Author's Note:
Heyo would you look at that? Two whole chapters! I'm on a role.
"Zelda," She looked up at her father's grim countenance and winced. "You really shouldn't be so reckless, my dear." He sighed. "Did he not tell you something was wrong?" She nodded and bit her lip.
"I...I didn't listen, father. I didn't think...that he- that that was even possible."
I'm sorry...
Zelda bowed her head and stroked her bird to avoid her father's gaze. Headmaster Gaepora looked down on his daughter's silent form with a shake of his corrugated, bald head.
"Honestly muffin-top, how are you going to be the next matriarch if you can't lend an ear to your friends, let alone your people!" He ruffled her hair.
"Father!" Zelda cried out, pushing away his hand and flattening her hair. She spent all morning fixing it (but she'd probably ruined it already with that stunt so...)
He let out a hearty chuckle and smiled as his daughter continued to fret over her hair.
She looked so much like her mother... The girl pursed her lips the same way Alyna had when she got riled up, and funny, he remembered the woman had always got HIM into trouble at Zelda's age too. Impetuous, stubborn, and the cause of more mischief than anyone he'd ever met...besides her own daughter, perhaps. He could still hardly believe someone of such...recalcitrance would become a leader, and a respected one at that... That is, when she acted like a matriarch and not a five year-old, pulling one prank after another on her unsuspecting colleagues.
Ah, what happened to the years, Alyna?
His musings came to a halt when he noticed their daughter jump and whip her head over her shoulder. He followed her gaze in confusion. What was she looking for?
"Zelda?" When the girl didn't respond he gave her shoulder a light shake. "Zelda?" She blinked her clouded eyes and shook her head.
"Huh?"
He raised his eyebrows. "You went off the realm for a second there, my dear."
She shook her head again and made a quick scan with her eyes over the area.
"What is it, Zelda?"
She looked up and shook her head once more. "Nothing, father..." she said, looking just as confused as he felt.
"I just thought...never mind."
His daughter began to get to her feet, and he offered his hand, which she took gratefully. She still seemed a bit shaken from that earlier endeavor, (not that this proud child would ever admit it). She gave her bird's cerulean head a light pat, and both Zelda and he began to help him up. Her bird had more self-regard than even his daughter, however, and the haughty thing snapped at him and pushed Zelda's hand away. Gaepora shook his head as the beast raised its head up and helped itself to its feet.
"A proud thing, your loftwing, Zelda," he said with a low chuckle. Zelda sighed and gave her bird a long, shrewd gaze before settling onto its back with a dainty hop. She looked down from her seat, waved, and said her goodbye's. In the next moment she and the bird took off.
Gaepora watched them soar and become nothing more than a speck, before he turned to walk the trail back to the academy.
What a day.
"Soyouseetheheadmastertoldmetotellyoutomeetupinhisofficesoyoucouldmakearrangementsforthedelay!" Link blurted out, breathless.
The instructor blinked and stared at the hectic student in confusion. "Okay Link, one more time. Slower."
Link took a few more deep breaths and said, "The headmaster wants...to see you...in his office. That's why...you can't...start...the race..."
"Can't start the race?" Professor Hornwell furrowed his eyebrows. "What happened?"
Link grimaced. "I...my bird is gone. ...I'm sorry, Professor."
The professor's eyes widened in alarm. "Your bird is gone?" he exclaimed. "How can your bird be gone? You don't sense her anywhere!?"
Link shook his head. "No sir... I've tried calling her, but it didn't do any good."
The young professor shook his head in bewilderment. "A lost bird...good grief, Link. There's not an ounce of good luck in you, is there? I've never even heard of such a thing..." He looked down and gave Link a reassuring pat. "I'm sure she'll turn up, and I'll talk to the headmaster at once about this." He considered the sun's position and nodded. "Don't worry, Link, I can take care of the ceremony for now. You find your bird as soon as you can, all right? I can only delay the schedule for your race another four hours at best, if we are to squeeze the finals in before nightfall."
Link sighed in relief. "Thank you so much professor, and I'm really sorry about all this..."
"It's fine, Link. I just never expected..." He frowned. "Well... if you can't find your bird in time, understand the race will have to go on without you."
Link nodded, feeling a wave nausea that had nothing to do with nearly plummeting to his death earlier.
Damn it, Scarlett... Where are you?
All right. Four hours.
He came to the academy's roof entrance.
