Chapter 3

Turning Tides

"Hey, Pip," Link called with a lackluster tone.

"Whoa. You still in a funk? Okay, we interrupt this dirge to bring you an important update: you are going to a stinkin' mind blowing party tonight. Cheer up. Seriously, you're gonna forget who you are after a few drinks and a generous bit of dancing. Kiss your worries goodbye, buddy. It's gonna be great."

"Yeah, I guess I'm due for a good and proper lapse of memory," Link replied as he sat in the chair in front of Pipit. Link looked to the front of the room and saw another young man, sitting and studying for his exams.

"Well, at least we're not the only fools in here tonight," Link said. "I wonder what he did."

"Yeah, let's ask him. Hey," Pipit called out. The young man glanced back. "What're you in here for?" The kid, obviously a young underclassman, twisted in his seat.

"Didn't return to the Main Island in time last night. A night guard caught me trying to sneak in without an escort. This school is strict man, I swear… I transferred here from Zenith Academy a couple months ago, and I've already been in trouble a dozen times. Too many rules here, man." He turned to face forward again.

"Yeah, you got that right," Pipit agreed. He looked Link in the eye. "These people live, eat and breathe their rules and regulations. But, what're you gonna do?" He leaned back in his seat and rested his hands on his head. "They got good reason to be strict. Good discipline makes good knights. It sucks sometimes, but I respect the way things are done here."

"You weren't respecting the rules too much at three this morning," Link said. "Hence." He gestured to the room.

"Meh. I just wanted to grace you with my presence for two hours. Try not to drool over me too much."

"Yeah, right," Link said. "And by the way, I'm not planning on drinking much tonight, if anything. I'm planning on getting there, finding Zelda, performing our duet, and then maybe dancing a little bit with her. I will be perfectly happy doing just that."

"How quaint. Believe me, that's not all you're gonna do tonight," Pipit said. Linked eyed him.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"This is gonna be the hottest party Skyloft has seen in a long, long time. People from other schools are gonna be there. Some are flying for a couple hours to get here. The place is gonna be packed. I cannot wait. Anyway, this isn't the sort of party where you go, hang out, dance a little and leave. Oh, no. A lot of 'firsts' come from a party like this. First time getting wasted, first time being carried home by your buddies, first time doin' the nasty out in the garden, first time getting scraped off the wall. Put simply, the first time going all out and just embracing the awesomeness."

"Sure sounds tempting, Pip, but I'm perfectly content keeping my head firmly attached."

"Well, good thing your fate for tonight isn't decided by you," Pipit retorted. He lazily ran his fingers under his yellow knight's cap and through his dark hair.

"I can tell I'm gonna have to keep a close eye on you," Link told him. "I have no doubt that with all the glib idiosyncrasies spewing from your drunken mouth, someone will try and knock you out."

"Heck no, bro. I'm not that bad."

"You're bad enough when you're not drunk, Pip. After a drink or two, or three, or four, you really get going. Don't do it to the wrong person."

"'Kay, well, I'll stick with just you then." He winked. "Don't forget, I'm the knight here. I think I can handle myself."

"We'll see about that. And gee, thanks. Lucky I'm a good sport."

"Heh, yeah," Pipit said with a laugh. "In my defense, I don't even remember most of what I say the day after, anyway. If I do start to go off, just rip me away from the tables and shove me onto the dance floor. Problem solved."

"As your chaperone, I'm taking you up on that," Link assured him.

"Well, keep my advice in mind: don't underestimate what could happen, either between you and Zelda, or you and someone else. Crazy things happen, man. Instead of supervising my every move, you might be skinny-dipping outside in the lake. Or just plain dancing your butt off for hours. I want you guys to have a good time. We all deserve it this time of year. And Zelda's all stressed, and acting funny these days…"

"Well, no matter what, I'm planning on talking to her about what's going on with us. I need to get this stuff straightened out before next week so I can focus on my exams, and actually pass them. I'm also in the first Wing Ceremony. That's a huge deal. Instructor Horwell picked our dorm for the first competition."

"I wish he'd done that last year," Pipit said. "I would've loved to be in that high profile first race. It's all hyped up with the huge crowd and everything. Way more exciting than the low key race I took part in. People always talk about the first race all summer long."

