabbed something with her finger.
"Huh? Whuh's dis?" she mumbled, pinching it between her fingers and pulling it out. She lifted the foreign object up to eye level and examined it.
Her face went pale as she realized what, or who, she was holding.
"S-Saria? Is that y-you?" she stammered.
"H-hello there, M-Malon..." Saria replied, shivering between the ranch girl's fingers.

Malon stared in silent terror at the sight in front of her. One of her close friends was nearly half an inch tall and stuck between her fingertips, and to make matters worse, she had almost swallowed her alive without knowing it.
"S-Saria....how...."
"I'm not sure myself, Malon..." Saria said, shaking her head, "I...I just tried to teleport here....and...well...I ended up like this....."
"...this is just too surreal.....I...I mean....look at you! You're so small! And...and I nearly...."
"Yes, I know, Malon, you nearly swallowed me alive..." Saria paused, as if wondering what it would have been like, then shook her head, "B-but that's not what happened! You saved me, and now you can help me....hopefully." Malon hung her head slightly, her eyes tilting away from Saria.
"I....I don't know how I could possibly help. I don't know anywhere or anyone to go see for advice."
"I know some people. And as far as the way you can help," she gestured to herself, "I'm not exactly in a position to be walking out in the field....so I need an escort."
"M-me?"
"Well you're my friend! Could I trust my life in anyone else's hands?...erm....literally." Saria explained. Malon giggled and patted Saria on the head with her finger.
"I guess you're right." she replied, "Hmm..you know what you need right now?"
"What?"
"A nice soothing bath...I'd imagine you don't smell too good after being in my mouth..."

Steam wafted softly off the surface of the water as Malon filled the sink. She dropped the soap into the pool and let it bubble as it filled, then carefully set Saria down on the counter.
"I'll look away if you want while you...ya know..." Malon said, her cheeks flushing red a little.
"Oh don't worry, Malon. I've got a shirt on under my tunic....I can use it as bathing wear if you're uncomfortable." Saria said, taking off her boots and tunic. Malon nodded uneasily. This was still so surreal to her. Now she had Saria taking her clothes off to take a bath in her sink, what was next?
"Do you need....um....any help, Saria?" Malon asked, seeing Saria eye the water when she finished undressing.
"Yes please. Can you help me get in? I don't want to slip, I might hurt myself." Saria replied.
"Oh! Um...sure, sure..." Malon carefully picked up the tiny Kokiri and placed her in the sink, the water coming up to her chest.
"Oooh....this feels really nice! It's like a hot spring!" Saria giggled, leaning back and relaxing in the sink. Malon couldn't help but chuckle.
"You look so adorable!" she toyed as she plucked the soap out of the sink, "You've got enough suds, right?"
"I believe so. I don't need much at this size anyways."
"True..."
"I wish I had a washcloth my size, though." Saria sighed, scratching her neck. Before she could think, Malon started to scrub her hair with her fingertip, covering her scalp in suds.
"Whoa! A little warning next time, Malon..."
"Hehe, sorry my motherly instincts took over."
"But I'm not a child…"
"I know, I know! It's just that you're tiny and I have to take care of you."
"Just please don't treat me like a baby, Malon...I'm the forest sage for goodness sake!" Saria chuckled, hugging Malon's finger. Malon smiled and patted her head.
"Now hold still and lemme clean your back."

After Saria had been cleaned up and dried off, Malon had found an old pair of doll's clothes in her dresser. Saria had tried them on and found them to be rather big for her.
"This is….awkward…" Saria sighed, pulling up the silk PJ's.
"I'm sorry…it's all I've got." Malon said, stifling a giggle, "the color suits you, though!"
They had managed to find a set of green silk PJ's, which delighted Saria since green was apparently her favorite color. Malon wasn't really surprised.
"So…where am I gonna sleep, hmm?" Saria asked, looking up at Malon, who had returned to her bed. She had placed Saria on the nightstand, and only now did she realize that she never set up a bed for her.
"Well…um…uh…."
"You don't know, do you?"
"I….no, and I can't think of anywhere…."
"Maybe your drawer?"
"Well I can't see that you're safe there."
"Hmm…"
"Ya know what?"
"What?" Saria asked, and before she could think, she was scooped up and dropped into Malon's nightgown pocket.
"You'll be safe in there. Plus, you'll be close to me so I won't misplace you!" Malon giggled. The tiny Kokiri moved about in the pocket, trying to find a comfortable angle to sleep.
"I'm not too sure about this, Malon," Saria said, pulling herself up to look over the silk flap.
"Just try to get settled. I promise you'll be okay there."
"O-okay…" Saria slipped back down and leaned against Malon's chest. She could hear her heart a few inches behind her, beating rhythmically. Strangely, the sound helped to calm her down.
"M-Malon?" she asked, a hint of nervousness still in her voice.
"Mmhm?" Malon replied, her eyes closed.
"What if….what if I can't get back to normal? What if I'm…stuck like this?"
There was no response, and for a few moments, Saria figured that Malon had fallen asleep.
"Well….then you'll have to stay here and live with me…" Malon finally replied in a softer tone. Her hand came up to her pocket and she stuck her finger inside, petting Saria's head gently.
"….thank you, Malon…" she yawned as the gentle rhythm of her heart finally began to get to her.
"You're welcome my tiny friend…"
And with that, the two drifted off to sleep.

