Zelda gazed up at the academy. It was an impressive structure; full of stately windows and lined with ivy. An intricate wrought-iron fence encircled the grounds, and a sign stood just to Zelda's left displaying the academy's name: S.S.B. Academy For Girls.
She immediately turned back around.
What was she doing here? Why had she decided to attend this school, so far away from home? She shook her head, throwing her bangs into her face. It was all useless: she wouldn't make friends, she wouldn't like the food, she wouldn't get good marks… She would call home this instant, and explain to her father that it was just implausible!
She picked up the pace, but, looking at her feet, she hadn't been paying attention to her path. She ended up bowling straight into another student, knocking them both to the payment and scattering Zelda's books everywhere.
"I'm… I'm so sorry!" she exclaimed, almost in tears. "I wasn't watching where I was going, it was my fault, I'm sorry!"
"Hey, calm down," said the girl Zelda had crashed into, rubbing her head and looking bemused. She wore the S.S.B. Uniform, like Zelda, though she was clearly in a higher year. "Are you lost, or something?"
"W-well, I've changed my mind, I don't think I'm going to school after all," Zelda explained in a panic, but the older girl only laughed.
"Oh, it's just nerves. The place is like a battlefield at first, but you'll get used to it." She handed Zelda one of her books and helped her to her feet. "Hey, the name's Samus Aran. I can show you around, if you like."
"Th-…That would be great!" Zelda replied, amazed, almost grateful enough to consider rethinking her decision. Samus appeared to be in her final year, tall, with bright blonde hair pulled back into a ponytail. She had the look of an athlete about her-and the look of someone comfortable with the school, maybe even popular, in the way she walked and looked around. Zelda found it surprising that she would condescend to help out a clueless freshman.
"Well, where's your first class, then?" Samus asked. She looked distracted, though, scanning the schoolyard overtop Zelda's head.
"U-um…" Zelda dug her schedule out from one of her textbooks. "It says my homeroom is with Mr. McCloud."
"Oh, he's a nice enough guy. His room is near the other end of the building though, I'll walk you there-AAGH!"
Zelda jumped like a bunny at the sudden noise. Another girl wearing as many pink accessories as possible had appeared from nowhere, half-tackling Samus in an enthusiastic hug.
"Sammy! My dear sister, we are reunited!" the girl exclaimed, ignoring the looks they were drawing across campus.
"Yes, yes." Samus patted the girl's hair distractedly, still looking around the school area. "It's only been a week, Peach."
Peach pulled away after a moment, clearing her throat and smoothing her skirt. "Ah, right, well, it's amazing to see you! And who is your friend?" she peered at Zelda and gave her an encouraging smile.
"Freshman. Poor thing looked like she was about to run back into the street rather than try and find her classroom," Samus chuckled, making Zelda blush. "I'm sorry, but I didn't catch your name?"
"It's Zelda," Zelda murmured.
"What a precious name!" Peach exclaimed, clasping her hands together. Her nails were painted a blinding shade of pink, accentuating the pink blush on her cheeks, pink earrings, and pink hair accessories. It was, to be honest, mildly worrisome. "Welcome to S.S.B., Zelda! My name is Peach Keen, I am a second year! Sammy showed me around when I first arrived, too-we've been inseparable ever since."
"That's really nice," Zelda said, perhaps a tad too earnestly. This was her chance to make friends! It could be her only chance, like finding precious water in a desert: provided friendship was the oasis and it was found in the arid wastelands of the educational system.
"Zelda has got McCloud," Samus said. "I was going to show her over."
"Oh, yes, brilliant idea!" Peach exclaimed. The bell went off in the distance, and the campus began to empty of girls. "We'd better hurry if we want to make it on time."
The three girls began walking towards the building, but Zelda hadn't taken more than a couple of steps before she was forced to stop. An incredibly strange feeling had overcome her-a feeling that felt somehow red, a bright colour that warned of danger. She was overcome with the intense feeling that something was… behind her?
To her surprise, she noticed that Samus and Peach had also stopped walking to glance behind them.
"Um, did you guys…?" Zelda started to ask, but was quickly cut off by Samus.
"Zelda, you'll have to make do without us. McCloud's room is at the far end of the building, room M-42. Hurry on, you'll miss class."
"What…?" Zelda asked, confused and hurt. Her new friends were... abandoning her? What on earth had that red feeling been about? She looked to Peach for help.
"Please, hurry," Peach said, shooing her away. Samus was striding in the other direction, her hand at a piece of jewellery around her neck.
"I… um, okay," Zelda gave in, turning and hurrying toward the building, hiding tears. It was okay! She'd find more friends! It wasn't a big deal, her grandfather always said she was an amiable sort, surely she'd manage to meet more people...
She reached the doors, but something made her stop and turn back. Perhaps she wanted one last glance back to tell herself that her two new friends weren't really leaving her to the wolves.
What she saw astounded her.
There was something… in the schoolyard! It hadn't been there moments ago, it had just appeared, and was headed right for Samus and Peach. It looked like… like a ghost, only half-visible, and was trailing little balls of shadow. It was pitch-black and translucent, like shade. The ghost made a throaty chattering noise and, waving its arms, sent more of the crawly little shadow balls flying into the air.
Frozen in fear, Zelda could only watch as the ghost stomped toward Samus and Peach, its thick feet throwing up dust. The two girls stood firm, though, apparently unfazed. They even appeared to be… joking with one another? What was going on!?
Both girls suddenly rose into the air and, amid a whirl of light, transformed.
Samus now wore a kind of hybrid of dress and body armour, with thick, round shoulders and a mechanical cannon on her arm. Still floating and with wisps of light trailing from her, she aimed her cannon and loosed a quick shot. It hit the ghost right in the face, causing it to stumble back.
Peach was enveloped in a pink princess dress, complete with frills and elbow-length white gloves. She clutched a weapon, an ornate-looking piece with a long handle and flat, circular top… It reminded Zelda most of a frying pan, to be honest.
Peach seemed to skate on strands of light right up next to the ghost, then promptly gave it a hard smack to the legs with her weapon.
The ghost fell to earth with a cry, and Samus ran in, finishing it off with several more shots from her arm cannon. The ghost and its accompanying shadow balls dissolved into a sparkling cloud, which soon dissipated completely. Samus and Peach were left standing alone, wearing very fancy clothes, in the middle of the school field.
Samus knelt and picked up some object lying where the ghost had died, then spoke to Peach about it.
Zelda's legs seemed to move without her knowledge at first, but soon enough she was running with full intent toward the two girls. Their special clothes disappeared in flashes of light, returning to their plan S.S.B. uniforms.
The second bell rang, and Peach looked up, concerned, as Zelda approached. "Oh, no, now you'll be late! Why are you still here?"
Zelda tried to get her thoughts in order, at first only able to stare at the two older girls. Samus opened up what appeared to be a locket she was wearing around her neck and placed whatever she had found on the ground inside.
"That was… you two fought a ghost!" she exclaimed.
Peach and Samus exchanged a very concerned look. "You… you could see the shade?" Peach asked.
