Back at the Academy Link dropped from off his bird, and inside the upstairs doors he went. Really, maybe he should go to the Sparring Hall to find the knights but, eh, he figured he would try and find Karane first. This day already felt like it had gone on too long…

Chapter 9: Skyloft Trouble (Part 4): But Not Crimson Ones

"Hmmm, Karane, Karane, are you here?" He thought to himself while walking to her door. "What am I even going to say? Pipit thinks you're moving too fast? Hell if I know," but he knocked on the door anyway and opened it. Yup, she was there; it was like clockwork –she was always back home around this time, yet luckily not yet in the bath.

Karane: "Oh, Link!" she looked happily surprised as she stood there pilling up some clothes; she stopped doing it to greet him, "It's been so long!"

She surprisingly came at him with a hug. He politely hugged her back.

Karane: "Yea, it's been so long!" She stood there looking at him with those devilish yet nice eyes, "So what's going on? How is everything? How's Zelda?!"

Suddenly that question brought him back into sad reality and he took a seat on her sofa chair.

Karane: "Link?" She shut the door and sat next to him, suddenly very worried, "Is she not okay?"

Link: "Oh, no, it's not that, Karane, she's fine."

Karane: "Then what is it? I know you're not suddenly sitting here looking depressed for no good reason. Though…" she put her hand up to her face, "I suppose you have in the past been quiet for no real reason, even when you said you were happy…"

Link looked up at her: "Is it that you know me so well?" he chuckled.

She sat up straight: "Well, come on now, you know I kind of do. We have had home room together every year for how long? And Zelda and I have been good friends and half-a-room mates for how long now? I think I know enough," she grinned.

Link: "But you usually think you know enough about a lot of things."

She looked half offended but calmed down: "Not really…"

Link: "Fair enough."

Karane: "Well, what brings you here tonight, Link? And why back to the Academy? Did you finally come back to collect your things? Oh! By the way…a few things, I did take from your room before they locked it up; I wanted to keep it safe for you." She handed him a bag; it had a few of his wood carvings and items. "You remember that bird?" she said as he pulled out the loftwing wooden carving from the bag; "First year, both you and I had to make these, you remember?"

Link looked at the wooden loftwing in his hands: "Yea, of course."

Karane: "But I couldn't get the beak right on mine and you sucked at the tail feathers, so we exchanged our carvings in order to fix each other's up -you fixed my beak and I fixed your feathers. We both got A's," she smiled. "I still have mine too," she pointed to the desk where her loftwing carving was.

Link smiled: "And it has a damn fine beak too."

She laughed: "Just as yours has some damn fine tail feathers!"

Link ran his finger down the tail feathers: "True. Took me awhile to figure out how to get that texture right, still can't do it as well as you."

Karane: "Yea… But I still like to keep it around; it reminds me of the good times, when we were all fresh and young, when you and I used to sneak off at night into the kitchen together, and throw paper airplanes during lecture, and make faces at each other during swordplay. Back then everything seemed like it would go on forever. I don't know…" She slumped down next to him, now also sad, "Now I'm not sure what's happening… Poor, Zelda…she must really be hit hard by this…"

Link: "Actually…" Finally, Link just felt like it was safe to open up a little bit; I mean Karane was her best friend, right? She was well trustworthy. He kind of just wanted to get things off his chest. "She has taken it pretty hard, yea… She's having some trouble adjusting."

Karane: "Trouble adjusting? Well, she is at the surface now, right? It's got to be a lot different down there…"

Link: "It is."

Karane: "But she used to love the stories about it; her face used to glow when she told me about the books her father had and what she had secretly read about behind his back, about the surface and stuff. So…maybe a part of her is really happy too."

Link: "A part…"

Karane looked concerned, but suddenly now it wasn't so much about Zelda but about him: "You know, Link…maybe it seems more important to ask –I mean, Zelda, she was excited about it, she had to be somewhat happy to see it, even if it was horrifying at first, but you… How is it that you are holding up?"

He looked over at her suddenly looking very downhearted; he sighed.

Karane: "…It's been hell, hasn't it? …Pipit and I talked about it; seeing you come in and out, back and forth, the quiet commotion going on around the Academy and the whole island. As a Patrolmen, he notices these things, and I began to notice them too, and…then, not that long ago your room was broken into, a lot of things around here went bad. They…broke a few things of yours…even began to bother Fledge, and you were just too busy to be around here, the whole time I mean you've been terribly busy haven't you?"

He suddenly looked beat sitting there: "Yea. But it's not all that bad."

Karane: "That's just like you to say; 'not all that bad.' Letting things roll off your back and all, though lately you've been more active about that stuff. Maybe it's just that finally you've got a lot of things to say and a lot at stake? I really can't say I know…"

Link: "I've always had a lot of things to say, believe it or not, it's just that so often it's easier to just keep things to yourself. I have always had my mind on other matters, all during school, but it's not like I was thinking about nothing like an idiot. Maybe that's how I came off to some people, but sometimes the stupider people think you are the more you can get away with, the more time I had to do the things I wanted?"

