The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword

Pkmnacezelda

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As soon as he enters the Sparring Hall, the Knight Commander greets him.

"Hey! It's Link!" He says, surprised.

"Yeah." Link walks towards the man, smiling.

"So you still want to get in some sword practice, even though today is the Wing Ceremony? I'm impressed! Grab a sword in the back room. Go on back there and get it."

Link nods and goes to the door at his right. He opens it and looks at the equipment room.

There were swords inside their scabbards, wooden and iron shields and barrels filled with pieces of armor for training. He pick a sword near him and straps it to his back, with a specific angle so his right arm could easily reach out and grab it when needed.

He gets out and tries to go outside, but the voice of the Commander stops him in his tracks.

"Hey, Link! You can't take swords out of the Sparring Hall. What do you think you're doing sneaking out with that?!" He yells. Link walks to him, head hanging low.

"But, Commander, I need it. My Loftwing's missing and I'm worried about him. I really need it." He says, a sad look on his face.

The man looks at him with compassion.

"Your Loftwing is missing? And you want to go look for him, am I right?" Link nods. "In that case... I could make and exception just this once. But remember that Skyloft is a peaceful place. Only knight carry swords. So I don't want to see or hear that you took the sword and started swinging it around like crazy out there. I don't want to get in a ton of trouble over this, so only use it when you absolutely have to, got it?"

"Yes, Commander." Link smiles, reassuringly.

The man nods.

"Go on then. Good luck in your search!"

Link thanks him and walks out of the building.

He knows where he has to go, so he returns to the plaza and goes north from there, approaching the only mass of water in Skyloft.

There were some pieces of stone that formed a bridge that led to the other side, near the waterfall. So, he used them to cross. The water current there was strong, since it was the place where the water fell down from the isle.

He crosses the path without any trouble, anyway.

He runs toward his right, where he could see an entrance blocked by some thin wooden spears.

He approaches it. Before he took his sword to chop the wood, the thread than ties him to his beloved companion starts to vibrate with energy. He could feel Ace. Suddenly, an image enters his mind. His bird, inside a little space carved into the rock, with wooden planks preventing the animal from escaping.

He gasps in horror. A sudden wave of wrath fills him. He draws out the training sword and chops the wood furiously.

He runs into the cave. It was very dark, but the only thing that mattered to him was Ace. He didn't feel fear. Nevertheless, he starts walking cautiously. He hears Keese above him. As soon as they flap their wings toward him, he slices through them in a quick swing. He continues, sighing.

After some time, he hears something move, but he can't describe it nor locate it. Soon, something launches at his leg and buries its teeth into his skin. He gasps in pain and shakes his leg, trying to pry it off. A Chuchu. He slices it with the sword.

After dispatching of it, he places the sword into the scabbard and crouches down to assess the damage. There were little puncture wounds on the side of his right leg, near his knee. They weren't deep, but they stung.

He presses his hand while gritting his teeth. He'd have to have it looked at before the ceremony.

He gets up and continues forward, killing Keese and more Chuchus along the way, without letting his guard down.

Soon, he stops in front of an elevation in the stone floor, and dashes toward it so he can continue forward, pushing himself up with his arms.

He stretches and gets out of the cave after walking for almost a minute.

He sees the sky again and feels the warm breeze cooling the sweat that had started to form on his forehead.

He looks at his right, which was the only way he could go. He feels his friend nearby, which relieved him.

He was about to walk in that direction, but the melodic voice of his childhood friend stops him in his tracks.

"Link!"

There she is, flying gracefully toward him on Labrynna's back.

"Zelda! What are you doing here?"

"I'd heard from Pipit that you'd gone searching for Ace near the waterfall, so I thought I'd fly around and help you look for him. Any sign of him?" She asks, worried.

"No..." He says, looking at the floor. He decided not to tell her about his vision. His mind could've played tricks on him because of his nervousness and anxiety. He wasn't even sure if what he'd seen wasn't just some random vision.

"Oh, no..." She approaches him, hands clasped in front of her chest. "Well, let's not lose hope yet. There's a place up ahead that Groose and his gang are always hanging around. Maybe we'll find something there!" She says with a reassuring smile appearing on her face.

Link nods, but notices something's wrong with her.

"Huh...?" She whispers, looking to the clouds behind her.

"Hm..? What's wrong, Zelda?" He says, worried.