She regretted falling asleep nervous. Whenever she did she always had nightmares, and with recent events came some pretty terrifying nightmares.
Saria backed away slowly as the giant cat eyed her hungrily. To it, she was nothing more than a mouse.
A mouse that was going to be dinner.
Saria dove and the cat pounced, its claws gouging the earth where she had been standing. She kept running making a mad dash towards the mouse hole in the wall. Terror drove her, making her faster, but not fast enough. Another pounce and the cat would have her pinned. The hole was only a few feet away now, and so was the cat. She tripped, tumbling into the hole just as the cat pounced, knocking against the wall.
All was silent again. She was engulfed in darkness, the scene changing around her, suddenly finding herself tucked into Malon's kerchief. The farm girl was making a bowl of soup, probably her lunch.
"Malon? Can I have some?" Saria squeaked. Malon looked down and pulled her out from the yellow fabric.
"Of course, Saria!" she replied with a bright smile. She carefully set Saria on the edge of the bowl, "I'll be right back. I need to check the chickens…" She strode out of the house and towards the barn.
Saria leaned forward and sipped some of the soup. It was delicious, some of the best she had ever tasted. She leaned a bit more, trying to cup some to her lips with her palms. Her foot slipped, and she let out a small yelp as she fell face first into the boiling hot liquid. Pain seared across her body, and she screamed, as darkness already began to envelop her again.
This time she was standing on a wooden surface. Her clothes were a bit damp, like she had just climbed and sweat for several minutes, which her mind immediately told her she had.  Examining her surroundings, she determined that she was standing on a chair, probably one of the ones in Malon's kitchen.
And the sudden shadow overhead would mean only one thing, someone else had determined that this was the best place to sit.
Saria looked up and screamed as she saw Malon's behind coming down towards her.
"No! Malon, look out!!" she screamed, covering her face as everything went black again.

Saria bolted upright, letting out a scream as she awoke.
"HELP!!!"
Malon jumped awake, looking around for the source of the plea.
"What? What!?" Then she remembered Saria, "Saria! What's the matter!?"
"I…It….It was a bad dream….th-that's all…." She replied, shivering a little, "I'll….I'll be fine…" Malon stared at her for a few moments, then nodded and laid her head back on her pillow.
"I hope so…" she mumbled, gently putting a hand over Saria. After a few minutes, they both calmed down and finally fell back to sleep.

Malon slung her backpack over her shoulder and checked her pocket, making sure Saria was secure.
"Ready to go?" she asked. Saria nodded.
"Yes, I'm ready. Be careful, okay?"
"Oh don't worry, I will be." Malon replied.

Knowing this time she was secure with Saria in her pocket, Malon walked out of the Lon Lon Ranch gates, out into the vast Hyrule Field. The sun was shining brightly, and there was a pleasant breeze out. Malon couldn't help but take a deep breath of the fresh air. In turn, this caused her lungs to expand, and Saria, being in her chest pocket, felt the expansion all too well. But it wasn't unpleasant. In fact, Saria giggled lightly as Malon inhaled, then exhaled slowly.
"I have a feeling I'm gonna enjoy this trip back...." she said happily. Malon smiled and took out her map.
"Let's see....alright, Kokiri forest is…." She paused and turned around a few times, "That way!" She started off towards the Southwest. Climbing up a bit to get a view, Saria was astonished how distant everything looked now.
"Wow...everything's so...vast!" she said in an amazed voice.
"Well take into account that you're really tiny, too." Malon said with a laugh.
"Yeah, don't remind me..." she sighed, looking dismayed again, "It's like...ever since this happened to me, everything bad has gone wrong...I almost get eaten by both you and the cuccoos...getting all these bruises...being this small is rough."
"Oh cheer up, Saria! You're safe with me now, and I'm sure some good will come of this..."
"I hope so..." Saria replied, still taking in the sights, "I wonder if my guardian fairy back home has to go through these sort of troubles every day?" she wondered out loud.
"Well..." Malon said, then stifled a chuckle, "I remember Navi mentioning how frog always tried to take a bite at her in Zora's Domain."
Saria giggled. "Oh, really? Poor Navi...I wonder where she is now anyway? I heard her and Link went separate ways."
"And I haven't seen Link in a very long time, come to think of it..." Malon added, scratching her chin.
"Same here...but if I know him..." Saria said with a smile, "He's probably out adventuring. After all...he is a Hylian, not a Kokiri. But even then, we're always going to be friends."
"Same here...I just hope wherever he is, he's okay."
"Ah, he'll be okay..." she replied, but her voice trailed off upon seeing Malon come up to something. In front of Malon was a patch of wildflowers, spanning various colors. She bent down and plucked one out of the ground, bringing it to her nose and giving it a sniff.
"Oh my....that's so sweet!" the ranch girl cooed, a grin spreading across her face. Saria looked down from her pocket perch, seeing the flowers sway in the wind.
"I wonder..." she mumbled to herself.

Malon caught this out of the bottom of her eye. She smiled and gently pulled Saria from her pocket, then sat down in the flower patch.
"You wanna relax for a bit?"
"Um...w...what if something happens?" Saria asked, knowing that she was almost living in fear due to recent events.
"I'm right here, Saria. I'll be watching you the entire time." Malon reassured her, setting her down amongst the flowers.

As Saria went downward, she looked up, seeing the flowers make a sort of canopy above her.
"Wow...I feel like I'm back in the forest..." she said to herself, starting to look around. A gentle breeze made the flowers sway, casting shadows over Saria. More and more, Saria was feeling back home in the forest. She smiled and sat down on a pebble, which to her was like a small boulder. She dangled her feet a little, looking up to the canopy of flower petals.  Her head swayed with them as they went back and forth.

Another shadow blotted out the sun for a few moments. Saria looked up nervously, but relaxed when she saw it was only Malon stretching. The titanic ranch girl leaned back and relaxed in the flower patch, being careful not to squish her tiny companion.
"Heh...it's almost like she's one of the Goddesses of Hyrule in comparison to me..." Saria said to herself, "It's...kind of amusing, actually." Saria suddenly felt a pinch on her backside. She spun around and came face to face with a ladybug.
"Ah! P-Please, don't hurt me!" she cringed on instinct. The ladybug seemed confused. It scuttled a bit closer and brushed its head against Saria's tunic.
"....Huh?" Saria looked at the ladybug, also confused, "Wh...what...what is it?" she asked it, even though it wasn't possible for the insect to understand her. Saria didn't understand what this ladybug wanted, but it didn't seem hostile. The ladybug brushed against her again, then plopped down next to her. It seemed docile, perhaps even friendly. At least Saria hoped it was friendly. Saria cracked a smile and petted its antenna.
"Aww...do you like me?" she giggled. The bug moved its head to her petting. It seemed to enjoy the attention.
"Hehe! Seems I've found a pet or something!" Saria cheered, kneeling down to the ladybug and continuing to give it attention, "Hm...but if you're going to be a companion of mine, I suppose I should give you a name, right?"
The ladybug nuzzled against her again, its antennae twitching as she continued to pet it.
"Hm...I wonder...ladybugs can fly, can't they?" she said, "Maybe...maybe you can fly me to my friend up above!"
The ladybug cocked its head to side, as if it was confused.
"Um..." Saria then spoke as she made hand gestures, "Can....you....fly...me...up...there?"
The bug paused, as if it was thinking, then scuttled forward and bumped Saria up onto its back.
"Oh!" Saria giggled as she got secure as she could.