Karane: "I'm not saying you're an idiot, Link, I mean really, quite the contrary. Though, sometimes, in regards to Zelda, yea, you were a bit of an idiot," she giggled.

Link: "Huh?"

Karane: "She always talked about you, she always blushed when I teased her about you; you had no idea, did you?"

Link: "I don't want to have an idea…"

Karane looked surprised: "Oh really?"

Link looked down, as if his heart was heavy: "It's hard to talk about…"

Karane: "Oh… I, didn't mean to- I mean, Link" she waved her hands in the air as if trying to explain things, "You two were always hanging out together, often times all three of us were, so it just seems so strange that you…"

He looked up at her waiting for her to finish the sentence.

Karane: "I mean, we all… and the two of you.. Err," she put her hand to her face, "Maybe I ought to just shut up now."

Link: "Don't shut up. It's just that my mind was on other things back then. I didn't care about normal things, I didn't think about normal things. It was always hard for me. I never felt like I really 'belonged' here; not that I felt left out or anything either, it just all seemed flat. The only thing I really liked to do was fly around on that bird; it's the only time I really felt like anything mattered, yet it was the fact that nothing mattered that made it matter. Maybe it doesn't make sense trying to explain it."

Karane: "No, Link, it makes sense. I used to do the same thing too but I had a lot of things on my mind. It wasn't an escape for me to fly around on my loftwing like it was for you, but that's because you and your loftwing seemed to communicate on some level I never could do with mine; I had to train with her –she's rather stubborn."

Link: "Like you?"

Normally she might take such a statement as an insult but it was surprisingly the right thing to say just now; she smiled sadly: "Yea, exactly. But maybe that's part of the gift Hylia gave us with these special loftwings and the reason they always came to us, or they 'found us' when we were children. Maybe the birds are like us in nature; maybe the loftwings are representative of how we handle ourselves and our own nature: a metaphor for guiding your own steady soul in flight, in nothingness. If that really is the case, when you were on your loftwing, maybe it proved that you were at peace with yourself, or happy in your own thoughts. You always liked spending time by yourself; you always seemed to find solace in solitude. That isn't the case with the rest of us… We need help finding ourselves and the answers…"

She looked sad, as if things had always been bothering her; maybe she was having trouble finding the answers or herself –her path in life. Like birds of a feather, loftwings tend to flock together but not crimson ones. They were rare to see.

Somehow that all made sense even if it wasn't true (no one really knows for sure what makes a loftwing choose its rider). It suddenly made Link feel a little prideful in himself for being the way he was (a loner)… Perhaps also it made him realize his quiet heartache and suffering had always made him stronger –it was a part of who he always was. He should be grateful.

Link: "Karane…"

Karane: "Hmm?"

Link: "…Thanks."

Karane: "I always thought you got that special crimson bird for a reason. Two rare and special gems in that sky you were even if others were too jealous or judging to see it, but…that sounds rather sappy to say, doesn't it? You know what I mean though, right?" she laughed.

He smiled with a nod, still looking a bit blue.

Karane: "I am proud to be your friend, Link, and these matching wooden birds we helped each other make… It will always remind me of the good times," she started to cry but laughed, stopping herself, wiping her eye. "And I've been getting good with my loftwing now; even doing Spiral Charges!" The pride she had in herself came forth as she gestured in the air. "We will be just fine. And if it ever comes to it, I will be ready to defend Hylia too. Not just as a knight, or a Skyloftian, but as her friend, and your friend… " She smiled emotionally. "Just tell me it's not going to come down to that?" she laughed, trying to brush away the emotion. Both her and Link were good at doing that (though sometimes her estrogen made her intolerable, unlike him).

Link: "I hope not… But for a couple days, maybe a few weeks, I fear it will, yea. It always gets real quiet before the eye of the storm hits, right? Dark clouds before sunny days?"

She laughed: "You sound like Horwell now."

Link: "Well, I guess I won't be using those sayings again, huh?" he chuckled.

She laughed again.

Karane: "I'm glad you stopped by, Link. To think you still have a few extra moments to spare for me in all this."

Link: "Not just you, Karane."

Karane: "Hmm?"

Link's face looked funny as he made the transition into the real reason he stopped by: "For Pipit, too."

Karane: "You saw Pipit?"

Link: "Yes, close to this morning. He seemed very busy."

Karane: "Yes, he's not only doing night patrol now but also mid-morning duties; you must have caught him a few hours before his break. He usually needs to sleep when he can between shifts…"

Link: "And does that bother you? I mean, I know you two are…"

She smiled but you could see some sadness in it: "I don't get to see him as much and…it feels like we argue more often but it's just from the stress of everything, I know it is."

Link: "Yea, but you've been training hard on your loftwing? Are you going to start patrolling then?"

She looked surprised: "Patrolling? Me? I actually never thought about it. Really I have been more training to fight on the bird but I do suppose that's what the mounted watch do…"

Link: "True. Maybe you should try and do that and work a little with Pipit; I can tell you miss seeing him, and I know he does you too. But I also know he takes his work very seriously, so maybe that's a bad idea. It might cause more fights…"

She sat up: "It could but also…I really love working with my bird now; it wouldn't just be to see him or to spend more time with him but maybe it would keep us on the same page. It might be neat to think we could create a stronger patrol force that way and a stronger relationship."

