Chapter 24: What You Want Most

The next day, 8:00am

After a modest breakfast together with the monks of the Abbey, Impa sent everyone off to their individual training. Zelda and Father Gaepora departed for the library, Vaati and Sheik for one side of the courtyard, and Link and Aveil headed to the far end of the courtyard for some sword practice. The grass was frosty and crunched underfoot as they walked. Link puffed out her breath, watching the little clouds quickly disappear. She knew she wouldn't be cold for long. Aveil's training sessions were always intense; put a weapon in her hand, and she transformed into a fierce Gerudo warrior, and Link was forced to keep up. Link had her own fighter mode, though. Already, her fingers were tapping against her leg as she walked, itching to move.

When they reached the end of the courtyard, Aveil held out one of the swords she'd been carrying. "I'm sure you remember the basics, right?" she asked as Link took the offered weapon.

"Of course!" Link shifted the hilt in her left hand, examining the blade quickly. Not that it had ever come in handy during her missions, but swordplay was her favorite type of combat, with archery coming in a close second. She swung the sword up, loving the feel of its weight and the way it sliced so smoothly through the air.

"When you are ready, Link," Aveil called.

The two faced off, each with a sword in one hand. Their blades were dulled, but Link knew from experience that they would still leave nasty bruises and broken bones if she was hit. She had no shield to protect herself with, so it was up to her to parry, block, and dodge every move of Aveil's.

Link made the first move. She feinted to the right, then swung her blade up when Aveil turned to avoid her. Her blade hit Aveil's with a metallic clang. "Hey, Aveil," she called out as she tried another jab. "Why does Impa want the Four Sword restored instead of using the Master Sword?"

"You should know by now," her mentor replied, smoothly parrying, and launching a series of attacks of her own. "Impa likes to play it safe. She doesn't trust Vaati. After all, he's only working with the Sheikah because he has no other choice. Second—ah, close," she gasped, barely dodging a hit to the shoulder, "there is a legend where the Four Sword was actually used to seal Ganon. It could be useful. On the other hand, I don't know of any legends where the Hero uses both swords. The Four Sword might be our only option."

"Well, I don't know any legends where the Hero is a girl, either." Link rolled under Aveil's swipe, hopping up and attempting to jab her in the side. Her attack was blocked, and she retreated a few steps.

The Gerudo blew a few strands of red hair from her face and smirked. "Very true! But it's about time, I say."

Several minutes of sparring followed, too fast-paced for Link to chat anymore. She scored a hit on Aveil's leg, and they paused for a moment, breathing heavily but nodding with satisfaction.

"What about the Master Sword?" Link asked when she had caught her breath. "Do you have any clue where it is?"

Aveil chuckled heartily. "It's only the government's worst-kept secret," she smirked. "I'm surprised you didn't already know about it. It's locked away in a vault in Hyrule Castle. I don't think anyone believes it to be magical or anything anymore, but it's certainly valuable—a national treasure if you will."

"Why don't we use it, then?"

"I told you—the government has it. And they don't really like to give things like that away. Not unless they were truly convinced that the apocalypse had come." Aveil lifted her sword, beckoning. "Come on, we've only barely started!"

Link's thoughts occupied her mind as she sparred with the Gerudo, her body acting on instinct. So perhaps it was not that Impa didn't want Link to use the Master Sword, it was that she couldn't get the sword in the first place. And until they could get the Master Sword, the Four Sword was the best alternative since it had the potential to be used against Ganon, should the need arise. If that was the case, Link might have to use the Four Sword in the end. Just as long as she didn't have to hurt Vaati...

That reminded her—"Hey, Aveil, I won a bet with Vaati, and now I get to give him one command," Link explained. She took a hit to the shoulder but kept parrying against her mentor's quick, fluid attacks. "Got any suggestions?"

The grin Aveil gave her was very much less than innocent. "Well, one command can get you a lot of things. You could tell him to give you a massage every night for the rest of your life or to always buy you things if you ask him... Quite a few options!" She spun, bringing down her sword against Link's with great force. Link caught it, feet planted firmly. "Add the magic factor, and you could get almost anything."

