"Yes, I win!" Fledge cried, slapping his final card down on the deck. The three boys had spent a long while studying and eventually decided to take a break. Now they were playing a card game Link had never tried before, but was thoroughly enjoying.

Pipit glanced down at the card Fledge had discarded and frowned. "That's a six, Fledge, not a nine."

"What? No, no, it's not."

"You can only play cards that either match the number or the color. That card does neither of those things."

Fledge was clearly trying to play it cool, but failing miserably. This had obviously been a ruse he'd done on purpose, but it wasn't as successful as he'd hoped. "It's a nine, I swear!"

"Sorry, Fledge," Link speaks up, trying not to laugh. "I'm with Pipit on this one. You can't just flip a six upside down and make it a ni…"

"Master Link?" The hero's attention instantly switched from Fledge to Fi when the sword spirit spoke up. "Apologies for the interruption, but I have just detected a massive spike of uncontrolled demonic magic coming from the main classroom of the academy."

"What?"

"What do you mean 'what,' Link?" Pipit was saying in the background, but he sounded far away. "Are you okay?"

Link was very much not okay, not that he was about to admit it. Demonic magic? That could only mean one thing.

"There is a ninety-nine percent chance that this was caused by Ghirahim. I suggest we investigate as soon as possible."

With the spirit's confirmation of his fears, Link stood up so rapidly that it sent the deck of colorful cards flying in all directions, eliciting surprised shouts from his friends, except for Fi.

"Link, what's going on?" Fledge asked in a loud whisper. He was starting to look afraid, making Link immediately feel guilty for his behavior. He probably looked crazy right now.

"I'm sorry, guys," Link began quietly. "I have to go now. I just remembered … something really important I have to go check on."

"What is it?" Pipit asked, starting to stand up as well. "Do you need us to go with you?"

"No, no… I think it would be best if I did this on my own."

Fledge, looking quite unsettled at the sudden turn this situation had taken, opened his mouth to protest. But Pipit raised his hand to silence the other boy before he could speak. "O-Okay, Link," Fledge says instead. "If you're sure."

"We'll probably still be here until dinner if you need us," Pipit added.

The hero does a double take. "Until dinner? How long have we been…"

"Approximately three hours and forty-five minutes," Fi responds before the hylian can finish his question.

"Hylia!" Link exclaims, making Fledge jump slightly and Pipit look at him a little funny. Probably because it's not like him to speak so loudly.

But it was warranted; he'd lost track of time! And Eagus most likely hadn't kept Ghirahim for that long; who knows what the demon had been up to during that time? If the burst of power Fi had detected was any indication, nothing good. Oh no, oh no, oh no… if Ghirahim doesn't kill me, Zelda will.

Despite the panic building up in his heart, Link forced himself to calm down. Deep breaths, clear your mind, leave all the scary thoughts behind. He was the hero. Heroes don't panic.

"Sorry, sorry…" He apologized softly. He hadn't had an outburst like that in so long; he thought those days were far behind him. But any peaceful, happy feeling he had had while hanging out with his friends was long gone now, and he was spiraling hard. "I really have to go, right now."

The other boys gave him simultaneous words of encouragement as he hurried out of the room, but Link was barely paying attention. What did you do, Ghirahim?

"Link!" And he nearly lost his composure once again at the sudden shout coming from the large boy suddenly barreling towards him. It's all either of them can do to stop in time not to crash into each other.

"What the—Groose?"

"Link! Link, it—this is bad!" The boy spluttered, quite the far cry from his usual cocky demeanor. He was barely able to get any words out. "Don't panic, d-don't panic b-but that—that demon! That evil-Ghirahim is here!"

"I—" But Link can't get any words out because Groose just keeps going.

"I know it's hard to believe, but it's true! He—he's right here! On Skyloft! I saw him!"

"Groose, I—"

"You have to do something about this!" Groose yelled. At least that's what Link thinks he yelled? It was a little hard to tell because the panicked boy's voice was cracking so much. Seeming to realize this, Groose struggles to take in a few deep breaths, hands brushing feverishly over his hair before continuing. "I-I mean, I could totally handle him, of course I could! I could take him down with ease! S-So much ease, in fact, that I think it'd be kinda unfair? … Yeah, yeah, it totally would. And you're supposed to be the hero, so, just this once, I will let you—"

Link has had enough. The stress of his situation followed by the jab from Groose was just too much. "Groose!" Link shouts, sharply, using his 'hyah'ing voice. It hurts his throat, but he doesn't care.

