Very glad you're loving the moving world, Birdie! It's one of the things I really wanted to add to it, because the game just. sits. so still. Poor old Fledge! Yeah, I had to come up with a reason for him not just to buy his own, which was a chunk of the reason I specifically chose him to have been at the Lumpy Pumpkin with Link when [redacted] happened and got them in trouble. So now he has no money at all!

As for Batreaux, Mimi, I have plans for him! He may well have some money - it's not as though he can go out and spend it - but equally, without rupees falling out of dead monsters and/or the grass, he has fewer ways to get them. Link doesn't know about any of that, though. Once he knows he has more time (after Mahra Impa has told him he has to run around a whole bunch and until then there's no way to go back in time), we should get to see more of how some of these things pan out!

And thank you, Anon! It's always lovely to hear that. =D


Chapter 59: Secrets Beneath

Link awoke to the Academy's morning bell, a sound so familiar it almost seemed wrong. He was lying in his own bed, in his own little room, and it was morning on Skyloft. For a few seconds it almost felt unreal, a normal morning when there was nothing normal left about his life. He sat up slowly, vaguely aware that elsewhere his loftwing was taking a satisfying morning flight, then firmed his resolve and stood, pushing away the brief wish for everything to be normal again. Until he was done, it wasn't, and it couldn't be.

He dressed quickly with a mental apology to Fi, placed neatly across his desk the night before. The sword in her scabbard went on last, buckled diagonally across his back over the top of his student uniform, baldric and belt buckled firmly together. Checking everything was in place, Link picked up his report and the harp case Peatrice had given him, turned to the door, and hesitated. He could already hear feet hurrying past outside: the rush for breakfast would have begun almost the moment the morning bell rang. Headmaster Gaepora would probably be in his office, and as long as he was, if Link saw him first, then he might miss the worst of the breakfast crowds, and the inevitable questions he knew everyone would ask him. It wasn't exactly a normal time to go to see the headmaster… but then, nothing he was doing was normal.

He waited for a particularly loud cluster of feet to go past before he slipped out, shutting the door behind himself and hurrying to the headmaster's office at the top of the central staircase. Even as he knocked, a voice behind him called out "Link? Is that you?"

Thankfully, Headmaster Gaepora's familiar voice called from the other side of the door only moments later.

"Come in."

Link turned the handle, glancing back at the other speaker, a student he'd barely shared three words with in the last year.

"Sorry; I've got to go."

He slipped into the office before the other student could respond, shutting the door behind himself.

"Ah, Link, welcome!" The Headmaster was standing by one of his bookcases, having presumably turned to face the door when Link knocked, a book in his hand. Zelda's harp lay on his desk, catching the early morning light and almost shining in it. "And good morning. Did Peatrice let you take Zelda's old harp?"

Link nodded. "Good morning, Headmaster. She was happy to help. Here." He walked closer as he spoke, holding the case out, together with Zelda's storage token. Headmaster Gaepora took both with a sad, grateful smile, running his thumb over the embossed harp and its accompanying Z.

"Thank you, Link." He walked back to his desk, setting the book down in one corner, and opened the case, drawing out a second, somewhat simpler instrument and swapping it for the one on his desk. It was only after a long moment that he handed the case back to Link, who took it with a quiet thanks, twisting to attach it to his belt alongside his other pouches.

"Thank you, Headmaster. Here's my report, as well. I just need to get a few more things, and then I'll fly out this afternoon."

"Do be sure you're fully prepared, Link." Gaepora took the report as he spoke, holding it still folded in his hand. He looked tired, and older, the strain telling in his eyes, in his expression. The concern was genuine, and tinged with sadness. "You've already done far more than I could ever expect a student to do."

