Zelda Skyward Sword Ch 2

Chapter 2: Finders Keepers

Fortunately, Instructor Horwell was standing right outside the Knight Academy, looking off into the distance. Link ran up to him.

"What's wrong, Link? You're looking a little pale…" Horwell said.

Link quickly explained the situation about Ethan.

"What?! Your Loftwing is missing?! How strange and troubling. Do you… think you can find him?" Horwell looked just as anxious as Link felt inside. Link told him that he was going to start searching soon.

"You're going to start to look for him now?! How will you make it back in time for the ceremony?!"

Link told him what Gaepora had said.

"I see… so the headmaster has summoned me? All right then, I'll go speak with him immediately. Don't worry about the ceremony for now. You focus on finding your Loftwing!" With that being said, Horwell headed off inside the Knight Academy.

With no other ideas, Link headed to the town plaza and decided to ask around to see if anybody had seen a glimpse of Ethan. As he walked past the Light Tower, a large windmill in the middle of the plaza, he caught sight of one of his least favorite people: Groose.

Groose was one of the students at the academy, and one of the snobbiest people Link knew. He was always backed up by two people, brothers Cawlin and Stritch. They were always picking on other students, Link in particular. Groose thought himself to be superior to everyone else, a fact he wasn't afraid to pronounce to anyone who would listen, or even those who wouldn't.

Groose was sitting on the ground, facing the other way, with Cawlin and Stritch at his side. Normally Link stayed away from them so as not to get into trouble, but as he was walking by, he overheard something that made him stop.

"…You know, Groose, that sure was a pain, what with all that scratching and pecking," one of the brothers said.

"Course it was," Groose said, smirking. "You thought a big Crimson Loftwing like that was gonna go down without a fight?"

Link's eyes went wide, and then narrowed. So it was Groose who had taken Ethan. He had know Groose to do some horrible things, but this was a new low for even him.

Groose ran a hand over his bright red pompadour, slick with hair gel to keep it in place. "But we got him, and I don't care how tough those birds are supposed to be. He's not getting out of that pen anytime soon, boys."

He stood up and brushed himself off, still facing the other way. However the brothers had turned around and saw Link standing there with a murderous expression on his face. They started slowly backing up. Groose turned and gasped.

"Whoa! Link! So, uh… yeah. Just how long have you been standing there?"

Link didn't reply, but merely narrowed his eyes and curled his hands into fists.

"What's your problem, anyway?" Groose began walking in a circle around Link. "Oh, wait… I got it. You're here to talk about today's race. I can see it in those dopey eyes of yours."

Groose put on a mocking voice. "They're pleading, 'Oh, Groose, can you please find it in your heart to let me win today? Please!'" He sneered. "You're just desperate to win so you can get some alone time with Zelda up on the Statue of the Goddess at the end of the ceremony."

Link was outraged. This was ridiculous. His cheeks were bright pink, whether from anger or embarrassment from Groose's remark about Zelda he wasn't sure.

Groose came right up in his face. "Well sorry, pal. Groose doesn't do charity for wimps. My advice? Work hard and wish with all your heart. You might even come in second."

He tilted his head and put on a mock expression of concern. "…Say, come to think of it, how come I don't see your bird? Where is that scruffy pile of red feathers?"

It was taking all of Link's willpower not to shout "I THINK YOU KNOW!" Fighting would get him nowhere, it never did. Plus Groose always won no matter what.

"I can't imagine what could've happened to him," Groose continued, smirking. "Do you think his tiny brain got confused by all the clouds and got lost?"

That was it. Link shouted out a demand to give Ethan back to him.

Groose just dramatically shrugged. "Huh? I've got no idea what you're talking about." He pointed a gloved finger at Link's face. "You know, we're all getting tired of how you never let everyone forget you and Zelda go way back."

He jabbed his finger on Link's chest. "You've been friends since you were kids? Big deal. It doesn't change the fact that you float through life with your head in the clouds. Would you wake up, straighten up, and grow a backbone already? Dopes like you are dragging our honored academy through the mud."

