The sound of a Cucco woke the group up earlier than expected. Despite the far too early wake-up call, Zelda was excited for the shopping excursion Vaati promised to take them turned over on one of the beds and put a pillow over his head, mumbling something along the lines of 'Ezlo, just a few more minutes,' and Link almost fell out of bed at the bird's call.

"GUYS! This is a little early, sure, but at least there won't be a lot of people around... OH SHOOT! I meant to tell you both about what we need to do... So get up, you lazy guys!"

The sound of Zelda's voice elicited groans from the sleepy duo, but Link and Vaati were finally (mostly) awake. Vaati seemed alright with sleeping in his day clothes, merely mentioning that 'they are soft, and comfortable as is', and Link just wore one of his many spare tunics because he couldn't be bothered monetarily or effort wise to procure some sleeping clothes. After much complaining, the two sat up, trying not to stare at the princess.

"What, do I have something on my face? Link, Vaati, uh... what's with those looks?"

"Uhhhhh," the soon-to-be hero of time couldn't really formulate a sentence, but Vaati had no problem saying what he was thinking as well.

"Zelda. What are you wearing?" The boy in purple kept looking between Link and Zelda with a confused expression.

"Oh. while you two were still trying to wake up I decided I needed to change out of that stuffy outfit I was in when we met. Also, why do you have so many tunics of the same shade, anyway?"

"It's so I don't have to run back to my home where I grew up every single time it gets ripped or otherwise damaged... but... why are you wearing my clothes? I knew I should have just gone back to sleep," Link flopped back on the bed with a sigh. He could tell that today was going to be a LONG day.

"It's strange, but you two look like you could be brothers," Vaati mused aloud, before he saw Zelda looking at him with an unreadable expression, and Link looked too tired to be dealing with this so early in the morning. After a brief silence, Zelda spoke up.

"So, about our plan, and why we're even here. The dream I had, which could be a prophecy, not too sure about that part, said that you... well at this point we, need to find the three spiritual stones to open the Temple of Time. I know there is one at Death Mountain, where the Gorons live, and one in the home of the Zora. There was something about Link being the Hero of Time, and that we have to stop the evil threatening Hyrule. It wasn't especially clear, but I guess most prophecies aren't. There wasn't even a single mention of my joining the group, so either way, were it specific, it wouldn't be much help now. More importantly, you said you were going to help me shop!"

"I did, didn't I... Link, want to help your good friend Vaati out?" The sorcerer looked to Link with pleading eyes.

"Sorry, Vaati, I remembered I had to go do... a thing, and that thing is going to, uh, keep me from joining you two on your shopping spree," Vaati and Zelda hadn't ever seen Link run so fast before.

"Looks like it's just you and me, then, Vaati,"

"You know, I would have been alright with him just saying he didn't want to come with us, but two kids with a lot of rupees would already attract some attention, let alone three would attract more attention, so in a way, it's good he decided to head off to do his 'Thing'," Vaati shook his head in irritation.

"So... what kind of disguises would a former villain suggest?" Zelda stuck her tongue out at the other boy, who responded by rolling his eyes.

"It doesn't really matter. If anyone is looking for you, they're going to be expecting incredibly expensive dresses and the like. I think there's a shop that sells dresses or whatever about a five minute walk from here," Vaati started in the direction of the shop in question, but paused when Zelda didn't follow. "You coming or..." He trailed off, seeing the look of discomfort on Zelda's face.

"What's wrong, Zeld?" The boy asked impatiently.

"It's," she sighed, "it's nothing. Let's get this over with." Vaati pinched the bridge of his nose in irritation, and decided against his better judgment to try and press her on what the problem was.

"Is it... the money? You don't want to owe me or Link anything?"

"What? Of course not, I mean, I'd prefer to be able to buy things with my own money, but that's not..."

"That was my best and only guess as to why you were so excited before and why you aren't now. You don't have to say anything, but we're friends now, right? Aren't we supposed to, I don't know, have sleepovers and talk about boys? I read in a fictional book that that is what friends do." Vaati was looking right at Zelda at this point, his hands on his hips in a decidedly sassy pose.

"You know what? Fine! I'll tell you! I hated all those events I was forced to go to as a kid, I hated dressing up for paintings of the 'Royal Family'! I just don't feel comfortable in a dress! They're stupid and I hate them! I thought you were going to help me pick out clothes like..." Zelda paused for a moment and covered her mouth with her hand, then quickly turned heel and ran away. Vaati hesitated for a moment before sprinting after the runaway... runaway.

Meanwhile

Link was determined to help this lady out with her pet Cuccos, more because she promised some kind of reward if he managed to collect them all in her arbitrary timeframe, and he was someone who would never turn down the chance at a reward. After many tries, and even more Cucco related injuries later, the woman gave him an empty bottle.

"What am I supposed to do with this?" grumbled the Hero.

"Uh... I just had it laying around? Sorry I don't have more to offer..."

Link shrugged and put the bottle into his strangely large (on the inside) pouch.