"That's what makes it hard to choose. Too many options," Link panted as she and Aveil pushed against each other. Power was on the Gerudo's side, not the blonde's, and she knew she couldn't hold out forever. "What would you choose?"

She let the Gerudo nearly overpower her, then suddenly pivoted, spinning away to the side. Aveil lost her balance, and Link's blade quickly found its place at the tan-skinned woman's neck. They remained frozen except for their chests slowly rising and falling as they panted. Link carefully lowered her blade, and they both straightened, facing each other.

"I don't think training you is necessary," Aveil smiled. She brushed back the bangs sticking to her forehead. "Swordplay was always your strength, and it looks like all you needed was a quick refresher course. I concede!"

They shook hands. Link sat down on the stone path, laying her sword next to her. Across the courtyard, she could see Vaati consulting with Sheik, a book laid in the latter's lap. She wondered if they were getting along. Vaati quickly strode away from the other man, going to a spot a few dozen feet away. He caught Link staring at him and paused. She gave him a wave and a smile, but the Mage only frowned and looked away.

"I think I would make him spend an entire twenty-four hours with me," Aveil mused next to Link, also watching the violet-haired man across the courtyard with a slanted smile. "With the exception of trips to the bathroom, he would have to be with me at all times during the twenty-four hours."

Link cast a sideways glance at her mentor. "What about when you sleep? Or take a shower?"

"Oh, he'd have to be with me then, too."

"I should've known you'd say something like that!" Link exclaimed, leaning away slightly. She sincerely hoped for Vaati's sake that Aveil hadn't flirted with him or anything. Then again, it was almost impossible for Aveil not to flirt with every male she came across.

She only got a lighthearted laugh in response. Aveil kept smiling, gold eyes on Vaati. "Well, what do you want from him? Gifts? Services? Time? Figure out what would benefit you the most, the thing that only Vaati can give you. That's how you can get the most out of one command."

The Gerudo stood. "I'll report to Impa about your progress. You've got free time for now, then." She winked. "Good luck!"

Link passively waved a farewell, pondering over Aveil's advice. What exactly did she want from Vaati? She'd made the bet on a whim, not with anything in mind. The one wish she'd had for a while—to be friends with Vaati—had already been granted. That was the one thing she wanted from him: to be friends, trusting each other, and wanting to spend time together. If anything, spending more time together would make her more than happy.

Across the courtyard, Vaati had gone through a series of summonings. Link identified most of the creatures: Keese, Octoroks, Deku scrubs, Chuchus. Just as quickly as he summoned one, he replaced it with a different creature, impatiently snapping his fingers in quick succession. They were all mostly small, though, she noticed.

She hopped to her feet and trotted along the courtyard path, keeping just out of Vaati's line of sight. He was too focused to notice her anymore—a perfect opportunity. When she was closer and his back was facing her, she slowly inched from the path to the grass, walking lightly so as to not make the dead blades of grass crunch under her feet and accidentally alert her prey to her presence. She knew Sheik could see her perfectly well, but he kept silent, only a ghost of a smile revealing his amusement. Closer, closer, until she was mere inches away...

"You're dead!" she shouted, clamping her hands over Vaati's eyes from behind.

He jumped and cursed with a shout, grabbing at her hands. She let go, and he whipped around. "W-what the heck?!" Vaati stammered. His face was turning a subtle red. Behind him, Sheik was chuckling softly.

"I killed you!" Link simply replied. "It's a game—I try to creep up on you and 'kill' you. Sheik and I used to play it all the time! He usually won, though. He's got some mad ninja skills, seriously."

"Since when am I part of this game?" her roommate replied huffily.

"Well, since you lost our match because you let your guard down, I thought it'd be a good idea to play this game and train you to keep your guard up! Also, it's fun to scare you." Link snickered and grinned when Vaati sputtered at that.

