Warning: This chapter depicts acts of child abuse, verbal & physical.
Chapter 31: Path of Atonement I
Groose carried the freshly broken down logs from the trees that he cut. Grannie insisted that she had more than enough, an exact month's worth, but Groose needed the distraction. He hardly got any sleep the previous night, as evident by the bags under his eyes. During hte process he could've swore he some figures skydiving in the deeper part of the Faron Woods, as Grannie called it, but he thought the sleep deprivation was playing tricks on his head. Nonetheless, he prevailed in his task, albeit much more slowly than yesterday to his frustration.
A screech made Groose froze in his tracks, bringing his guard up. The wildlife down here was unknown. There could creatures of any kind that could make a meal out of him to he was on high alert, like he learned in knight training. To his relief, it only came from a bird flying nearby. The bird, more significant than the tiny birds but still significantly smaller than Loftwings, flew past above him. It heads straight toward the Sealed Temple ahead of him, disappearing behind it. The teen thought nothing of it, he continued on ahead.
Groose opened the doors leading inside the temple. He saw The Old One sitting in her usual spot. Does she do anyhting besides sitting there, he wondered. In front of her was the bird that Groose saw, getting it's head petted by the old woman. Groose took that moment to get a good look at the creature.
Despite being smaller than a Loftwing, Groose could see that this bird is something one shouldn't mess with. Its talons look sharp enough to make some dangerous cuts. Its beaks appear to be equally shaper than a Loftwing's. Probably could cause equally enough damage like its talons. And its feathers had some unique patterns on its feathers.
"Beautiful, isn't he?" The Old One commented, not glancing away from the bird.
"I-I guess. What is that?"
"This is a Hawk."
For some reason, that eerily sounds like the name of one of the Skyknights back on Skyloft. Groose brushed that aside. "He looks…pretty."
"That they are, but they are also hunters. They may not be as big as your Loftwings, but they can put up much of a fight if needed. Not many would dare to mess with them."
"I can see that." Groose eyed a weird object on the bird's back that looked like a pouch. "What's that he's got there?"
The Old One retrieved the items from the Hawk's pack. She petted under the bird's beak. "That is all I need. Fly now, my little friend."
The Hawk flew up through the hole in the temple roof, letting out a squawk. The Old One examines the object in her hand. A small bottle of an unknown substance with a note tied around the side. The Old One untied it and unfolded the letter.
"Here is the bottle you requested for the ritual. I apologize for the delay, Ancient One. It has been a while since this ritual was done, so some of us had to find the necessary ingredients. I've also written down the instructions needed to start with the ritual. I hope this helps your friend."
-Koshia
"What's that stuff, Grannie?" Groose called out.
The Old One places her attention on Groose. "Something to help you."
Already, Groose let out a frustrated groan. "Look, I told you. I don't need your help!"
"So you pointed out clearly. I know you won't talk about your problems. However, I wish to help you in whatever way possible. You mentioned having nightmares, correct?"
"Maybe."
"Well…I figure I should at least help you with that." The Old One showed him the bottle.
Groose scoffs. "What is that? Some sort of medicine to help me sleep?"
"Something like that…"
Her cryptic tone of her answer made Groose uncertain about that.
"How do I know this is not some ploy for you to poison me?"
"Now, why would I do that?"
Groose shrugs. "I…I don't know. I hardly know what goes on in that old head of yours."
"I can assure you that if I meant to poison or harm you in any form, I would've done so the moment you first stepped foot into this temple."
"You? Take me down?"
"I am not as fragile as I look." The Old One held up the bottle. "What do you say?"
Groose crossed his arms, turning away in defiance from the old woman. No way was he going to drink some weird thing he doesn't even know is edible. The Old One let out a sigh.
"I understand your skepticism. I will not force you to drink this if you do not wish to. I will keep it close in case you change your mind. But like I said. Asking for help doesn't make you weak."
"I don't need any special drink," Groose claimed.
The topic of the drink was not brought up from that point forward. Like the previous night, the pair ate their dinner. Then, eventually, they turn in for the night. And much like last night, Groose again had a nightmare, which was more intense & terrifying than the last one. He would wake up and barely get any sleep.
This routine would repeat for another two nights onward. Groose would wake up and spend several hours chopping down some wood, even when he had supplied The Old One with a week's worth of firewood. Then he would return with the wood, wait for dinner to be prepped, and eat it. After that, he would go to sleep only for it to be cut short by a bad dream. With each night, it gets more horrifying than the previous one.
On the third night, Groose woke up from the nightmare again. It took him at least five minutes to calm himself down. He could feel his heart pumping from the fear. Groose places his hand on his head, thinking.
"I can't deal with these dreams. How do I make them stop?"
The image of the bottle came to his mind. Grannie did say she would keep it in case he changed his mind. The elderly woman slept not too far away from him. A small bag lay beside her. That's where the bottle must be, Groose figured.
Just as he was about to make way, Groose stopped himself. He contemplated if he should drink it. Doing so would admit defeat, further cementing his uselessness, and weakness. Plus, there's still the chance that Grannie was trying to poison him. On the other hand, she did say this would help his nightmares. And Groose desperately needs his sleep or he'll go crazy from the lack of it.