Link: "You're very serious about this guy aren't you?"

She blushed a little: "I…well, kinda, yea…"

It seemed a good time to edge in concerns Pipit had now: "How serious?"

Karane: "What do you mean, Link?"

Link: "Well, I… I had talked to him earlier, it's just, he seemed to have a few concerns."

She suddenly looked severely anxious: "Concerns? What kind of concerns?"

Link put his hand on her shoulder: "Calm down, Karane, these are good concerns."

Karane: "Good concerns?" She visibly relaxed back to normal again, "What do you mean?"

Link: "Well, it's just that we were talking and he told me he's a little worried. Pipit really likes you too, and he told me he came clean to his mother about you even."

Karane: "Yea, only because I forced him to…"

Link: "Maybe, but…I mean you have met his mother, right?"

She looked confused.

Link: "She is a real nice lady, really is, but in matters like this she's a little…scatterbrained –embarrassing; she jumps to conclusions and doesn't think much about things. She and her son are close, you know this and that's probably why you wanted to met her so bad, right? But, there's more to it than that. I think maybe you forcing him to introduce you has thrown him off balance a little."

Karane: "What do you mean 'off balance?'"

Link: "So, you've talked to her now, right?"

Karane: "Yes and she's really sweet, really nice to me; we got along real well. But now Pipit seems mad about it –why would he be mad about it? I don't get it."

Link: "He's not mad about that, I think he's mad about how I happened. You see…" Link decided to change the story a bit to make Pipit look real good (What are friends for, right?). "…Pipit has plans, he has ideals. He is the type of guy who plans things out in his head and takes time to make sure everything is just right. He takes a lot of things very seriously, not just work. And his mother, she is not like that at all, right? –it's one of the things that throw him off balance; it stresses him out. He wants everything to be perfect, and in order to be perfect it needs to be orderly and happen in just the right manner, so to say. And you going behind his back to meet his mom, that threw everything off balance between him and you and him and his mom, so now he needs to figure out how to deal with that. I don't think he wanted to tell his mother about you right away because she gets very carried away with things. Too much so; she seems like an obsessive type," he laughed. "She's a little fragile about him. I'm thinking him bringing you into the picture might make his mom feel left out. She might butt into business that isn't hers –that's what mother's do right?"

Karane looked unsure: "So you're telling me Pipit wants what's best for both me and his mom by keeping us apart? That still seems silly but it does make sense I guess…"

Link: "Has his mother said anything to you about Pipit?"

Karane: "Lots of things; she talks a lot about Pipit. She has told me a lot about being a mom and raising him. I saw a few baby pictures, heard a lot of stories," she laughed. "Did you know that his mother used to," she laughed, "-That he," she laughed again, "Did you know that Pipit used to –Oh, never mind, I suppose I shouldn't." She kept laughing.

Now Link was just curious: "No, no, he what? What's so funny?"

Karane: "Nope; if you can't tell me straight out what Pipit complained about, I can't tell you either. It's way too embarrassing for him."

Link: "…I see what you're doing here. You're trying to get me to rat him out in exchange for some funny dirt you have on him."

Karane: "But you want to hear it don't you?"

Link: "…Kinda, if it's that embarrassing," he laughed.

Karane: "Oh, it is! …Do you agree then? If I tell you, you will tell me?"

Link: "Promise not to get upset or confront him about it? If I tell you, you will act as if you have no clue?"

She grinned devilishly: "Only if you promise the same."

Link made a funny face: "You do realize we are both pretty much just blackmailing Pipit behind his back now, right?"

They both laughed.

Karane: "It's only because we care –that's a good reason to mock him, right?"

Link: "Yes?" –He said it as if he really didn't know.

She laughed: "Alright then we both agree. I'll tell you first, but you've got to promise!"

Link: "Yea, yea fine, I do, you know I do; it's you that needs to promise; he'll know for sure I told you if you overreact about it."

Karane: "Okay I promise… Alright well here it is. I have gone over to see his Mom a few times. She was telling me a story about when Pipit was younger. When his father was around, she told me, he used to play swords with him and talk about knights and so forth –not very surprising I know, but… When his father left for work, his mom used to tell him stories about other things, like princesses and fairy tales –the kinds of fairy tales my mom used to tell me, you know about tiaras and dress-up and romantic smut. I suppose you might as well call it smut; knights in shining armor saving the damsel and the prince finding the perfect glass slipper to fit the lass's foot. Well, apparently that particular tale, about the glass slipper, was Pipit's favorite. So, the same way he used to play 'knights' with his dad, he'd play 'glass slipper' with his mom. And she would dress him up and the whole sha-bang!" She began laughing again, "He used to put on an old tutu dress of his Mom's and she would put a few ribbons in his hair. He wore a pair of oversized long gloves and everything too! He would apparently demand her to put the slipper on a pillow to present it to him, to see if the shoe fit him, as if she were the prince and he was the lass, you know?"

