AN: So this basically started as a way for me to write out some headcanons for a Skyward Sword au I've had floating around for a bit, and then I decided I wanted to put it out in the world. Partially because, hey, someone else might enjoy it, partially because I decided I wanted the potential validation if I was going to write something that was turning out to be a decent length.
Also: I haven't really edited this from being something where I didn't need to explain every detail since I knew my headcanons. Might do that later, but fair warning for that right now, I guess?

As the earliest rays of light were streaking through her bedroom window, Zelda was already slipping out the upper doors of the Knight Academy. She had to press herself inside the corner of the gate that separated the school from the rest of town to avoid the last sweep of the night guard, but her journey was otherwise uninterrupted. It helped that her path skirted the borders of Skyloft's residential district to a path that was bordered on one side by a hill barely two people tall and on the other by the open air of an edge of the floating island. It was hardly even a path, really. A curious wanderer would simply think it an untamed grassy area, and be quite surprised when it suddenly gave way to a modest garden and a single door flanked by large windows in the hillside.

She paused before the door only to check that her cloak was completely covering her other clothing before checking the door open with her shoulder, stepping inside with the momentum. "Vayu!"

"Right here," came a voice from the other side of the door. A young man stepped into view, wiping his hands on a towel before throwing it over a shoulder. "Wouldn't have expected you today." A beat. "You do know what day it is."

Paying his concerned tone no mind, Zelda hugged him. "Of course I do. That's why I came!" In a motion she definitely hadn't practiced a dozen times the previous night, she pulled the cloak off in a single elegant motion before letting it fall from her upraised hand like a curtain in front of her. "Ta da!" A few seconds to let him look, then she spun around to give the full effect. "What do you think?"

Vayu gave a low chuckle as he watched, one hand over his mouth.

"What?"

"Nothing. You're adorable." He picked up the hem of the blue apron that hung to one side of her waist. "This the same costume they use every year?"

"Ye- actually, I'm not sure." Zelda looked down at herself. "I think so. Father was saying something about having to alter it, and it certainly feels old." Stepping back abruptly, so that the fabric slipped out of Vayu's grasp, she exclaimed. "Oh but it's so fun, isn't it? I didn't get to see the ceremony last year because I passed out of having to take the test and then father wanted me to go-, and besides this isn't even the whole outfit." A small pout. "There's this instrument I'm supposed to use that I have mostly figured out how to play, but I'm not allowed to take that off school grounds even more than the outfit, so, I guess you won't be able to see it. Sorry."

He gave a shake of his head. "It's not a problem. I wasn't even expecting to see you at all." One hand skimmed her arm from shoulder to elbow before dropping back down to his side.

She put her hands on her hips. "What kind of a person do you take me for? Just because you can't be at the ceremony because people are weird doesn't mean I don't want to include you!"

"I know," he whispered. Then, a "you finished the sailcloth. Let me see," while nearly tugging the knot holding it against her shoulders free on his own.

Zelda stiffened momentarily, so that the cloth fell off of her and had to be caught somewhere around her knees. Fidgeting with it to stall for time, she did her best to fold it presentably before holding it out as if for judging. As soon as it was in his hands, she turned away, a hand on the side of her face and the other curled around her side.

It took Vayu a moment before he could actually begin to examine the sailcloth, given that he was instead watching Zelda with a more than half-smile and partially closed eyes. Then he shook himself to attention.

The cloth itself was the same plain sturdy cloth every resident of the sky kept on their person to alleviate the issue of a falling impact when jumping from one's loftwing to the ground of whatever rock they were landing on. However, in contrast to the usual bright colors and patterns that gave each a distinctive look, this was a simple pure white with the Academy's symbol stitched into the middle in a pale blue thread. It was ever so slightly off center, with some sections more evenly filled in with threads than others.

"It's beautiful."

"You're just saying that." She shifted to cross her arms over her chest, still not looking in his direction. "There's a reason I've always stuck to knitting."

He frowned, folding the cloth over one arm before moving to face her. "Am not. It's perfectly shaped, not to mention the border technique you picked is a bit more complicated than it needed to be. And without even letting me touch it until now, let alone help you."

Zelda's pout broke for a second. "I wanted to do it myself."

