fleets: uurgh, one of the shorter chapters but I couldn't find a way around it. sorries. on a better note, I updated this earlier than usual (smiles for appeasement)
Dugal: Avilux I is ashamed by your mediocrity. We prefer people on either end of the spectrum: winners or failures. Mediocre employees are the worst kind in any business - not good enough to keep, yet not bad enough to kick out the back door with satisfaction. And before you say anything, yes, I am annoyed I have yet to make an appearance.
fleets: ...uhhh. ignore us please.
Chapter 7: Preparations
"What I mean, Link, is that Skull Kid is currently in Japan."
Link blanched. She had to be joking. But why would she joke about something like that? From the way her pretty face was pulled taut in a serious frown, she sounded like she was serious. Oh, I know why. "He's still in America, but you're lying to me because you don't believe I told you the truth earlier."
Zelda swirled her drink with her straw and said tiredly, "I'm not really sure if you're telling me the truth or not, but what I'm saying is true. Skull Kid moved to Japan a week ago to the people who are funding my project. They were more eligible for taking care of the boy because I'm still a minor and my father's not really a reliable parent." She said the last part with a tinge of bitterness, and then stuck her gaze firmly on the window as though she were ashamed she had let a piece of her personal life into the conversation. Zelda continued. "It made more sense for Skull Kid to go to the research facility in Japan because the lab I'll be working on a joint project with, the Willits lab, has more resources than what Ariko Community College can offer."
"Oh…" Link's voice was tiny by this point. His fingers tapped on the table erratically as he considered this new problem. Meanwhile, Gale returned to the table after having done a slow lap around Starbucks.
Zelda noted his empty hands. "I thought you were going to get another coffee?"
Gale glanced down, and then shrugged. "I decided I didn't really feel like coffee anymore."
Link suddenly spoke up, staring pointedly at the spot in the middle of the table. "Zelda, you said you were going to work on a joint project with the Willits lab?"
Zelda nodded while Gale leaned back and watched the two with disinterest.
"How will that work out if Skull Kid is in Japan and you're staying here?"
"I'm going to visit during winter break to catch up with the project. During second semester, I'm going to apply for a gap year so I can study abroad over at the Willits lab and hopefully gain something out of it."
"Will it be possible for us to go with you during winter break?"
Zelda coughed. "What?"
"WHAT? And you did not just say us." Gale was sitting bolt upright now.
Link looked calmly at both of them. "I just wanted to know if there was a way for us to tag along when you visited during winter break. We'll pay for transportation if that's a problem. We just really need to meet Skull Kid."
Heads turned as a disturbingly sinister laugh erupted from Gale. "I'm sorry, this is just too funny. Since when did you become we? And though having a vacation in Japan sounds exciting, I would rather go with better company than you."
"Please excuse him. He's still upset that he lost to me in arm-wrestling yesterday and owes me ten dollars for a bet. I'm sure he'll come around sometime."
"Holy hell. Lies just spew out of your mouth, don't they?"
"As you can see, he's in denial."
"I did not lose in arm wrestling! We never even arm-wrestled! I can beat you if we actually arm-wrestled."
Link appeared surprised. "Do you want to bet another ten dollars?"
Gale opened his mouth, ready to accept the challenge, when he remembered he still didn't know what Petrov could do. Not wanting to make a fool of himself in front of Zelda, he mumbled flatly, "This is stupid."
"Point proven."
"Screw this." Gale stood up again. A mischievous smirk appeared on Link's otherwise flat expression.
"Another coffee? Can you get me one too?"
Gale made a rude gesture at which Zelda frowned disapprovingly, and he stormed off to angrily stare at the menu without the intention of buying anything. Link turned his attention back to the slightly flustered looking girl.
"So, what do you think? Is there a way for us to meet Skull Kid during winter break as well?"
"Um," her dainty features puffed into a pout as she thought hard. "I guess so," she finally replied uncertainly. "I don't know how you're going to find a place to stay for over two weeks, and it's during the holidays so you have to be aware that you won't be able to see your family during that time, and – "
"Where will you be staying?"
Zelda blinked. "Are you really not a stalker?"
"I just want to know how you're managing to stay over there so I can figure out if we have the same options as you."
"My funder, Avilux I, is providing everything for me."
