~*The Discovery*~

When Zelda awoke that morning, she had no idea of the darkness that would soon swallow her whole.

Of course, she had no reason to even suspect it. Having just woke up from a pleasant dream of her and Link on a picnic, she arose from bed that morning with a light feeling in her stomach. Stretching and yawning, she threw off the blankets, and shivered when her feet touched the cold floor.

It's going to be chilly today, she thought, rising to perform the morning routine. Her boots strapped, her hair combed, and her outfit donned, she walked out of the Knight Academy in an extraordinarily good mood.

Upon reaching outside, she began wondering what she was to do today. If that lazy-headed friend of mine were awake, I'd ask him for a flight around the sky, she thought, a certain annoyance etched into her thoughts. That plan was thrown out the window, as it wasn't anywhere near noon yet, and Link was still fast asleep.

"When he wakes up, I'll be there to scold him," she said to herself, grinning inwardly. "In the meantime, Skylark needs to stretch his wings, and I need something more than coffee to wake me up." Strolling over to the Leaping Dock Zelda took a running start, like she had so many times before, and leaped over the edge.

A burst of adrenaline immediately overcame her as she soared through the sky. If only I had wings! she thought ecstatically.

Zelda rose up her hands, and began to whistle loudly. Her Loftwing, Skylark, appeared from no where, and she reached for the harness. The moment she touched her bird, an instant sense of connection came upon Zelda with her bird. After a few seconds of flapping, the two were gliding.

With no particular destination in mind, they both drifted aimlessly, sharing their thoughts and their daydreams together. Lying down on her back, Zelda held the harness loosely in her hand, and began staring up into the sunlit sky, feeling very lazy. A day in the life of Link, she thought. Skylark chuffed in amusement, giving his wings a mighty flap.

The skies were almost empty today. As Zelda was usually the first to rise, that was no surprise. Why would anyone need to rush in a peaceful world like Skyloft? She blithely contemplated visiting Pumpkin Landing, as it was a good place for peace of mind when it wasn't overcrowded with customers, but she quickly disregarded the idea. Somehow she felt like she couldn't move for anything, even if the clouds barrier beneath her suddenly dissolved away.

Liar, Skylark whispered in her mind, and she grinned. Turning over onto her stomach, she gazed down at the cloud barrier below. Like always, she was caught up in the dreams and nightmares that surrounded it, wondering just what the clouds could possibly be hiding. Many of her kin believed it was nothing, just an empty black whole.

Zelda never truly believed that, even when she was a little girl and being told for the first the history of Skyloft, a piece of land scooped up from a doomed world. Someday, we'll break through the barrier, she thought. Someday, we'll know for sure what its hiding.

Skylark didn't respond. He never responded to her questions of the Surface. A dark place, he would whisper. Must protect the people. She lightly pressed her thumb to her lips, retreating deeper into thought.

That was when something flashed into her eye.

Caught off guard, she sat back up again. Skylark sensed her disturbance, and began to slow down, concern coloring his thoughts. Zelda's head was spinning around as she looked for the shiny object that had caught her attention. Nothing appeared, and just when she decided it was the sun, it flashed over her eye again.

She locked onto a small island a few miles ahead of her. What is that? she wondered, egging her bird to move towards it. He was, of course, confused why she was so struck by a shiny object, but began a descent. Is it a rock? A diamond? There isn't supposed to be anything on the islands. She squinted her eyes, trying to get a better look—

CRASH!

Zelda screamed in fright when something massive rammed into her bird, and the two of them began spiraling out of the sky. Panicking wildly, she pulled fiercely on her harnesses. Careful, careful! She sent out to Skylark, begging caution as he snapped his wings back out. There were a few unsteady seconds, but before long, they were gliding again.

Once again in control, Zelda almost cracked her neck as she swung her glare over to the perpetrator, expecting to face some unknown demon. The heated glower melted away from her face only to be replaced by a look of sheer disappointment.

"HEY, ZELDAAA!" shouted Groose, waving his arm madly as his Loftwing came flying up next to hers. She could see his goofy smile all the way from there, and shook her head in exasperation. I was expecting some fight with a monster, she lamented.

"Hello Groose," she shouted back. "Fancy meeting you here."

"Saw you flyin' around, and figured I'd join you!" he replied, looking as pompous as ever. "Not like I could let a lady go flyin' around on her own, not in good conscience!"

