Author's Note:
You guys are the best. Thank you so much for all the favs and alerts!
And thanks again for your review, MomoMacchiato! (also can't wait for a chance to read your fanfic- it looks fantastic!)
And to guest of chapter 5: I'm so sorry I didn't thank you before! (didn't check for any reviews D:) I'm so glad you're enjoying my story; I hope you continue to like it! :D You get cookie too!
PS: I lore this world too ;)
"How the hell did you get this out of Commando?" asked Karane, taking one sword from Pipit's collection and giving it a test swing.
"No kidding," said Link, also taking one.
Pipit smirked. "You know, being "teacher's pet" has its advantages." With a knowing gleam in his eyes he added, turning to Link, "Knowing you with a blade, you'll be a fav of commando's too."
Link shrugged, but couldn't quite suppress an embarrassed grin. Pipit always had called him a prodigy, but in reality it just felt...natural. Ha! As if swinging around a big hunk of steel, hoping it hit something, could be innate. ...He still loved it, though. The feel of it, the power of a clean strike, the way it made his blood race.
Even this cheap, school-provided sword; top heavy, poor-balanced, and falling apart at the hilt, held well in his dexterous hands. He gave it a quick spin and slid it into his sheath. Karane raised her eyebrows and shared a glance with Pipit, mouthing the word 'damn'.
Pipit grinned, until he noticed his younger friend's hand fly to their head in pain.
"Geez, Link, are you okay?" the senior asked as Link rubbed his throbbing temple.
Link looked up with clouded eyes. "Y-Yah...just give me a minute..."
Karane made a sour face and put her hands on her hips. "Didn't you take that medicine you nearly ran me the fu" -Link raised an eyebrow as she glanced over at Pipit and cleared her throat- "you ran me over for?"
After a moment Link nodded. "I should...probably."
Link had just lifted the flap of his pouch where he'd placed his medicine, when Pipit surprised them both by stuffing a sword into Fledge's hands.
"You're coming too," he said to a very frightened Fledge.
"B-but..."
"We need at least four. Commando's word."
Karane raised an incredulous eyebrow. "He's gonna shove that rule down our throats? I don't need anyone on my back..." She put her hands on her hips and eyed Fledge. "Yah, um...no offense, er...whatever-your-name-is, but," She glanced at the younger's awkward grip on the pommel, "You don't look like you've had any experience with a sword. At all."
Fledge turned bright red and looked away. "...No..."
"Do you want to do this?" she pressed. Flegde shook his head and Karane nodded. "All right, maybe we could-"
Link interrupted, gesturing to the sky, "Karane, we need to go. Now."
Karane frowned and gave her fellow senior a childish do-we-really-have-to? look. When he remained solemn, she let out a huff. "Whatever. Let's just move."
Grabbing the reluctant younger by the scruff, she dragged him down the path behind her. Pipit and Link shared a look, then set off after them.
As they went down the road and past the plaza, Link trained a careful eye on the sun. The bells would ring in only half an hour by now...maybe less. His stride deepened. When the ceremony began, how much time would he have before his race? How would he win, even if he did manage to find Scarlet? Groose was right, as much as he hated to admit; Link hadn't practiced at all. ...Maybe he didn't deserve to win.
The eldest of the group gave Link a sympathetic eye, seeing his friend so downcast. Then, as a thought crossed his mind, the senior grinned and tapped Link's shoulder.
"Race you to the rocks!" Pipit called behind him, having sprinted ahead.
Link gaped for half a second then picked up his pace. "Hey, no fair!" he yelled.
Karane and Fledge watched the two run by, and the girl, eyes gleaming at the challenge, left a very lost looking Fledge behind.
"Ey! W-wait up!" called the boy, stumbling after them with the long sword banging against his side.
"Ha! ...I...huff...win..."
The two boys made sour faces at Karane, who maintained a (quite forced) victory stance on the first rock. After about a minute of catching their breath, having sprinted through nearly five towns before reaching the lake, Fledge then dragged his poor self to the edge of the shore's edge and collapsed.
"How..." Link panted, then abruptly winced as yet another headache split his skull wide open. (Goddess that hurt!) He grit his teeth and shook it off. "...much time do we...have left?"