The insect's wings popped up from its back and it buzzed into the sky. It halted midair and hovered idly over the flower petals.
"Aha!" Saria exclaimed happily as she flew up and over the canopy of flowers and into the sky, "Wow! I'm flying! This is...wow!" There were hardly any words to contain Saria's excitement. The ladybug bobbed gently to the left, then to the right, as if it was waiting for directions. Saria nodded and looked down, seeing the body of her friend Malon lying there, unaware of Saria having so much fun.
"Down there!" she said, pointing to Malon. The ladybug reared back, then soared down and gracefully landed on Malon's nose. The ranch girl's eyes shot open and focused on it.
"Oh...hello little ladybu-.....S-Saria?" Malon breathed in awe.
"Hehe! Hey, Malon! Looks like I found a new companion!" Saria called to her as she waved to her friend's huge eyes. Malon laughed.
"Awww, you look so adorable, Saria! Like a little pixie knight!"
"Oh, Malon..." Saria giggled, "So...um...do you mind if it tags along?"
"Of course not! If it wants to tag along, it can."
"Thanks!" Saria cheered, feeling a lot happier now, "You know...I guess there are some perks to being like this." she said, patting the ladybug's head.
"I told you so!" Malon giggled. Saria, for the first time since she shrunk, just playfully laughed happily. She had completely forgotten about all the previous episodes and was just feeling in top form.

"So does it have a name yet?" Malon asked.
"Um...no, it doesn't. I can't seem to think of one." Saria replied.
"Hmm...how about Spot? Or is that a bit too obvious?"
"I know!" Saria replied, patting the ladybug's head again, "I'm going to call you....Dotty! How's that sound?"
The ladybug twirled around, its antennae twitching.
"Hehe! Okay, Dotty! That's your name!" Saria giggled. Dotty fluttered above Malon's nose, bouncing from side to side.
"Okay, Dotty, let's get in Malon's pocket." Saria told Dotty. Malon sat up and shouldered her bag again. Dotty hovered down to her pocket and, though hesitant at first, plopped down inside. Saria, now secure in Malon's pocket with Dotty, smiled.
"Don't worry, my friend is gentle, Dotty. I'll show you where I live!"
The bug seemed a bit confused once more, looking around the inside of Malon's pocket like it was a whole new world. Saria patted Dotty's head reassuringly, telling the ladybug everything would be fine. She began to feel movement, and knew that Malon had started walking again.

As Malon walked on, the sun had begun to set in Hyrule Field. It had seemed like forever since she started out from the ranch, and she was approaching the entrance to Kokiri Forest.
"Hey! There it is! we're almost there, Saria!" Malon cheered, pointing to the twin trees guarding the entrance to the forest. Saria pulled herself up and peeked out from Malon's pocket. Her face lit up with a huge smile as she saw the familiar sight. Malon smiled as she looked at the twin trees.
"It was only a few days ago I delivered some milk here, and yet it feels like forever." she replied. Dotty poked its head up, looking amazed.
"Well what are we waiting for? Let's go!" Saria said, happiness showing even through her speech. Malon nodded with a smile as she entered inside. The second Malon's foot hit the huge hollowed out tree trunk, everything went hazy. She heard a dull thump, and suddenly started coughing uncontrollably.

Zera smiled. This was all too easy, the ranch girl was walking right into their trap, and she was completely oblivious to it! She and her partner, Melody, waited until she was exactly in the trap's hitzone, then pulled the rope, causing two gas bombs to drop from the tree above and daze her. The smoke that issued from the bombs easily hit Saria as well. She coughed almost uncontrollably, but almost the instant she did, she suddenly felt hazy and sleepy. "M....Ma....lon..." she mumbled weakly as her and Dotty slipped into slumber in her pocket. Malon gagged and covered her mouth, filtering the air as best she could. Dropping to her knees, the last thing she saw before everything blacked out were two figures dropping from the trees.

Melody giggled a bit as she saw Malon slump over asleep. "Tee-hee! Wow, Zera, it worked! Your traps never miss!"
"Of course they don't, they're my specialty." Zera replied, a grin spreading across her face, "Now let's see what she's got for loot, hmm?" The gerudo thief grabbed Malon by the collar and dragged her up to a tree, "Rope please, Mel."
Melody rummaged through her things, but then broke a sweat. "Um....oops....I think I forgot it..." she said with a nervous giggle. Melody, unlike Zera, was somewhat of an airhead and a bumbler.
"......the one from the trap?" Zera suggested in a 'what are you, stupid?' tone.
"Oh! Right!" Melody smiled as she then got the rope from the trap and handed it to Zera. She wasted no time in tying Malon to the tree.
"Now, those bombs will wear off in a few minutes, so let's make this fast..." Zera mumbled, proceeding to rummage through Malon's backpack. Melody helped out, but soon, the girls were finished going through her backpack, finding only common items and a bottle of milk.
"The milk could sell high...it is Lon Lon brand..." Zera commented, "Check her pockets."
Melody rummaged through Malon's pockets, and upon coming to her chest pocket, she gasped. This caught Zera's attention.
"What do we got? Something valuable?"
"I...I'm not sure...look." Melody replied, pointing inside. Zera arched and eyebrow and peeked inside.
"....wh-what the?"
"I know...isn't the little ladybug cute?" Melody said with an innocent smile.
"M-Mel...th-there's a tiny person there...."
"Huh? Zera, did you bump your head like I did when we got here?" Melody questioned. Zera reached into Malon's pocket and gingerly pulled Saria out.
"Look!"
Melody gasped and then giggled. "Aww, it's a fairy!"
"But she's not glowing...." she examined Saria, "I think she's just a really tiny person..."
Melody tilted her head. "You sure...?"
"Yeah, I'm sure..." her voice trailed off, "Ya know what....she may go for a pretty steep price out in the black market...."
"Or maybe we could keep her!" Melody said, which was probably the smartest thing she said all day.
"Hmm....now that's an idea...." she weighed the options in her hands, "Sell her as a slave...or keep her as a slave...."