"And you did. Quite well." He nudged her side with his hip. "Especially for a first try."

"Karane's complaints about my swearing late at night and the multiple trips I had to take to wash out blood before it set would beg to differ."

"So hard on yourself."

"Because you're never like that."

Vayu dropped the cloth on her head. "Either way, Link's still going to appreciate it." When she moved to pull it off, he tugged it down further over her face, laughing.

"It's not guaranteed Link will get it. There are other people in the ceremony, you know."

"Pff. That pompous ass and his cronies hardly count as competition. Link would have to be in pretty bad shape to have them win."

Zelda was troublingly silent as she swung the sailcloth back over her shoulders, knotting the ends in front of her.

"….wait, what?"

Clasping her hands together, she looked him in the eyes. "No, no, it's not that bad, but I am slightly concerned. Just a little. Uh," she spun one of her bracelets absently, "he just hasn't seemed to be paying as much attention any time I've seen him practicing. You know how he gets, head in the clouds sometimes."

Vayu glanced out the windows. "The ceremony's what, at ten? You could talk him into some last-minute practicing, if you can get him up." A smile.

"Oh I can manage that." She grinned mischievously. In a sing-song tone, "You're too nice with him, that's all." Bending down to pick up the cloak, she added, "But I should get going then. Still look presentable?"

Glancing her up and down, he nodded. "Yeah- wait, let me check, no, stop moving – here" Vayu stepped behind her. "Your hair was up, right?"

She huffed. "Not in anything I like. It's so hard to work with, I don't know how you manage." Running her hand through her hair, she gathered it all together. "Ugh. Can you just, do something? with it, really fast? Like, that thing you did to yours when we snuck out to that festival last month?"

"Yes yes hold on." In a few motions, the hair was gathered again, secured with a tie about three quarters of the way down her back. "Wait, do you have a ribbon or – thanks – there you go."

"Thank you!" She stepped out the door, paused until he followed her out, then laughed, shoulders rolling with her breath. "We'll come see you after, okay? As soon as they let us out of whatever celebration my father is bound to want to have." A roll of the eyes. "Link says he found this new food merchant he wants us to try out."

"Link always has a new merchant." He sighed, but in a fond way. "I'll see you later then." Leaning in towards her, he paused inches from her face. "May I?" When Zelda nodded, he pressed a single kiss to her mouth. "You're going to be great."

She giggled. "I know." Then, her gaze became distant as it shifted far from the island to the open sky before them.

Vayu hesitated before gently laying a hand on her arm. "You alright?"

"Wha- uh, yeah. Yeah. Sorry, I just-" Blinking a few times, she turned to fully face him. "I'm fine. Well…something I kind of want to discuss later. An all three of us thing" she twirled her wrist to make circling motions with her hand. A beat, then, "but nothing urgent, and it's not a problem. Just something going on."

Huh. That was a little weird, and vague, but he trusted that Zelda knew what she was doing. "Very well." He came close to her face again. "If I may? Give this one to Link for me." Another small kiss. "Tell him I say fly well."

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Link was awoken from his nightmare by a loud squawking from somewhere above his head. Jolted into consciousness, he blinked as his vision adjusted to the streams of light coming in from his window. Although, there seemed to be something blocking most of it? His body was even groggier than his mind, and his arms ignored his thoughts about sitting up from the ground, being that he had woken up half out of bed, for some reason.

The shape in the window flung something at him that bounced off his head and slid towards the wall, gave another shriek, and exited from whence it came.

When he finally managed to sit up, the contents of his dream had already faded to the same haze and the vague impression of impending doom he had been getting for about a week now. Well, he figured it was the same. Being that he couldn't remember the contents of any of the pseudo-nightmares, they could have all been different, but at the very least they left the same impression on him. Dang-pre ceremony nerves.

He picked up the envelope next to the few purplish feathers that had fallen on the floor, ruffling a hand through his hair as he read the contents.

"Hey, sleepyhead. I know how much you like to sleep in, so I'm guessing this letter will be your alarm clock this morning. Did I guess right? Rise and shine, Link! Today's the Wing Ceremony! You promised to meet me before it starts, remember? You'd better not keep me waiting. -Zelda 3"

A fond sigh escaped him as he finished the letter. If he remembered correctly, it had been more like Zelda had hassled him about making sure he got up in enough time so much that he'd told her to wake him up herself. He propped open his window to let in some air.