Link busted out laughing: "Are you serious?"

Karane: "I'm so serious –I saw the pictures! –I swear! –But let me finish; he used to cry if the shoe didn't fit, you know cause they were so huge; his Mom's heels on infant feet. So she bought him his own pair so that they would actually fit him! And you should have seen the picture she said was from the first time she gave them to him; he looked so happy, pointing to them. -Oh Goddess!" She held onto her knee, hysterically laughing.

They were both laughing so hard that they were holding their sides.

Karane: "And he would, he would, ha-ha, demand she play ball music and dance with him!"

Link: "This is so not fair to Pipit," he laughed some more. "I bet he looked so cute with all those freckles on his face and ribbons in his hair."

Karane: "Yea, the freckles were all over his face, more so back then, with little pigtails and ribbons, wearing his tutu, his toe in a point so you could see the slipper!"

They continued laughing a little more until finally it wasn't as funny anymore.

Karane: "She was so adamant about it though, you could tell she really just wanted to make him happy even if it was by doing something so silly."

Link: "Yet she didn't realize how embarrassing it would be to show those pictures to his girlfriend?"

Karane: "Yea, I know, go figure, but really… I guess it was pretty nice. And I guess I understand how you say she's kind of absent minded but, oh well. She's so sweet. Probably was an awesome mother."

They let off a few more brief chuckles.

Karane: "Alright, alright, now that that's over, I think it's your turn."

Link: "Alright, fair enough, but mine doesn't seem like much now."

Karane: "Spill it anyways! To me it is!"

Link: "Alright. Well… Truth is…" he figured he should keep himself (and how Pipit's mom gave him the rupees) out of the story. "Pipit and his Mom have been a little bit on the outs lately due to arguments over rupees she is spending. Pipit goes to work, gives her some money for groceries, etc, but she spends it somewhere else. And then you came into the picture. I'm just going to be blunt with it then since you were straightforward with your story but you got to promise me you won't get mad."

Karane: "I said I promise!"

Link: "Okay, okay, well, it comes down to two things: his Mom now knowing about you is talking a lot about you and what Pipit should do about it; and now Pipit is short on rupees. As a man who works hard and has such strong values, being told what to do and how to do it while having no means to currently do it is pretty frustrating. Plus this is not the way he wants to do it."

Karane: "What do you mean?"

Link: "Well," he scratched his face, "Pipit's Mom keeps pestering him now, telling him she wants grandkids and how exciting it will be; she keeps pestering him to hurry up and tell you to move in with them, buy a ring, you know stuff like that."

Karane looked surprised/shocked: "You mean she's telling him to… So that's why Pipit talked to me about…"

Link: "About what?"

Karane: "He told me one time about his parents, about his father and how when he died it was really hard on the two of them. He told me that he wanted to have a family of his own sometime but with everything going on he just couldn't think about things like that. –I thought he was talking about the 'war' but I guess he must have been thinking of his mother pressuring him and the fact he doesn't have so many rupees in the bank. He never explained any of that to me – I had actually thought he was trying to break up with me at the time. So, we started fighting… Not long after is when I went over there to meet his Mom and introduce myself. I thought it would help things but maybe it made things worse…"

Link: "Nah, it didn't make things worse, it just screwed up his idea of a step-by-step orderly plan. He'll deal with it. Now he's just worried you might start agreeing with him Mom and start talking about marriage."

Karane: "I suppose… I mean I would like to be more then we are now but grandkids? –Kids? –Now? Nooo way!"

Link: "I'm sure he'd be glad to hear you say that."

Karane: "Maybe I'll have to mention it then –you know in a way that he has no idea that I know," she smiled at Link.

Link: "Yea, but hey, at least he's concerned; if he wasn't concerned it would mean he didn't care, right?"

Karane: "True…"

Link: "Well, at least we know now Pipit has a romantic side, right?" –he was referring to the 'glass slipper' story.

Karane giggled: "Yea, I suppose that's true."

Link: "You'll have to find a dress for the wedding before he can dig out his," he laughed.

Karana giggled some more, a bit relieved: "Maybe if I just calm down about things and try to work with him instead of against him, like his Mom seems to be, things will get better. Maybe I will talk to him about getting into the air patrol, this way maybe I can help him with the money as well as spend time with him facing a common goal. That's not a bad idea is it?"

Link: "It doesn't sound like it, especially if you make it sound like it's his idea."

She laughed: "You're probably right. Wow… That wasn't all that bad. I'll just calm down a little bit around him. Focus more on my training and getting stuff done. Thanks, Link."

Link held up the wooden bird: "Thank you, Karane."

She smiled: "Our birds will lead us to our answers, right?"

He shrugged: "Seems to be."

There was a nice silence in the room as they continued to smile at each other.

Link joked: "I'm sure glad you don't like me as much as him or people might know all sorts of strange things about me."

She devilishly grinned: "You think I don't? You think I haven't talked about you behind your back before?"

Link's face went blank: "…What possibly could you say? And to who?"

