Zelda was sitting on her bed with her legs crossed when LInk entered her room. She was reading a dusty hardcover book he had never seen before. He got a glimpse of the words 'Bonds Bindings Souls Enslavement' on the cover before she sat it aside, the book now blocked by her body.

"Hi, LInk. Thank you for coming so quickly."

"No problem." Link does his best to smile, in spite of the serious discussion they were about to have.

Zelda quirks an eyebrow. "Oh, I see you brought your sword with you. Is there any particular reason why?"

Link was confused. Why was she asking him that? Well, he guesses there's not really any danger in the academy that would warrant bringing the Master Sword along, but… He feels himself blushing a little. "Well, uh, I guess I just got so used to taking Fi everywhere, that it just never crossed my mind not to bring her."

Zelda giggles. "Ah, I understand." Then she sobers. "But, would you mind if I asked you to maybe leave it outside?"

Link does a double take. "Huh?"

"I just… I'd really like it if this conversation were private, you know? Just like old times, just the two of us."

"Oh." That did sound nice. How long had it been since the two of them had had the time to just sit down and chat? Too long, that's for sure. "Okay. I'll go find a spot to put her, then. I'll be right back."

As he was leaving the room, he started to have second thoughts. Zelda's request wasn't unreasonable, by any means. But on the other hand. "Fi, are you okay with this?"

"There is a ninety-eight percent chance Zelda's intentions are pure, Master."

Link suppresses a sigh. He thought Fi would say something like that, so he knew he shouldn't be disappointed. During his journey, he had tried to get Fi to show emotion, even just call him LInk instead of Master. But it never worked. Still, he couldn't help but believe there was more to his companion than what meets the eye.

Ghirahim quirks an eyebrow when Link rounds the corner. "Finished already?"

"No, Zelda wants me to leave my sword outside so we can speak in private." Link mentally apologizes to his childhood friend as he continues speaking, knowing full well this is probably the opposite of what she intended when she asked him to do this. "You wouldn't mind watching her for me, would you?"

Ghirahim looks a little confused. "Her? Oh, you mean the sword, right. I would be honored. I swear to defend your blade to my last dying breath!"

Link can't help but smirk at the demon's dramatics. "That works." He leans the Master Sword carefully against the wall. He turns to leave, but then quickly realizes something and turns around. "Oh, and Ghirahim?"

"Yes?"

Link lowers his voice. "This is really important. Whatever you do, do not touch the sword. Don't touch the blade, don't touch the hilt… don't touch any part of her. This isn't an overprotective thing, it's for your own safety, okay?"

Ghirahim looks baffled, and lets out a little incredulous chuckle. "What could possibly be so dangerous about this sword, that to simply touch it would mean—"

"Stop!" The whole time he had been speaking, the demon's hand had been inching towards the sword and Link, without thought, slapped it away hard. Ghirahim gasps, flinching back against the wall.

"S-Sky Child?" Ghirahim had a hurt and confused look in his huge brown eyes that was making LInk feel like the scum of the earth. He was even tempered to hug him, but decided that probably wouldn't be welcome given the circumstance. Thank Hylia he didn't use that look on me before; otherwise I don't know If I could've brought myself to attack him.

"I'm sorry," LInk says, sincerely. "I don't have time to explain it right now. Just, please. Please don't touch my sword."

"Okay…"

Link felt like the worst person in the world as he left Ghirahim and Fi to return to Zelda's room. He wished he could have told the other boy why he shouldn't touch the Master Sword, he must seem really mean right now, and he hated that. Demon or no, a hero shouldn't be cruel. (Also, LInk was just a nice person all around.) He just hopes Ghirahim doesn't get curious again, he knew he would be in his position. Hopefully, Fi could stop him. Hopefully, Fi would stop him. He wasn't sure how the sword "felt" about their unlikely ally yet.

"You took a while," Zelda remarks when LInk finally returns to her room.

Link feels himself blush slightly. "Yeah, sorry. I just wanted to find a good place to put her."

Zelda smirks. "You know, it is the Master Sword. It can only be wielded by you, so it's not like anybody could steal her anymore."

"I know, I know. I just…"

Hylia's vessel gets a wistful look in her eyes. "You've really bonded with your sword, haven't you? I didn't expect you to, given the way it…" But she quickly becomes serious. "Never mind that, for now. Last night, I got a very, err, interesting visit from Groose."

