Chapter 9 - Skyloft

I jumped off the bird when I was above the plaza and landed nimbly with assistance from my sailcloth. A few people that were about their daily tasks took notice of me. Usually they would just take a glance at who had come back into town, and then pay it no mind, but everyone that looked at me stared for some time. I assumed that it had something to do with the outfit I was wearing. He said he had picked it up while I was sleeping, but when I asked him where he got it from, he wouldn't tell me.

The outfit consisted of a leather jacket, but it was unlike the leather that we had in Skyloft. It wasn't brown and dull, it was a deep black and shiny. The sun turned the shiny silver ornaments on it into blinding points of light. The rays reflected off of the leather as well and I was baking in it. I had the jacket open because of the heat, so it revealed a red shirt much like the one I had on yesterday, but this one was shorter, and had a u-shaped neck. I still wore the thin silver chain as well. My pants were unlike anything else I had ever worn, and though I didn't admit it to Ghirahim, they were a tad uncomfortable. The pants were black, and much like tights, but instead of stretchy elastic, they were made with a material he called denim. The outfit was complete with a pair of black leather boots with the same glamour and studs as the jacket. I knew I looked completely out of place in the outfit.

Sighing to myself and ignoring the eyes that still bore into me, I decided to begin looking for everyone. I'd go to the Academy last because I planned to pack and leave once I got there.

Out of the corner of my eye I noticed Pipit approaching me, "What's up Link?" he asked, eyeing me up and down.

I didn't want to be here for long so I cut to the chase, "I'm planning on leaving Skyloft so I came back to say my goodbyes and to get my stuff."

A look of shock crossed his face, "You-you're leaving? For how long? Why?"

Another sigh, "Yeah, I really liked my time down on the surface so I'm leaving on an expedition of it. I don't know how long I'll be gone, but it'll be a while." Who knows when I'd see them again? I could be gone for decades for all they knew.

Pipit's voice lost its usual hype, "Wow, well I hope that everything turns out well then," good, he didn't try to convince me to stay.

"I have a companion coming with me that I met on the surface, so I should be in good hands," I reassured. He look a bit surprised at that piece of information. A lot of people though I was more of an alone type so they probably didn't expect me to have found someone to journey with. "I'd like to talk more, but I told him that I'd be back in like an hour so that we could head out," I lied.

"Oh, okay. Well I give you my best wishes Link. I hope everything goes well."

"Thank you. I'll tell you all about it when I return," I promised. With that I head into the bazaar. Luv, the potion shop owner thanked me for everything that I did for Skyloft, and offered me some free potions to take with me on my journey. I politely refused. Ghirahim probably had plenty of those kinds of supplies to bring with us. Rubin looked dismayed upon me announcing my departure. I was probably his only customer after all, and without me there, who would he have to buy his stuff? He still wished me farewell. Gondo thanked me for fixing Scrapper for him, and Sparrot, the fortune teller with huge eyes, thanked me for retrieving a replacement for his crystal ball when his old one broke.

I left the bazaar and made my way over to the Academy. My friends were there, I could only imagine their reaction when I told them that I was leaving for good. Pipit had took it pretty well, but that was probably because I hadn't been around in a while anyways. Fledge would surely miss me – I had always been the first person he'd go to when he had a problem, but he'd adjust.

I went into the school via the door on the first floor. The hallway was empty. My room was so easily accessible that I was tempted to just grab my things, leave, and let Pipit be the harbinger of the news of my departure, but I didn't. At the very least I owed them a farewell in person. I took a few steps down the hall and arrived at the first door. The room belonged to Fledge, whose room was next to my own. I didn't know why he'd be here in the middle of the day, but it was worth a try.

To my surprise I heard voices on the other side of the door. I sucked in a breath not wanting to disrupt them, but doing it nonetheless. I knocked. Behind the door I heard a shuffle, light steps and a rattle as the knob was turned. Fledge greeted me with a look that was a mix between flustered, annoyed and surprised. Peatrice sat on his bed, he cheeks slightly flush. She waved to me.

"Oh hi, Link," he began hesitantly, "nice outfit."

'Stop with the goddamn comments about my outfit,' I thought to myself.

"Thanks," I simply replied.

Fledge looked down at his feet, probably wanting to get back to what he was doing. "What brings you here?"

"I wish to bid you farewell," I tried to mimic the demon's elegant demeanor.

"Farewell?" this piqued his interest, "where are you going?"

"I have decided that I shall be relocating to the Surface. I enjoyed my time there, and I wish to explore the place more thoroughly. The Surface just seems so limitless in comparison to our small little island and I just don't want to be stuck here all my life."

"You know Zelda wants to settle the Surface…" he began.

I resisted the urge to roll my eyes, "Yeah, but with the amount of people that live in Skyloft, it's going to take a lot longer to settle than I can explore it."

"True," was his response, "I just want you to be safe," he added.

I saved Zelda from debatably the most evil thing to walk the Earth, and they worried about me being, 'safe'.

"I'll be fine. I have experience," I said stubbornly. It was nice that the cared, but they ought to have some faith in my abilities. "Anyways, I have to get going before sunset, and still have a lot of people to talk to… so… bye Fledge. I won't forget our times together," I turned to Peatrice, "bye Peatrice. You were the greatest item checker around," I cringed at my compliment wishing it could have been less terrible.

"Bye Link. Thanks for the company all those times," she said in a quiet voice.

Fledge made eye contact with me. He worse a sad look mixed with hesitation, "Ah, I hope everything goes well down there Link, and…" he paused, "I hope you aren't leaving because of what happened between you and Zelda."