Rolling her eyes, Zelda couldn't help it when a tiny quirk twisted her lips. Groose may have been insufferable with his pride, but he did mean well. When Link wasn't around to drive him crazy with jealousy, he was actually quite bearable. With the question already on her tongue, she shouted back, "Do you know if Link is awake yet?"

He didn't look too happy with her question. "I wouldn't know, I left before I could tell," he said in snippy tones. Zelda took a quick glance up at the sun, and though her eyes instantly became sore, she figured that Link would soon rise from his bed like the zombie he was. Zelda doubletaked, chewing on her bottom lip.

"Can you go and tell him I'll be there soon?" she yelled. "I want to go check something." The very idea seemed to repulse him, but as soon as she began to bat her eyelashes, and jut out her lip, he eventually agreed. As he turned, Zelda spun her Loftwing around and set her eyes on the flashing light in the distance.

Jumping was a very risky task for almost any Loftwing owner, which normally resulted in forcing their bird to land. Not many have perfected this special move, but Zelda was one of the few that knew how to do it. Readying herself, she leaped off just as she flew over the island and began to soar. Skylark flew out of sight. As she drew closer and closer, she snatched up her handmade wind sail, and began to float peacefully onto the soft dirt.

I do my best, she praised herself. Neatly folding, and tucking away her prized possession, she looked back up. Whatever had been spotted must have been very small, as she did not see anything, at first, but the grass and dirt. She took a few cautionary steps forward, wondering for the first time if perhaps she was in any danger. The sky may be safe, but no one knew what the small, outwardly lands contained.

Taking two more small steps, her doubt was instantly washed away as she gazed up a small object lying in the dirt. Kneeling down, she looked upon it warily. Zelda wasn't in any way stupid, and would never go touch something willy-nilly that didn't belong to her. Still, after a few seconds of inspection, she began to feel slightly at ease, and reached out for it. She held it close for inspection.

It was an earring.

At first, she was so surprised that something as mundane as jewelry could have distracted her so much, and she clenched the thing in her fist in frustration. Taking a closer look, however, her expression became slightly dazed. It wasn't like any jewelry she's seen. It was diamond shaped, and a magnificent blue, the likes of which she's never seen before. It was almost mesmerizing, the way it sparkled in the sunlight.

It must belong to someone, she thought, though the thought didn't hold firm. Not many of the women in Skyloft even had their ears pierced, much less wore earrings. Besides, the way in shone and completely dazzled her in the light had her convinced that this object, whatever its origin, was as far away from Skyloft as possible. This might just very well be from the Surface, she thought in amazement.

Ever since she was a little girl, whenever she made an amazing discovery, her thoughts turned to showing it off to Link. Such as it was then, when she had caught her first Blessed Butterfly, so as it was now. Tucking the jewelry away in her pocket, she stood, and walked over to the edge of the floating island.

I wonder who it belonged to, she mused as she leaped off into the clouds, whistling.

"Link!" Zelda exclaimed from above, eyeing the brightly dressed green figure on the ground. Jumping off, his smiling face was the first thing she saw as she jogged over and gave him a great bear hug. When he opened his mouth to speak, she lifted a silencing hand. "Before you say anything, I want to show you something I found," she said, her mind buzzing with excitement. Her fingers were already halfway to her pocket when a sharp voice suddenly barked out at them.

"Link!" cried Pipit, walking quickly towards the couple. Link shielded away from him like he was about to be hit, and Zelda flinched. "Link, what are you doing out here? There's no time for dillydallying, you're late for your conditioning!" His expression softened up a bit when he neared them, and threw Zelda an apologetic glance. "Sorry Z, but you know just as well as I how lazy he is. If we don't keep him in shape, we'll have a bright green frog on our hands." Zelda grinned at Link's mortified expression.

"By all means," she said, ignoring the glares he shot her. As Pipit threw a firm hand around Link's shoulders, she mouthed I'll tell you later. When the senior began exclaiming loudly how filthy Link's room was, and how knights should always have a clean room, Link sent her a look that said I highly doubt it.

She laughed as he vanished from view. With her only outlet gone, Zelda suddenly wondered what she should do next. He'll be gone a while, and I haven't a clue where all my other friends are. Feeling the urge to sit down, she walked over to a shady spot on the grass, away from any prying eyes, and sat. She reached into her pocket, and pulled out her fascinating discovery.