Link nodded, uncomfortably. Regardless of what the Headmaster expected from him, he still had to go back. For Zelda, for Fi, for the Sheikah…

"Now," Headmaster Gaepora said, forcibly returning his tone to something resembling normality, "I spent yesterday afternoon thinking about what you said. I know you mentioned it before, but I'm afraid it rather slipped my mind – but this time I was sure I'd heard that phrase before, and I was right. We only have fragments of some of the most ancient legends and tales, of course, but I like to think I know most of them. This one I actually first heard from Kaeber, oh, decades ago." His voice slipped into a resonant tone of recital. "And the goddess in her wisdom, Wrought for us a gate of time, That the future might yet reach us, If the battle we survived." He glanced towards his window, the multi-coloured, much used glass painting the Academy grounds beyond in rainbow hues. "It's a fragment of a longer chant, most of which has long since been lost, dealing with the raising of the islands. Kaeber and I assumed it was metaphorical, telling us that our islands were our gateway to the future… well, to the present, I should say; the chant would have been written for people of the time, not us looking back at them. In any case, the point remains that I had heard the phrase before, and it dates back to the very beginning of our lives here in the sky. And, importantly, if we take it literally, it tells us the goddess created the Gate of Time to help us – maybe even to do exactly what you and Zelda are doing even now."

Link nodded. "That…" He trailed off, frowning. "But… Fi, you said the robots created the Gate of Time in honour of the Goddess of Time, didn't you?"

Fi leapt from the sword, causing Headmaster Gaepora to take half a step back in surprise.

"That is correct, Master." She rotated to face them both, turning her head briefly towards the Headmaster. "However, the fragment that has been preserved, while of limited informational value, is also partially correct. During the final days of human existence on the surface, a second Gate of Time began to be constructed. It was completed by the goddess and one of her mortal allies shortly before the islands were raised into the sky. I possess no further information concerning the fate of this Gate of Time, other than that it is apparent that it was either destroyed or moved between the raising of Skyloft and the present day. It is possible that the Sheikah will possess relevant information. Zelda may have instructed you to seek them out for this reason, but I do not have sufficient data to evaluate the probability of this being the case."

The Headmaster gaped at her for a moment in silence before finding his voice again. "Thank you. You are incredibly knowledgable. When this is all over, and Link and my daughter are back with us, I would be deeply honoured if you would tell me more."

Very few of Fi's long-term predictions were favourable to the Headmaster's hopes, but her analyses predicted that making any statements to that effect would be counterproductive, damaging his state of mind and likely that of her wielder. She therefore chose to respond only to the other part of the statement.

"It is a part of my purpose. I was created with a vast quantity of knowledge that my wielder might require, and with the capacity to update my database as further information becomes available. At this time, however, I have no further information about the second Gate of Time."

"That's all right," Link said, his hopes renewed. If there was a second one, if the Sheikah knew what had happened to it, if there was a way back- "As soon as we reach the Sheikah, we'll find out whatever they know about it." He looked back to the Headmaster, determined. "I'd better finish getting my supplies. Thank you, Headmaster. That was really helpful."

Fi returned to the sword as he turned to leave, Gaepora's well-wishes following behind him as he closed the door. There was no time to waste: he had to get back to the surface and find the Sheikah. With luck, the old lady, Mahra Impa, would still be at the temple…

With those thoughts filling his mind, he ate a late and hasty breakfast, though he still couldn't escape people asking him what had happened, where he'd been. Taking Pipit's prior advice to heart, he told them all that he'd given his report to the Headmaster and that he had a lot to do. With classes to get to – and Henya looking on from the kitchen – they mostly, thankfully, left him in peace, the last few holdouts hastily departing as Henya came over to him. To Link's private amusement, considering the speed at which one of the other students had fled, all she did was ask if he'd need meals packing for the next few days in her usual kindly way, and promise to have them ready for him by noon.

On the way out of the dining hall, Link passed by Groose's usual table, vaguely noting that the tall bully was unusually absent, and his two sidekicks looked uncharacteristically morose. He couldn't help but pick out some of the words as he passed them: they seemed to be complaining that Groose had been locking himself in his room, skipping class, and generally being off his form. When Strich noticed Link, both shot him almost identical glares, and Cawlin muttered "It's all your fault." Link carried on, ignoring them: Groose didn't even register on the list of problems he had to face any more.