Pipit wiped his glistening forehead and looked up. "...over twenty, I think. ...Enough time...probably."
He rose from his bent over position and rubbed at a stitch in his side. "You sense your bird...anywhere?"
Link closed his eyes and searched for that warm, soft 'breeze'. Scarlet's presence felt like a kiss of summer wind...or, the least he could compare the feeling to. While he liked that about their connection, it made it a bit difficult to pinpoint... He concentrated harder, and felt something brush against him. A very distinct something. He opened his eyes and smiled in relief, then nodded at Pipit.
"Ha! Good work Fledge!" said the senior, giving the younger, prostrate form a firm pat. Fledge gave them a pitiful thumbs up.
It took the three about a minute to realize a certain, ambitious young woman getting a head start across the skipping stones.
"Oy!" Pipit exclaimed. Karane looked back over her shoulder with uncharacteristic coy, fluttered her eyelashes, and leapt across the last stone to the shore.
Link stared. What was up with her today? He had just opened his mouth to ask Pipit about it, when he noticed the senior had a weird, dazed look. Link snapped his fingers in front of the other boy.
"We don't have all day you know, come on!" he said, starting after Karane. Pipit blinked and shook his head, then grabbing one of Fledge's sleeves, hopped onto the first stone.
Link felt his headache growing with each step...that, or the waterfall's roar had gotten inside his head and pounded against his brains to get out. They had made it up the small hilly path to the cave's entrance, and with the water cascading right beside them, it gave off a blinding spectacle Link chose not to appreciate.
When the four stood before the barred mouth of the cave, Pipit stepped forward to read the sign.
"Beware of blood-sucking monsters..." he murmured. "No entry without the explicit permission of Commander Grizald." He frowned.
"Hmm. That's a bit problematic," said Karane, crossing her arms.
Link barely heard her. He had wondered up to the wooden spikes that blocked the entrance, when he felt his loftwing's presence once again, but stronger. A little too strong.
OUT, OUT, OUT! she thought desperately, taking a snap with a large, protruding beak. The wood didn't budge. She shook her head and tried to stretch out her cramped wings. The warmth, her partner's warmth, had touched her. So close...so close... She snapped at those bars again with new vigor and made a scratch, but made no more damage on the dark swirls and eyes of the dead tree than a baby remlit could. The loftwing thought of those cruel two-legs that had caught her and she let out an angry squawk. How dare they touch her, how dare they trap her here! She hated it; she wanted out! Back against the sky, back to the open, where her wings stretched free and wide, with his weight nestled in her shoulders, and his hands buried in her scruff.
Why didn't he come faster?
Less than a hundred yards away, a young boy clutched his head and cried out.
His companions whirled around in concern.
"Link! Are you okay?" asked Pipit, running up to his friend. Link grit his teeth and pushed Pipit's hand away.
The sandy-haired youth took in a deep breath and muttered, "I'm going to kill that son of a bitch..."
Karane and Fledge glanced at each other with raised eyebrows, but Pipit looked solemn.
"We'll get that red later, but for now let's just find your bird and kick his tail in the race."
Link nodded and looked up. It surprised him to find Fledge looking a little...miffed. Annoyance not at his own predicament, it seemed, but rather directed at Pipit.
"All right boys, I've got this."
The three turned to see Karane take down the bars in one, clean sweep. Their eyes followed the broken pieces clunk and settle on the ground, then went back up to the smirking young woman's face. She sheathed her sword, utterly blithe, in light of what sort of trouble she might've stirred...with Grizald herself...
"You guys better get moving. At this rate, I'll be the first to find your bird, Link." With that, the girl hopped over the chopped spikes and into the cave's mouth.
Pipit let out a long sigh and grinned. "She's something else..."
Link raised an eyebrow. "Oh, she's something, alright."
"She's kind of nice, though." The two friends stared at Fledge, who looked particularly thoughtful. The boy blushed. "I mean, she's got an... er..." he seemed to struggle finding the right word to say. "Colorful way of talking and all, but her heart's in the right place, I think." He shrugged and looked at the entrance. "Um...shouldn't we get moving?"
Link and Pipit nodded. "Right."
Author's Note:
Hope this wasn't too crappy, and I'd like to post the next chapter later today!
Did I mention I love you guys? 3