HEY GUYS! Sorry about the semi-slow update. I've been obsessing over Naruto lately and it's been distracting me from updating. Anyways, I finished writing the outline for this story, so rest assured this fic will never be abandoned. Now, finally...
Chapter 5
Link reclined against the wall of the fountain and sighed. It was his idea of the perfect weather: the sky slightly grayer than usual, a crisp breeze, with exuberant green grass poking up all around him. He could sense autumn creeping upon the campus a little earlier than usual. School had started at the beginning of September, but it was already well into the month and Link was overjoyed at the thought of not sweltering every time he walked outside.
However, no matter how cool the weather got, there was still one thing, or rather person, that would never fail to make him hot and bothered. It almost felt inappropriate, seeing as how said woman was so… innocent. But over the few weeks she had been attending the academy, he had witnessed a few glimpses of her inner sassy, seductive, and feisty side. Although brief and very well covered, once he knew the playful Zelda was there, he was determined to bring it out of her.
Speaking of the beauty, he noticed out of the corner of his eyes that said blonde haired woman had just exited the library, which was a decent distance away from Link, and was walking towards the part of campus where the classrooms were located. He was just about to get up and run after her when a pair of red and black Jordan's stomped in front of him. Link's gaze tore away from Zelda into the red eyes of none other than Vaati.
"Hey Fairy Face, what do you think you're doing in my spot?" Vaati spat childishly.
Without missing a beat, Link swept his backpack strap around one shoulder and stood, keeping his cool gaze fixed on the purple haired man. "I was just leaving to go to class." The last thing he wanted was to get in a fight with Vaati over "his spot." He thought briefly that he should go see Zelda wherever she went, but he really did need to get to Equestrian class. He heard heavy footsteps behind him, trying to catch up.
"That's funny man, I was just about to go to class too." Vaati said, invading Link's personal bubble.
"Why did you come to start a fight at the fountain if you weren't even going to sit there?" Link asked irritably.
"Whatever man, what I do is none of your business." Vaati said, rolling his eyes. "So what's up with the new chick, eh? I've seen you two around each other. I dunno why, since she's such a bitch."
Link's eyes narrowed and he shot Vaati a dirty look. "Zelda is far from being a bitch, unlike everyone else around here."
"Zelda's her name, huh? Sounds kinda familiar." Vaati inquired, tapping his chin. "So, you guys like, a thing or somethin'?"
"What's between Zelda and I is none of your business."
They had approached the stables by then, joining the rest of the students who were tending to their assigned horses. Vaati gave him his signature sneer. "You mockin' me?"
Link simply rolled his eyes as he reached his mare, Epona, and stroked her muzzle affectionately. Epona was a jittery horse and could only be calmed by two people, Link being one of them. He saddled her up and began to brush her, running the comb over her auburn coat like he'd done so many times in the past alone in the stable, just him and his horse. However, a certain purpley man was peeking over the wall of Epona's stable to glare at him, intruding on the peaceful moment.
"I bet your little pony is about as weak as you are, Fairy Face," He called, trying to provoke the blonde man. Link hoisted himself up on the saddle and swung one leg over the mare gracefully before straightening his back and looking at Vaati. Epona whinnied.
"What are you getting at, Vaati?"
"I'm sayin' we should race. Unless you're too scared, Fairy Face."
"Race? Are you crazy?"
"What's the matter, huh? Too good for a little gambling?" he barked, raising his voice.
A medium sized group of people had formed near the barracks and watched the two men bicker back and forth. A red-headed woman, upon noticing the exchange, parted through the curious students and shouted up at them.
"That's enough! I don't know what personal problems you boys have, but leave the horses out of it," she snapped.
"Professor Cremia!" Vaati said, startling Link.
"I'm sorry Professor. It won't happen again," Link said stonily, ignoring the sneer Vaati sent him.