Even though the sun wasn't shining as bright, the diamond was still glimmering with all its might. It sparkled in such a way that Zelda got the feeling it was showing off for her. She sat there and watched the sparkling gem for what seemed like hours, and it took a long time for her to consider whether or not she should put it on.

It looks so sharp, she thought morosely as she gently fingered the hook. Figuring she's been through worse, she grabbed at her earlobe and poked around, trying to find the small puncture. Instantly, she cried out. Yowch! Yanking her hand away, she looked to see a small amount of blood had been drawn on her finger. Ear stinging, Zelda rose to her feet.

I guess I should use a mirror, she thought, feeling rather silly for not thinking of that in the first place.

Entering the halls of the Academy, she walked back up into her room. The vanity table tucked away into a small corner, having been heavily neglected over the years, sat there waiting for her. As she sat upon it, a cloud of dust arose, and she swatted it away, coughing.

Staring down at the gem, she tried placing it in the earring again. She worried that after years of disuse the small piercing had healed and closed over. It was certainly tricky attempting at opening it up again, and after a while she grew tired of trying. Opening up her drawer, she tucked it inside, and closed it. I can look at it more later, she decided, rising to her feet.

Closing the door to her room, intending to perform the day's activities, she didn't notice it when the dresser drawer suddenly snapped with a flash of light.

As Zelda leisurely walked around town, performing her usual chores and errands, there was not a word from Link. Occasionally she would see him performing the most strenuous of tasks, such as climbing the Light Tower without the ladder, but whenever she drew near, she would just smile and turn around. No need to distract him, she thought.

When the rushing excitement of finding a possible surface item faded the whole thing slowly slipped from her mind until she completely forgot its existence. After such a long day, she felt particularly drained of energy. Her growling stomach did no better to improve her mood, especially when she thought about all the other boys in the Dining Hall, eating every scrap of food.

It turned out that she didn't even have to worry about it. In the midst of the chaotic dinner rush as all the boys tried to snatch up the best food, she looked to the corner. Link, sitting silently at an empty table, had managed to save her two slices of meat and a delicious looking bowl of fruit. When she shot him a grateful look, he smiled, as if to say, Of course. The look was slightly dampened as he vaguely resembled a feasting chipmunk, but Zelda refrained from laughing as she took a seat.

"So, I saw Pipit running you around the Plaza today," she said, already digging into her food. If there was one thing she prided herself in, unlike the other dainty things of Skyloft, it was that she had a massive appetite. Just remembering the look of Link's face as she consumed those two freshly cooked chickens when she was eight years old would cheered her up on a rainy day.

Link, always the mannerly one, merely nodded as he blithely swallowed his food. The two remained silent as they breathed in their entrees, and as the mindless chatter began swirling around the cafeteria, she looked up from her fruit. "Hey, Link, I've been wondering…" He looked up from his porridge. Zelda opened her mouth, but then closed it again.

What she wanted to say was, Do you think it's possible for things from the surface to find their way up here? But hearing it again in her mind, she realized how suspicious it sounded. In fact, as she thought about the beautiful earring, a feeling of jealousy, an emotion she's never experienced before, suddenly overwhelmed her. It was irrational, she still felt it. Shaking her head, she mumbled, "Never mind."

He stared at her for a few minutes, before shrugging, and going back to his food. Zelda looked back down at her plate, and she felt rather queasy staring at it. Something, she didn't know what, had ruined her appetite. It might have been due to watching Groose stick grapes into his nose, but either way, she felt like going to bed.

Rising to her feet, Zelda nodded down at her friend, who attempted at smiling back, and said good night. She left the lunch room without any other trouble, face tightened together in thought.

Walking into her bedroom, suddenly feeling very tired, Zelda paused.

Sitting there on her bed was the object of her thoughts. I could have sworn I put it in the drawer. Looking over, the vanity looked completely undisturbed, and she looked back to the gem. An idea came over her with no warning, and before she knew it, Zelda was sitting by her vanity again, trying again to pierce her ear.

Unlike a few hours ago, the jewelry slid in with no questions asked. A tad bit dazed, she stared at herself in the mirror. Zelda felt a little silly as it wobbled around, her head about to topple over from the weight of it, but didn't move to take it out. She smiled, thinking, I look really pretty in this...