Gazing out the window, Pipit thought for a moment while Link enjoyed the quiet.

"And yes, please talk with Zelda. 'Cause I'm sick of how you guys are supposed to be together, but you're not. And I'm not even the one dealing with it." He rolled his eyes. They landed on Link's violin."So, what're you playing on that thing tonight?"

"This." Link handed him the handwritten sheet music.

"Whoa. Man, I'd never be able to make heads or tails of that."

"Well, lucky for you, you've got a brilliant friend to make it easy for you. I can play a little bit right now if you want."

"As long as that guy doesn't mind." Without looking up, the kid lifted his hand, signaling his 'okay'.

Gently holding the neck of the violin, Link propped the bottom on his left shoulder. He looked to the left and placed the chin rest under his jaw.

"I could teach you how to play, Pip, if you can muster up the patience and find yourself an instrument. See, here's the scroll, peg box, nut, fingerboard, ribs, where the sound post is inside, F-hole, bridge, E tuner and tailpiece. You use the pegs to tune each string to E, A, D and G notes. As the bow glides across the strings you alter the pitch by pressing your first, second or third fingers on the fingerboard." He grasped the bow grip and brought the hair of the bow to the strings. As he was about to play, Pipit grabbed his arm.

"Hey, can I try?" Link looked at him for a second.

"I never let anybody play this," he said.

"Oh, come on, this is Pipit you're talking to. I'm like your bosom-buddy, or something." Link sighed.

"Okay," he said acquiescently. "Just please don't break a string right before I have to play tonight."

"Break a string? What do you think I'm gonna do? Play soccer with it? Look, I'm gonna be careful. Just give it here." With a sigh, Link handed his instrument over.

"Well, first off, hold it in your left arm, put it on your shoulder, and rest your chin right there." Pipit did his best to follow his friend's directions. "Hold it level in your arm with your fingers cradling the neck around the fingerboard. Don't touch the strings. Now bring the bow up, pick a string and place it down halfway between the bridge and where fingerboard ends. Keep the bow hair parallel to the bridge, and apply a little downward pressure. I just put rosin on the bow earlier, it should sound pretty good."

"Huh. Sounds easy enough," Pipit said. As he awkwardly held the instrument, he brought the bow up in his right hand. Angling it down over the last two strings, he dragged it toward the floor, producing an atrocious sound. Everyone in the room winced and cringed.

"Wow. That was beautiful, man," Link said. "You had to pick the E string, huh?"

"Well, I'm done," Pipit said quickly, handing Link his instrument. "Between the foreign language of those notes and how freakin' hard it must be to actually make music with this thing, I can tell it's not for me."

"That's okay. At least you didn't break anything. I'll play it for you. Just keep in mind that it's supposed to be a duet, so it's incomplete."

Link positioned the instrument over his shoulder, bringing the bow to the strings once more.

Without utilizing the written music, he began to play the song which he and Zelda had written together. It was a ballad, slow and somber. The song was experimental, employing several different bow strokes and fingering techniques.

Pipit watched in awe, freezing in place as he listened.

Link played the song with a glassy, whispery sul ponticello, a flute-like sul tasto, tenuto, tremolos, slurs, bariolage, plucked pizzicato notes, and trills. His skillful fingers controlled pitch and vibrato.

The song emanated warmth and expression. Gorgeous sounds flowed effortlessly. The connection between him and his instrument was undeniable.

He didn't mean to play the entire song, but that's what he did. As he pulled the bow down to finish the final note, he looked at his friend. He appeared dumbfounded. Link noticed that the kid across the room had turned to watch him. He cleared his throat.

"Um, wow," Pipit said, impressed. He sat back and crossed his arms, giving Link a curious look. "I mean, I heard you play plenty of times before, but, I don't think I ever heard you play by yourself, or like two feet from me. I think I got chills for a second there."

"Pip, you haven't even started drinking yet and you're already starting with the crude jokes. I mean, I know I'm good, but I'm not that good." He raised an eyebrow.

"I dunno, I'm just being honest", Pipit said. "That was good." The other young man twisted in his seat to gape at them.