"In that case, can you drop in a word to Avilux I, saying I'm Skull Kid's relative who wants to meet him and know he's ok? I have a right to meet him."
"I'm not sure…"
"Please."
"All right. I'll tell Mr. Dugal about your situation," she sighed. "Is that all?"
Link considered the question for a moment before nodding. "Yeah. Can you send us information about winter break when you have time?"
Zelda replied yes.
"Thanks a lot for your help Zelda." His smile was so sincere that Zelda suddenly became willing to forgive him for his eccentricities. They stood up together and Link went off to find Gale who was still glowering at the menu and causing the man at the register to fidget. Zelda heard him snap "took you long enough," as they made for the door. The skater walked past the girl, abruptly changing his annoyed countenance to a soft, apologetic one as he asked her if he could do anything to make up for Link's behavior. Zelda shrugged him off, noting from the corner of her eye how his concerned smile had switched into a sly one that she felt represented his true intentions. She wasn't going to be one of those foolish girls that ended up playing along with his devilish game.
Just before they parted ways, Zelda asked one question that had been nagging her ever since she had met Skull Kid. "Hey Link?"
The blond teen turned around.
"Is Skull Kid… well, is that his real name?"
Link nodded.
"Oh." Zelda stood a little awkwardly. "Um, I just thought it was an unusual name, is all."
More awkward silence. Why was Link so awkwardly silent all the time?
"Uh… bye."
"Bye angel."
Link definitely did not say that. Zelda glared at Gale who was trying not to crack up, and ignored the fact he gave her a quick wink when she'd turned for the glare.
Douche bag.
Zelda walked briskly away. Even as she got into her car, she couldn't get that mocking face out of her head in her annoyance.
XXXXXXXXX
Do you know anything about the old legends, Link? You have already become a part of one when you defeated Ganondorf and stopped his reign of terror, but there were real heroes who had fought like you did many years ago.
In one such story, there was an evil sorcerer consumed by greed and obsessed with power. He went after the powerful Light Force much like Ganondorf did, and attempted to bring the world under his dark influence.
Being a sorcerer of winds, the vile mage destroyed what was left of the Wind Tribe and took the Palace of Winds as his own. For mortals not blessed with the magic of warping, the floating castle was only accessible through the Four Elements and the blessings of the six shrine maidens. In the sorcerer's last attack on Hyrule, he sealed away the maidens and cursed the knights who were guarding the elements in an attempt to close off all paths leading to his stronghold.
The hero prevailed, of course. Over time, the royal family decided to keep the four elements within the Palace of Winds itself, and the spirits of the maidens along with them. This was to ensure the path to the palace would never be opened again, and that meddling hands would never touch the elements.
This is the story behind the Sorcerer of Winds known as Vaati.
I see you are wondering why he has managed to become reincarnated in the future. Well, there was an unforeseen problem that Vaati had caused just before his demise…
XXXXXXXXXX
"Petrov!"
Link looked around the corner and down the hallway towards Gale's room. It was puzzling how Gale had declared he wanted nothing to do with Link, yet the teen always seemed to be calling his name for one reason or another. Maybe the poor kid just wanted attention. "Hm?"
Wheels squeaked across the grey carpeting as Gale pushed his chair out of his room into Link's view. He didn't look too happy, but then again, did he ever? "Can you get your own email address for Din's sake?"
"Did someone send me a message?" Link walked over to Gale's room.
The paler teen snapped angrily. "Yes. And by some guy named Halstead Dugal who sounds like a total tool."
"Oh him. Zelda gave me his address so I could ask him about finding a place to stay and transportation. I sent him a message earlier."
"Using my account," Gale said sourly.
"I don't have an email account."
"Then get one! It's not that hard!"
"I thought this would be the best way to get you to see what's going on with regards to winter break," Link stated nonchalantly. He quickly read through the email message that the Chief Executive Consultant had sent. "Oh look!" he perked up, "Dugal says he'll be able to get us tickets to Japan and rooms at Hilton Tokyo."
"I'm not going."
"I was worried he was going to turn us down, but he seems willing to meet us. Thank Nayru for spell check; I don't know what I would've done without it." Link looked pleased with himself. "Do you have a passport, Gale?"
"I'm not going," Gale repeated stubbornly.