….okay, it was definitely earlier than when she'd promised to get him up. Like, barely after sunrise. He loved her, but what was she thinking?

Shaking his head, he threw on the clothes that had been left over the chair of his desk and headed out. He'd get into something more fitting for the ceremony when he was something actually approaching awakeness. It was a shame this was a school thing, because otherwise at least he would have had Vayu to defend him against Zelda's relentless morning person personality.

He stumbled his way out the doors and through the sunlit grounds of the academy, finally making it up and into the area before the Statue of the Goddess. As he crossed through the archway, he saw Zelda standing in the center, back facing toward him, playing a golden harp. Much as he hated to ruin the moment, he also wanted to talk to her.

Upon hearing his approach, Zelda stopped playing and turned to face him. "Morning sleepyhead. I see my loftwing managed to get you out of bed." Giggling, she reached over and extracted a feather from his hair. "But look at this instrument," she held it up to him. "It's supposed to be the same kind as the one the goddess used in the legends!" Then, she thrust it into his arms.

"And this outfit. I got you up extra early because I wanted you to be the first one at school to see me like this!" she said, spinning to give him the full effect. "How do I look?"

"Nice uhh… costume?" Link was trying his best to look unimpressed, but with Zelda's indignant reaction, he lost composure entirely.

Hands on her hips, she frowned at him, taking a step closer in his direction. "And what, exactly, is that supposed to mean?" When he just broke into laughter, she huffed, crossing her arms. "See if I come get you next time."

That sobered him up a little. "No, no, Zelda, I was kidding, really-"

"I knooow." She gave a tiny smile.

"You look cute," he added.

Zelda rolled her eyes. "Ugh, that's the same thing Vayu said. Just for that though, I'm not showing you the sailcloth until after, so you better win."

"Ah, there you are Zelda. Are you all prepared for today's ceremony?"

"Oh, hello, father." Link could see her stiffen ever so slightly at the man's appearance.

The school headmaster towered over the two of them. "Ah, Link you're here as well. Outstanding. It's encouraging to see you up so early for once. No doubt the ceremony had you so excited you could hardly close your eyes, eh?" He nudged Link in what was clearly supposed to be a friendly manner.

Link chose not to comment. Although he had long accepted that everyone knew about and constantly commented on his need for extra sleep, he always felt weird when people actually brought it up. It wasn't like he was being lazy, it was just how his body worked, and really only Zelda and Vayu had actually bothered to pay attention to that.

"If you win in today's ceremonial race," he continued, "you'll get to participate in the postrace ritual with Zelda, so give it your best out there."

Zelda and Link exchanged a Look. Her father (and a few other people) had been emphasizing that part to a degree that, upon examination and discussion, the three of them had decided was a little concerning. Since Link hadn't gotten the stellar score on the written examinations given a few months previously, he would need to take the more trafficked route of winning at the Wing Ceremony to become a senior knight trainee, which was the important part. To the headmaster, it appeared, this was just another way to "subtly" push the idea of Link and Zelda being together. Well, at least, as Vayu had put it, "he's not wrong, even if he's not entirely right either."

"Although victory will not come easily. Today's ceremony tests the rider's skill as much as his bond to his bird. And, not to concern, but I don't think I've seen Link out practicing nearly as much as the other students."

Zelda wouldn't have really called what Groose and the others did 'practicing' either, but she did give Link a skeptical side-glance to let him know she also had issue with his training discipline. "Yes, and that's part of why I wanted to see him. You see, I-"

"But really, you've known Link since you were both little." Oh boy, they were going in for a full-blown Parental Ramble today, huh? "Link and his loftwing share a special connection, one that I don't think any of us have seen anything like before. You know, as each of us in Skyloft is but one half of a pair, being only made whole by our loftwings, personally bestowed upon us by the Goddess as a symbol of divine protection. Even from the moment when Link met his bird under this very statue, we could tell they had an especially deep connection, what with him flying off right there and then, not even needing any instruction." He laughed. "Now that is a sign of one blessed by the Goddess indeed!"