"Pip, you're scaring that kid over there. Heck, you're scaring me."

"Hey, 'brutal honesty' is my middle name. So is 'no shame'. Don't worry, I'm not gonna jump your bones or anything."

"With you Pip, who knows." Link looked out the window. The sun was just beginning to dip in the sky. "I'm gonna doze for a few minutes… Wake me up when it's time to go, 'kay?"

"Sure, bro."

Link laid his head on his arms. His swirling tumult of thoughts was his only entertainment…

That is, until his friend started bugging him again.

Why did I ever believe that I could actually sleep, or even rest at all, with Pipit here?

Link's fruitless attempt to close his eyes and rejuvenate his racing mind was easily thwarted by his all too vivacious friend. Resting turned into more discussion about how much trouble Pipit was likely to get into at the party.

Conversation turned into arm wrestling. Link showed Pipit the meaning of the idiom, 'to swallow one's pride', as he vanquished him with both arms. Defeated, the only consolation Pipit received was that his friend struggled a bit with his left arm. Pipit proceeded to hush Link's triumphant laughter with a threat to sit on him if he didn't shut up.

"Awe, poor little ego has an owie," Link taunted. "If you wanna get me back for owning your derriere earlier, you're gonna have to do better than that."

"Oh, don't worry your pretty little head, sarcasmous," Pipit said, slightly annoyed. "I have my ways. Better watch your back on the dance floor tonight. Never know when I might pop up unexpectedly to bring you to your knees with a nice arm bend. Seemed to work pretty effectively last night." Pipit's suggestive tone garnered yet another strange look from their detention-mate.

"Mm, but you're forgetting something," Link replied. "Revenge is gonna be the last thing you're thinking about. I'm saving a booty dance just for you."

"Hey, I'm planning on getting drunk, but if I get that wasted, drag me to the drop off and just toss me. There might be guy-on-guy dancing tonight but I won't be one of em. At least, I don't think I will."

"Don't worry, I got your back," Link assured him.

"Yeah right, man. Don't take advantage of me in my vulnerable state. That's just wrong."

"Please, the only advantage that's gonna be taken is by some woman who I'm sure you've never met in your life. Unless her name is Butch, my hands are off." Pipit's shoulders bounced a few times as he chuckled.

"Guess if I'm getting molested by a she-man then I'm S-O-L. I'll keep that in mind."

"You could wreck anybody if need be," Link said, examining his nails. "I'm not worried about you."

"Well, I'm hiring you as my bodyguard, 'cause apparently you have the capacity to protect me even from myself, with that sick arm wrestling of yours."

"You're probably just having an off-day, Pip. Don't dwell on it too much."

"Awe, thank you Linkey," Pip said with a saccharine tone.

The kid across the room finally spoke up.

"Do you guys always talk like this?" With his peripheral vision, he peered behind him. A distasteful look was beginning to form on his face. Link and Pipit looked at each before glancing back. Pipit sat up.

"Only on Fridays," he said with a deadpan voice. Link glanced at Pipit. They both doubled over with laughter.

As six-thirty finally arrived, Link sprang out of his seat, sprinted down the hall, ran out the door and cart-wheeled down the stone steps. Pipit made a weird face at him.

The campus was eerily devoid of its usual Friday night hustle and bustle. Almost everyone had departed for the Lumpy Pumpkin for tonight's festivities. Link was anxious to get going. All the talk about freeing his mind of troubles left him craving some mindless fun.

"Thank the Goddess it's finally over!" he exclaimed to the sky. Pipit walked leisurely down the steps, carrying his friend's wooden violin case.

"Oh, thanks man," Link said, grabbing it. The pair canvased the drop off. "Anything you gotta do before we go?" He checked out the cirrocumulus clouds in the distance.

"Nah", Pipit sighed, stretching his arms. "I gotta pee, but I can worry about that when I get there."

"It's a twenty-minute trip, you sure you can make it?" Link asked, punching him in the stomach.

"Dang, watch it," he whined, wrapping his arms around himself. "Just forget I said anything."

"You're wearing your knight's tunic?" Link asked with a critical tone.