With a heavy breath, he made his decision.
Groose tip-topped his way to where The Old One slept. Groose noticed how weird it was for her to sleep while sitting up, but he pushed that aside. Gently, Groose took the bag, rummaging through its contents until he found the bottle the Hawk had brought. It had a strange purple substance. It reminded Groose of purple grape juice. Removing the cork on the top of the bottle, releasing the scent of the drink, told Groose otherwise. It was clearly a potion, unlike the ones he had taken for when he fell ill/gotten injured, or smelled when he walked by Luv & Bertie's potion shop whenever he was in the Bazzar.
The teen glanced at The Old One, still sleeping, then back to the bottle in his hand. Again, the possibility of the stuff being poison crosses Groose's mind. He did not want to die, certainly not this way. But then again…would it really matter at this point? Would he be missed? Cawlin & Strich would, but they'll likely quickly move on. They probably want nothing to do with him anyway, now that Link & his friends saw Groose for who he is.
He let out a defeated sigh. "What the hell. Not like I got anything else to lose."
Groose chugged down the bottle's contents until every last drop was gone.
Seconds passed, and Groose felt no change other than the weird aftertaste of the potion. For a moment, Groose figure this potion was a fluke, and considered giving up.
Tingling stuck his stomach area, making him groan. Clenching his stomach with his free hand as he leaned over. His eyes grew very heavy as his vision blurred. Groose wobbles over to The Old One. He collapsed on his side, before he could wake her. Groose felt himself moving on his back before he passed out.
Unbeknownst to him, she was already awake. She had sensed his movement and drinking the potion. When he fainted, she was quick to move.
The Old One pulled out two bottles with paint: One Blue. One Purple. She covered each finger with one respective color. She places a line of blue paint on one of Groose's cheeks and a line of purple on the other. Finally, combining both colors, The Old One paints an upside-down triangle on Groose's forehead.
With that said and done, The Old One hovers her hand over his face. Out her mouth, spoken words in a different language.
[Ancient Sisters, hear my request]
[Help this person who is filled with unrest.]
[For his heart is troubled]
[Causing those around to be disgruntled]
[Accept my proponent]
[So that he may find his path to atonement]
The blue & purple paint on Groose's face begins to glow.
First, there was darkness in his vision, then came white. That's all he could see for what could be miles.
Getting his bearings, Groose took several steps forward. The grogginess from the potion was all gone. Instead he felt energized. Each footstep echoes across the white void. He looked around for any sign of life when there was none. An unidentifiable voice echoes in the air. Groose couldn't determine what it said, but it sure did creep him out the longer the voice repeated until it faded away.
Several shapes of squares appear. Some on the floor and the ceiling, if this vast of nothingness had any. Each is in different colors such as green, pink, yellow, orange, light green, orange red, brown, and navy blue.
"Hello? Grannie?" Groose's call echoes all around him. "Anyone one here?"
Nothing responded back other than the mysterious voices that occasionally pop up. Groose glances at the few squares on the ground. Curious, Groose crouches down at the navy blue square that matches the color of his shirt now that he got a better look at it. To his shock, he lifted it up a bit like a floor door. But it suddenly floated above, fading away the higher it went.
Groose stood back to his feet with an unsettled expression. Oh yeah, he definitely does not like this. "Alright, Grannie! What is this? Where the hell am I?! What was in that potion?!"
He didn't get any answer. All he heard was the echoes of his voice.
"This ain't funny, Grannie! Get me out of this now!"
Again, no response.
"Come on! I know you can hear me! No way you leave me in this place all alone!"
All he heard were the various, ominous chants of the world 'alone.' The way the bounce through the voice was enough to drive Groose crazy.
"I gotta get out of here!"
Groose instinctively sprints ahead, only to realize there is no exit. Now, he was getting nervous. The nervous sweat trailing down his head and the heart pounding in his chest were evident.
"This is hell, isn't it? Who am I kidding? Of course I'm in hell."
Groose turned back aimlessly and ran in an infinite direction for what felt like forever. He kept this up until he finally gave up. He frantically looked around.
"Where's that old hag? Where's anything?!" He slammed his clenched hands onto his hands many times, repeating. "Where?! Where?! Where?! Where?!-"
A sudden force struck Groose's back, knocking him face first, letting out an 'oof.'
"Are you calm now?"
Groose was quick to his feet when he discovered the source of the voice.
Standing near him were two young women with light brown skin. They wore strange robes with skirts trailing down on the back and had lone aprons. They wore leggings accompanied by boots. They wore weird-looking two-pointed hats. Their faces had bird-like masks with long beaks covering their eyes but exposing their mouths, and both of their purple-blue eyes.
While they do have similar appearances, they do have their differences.
The woman on the left's clothes had varying shades of blue. Her hair, which was light blue, was tied in a lone ponytail and went to the length of her mid-back. Her bangs were styled pointing left and had a solitary blue diamond. Her lips were curved in a warm smile.