He'd taken his own money from its usual place in the bottom of his wardrobe the night before, and his first isle of call was the potion shop in the marketplace, where Luv clucked over his having used one 'already, and here on Skyloft too,' but cheerfully sold him a replacement regardless. With that sorted out, Link hurried back outside, looking around for the Airshop. He'd already seen it once when he'd crossed the bridge onto Skyloft proper, moving away from him, and… there! Clearly having just rounded the far side of the market, it was whirring and creaking its way slowly closer, the great bell hanging beneath it always kept at a safe height above the ground to avoid hitting anyone, only the rope trailing from it – or throwing something at it – giving anyone a hope of actually making a sound. Link jogged towards it, leaping up as he passed beneath to catch the rope and set the bell swinging wildly with the momentum of his jump, pealing out across the hillside. Above him, the Airshop clanked and whirred to a stop, and the rope ladder unrolled itself, descending until its trailing end had begun to pile on the floor. Link waited until it had stopped moving other than swaying before getting onto it, climbing up slowly as it swung about in the wind, twisting back and forth. As he stepped from the ladder on its overhead reel onto the little platform at the back, he glanced down – no-one else was waiting at the bottom – then called out "All aboard!"

As the ladder began to roll itself back up, adding another series of whirrs to the ones the Airshop always made, Link walked the few short steps to the doorway, bracing himself against the way the Airshop rocked at the slightest motion. As always, the curtains were hooked aside, letting the cold sky air in to wash over Beedle, who sat behind his counter perpetually pedalling to provide the power to keep the Airshop aloft. Machinery climbed all four walls of the Airshop, some of it with handwritten notes tacked near it to remind Beedle of this and that. Looking at it with new eyes, Link realised just how much it did look like the machines from the desert, augmented and altered by newer parts just like Gondo's robot had been.

"Welcome!" Beedle called, without even breaking his rhythm. "Take your time; have a look around!"

Link nodded, although he already knew what he was after. Beedle was Skyloft's main seller of enchanted pouches: there were very few people who could make them, and anyone with that level of skill could afford to not bother flying all over the sky to sell their wares when they knew people would come to them. Beedle took his Airshop to them regularly, bought whatever they had to sell, and then brought it back to sell on Skyloft. There were only a couple on display, and he inspected both before picking one, holding it up to show to Beedle.

"How much for this, please?"

The sum Beedle named was fairly standard, and well outside of Link's means as a Knight Academy student… but it was just within the reach of the budget the Academy had given him. He nodded, and began to count out the crystals, laying them one by one on a tray inset into the counter so that Beedle could count them too.

"Oh, thank you!" Beedle cried as Link put the last one down. "You've given me the strength to keep on pedalling!"

"You say that every time," Link replied with a brief smile. It was practically Beedle's catchphrase.

"So?" he huffed, still ceaselessly working, even as he reached out to tip the contents of the inset tray into a drawer below. "It's true every time! Although this is much more expensive than you usually go in for. You must have been saving up responsibly!"

"Well…" Link could have, he was fairly sure – at least if he didn't have a huge debt to pay off – but he hadn't. "Actually, Headmaster Gaepora and Knight Commander Eagus ordered me to go and buy extra equipment. So…"

"Ohhhh." Beedle paused. "I do hope you didn't break your old set! You've only just made senior, haven't you? At the cere-"

Beedle's mouth dropped open, his eyes widened, and he froze.

"Wait, you're not the Knight Academy student who the goddess herself divinely ordered on a quest to the legendary 'surface', are you, Link?!"

"It didn't happen quite like that," Link protested, "but… yeah."

"Ohhhh! That's incredible! And my wares will help you on your journey!"

Link nodded. "Yes. So, thank you very much."

The creaking sounds of the Airshop had changed in timbre, and he could feel the floor beneath his feet starting to sink.

"Er, shouldn't you-"

"Oh no!" Beedle cried, bending over the handgrips and beginning to pedal for all he was worth. "You shocked me so much, I stopped pedalling!"