Link turned his gaze downward, rubbing the back of his neck, while Zelda looked off to the side. Yes, yes, what he was saying was true, but the both of them were less than comfortable with these teachings of the Goddess, given circumstances. Link especially, since in addition, people either had high, high expectations for him because of it or resented him for being special.

"This is nothing to laugh at, father." Zelda managed eventually. "This ceremony is part of the final test for becoming a knight!" She knew how badly Link wanted this opportunity, and there was no way she was going to let him lose it, even if she did have to push his currently sleepy self around to get it. She took Link by the arm. "Listen, I know you'll fly your heart out today, but you also need to squeeze in a little practice before the race!" Dragging him towards the nearest landing, she added, "Oh come on, I'm not the only one thinking it. You'll thank me later."

Link went along with her up to this point, partially because it was less effort than resisting, partially because she was right. Not to mention she'd phrased that last bit as coded 'I talked to Vayu about this and he agrees with me,' so he really didn't have any room to argue. But there, at the edge, he pushed back against her as he came to a realization. "Zelda, hold on… I can't sense my loftwing out there."

"Ough, are you really trying to get out of having to practice? Nice try, but you're not fooling me." Before he could give anything more than a single "no, wait," she pushed him off the edge. "Off you go!"

On instinct, Link went to call for his loftwing. When it didn't appear even after a few seconds, he started to panic.

"His bird certainly is taking a long time getting here…" The headmaster commented.

"Shit," Zelda said under her breath, and took a running leap towards him. She streamlined her body to catch up to him as best she could before calling her own loftwing to catch the both of them. It was a bit of a struggle with the extra weight, but they finally managed to make it back to solid island.

"Link, I- I'm sorry. I should have listened to you." She reached out to where he was crouched next to her.

"Strange. For a loftwing to ignore the call of its rider, it's unheard of."

Zelda suppressed the urge to physically shoo her father away. "We're going to need time to find his loftwing. Father, can you head back to the school and see if they can do anything about delaying the race a little?" When he headed off, she stood, brushing dirt off her dress. "I'll fly around and see if I can spot them, alright? You should probably see if anyone in town has seen anything." A look of concern crossed her face when he didn't respond, and she reached out to him again.

With a sigh, he placed a hand on top of hers. "I'm fine. It's just- super weird that they're not there, you know? Even when my loftwing's been sick, they've at least been able to come around. And then, I could tell that." Smiling sadly, he got up and turned to go.

"Oh right, wait." Zelda put a hand on each shoulder, turning him back to face her. "In case I don't see you before the race starts, this is from Vayu." She kissed him. "He says fly well. And I- I'm sorry for not listening to you earlier."

He cupped the side of her face in one hand. "I know you meant well. Just- warn me next time you push me off something, alright?"

A laugh. "I'll try. Now get looking."

xxxxxxxx

Link had made it all the way through the school grounds and past the bazaar with no leads on anyone having seen his bird. He had just finished talking to Professor Orwell, who had appeared shortly after the bell at the school had started ringing to tell him that they were going to delay the ceremony for an hour, and was heading off to the residential area to see if he could find someone else to ask.

A moment later, Vayu poked out from inside a nearby bush.

He started. "Oh Goddes- oh, it's you. Why are you always doing that?"

"Sorry. Saw Zelda. She told me what happened, and I wanted to come find you, but there's not- you haven't seen-?" He crouched down again, gaze darting from side to side even though the area was completely deserted.

"No, I saw them at the school, and they're going to delay the race, so there's no reason why they'd leave until then."

"Oh. Good." Vayu picked his way out of the shrubbery. "You questioned Groose and his cronies yet?"

"Groose?"

He gave Link a flat look. "From what I heard, it sounds like something's interfering with your loftwing getting to you. If anyone was going to try to sabotage you, it's him. Although where they got the creativity to try something like this, even with three of them, escapes me completely."

"….I mean, you're right." He shrugged. "They're not at the academy, so probably in the main square." A pause as he slowly turned his gaze in that direction. "Ugh." He glanced back over his shoulder at Vayu. "Come with me?"

"I'd rather not,… if it's the same to you?" He was shifting his weight back and forth, tugging at the edge of a sleeve. "Just because there aren't any of the sages there doesn't mean there aren't any off-islanders, I mean there usually are, especially with something this important, and-"

Link waved his hands in front of him. "Vayu. Vayu, it's okay. I was mostly joking. I can go myself. Hey, look, why don't you check around the residential area, see if anyone there's heard anything?"