Blue Girl's companion on Groose's Right wore dark purple, with small lines of bronze. Her clearly shorter hair was pure white. Purple Girl's bangs were styled pointing right and had a red gem. She also held a scepter, that had magical particles fading away. Unlike her friend, Purple Girl's mouth was in a neutral frown.
Groose didn't know what to say. Or what to do. Thankfully, he didn't have to because Blue Girl made the first move. "Hi!" She waved.
"Who the hell are you two?" Groose stammered.
"My name is Lana." She gestured over to her Purple Companion. "This is my sister, Cia. We've been summoned to help you."
"Help me? With what?"
"To see your errors so that you may improve yourself," Cia spoke in a firm, sharp tone.
Groose let out an annoyed groan. "Oh great…Why does everyone think there's something wrong with me? I've told Grannie that I DO NOT need help."
"But you clearly do," Cia stepped forward. "Judging by what we know, you will definitely need it, young Groose."
"How do you know my name?"
"We know everything about you," Lana responded. "From your very first memory to the past. All the way to the present."
"And we take accounts from how you acted from your key moments to make an accurate prediction for your future," Cia added. "From what we gather, your future is not looking good for you currently."
"And how would you know all of that?" Groose inquired, not buying what they were saying.
"We're Spirit Guides," Lana answered. "We examine the key moments in your life. What made you into 'you'."
"And if you have the dignity to accept it, you go on a different path to make yourself a better person," Cia explained to Groose.
"As much as I like hanging out with two pretty women, you're wasting your time. So how about you both send me back-" Groose was cut off when Cia whacked his head with her scepter. "OW! Geeze, what was that for?!"
"You listen here, boy. You're stuck here with us until we're done. You will listen to what we have to say and what we have to show you."
"We're doing this for your best interest, Groose," Lana insisted.
"Who are you to judge what's in my best interest? Why can't I decide that for myself?" Groose argued.
"Because you had spent the past seven years like this. You show no signs of any type of improvement." Cia responded critically. "Even after what happened with The Imprisoned, a part of you believes you can go back to being the terrorizer you were known for being."
"Terrorizer?" Groose barked back questioningly.
Lana moved closer to Groose. "For the seven years that you have lived in Skyloft, you have been unkind to many, especially towards Link.
"What does he have to do with this?"
"Everything, boy. You'll understand by the time we're through," Cia said.
"Are you aware of the nature of your harshness and the effects it brings?" Lana asked Groose,
Groose crossed his arms, not saying anything. That is a good enough answer for Lana.
"I can only guess your answer is a yes."
"So I'm not nice. Why does that matter? Being nice never got me anywhere."
"Now, why on earth would you believe that?"
"Its…It's what my folks taught me."
"I presume your 'folks' are your parents?" Groose responded with a nod to Cia. "Tell us…how is your relationship with them?"
Groose nervously crossed his arms. "...Alright." Groose turns his back to the pair.
"Are you sure? The tone in your voice indicates otherwise," Lana noted.
"I-...I haven't seen them in a while."
"Why is that?"
"Does it matter why?"
"It kinda does," Cia responded with snark.
Groose let out a defeated breath. "They left me at the academy because…they couldn't care for me. Satisfied?"
"You can't lie to us, Groose," Lana said calmly.
"I ain't lying!" Groose protested back.
"Maybe not to us." Cia placed a hand on her hip, not convinced of his answer. "You rather believe lies than truths. You've been doing that for a good portion of your life. That includes blaming others for your bad actions."
"Which is why we are here. To help you see through your problem. And maybe you'll see there is another way." Lana put a comforting hand on Groose's shoulder. He hastily shakes his shoulder, rejecting her hand.
"I don't need anyone telling me what to do!" Groose received another whack from Cia's scepter.
"Quiet you! Listen up!" Cia points scepter at Groose's chest, giving him a firm glare behind her bird mask. "We don't want to be here as much as you do. To me, you already look like a lost cause, but I digress. We are here because someone out there cares enough to summon us to help you. Whether we, or you like it or not, that is our duty. Not many get this opportunity for this type of self-reflection. So I suggest you cooperate with us. Do so, and we'll get this done swimmingly. We'll be out of your hair, and you go about your merry life. How you do it, that's up to you, but maybe me, and my sister can hopefully get through your stubborn self so that you may be better. Are we clear?"
Figuring he wouldn't get out this easily, Groose had no choice but to comply. "Fine. Humor me."
"Go to hear!" Lana beamed, placing her flat palms together. "With that taken care of, we can get started."
"Buckle down, boy. You're gonna be here for a while," Cia advised.
"Not like I have any other choice," Groose replied sarcastically. "So, how exactly are you supposed to 'help' me?"
"We will show you your key memories. Ones that show you what kind of person you are." Lana informed him.
"And we start from the beginning. Way back before you even dropped at Skyloft," Cia mentioned.
"And what's that supposed to mean?" Groose asked.
"We are visiting your early childhood years."
The very idea of that suddenly made Groose feel very anxious. His chest was filled with a lot of dread. "A-Are you sure that's necessary?"