"And you're one to talk? You still got your sparring tunic on." He shrugged. "Well, you know what? Ladies love a man in uniform. I'd say we're all set. Plus they're hot for musicians, especially ones with huge blue saucers for eyes. You're golden."

"Well, we're good then, so let's go," Link replied, paying his friend's 'compliment' no mind. Hugging his instrument, he set off at a sprint. Pipit, realizing he'd been left behind, dashed after him. Pushing off into the air, the two were unaware that someone was watching them.

….

"Well, bon vivant, ten years later, we're off," Pipit said to his friend as he soared a few feet from him.

"Yep," Link said. "The air is perfect out here. It won't take long to get there." He noticed that Pipit was looking down and studying the clouds. "What is it?" Pipit kept staring at the cloud cover. He took his time in responding.

"Gotta wonder…" he started. Link looked at him as an unexpected bluster sent his sandy hair dancing.

"What?" Link asked again. Pipit lifted his eyes to meet his friend's. He almost looked sad.

"It's just…you ever think about deviating from this primrose path that we're on here..?" Link peered at him for a moment.

"…What?" he asked, puzzled. He wasn't sure where this was coming from. Pipit turned his eyes back toward the clouds.

"You ever want to just…take a different path than everyone else around you? Take the path less traveled? As if you're being called somewhere else?"

Geez, here he goes getting all profound, Link thought. And he's still sober, even…

"Pip, what are you talking about…?" Pipit shook his head, leaning over his loftwing.

"I don't know. Don't worry about it." With Link's interest piqued, he decided to pry some answers out of his discomfited buddy.

"Are you thinking about leaving the Main Island?" Link asked.

"Well, no, not necessarily," Pipit said, looking away. "I've been mulling over what Zelda's been talking about lately. What she's been dreaming about, I mean. Her visions of this 'land below the clouds'. What do you think about it?"

"What do I think about it?" Link asked, making a face. "I'm not sure, Pip… Honestly I've found the whole thing sort of nuts. Fact is, she's also mentioned hearing voices. Voices." He paused for emphasis. "I think Zelda is totally stressed out and in desperate need of some 'r-and-r'. In terms of her 'visions', well, I guess their validity has yet to be determined."

"Well, I'm intrigued by it," Pipit said. "Training at the academy and becoming a knight's been really rewarding, don't get me wrong… But, sometimes I just want more, especially when I think about the future. Know what I mean?"

"Soooo, like I said before, you're thinking of leaving the Main Island?"

"Maybe temporarily. This place has so many knights already. I'm sort'a tempted to take what I've learned elsewhere. Somewhere not quite as perfect. Maybe join the Skyloftian army and do some traveling. How can we utilize our skills here? What is there for us to do besides patrol, and boss around the underclassmen and villagers, enforcing the rules?"

"Pip, I don't know what sort of environment you're looking for, but it sounds to me like you're asking for trouble, talking about the army and all. Why aren't you happy here?"

"It's not that I'm not happy. More like…longing for something else. A new place to go to make some sort of a difference." Despite Pipit's outlandish and random musings, Link found his candor pleasant.

"Well, that's an honorable thing, Pip. You've been a good knight this past year. You're a stickler for the rules. You're an amazing swordsman. You're the greatest night patroller ever. No one gets past you, especially when you jump on them and bend their arms back in unnatural ways. Wherever you go, they'll be lucky to have you." Link looked ahead, viewing the approaching islet. It would soon be providing them with good, quality divertissement. "I think we'd all miss you here, though."

"D'aw," Pipit said. "Those are some nice buttery words you're spouting, but I'm still gonna get you good tonight. If you don't watch your back, you're a bona fide fool."

"Gee, thanks." Link rolled his eyes.

"And, I'd miss you too, m'dear, more than words can say."

"Pip, you better not say anything to me with 'more than words'. I'll propel you through the cloud cover and into oblivion. You can say hello to the bowels of the planet for me."

"That's no way to talk to your designated keep-my-butt-out-of-trouble comrade for the evening. You watch out for me, I'll watch out for you. You will need my help at some point this evening."

"You've got it backwards, Pipit. Why would I need help from you?"

Pipit looked at him austerely.