"Huh?" Out of all the ways this conversation would go, he didn't expect this. "Groose?"

"He had worked himself into quite the state," Zelda explained. "He was shaking like a leaf, I could barely understand a word he said, and I think he even wet himself."

"Really?" Link knew this wasn't heroic behavior, but the thought of his childhood bully peeing his pants was more than a little amusing to him.

"Link, do not laugh." There was a severe tone in the girl's voice that immediately shut him up. "This is serious."

"Okay, okay, I'm sorry."

"Again, it was really hard to piece it together, but according to him, he heard Ghirahim's voice coming from the restroom last night."

Link sighs. There it is. A part of him was hoping this wouldn't come up, not yet anyway. But he knew all along this is what this had been about at the beginning.

"Link, please be honest with me. Did you bring Ghirahim to Skyloft?"

Link hesitates. For a moment, he's tempted to say no, to ease Zelda's mind at least for a while. But he knew it would just turn out for the worse eventually. So, slowly, he nods.

"Ugh, Link." Zelda groans. "Really? I thought I told you not to do anything stupid."

"I'm sorry, Zelda. I just couldn't leave him there on his own. If you saw him when he first woke up, he was so lost and confused."

"Link…"

"And he hasn't done anything bad since I brought him here. He had plenty of chances to do so, but he—"

"Exactly." Zelda interrupts harshly. "He had plenty of chances, because of your rash decision. He never should have had any chances."

Link falls silent. He doesn't have a valid argument to respond with. He knows his friend has a point.

"This is Skyloft. The purpose of Skyloft is to keep hylians away from demons so they cannot be hurt. By bringing a demon here, it defeats the whole purpose. Most of the people here aren't like you, LInk. They don't have a sacred sword or legendary fighting prowess. We have the knights, but we both know they don't stand a chance against someone like Ghirahim."

Link thinks about it, he really does. He can see Zelda's point. Maybe she's right. Maybe he shouldn't have brought Ghirahim here. But then he thinks about his most recent experiences with the demon, how kind he had become. How concerned he was for both LInk and Zelda's wellbeing. He easily could have killed link in his sleep last night. Even if he didn't know how to summon a weapon, he could still strangle him or something.

But he hadn't done that. He'd simply carried Link to bed and gently tucked him in. Practically the opposite of killing him, really. She just doesn't see him the way I have, the hero thinks solemnly. Not that he can blame her, given the experience she had with him. Still, he wished he knew what to say to change her mind.

His sadness must have shown on his face, because Zelda's face softens. "I know you're just trying to help him," she says gently. "You have a big heart. Comes with being the chosen hero, I guess. But Ghirahim… he's a demon, LInk. Demons aren't like us. They know nothing of compassion, or love or joy. They just want power, and will do anything to get it. It might seem like Ghirahim is kind now? But it won't last."

Is that true? LInk can't help but wonder. Ghirahim didn't seem like he was faking it. "But, what about…"

"You can't let yourself be fooled," Zelda continues, slightly more seriously. "I am telling you this for your own good. I don't want you to get hurt."

Link tries for a snort, but he can't quite get the humor in it. "I think I'm more than capable of—"

"I don't mean physically." Zelda looks pained. "I worry that you're going to get attached to him, and then he stabs you in the back. I'd never forgive myself if that happened to you. Please, LInk. Just consider it for a moment, won't you?"

Ghirahim was confused. That was nothing new lately, but now it was mostly aimed at the blade against the wall.

Link had asked him not to touch it under any circumstances, and he seemed really serious about it. But why? What would possibly happen if he did?

Still, he knew better than to disobey the Sky Child's wishes, especially so soon after leaving that morning without telling him. So he resigned himself to simply staring at the sacred looking sword, in hopes he would somehow learn something.

"What are you hiding?" He murmured, leaning down to get a closer look. He wasn't expecting a response, so it scared him half to death when there was a sudden chime, and a person appeared.

She was small, glowy, and very blue. She gazed at him with an unreadable expression. "Greetings, Ghirahim."

At the sound of her robotic, but also melodic tone, an inexplicable warmth grew in Ghirahim's chest. A tingly feeling, of recognition, connection. All thought in his mind froze in its tracks and faded away, until only one word remained. A word which he spoke in awe, barely above a whisper.

"…sister?"