Saria felt her surroundings moving, being bounced about. She groggily opened one her eyes.
"Wh-what's going on?"
"I say let's keep her! She's too cute to give away!" Melody beamed.
"H-hey! Wh-what....wh-who are you!?" Saria exclaimed, starting to shiver.
"Oh look, she woke up." Zera mused. She lifted her to eye level and examined her again, "Okay Mel, we'll keep her..."
"Wh-what!?" Saria started to shake now.
"Yay!" Melody said, jumping a bit. Malon coughed as she came back to consciousness. Zera glanced back and smiled.
"Mel, would ya mind knocking out our other prize for the trip back?"
"Sure thing!" Melody replied as she gave a light konk to Malon's head, which in turn made Malon fall to the ground again.
"Malon!" Saria screamed, struggling in Zera's grasp.
"Awww...how cute...the tiny seems to like the ranch girl a lot..." she swung Saria up to her eyes, "don't worry little one. we're gonna take good care of you two....here, take her Mel. Put her in your pouch of something." Zera ordered, lightly tossing Saria to Melody. Melody caught the tiny Kokiri in her hand and gently put her in her shoulder pouch.
"Now be nice." she said cheerfully.
"No!! Let me go!!" Saria shouted, pounding on the inside of the pouch. The two gerudo thieves gathered up their spoils and started off to the east, towards the Gerudo Valley.

Zera and Melody rode off on their horses across the Hyrule Field, riding well through the night and back into Gerudo Valley. The moon was high in the air by the time they got there. Melody huffed a bit.
"What'm I supposed to do with this girl anyway?" she groaned, having Malon slumped over her back.
Zera sighed. "Just throw her in the prison cell. I'm going to go take a dip in the spring. I'm wasted." she grumbled as she went her own way. Shrugging her shoulders, Melody carried Malon over to the prison cell.
"Geez, this ranch gal's gotta lay off the steak or something..." she moaned as she finally disposed Malon into one of the cells. Feeling beat, Melody lurched back to her dormitory, only now remembering of the tiny Kokiri in her pouch. She unzipped the pouch and looked inside.

Saria squinted her eyes as light filtered in once more. She trembled in the bottom of the pouch and looked up at Melody.
"P-p-please let me go....." she pleaded. Melody giggled as she reached in and grabbed Saria by her collar with her fingertips.
"Sorry, little girl, I can't do that...but don't worry, I'll treat you right." she smiled.
"R-r-right!? You knocked out my friend and stole her stuff!!"
"We're thieves...it's what we do. And don't worry, she's fine...just resting in a cozy cell." she giggled, setting Saria down on her lap. Saria knew she could make a break for it, but at her size, a jump from Melody's legs to the floor would take a big toll, not to mention the fact of where would she go.
"I...I...." Saria stammered, "I g-guess that I have no choice..."
"Don't be too scared." Melody replied, "I'm kinda new to this whole thing...so I'm not sure what I can do with you..."
"Wh-what you can...do with me?" Saria asked, "I'm...I'm not some toy to be p-played with...."
"Probably not...though Zera might think that. Still...I wonder what I could do?" Melody wondered, bending down to look at Saria closely. The tiny Kokiri gulped and shook as Mel's huge brown eyes scanned over her.
"Ah, I know!" she smiled as she gently plucked Saria up, then hovered her over her moderate-sized cleavage. With some grace, she gently wedged Saria in between. She refused at first, squirming and struggling to get free, but Saria soon found that it was actually rather comfy.
"Wow...this.....isn't actually that bad...."
"Is it?" Melody asked somewhat cutely.
"It kinda feels like I'm between two big firm...pillows..." Saria replied, her cheeks turning bright red. Melody giggled, making her chest bounce slightly.
"Whoa...be careful...." Saria warned. She was actually enjoying herself a little now...but just as quickly, thoughts of the true nature of her predicament came back, "Melody..."
"Yeah?" Melody wondered.
"I....I'd just like to go home..."
Melody sighed. "Look, I can't do that...I'd be going against the Gerudo code."
"Really? Is it the Gerudo code....or is it Zera?"

Melody didn't answer that and just looked over at the door with a sigh. Thoughts crossed her mind if being a thief really was worth it. She stole from people for a living, made them suffer a little if she managed to steal something valuable. Now she had stolen a living being, a thinking, breathing, talking, little girl.
Granted "little" was a bit more of a literal term than one to describe age....

Melody then looked to her and smiled. "You know...maybe I'll just keep you for myself...but I'll take care of you like you were a baby to me or something like that." she smiled.
"But...but what about Malon?"
Melody sighed again. "I...don't know, really. I hope they're treating her okay."
"Mel, can't you just let us go? I mean...what did we ever do to you girls? We were just trying to get me back home so I could get back to normal..."
"...You...don't get it...If I disobey Zera...she'll...." Melody stopped silent.
"She'll....what?"
"....Well, I won't be a thief anymore...or anything for that matter." she responded a little glum.
"Then just say that we escaped! Plain and simple!"
"That'll be even worse!" she whined. Tears began to swell up in Saria's eyes, but she quickly wiped them away.
"This has been the worst three days of my life....." she sighed. Melody plucked Saria out of her cleavage.
"Oh, no...please don't cry..." she said, holding the tiny Kokiri in her hand.
"I don't even know what the point is anymore...." Saria sniffled, "I mean, sure Malon's nice to me...but...but what if I'm stuck like this for the rest of my life? I'll be living in constant fear of being stepped on, or sat on, or eaten! I...I would never be able to hang out with my friends correctly....or have a solid relationship with someone. I'd just be that girl they talk about....the shrunken Kokiri girl..."
Melody looked sad. "I...somewhat know what you mean."
"Y-you've been shrunk and helpless before?"
"Well, not really but...I have kind of been singled out among the Gerudo...Everyone always calls me 'softie' or 'airhead'...so I know what it's like to be singled out of the crowd." she explained.
"I....I see..." Saria rubbed her eyes.
"Say...how did you get this small anyway?" Melody wondered.
"W-well....I found a song inscribed on a rock in the lost woods....and I played it....and the next thing I know I'm tiny and on the roof of Lon Lon Ranch's Ranch House..." Saria then went on and explained everything that happened to her the previous two days, Melody seeming to really get absorbed by her tale.