"'Cause any guy whose mind is that mixed up with girl trouble is apt to let his guard down. You'd be surprised what can happen when a few drinks, a gorgeous woman and a little heartache mix. It will result in a capricious situation. At the same time, you seriously need to relax and not drive away every female you see. Quit worrying about Zelda as if she's your girlfriend. What if you end up talkingto another woman? Oh heavens! You gonna curl up and die tomorrow morning when you wake up and realize what a horrid mistake you made?"

"Gimme a break, Pip. And besides that, the sheer agony from being slaughtered at arm wrestling earlier must be making you go deaf. 'Cause you don't seem to understand that Zelda promised to be there tonight."

"Meh. Doesn't matter if she's there or not. You'll probably both end up schmoozing with other people, anyway."

"Well, thanks for not jinxing us or anything," Link said spitefully. "And I'm not gonna lie. I would have a hard time forgiving myself if I screwed up with Zelda. I know you don't agree with how we are, but you know how important she is to me."

"Okay, okay. Maybe I'm underestimating your abilities to resist the unadulterated excellence that will be this party tonight. If that's the case, than you're a stronger man than I."

"Oh, the fact that I'm stronger has already been well established, my friend." Link smiled and looked away. Pipit just shook his head.

"Land ahoy," he said.

As the sun plunged in the sky, the two young men set their sights on the island before them. This modest, lush piece of land was just large enough to fit the Lumpy Pumpkin, as well as a collection of gardens and woodlands.

The time had not yet approached seven o'clock, but the landing area outside of the bar and party hall were already crowded. More people were arriving by the second. Pipit grinned in anticipation. Link blankly observed the grounds, contemplating what might be in store. Earlier, he'd been eager to arrive; now, a strange feeling was burgeoning in the pit of his stomach.

What if Zelda didn't show up?

The two birds descended smoothly into the large, flat landing area in front of the building. Hematite had barely touched his huge feet to the grass when Pipit hopped off of him. Curling up into a forward roll, he sprang to his feet. Link slowly dismounted.

"C'mon, slowpoke," Pipit urged him. The loftwings took flight as Link followed his friend into the pumpkin-shaped building's entrance, holding his violin by his side.

As soon as he stepped into the waiting area, Link was bombarded by dozens of sounds and fragrances. The place was filled to the brim with the aroma of various dishes - the artful work of the restaurant owner, Pumm, and his staff. The cacophony of voices echoing off of the walls was almost painful. The overstimulation was abrasive, but Pipit loved it.

Pushing through the throng of noisy people by the entrance, the friends entered the dining area. The expanse before them was dimly lit, with tall, mahogany walls. Dozens of tables, most of which were already full of people took up most of the floor, aside from the dance floor. A huge, sparkling crystal chandelier hung proudly over the hall. A long, winding staircase led to a loft on the second floor, where more tables and a second dance floor were contained.

The bar stretched the length of the room. Beside it was a staging area where most of the musicians were already seated. Link saw several people who he would be joining later. He was relieved to see that no one was playing yet.

Accompanied by three of her friends, Karane lolled comfortably on a bar stool, sipping her red wine. As she caught sight of Pipit and Link, she jumped up, flipping her shoulder length, reddish-brown hair away from her face. A small yellow rose which matched her lacy, form-fitting dress, was pinned behind her ear. Her eyes were bright green, her lips were full and pink, her body was slim and fit from hours of hard exercise, and her voice was soft and titillating. There was no doubt that Karane was attractive. But, Link wasn't very smitten with her. Karane wasn't fond of him, either.

"Hi, Link," she said dully. "Hiiiiii, Pippy," she cooed, her face melting. She ran to Pipit, jumping into his arms, straddling his waist and shoving Link in one quick motion. Hopping aside, he gave her a dubious look.

"I've been waiting for you!" she squealed, landing a huge kiss on Pipit's cheek.

"Hi, baby," he said with a weak smile. With an awkward shift, he slid the young woman onto her dainty white sandals.

"You gonna sit with us?" Karane asked with exuberant perkiness. She bounced back to her stool. "We're working on our drinks while we wait for our order." Pipit looked around.