She continued to grin at him, shrugging as if saying 'you'll never hear it from me'.

Link: "….?"

Karane: "But seriously, be careful out there. I know there's a whole lot riding on you but don't worry, after a few days when I'm full in the patrol like I plan to be I'll be watching your back; Pipit too."

Link: "I know." He stood up and stretched a little bit, "But, that being said, I am reminded now of other things I must do. One of the new Knights asked me to find him here tonight; Eagus and the others might need a word with me."

Karane: "I'm sure they do." She stood up and gave him another hug. It was a nice hug, a long close hug, almost a little too friendly. Perhaps they both needed it after letting out all that stress, memories and laughter. "They'll fill you in on all the new procedures and 'issues.' Not fun stuff, so prepare yourself."

Link: "I think I'm well prepared after tonight at the Pumpkin."

Karane: "The Pumpkin?" -He had to briefly explain what had happened earlier.

Karane: "Wow, real crazy yea, but that's how it's been. But, that sounds nice actually, a little shindig afterword –See! You've got it in you. Maybe we should try to set up something like that for the whole island, make sure everyone knows about it."

Link: "Maybe that's not a bad idea…"

Karane: "Well anyways, you must be off, and I'm going to go take a bath and call it a night. I got a lot of things to get done tomorrow now, thanks to you." She grinned.

Link nodded.

He walked her to the bath door; he left through the top entrance to head over to the Sparring Hall outside.

He also made a mental note: "Give Pipit and his Mom the Gust Bellow; it'll keep her from ever mentioning anything about giving me Pipit's rupees. I do not want any blackmail on me from Karane."

-o-

It was a little after 11 pm now; late but maybe a good time to keep things private. Link entered the Sparring Hall. To his surprise there were a lot of people in there talking: including Eagus; 4 Rescue Knights; Croo sat on a box; and most of the off duty or in training Knights Link talked to at Bamboo Island; also Peater (aka 'Mr. Skyloft'), and the Young Knight who mentioned Link should find them tonight. Well, that was easy enough, finding them, pretty convenient to see them all in the same place. Parrow was there too; it was good to see him wanting to 'aid the cause' more significantly now. It seemed everyone who was at Bamboo Island made sure they were still around and 'in the know' along with the rest of the guys here.

Man it had been a long day so far –hopefully it won't get too much longer.

Chapter 9: Skyloft Trouble (Part 5): It Would Simply Break Apart

Croo: "…Yes because that's how they did it back in the day."

Croo's grandson (one of the Rescue Knights): "It makes sense but I don't know how that pertains to the situation right now."

Peater: "It pertains because those are the same techniques we should be using now –to think how much you kids have been slacking off these past years!"

Croo's grandson: "It's not that we wanted to; it's just not part of our training –I would love to!"

Eagus: "Well that's good because you're going to have to."

Tall Patrolman: "All right then we'll do it-"

Link now stood beside him.

Tall Patrolman: "-Oh, Link! I didn't even see you come in!"

Link: "Then you're not a great patrolman are you?"

Everyone chuckled while he looked embarrassed: "Well I mean we were- I'm very vigilant!"

Link: "I know; I'm just kidding, Corvin."

Corvin nodded; he was a rather tall dark-skinned man that was good friends with Eagus (he might be related to Greba): "But it's good you're here. We were just discussing our supplies."

Eagus: "That we were, and Peater here was criticizing my lesson plan, but I suppose for good reason. You see, there is a part of the dress attire I don't force our Knights to wear even though many years ago it was standard. Maybe I'm being a little too lenient."

Corvin: "Nah, not too lenient, it's just that we had no use for the stuff for so many years; the only reason they used them back then was because they did go through war and they required such attire. Besides, we don't have a lot of them to spare now so maybe it's a good thing you didn't use them."

Peater: "Even so! I used them!"

Eagus: "Maybe so but that doesn't help Corvin's valid point –we only have 6 to spare and out of those only 2 or 3 are in prime condition. There's no way we should train everybody to use them."

Peater: "I suppose I understand that, but… You will train a few to use them then?"

Eagus: "Is it that you want one? Are you going to fight with us, old timer?"

Peater stretched his arms and rotated his shoulder: "I still got it in me; you bet I will!"

Link: "So…what exactly are we talking about?"

Corvin: "Oh yes, of course. We're talking about some ancient supplies we have in the back. It's part of the knight attire our forefathers used to use in battle; supposedly they were passed down generation to generation since the formation of Skyloft but over time were all donated to the Academy. People figured they would be most useful here with the remaining knights." He gestured for Link to follow him into the back room, "Come on, I'll show you. We have most of them out now."

On the floor and on the boxes were 3 basic leather pauldrons; 2 more were steel pauldrons with simple designs on them; while on the sparing dummy was one pair of shiny golden ones, embossed with a lovely old design.

Corvin: "Pauldrons, Link –a form of body armor specifically great for defense –Great for combat in flight too. They lie across the shoulders and protect your upper body, as well as your sword arm and underarm, the direct location where an opponent would want to strike you."