They turned when Sheik called out to them, "Link's right. Keeping your guard up is important." The blond beckoned for them to come over. One of his arms was still in a sling, so he couldn't push the wheels of his wheelchair yet. "You have a lot you can do with your magic, but if you lack battle training, it won't do you much good. As Link demonstrated."

Link trotted over to stand behind Sheik, resting her arms on the back of the chair and grinning down at her comrade. "I would play with you, but you're kinda at a disadvantage."

"Only slightly," Sheik craned his head back to smirk confidently. Then he laughed lightly. "I don't know, you might be able to win nowadays. You barely got scratched by Ghirahim, while I—" he gestured towards his sling and the wheelchair. "I think that shows how our skills compare."

"Aww, is someone feeling sorry for himself?" Link crooned. She poked Sheik on the shoulder—he swatted her hand away—and shook her head. "I already told you, it's only because Vaati saved me. Come on, you're still the best agent ever! Best agent ever! Best agent ever!" She continued poking him, giggling and dodging his hand that tried to push hers away.

Vaati cleared his threat, and she looked up. He was glaring at both of them with extreme annoyance. "You two sure are friendly," he muttered.

Link just grinned. "Yep! We trained together when we were young. I'd call us friends-slash-rivals! I haven't seen him in a while, though—he's always off on super dangerous missions." She poked Sheik at that last sentence.

"The same goes for you, Link. We're both busy."

This explanation apparently didn't satisfy Vaati, though; he glared at them a moment longer, then abruptly turned around and headed for the library entrance without an explanation. Link sighed at his anti-social behavior.

"He doesn't seem to like you..." she murmured, taking a seat next to Sheik's wheelchair.

"I can tell. It's not a problem, though. I think I know why he's so antagonistic towards me," Sheik answered in his low, quiet voice.

Link tilted her head curiously. "Really? I still can't figure out all his moods yet. What is it, then?"

"He likely views me as a threat to his relationship with you. He may be feeling insecure; perhaps he thinks you like me more than you like him. And he might not even consciously know why he's feeling irritable." Sheik glanced down at her. "Reading other people's emotions still isn't your strong suit, huh?"

She stared at the library door thoughtfully. What Sheik had said made sense. It was hard to see the person you were closest to acting close with another person. But it wasn't like she liked Sheik more. They'd known each other for so long, she was just comfortable being herself around him, that was all. How could she let Vaati know that he was still her best friend, no matter what?


5:42pm

Dinner, like breakfast, was a communal affair, scheduled for half-past six. Link had been given the afternoon off; apparently, her help with the Four Sword wasn't needed yet, and Aveil had no other training to give her. She'd spent some time watching Vaati practice, browsing the library shelves, and poking around the Sanctuary. For about the last hour, she'd been lying on her bed in her room, staring at the wood ceiling and running through ideas of what command to give Vaati.

She could have him summon the Master Sword from wherever it was hidden. Impa would be less than pleased, though, she was sure, not to mention any trouble they would get in with the government.

She could tell him to summon a creature that she could keep as a pet. Maybe a wolf—she'd always liked wolves. But his creatures were made of magic, so she wasn't sure that it would live long or have any personality.

She could have him write all of her reports for the rest of college. But she didn't know how much longer she'd be at the Academy. And it wasn't like she couldn't do her assignments—it was just that other things were more interesting or important. Her grades didn't matter much to her.

She could make him her servant for life, using his magic to fulfill her every wish.

Yeah, she wasn't actually serious about that last idea.

In the end, the only idea that Link actually liked was having Vaati hang out and do something fun with her whenever she asked. It was a chance to just do things that normal friends would do. Maybe she wasn't squeezing the most she could out of the command, but she was sure Vaati wouldn't object to it too strongly. It might even help him get over his insecurities about their friendship.

Link swung herself up to a sitting position on her bed, blowing at her messy bangs. Vaati was probably over in his own guest room, enjoying a bit of solitude before dinner. Solitude that was soon going to be interrupted by a certain blonde agent.

