Oh man it has been so long since I last updated, I'm so sorry but life got really crazy and I've been working on a brand new story that is not fanfiction and it takes a lot of research. But I am happy to say that my story here is officially a year old! Happy birthday Bleeding Out! And thank you to everyone who has left me reviews! I do so enjoy reading your opinions on my story, so feel free to tell me what I'm doing right, what could be improved, and what you like. I truly value your opinions! I hope you enjoy my latest update and I will do my best to update more often. Thank you. *bows* Please enjoy!
Chapter 12: What was Lost"What did you do, Pippy?" Mallara lifted her son's face to look him in the eyes. Pipit averted his eyes from his mother's. "What did you do?" She gripped her son's shoulders and pulled him back concern etched in her features.
"I….my best friend…everything's ruined forever…." Pipit sobbed uncontrollably.
"What's ruined? Wait your best friend? Link?...What did you do to him?" A flash of recognition crossed her face as she gave her son a harsh look.
"I-I…I r-r…" He covered his mouth as the urge to be ill hit him. "….I raped her….I raped the only person I've ever loved…" Pipit collapsed to the ground as he shook uncontrollably.
"You what?" Mallara stared at her son in horror. "Wait…her? I thought you loved Link…"
"Link is a…girl….She's been lying to me all along. And…and I lost it." Pipit gripped his hair and sobbed loudly.
"Link's a girl?" Mallara asked in shock. "Are you sure it wasn't just Link's cousin Lily? They look very similar." She tried to reason.
"Lily is Link." Pipit clarified. "And she's engaged to that freak who dresses all in white."
"You mean Ghirahim? He seemed really nice when I met him the other day." Mallara added thoughtfully.
"Well, he's a demon and not just any demon, I heard him say he was a demon lord. I heard it from his own lips and Link is willingly engaged to him." Pipit spat in disgust.
"What!?" Mallara gasped in shock.
Ghirahim made it back to Link's room and as he opened the door he found Groose fast asleep with his head resting his on his arms on the bed. Link lay motionless on the bed, the gentle rise and fall of her chest was the only indication that she was still alive. Ghirahim silently approached Groose and touched him on the shoulder startling the red-head into wakefulness.
"Ghirahim! You scared the shit out of me!" Groose grumbled sleepily.
"I'm sorry Groose. I can take over if you'd like, you look exhausted." Ghirahim smiled softly at Groose as he sleepily stood and stretched. Ghirahim immediately moved to Link's side and cradled her in his arms as he shifted her so he could sit on her bed while cradling her tenderly. Groose smiled sadly at the two of them as he walked to the door.
"You take care of her…. I'm going to find out who did this to her." Groose spoke over his shoulder but whispered the last part to himself. He would figure out who did this one way or another and he would make them pay for hurting her. Ghirahim nodded and stroked Link's face gently as he looked at her lovingly. 'I'll smash their face in.' Groose thought to himself as he closed the door behind him.
Groose spent the next three hours interrogating everyone he could find in Skyloft and yet he learned nothing new other than several people had seen Pipit acting strangely. As he sat at the little pub in the bizarre he noticed that Pipit's Mother was acting very oddly. He decided to approach her and ask what was wrong and perhaps ask what Pipit had been doing earlier when Link was 'attacked' which was the story he was using as a cover, not wanting to upset Link by telling her secret even if it was for a good reason.
As Groose approached Mallara she suddenly paled and looked nervous. She knew something, Groose was sure of it. "Mama, Mrs. Mallara. I have a few questions for you."
"Oh, h-hello Groose. What can I help you with?" Her eyes darted around nervously. "I've never heard you sound so…serious."
"Yes well, my classmate, Link, was attacked earlier in the day and is currently lying in bed unconscious. Lily and Ghirahim are very concerned about Link because…he…is completely unresponsive." Groose explained while glaring at her hard. "I have reason to believe that your son may know something about what happened. Where is he?"
Mallara gasped at Groose before shouting at him. "What are you insinuating? Are you trying to say that my Pippy had anything to do with that girl." She gasped as she realized her slip up.