Melody listened carefully. "Wow...it almost sounds unbelievable...but...well, you're here in front of me."
"Yes....fortunately or unfortunately...."
"Well...maybe there's a way to get you back to normal?" Melody asked.
"I'll never know if I'm sold off to the highest bidder like Zera said..." Saria grumbled. Melody had just about heard enough about Zera, despite she was of the same race as her.
"Not if I can help it. I'm getting you and Malon out."
"Wh-what!? R-really? But ho-" Saria was interrupted by a loud knock at the door. Melody gasped, then quickly put Saria into a small case nearby. It was lucky for Saria that there was an open keyhole for air.
"Um...yeah?"
"Melody, it's me." Zera's voice sliced through the door.
"Oh...come in." she replied. Zera gracefully stepped into the room, half-slamming the door behind her.
"Where is she?"
Melody tilted her head. "Hm?"
"The tiny girl we found with the ranch girl. I need her."
"Oh...well...she got away from me." Melody explained, "I couldn't find her...she could be anywhere in the fortress..."
"She WHAT!?!?" Zera exploded, grabbing Mel's collar, "What the hell do you mean she got away from you!?"
"I...I'm sorry! Really!" Melody pleaded.

Saria peeked though the keyhole and watched in terror as the scene unfolded. She couldn't believe the way Zera treated her partner, it was absolutely uncalled for!
"Poor Melody..." she mumbled to herself.

Zera dropped Mel back onto her bed and stomped the floor.
"I can't believe you let this happen, Mel! I thought you were better than this!" she growled. In her anger, she kicked the box Saria was in, to which Saria yelped.
Everything went silent.
Zera carefully leaned down and grabbed the box, opening it up and seeing the tiny Kokiri inside, trembling.
"Well, well, well....what do we have here?" Zera chuckled, "Looks like she got herself trapped in this box, Mel!"
Melody was silent, knowing that Zera would more than likely do something bad to Saria. "W...wow...she was this close the whole time? Who would've...thought? Eheh..." she said, rather nervously. Zera sighed and put a hand on Mel's shoulder.
"I...apologize for my actions a few moments ago....I got swept up in my anger...but..." she plucked Saria from the box and dropped her into her pocket, "Now I have what I came for." With that, she strode out of the room, dropping the empty box by the door.
"W-Wait, Zera!" Melody replied, grabbing her collar for a moment, "Um....please...don't be rash with her? I'll want her again later." she said, looking back to Saria.
"We'll see...for all I know, I'll be able to sell her tonight!" Zera replied with a smile, then walked off. Melody sighed, knowing that something bad was going to happen. She looked at a mirror to her reflection.
"I don't want to be this anymore..." she said to herself rather adamantly. With that, she sped out of her room and began to make her way to the dungeon cells.

Trembling in the bottom of Zera's pocket, Saria began to feel sick. She just knew that this girl wasn't stable, which meant that she, tiny fragile Saria, was not in good hands.

However, hope didn't seem lost as elsewhere, Melody had come to Malon's cell. She looked at the guard in front of it.
"Hey, you!" she said, rather sternly, which was out of her character, "Zera said I'm next to watch her." The guard seemed confused, but then gulped nervously and stepped away, leaving Mel alone with Malon.

Malon allowed a heavy sigh to leave her lungs. All she could think about was Saria, and hope that she would be okay. Suddenly, a new guard appeared in the doorway, relieving the old one. For some reason, this minor event made Malon more alert, she just couldn't put her finger on it.

Melody then looked around, and seeing the coast clear, unlocked Malon's cell and walked inside.
"Excuse me, Malon, is it?" Mel said, standing next to the ranch girl. Malon looked up in surprise.
"Y-yeah? Th-that's me...." she replied sheepishly.
"Listen...I'm sorry about earlier. I've come here to get you and Saria out." Melody explained.
"R-really!?" Malon said, instantly on her feet, "Wh-where is she?"

Zera "carefully" dropped Saria onto her bed and examined her with a magnifying glass. Her eyes scanned back and forth, seeming to take in every last drop of detail. Saria winced. She didn't know what to expect from this Gerudo, but whatever it was, it wasn't going to be good.
"Hmm....you look like a Kokiri...." Zera commented, still looking.
Saria didn't answer, but a part of her decided to sit up and look stern.
"Hmm? What's this?" Zera giggled, "You have a little spunk?"
"I don't appreciate what you did with me and my friend!" Saria shouted up to her.
"Oh? And?"
"Let me and her go! We never did anything to you!"
"True. BUT, you could make me a substantial amount of cash."
"I'm not something to be bartered, you tanned witch!" she shouted. Zera froze in place. The entire world seemed to go silent at that insult.
"What....did you....just call me?" Zera asked through gritted teeth.
"I don't care how small I am! I am not going through another day of this junk! Now you're going to let me and Malon go or else!" Saria put up a bold statement, though deep down she was still scared witless. Zera poked Saria's chest hard, knocking the wind out of her.
"Is that so, little lady? Teeny tiny you is going to stand up to me?"
Saria gasped for air, but regained herself. "Y...yes! I'm not scared!"
"Really? Are you sure about that?" Zera said, showing her teeth in a devious smile. Saria deep down inside was scared stiff, but she was standing firm, not trying to show any signs of weakness, despite her current situation. She was hoping only to stall for enough time so that Melody would get help.
"Honestly, though, I have no idea what to do with you. I could sell you, but I feel there are so many other things I could do!" Zera explained with venom dripping from her voice, "So many little dreams I've had....must be my nature."
"Y...Yeah? Well...none of those are coming true today!" Saria snapped back.
"Awww, you're so cute when you're trying to be tough!" Zera chuckled, then scooped Saria up.
"Ah! Hey, put me down!" she screamed. Zera smiled and tickled Saria's belly, quickly putting her into submission.
"Ah! Haha! S-Stop it!" she giggled, trying to not succumb to her. Zera stopped, then dropped Saria onto her bed. Several possibilities ran through her mind, things that she once saw in her dreams, little bits that had made her smile.
"But which one to try first, hmm?" she mumbled. Saria breathed heavily from the tickle fit she went through, then looked up at Zera's menacing figure. Saria could only hope that whatever Zera had planned, it wasn't too painful. The titanic Gerudo had her hand on her chin. She seemed to be in deep thought. "Probably about my fate.." Saria thought.
"Okay! I got it." Zera announced, then plopped down on her bed, making Saria fly into the air.
"Yaaa!" Saria screamed as she flew up about a foot and then back down onto the plushy covers.
The poor Kokiri didn't have any time to recover as she a shadow loomed over her. She turned just in time to see Zera's bare foot come down on her.
"Ah! No!" Saria screamed, but it seemed too little too late.
"Hehehe! Do you like my toes, tiny?" Zera teased, wiggling her toes and bumping Saria's head.
"N-no! Lemme go!" Saria screamed. She could feel the sweat from Zera's foot seeping into her clothes as she pressed down on her. being in a boot all day surely didn't help that...or the smell. Saria could feel her will slipping away. She began to feel dizzy in the head. "I...I don't want this....no....more...." she said quietly, though sadly to the point Zera didn't hear her.