"And just who might you be talking to, Groose?" a voice shouted behind them.

Groose and Link turned around. It was Zelda.

"Oh… Zelda. Hey. Nah, it's… uh…" Groose tried to stammer out an excuse.

Zelda pushed Link aside and pointed a stern finger at Groose. "Don't even try it, Groose! You're picking on Link again, aren't you? He's a student at the academy like all of us. Why do you insist on bullying him around so much?"

Groose had a large crush on Zelda, and her mere presence to him was intoxicating. He had a hard time thinking straight. "Yeah… I suppose…"

"You suppose? Suppose what?" Zelda's eyes narrowed.

Groose's yellow lips broke into a silly grin. "I… suppose… you… Er…" He was now giggling.

He shook his head. "Pfft! Forget it. I wasn't supposing anything, okay?" He turned and walked away, Cawlin and Stritch following.

They stood on a diving bridge. Groose did a mocking wave. "Okay, we're outta here boys. Later, Link! Hope you find your bird, or else you're gonna have to sit out today's race! That could be a major setback toward knighthood, so find that bird or get real used to the taste of failure! It's your special flavor."

They dove backwards off the bridge, each brought up by their Loftwings. Laughing, they flew off into the sky.

Link clenched his fists at his sides. He hated Groose.

Zelda watched them go, concern on her face. "I hate to say it, but I'm beginning to think those blockheads had something to do with your Loftwing's disappearance. Link, those guys aren't going to help us find your bird, so we'd better start searching."

She turned towards Link. "I'll fly around Skyloft and see if I can spot any trace of your bird. Father said he'd talk to Instructor Horwell about delaying the start of the Wing Ceremony, so don't worry. We'll find him in time."

She jumped off the bridge and called for Chloe. They flew off.

Link sighed and turned around. Back to square one. He headed back to the Knight Academy, wondering if anyone had seen Groose anywhere suspicious that morning. As he neared the door, someone called out.

"Hey! Link! Over here!"

Link looked to his right. Not far from him was an older classmen, Pipit, who had been the one calling to him. He stood with a somber looking Fledge.

"I have some information about your Loftwing. Come over here!" Pipit motioned for Link to come.

Link's heart leapt in his chest as he ran up to the pair.

"Hey, Link! I was just looking for you," Pipit said as Link approached. "I heard your Loftwing had gone missing, so I'd thought I'd join in the search."

Link smiled, relieved. Pipit was one of the few upperclassmen who actually liked him for who he was. Others just ignored him, or gave him lectures on how to be better.

Pipit smoothed down his yellow tunic, the standard garb for a knight-to-be on Skyloft. "And get this: when I asked Fledge what he knew, he started acting weird."

Fledge flinched when he heard his name. "I'm so sorry, Link!" he pleaded. "I really wanted to tell you, but… if Groose found out I told you…"

"It sounds like Groose forced him to keep quiet about it," Pipit explained. He turned sternly to Fledge. "Go on! Tell him the truth."

Fledge took a deep breath. "Just a little while ago, when I was cleaning the dining hall, Groose and his buddies came in. They didn't notice I was there and started talking about their plan to hide your Loftwing."

He picked at his orange shirt. "I wanted to warn you, Link. But just as I tried to sneak away… Groose and his gang grabbed me…"

He shook his head, shuddering. "They said that if I told you, they'd make sure I would never be able to ride a bird ever again!"

"It sounds like Groose and his buddies had a plan to capture your bird and hide him near a waterfall," Pipit said. "Well, near a waterfall would mean… the area at the other end of Skyloft. I suggest you search there."

"Forgive me, Link!" Fledge said, clasping his hands together. "I can't help being such a coward… I'm really sorry."

Link reassured him that it was fine, and that he had done what was best. With that, he headed off to the waterfall.

He knew about a secret cave behind it, and it sounded like just the place Groose would hang out at when he skipped class. No wonder he never got caught.