"Events in one's childhood often shape the person they become later on. Me & Cia, and importantly you must see those key moments," Lana explained.
"Well I…I doubt you'll get anything. My life pre-Skyloft wasn't all that interesting. My family fell on hard times, and they had to make the choice to leave me at the academy."
Again, Cia hit Groose's head with her sceptor. "I thought we mentioned that we see through your lies. Whatever memory we show will be presented authentically. They will not be altered in any way. You'll see how they genuinely happened."
Rubbing his head to soothe the pain, Groose gave a thumbs up.
"Let's get started."
Lana moves her hands together in a meditative pose, closing her eyes. A glowing orb appears in between her palms. The sphere expands, creating a blinding light that obscures Groose's vision. When his sight did return after the glow died down. Groose and the sisters were no longer in the white void.
They were on the side of a clearly small house. If you remove the divider, the main room itself was as big as his room and Cawlin & Strich's. Groose could see a couch nearby, a tiny kitchen, and a small bookshelf. There was a pile of dirty dishes in the kitchen sink, dust on the surfaces, and not much furniture.
Sounds of a baby crying bounce through the walls of this tiny house. On the other end of the room stood a woman holding a baby, crying its head off.
The woman appeared to be in her twenties. Her skin tone matches that of Groose. The shape of her head is oval-like, similar to Groose's. And she had the same bright red hair. Through her attempts to calm down the baby, Groose could see how irritated she appeared.
"Could you please shut up already?" Groose heard her say loud and clear despite the baby's wailing.
A door slammed open, revealing a man. His build was like Groose's. He shared Groose's amber-colored eyes, and nose. Like the woman, he appeared frustrated. And maybe more pissed off.
"Would you shut him up already?! I'm trying to catch up on my sleep!" The Man bellowed at the woman. "My day off from working, and I have to spend hearing him cry his head off."
"You think I like hearing him crying? Maybe we could calm him down if you were willing to help instead of sleeping! He is your son, too, you know!" The Woman barked back.
"Excuse me for trying to catch up on my sleep cycle. It's screw up since I work two jobs to support us. Have you fed him?"
"I tried that, along with changing him. Singing to him. And checked if he was sick. None of that work! It's like he doing this for no reason. Why did no one tell us how difficult this would be? I always thought being a mom would be fun. Instead, all I get is baby barf, barely any sleep, constant crying!"
"Not to mention how financially draining he would be. Even with my two jobs, we barely have enough rupees to get ourselves nice things! He better become more useful around here when he gets older." The volume of the infant's wailing went higher. This made the man even more angry. "For Goddesses sake, shut him up already!"
The Man marched back into the room he came from. The Woman glanced back down at the baby, giving him a hateful scowl. "You little wretched thing! If there's nothing wrong, you can stay in your room!" She marched over to another room. "You'll not see me or your father until you finally stop crying. For your sake, you better be quiet when you get older. It's the least you can do after putting us through this!"
The Woman entered the room, emerging out of it minutes later, slamming the door shut. The baby's wails emitted through the walls while the woman rubs her temple.
"They seem like a happy little family." Cia deadpanned to Lana.
"Indeed, sister." Lana turns in Groose's direction. "You know where we are, Groose?"
The teen didn't respond back. His eyes glued over to the woman and the other door where the man retreated. Both of them, along with the house, were all too familiar with him. He knew the answer to Lana's question long before she asked him. He knew the moment he spotted the red hair & amber eyes on that baby the woman was holding.
"Groose? Did you hear me?" Lana called out to him. "Do you know where we are?"
"I…I do."
"Can you tell us where?"
"My…My old house."
"And did you know who that man & woman is?"
"My…" Groose gulped. "They're my parents."
"Well…" Cia scoffed. "That certainly explains things."
"Indeed," Lana responded with acknowledgment. "It appears that those clearly don't know how to properly care for you."
"Woah woah, now." Groose raised his arms in defense. "Maybe taking care of me wasn't easy, but I know they cared."
"We will be the judge of that. For now, let's jump…seven years."
Lana softly clapped. A glowing line emitted from the trio, spreading across the house interior. Aside from some furniture that got rearranged, everything was relatively the same. Except now there was a kid. The kid being Groose, no longer a baby but now a seven-year-old child.
Little Groose was sweeping the floors with a broom too big for him to hold onto. The child took an exhale of air once he had finished cleaning. Judging by the sweat on his forehead, the boy had been working for hours.
"Phew! All done." Young Groose wiped his forehead with his hand. "Hopefully, that'll make Mom and Dad happy." He glanced up at the clock on the wall. "Got some time to rest before they get back."
The boy rushed into his bedroom. There lies only a bed, a desk, and one lone small window. Nothing else. The walls surrounding the room had a bland color. No décor of any kind. The only thing notable about the room is that it had only bare necessities. The room was devoid of any kind of creativity. Like an empty shallow husk.
Young Groose sat on his bed, then lay on his side. Eyes glued to the outside window. The sky outside showed no clouds, only the beautiful sun shining down. He let out a longing sigh before closing his eyes.