He took a couple deep breaths. "Yeah. Yeah, I'll do that. Don't go easy on them, alright?"

And with that, the two headed off their separate directions.

Fortunately (and unfortunately), Groose, Calwin, and Stritch were in fact at the main plaza, right by the lighthouse. As Link approached, he just caught the tail end of a conversation.

"…got this in the bag, man," Cawlin said as he massaged Groose's shoulders.

"Yeah." Groose sniffed, running his hands over his ridiculous hairstyle. "With that wimp out of the way, no one else stands a chance against the mighty Groose! Not that he did, anyway." As he finished the last sentence, he noticed the other two backing off. "What?"

"Ahem."

When he turned around to see Link standing almost directly behind him, he only startled for a brief second (kind of impressive, even Link had to grudgingly admit) before standing as high as he could in an attempt to use his towering status to intimidate his classmate.

"Well well, look who finally decided to wake up." He crossed his arms with a dismissive snort. "What's your problem, anyway? Oh, wait…I got it." He started circling Link as he ranted. "You're here to talk about today's race. I can see it in those dopey eyes of yours. They're pleading, 'Oh Groose, can you please find it in your heart to let me win today? You're just desperate to win so you can get some alone time with Zelda."

Link rolled his eyes. Literally no one else in the sky would ever have thought to have said that sentence, ever. Even without knowing they were actually already involved (which no one outside the relationship did), anyone who paid the slightest amount of attention would know that Link and Zelda were good good friends, hardly making him someone "desperate" for a bit of time with her. If anyone was desperate, it was Groose.

Speaking of. Groose chose that moment to stick his face in front of Link. "Well, sorry, pal. Groose doesn't do charity for wimps. My advice? Work hard and wish with all your heart. You might even come in second."

I don't think I've ever heard anyone refer to themself in the third person so much. Conceited much? None of Groose's posturing was really anything new, so irritating as it was, Link found himself tuning it out a bit.

"…Say, come to think of it, how come I don't see your bird? Where is that scruffy pile of red feathers? I can't imagine what could've happened to him. Do you think his tiny brain got confused by all the clouds and got lost?"

Really. Really? It had been pretty obvious Groose was behind his bird's disappearance as soon as Vayu had pointed it out, but Link wouldn't have thought he would be so bold…or dumb, to basically taunt him about it in public. Link huffed.

Then, under his breath but clearly making sure Link could hear, he added, "Or maybe you've been hanging around the freak too long and it's starting to rub off…"

Link tensed. Then, when he noted that there wasn't anyone close enough to have heard, it was replaced with anger. "Leave him out of this," he growled. "you want to mess with me, fine. In fact, you know what? Bring it on."

"Pfft." Groose leaned back from him, arms crossed. "Sure. Only thing is, I don't know how you're going to do that with no bird! You gonna grow wings? Hey, maybe you should ask-"

"Shut up!"

Quickly bringing his hands in front of him in response to the outburst, Groose watched for a moment before a smirk blossomed on his face. "And here I actually got worried for a second!" He laughed and he fell back to a relaxed posture. "See, this is what I'm talking about. You float through life with your head in the clouds, just because you 'go way back' with Zelda and always have her defending you. Would you wake up, straighten up, and grow a backbone already?" He pointed a finger at Link, close enough he was almost poking him in the face. "Dopes like you are dragging our honored academy through the mud."

"And just who might you be talking about, Groose?" Zelda was standing at the far side of the square, hands on her hips.

"Oh, Zelda!" Groose sprung back from Link, hands going to adjust his hair as he spoke. "Hey. Nah, it's nothing. Just, you know, a little bit of friendly pre-race banter."