"Huh?" She looks at him, surprised. "Oh, sorry, Link. I got distracted for a moment. Let's go!" She smiles.

Link looks at her for a moment. He knew that she wasn't telling him the truth. But he didn't want to insist. She'd had her motives.

He turns around and walks toward the place Groose hung out with his friends. As soon as he turns around the corner, he sees red plumage behind some wooden planks. He was right.

He sees his bird trying to get out of a place that was too small for him.

"There he is!" Zelda says, at his side.

He doesn't doubt for one more second.

He draws his sword, while running toward his Loftwing.

"Step back, Ace!" The bird continues to flap his wings, desperate to get out.

He only steps back into a ball when Link slashes at one of the ropes that hung the wooden planks against the wall.

He cuts all the ropes and sheathes his sword when he's done.

The winged creature steps out slowly, with little screeches. He then stands with all his glory, spreading his wings gracefully while shrieking loudly, signal of relieve.

He extends his head towards Link and brushes his chest, while he chuckles. He reachs out and hugs his bird's neck.

"I'm so happy that you're OK!" Both bird and rider separate.

Ace ruffles Link's hair with his beak.

He turns toward the sky and flaps his wings twice before flying off.

Link and Zelda cover their eyes because of the wind current, but soon recover and run toward the ledge.

Link watches as his bird gracefully flies around, a smile on his face.

"We should hurry, Link" He looks at Zelda, smiling. "Now that your Loftwing is free, you should fly to the ceremony..."

They share a silent moment, which was awkward, to say the least.

"Zelda?" Link asks, cautiously. She was having a strange behavior.

"Before you go, I have to ask you something. I... I heard this voice a few moments ago. Did you hear it too?"

"A voice..." He sighs. "I haven't heard anything like that. Why?"

"It's been happening a lot lately. It's the strangest feeling... Almost like someone is calling out to me."

Link looks at her and then looks at the sky. Poor girl. She must think she's gone crazy.

"Have you ever wondered what's beneath the clouds?" She says, suddenly. He looks at her again. "Some say it's an empty, barren place, or even that there's nothing at all down below, but I just have this feeling that they're wrong. Some of Father's old texts talk about a place called the surface."

"The... surface...?" He says, frowning.

"Yes. The old tales describe a whole world under there, far more vast than Skyloft! The thing is, no one's ever been down there to see it, and our Loftwings won't fly through the cloud barrier." She sighs. "...But I can't help imagine the wild things that might be waiting below. Someday, I want to see for myself."

They stand there for some moments, not a word between them. Link wondered what had got into her. She hadn't talked about wanting to go down below for years. It was a fantasy they liked to talk about when they were kids. Why all that interest now, all of a sudden?

"Oh, sorry, Link." He looks up at her, startled. He had been absorbed by his thoughts for a moment there. "We don't have time to talk! Let's get going. Look!" She points at Ace. He was flapping his wings impatiently. "Ace's waiting for you! Don't worry! He'll catch you for sure this time!"

Link smiles widely and nods. He looks back at the sky, where Ace was flying happily along Labrynna.

He jumps off without a second thought. He hears Zelda leap off to. They dive for some seconds before whistling for their birds.

He feel happiness an fredom when he feels Ace's plumage under his hands.

They fly, side by side.

"Link!" He hears above the wind. He looks at his left. "Run your bird through the basics just to make sure he's not hurt!"

He nods.

He takes the leather strip between his fingers and rises it up a bit to gain altitude. Right after, he pushes it down a little bit, for a quick dive. He then leans to his right, which makes his bird lean onto the right. He does the same to the other side. He doesn't seem hurt.

"So, how's he handling?" Zelda asks, somewhere behind him.

"He seems fine to me!" Just to really make sure, they fly towards the main isle, and, with a quick and light touch of his heels against his bird's sides, the red bird flaps his wings, dashing with a burst of speed.

Zelda appears near him again. They hear the bell of the academy.

"Well, that's a huge relief! I don't know about you, Link, but your Loftwing looks like he's flying great. My father and the others are probably worried about your bird, so let's go give them the good news!" She says, enthusiastically.

They fly to the main island.

They land on the plaza carefully. Once they are on solid ground, their birds fly off.

"Your Loftwing really is amazing." Says Zelda at his side. "Especially considering everything the poor guy has been through this morning."

"Yeah. I was really worried..." He says, with a sigh of relief.