Check that, three hours and fifty-five minutes.
He threw the door open.
"I guess the times have changed for men to open doors for a lady. Noo, they'd much rather plow straight through them."
Link turned to see a familiar, critical, round face standing right where he must have nearly rammed the door into her. (If he had actually hit her, she probably would have taken his head clean off)
"...Sorry Karane."
The senior arched her brow and pushed the door away with a single finger.
"The fuck is your rush, Link? You nearly pummeled my face into the door!"
"Sorry, sorry..." He looked up. "Have you seen my bird?"
"Honestly guys these-" she blinked. "Huh?"
"My bird, Scarlett. Crimson. Seen her anywhere?"
Karane blinked again. "What the fuck are you talking about?"
Link sighed and explained, "She's gone. I have to find her before..."
"Gone?" she asked, then scowled. "Your bird can't be gone; that's insane!"
"Have you seen her anywhere?" he asked over her, ignoring the statement. He knew it was insane. "Anywhere at all?"
Karane gaped at him. "Hylia, you're fucking serious..." she bit her lip. "Sorry Link, I haven't... Maybe you should talk to Pipit about this. If anyone would know about a bird disappearance, it'd be him."
Link nodded. "Thanks Karane. Where is he now?"
She blurted, "In the hallway outside of Instructor Owlan's classroom, Room 47, next to the petunias." Link raised an eyebrow at the...detail. The senior blushed and crossed her arms. "I mean...it's where I saw him last..."
"Well..." he said, a little confused. "Thanks again, Karane!"
With that, Link shot down the stairs and past all the classrooms and dorms to Owlan's on the very end. Sure enough, his yellow-clad friend leaned on the wall just outside the classroom (next to the petunias) as well as the events display. The latter really caught his attention. There under WING CEREMONY TODAY! read the race schedules. His, Cawlin's, a couple girls, and another guy he didn't know had been first. Instructor Hornwell would probably move him last now, which would place him...shit. Of course. Under the last prelimary race read: Stitch Quaile, Ria Storm, Milly Tyles, Hector Valmis, and...Groose Vixon.
Well shit. Not only would he have to deal with Groose AND his other lackey, but the older kids too... Goddess dammit.
"Hey Link, what're you doing here? Forget your time?" Link turned to see Pipit's handsome, freckled face twisted in a smirk.
"Not exactly," Link said, somewhat distractedly. He looked frantic. "Scarlet's gone."
Pipit stared at him in shock. "What? What do you mean your bird's 'gone'."?
He shook his head. "I mean she's gone, Pipit. She...she didn't come when I called for her."
"That...that can't be right...a guardian bird would never..." Pipit frowned and looked up. "What do you mean, 'When I called for her'." What are you saying? That you jumped?"
Link's face flushed and the senior's jaw dropped.
"You JUMPED," he said, incredulous, "When you couldn't sense your bird!?"
"No! I mean, I'm not that stupid. Zelda..." He growled. "Look, it's a long story, and right now I need your help. Got anything?"
The corner of Pipit's mouth twitched dangerously, careening on the edge of laughter, and Link grit his teeth.
"She pushed me off, okay?" Link threw his hands up in frustration. "I tried to tell her-"
Pipit didn't even try to hold it in at that. "Oh my goddess! Ha! What...?" Link folded his arms, feeling his face growing warmer by the second. Finally, Pipit calmed down enough to talk. "Ha! Some girlfriend you've got there, Link."
"WE. ARE. NOT. DATING. For the last fucking time, Pipit!"
He snorted. "Well, she'll have to forgive you now, right? After..." He fell off into a snicker.
"You know, it's really not funny."
"Kind of is, actually."
"I almost died."
Pipit laughed. "Almost, but you DIDN'T. Therefore it's VERY funny."
Link scowled. "Thanks for that. You're a great friend. Now, I have to find my bird in the next - what - hour and a half now? I'm serious Pipit, I can't be in the race if I don't find Scarlet on time."
He waved his hands down. "All right, all right. ...Well, considering I've never even HEARD of this happening before, unless..." Link's friend fell off quickly when he locked eyes with him, and the senior cleared his throat.
"Well, I don't know."
Link felt his heart sink.
Now what?
"Hey," Pipit said. Link looked up hopefully. "I'll ask around here. See if anything's up. Something seems a bit fishy about this..."
Link furrowed his brows. Fishy?