With a huff, she cleared the distance in a few steps, almost pushing Link to the side to stand between the boys. "Don't even try it, Groose." She copied his move from earlier, forcing him to take a step back to avoid the seemingly very real possibility of having an eye taken out in her fervor. "Just because Link is above getting into some stupid fight with someone twice his size doesn't mean anything! He's a student at the academy, like all of us." Her gaze hardened even more, if that were possible. "And may I remind you that as a senior, I'm responsible for making sure all of the junior trainees are acting according to the standards of 'our honored academy.' If I catch you stepping out of line…"

Admirably, Groose did try to match her stare, but failed within seconds. "Yeah, well… It's not like I am doing anything wrong, so you're not going to find anything!" He swung around so his back was to her. "Ok, we're outta here, boys." Starting off towards the diving platform, he only turned once at the edge and joined by the other two. "Later, Link! Hope you find your bird, or else you're gonna have to sit out today's race! That could be a major setback toward knighthood, so find that bird or get real used to the taste of failure! It's your special flavor." The three jumped off the edge in unison, soaring off moments later.

"…how long d'you think they practiced that before they could do it without knocking into each other or falling?"

"Too long." Zelda crossed her arms. "Ugh. I only heard that last bit, but I doubt they actually gave anything that could actually be useful, huh?"

A sigh. "Nope. Not even something we could even slightly use to argue it with the school either."

"Figures. Well, if we can't do it the easy way, we'll have to make the hard way work." She stared off into the distance. "Problem is, I can't think of that many places they could have hidden your loftwing on Skyloft. Ummm…there's a cave somewhere in the woods by the hills, right?"

Link stared at her. "Is there?"

Throwing her hands up in the air, she said, "I don't really know, it was just something Vayu had mentioned finding when he was out climbing one time." A thoughtful look. "But I think he also said it opened out into the island face at one point… Okay. You see if you can find him, check out the area on foot. I'm going to fly around that area and see if I can locate anything from that angle."

It took a few more precious minutes than he would have liked to get to Vayu, sneak back into the academy and out with a sword, and head through the woods until they reached the base of the waterfall that provided the water for Skyloft. The two exchanged few words as Vayu pointed out the opening neatly obscured by a section of fallen rocks that made it impossible to reach without clambering over some of them, and the two entered the cave.

The inside was just annoyingly damp enough to get on the nerves, only slightly mitigated but the soft echoes of the waterfall and their own footsteps.

"I thought there were supposed to be monsters in here." Link drew tiny patterns with his sword as he held it at his side, watching as if daring something to come out of the shadows.

Vayu ducked around a stalagmite. "Supposedly. I haven't been in here. It kind of freaks me out. Besides," he added as he fell back into step as they followed a particularly lengthy stretch. "that's a good thing, because if there were any, you'd be on your own, and while I seem to remember you were always decent with combat practice, it's not like you've actually fought anything."

The comment stopped Link in his tracks for a second, and he let out a halfhearted "excuse you," but it wasn't as if Vayu was wrong. Sure, he'd only done some practice drills with other students and instructors, but even fully fledged knights rarely encountered anything more threatening than a few chus. "Shit!"

Both of them ducked to the ground as a shadow detached itself from the wall and flew at their heads. Vayu pressed himself against the wall. He gave Link a look accompanied by a shake of the head in the direction the thing had gone.

Sighing, Link tiptoed over, sword held in front of him in a defensive pose. "Pff. It's only a keese," he called. "Yah!"

In reaction to the sudden sound, the keese had taken flight once more, this time cutting into his arm with its tiny claws.

Spinning around to where he had felt it go, Link spun around again when he failed to locate the keese among the shadows. As he moved, his grip on the sword loosened so that he was really just dragging it along beside him. There was a shuffling noise above him. He swung the sword, feeling it connect with something solid. However, the impact put him off balance and he stumbled, catching another scratch, this time on his shoulder, before he could get another hit. This one sent the creature plummeting to the ground before disappearing in a puff of purple smoke.

"Is that what it's supposed to look like?" Vayu was curled up in a ball, arms crossed over the top of his head.

Link sighed, sheathing his sword. "You know, we can probably get you something, and then you can have a go at it."

"Heh. No, thank you," he said as he made his way over to the other. "As far as I know, there's no way of ripping the magic out of someone's hands and turning it against them, so I'll stick with that, thanks." Shushing Link's attempts to make some kind of comeback (probably), he grabbed at the wrist of Link's arm, using the leverage to hold it straight. "You're bleeding."

Before Link could argue that it was only a mild scratch, Vayu had already retrieved a length of bandage and started wrapping it as they went.