A wave of abstract dizziness came and went, and Zelda wondered just how late it was. Though it couldn't have been later than eight o'clock, she felt like it was four in the morning. Completely forgetting about the earring, she walked over to her closet, and quickly changed in to her white nightdress.

Normally, she would grab her lovely harp, and sing and dance with it until she was sure all of the other residents had fallen asleep. Now, due to her sudden tiredness, she just fell asleep without another word.

Her dreams that night were aimless and dark for many hours.

It wasn't until she was in her deepest of sleeps did the dream come upon her in a quick flash.

Curled up in some soft fabric, Zelda opened her eyes to blades of yellow grass. Blinking, she sat up and began to yawn. She was in the middle of a beautiful pasture, the likes of which didn't exist in Skyloft, that stretched out for miles. The sky was a tranquil orange, and the grass smelled like it had just been cut. Like all dreams, she didn't wonder how she came to be there as she moved onto unsteady legs. All at once she began giggling as the grass tickled her feet. This whole place made her feel soft, and warm, and fuzzy.

When she heard someone cry out her name, Zelda looked up to see Link, on the top of a small hill, waving her down. He looked overjoyed to see her, and began gesturing wildly for her to come to him. He almost looked like an angel with the way he was glowing and laughing. Smiling, she began taking very dainty steps, reveling in the softness of the grass, before slowly making her way over to him. Once she got close enough, he glided down the hillside, and vanished from view.

"Wait a second!" she cried out, lifting her nightdress as she climbed up the hill. At the top she could see him again, though he was much farther away from her. He was still waving, silently begging her to come for him, like he would die if she wasn't by his side. Running down the hill, Zelda laughed as her feet glided across the meadow, and began flying towards him. Link laughed merrily, and ran away again. No matter how fast she went she just couldn't catch up, though she wasn't troubled by it.

Suddenly, he vanished entirely. Running to the spot of where he was, she was surprised to see that she had approached the edge of a small cliff, and Link was at the very bottom. He held his hands out and continued his gestures. Jump, Zelda! He seemed to be saying. Jump, and I'll catch you!

Smiling, she stretched her arms out, and prepared her jump.

She was already halfway in the air when she was violently attacked.

All at once, she heard a vicious snarling in her ear, and claws wrapped themselves around her waist. A scream lodged itself in her throat, and she viciously tried to escape the demons' grasp. Get away! Get away! It started to drag her through the grass, and the panic intensified. She tried biting and clawing, and even kicked into the air, but the demon was much stronger than her. Without warning, Zelda felt herself shoved her onto her knees, and a claw grasped firmly in her hair.

She awoke that night with her head dunked in water

Eyes shut tight, Zelda could suddenly feel dewy grass clenched in her hands. A feeling of reality rushed back to her. With a lurch, she snapped her head out of the river, breathing rapidly to appease her own pounding heart. She was suddenly met with the concerned gaze of the real, living Link. His face was contorted in terror. He removed his hand from her hair.

"Link…" she said, rubbing the water from her eyes. "Was I…was I sleep walking?" He nodded, his eyes burning with fear. Zelda blinked, trying to remember her thoughts concerning her dream. The more she tried to grasp the details, the more they seemed to slip away from her, and she cringed. Looking over, she realized that Link had dragged her away from the Wooden Dock. She had been about to jump.

She glanced back over to him. "I…I'm sorry…" she said. "I don't know what came over me." Trying to break the ice, she began to weakly laugh. "M—must have been a pretty good dream, then, right?" Link didn't respond, instead just shaking his head. Zelda frowned. If he wasn't here, what would I have done? He seemed to be asking himself the same thing.

"Well, we had quite the adventure tonight," she said. "But now it is off to bed for the two of us." Furrowing his brow, Link nodded and followed after Zelda as she walked back towards the Academy.

What neither of them knew, what either of them was blissfully ignorant of, was the absolute rage that the Demon Lord had then possessed.

~*O*~

I told myself I wouldn't support this paring….but it's just been so long since I've shipped a crack couple. Canon pairings are just dull. ITACHI AND SAKURA FOREVERRRR!

MUST WRITE AS MUCH AS I CAN BEFORE I COME TO MY SENSES AND REALIZE GHIRAHIMxLINK MAKES A LOT MORE SENSE! HKDVNQAWJE!

Oh, god, what hast thou done to me, Ghirahim?

LEAVE A REVIEW; TELL ME I'M NOT CRAZY!

*Eye twitch*

~DM-sama