"Sorry." Link glanced over his shoulder, assessing the angle of the shadows on the Airshop's outside platform. "I've got to go anyway, but I'll tell you about it another time."

"Thank you!" The Airshop still hadn't quite returned to its normal sounds, although it had stopped sinking, and Beedle looked to be breathing harder with the additional strain of coaxing it into rising again. "Keep the goddess' wind… at your back, Link!"

"Clear skies, Beedle."

Link stepped back outside and climbed quickly back onto the ladder, which begin to lower itself only moments later with a clank and a whirr. Beedle preferred it if those who could climb up did, saying it put less strain on the machinery, but if someone couldn't climb the ladder, all they had to do was hold on and wait, and he'd haul it up with them clinging on. Going down was, apparently, easier, and he'd never objected to anyone riding the ladder as it descended. As the first of the two rungs below him touched the ground, Link leapt off, landing lightly and leaving the empty rope ladder swinging in the breeze, retracting slowly back up into the Airshop. That was that task done, and one of the more important ones at that…

"Ahhh, Link, isn't it?"

Startled, Link turned to see Mallara beaming at him, her long, curling hair tumbling over her shoulders in a manner that wouldn't last ten seconds in the air… except it had never had to, and never would. Everyone knew Mallara, or knew of her: the only adult in all of Skyloft to never have a loftwing. There were a handful who had lost theirs, objects of sympathy and pity as everyone around them instinctively understood the horror of their loss, but Mallara was something different again. No bird had ever come for her, no bonded companion to share her days, and no-one knew why.

"It is Link! I thought it was you from what my Pipit said. Tell me, how are you doing? And how is he?"

"Pipit? He's doing well, I think. He's been very kind to me."

"That's my Pipit!" She smiled, her blue eyes bright. "He doesn't tell me much about his schooldays, you know. But he did tell me all about you, and how he's been very honourably keeping the other students from pestering you. So I won't bother you with questions either, though I have been hearing it all from the Mayor's announcements. It's quite incredible… I don't think I could ever do such a thing. You must come and sit down if you're ever on our side of the river. Any friend of Pipit's is always welcome, you know."

Link nodded. "Thank you."

"And send him my love if you see him, before you have to go. I don't see him nearly often enough since he's been at the Academy… But I suppose it's worse for you, isn't it? Aren't your family from off-island?" Link's slight nod was enough for her to continue without a pause. "I don't think I could stand ever leaving Skyloft, you know. It must have been very brave of you to come here when you joined the Academy. Just like you are being now! Just the thought of flying anywhere makes me nervous, never mind into that. Oh, but look at me… prattling on while you have somewhere to be. You do, don't you? I can see it in your eyes. But do come by if you have time, or if you're stuck on our side of the river at night."

She looked almost hopeful, and Link found himself saying "I will."

"Wonderful! I'm so happy to have met you at last, Link. You seem like just the kind of person my Pipit would like. Well, goddess' blessings on you, and be very careful!"

"And on you," Link said, "and I will."

As they parted, he noticed that Mallara's tunic, though a rich and vibrantly-patterned orange, had a mismatched patch on the near sleeve: still orange, but of a different shade, and held on by slightly loose, uneven stitching. He wasn't sure why it stood out to him beyond that it clashed with her otherwise well-kept appearance, and, after a moment, pushed it to the back of his mind. He'd take one last walk around the rest of the shops, collect his meals from the kitchen, and – at last – be ready to set off back to the temple, to Mahra Impa and whatever the Sheikah might know about the second Gate of Time and anything else Zelda might have thought they could tell him… and to learning whether or not Davar had lived as Link so desperately hoped he had.


This past fortnight Ardil learnt to work QGIS and did a ton of mapping for another world, so that's what's been keeping me busy; sorry about that! Also, Ardil now loves QGIS, it is complicated and fiddly and my new best program friend.

Patch Notes
- Headmaster occasionally possesses fragments of relevant information.
- Mallara plot thread introduced!
- Link does not randomly invade Groose's room to hear him complain. Don't worry, we'll hear from him later!