As he approached the waterfall, he looked behind it. Sure enough, there was a black space instead of a rock wall. He headed inside it.

It was dark and damp inside. Water dropped from the ceiling, echoing off the walls. Wind rippled through the tunnel, creating an eerie whistle that sent shivers down his spine. It was the perfect place to hide something, and keep it hidden.

His feet squished on the soft damp floor as he walked along, looking for any sign of Ethan. It wasn't a very big cave, and he soon reached the other side, leading to a grassy cliff edge jutting out from the side of Skyloft. He sighed. Not one trace of him.

"Link!"

He looked to the sky to see Zelda, who was riding up to him on Chloe. Chloe dropped her off and then flew away.

She brushed off her dress before speaking. "Hey, Link, I was hoping I'd find you here. I heard you'd gone searching for Ethan around the waterfall, so I thought I'd fly around and help you look. How's your search going? Any sign of him?"

Link sadly shook his head.

"Oh no," Zelda said solemnly. "Well, let's not lose hope yet. There's a place up ahead that Groose and his gang are always hanging around. Maybe we'll find something there!"

Her smile suddenly faded. She turned her head, looking confused. "Huh…?" She was now looking down into the vast sky. "Who… Who's that? Who's calling for me?"

She shook her head, looking back at Link. "Oh, sorry, Link. I got distracted for a moment. Let's go!"
They walked down the narrow path, which sloped upwards. When it leveled out again, Link gasped.

"Look! There he is!" Zelda cried.

And there he was. It was Ethan, trapped behind wooden planks mounted to the rock. He was squirming and screeching like crazy.

Link ran up and began pulling the planks from the wall. With a few good pulls, he was able to get most of them off.

He backed up as Ethan broke through the remaining wood. He shook stray rock bits from his glossy coat, and then spread his great wings out, letting out a cry of relief.

He looked to Link and bent his head down. Link stroked Ethan's head, relief flowing through him. The horrible sinking feeling was gone. They were reunited at last.

Ethan began flapping his wings, and then he took to the skies.

Link watched him, smiling. He looked so happy. So happy and free…

"We should hurry, Link. Now that Ethan is free, you should fly to the ceremony…" Zelda trailed off, looking once again into the sky.

"But before you go, I have to ask you something. I… I heard this voice a few moments ago. Did you hear it too?"

Link shook his head, confused. Zelda never acted like this. She was always so happy…

"It's been happening a lot lately," she continued. "It's the strangest feeling… Almost like someone is calling out to me."

She got a distant look in her eyes. "Have you even wondered what's beneath the clouds? Some say that it's an empty, barren place, or even that there's nothing at all down below, but I just have this feeling that they're wrong. Some of Father's old texts talk about a place called the surface. The old tales describe a whole world under there, far more vast than Skyloft! The thing is, no one's ever been down there to see it, and our Loftwings won't fly through the cloud barrier."

She sighed. "…But I can't help imagining some of the wild things that might be waiting below. Someday, I want to see for myself."

Link had never given much thought to the fact that places might exist other than Skyloft. It was just too complicated. He had no desire to leave his home. He had all the things around him that he loved. His bird Ethan, his room where he slept, the few actual friends he had…

…And of course, Zelda.

"Oh, sorry, Link. We don't have time to talk!" Zelda interrupted his thoughts. "Let's get going. Look, Ethan's waiting for you!"

It was true, the bird seemed to be beckoning him. Link smiled and without hesitation jumped from the grass and into the sky, Zelda right behind him.

After falling for a few seconds, he whistled. Ethan appeared beneath him, squawking happily. Link grabbed onto him.

It was such a free feeling, flying was. The wind ripping through your hair, the rhythm of the bird's wings flapping beneath you. It was just an exhilarating experience. Link never got sick of it. He could fly on Ethan all day long without getting tired.

After a few minutes of flying in circles, Link sped off towards the plaza for the ceremony, Chloe and Zelda following closely behind.