Link snapped Epona's reigns and she trotted out of her stable, the other students backing out of the massive horse's path. He led his mare to the race track, where various fences and other obstacles were placed as a way to train your horse. Once on the track, he swatted Epona's rear and she immediately gained speed, taking off and jumping gracefully over every obstacle Link steered her towards. The wind whipped against his face but he didn't care; He and Epona were lost in a separate world now, blowing off the built up steam and tension caused by Vaati and his antics. First, the prick talks smack against Zelda when he doesn't even know her, then follows him to the stables, and tries to make him race on school grounds. The only reason Vaati had to race against him was because he wanted them to get caught in the act, bringing Link down with him when they were suspended for unruly use of the mares. The very thought of using Epona to win such a pathetic bet made his anger flare again. He steered the horse off the obstacle track to the outskirts where he could run her at full speed.
He swatted her again and she grunted, picking up speed on the dirt track, leaving a cloud behind them as they raced around the path outside of the obstacle course. He could feel the eyes of the students on him as he passed beside the stables again, Professor Cremia watching him with a frown and her arms crossed.
"One more time around the track girl, then we're done," he murmured to his horse, leaning down so that she could pick up every last bit of speed. They rounded the corners of the track once, twice, three times, then head back to the stables, most of the students staying out of the way. Just as he began to pull Epona's reigns in order to slow her down and eventually stop, a certain blue haired girl jumped in front of him, sneering and defiant, raising her palms as if she would stop Epona with her bare hands.
Link eyes widened, desperately trying to pull the reigns before his horse made a head on collision with the idiot girl only ten yards away. Epona, sensing the danger, skidded her hooves against the dirt in an attempt to slow. She leaned back in terror, whinnying and paddling her hooves in the air as if she was on an invisible bicycle. Link's grasp slipped and he fell off the now sliding and vertical horse, landing on the dirt with a thud and the wind being knocked out of him. He watched as Nayru stood there wide eyed before his horse clashed right into her, knocking her down and causing a collective gasp to escape the crowd as they ran to reach the two injured students and distraught horse. His head went limp and hit the ground, and he watched as the blue sky turned black before he lost consciousness.
Link awoke slowly as the headache pounded him out of his dreams. He first saw the light green walls of the infirmary and groaned, only forgetting the incident with his horse for a moment. His head hurt too much to move it and look around, but he managed a garbled "Where am I?" before placing his hands on his face to shut out the fluorescent lighting of the room.
"Why, young Link, you're in the recovery room. You took quite a hard fall."
He peeked out of his fingers to see the pink haired Great Fairy peering down at him. Her smile seemed to be permanently plastered on her face.
"Are you feeling any pain?" he heard her ask.
"My head," was all he could muster.
"Allow me to ease your weariness," she said wistfully, placing a smooth hand on his forehead. He slowly removed his hands and sighed as the cool healing powers of the Mother Fairy swept away his headache. He opened his eyes and smiled at the woman. "Thanks Great Fairy."
"Anytime, Link. If you're feeling better, I permit you to leave. Return here if you feel any more pain and I will see what I can do." She appeared to be checking things off her clipboard, not really paying attention to him but rather stating something she'd said a million times before.
"Alright, that should be fine," he said, swinging his legs off the small white bed and standing, slowly. He was just about out the door before the Great Fairy called after him.
"It would be wise to visit the injured girl and ask for forgiveness. I know she may be… unpleasant at times, but it would be the right thing to do."
He hesitated at the doorway, resting a slender yet muscular hand on the frame. "Right," he replied finally, whisking out of the room.
It wasn't hard to find Nayru's room in the maze of halls and doors in the infirmary. He could hear her high pitched whining almost as soon as he had left his own room. He paused before the door and sighed, refraining himself from rolling his eyes. He knocked loudly, unsure if he would be heard over the girl's screeching.
"C-come in!" a voice called, probably Nayru's miserable fairy nurse.
He entered the room to a peculiar sight. Nayru was sitting up in bed, shaking her fist at the Kokiri nurse who clutched her clipboard and stood a good three yards away from the erratic person.
"I demand to have one of the Great Fairies treat me! Not some novice like you," Nayru spat, shaking her head. "I deserve the best this damn school has to offer! I will not be touched by some nasty creature that lived in a forest!"