"Say, Lana, may I ask you something?" Cia spoke up.
"Of course," Lana responded.
"Is it normal for a child to look this sad?
"Hmm…I don't think so. Groose's young self seems particularly unhappy."
"Correct me if I'm wrong, but aren't children's rooms usually more…livelier? The walls should have some decorations. Stars, flowers, clouds. Or even colors of any kind. Anything but this."
"I don't see any toys around either. This is quite concerning."
Cia moves her gaze to Groose. "I wonder why that is, hmm?"
"Its…It's like I said. My folks were hit by hard times. Couldn't spare any expense for toys, or anything for me," Groose answered.
"Even the poorest parent could afford at least one toy for their child," Lana noted. "Believe me, we know."
"Why even Pipit's mom occasionally bought him a new toy after his lost his father, despite your beliefs of her, how would you say, getting lazy because she misses her dead husband," Cia remarked.
Hearing that made Groose flinch a bit. He didn't have any type of response for her.
"Let's jump ahead an hour."
Lana claps her hands. The sun outside shifted down. Young Groose remained on his bed, napping away. A loud slam echoed throughout the house to wake up Groose."
"Groose! Where are you?" A man's voice bellowed.
Young Groose's face grew fearful when he glanced at the clock. "Crud! They're already back."
"Don't keep us waiting now!" A woman's voice spoke up."
"Coming!" Young Groose jumped off his bed and hastily exited.
His parents are in the main room waiting. They appear a bit older than when Groose was a baby, as evidenced by their hair's small wrinkles and grays. They looked at the boy with a firm, neutral expression. Younger Groose quickly straightened himself up. Giving the couple complete eye contact.
"Hey, Mom. Hey Dad. How was work for you guys?" Young Groose greeted them meekly.
"Alright," Groose's Father answered. "Now, we want to know how things were here?"
"Everything fine," Young Groose promised with a nervous, toothy grin.
"Did you finish your chores?" Groose's Mother asks.
"Yes, ma'am."
"ALL of them?" Young Groose vigorously nodded.
Groose's Mother did not look convinced by her son's answer. She slowly walked around, inspecting every corner of the room with a critical eye. Groose's Father stands firm, staring at his son, arms crossed.
"Dishes are cleaned…Could be better." Groose's Mother spoke up. "Trash is taken out. Books are stacked in alphabetical order. Didn't think you could do that. The floor is swept up…decently." Groose's Mother stops dead in her tracks. "What is that?" The woman dragged her index finger on a shelf. Dust resided on the finger's surface. Groose's Mother did not seem pleased.
"What did we tell you about lying, Groose?"
"Lying is…bad." Young Groose responded
"So when we ask if you finished all your chores, we mean every. Single. One. Yet find that you haven't dusted."
"I did dust. I only forgot that spot-!" Young Groose protested, earning a glare from both of his parents.
"Why did you forget it?" Groose's Mother inquired.
"I-I was tired from doing the other chores. I just wanted a bit of a nap!"
"You didn't finish your chores so you could waste the afternoon napping?" Groose's Father questions in utter disbelief.
"I'm sorry. It won't happen again. I promise-" Young Groose was cut up with his mother lifting her hand.
"Listen here, son. Your father and I work hard to provide for you. The least you can do is help us out here like a good son should."
"Life is hard enough as it is for your mother and me," Groose Father scoffed. "We don't need you to make it worse. Well, worse than you already made it."
Young Groose lowered his head with shame.
"When you ask us to do something, you WILL listen to us." His mother demanded. "When we want you to do your chores, you will do ALL of them. Thats what we expected in this house."
"Lie to us again, and the consequences will be harsh." Groose's Father warned. "Got it?"
"Yes...I won't forget again."
"Now that's a good boy." Groose's Mother patted his head, giving a condescending smile. "But to make you learn your lesson, you must be punished. You'll get double the chores tomorrow."
"And you'll get no dinner tonight," His father added.
"But…I'll be hungry."
Groose's Father rolled his eyes. "Don't be such a pipsqueak. You'll get over it."
"We don't like doing this, Groose. But you don't get far in life by being soft…" Groose's Mother stated.
"You need to command respect," Groose's Father concluded.
Not once did Groose say anything during this whole exchange. His skin felt cold. His chest aches with hurt upon watching this scene from his youth play out.
"Commanding respect…Why does that sound familiar?" Cia pondered out.
"It is the same mantra that Groose has used for many years now," Lana said to her sister. "Tell me, Groose. How does it make you feel when you hear those words? Strong…or afraid?"
"I ain't scared!" Groose shouted with hints of panic in his voice. Lana & Cia look alarmed by how he sounded. Not wanting the sisters to catch on, Groose tried to play it off. "Okay…Maybe my folks had a strong belief in tough love."
Lana tilted her head. "You call being forced to do chores, not having any toys or any items for yourself, and not eating all because you forgot to dust, love?"
"That sounds more like abuse," Cia stated.
"Woah there. Let's not get too dramatic. My parents only wanted me to be tough." Groose defended. The sisters were not convinced of his words.