"I'm going to go back and tell Father what happened." She says, while waving at him and running toward the academy.

He looks at her with a smile on his face while waving back. But soon, his smile turns into a frown.

"Well, well, if it isn't Link!" Says Groose from behind him. He turns around. " Word around the plaza is you found that dumb bird of yours."

"First of all, he's not dumb! And second, you were the one resp-"

"Wel, that's just great." Groose interrupts him. "I'm all stiff and it's all your fault. Both of you can't tell time. All those prerace warm-ups me and the guys did were for nothin'!"

"Well, that's not my problem." Link answers, angry.

"Yeah, but you're the one to blame! We've been waiting forever for the race to start, and they delay it for you? I don't get it. The big flake gets special treatment?" He scoffs. Link looks at him, crossing his arms. He didn't care if he was jealous at all. "You're almost a man, and yet you still can't seem to go anywhere without Zelda. I bet you can't even decide what to launch on your own, huh?"

Well, I am very much capable. I have a mind of my own, y'know? Unlike you, Link thinks.

"And don't think we haven't noticed the smug looks. 'Ooh, Zelda and I are BEST friends. We go everywhere together'. Ugh! You think you're pretty suave, don't you?" Link doesn't even answer. "Well? Don't you?!" He says, angry when Link doesn't answer.

"Groose has been going on forever about how he's gonna be the one to date Zelda. He's really got this pompadour in a ruffle about her..." Link hears Groose's friends whisper from behind him. He's been saying what?!

"I hate to break it to you, but today's the day I bust up this adorable little fantasyland you're living in." Groose says, picking up Link's attention. "Zelda's playing the role of the goddess at today's ceremony, and I'm gonna be the one to claim that Sailcloth." Yeah, we'll see about that... Link sighs. "When I heard she made it herself... man... no way I was gonna let some scrawny clown snatch that prize from me."

Groose turns back, grinning.

"Scrawny clown...?" Link whispers.

"Oh yes, that Sailcloth—Zelda's Sailcloth—will be mine!" He laughs inwardly. "Oh, man, I bet she was thinking about me when she was stitching it..." Link refrained himself for doing comments at this point. Repulsive... "Yup, I can see it now. First, I win the big race, and then Zelda and I finish the ceremony together on the statue. Just the two of us... It'll be our special moment alone. Nobody's stopping me and Zelda from having our moment. Oh, it's so real I can... I can see it..." He starts laughing with himself.

Little did he know that a certain someone had arrived and had heard everything.

"Groose! Psst! Behind you!" His friends try to alert him.

He looks at them, still grinning like an idiot.

"WHAT?! Can't you two see I'm in the middle of—" He looks around. He lets out a strangled scream.

There was Zelda, with her hands on her hips, looking at him.

"Care to explain what you meant by 'our special moment alone'?" Link laughs inwardly. Oh, she's angry... He's so dead...

"I, uh... Nothing big, really... Just... Just..." Groose gulps, nervous. "Link!" The sandy blond haired boy jumps at the sudden outburst. "Yeah, I was just telling my buddy here how glad I was he found that red bird of his. Boy, am I looking forward to a fair race!" Link opens his eyes. When was Groose going to stop lying? "Anyhow, later, Zelda. Look for me during the race. I'll be the one pulling off all the dangerous moves." He walks away from the two blonds, with his friends walking behind him.

"Yeah, fair race. Sure. I totally believe that." Link scoffs.

"Yeah. Chances of that happening are about less than zero." Zelda agrees.

"This guy... seriously? 'I'll be the one pulling off all the dangerous moves.' Sure! I wanna see that happening! I bet he'll fall before even trying it." Says Link, with a mocking voice.

"Either way, don't let those fools get you down, Link!" Zelda puts a hand on his left shoulder, while smiling at him. "Just get out there and fly the best you can! I know you've got these guys beat, and deep down I think you do too."

"Yeah!" Link smiles.

"That's the spirit! Trust me—you can win this."

They stare at each other in the eyes for an entire minute, blushing faintly. But soon, the moment is cut short by a bell.

They look at the tower of the plaza.

"The Wing Ceremony will now begin! Participating students, please assemble!"

"Looks like it's race time. Good luck, Link!" Zelda hugs him briefly. "I'll be looking for you! You better be doing your best out there!"

Link nods, smiling widely and walking toward the ledge of the plaza.

He sighs.

He was ready. He wanted to win. He needed to win.