The next morning the Chain were woken up to soft knocks upon their doors.
Wind heard his door and muffled a groan. He was still tired. His internal teen-clock was telling him that it was still entirely too early to get up yet, especially with as soft and warm as the bed was.. he began to doze off again when a knock, more insistent this time came, re-awakening him.
"Who is it?" He called groggily.
"This is Ms. Fen, Mr. Link. Please open the door. I have your clothes and a coffee for you."
He groaned and fell back upon his pillows. 'great.' He got up and made his way towards the door, and opened it with a squint into the bright light beyond the drawn curtains of his own room.
"Yes?" He said curtly. "Oh…"and he began to blush immediately.
A slim, smartly dressed woman in her early 20s stood before him in a pastel blue suit. She had tawny skin, high elegant cheek-bones and a sheet of jet-colored hair that poured down her back like a swatch of inky shadow cut from the deepest midnight. Her dark almond eyes regarded him coolly. She replied equally curtly by shoving a bright yellow paper shopping bag into his arms. "The sizing was approximated... So if they don't fit, let Ravio know and we will rectify it. There is a catalog from the boutique in there as well, going forward you may choose items that fit your taste, just circle what you want and give it to Ravio. He'll hand it off to me and I'll see it done. Also, I didn't know your taste in coffee: Here is a cappuccino. There are a few packets of sugar in the bag. Ravio expects you all to be in the garden pavilion for breakfast at 9 sharp." She turned on her heels to leave.
"Wait.." Wind found himself asking without having the faintest idea of what he would say. She whipped her head around causing her hair to fan out around her in a way that made his heart momentarily seize. Her measured gaze landed on him. "Thank you.." He said sheepishly.
She seemed momentarily taken aback, but then gave the boy a small smile. "You are welcome. Now, hurry and wash up before breakfast." She turned once again and walked away.
Wind closed the door, feeling his heart race. Oh by the three….Since when were girls so…so pretty? He sipped his coffee thoughtfully and decided that it was better than any he had had before and that to sully it with sugar would only be disrespectful. He drank his hot beverage with gusto as he inspected the contents of the bag. These were nice! Just his size too! He grinned widely as he held them up against his frame.
Sky had been awake for some time when the knock came at his door. He had opened the window in the night to bring a soft sea breeze into the room and clear out the stale air from the cavernous space. He sat upon the daybed in the window and looked out at the garden below with longing as he strummed his harp absently. Zelda would like it here, he thought.. She would like the gardens, and the sea..the amazing giant bridge and the strange sky above.. The beautiful baths..
He had thought of her last night too when he sampled the soaps during his own long lux soak. One of the fragrant bottles smelled of honeysuckle and sunshine... Zelda loved honeysuckle. He decided that he would ask the master of the house for some to take home for her. He could imagine her face when she smelled it now..
He turned his head at the knock and placed his harp upon a silken brocade pillow with ornate tassles that rested beside him.
"One moment please." He called softly and made his way towards the door to meet Ms. Fen.
"Good morning, Mr. Link. I am Ms. Fen, Ravio's assistant." She dipped her head slightly in a nod. "These are for you." She handed him a bag like the one that wind had gotten. "Please let us know if they fit properly. If not, they will be replaced for you. Also... I was asked to bring you a coffee. It's just a cappuccino…sorry. I wasn't sure what you like, so I played it safe for the whole group." She held out a large, lidded paper cup with a green emblem on one side. "I hope this is to your liking. There is sugar in the bag. Mr. Ravio has asked your group to gather in the garden pavilion at 9, please be ready." She gave a small polite smile as she made to leave.
"Thank you, Miss Fen." Sky said as he began to close the door, she nodded over her shoulder as she began to make her way further down the row.
Sky tasted the coffee and gagged. It was all foam! Bitter bitter foam! He shrugged and reached into eh bag for the promised sugar. Upon finding the delicate paper packets (ingenious!) he poured them into his coffee. He improvised a stirring utensil with a pen he found on a nearby desk and tasted his drink again…. adequate. he wished there was just one more sugar.
The gang each made their way down to the gardens in their own time. Each getting used to his new garb in their own way... Four, Legend, Wild (who already had quite a wardrobe at his disposal) and Wind seemed to be having the easiest time adjusting and looked almost native to the great city. Time, Wars, and Twilight fared very nearly as well and only needed minor fixes to their outfits to not look odd (a button offset here or a popped collar on a polo smothed down... no one does that anymore *cough* Wars). Hyrule and Sky however did not seem to really be willing to …'integrate' as much. Sky gave it the ol' college try but refused to relinquish his beloved sail-cloth and had it tied about his neck like a cape over his green burnout tee and khaki shorts. It was…. A look for certain. Hyrule simply refused the contents of the bag for the most part and though he had gratefully accepted his new pair of shiny white Nikes (so much more comfortable than his heavy boots and light as a feather! He simply Must learn this enchantment!) he otherwise wore what he always did.
Winona gave a snort when she saw the gang assembled and Ravio just rested his head in his palm.
"Oh dear. Boys… We have some work to do." He sighed seeing the men fidget and exchange nervous looks under his withering gaze.