"I knew it. Where is he?" Groose growled as he folded his arms over his chest glaring down at her, golden eyes flashing dangerously.
"I don't know. And I'd never tell a brut like you!" Mallara stood up as she yelled at Groose.
"You realize that your 'perfect' son raped his best friend, right? A sweet innocent girl who never hurt anyone. You get that right?" Groose got in her face and growled menacingly.
"Oh please, she's engaged to a demon! I highly doubt she's innocent any…" Her rant was cut short as Groose slapped her across the face. She looked up at him in shock as she placed a hand over the already red spot.
"I'm sorry, I usually have a strict policy against hitting women but you crossed the line when you insulted my friends. If you see Pipit before I do you may want to warn him that I'm coming for him." Groose walked away without a second glance, deciding to try looking for Pipit by the waterfall where he remembered Link and Pipit used to hang out around a lot when they were younger.
As expected, Pipit was mopping around near the waterfall and jumped slightly when he saw Groose approaching, clearly not in a good mood. "Hey Pipit, I just got done having a rather interesting conversation with your mother. She didn't even deny what you did to Link!" Groose yelled at him.
Pipit glared hard at Groose. "What do you mean, Groose? Unlike you I've never raised a hand against her. Besides, you were the first to arrive at Link's door. How do we know you didn't do it? You always did enjoy beating Link up." Pipit smirked as Groose's face fell at his words. "Hmm, let's see who would they be more willing to believe? Link's best friend or Link's childhood bully?"
"You sick bastard! I admit that I've hurt her badly in the past but I'd never do that to anyone for any reason." Groose punched Pipit hard knocking him to the ground where he quickly subdued him. "Tell me the truth or I'll tell Ghirahim and trust me he won't be merciful." Pipit shook his head refusing to answer the larger boy who held him down in the grass.
Meanwhile….
Ghirahim rested his head on her shoulder as he pulled her as close as he possibly could and whispered in her ear, "I love you, Link." Link blushed brightly and was about to respond when Ghirahim placed his gloved finger on her lips. "While I'm gone, I want you to think about what you want. Don't worry about what I'll think. Don't worry about what Zelda will think, or anyone for that matter. Just what you want. And when I get back you can tell me what you've decided. Okay?" Ghirahim smiled as he moved his hand from her mouth and instead stroked her check lovingly. Link smiled and nodded. "I will. Good luck on your mission, Ghirahim. Make sure you come back in one piece." Link waved to him as he mounted her loftwing. Ghirahim looked over his shoulder and gave her a toothy grin. "Of course I will! And thanks again for the sail cloth, this should be fun." He laughed as he urged the loftwing to take off. Link watched him fly away into the midday sky.
'What do I want….' Link sighed as she dangled her feet over the edge of the waterfall island high above Skyloft. 'Could I really be with him? Would it really be that easy? But no, I can't have that now. Not after what Pipit did to me, there's no way Ghirahim would want me after that.' Images of her and Ghirahim played across her mind as the dream Ghirahim looked at her with disgust and took the heart container back and crushing hers along with it.
Ghirahim feels movement coming from Link and looks down at her in hope but quickly realizes that she is thrashing around in her sleep. "Link, oh goddess, Link please calm down its okay your safe now. Shhh darling, everything is all right. I'm right here. Link." Ghirahim attempted to sooth her.
Link's eyes abruptly flash open when Ghirahim's concerned cries and gentle touches on her arms and back. Tears fill her eyes when she realizes that Ghirahim is cradling her in his arms. She flings her arms around his neck and hugs him as tightly as her weakened arms will allow. Link pulls back and touches his face as if trying to make sure he was really there before kissing his face almost franticly as if she were afraid he would disappear at any second. Ghirahim happily joined in and kissed whatever part of her face or neck he could before she stopped and looked him in the eyes.