Link: "Ah, yes, I see," he said taking a closer look at the pair on display on the dummy, "I don't know why you would need to train one to use these though."

Eagus walked in from behind him, along with a few others: "They are heavy and for some it is hard to maneuver to make a strike. They are built well to handle a spear or lance as well; it is this technique we should have to train."

Corvid: "But we don't really have to use those, do we? Those old knights looked so silly using a spear on their loftwing. Besides all the ones created to be used with spears are all destroyed."

Eagus: "That's true…"

Corvid: "So why don't we just hand these out to the guys we think will be on the front lines? The leaders and chief officers like you, Eagus. That way no one will fight over not having one."

Eagus: "I suppose that makes the most sense…"

Link: "You guys really are preparing for a battle aren't you?"

Corvid: "Unfortunately, yes, we are. The news of you stopping in and hearing your tales from the other knights and Peater seem to be strong. It's a good sign that things are about to be at the make-it or break-it point soon. But I suppose we still need to fill you in on the horrible details and why all this might be necessary…" He rubbed his chin, all intelligent-like.

Eagus pushed through: "We'll get to that –we'll get to that, but first things first. These pauldrons… -Everybody get in here!"

The rest of the crew present filed by the door and inside.

Eagus: "Listen, I think we've made a decision, one even Peater will agree to."

Peater: "Oh yea?"

Eagus: "Yea. Listen, the people who get the pauldrons will be our top men, the men on the front lines, the men who can attract the extra heat and handle the extra attention. Got it?"

Peater: "All right, son, but who are these people?"

Eagus threw him a pair of the leather pauldrons: "How about you for one. You said you've been trained."

Peater smiled: "You bet I have! But how about the other ones?"

Eagus: "Myself as head on the ground knights, Corvid as the watch and rescue team, Owlan as the Spiral Charge specialist… Maybe Gaepora should get one out of principle…"

Croo: "But he's no knight! You guys are supposed to be the one's protecting him, what's a little shoulder armor going to help him?"

Corvid: "He's got a point."

Eagus: "No Gaebora then… Well, whoever is on Night Patrol needs one; we'll give it their lead. How's that sound Mr. Skyloft?" –He said it sarcastically.

Peater: "Watch that tone, Eagus, I could match you any day."

Eagus: "I have yet to see that day, old man."

Peater looked upset.

Eagus and Corvid laughed.

Corvid: "Lighten up, Peater, but this does mean you're going to be at the front lines."

Peater: "Readily so. So far so good."

Corvid: "Now it's just a matter of placing these gold ones…" They all looked at the dummy in the regal protection.

Croo's grandson suddenly called out from the back: "How about Link?

Corvid: "…I think the Hero is the most suited to wear the finest of our attire; sounds perfect to me."

Eagus looked at Link questioningly: "That's gunna be a lot of heat; they are our highest grade armor in almost perfect condition. You think you can handle that?"

Link: "If I can't then we're in a lot of trouble."

Eagus laughed: "Right enough."

Corvid: "Good to look the part you play. I'll show you how they work in a bit."

Eagus: "Maybe we can train you with them in the morning?"

Link nodded.

Corvid: "Well, that's that then. Come, we should discuss the important matters now. It seems you just dropped in while the armor was on our minds."

They all reentered the main room.

-o-

Eagus: "All right now, Link, so we heard the abridged version of your tale from Peater and the knights that were over at his place on Bamboo Island. We have also heard much already from Gaepora, Owlan, and Horwell –we are all well aware of what's going on and we know it is really going on. But just because I want to hear it from you, I will ask… How is the surface? Is it worth all this commotion?"

Link nodded: "Indeed, but I do think it's a good idea to keep those who do not want to go, here. I don't mean to sound cold and you know I'm not, but if they're going to cause trouble up here to this intensity, I do not want them down there causing even more trouble. That would only escalate into another Great War of some kind."

Eagus surprisingly nodded and everyone agreed: "Of this we know. This is why we are willing to kill if need be –hopefully not, but… For Hylia's sake, it might be the better option, especially considering what they are capable of."

Link: "Capable of?"

The Young Knight stepped next to Link: "This is what I was trying to tell you about before we all left. Things were pretty bad in the beginning, worse then what you've heard already."

Link: "Worse than mobs, fires, food/water contamination and threatening letters?"

Croo sat on the box: "Yes, much worse. So much worse that only us in this room and a few select others know about it. But the story begins with Peater, so let him tell it."

Everyone looked over to Peater.

Peater: "Yea, well… Not long after Gaepora gave his speeches and people started leaving… I remember talking to my daughter about the whole situation. She was rather indifferent about it all, but she was just trying to be strong for me, my sweet pea, little angel, she is. She really is so wonderful… But, anyway, she began telling me that many people started un-checking their items; these same people ended up disappearing, leaving the main island. Also others began checking in strange items, like metals, wire, and charcoal: things nobody in their right mind would want to protect in storage vaults. Along with the odd items, there were also 'cryptic' notes being shared between a few specific people – I say 'cryptic' because, frankly, they were easy to unravel but odd, none-the-less. I think perhaps the fact they were written so strangely drew more attention to them and these items. One guy would come in and claim to be a different guy; a few of them were clearly young knights in training, staying at the Academy, while a few others were disguised, or covered –scarves covering half their face for example –they all acted out of character really. They would exchange these notes and items pretending to be each other re-claiming each other's merchandise, but my sweet pea isn't that gullible; she became curious. We have a policy at the 'Item Check', to ensure customer privacy, however on this occasion, considering the peculiarity of it all, we decided to break that policy for security reasons. We opened the notes and bags. Turns out there were graphs on the Academy and the island inside. Is seems like the young guys from the Academy drew them up to share with an outside party."