"They treat you like a nuisance than their own bloody child," Cia stated. "Yet…you still defend them."
Lana gently grabs Groose's shoulder. "Groose…I get it. They're your parents. I understand why you defend them. All children love their parents. That's an undeniable fact. But me & Cia have been around for a long time. Long enough to know good parents. And bad ones."
Groose gave the blue-haired girl a glare. "Oh, is that what this is? My folks ditch- I mean…left me in the Knight Academy's care, and they're bad because of it? They may not have been perfect, but they still cared about me."
"You said 'ditch' first. Without any hesitation," Cia noted.
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"It means deep down you do know the truth," Lana interjected. "You're parents, they…didn't-"
"Don't you dare finish that sentence!" Groose pointed at her threateningly.
Lana let out a breath. "If you can't acknowledge it yourself…then we have no choice but to do this."
"Show what?"
"We show you…the events that lead you to Skyloft." Cia turns her head to Lana. "If you please, dear sister."
With a clap of her hands, Lana emitted a ring of light around the room. They all see Young Groose once again in his bedroom. He was a bit older. Ten years old, to be exact. The boy was surrounded by tools, a diagram of sorts.
He was tinkering with some tiny contraption. It had a little lever. There was also a lever with a small bowl attached to it. Young Groose used the hammer to finish securing the final piece of his inventions.
"Just a few more hits and…" Young Groose made one final gentle hit on the piece. "And I'm finally done! But I need to make sure this works."
Young Groose grabbed a marble ball. He placed it into the bowl of the contraption. He adjusted it to a hand-drawn target taped on the wall. He aimed for it steadily. With one flick of the lever, the marble ball was flung forward. Landing a direct hit on the target. Young Groose stood agape for several minutes, shocked at what had happened.
"I…I did it. I did it!" He pumped his arm in the air in a victory pose. "I can't believe it actually worked!" He grabbed his creation, hugging it close. "For the first time…I did something right. Mom & Dad will have to see it now."
Groose could only give a bittersweet smile as he watched Young Groose test out his creation again & again. Seeing his young self so happy made him wonder.…when was he last this happy?
"That's probably the happiest I've ever seen you," Cia commented.
"What is that thing you built?" Lana asks.
"Its…It's a weapon. Well a model for a weapon. Made for throwing large objects," Groose answered her. "My dad helps build things, and I got interested. I wanted to help others, and I figured, why not make something that can fight the monsters that fly?"
"What's it called?"
"The um…Groosenator?" Groose gave a cheeky grin.
Lana lifted her brow. Cia, on the other hand, looks straight up unamused. "Hey, that's all I could think of back then!" Groose lifted his hands in defense.
"Odd name choice aside, it is a remarkable invention, I will admit. For one at that age to create something effortlessly takes a lot of talent." Cia's fingers moved to her chin. "Makes me wonder… why did you never pursue it?"
Sounds of a glass break caught the trio's attention. They all look to see Young Groose's expression no longer joyful but now mortified. Nearby stood his bedroom window with a hole in the glass.
"What was that?!" Groose's Father's booming voice echoed from the other side of the wall.
Groose felt chills creep down his spine. The color drained from his skin as he felt his heart dropped.
"Oh Goddess…" Groose muttered with dread.
"What's wrong?" Lana asks with concern.
"I-I just remembered…What happens." Groose starts to hyperventilate. "Stop this."
"I can't…Not until the memory finishes," Lana admitted.
Groose could only now watch what had transpired next. His heart aches, knowing what is coming for his young counterpart.
Young Groose's bedroom door slammed wide open. Groose's Father had a tight grip on the door handle while his wife stood close by. They glance at the window, then down to where their son is, alongside his invention. The couple looked furious.
"What did you do?!" His father bellowed.
"I-I'm sorry! It was an accident!" Young Groose pleaded.
Groose's mother marches over to the boy. She swings her hand to her son's face. The force of the slap was strong enough to leave a stinging sensation.
"Do you realize what you've done?!" his mother screeches. "That's going to cost us so much rupees!"
Groose's Father glances at the floor. Eyes widen. "Are those my tools? You took my tools?!"
"I meant to give them back!"
"I thought somebody stole these! I had to go buy new ones! Do you know how much they cost?!"
"I'm sorry! But I needed to make this!" Young Groose grabs his invention and shows it to his parents, with his father holding it. "I've been working on it for months. I have plans and everything." Young Groose lifts up the diagram for his mother to take. Each of his parents looked at the objects in their hands. They seemed confused by what their son had created. Young Groose figures it to be a good sign.
"It took many tries, but I finally got it to work! I got the idea from you, Dad." Groose's Father seemed confused by that statement. "You help build stuff for other people. I thought I could do the same thing! I only want to make you both proud!"
"You think we're proud of you?" The dark tone of his mother's voice wiped away any hope Young Groose had. "What reason have you given us to be proud? Since the day you were born, you've done nothing by draining our finances and causing us nothing but trouble!"
"I..." Young Groose stammered. "...I only wanted to help."