Fortunately, or unfortunately, Zera decided that she'd had enough footplay for now, and removed her foot from Saria. She carefully scooped her back into her hand and poked her belly.
"Hey...wake up."
"Ugh..." Saria coughed a bit from the musky air that still surrounded her.
"C'mon...c'mon...my feet don't smell THAT bad..."
"Are you as dense as a Deku Nut?!" she suddenly shouted, "Don't you realize smells and such are a lot more worse at my size?!"
"Quit being such a baby..." Zera's mouth curled into a wicked smile, "You're going to love my next trick!"
"T-Trick?!" Saria exclaimed. Without any further explanation, Saria found herself falling again, this time her landing being between Zera's cleavage. Admittedly, it was a soft landing. Saria looked around, hoping that Zera was as gentle as Melody in this aspect, though she wasn't counting on it. As if on cue, she was smashed on both sides by the two massive mounds of flesh.
"Squish!" Zera giggled, pressing her breasts together with moderate pressure.
"Aaaaugh!" Saria screamed out, feeling the pressure around her, "...H...Hurts...."
"Well duh..." Zera said, rolling her eyes. She released Saria and let her tumble down her shirt, stopping as she rolled onto her belly. Saria was feeling very disoriented. "I...I want...to go home...." she said, gasping for air. It certainly was a blessing by the Goddesses of Hyrule that she was somehow alive, though rather bruised up. Light washed over her again as Zera lifted up her shirt to examine her.
"Oh my...you look a bit beat, little missy..." she sighed, "Perhaps I was a bit too hard on you?"
Saria couldn't answer. She was too exhausted. There was a silence as Zera looked the tiny Kokiri over, inspecting her work. She seemed proud, in a way, but still unsatisfied. Maybe she'd have been better off if the Gerudo thief had sold her... Saria was unsure what else could be done to her aside from outright killing her.
And all at once, one sound broke the silence.
*grrrrroooowwwwwwlll....*
Upon hearing that noise, Saria's eyes went wide with total and utter fear. '...No....she wouldn't...' she thought to herself in panic.
"Oh...my..." Zera said, blushing a little, "Sorry about, that I skipped my....dinner...." Zera paused for a moment, then smiled once again. Quickly, her hand came down on Saria and ensnared her, pinning her arms at her sides.
"AAAH!" Saria screamed as she used what strength she had left to struggle free.
"Oh no, no, no cutie!" Zera snapped, pinning Saria to her bed with one finger to her back.
"Let me go! I'm begging you! LET GO!!!" Saria screamed at the top of her lungs. Tears were literally coming from her eyes, whether they be from pain or sadness, or both. In a flash, she was plucked from the bed and dropped into Zera's palm.
"Now, now....just relax, my dear..." she whispered, lifting her hand up above her head. She slowly opened her mouth wide and let her tongue roll out like a welcome mat.

Saria trembled with pure terror. Every nerve in her body screamed and begged for her to move, to run, but the very sight of Zera opening her mouth and revealing the black, wet abyss below froze her mind and prevented her from acting. The only action Saria had left in her was to clutch onto Zera's skin. She literally did, giving almost a death grip on it, not wanting to let go. But the trials and tribulations she had been put through already showed that her strength wouldn't last long.

Her eyes were still fixed on the darkness. Small strands of saliva still threaded from the gigantic Gerudo's tongue to the roof of her mouth, both slick and wet, the torchlight gently reflecting off their surfaces. A slight tilt made Saria snap back to reality for a second.
"Ahhhh...hahaha....and now, my very tiny, very helpless new friend, I bid you...farewell." Zera said softly, then tilted her hand all the way.
"NOOOOOOOoooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!" Saria screamed as her grip left her, and she began to fall into the deep, dark abyss that was below her. She passed by the white walls that were Zera's teeth, and landed at the back part of her tongue. Zera chomped her mouth shut as she felt Saria plop onto the back of her tongue. Resisting the urge to swallow, she flipped the tiny girl up into her cheek, and into the pool of saliva that was collected there. Feeling herself tossed around in the darkness, Saria was going through something that even rivaled the perils of the Shadow Temple's devious traps. She felt a sticky, ooze-like substance all around her. She coughed and sputtered, trying to stay afloat. t was no use, though. Zera's tongue was too much for her to fight off, and she was picked up again and swished across the Gerudo's palliate. Saliva soaked her clothes and moved onto her skin. She could hardly breathe, the movement kept shifting her position.