"Actually, I'm gonna run to the restroom real quick. I'll pro'lly order something now, though. Why don't you girls find us somewhere to sit?" Looking at him, the four ladies giggled.

"Sure, honey pie," Karane gushed. Link stifled a gag and looked at his friend; he glanced back and sighed. He gestured for Link to follow him to the bar.

"We should get a few things to share or something," Pipit suggested. "I'm so freakin' starving after skipping dinner 'cause of effin' detention." Bypassing the waiters and waitresses who were rushing about, Pipit called out to the restaurant owner. "Hey, Pumm!"

Dazed, Pumm turned around, attempting to trace the voice. He spotted Pipit at front of the bar. His round, heavily mustached face lit up.

"Pipit! Well! Welcome son, how is everything?" he bellowed in a jolly voice.

"Going well, sir," Pipit replied. "The place looks great tonight. Love how you've got a million candles lining the walls. The atmosphere in here's gonna be amazing after the sun sets. So, any specials today?"

"Yep! Kina's cooked up the hugest batch of stew you ever saw. It's big enough to feed the Skyloftian army! Then we've got upwards of five-hundred pounds of sausage stuffed biscuits and vegetables, the usual tank of pumpkin soup, ten different kinds of pumpkin tarts, cheese and sausage soufflé, and of course…gobs and gobs of pumpkin pie. And let's not forget beer on tap."

"Ah, food fit for the gods, Pumm. We'll take one of each please. Surprise us with the pumpkin tart. A beer each for me and my friend too." He turned to Link. "Don't worry, I got it."

Pumm smiled widely. "You've got it son. Be about five minutes."

"Gotcha," Pipit replied, turning to Karane and her friends. "Be right back ladies," he said, tipping his knight's cap. Karane's face oozed with puppy love.

"Come on," he said to Link as they walked to the bathroom. He turned to see Karane's smile fade into a venomous sneer. His eyes narrowed as he took a step.

The bathroom was the only quiet, peaceful haven in the building, it seemed. As soon as the door shut behind them, the only sounds that were heard were muffled shouts from the dining area.

"Ugh," Pipit groaned as he approached the far end of the restroom. The room was commodious and pleasant, containing tables embellished with various plants. The walls were adorned with whimsical paintings of forests and pumpkin patches. The wash area smelled strongly of soap. Link stood in front of the mirror above the wash basin and examined himself for a moment. With a splash of water he fixed his wind-blown hair and freshened up his face.

"What is that woman's problem, anyway?" Link asked his friend. "Why the disagreeable attitude toward me? I've never done anything to her."

"No. Not directly, anyway," Pipit said. "You have to know Karane. Even though she's never been my official girlfriend, we've been close on and off for a while. She can be nasty, though."

"Then why lead her on? I can tell you aren't totally comfortable with her."

"Just 'cause we're friendly doesn't mean I'm leading her on," Pipit defended.

"Jumping on you and showering you with kisses is more than friendly, Pip."

"That's only 'cause we've had an intermittent sexual thing going on since the school year started."

"Oh, you don't gotta tell me, Pip. I'm well aware. So is my bed. I think it's still weeping."

"Well, I'll apologize to it later," Pipit stated. "Profusely."

"Try apologizing to me. I'm the one with the bleeding ears that had to listen to it." He sighed. "And what do you mean when you say I'm not 'directly' bothering Karane? How am I doing anything to her indirectly or otherwise? I've never said more than a few cordial words to her. Why does she keep shooting daggers at me?" Pipit shook his head.

"Jealousy," he said with an upbeat lilt. Link gave him a confused look.

"Jealousy? What could she possibly be jealous of me for…?" Pipit laughed softly to himself as he finished washing his hands.

"Because you are closer to me than she is." Link looked around ponderously before following Pipit out.

Back in the dining hall, a small, lively hand beckoned them. Weaving through the crowd, they approached the table that Karane had reserved, waving to numerous friends on the way. Seating a small group of Link and Pipit's academy friends, the table stood next to the bar, staging area, and dance floor.

Chaise had grabbed a seat next to Karane and her friends. Pipit's night-guard buddy, Rhys, a second-year knight-student, and several other mutual friends, had joined them.