"HELP?! You're anything but that! It's bad enough that our lives are harder because of you, but for you to be doing this ridiculous thing when you could've used that time doing some real work is something else!" Groose's Father yelled, making Young Groose flinch. "We work our asses off to give you a roof, clothes, and food. You should be grateful that we didn't dump you! The least you could do is make our lives easier. But it's not enough for you, is it. Instead of helping us, you waste your time-" He slams the invention down. Young Groose froze in fear when he heard the cracks. "-Making absurd contraptions!"
"No!"
Getting a sense of what her husband had planned, Groose's Mother starts ripping apart the diagram.
"Stop!" Young Groose's begging fell deaf on her ears until she ripped the paper into tiny pieces
Groose's Father starts smashing Groose's creation with his foot many times. Young Groose ran over to his father, hitting his sides with both balled-up fists. He yelled repeatedly for him to stop. All he got in response was a smack on the face, strong enough to land on the ground. All Young Groose could do was helplessly watch as his father smashed his invention until they were nothing but pieces.
When Groose's Father was finished, Young Groose crawled to the remains. Tears stream from his eyes as he gathers the broken parts in shaking hands. Months of hard work, gone within minutes. The boy starts to cry.
"Don't cry. This was your own doing," Groose's Mother scolded without a hint of remorse.
"I worked so hard…I could've helped others," Young Groose sobbed.
"Like anyone would listen to your ridiculous ideas," Groose's Father scoffed.
Young Groose's sobs slowly turned into heavy breathing. Anger-filled kind of breathing. Without warning, Young Groose launches himself in his father's direction. He slammed with his fists yet again, letting out angry yells. His father responded by punching his face. A yelp escaped the body, and a small trail of blood peaked from his nostril. He then tried to do the same to his mother, only for her to slap him hard enough to make his lip bleed.
"How dare you try to attack us!" Groose's Mother barked.
"Why?! Why are you so mean to me?!" Young Groose yelled out in between his cries.
His mother grabs his face harshly, pulling him close enough for their foreheads to almost touch. "Because you're useless! Do you hear me?!"
"You're nothing but deadweight in our lives!" His father proclaimed.
"And deadweight is all you'll ever be!"
All Young Groose could give in response were choked-up sobs. He looked into his mother's eyes, silently begging him for forgiveness. She and her husband could only glare down. After minutes of staring him down, she yanks her hand away and towers above him.
"No dinner for you tonight. In fact, no food for you at all for the next twenty-four hours. And you're confined here until the morning." That was all she said before she left. Her husband followed, slamming the door shut, followed by the sounds of a lock.
Young Groose was frozen on the floor for probably hours. Tears continue to pour out as he continues with his sobs. In between them, he grabs the pieces of his broken invention.
He tried to put them back together. Many times, he had tried this but to no avail. After the dozenth attempt, he threw pieces against the wall with a shout. Young Groose clenches his head, slamming his hands against it while he continues to cry. He screamed in frustration, throwing more broken parts all around. He was angry. Angry at himself. He kept on throwing until there was nothing left to throw. Young Groose sank back to his knees, crying even more.
"Why? Why can't I do anything right…Why am I so useless?"
Back on the other end, the sisters watch Groose. They waited for his reaction. What they don't see is a lone tear on his cheek. He quickly wiped it away. A gentle touch felt on his back.
"You remembered what happened after this?" Lana asks him softly.
"They took me to Skyloft three days after this…" Groose responded, trying to hide his sadness. "They told my headmaster they couldn't take care of me anymore. Cried their eyes out."
"But…" Lana pressed on.
"They lied to his face. Tried to make them more…sympathetic. Did not want to make it obvious that…"
"They didn't want you anymore."
Groose let out an exhale of air. "Yeah…"
The teen could recall the day clearly. His parents dragged him out of bed, saying they were all going on the flight. He flew with them on their Loftwings for hours until they reached Skyloft. Groose remembers how amazed he was at how big the island was compared to the tiny island his house is.
His parents landed at the academy doors, requesting to speak with headmaster Gaepora. They told him their farce sob story, even bursting into tears and begging the headmaster to take in Groose. Ever the sympathetic & kind man he is, Gaepora agreed. After that, his parents left, not even giving a second glance. That was the last time Groose ever saw them.
"I always thought…it was my fault. That I wasn't a good enough son. When I was left at Skyloft, I was scared being seen as useless. I figured putting on a tough guy act would help me out. Sure worked with my dad."
"And you became the biggest bully on Skyloft," Cia concluded.
"Give me a break. Not like I had good role models."
"How you treated everyone in Skyloft was your own doing." Cia stood in front of Groose, giving him complete eye contact. "You have my uttermost sympathy, believe me. Your parent may've stole what should've been a happy, safe childhood from you, but they didn't take away your ability to make choices. Lana & I have been around since the Golden Three created this world. We've seen many lifetimes of different people. Some of them had upbringings similar to yours. Despite their hardships, most of them still ended up being kind people. Having a hard upbringing is not an excuse for you to bring misery onto others."