Groose freezes and gapes at him, which would be funny if Link wasn't so angry all of a sudden.

"I know," Link continued, quieter but still firm. "I know, okay? I know about Ghirahim." Link lets out a heavy sigh. "I was the one who brought—"

"WHAT!?"

Link feels his breath starting to increase along with his heart rate, for an entirely different reason this time. Again. It was happening again. Someone else was about to lecture him, about how stupid and reckless he was being. He could take it from Zelda; she was his friend and only meant to help him do what was right. But Groose? A boy who had teased and belittled him for as long as he could remember? No, no. That was not,happening.

"No, Groose." Link begins when the other boy pauses for breath, loud and firm enough to stop Groose in his tracks. "I understand your concerns, really I do. But I—" His voice falters for a moment. He shouldn't do this. He knows this will only make Groose even madder, and it won't end well for him, he just knew it wouldn't But, no. Link was the hero. He had fought monsters and demons. He wouldn't let a hylian boy give him pause, not again!

"I can't do this with you. Not now. I'm not in the mood, and I don't have the time."

But Groose, of course, ignores him and tries to go on. Just like all the other times. "How could you? Why would you do something so stupid? That fiend was the one who kidnapped Zelda! He insulted my gorgeous hair! How—"

"Groose, for goddess's sake. I am the hero!" Try as he might, Link can't stop himself from getting more and more worked up. "It's literally my purpose in life to do what is right. I would never do anything that I thought would put our people in danger. You saw me on the Surface, Groose! How can you see m-me do all of that, and still not understand that? How can you have so little faith in me?" There was a part of the Skyloftian who screamed that this was wrong. Who looked into the other boy's gobsmacked expression and demanded that he stopped this un-heroic behavior. But, he'd wanted to say all of this for years. It felt good getting all of this out at last. Because as much as the hero wanted to deny it, Groose's treatment had really gotten to him. He had always tried to be kind to the other boy, but he had never been shown any such respect in return. And do you know how that made him feel inside? … That's right. Furious! Outraged! Sick with anger!

"Oh, what am I saying? Of course you don't have any faith in me. All you have ever done is-is bully me, and mock me, and put me down! And—And for what? Because your crush would rather spend time with me over you?"

Instantly, Groose's cheeks flame up as brightly as his hair. 'I-I…"

"Yeah," Link continues, unheeded. "I know how you feel about Zelda; everyone and their mother-in-law knows how you feel about Zelda. You aren't subtle. Not by a long shot. And guess what, Groose? I don't care,okay? I don't care, and do you know why? Well, do you?"

Groose tries to respond, but no sound comes out. He's obviously completely taken off guard by LInk's outburst.

Link scoffs. "Of course you don't. Well, let me tell you. It's because my friendship with Zelda is exactly that, a friendship! I don't like her in that way, I never have, and I probably never will. Our relationship has always been completely platonic, and you would have known that if you had just. Asked." Link slaps the nearest wall in rhythm with his last two words, making his palm sting along with his burning throat. He pauses, coughs, and his anger begins to recede, turning more into a bitter, solemn resignation.

"Zelda doesn't like you back because I've stolen her away, o-or whatever you think along those lines. It's because Groose… I've always tried to be kind to you, and be your friend. But you… you just… you can't deal with it whenever I'm better than you at something, no matter what it is. so much so that you even cheated so that I couldn't win. Not that it worked out for you in the end. Would you want to date someone who acts like that?"

Groose, for his credit, actually flinches and looks contrite when Link says all of this. Which is finally what snaps the other Skyloftian back to reality.

What am I doing? Link wonders, embarrassment, horror, and guilt filling his mind as his previous actions played on loop in his brain. Why did I say that? That isn't—that's not what a hero does! Oh gods, what am I going to do?

"I-I'm so sorry, Groose." Link's voice is hoarse, even though he hadn't been yelling all that much. He coughs again. He wished he'd brought a bottle of water with him. "I-I don't know what came over me, or where all of that came from. I-I shouldn't have—"

"Shut up, Link." Groose says, but his words have no bite to them. They're soft, almost… kind sounding? He pauses for a moment, contemplating. "So, uh… why did you bring Ghirahim here?"

Instantly, LInk's mood brightens, and he doesn't need a mirror to know he's now grinning like an idiot. "I'd be happy to tell you."

A/N: I haven't really seen anyone acknowledge Groose's treatment of Link like this before, and it was super cathartic to write. Like Fi, I believe that Groose isn't a bad guy. But he was a bully to Link, and treated him poorly. And Link deserves to be upset about it.