"I've…de…cid…ed." Link struggled to speak but her throat was raw from all of the screaming she had done the previous day. She looked frustrated as she tried again. "I've decided, Ghirahim." Link smiled softly. "I want to be with you…I love you." Her smile grew as Ghirahim smiled and pulled her in to kiss her when the door suddenly flew open.
Groose stood panting in the doorway and strolled into the room dragging a bloodied and beaten Pipit behind him, allowing the door to close behind them before throwing Pipit down on the floor in front of him. Link cowered in Ghirahim's arms when she saw Pipit. "Groose! What is the meaning of this?" Ghirahim looked at him in shock.
"Tell him what you did." Groose growled at Pipit.
"Nothing, I did nothing!" Pipit glared at Groose from the floor.
"Link, why are you shaking so badly?" Ghirahim asked Link in concern as he stroked her long blonde hair trying desperately to calm her. Link remains silent but quiet sobs could be heard coming from her as she shook uncontrollably.
"Link…I'm sorry…" Pipit broke down when he heard Link's sobs. "Please…forgive me…"
"What? No. You wouldn't. You're her best friend! She trusted you!" Ghirahim shook his head in shock before yelling at him angrily.
"What's going on!?" Headmaster Gaepora burst into the room. He gasped in shock when he saw a badly beaten Pipit laying on the ground at Groose's feet.
"Hey, headmaster. I found the bastard that raped Link and beat her." Groose kicked Pipit hard in the stomach drawing the headmaster's attention back to the student laying on the floor gasping in pain.
Link sobbed a little louder at Groose's words and the cry of pain from Pipit. "Wait, is Link awake? Link? Could you tell us if this is true?" Gaepora asked her kindly but she shook her head franticly.
Ghirahim frowned and held her closer and tried to comfort her. "Please, she's terrified. She only just woke." He kissed her forehead gently before glaring at the three men in the room. "Get him out of my sight before I slight his throat!" Ghirahim growled angrily which earned him a desperate hand gripping the front of his shirt as Link cried harder shaking her head.
"Ghira…" She looked at him pleadingly.
Headmaster Gaepora quickly moved forward and picked up the shaking boy from the floor and dragged him out of Link's room and up into his office without a single word, seeing all the confirmation he needed in Link's fearful reactions. Groose remained behind glaring daggers at the blood stains that Pipit had left behind.
"Groose?" Link's timid voice caught him off guard as he quickly looked up into her frightened blue eyes and he took notice of the confusion that also swirled in her eyes.
"Oh, um….I was there when Ghirahim found you. I didn't mean to find out your secret…goddess…I'm so sorry Link…if I'd known…" Groose chocked as he struggled against his self hate.
"Groose." Link said almost sternly, earning Groose's attention immediately. "If it weren't for you I wouldn't be as strong as I am today. You made me stronger." Link smiled softly at Groose. "To tell you the truth I always hoped that we could be friends. I knew you were actually a nice person. Groose? Will you be my friend?" She shyly asked, a light blush dusting her cheeks.
Groose's mouth dropped in shock. "Really? You want to be my friend. Wow. Um, yeah, I'd like to be your friend." Groose blushed as well.
Link smiled before frowning and turning to Ghirahim. "How long was I out for?" Both Ghirahim and Groose looked sad as they looked at each other and then at Link.
"Nearly two days." Ghirahim replied before stopping and glaring at Link's sword sitting in the corner and pulsing a light blue color.
As if sensing that she had gained Ghirahim's attention sufficiently Fi flipped out of her blade startling Groose as she gracefully bowed to her master and Ghirahim, completely ignoring Groose. "Master Link, I am pleased to see you conscious once more." Fi announced bowing once more before turning to Ghirahim. "My master has awoken, it is time for you to return to your mission. The Goddess has summoned you to her statue and expects you to do so quickly." Ghirahim growled angrily at the sword spirit as Link suddenly clung to Ghirahim.
"Please don't leave me! Don't go…" Link cried out as she buried her face in his chest. Fi tilted her head slightly in confusion.
"One does not refuse the Goddess' summons." Fi pushed trying to get Ghirahim to realize the importance of going.