"Well, being nice never got me anywhere," Groose argued, making Cia lift a brow. "I tried to be nice to my parents. We all know how THAT turned out for me. No matter what I did, they treated me like shit. Why should I be nice to others if it never worked out for me!"
"Then how do you explain this?" Lana lifted her hand, another glow emitting from it.
The scene shows Young Groose again, sitting on the roof of the Knight Academy. There was evidence in his eyes that he had been crying. His legs were close to his chest, head resting on top of his knees. Footsteps approaching from behind caught his attention.
A young blond girl around his age stared at him with noticeably pretty blue eyes. She gave him a wave. "Hi!"
"Hello? Who are you?"
"I'm Zelda. Are you the new kid?"
"Who's asking?" Young Groose asks with a snark.
"Me, obviously," Zelda responded back playfully. "What's your name?"
"Groose."
"Nice to meet you, Groose!" Zelda stuck out her hand, offering a handshake. Groose didn't budge. Instead, opted to look back at the sky ahead. Zelda did not walk away. "Are you okay? You look sad."
"I…I miss my parents. They…couldn't take care of me."
"That stinks. I'm sorry to hear that. But I'm sure they can visit, or maybe they can write to you. Maybe when things get better, they'll return, and you'll be together again."
"Yeah…Maybe you're right," Groose breathes out.
"Maybe in the meantime…you could use a friend?" Zelda suggested.
Young Groose looks at her in bafflement, surprised to hear that. "You want to be my friend?"
"I don't see why not. Everyone deserves a friend except for Cawlin. He's a jerk. I suggest you stay away from him."
"Noted…"
"I brought you a little something. Call it a welcome gift."
Zelda pulls something out of her pocket. In her hand was a necklace covered with red & green gems around the whole string. "I like to make gifts for newcomers. Help make them feel more welcome."
"You made it that quickly?" Young Groose inquired, impressed that the girl could make something in the short time he arrived.
Zelda nodded her head. "Crafting is a hobby of mine. I'm pretty good at it."
Young Groose felt impressed by her answer. He took the gift from Zelda. The boy examines the jewelry in his hand for several minutes. He wasn't sure what to make.
"Do you like it?" Zelda asks him. "If not, you don't have to keep it."
"I do like it! It's just…I never got a gift before."
"Really?" Zelda sounded shocked by that revelation. "Your parents never got you a gift?" Young Groose nods. "Not even on your birthday or holidays?"
"Things were…tough for my family." Young Groose lowered his head.
Zelda pulled him into a hug. "I'm so sorry. I'm sure they must've been awful for them."
"Yeah…I bet."
"Hopefully, those days are behind you. There are many nice people in Skyloft, including here at the academy. I'm sure you'll make enough friends to get many gifts."
"Thank you."
"Can you, um, try it on. I wasn't sure what size to make it."
"One way to find out." Young Groose puts the necklace on him. "A little big…But I think I'll grow into it."
"Oh, thank goodness." Zelda beamed happily, holding both of his hands. The notion made Young Groose grow a light flush on his cheeks. "I think you and I are going to get along, Groose. Come. Let me show you around." Zelda excitedly jogged away, dragging Young Groose behind by the arm.
The scene then fades away. Groose, Cia & Lana were all back in the empty white void. Lana was the first to speak.
"You were kind to her in that moment. It what made her want to be your friend. From the moment you met Zelda, you never once showed any ill towards her. Even after you both fell out, you never bullied her once."
"You always got a kick out of bullying her friends, though," Cia reminded. "You have no hesitation bringing their day down to make yourself feel good. But the moment Zelda shows up, suddenly, you turn into a stuttering schoolboy. You never called her a mean name, made her a victim of your pranks, or tried to sabotage her."
"You were always capable of kindness. You just chose not to do it," Lana laid it out to him.
Groose could only look at them. He wanted to say something. Argue with them. Tell them that they were wrong. That's what he always did when he got caught in his acts of mischievousness. This time, however, he couldn't. Lana & Cia clarified that they could see right through his façade.
"There is more we still have to show you," Cia said.
"What else?" Groose asks, curious to know.
"Everything that happened when you arrived at Skyloft on the day of the Wing Ceremony."
With that, Lana conjured up another orb. It then let out a bright light, blinding Groose's vision again. Leave him wondering what else he'll see.
First things first. If you caught the Spongebob reference, good on you. Second thing I would like ot mention
Comic Book Guy from the Simpsons: Worst. Parents. Ever.
Yeah, writing this chapter was hard to do. If you've been a victim of child abuse of any kind, you have my utermost sympathy and I wish you nothing but healing. Groose's parents were certaitnly something. You may've notice I never gave them names. I figure they didn't deserve that luxury. They were such big assholes weren't they. Its like the saying goes.
Every child deserves parents. But not every parent deserves a child.
And I brought in Cia & Lana from Hyrule Warriors. I thought they would be perfect for this role (since they're non canon characters anyways). They had some adjustments (such as giving Lana the same skin tone as Cia's, and give Cia's dress a more...modest look). I hope you guys like my take on them!