The red haired Kokiri was obviously close to tears, unable to reply to the hateful words of the oracle. She looked quickly at Link, who watched from the doorway, masking his anger at the abuse going on.
"Oh! Link!" Nayru squealed, following the Kokiri's glance. She transformed from annoying injured girl to annoying fan girl. "I didn't know you were coming here."
Link quietly approached the young nurse and placed a hand on her shoulder. She was a good six inches shorter than he was.
"I thought it would be a good idea to come apologize for slamming my horse into you. It was an accident, and if there's anything I can do to make up for it, let me know," he said, not looking directly at either girl but instead fixing his gaze on the white table beside the bed.
"Ooh, Link! What a gentleman! Anything, you say?"
He grimaced at his word choice. "Anything reasonable."
He met her eyes then, and knew that his annoyance and anger with the woman showed in his gaze. Instead of cowering, she smirked and returned his gaze with a seductive, manipulating one. "I'll forgive you, Link. I'll forgive you over dinner."
He was taken aback by her request. "You mean like, a date?"
"Of course. It's like, the only way I'll ever forgive you. You don't want me to be mad at you, do you Link?"
"No," he said through his teeth.
"Good," she purred, batting her eyelashes, "you can get me tomorrow at 7. Pick somewhere nice."
Without a word, he turned away from the girls and walked towards the door. Before exiting, though, he paused. "And by the way, Nayru," he said condescendingly, "I grew up in Kokiri Forest."
He smirked to himself before leaving the stunned silence behind him, exiting the infirmary hopefully for the last time.
"Pipit!" he called, jogging after his brunette friend.
Said boy turned, hoisting his books in his left arm. He raised an eyebrow at Link who was now in front of him, panting slightly and looking annoyed.
"What's up, Link?" he asked, "Are you okay? What happened?"
Link threw his hands in the air before running them through his blonde locks. "I ran my horse into Nayru and now she's blackmailing me into taking her out on a date."
A look of confusion passed through poor Pipit's features. "Wait, is that a code name for sex or something?"
"No, you dobe! Listen, I hit Nayru with Epona and now she's in the infirmary. She won't forgive me unless I take her out on a date."
"Well, as sorry as I am for you man, I don't know what you're trying to get at."
Link placed his hands on his friend's shoulders. "I need you to do me a favor."
Zelda propped her foot up onto the footstool in front of her end of the sectional couch. She had decided it was time to check out the lounge, since it was only a few steps away from her dorm and made her feel less claustrophobic than her room did. A few girls on the other side of the room were playing Mario Kart racing on the Wii, laughing and cursing at each other but keeping it quiet at the same time. Saria, a small Kokiri girl, had offered to let her join them, but she declined politely claiming to have homework. And she did, which was exactly what she was working on at the moment.
She sighed, turning the page of her Calculus textbook. The equations and multiple sample problems were giving her a headache, but she pushed on, not wanting to procrastinate and hurriedly finish the problems on Monday before class. Just as she was on the brink of solving her last equation, the lounge door opened and Ilia and Pipit entered, Ilia looking calm as usual but Pipit looking slightly nervous.
"See, Pipit, I told you she would be in here." Ilia stated, ushering the boy over to where Zelda was sitting. Zelda glanced back down at her problem, her train of thought completely gone. She heaved a sigh and closed her book just as the two approached her. She looked up, switching her frown into a smile.
"Hey guys, what's up?" she asked.
"Well," Ilia started, her eyes rolling towards Pipit, "Mr. Knightwood here has been looking all over the place for you. I don't know why he never came to the lounge in the first place."
Zelda met Pipit's nervous glance and stood, holding her homework and textbook under her arm. "What's wrong?" She asked, slightly panicked. Pipit was Link and Midna's friend, but it wasn't like him to seek her out.
"Um, well, nothing is wrong, per say," he started, rubbing the back of his neck and averting his gaze away from her.
She raised a fine eyebrow and propped her free hand on her hip. "What can I do for you, Pipit?"
He looked at her and chuckled slightly.
"I know this is sudden, but would you like to go out on a date with me sometime?"
Suspenseful, huh? I'm keeping my mouth shut, but in the meantime, you should review. ;D