They stepped through the next opening to finally see open sky again. A narrow ledge wound its way across the island face, which, as they followed it, led to a small natural platform in the open and then another cave face.

"Link! Vayu!" Zelda directed her loftwing's glide as close to the platform as she could, jumping off close enough that the boys had to catch her in their arms to keep all three of them from stumbling to the ground. "Hey," she breathed. "I went over this spot like twice before. Let me tell you, it is really well camouflaged." Perking up at Link, she leaned to get a look over their shoulders. "You find your bird yet?"

Link slid his arms out from the tangle of their limbs. "Not yet, but…" He turned his head, feeling out. "I think I feel him?" A hand gripped the handle of his sword. "Let's go find out."

This cave was shallow, only turning once before dead-ending, with the tail end being barricaded off with a number of planks, behind which shrieking could be heard. Link severed the ropes holding the wood up with his sword, barely waiting for them to hit the ground before bounding to meet his loftwing.

"Hey, hey, it's ok, I'm right here. Those jerks didn't hurt you, did they?" He hugged the bird around the neck. "I'm glad you're safe, buddy. Come on, we have a race to win."

Once outside, Link's loftwing immediately stretched its wings out and took off. Laughing, Link ran to the edge to meet it, stopping right before he actually jumped. "Right! Vayu, maybe you should take this." he began unbuckling the sword, "I don't want you running into monsters alone."

"Nah." Vayu leaned off the edge slightly, craning his neck upwards. "We're not that much lower than the main level. I think."

Furrowing his brow, Link nudged him away from the ledge. "Ohhh no you don't."

"Why? It's a short distance, it hasn't rained it days, and this section of the island tends to have a lot of good ledges and bumps. That's pretty much nothing. Besides," he poked Link in the chest, "I have way more experience with climbing than fighting monsters, so it's far safer."

"And that's exactly what worries me! I know it's something you like, and yeah, wind magic makes it so it's not really an issue if you do fall…at least that's how you keep explaining it, but it's just-" Waving his arms a little frantically now, Link stared at Vayu, trying to get him to back down. "I mean it's still hanging over empty air and I know it's kind of the same as flying when you put it that way, but… Ugh, Zelda, help me out here. ….Zelda?"

"Huh?" When the two turned to her, Zelda was staring out into the sky, a slightly empty look on her face. Eventually she blinked and turned to them, giving an attempt at a smile. "Sorry, I guess I got distracted for a moment. We should really get going though, Link. The ceremony should be starting any minute."

The boys exchanged a look. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. I-I just…thought I heard something, and it felt almost like it was calling out to me. Like, from under the clouds and-" She shook her head as if to clear something out. "This isn't a good time. But later, I will, promise. I've been wanting to, but…yeah."

Vayu sighed. "Alright you two. Shoo, go do your thing. Kick Groose's butt, show everyone else up with how awesome you both are, keep Zelda from fighting the sages, try to enjoy the party." And as the other two waved goodbye and jumped off to meet their loftwings, he added, "But do sneak off some point tonight and we can all talk it over. I'll see you then!"

xxxxxxxx

It was closer than she would have liked – she'd been right the day before when she'd told Link "the chances of Groose letting you have a fair race are just about less than zero" – but in the end it had been Link to grab the statuette and earn the right to graduate to the senior class. As he flew back towards the crowd in the square, she joined him on her own loftwing, startling him for a second. "Hah, sorry. But that was amazing flying out there! Now, come on, let's get on with the ceremony."

When they arrived at the statue of the Goddess, a small crowd had gathered around the base, a small crowd had gathered. Zelda glanced down at them from the platform above, and, once she had moved to a spot so she couldn't quite be seen from below, stuck her tongue out.

"Zelda," Link cautioned.

"What? They can't see me." She sighed as he continued to give her a slightly judgmental look. "I know, the Order of Hylia is really good overall, and they're mostly the ones from Skyloft anyway, but it's the principle of the thing." Huffing, she motioned downward to let the observers know the ceremony was to start. "Link, please hand me the statuette."

As she placed it in the carved-out section of the statue, she recited the lines of the ritual that had been drilled into her head for the past month or so: "Great goddess, guiding light and protector of our people, grant us your blessing and mercy as I act in your stead during this ceremony." And then under her breath, "and try not to smite me or whatever for disagreeing with certain teachings. If you're at all reasonable, you'd agree with me anyway."