Link took a deep breath. "Even if I tell you that you'll never ever have to see me again once we come back from the trip?"
"What part of 'I'm not going' do you not unders… what?" Gale leaned forward. "Really?"
"If you come with me to Japan this time and meet Skull Kid with me," Link repeated slowly, "I promise I'll move out of this house and you'll never have to see me ever again."
Gale tried to see if the other teen was lying again, but it was hard to tell with Link since he could make his face almost expressionless. He began to consider the different scenarios. The cons were that he was going to be with Link, he was going to have to endure a fourteen-hour plane trip with Link, and he was going to be stuck in a foreign country with Link. Basically, the cons boiled down to being stuck with Link, and for Gale, that was a significant con.
The pros weren't very many. He was going to Japan, a country he'd always been interested in visiting, and there was a possibility that Link would leave him forever. The first pro was minor, but the second one…
If Link spoke true, which was difficult to gauge since he was such a liar, then the second pro would outweigh every single con Gale could come up with.
Link waited patiently as the cogs in Gale's head clicked to a conclusion. "Deal."
Link smiled. "That's great! So, do you have a passport?"
Gale cautiously allowed himself to feel happy about the prospect of never having to see Link again. "Yeah I have a passport. Gramps renewed it last year, too, since he was planning to volunteer me to a community service thing overseas to get me to be 'more appreciative' about things."
"Does Grandpa Loze have a passport?"
"Yeah he has one too. Couldn't have his delinquent grandson go to South America by himself without making sure he would be sensible enough to show proper manners to the locals," Gale rolled his eyes at the thought. Then, something struck Link's question as odd. The albino appeared confused as he asked, "Hold on, why do you need to know if Gramps has a passport? You're not thinking of taking him along, too? Because then I would have to go back on the deal and call it quits."
Link stretched and stuck his hands behind his head in a carefree way, grinning innocently. "I don't know why I asked that, actually." He watched Gale stare at him with suspicion. "Oh, don't worry about it," he said, and walked out of the room.
Don't worry about it my ass, Gale thought, turning back to his computer. He stared flatly at the email that stiff-neck Dugal had sent, and went against his instinct to delete the email that was a part of Link's crackpot idea. He dropped his head against the keyboard and sighed tiredly. Just one winter break, and things will be good again Gale. No more Link, no more shit bucket Vaati stories, no more Dugal, unfortunately no more Zelda unless I get her number…
Actually… scratch the last one because I already have her email address hehehe.
Just one winter break. One. That's not so bad, right?
Shadow Blues: The sin function from trig. I use it 0% in real life situations, rendering it completely useless (growls). Zelda wasn't lying about SK in Japan XD
Death-Note-Zelda-Kitty: Of course I wouldn't let Gale and Link figure out how to solve their problems so easily hehe.
Midna Hytwilian: You're hooked on Vaati now too? Yayz for Vaati fans! hmmm... well... send me a note on devart regarding email.
marium: Actually, Zelda wasn't lying unbelievable as it may sound lol. But I guess Link lies enough for the both of them. XD Thank you!
LinkxDarkLink: Hello! (waves) Your new name is so much easier to type lol. Whoot Japan! One of the top ranking tourist spots in the world according to... a newsarticle I forget what. O.o;
Peka The Corsair: Gale's not actually Vaati, Zelda's not actually Zelda... but Link is actually Link. The adult timeline Ocarina of Time Link, to be precise. I know, it confuses me too. D:
Bishieluver01: I say Link was randomly teleported there along with SK, and that Vaati (excuse me, GALE) and Zelda were also randomly there as well. It's not a coincidence they were in the same general area though. The quick version of explaining this is is that (in this story world) the three bits of triforce become attracted to each other and somehow finds a way to be close to each other in times of approaching crisis. Hence Link warped to NJ where Zelda was. Vaati was around Zelda because ________ (explained later). Ignore Ganondorf for now. The location of Hyrule is a mystery ;)
Reily96: Gale's not done flirting yet heehee.
Link: (hugs jacket tightly)
fleets: You do know that that's only an invitation for fangirls to violently glomp you, right?
Link: ... O.O;
Tricksters Imagination: You bring up a good point, because I'm still in the middle of trying to figure out where Nintendo fits in all of this hehe.
Darkwind: Indeed, that is one of the most random reviews I've received to date lol