Parrow: "Why would they do that? That's strange."

Peater: "Yea, it is, so we immediately brought the plans and info over to Eagas and then Gaepora and the others. My angel cake said she could identify the knights involved, she knew their names too, but not the others guys. So it was decided to bring her over to confront all the remaining knights here in the Academy and to find out where the others involved were at. Unfortunately though, most of the culprits had fled before then; seeing the 'Item Check' closed and the security increase must have spooked them off. Needless to say, the main reason for the increased night patrols and export of citizens from Skyloft started then. But then," he put his hand on the Knight in Training's shoulder, "It turns out we found a man on the inside to help us in finding the culprits."

Knight in Training: "Yea, not too many people know about that though. I was there the night at the Academy when Peatrice came in, when Eages and the others were asking about the knights involved. I knew who they were and enough about them to maybe help but I didn't say anything about it then… After that night they had left the Academy for good; this was also about the time Henya got sick. It couldn't be a coincidence… I ended up talking to Peater about it later, you know, since he said he used to be a famous knight himself, 'Mr. Skyloft' and all… I guess I needed some advice. It was hard for me to do. Those guys were my friends; I helped to turn them in…"

Eagus: "Yes, the lad knew where they would be, where they might have fled to. Though it was a gamble, me and a few others decided to check the place out. We found more schematics, more notes…"

Peater: "Sure enough, it's a good thing we did find these guys; the items they were checking in were components to explosive/combustible materials. Turns out these people had a plan to try and dislodge the Academy and Gaepora's place from Skyloft, to see if it might fall just like he said the Isle of the Goddess did."

Link was in shock: "What?"

Parrow joined him: "No shit?"

Peater: "Some sort of poetic justice."

Link: "That's for sure. The island would not have fallen though; it would simple break apart! The Isle of the Goddess isn't just an island; it was designed to fall the way it did!"

Eagus: "Yea, well…we'll just have to trust you on that… But back to the story: We waited until the knights came back –luckily they actually did come back –a few of them. So we surrounded the place and confronted them about it, about the plans and the other men from the 'Item Check'. Turns out they were using the 'Item Check' for a reason; the other guys refused to meet anywhere else, refused to disclose to the knights where they were actually staying and making these devices at, nor their names. They did, however, provide a description of one of the guys. Because of this, because they cooperated with us, we really couldn't hold them or punish them too extensively other then expel them from the Academy."

Corvid: "They are banned from even stepping on the bridges into the place, or riding their birds too close. Both night and day patrols have strict orders on that as well as details on the men in question we have the description on, although not everyone has full detail on why they are banned."

Link: "A few young knights in training, huh?"

Eagus: "Was to be, yes. But now they are part of the mass of people who are against Gaepora; they are always causing trouble for the instructors when they give their speeches to the public. Apparently us standing up against their plot to attack Gaepora and the Academy is very anti-Hylia? –or something."

Link remembered the young knight in training telling him how the culprits had been arguing with Henya; this kind of bicker and description suddenly sounded familiar: "Yea, I went to hear what Owlan had to say earlier at the Pumpkin. I'm pretty sure I saw some of the guys you're talking about there trying to start up a fight." He explained to them what happened at the Pumpkin.

Eagus: "That sounds like them, yea. Now you have an idea what we're dealing with."

Corvid: "-Though it's not just them or the other two we can't place, other citizens have a lot of doubt and questions. I just fear we are running out of time to reach them."

Croo: "You got balls though kid, trudging right into that argument –That mob could have completely turned on you and tried to retaliate! Brave of you at all to show your face so openly."

Link looked concerned but shrugged: "What can I do? First of all I didn't know it was this bad, plus a few people seemed to like hearing what I had to say. So for that reason it was well worth it."

Croo: "And they were actually celebrating? I almost can't believe that…"

Eagus: "Yea, me either… No one has been in high spirits in the slightest in months. Lately they just get drunk to complain and sleep, so…this is a good change I'm thinking."

Link: "Is it? Do you think it's something I should try again? -Talking and answering questions? This was only a group of people, what if we managed to gather everyone in Skyloft together?"

Corvid: "And you want to talk to everyone together? Is this something you are willing to do? -Because honestly…we're running out of options; that might be a good idea. One last shot, one last send out..."

Eagus: "It might… what do you guys think? Is this worth talking to the others about and arranging?"

Peater: "If what he said really did happen at the Pumpkin, if there are folks laughing and dancing and celebrating, then yes, absolutely. We should celebrate and move on from all this."