"Arrived have the two corners of the world in arms!" Pipit shouted as he grabbed Link around the shoulders.

"Your food's ready," Karane said with a smile. "We carried it over for you. Your drinks will be here in a minute." Pipit thanked them and took a chair next to Karane. She proceeded to lean toward him, wrap her hands around his head and twirl his hair in her fingers. Link sat next to Chaise.

"I see you remembered your violin!" he said happily. "I can't wait to start playing. Pumm told us that once the sun went down we could start. He said that the song repertoire would be up to us, as long as we play laid back stuff while people eat, and danceable stuff for the rest of the night. Solos and duets can be mixed in here and there, like your and Zelda's song."

Zelda.

Link had been so distracted that he hadn't even thought to look for her. All he knew was that he hadn't seen her in the building.

"I'm not sure if she's here yet," Link said. "Have you seen her?"

"Negatory, man," Chaise said as he shook his head. "I hope she shows up, though. I think everyone's looking forward to hearing her play. If she doesn't show, do you think someone else can fill in for her? There're several flutists up there who would do the job quite nicely. Ilia is up there. You guys've played duets before and you sound great together. Just give her the sheet music a little ahead of time so she can skim through it."

"Yeah, I'll do that," Link said absentmindedly. He turned to the rest of the table. "Any of you guys seen Zelda anywhere around here?" A collective 'no' spread outward, disappointing him to the core.

"I haven't even seen her loftwing in the sky since I arrived, and I was outside for a while before coming in," Rhys stated flatly. Link looked at the dark-skinned knight in yellow, feeling let down.

"Maybe I should walk around and ask some people if they've seen her," Link suggested to himself.

"You gotta eat first," Pipit interrupted. "You're probably as flippin' famished as I am. Sit over here, we'll tear it up like the savage beasts that we are." As Link claimed the seat to Pipit's right, Karane didn't bother to hide her disapproval.

"This soufflé is bangin', man. Have some," he said.

"I'm paying you back for this, Pip," Link told him, eating quickly. Exploring the room for Zelda was far more appealing than food right now.

"Don't worry about it, bro," Pipit assured him. "My treat."

"I got the next one, then," Link insisted.

Over the next several minutes, topics such as final exams and summer vacations were mulled over. Link listened halfheartedly, unable to focus as his eyes wandered about the room. There was no sign of Zelda's distinct, light blond hair anywhere.

Suddenly, two huge drinks crashed down in front of them. Link stared at their enormity.

"Thanks, Kina!" Pipit shouted gratefully. "I can't think of anything more fitting to accompany this. This meal's so fabulous, it's capable of bringing out a man's delicate sensibilities. Your cooking talents are magnificent. Superlative. First-class." He tossed a kiss into the air as he sweet-talked Pumm's daughter. She blushed like mad. She was a pretty young lady with a gentle spirit, and a lovable character to match. Link smiled and looked down, sensing her embarrassment.

"Oh, thank you, Pipit," she giggled, crossing her hands over her chest and overlooking Karane's sneer. "Is there anything else I can get for you guys right now? Chaise? Rhys? Jade? Anyone need anything from the bar?"

"No thanks, Kina," Chaise replied. "I need my mind sharp to fully engage in my playing tonight." He looked at Link. He eyed his beer, surmising that it must have been the equivalent of four full servings of alcohol.

"We're good for a while," Pipit said, nudging Link, "but we'll let you know when we're ready for a refill. Thanks Kina."

After taking an order for a couple of mixed drinks, Kina skittered back to her work. After inhaling most of the food, Pipit downed his drink in a matter of seconds.

"Aaaaah," he exhaled loudly over his glass. "That hits the spot in ways that I'm not even gonna say right now."

"Yeah, give it a couple more," Rhys joked. "We'll finally be graced by that loose-tongued Pipit we all know and love." Link cringed.

"Somebody needs to delve into their drink," Pipit said as he sipped the last drops of his beer. "It'll get your mind off your worries and onto more important matters. Such as which gorgeous lady you're gonna dance with first."

"Or who you're going to play your song with," Chaise said. Link looked at both of them.