Zera smiled and leaned back. Her eyes were closed as she gently swished her tiny friend about in her mouth. To her, it was an entirely new experience, and she was actually enjoying it a bit. She felt so powerful, commanding someone else's fate like this. Saria had had it. She was as helpless as a rag doll in a washing tub. She couldn't move...she could barely breathe...and she couldn't utter a word. Zera finally had enough of this petty torture, and at last, tilted her head back. And just as she did, she heard her door slam open. It was none other than Melody, along with Malon behind her. In her surprise, Zera quickly swallowed, then sat up and faced her intruders.
"And just what do you two want, hmm?" she asked, her hands on her hips.

Saria felt the muscles around her flex, then convulse, sucking her down into a fleshy pulsating tube. Every nerve in her body said to scream, but as hard as she tried, she couldn't make a sound. All she could do was listen to her surroundings, the squishing and sliding as she descended, the rushing of air in and out of Zera's lungs, and Zera's heart, beating like a terrifying tribal drum in her ears.

"Where's Saria?!" Malon asked first.
"Yeah, where is the lil' gal?" Melody replied.
"Awww, too bad girls...you just missed her! I sold her off about..hmm...I'd say five minutes ago?" Zera said, a smile on her face, "Got a pretty good haul for her, too!"

Saria then felt herself free-fall into a large, dark chamber. Saria was literally dead, yet still alive. She could breathe, but that was about it. She probably knew exactly where she was, but also knew that it wouldn't be long enough for her to regain her strength to try and get out.

Melody scowled at her ex-partner. "You're lying. Where is she, Zera?! I'm not messing around here!"
"I told you I was going to sell her, and I just did! Hell if I know who the guy was who bought her!" Zera growled back.

All around her, Saria could hear gurgles and groans, as well as the gentle sloshing of the waist-high fluids she was standing in. The ground made her disoriented, since she had trouble wading though the fluids and keeping her balance on the squishy surface.

Malon looked like she was going to cry. "N...no....Saria....why...."
Melody had just about enough. "I never wanted any of this...this....madness!" she yelled, and without hesitation, she gave Zera a swift punch in the stomach.
"Guh...o-ow....y-you punched me....." Zera said in utter stupor.

Saria was tossed back, hitting her head against the wall. She gently slid down into the fluids, her vision fading, until she finally blacked out.

"And I'll do it again!" Melody yelled, and true to her word, another punch landed on Zera's stomach, and with such pinpoint accuracy, it hit the exact same spot as before. Zera doubled over in pain, gripping her abdomen with one hand.
"M-Melody...."
"Those were for all the things you blamed me for!" she screamed, being a lot more angry than her personality would show, "And THIS..." she said as she gave a swift kick to Zera's gut, "...is for selling off that helpless girl!"
"Augh!!" Zera coughed, hitting the floor, both hands on her stomach. She coughed and groaned, looking up at Melody with fire in her eyes, "You t-t-traitor..."
Melody was about to strike again, but she then saw that Zera was looking green in the face. Nausea overcame her and Zera vomited, and then passed out on the floor. Melody sighed.
"Sorry, Zera...I'm not like you...." she said as Malon was next to her. The two looked at the pile of vomit, which consisted of mostly liquid, but...Malon noticed something in it.
Among the pool was a small figure, one they both knew.
Saria lay there, unmoving.

Melody gasped and carefully plucked Saria out of the remains. "Oh my....I hope she's all right...."
"No, no, no!!" Malon exclaimed, taking Saria and hugging her, "Don't leave me!! We've gotten to know each other so much! You're one of my only friends, Saria...you can't...just...." she began to sob, pressing the tiny Kokiri's inanimate body to her cheek. What she didn't know was that her hug was also squeezing the liquids out of Saria's lungs. With tiny coughs, Saria began to regain consciousness.
".......M......Ma...lon...?"
"S-Saria!?" Malon breathed, her eyes lighting up, "Oh thank the goddesses, you're alive!!" The ranch girl snuggled Saria against her cheek.
"Ow....oof..." Saria giggled lightly, but even Melody could see the damage Zera had caused to her, both physically and mentally.
"Oh...you poor thing...I...I'm so sorry...it's my fault I let Zera...." Melody started, feeling very ashamed.
"It's......it's okay Mel....I know it'd not your fault....it's hers..." Saria said, gesturing to the unconscious Zera, "She's...unstable...she needs to be taught a lesson....but it can wait for now...." The tiny Kokiri looked up into Malon's eyes, "I just wanna get home..."
Melody nodded. "I'll escort you and Malon back to the forest. I'll be sure to not let anything bad happen!" Melody gave a wink and a thumbs-up, ensuring her promise.
"Thanks Mel..." Saria replied, smiling warmly. Malon nodded as well, and gingerly placed Saria in her pocket. As soon as she did, a familiar friend scuttled up to her and "inspected" her. Saria smiled.
"Dotty!" she said, giving her ladybug friend a hug. Melody peeked inside and giggled.
"Oh my...I almost forgot that he was in there!" Malon giggled.

Leaving Zera lying there, the three exited out, Melody escorting Malon, Saria, and Dotty out of the Gerudo Fortress. It was about another day or so that had passed when they got to the forest, and sure enough, Saria was asleep throughout all of it. No one could blame her, especially after what she had been through, but when it was the next day and Malon and Melody were in Kokiri Forest, Saria felt a nudge come from outside. "Mmmf...wh...wha...?" she said, giving a yawn and stretching her arms, "W...where am I?"
Dotty was nestled beside her, still asleep form the look of it, but from above, Malon whispered.
"Wake up sleepyhead....you're home."
".....Home...." Saria peeked out of the pocket, her eyes having to adjust to the sunlight. But when they did....
Kokiri Village, in all of its mystical glory, finally came into full view.
Saria's eyes went wide...as did her smile.
"...Home..." she repeated, almost thinking it was a dream.

Malon avoided the other Kokiri children and climbed up to the entrance to the Lost Woods. Melody followed close behind, her eyes lit up as she admired the village.
"Wow....it's so....pretty..." she breathed in awe.
Malon smiled. "It is indeed, right?" she smiled, as the group came to the entrance to the Lost Woods. The group walked slowly into the tunnel, coming out in a clearing with three other tunnels.
"Um...which way again, Saria?" Malon asked, tapping her chin. Saria poked out and put her hands to her ears.
"Just follow the music." she told them. Sure enough, a faint tune could be heard in the forest. Melody listened closely, noting how the music seemed louder in a certain direction.
"This way!" she smiled.