I blinked at the statement. I didn't know what to think about what he said. Had Zelda just gone around telling everyone that I asked her out? Maybe she told Groose and he spread the word? I didn't know how he found out, but it had to be from Zelda and it hurt me that she would tell everyone about our situation without even thinking of asking me. I'd get to the bottom of this now.

"Who told you about that?" I demanded. My tone was angry and I felt slight remorse talking to Fledge like that.

He looked taken aback by the question, "Zelda was worried about you… She thought maybe I knew how you were doing since she said you ran off. Naturally I wondered what had upset you so I asked, and well, she told me."

My eyes narrowed to slits, "I see," was all I said, "Bye," I said curtly, turned on my heel, and left him standing in the doorway.

To think I was going to tell her goodbye. 'As if' I thought. It was immature, but I decided I'd leave now. What did it matter who I said what to? I had no obligation to tell them goodbye, and if they asked where I was, I told enough people that they could find out. I walked to my room, which ironically was next door to Fledge's, and quietly slipped in. Quietly because I had an ulterior motive.

I slipped into the room and closed the door behind me. I sat carefully down on my bed, and just listened. At the top of the divider that separates the larger room into two smaller ones was a gap. It was big enough, that if I had wanted to, I could climb onto my desk, and slip through it with a little effort. I had no reason to do that, so I'd never tried. The point was voices traveled easily from room to room, so I'd be able to hear all that they said.

"Zelda's rejection sure got to Link, didn't it?" It was Fledge's voice and he sounded worried.

"Well she really did lead him on," Peatrice replied.

"Yeah, but leaving Skyloft is a tad extreme," Fledge continued.

"Maybe he wishes to seek love elsewhere," I heard her muffled laughter that came at the end of the sentence. I bit my lip at the comment. It was said in a sarcastic manner, as though I wouldn't be able to find love. Well I had. He was just someone that no one on Skyloft would approve of.

"Oh don't be mean. Link is attractive, young, athletic… he basically has all the traits that any girl would be looking for," jealousy leaked into that statement as he thought of my good traits.

"He is, but that doesn't stop you from being better. You have just a special charm that makes me want you," Peatrice's voice was filled with lust.

"Mmmm well… now that he's gone, we can resume our plans."

Did they plan to? "Take of them knickers baby," Fledge said in manly voice. I heard some rustling as Peatrice removed her panties.

"Ooooooh, Fleeeeeeedge," Peatrice moaned, "don't just licccccck, bite," Fledge must of compiled because Peatrice let out a high pitched whine.

"Shhhhh quiet down hun. We don't want anyone to hear us and think something is wrong," Fledge warned.

"Oh they all know what sex is. I know Zelda for one does it with Groose like every night," I simply blinked. I thought that Zelda was pure. She shouldn't be doing things like that without marrying…

'You did them too, Link.' True I wasn't one to talk.

"Mmmmmghf," she seemed to have put a pillow over her mouth to muffle her reactions. I could hear Fledge slurping like a dehydrated dog on a hot day. The sound, and mental images that popped into my head at the thought made me a bit sick to my stomach. I ought to leave soon anyway so I started packing up all the stuff that I'd miss. It turned out that wasn't much. Just some pictures, a few books, and a few outfits so I could have an alternative to Ghirahim's fashion sense if I wanted it.

Scanning the room again, I made sure I didn't leave anything that I'd want to come back for. Feeling peeved at Fledge and Peatrice, I wanted to let them know that their little 'event' hadn't gone unnoticed. I coughed. Not like a sick cough, but like a *hint hint* cough. The room went silent. Feeling satisfied, I left the room, slamming the door behind me.

My mood had taken quite the sour twist, so I wasn't happy when on my way out I noticed the last person I wanted to talk to. Zelda. She looked at me, her expression blank, but it changed to relief, then to confusion, and settled on something along the lines of remorse.

"I was worried about you," she said addressing me. I just stared at her, hoping she could see the hostility on my face. She must've because she broke eye contact, opting to look at the floor instead.

"I've been fine," my voice was thick with venom.

"Oh that's good…" I could tell she didn't believe me, "Why the bags?"

"Just some of my stuff. I came back to pack up the things I wanted to keep," her eyes widened.

"Wait, are you leaving? Is it something I did?" she asked in an urgent voice.

"Actually, partially. After you rejected me, I realized that the one thing in the world that I wanted could never be mine. Truth is, I'll always want you, so why stay here where you'll just be able to taunt me with your existence? No, I'll leave and go far, far away from here… with my boyfriend," she raised an eyebrow at that last word. Before she could interrupt I continued, "Anyway everyone here has changed, you've all become whores, and frankly I have no want to associate myself with you all. So I won't. Anyways bye, you used to be a good friend… bitch," I realized that I couldn't take back the things I had just said, but I didn't necessarily want to either.

She didn't say bye, she didn't even watch as I walked out the door. She just stood there with a dumbfounded look on her face. Before I was out of hearing distance she yelled one last question to me, "Wait! Who's your boyfriend?" Of course that would be what she asks.

"Why should I tell you, when you didn't tell me about Groose?" she blinked. "I'll just tell you this much. You know him, and he's not from Skyloft," she looked puzzled, but the answer should've been easy to come by. There were very few people involved in the whole affair, only 2 of which (that I could think of) that were male - Demise and Ghirahim. When she did figure it out I'd be gone because I had left her standing in the threshold of the door of the Knight Academy. I made my way to a diving platform for what could be my last time, and jumped into the seemingly endless blue abyss.