For Link, drinking was a very infrequent indulgence. On the very rare occasion that he would treat himself to a beer, he would quickly lose interest and hand the rest to Pipit. He certainly wasn't accustomed to drowning his sorrows in alcohol, and he had no plans to start now.

However, with a slight shrug, he picked up his glass and took a swig. It went down smoothly, immediately warming him from the chest up.

"See? Loosening you up already, isn't it?" Pipit asked, throwing two fingers into the air for Kina. "I'm ordering you another one too, bud. I have a feeling your first one's gonna be gone in no time. Gotta stay fully stocked!"

Even though his first few sips made him feel marginally relaxed, Link certainly didn't need another drink clunked down in front of him. But, there it was. Feeling overwhelmed by the ridiculous amount of beer in front of him, he took a few more sips and left the table.

As he got to his feet and walked, his body felt more fluid than usual.

Well, if this is all drinking is gonna do to me tonight, then I can't complain, Link thought. Not bad at all.

Drifting from table to table, he came across dozens of people he knew. Everyone greeted him warmly, reminding him of how lucky he was to be part of such a gregarious community. While the conversation was friendly and the ladies showered him with attention, no one knew where Zelda was.

Frustrated once more, Link began heading back to his friends' table. Then, he caught sight of Strich, Cawlin and Groose. Thinking for a moment, Link was tempted to approach the gargantuan redhead. He had been with Zelda earlier. Maybe he knew something.

No, Link concluded without hesitation. I don't need his help.

As he crossed the floor, he detected an unfamiliar figure out of the corner of his eye. He almost didn't look, but felt compelled to turn his head. His feet slowed as he aimed a discrete gaze in the person's direction.

What he saw was a woman, sitting down and facing away. While she wasn't alone, she might as well have been. Her dreamy stare was focused straight out one of the windows.

He felt for sure that he knew her, but he couldn't see her face. She had the brightest, shiniest copper hair he'd ever seen. It flowed over her shoulders, stopping just under her collarbone. He wasn't sure why he couldn't stop looking at her. Wanting to gain a better look, he halted.

The mysterious woman stretched her arms into the air and yawned, covering her mouth ever so daintily. Link smiled and laughed to himself.

Ha, my thoughts exactly, he thought.

She turned her head to the side, revealing an elegantly refined profile. Link stopped breathing for a moment. Her petite nose cascaded softly to her full lips. She had the most amazing eyes he'd ever seen in his life. Were they auburn? Gold? The distance between him and her was too great to tell. Her eye curved upward at a sharp, exquisite angle, much like his own; yet, hers were so extreme…so exotic…and so…

Just then, the woman switched her gaze in his direction. Holding his breath, he turned hastily away. He stood motionlessly for a moment. He felt a stab of guilt, realizing that his search for Zelda had turned into him ogling another woman.

He suddenly felt conscience-stricken. But, there was no way around it. This woman was incredible. He wanted to look again, but he refused himself even a fleeting glance. He could feel her eyes on him. He held back a shudder. Grudgingly, he put one foot in front of the other and headed across the room.

With tunnel vision, he rushed back to his table.

"Any luck?" Pipit asked. Link noticed that his friend was on his third drink.

"No," he said sharply. He hurriedly grabbed his glass and guzzled the rest of his drink. He immediately felt warmer. In addition, a new and pleasant tingling sensation was beginning to blossom in his fingers.

"At'aboy," Pipit said, nearly slurring the word. Link eyed his second glass. Pipit looked at him inquisitively. "What's the matter? You look like you just saw something lurid."

"I'm fine," Link said. He lifted the mug and took a big sip.

"Almost time to go up," Chaise said, giving Link an odd look. "If Zelda isn't here, why don't we give Ilia your sheet music so she can prepare really quick? Grab your violin, let's go."

Link looked at him over the rim of his glass. He nodded assuredly.

Slowly, Link pushed himself to his feet. Chaise raised an eyebrow as he watched his friend fumble with his case. Together, they made their way to the staging area. They were promptly greeted by thirty of their fellow musicians.

Taking a deep breath, Link blinked the fuzziness from his vision. Looking behind him, his thoughts floated back to the mystifying woman he had seen just moments before.

Who was she?