Following their ears, the trio soon came to a clearing that wasn't like the others before, and there was a bush maze in front of them. It wasn't hard to navigate, since Melody took the easy way by running along the tops of the walls, thus giving directions to Malon. Before long, they came to the clearing that was probably most well-known to Saria. The dais in the middle of the clearing showed the Triforce symbol, with the symbol of the Forest on it was well. This was Saria's "secret spot", the very spot she taught her song to Link so long ago.

"This place seems so....serene...." Malon said, walking onto the dais. She felt some sort of energy gently surge through her, making her feel a bit more relaxed, "Wait...so now what?"
Melody shrugged her shoulders. "I'm not really sure..." she said, "Saria only told me she played a song she found somewhere and then she shrunk and was zipped to your place."
Saria then realized something; she had no plan to return to normal size. She had only been worrying about getting home; she had never stopped to think about how she was going to get back to normal. Saria sighed.
"Oh, no...." she sniffled.

Malon looked into her pocket. "What's wrong, Saria? Aren't you glad you're home?"
Saria looked up to her friend. "Well...yes, of course I am, but....the thing is....I was so fixated on getting here....that I didn't think about how I am supposed to get back to normal..."
"......oh dear..." Malon breathed, sitting down on the stump next to the dais. Despite all their efforts, all the fighting and hardships they had overcome, in one moment it had all come crashing down. Melody sat in the cool grass, sighing.
"I wish I knew how to help...but...my knowledge is only limited to Gerudo things...I'm sorry..."
Tears began to swell up in Saria's eyes again.
"I....I'll have to....live the rest of my life.....like this..." she said, taking shuddering breaths. Malon gently took Saria out of her pocket.
"Oh, no...no...it'll be okay. We'll find a way..." she told her, hugging Saria to her cheek again. The tiny Kokiri continued to cry, burying her face in Malon's cheek. Melody thought and thought as much as she could. She wasn't exactly the brightest bulb, however. Then, out of nowhere, she spoke up.
"Well...do you still remember the song? Maybe if you played it backwards?"

Everyone paused. The idea sounded so childish, so silly and useless, but somehow, some way, it sounded plausible.
"You know....that might actually work..." Malon said slowly.
"Wh-what? But....but what if it doesn't?" Saria said between sobs.
"Well what's the worst that could happen?" Melody commented. Saria wasn't so sure, but she took out her Fairy Ocarina and looked at it. She looked at Dotty, who gave an adamant nod of sorts.
"......Okay.....but....if it doesn't work...could you two promise to take care of me?"
"Of course, Saria. What kind of friend would I be if I didn't look out for you, hmm?"Malon replied with a smile. Melody nodded, taking Saria and putting her on the stump. Malon and melody backed up to watch.
"Whatever happens, we're with you. After all, I owe you for helping me realize how stupid I was to follow Zera."
Saria nodded and brought the ocarina up to her mouth. "If...if the first time I played it, I shrunk and arrived where I thought of...maybe..."
She focused and began to play the song. As she did, she remembered what Melody said...she played the tune backwards. Malon and Melody watched, hoping that she would recover.

As Saria played, runes appeared around her, spinning faster and faster as she neared the end of the song. She finally played the final note, and a bright flash emitted around her. Malon and especially Melody both gasped in surprise. After a few moments, the light faded.
Saria sat on the stump, at her original size, her eyes tightly shut.

Malon smiled and went up to her friend. Saria felt something touch her shoulder, and her tightly shut eyes slowly opened. The first thing she saw was Malon's face, smiling widely.
"Welcome back...Saria." she said. Saria burst into tears and tackled Malon in a hug.
"M-Malon!! Oh bless the goddesses I'm not tiny anymore!!" she cried, cuddling her friend. Dotty squirmed out of Malon's pocket and flew onto Saria's head, bouncing about happily. Saria was just too overjoyed to speak. Though, even then she seemed worried. She looked up at Malon with her tears in her eyes.
"You know...I've...been through so much these past few days...some of the things were amazing, but....some of them were living nightmares...I don't know how this will change me...."
Malon smiled and ruffled Saria's emerald-green hair.
"Saria...you're a strong gal...one of the strongest I know. I have confidence in you making it through any nightmares you might have." She gave her Kokiri friend a reassuring pat on the back. Melody followed that with her own pat to Saria's back.
"And besides, you helped me get out of my own nightmare...and for that, I am in your debt, Saria. I think I'll live here in this part of the forest...if that's okay, I mean."
"Of course, Melody...and thank you both...I couldn't have asked for better friends than the ones I've been blessed with..." Saria replied, hugging them both.

Later that night, when all the Kokiri children were fast asleep in their homes, Saria sat on the room of hers, looking up at the stars.  She sighed as thoughts of her recent experience still fluttered about in her mind, keeping her from sleeping.
"Can't sleep?" A voice from her side asked. Malon climbed up onto the roof and lied next to Saria, staring up at the stars as well, "Neither can I…"
"Malon…" Saria breathed, "I…never stopped to completely thank you."
"Oh don't mention it, Saria. It was nothing, really."
"No…no….you saved my life, Malon….twice actually. I'm forever in your debt…"
"Aww…Saria…"
"I….I really….really couldn't ask….to be blessed with a better friend than you…Malon…" Saria explained, her voice shaky. She sat up, Malon doing the same.
"That….that's so sweet, Saria…that really means a lot to me, thank you." Malon said slowly. She leaned over and hugged Saria gently, comforting her best friend.
"Best friends until the end?" Saria asked.
"Aye….best friends until the end."

And so, Saria was back to normal, her days of being a miniature Kokiri behind her. She was still a little uneasy the next few days, but thanks to Malon and melody, her fears were soon put to rest. On top of that, Dotty decided to hang out around Saria's house the whole time. Saria had gone through many a dilemma, but in the end, she had conquered them all.

END