Croo: "I have to agree –a nice celebration is long overdue for this event." He looked at his grandson, "Right?" He nodded.

It seemed that everyone was in agreement –it was worth a shot. It might be the last shot they got at peace, at changing people's mind about Hylia, about the Surface, to quell fears from someone who knew everything. It was time to move on somehow.

Corvid: "Ah, yes, the truest of all sources talking about the events; if people don't believe you or trust you, at this point they will be a lost cause. And we already know there will be some 'lost causes' staying behind in Skyloft… but maybe it's not all a bad thing…" He rubbed his chin all intelligent-like again. "We just need to make sure they don't follow us down to the surface…but that's another issue for the moment; we can't talk about step 2 when we don't even understand step 1."

Eagus: "Reasonable enough… "

Peater: "So I suppose we've got something to finally look forward to?"

Eagus: "Yes, but what about the two unidentified fellows working on the explosives? Who's to say it's safe to do this? We still don't even know who else is involved in this."

They all turned to look at Link suddenly.

Link: "I am prepared for any risk. Besides, maybe such a thing will draw them out –make them stick out from the crowd. Is there any way you could use this to draw them out –use the fact it's a perfect time to attack as a means to catch them?"

Corvid: "A smart idea, actually. It might work. That is a step we can talk about."

Peater: "What tactic would work best? I really wanna help nab them for using me and my daughter's business to plan these things out."

They were all silent for a minute…

Corvid: "How about stealth and a keen eye? I could definitely keep everyone on watch while not appearing to be on watch. We should gather everyone together, have a speech podium set up and hold a celebration."

Eagus: "You want to disguise your men?"

Corvid: "And what's a better way to disguise people then a party?"

Croo: "Are you mad? They too will be disguised."

Corvid: "Maybe physically, but certain actions absolutely will not be. They will be highly suspicious."

Peater: "Ahhhh, I see; use their own tactics against them?"

Corvid: "Generally. Do you think it would work?"

Eagus: "Do you think it will be safe?"

Corvid: "So long as we make sure it is. But as Link said, it's a risk we may need to take…"

Eagus: "Hmmm… I'm not too sure I like the sound of that but, we need to do something other than wait around and watch for nothing. They are never going to invite us over but we can invite them here, I guess… We will have to plan this with extreme detail and operation."

Corvid: "We have some time to think about it, and time to train a few extra knights on specific protocol and procedure, such as what to look for, how to react, when to react, etc. This is something we're going to have to discuss with Gaepora though."

Eagus: "That's for certain. We'll need to talk about everything with him Saturday. In the meantime, we shall start training these knights to make sure it is feasible. Also…anyone in the room: any objections to this idea?"

Everyone shook their heads or said nothing.

Croo: "Sounds a little crazy but maybe just crazy enough to work."

Croo's Grandson: "The best defense is a good offensive?"

Eagus: "Link?"

Link thought about Hylia and the still semi-unprotected TriForce: "Either way…such protocol might be necessary to have when we all get to the Surface. I don't see the harm in it. It might be good to deal with these problems now instead of dealing with a bigger problems later. It's worth the risk."

Eagus: "Alright then…also, this plan, none of these details will leave this room, correct? No one will say a word to anyone else in Skyloft, leave it up to Corvid and I to talk to Gaepora and the others about it. Alright?"

Peater: "Absolutely."

Eagus: "Peater, I'm serious; not even your daughter can know, nor your wife, Croo or your sister, Parrow –Don't think I forgot about you over there."

Parrow shook his head: "No, no, you have my word. Seriously, let me know how I can help; no one would expect me I don't think."

Croo's Grandson: "You might not want to say that; they might just keep that in mind."

Eagus: "Alright then… it's been a long day and we have plans to figure out now… It's past midnight now, so, maybe we should call it a night. When Corvid and I find out any more details we'll contact all of you after Saturday –or whenever it is we get to talk to Gaepora. In the meantime, we're training knights tomorrow, that includes you- you- you-" he pointed to the young knight in training and a few of the other young knights; "you guys" the rescue knights; "and you too, Link."

Link nodded.

Eagus: "Report here after morning regiment, got it? I'll select a few other specific knights I deem valuable as well and fill them in."

Parrow: "Sounds good."

Eagus: "You want to report in too, Parrow? It's been a while since I saw you with a sword in here."

Parrow: "I do sir. I want to do what I can."

Eagus: "Good. Allright then… That is all?"

Corvid: "Yup. Seems to be."

Eagus: "Goodnight then everyone. We'll see you tomorrow."

Corvid gestured at Link: "I'll show you briefly how these pauldrons fit on."

Eagus: "All right now, Link, time to get down to business.

It was then everyone piled out and went home, except Eagus, Corvid and Link who stayed behind an extra 15 minutes or so. They showed Link the pauldrons since he planned to stop in to take them to use in the morning.

Eagus: "Just in case you get here before us or we're too busy to get them for you…"

Afterwords the three of them parted ways. Link reentered the Academy to see Oolo about his room key; Link was hoping to get to bed now, he was beat.