"Who is it?" Vaati's muffled voice came from behind the thick wooden door as Link tapped her knuckles on it repeatedly.

"Just your favorite person in the whole wide world!" Link replied cheerfully, continuing to knock.

She kept on knocking until he swung open the door. He leveled a glare at his roommate, completely unamused. "I don't have favorites, just people I hate less than others. What do you want?"

Link chuckled and leaned against the doorframe. "I've figured out my command for you! It's absolutely genius; you're going to wish you'd never let your guard down! Are you ready? Yes? No?"

"Just tell me already. It can't be any worse than any of the things I thought up. Let me guess, I have to be your servant for life?" Vaati crossed his arms.

"I thought about that, but no!" Link turned and started drumming on the doorframe with her hands. "You, Vaati, were defeated in an epic match of strength and wits. As agreed before the said match, the loser—that is, you—have to obey one command issued by the winner—that would be me! And my command for you is this!" She lifted her hands with a flourish and pointed at the Mage. "You shall escort me to locations of entertainment and participate in activities with me whenever I demand it. That is my command!"

He took a moment to respond. When he did, he uncrossed his arms and sighed. "That's your command? I guess I should've expected something like that. You do realize that's not exactly a negative thing for me, right?"

"I know. But when I thought about what I wanted the most from you, what only you can give me, I realized it was just to spend more time with you. I'm a simple person," she laughed.

"An idiot, you mean," Vaati muttered. He turned his face away from her. "Alright, I accept your command. I'll hang out with you or whatever."

"Sweet!" Link pumped both fists, bumping Vaati lightly on the shoulder. He swatted her hand away. "I already know where we'll go first! I wanna visit the Temple of Time, and then lunch and tour around town!"

Vaati opened his mouth to reply, but a different voice answered. "Ooooh, sounds like a date," came Aveil's smooth voice from Link's left. She sauntered over to the two, smiling with a pleased expression like she'd found a juicy piece of gossip. "Just don't have too much fun, you two."

Link and Vaati simultaneously blushed. She only noticed when she glanced at her roommate apologetically—his whole face was tinted red, looking just as warm as her own face felt. For some reason, that flustered her more than Aveil's comments. She was used to Vaati just getting annoyed at Aveil for that kind of teasing, rejecting such ideas outright, not becoming embarrassed like this. So why was he blushing now?

"It's not a date!" Link finally managed to get out after a long and awkward silence, during which Aveil's smile had only grown more satisfied. "I'm just dragging him around with me."

"He ordered me to hang out with him," Vaati added. "Because apparently, you have to coerce your friends to do that."

"I see," the Gerudo woman said with a smile that clearly showed she didn't believe their explanations. "Well, have fun on your non-date! Oh, and dinner is almost done." She patted Link on the head and sauntered on down the hall.

Link and Vaati just watched her leave, not quite looking at each other. After a moment, the blonde cleared her throat. "Anyways, let's plan it for this Saturday. I've got a feeling Impa won't let us off easy on the training even on the weekends, but we can at least go during lunch."

"Fine," was all Vaati said.

She gave a laugh and turned to him with a half-smile. He glanced up at her. "Aveil's always been like that. I think she just likes making people embarrassed. Um, has she said anything weird to you?" she asked. She could only guess that Aveil was the reason behind Vaati's embarrassment.

His ears turned red, but he quickly replied, "She didn't. Nothing important. I'm going to dinner." He brushed past her, speed walking down the hall without a backward glance.

Link leaned against the doorframe with a sigh. Something was definitely up. He didn't know she was a girl, did he? Aveil wouldn't give that away, and she couldn't think of any way that Vaati could have found out. But she didn't know why else he'd be acting that way. And once again, she couldn't ask Aveil about it. The Gerudo always kept her lips sealed.

Well, she'd have a whole afternoon on Saturday to needle Vaati about it. For now, her stomach was calling her towards the dining room.