Then, she turned back around to Link, who had knelt on the stone, holding her hands out above him. "Valiant youth who grasped victory at the celebration of the bird folk... In accordance with the old ways... I now bestow the blessings of the goddess upon you." Reaching back to untie the cloth around her shoulders, she continued, "The blessings of the goddess drift down from the heavens aloft a sail, which I now pass on to you."

Link took the cloth in both hands, letting the edges spill over as he examined the embroidered pattern in the middle. "You made this yourself?"

"Yeah," she said, a little shortly, crossing her arms before she could remember herself. Then, the tension in her shoulders dropped as she noticed the way Link ducked his head at her comment. "Yes. I'm glad I got to give it to you, since I spent so much time and effort and blood into it. Not that you can tell!" She brightened, standing straighter, hands going to her hips in emphasis with the last word.

Link laughed, running his thumb over the blue emblem of the academy and the goddess.

"But seriously, thanks for making it up here to do this with me today like you promised. Now, we really should finish up this ritual. Wouldn't want to keep them waiting." A moment's hesitation. "You… do know what happens at the end, right?"

Raising his eyebrows, he tilted his head back towards the courtyard, shifting his legs further apart to drop his weight. "Maybe…."

Her arms, which had just drifted to a neutral position at her sides, flew back to her sides as she dipped her head, one shoulder higher than the other. "Uch! Hey, I told you earlier, I'm not going to push you off the edge without warning!" A sigh, then she relaxed, clasping her hands together in front of her. "But yeah. To finish the ceremony, you need to drop down right into the center of that round design in the courtyard. Something about how the Goddess gifted a sailcloth to her chosen hero and this echoing that by symbolizing the trust we have in her gifts to provide for us or something…"

Link smiled at her, a little dreamily. He didn't doubt how much she hated the organized religious support for Hylia, but it was also super clear that she did actually care for the legends themselves. It was super cute when she did things like this, describing things with that light in her eyes. She didn't do that nearly as much as when they were kids – a little more lately once they'd reassured her it wasn't hypocritical at all – and he was glad to see it now. He gave her one little wave before he jumped off the edge, sailcloth clutched tightly in both hands.

The next few hours after that were a blur of congratulations as seemingly everyone in the school (even Groose muttered a halfhearted one, although obviously mostly for the sake of posterity) and town made their way to Link at some point, and the general ambiance of a celebration within outer courtyard of the school. It wasn't that bad, actually. Link enjoyed being around people, and most of them there were people he considered friends.

Later into the evening, about an hour before dark, he found Zelda sitting in a chair in the corner, the cloth she had had fastened to her belt draped over her shoulders as she nursed a mostly-empty glass of milk in her lap.

She perked up immediately once she noticed him. "Oh thank Hylia." Standing so she didn't have to strain her neck upwards to talk to him, she dropped her voice to a whisper. "You think it's good to sneak out now?"

"Safe a time as any, I think." And he took her hand and led her inside the school proper, making as if to wander the corridors before emerging onto the open upper level. From there, he broke into a run towards the nearest diving platform, laughing as Zelda stumbled to hurry and catch up with him.

Breathlessly, they both landed on their loftwings, the echoes of their laughter dying away as they flew a distance from the island.

"Do a loop around before we head over?"

"Oh definitely."

As they passed though a cloud, Zelda looked over to Link. The late-evening light reflected off him in reds and oranges, so that he matched his bird even more than usual. She let herself watch him direct his bird with the most fluid motions she had seen, barely needing to nudge them before getting a response, eyes closed the whole time with the most peaceful expression. As they rounded over the far side of the island, she called out. "Hey Link… today was amazing. Watching the race and performing the ritual with you…it was really nice."

He smiled, then stuck his tongue out at her, directing his loftwing closer to hers in a playful nudge, as if he would really run into her.

Her retort was cut off as a sudden shift in the wind pressure pulled her bird off-course. "Ah! What is going-" She gripped her loftwing's feathers as it tried to flap against the storm of wind that pushed her further and further down. The last thing she saw before being engulfed in darkness was the distant figure of Link growing farther away.