"...Thanks man. I'll take a run over the city, see if I can't sense Scarlet anywhere. Let me know if you hear anything, all right?"
"Yah, you do the same, Link, and try asking around the plaza on your way."
The two split and went on to their separate tasks.
As Link raced out the first floor entrance he puzzled over Pipit's words. The plaza? That's where...shit. What, did Pipit think Groose had something to do with this?
Before Link made it to the plaza he recognized the voices and ducked behind a tree. What he heard made the him bristle.
"You know, Groose, that sure was a pain. What with all that scratching and pecking."
Link's ears perked. No freaking way...
"Course it was, do you think a big, Crimson Loftwing like that was gonna go down without a fight?" Link heard him chuckle. "But we got him, and I don't care how tough those birds are supposed to be. He's not getting out of that pen anytime soon, guys."
Fucking idiot didn't even know Scarlett was a female...
Link grit his teeth and marched out there, completely ignoring the dull throb in the back of his head from yesterday's confrontation.
"YOU FUCKING STOLE MY BIRD?"
The trio whirled around and Cawlin and Stitch backed away from...Were they giving Groose a MASSAGE?
"Woah, Link, how long," Groose cleared his throat and grinned. "...how long have you been standing there?"
Link clenched his fists. He was going to kill that son of a bitch...
"So, what brings you to the plaza, hmm?" asked Groose, beginning to prowl in a small circle around Link. He had to crane his neck to watch his painfully blithe adversary. "Here to talk about the race?"
"Shut the hell up Groose! What did you fucking do to my bird?"
"Bird? Bird...bird...bird..." Groose shrugged. "Nope, doesn't ring any bells." He ruffled Link's hair. "Don't tell me you're just trying to chicken out of racing me, are you? Hmm...yes, I can see it in those dopey eyes of yours. Make all the excuses you want, Link, but I told you: I'm winning this race."
"Get off!" Link made a move to hit him, but Groose caught his fist.
"I don't feel like it today, champ," the larger boy scoffed, slowly crushing Link's fist in the process. The smaller grit his teeth, furious, and unwilling to give the jackass any indication that his hand could very well explode at any second. "If you want that alone time with Zelda, you're going to have to go through me. I think we both know how that'll turn out..."
"What the hell is wrong with you?" Link gritted out. "She fucking HATES you!"
Probably not the smartest thing he's ever said with one hand locked in Groose's. The next moment his world became clouded and filled with dots as his poor, bruised head hit the ground hard and cracked against the marble.
"You know, I'm getting real tired of this shit," Groose said, deathly calm. "You and Zelda are pretty tight-knit. Could never let anyone forget that, could you? How far you two go back, how close you two have been... But you know what I don't get?" Link struggled to see straight. "I don't get," the older boy said, "How anyone could like someone like you, someone who spends all day, lazing around with their ditzy head stuck in the clouds." Groose laughed icily. "You know Link, some people actually have to... Oh, what's that word again?"
"Work?" Stitch offered.
"Effort?" piped in Cawlin.
Groose snapped his fingers. "Oh that's right. Those things. Thank you, guys." He yanked Link to his feet and gave him a rough pat on the shoulder. "Why don't you try a bit of that before racing, huh?"
Link shoved him away.
"Just tell me what you did to Scarlett, you ass!" he spat.
Groose sighed. "I'm afraid I haven't seen that scruffy pile of red feathers. ...Perhaps he just got sick of being neglected. Come to think of it, I haven't seen you on your bird in days. Only rarely, these past months, even."
"I haven't...I haven't neglected her." He didn't need Groose of all people lecturing him.
Groose raised his eyebrows. "Her? But you're so tiny!" He smirked. "The females are larger for a reason, Link. They're to carry men. I'm not so sure you're qualified..."
Cawlin and Stitch looked ready to piss themselves at this pronouncement.
Link felt everything from the tips of his ears to the bottom of his feet burn in indignation. "Shut up!"
Groose jabbed Link in the chest. "Girls like you are dragging our honored academy through the mud."
"And just who might you be talking about, Groose?"
The boys all froze, sharing the same expression of a kid caught having a party while their parents were away- only for the mother to come home early.
Groose jolted away from Link, the same way that kid might from the freshly opened wine and their parent's opened basement cellar.
Link saw the barely maintained continence of wrath she'd maintained for many years...begin to break.
In other words, some real shit was about to go down.
Author's Note:
Poor Gaepora...Dang nabbit, I made myself sad. ;_;