"And that sums up today's lesson!" Professor Robbie announced, closing his book with a flourish, "Please make sure to take all of your equipment with you, and don't forget that essay on Ancient Gears, I want those on my desk by Monday." The sound of two dozen chairs being scooted back filled the room, followed by the drone of conversation as students collected their books and papers. "Ok," Link whispered, "The plan is a go." Zelda nodded. "See you in a minute." She said. Link shoved his textbooks into his pack quickly, not caring that the pages crinkled, and left the classroom. Sidon exited a moment later with Yona, the two conversing easily. Link pretended to be examining his pack as Sidon bade the pretty zora goodbye. "Yo," He said as Sidon walked up. "Hey." The boy dropped his pack against the cobblestone pavement and sat down. "How was class?" Link asked. "It was fine, I'm not looking forewords to that essay though." Sidon answered. "You'll probably just end up copying off me anyways so I think you'll be fine." Link said. Sidon chuckled. "I mean, if you leave your papers out in the open, it's basically an invitation." He said. Link just shrugged. "Sure." He conceded, "Actually we probably should go work on some homework. It's piling up pretty fast." Sidon sighed heavily. "Yeah, I guess so." He agreed reluctantly. Link helped him up and shouldered his pack. Across the courtyard, Zelda and Purah exited the classroom. Link caught her eye and winked. "Hey, what's the main diet of a fireproof lizard?" Sidon asked, frowning at his paper. Link shrugged, looking up form his own work. "I don't know, bugs?" He tried. "Well yeah, but what bugs?" Sidon pressed. Link sighed and leaned back in his chair, staring out the dorm window to the forest beyond the walls. "I don't know. Just choose one, you could get lucky." He said. Sidon shook his head. "There's a million different bugs, what are the odds that I'll choose the right one? Hey Tulin!" He called, "What do Fireproof lizards eat?" "I don't know," Tulin called back from the other room, "Ask Yunobo, he says they've got a bunch of those on Death Mountain." "Where's Yunobo?" Sidon hollered back. "I don't know." Tulin answered. Sidon groaned and let his head fall against the desk. Link chuckled. "Want to take a break?" He asked. Sidon nodded without lifting his head from the desk. "Ok let's go for a walk." Link said, standing up and closing his book. "This is way better than studying inside." Sidon said as they wound through trees and bushes. Link nodded. "Way better." He agreed. The forest beyond the walls was beautiful, filled with all sorts of animals and plants. It was the kind of atmosphere you couldn't replicate or find indoors, no matter how hard you tried. "You probably love it out here, huh?" Sidon asked. Link laughed. "Dude, you have no idea, I've literally been suffocating in there." "So you don't like it?" Sidon asked, and Link shook his head. "No, I was definitely wrong about this place, it's amazing and incredible. But you know me, I can't sit indoors for weeks, studying and working without any chance to run wild." Sidon pushed a branch away from his face. "Yeah, that makes sense. Jeeze they really don't keep this trail very clear do they?" "Sidon? Link?" someone called behind them. Link turned to see Yona and Zelda pushing through the underbrush of the trail several feet back. "Oh, hey." Link said, "What are you guys doing out here?" Sidon blinked in surprise. "Zelda was telling me about this beautiful waterfall somewhere in this forest," Yona explained, walking up to them. "I heard about it from a student a couple days ago and I wanted to see it for myself." Zelda added. Link grinned at Sidon. "Cool," The tall zora said, "Link and I decided to talk a walk. We were doing homework and it was pretty much impossible." Yona laughed, and Link shot Zelda a wink. "Yeah, there was a question about fireproof lizards so we just gave up." Link explained. Zelda laughed. "You guys know about a waterfall anywhere?" She asked. Link nodded and pointed to the left. "Actually yeah, I found one while exploring a few days ago. It's not that far off the trail, I can show you if you want." "Wait really?" Yona asked. Link grinned and nodded . "Yep." "Awesome, let's go." Zelda said. Link gestured to their left. "Ok, it's that way." he said. Sidon pushed a branch out of the way and stepped off the trail, holding the limb aside for Yona. The pair started off, leaving Link and Zelda standing on the trail. Link blinked. "He didn't even hold the branch for me." He said. Zelda chuckled. "Guess our plan worked beautifully then." She said. Link laughed and held the branch aside, letting her pass. finish in credits
"The waterfall was a good idea." Zelda told him as he fell in step beside her. "How'd you find it?" Link grinned. "Just like I said. I was exploring a few days ago and stumbled across it. I figured it'd be a good excuse for getting them out here together." "Good call, They seem pretty happy." Zelda gestured to where the two zora walked several paces ahead, talking and laughing. "Let's hope the happiness holds up." Link said. "So you were just exploring the woods outside the school?" Zelda asked, "For no reason?" Link smiled. "No," He said, "Not for no reason, I just needed to get outside again, you know? I'd been couped up for so long in the walls that I was starting to feel suffocated." "Huh, So you like the wild then?" Zelda asked. Link nodded. "Absolutely. I love the academy, and I'm always happy to be with my friends, but out here is where I feel at home." "I understand that," Zelda said, "It's refreshing to be alone after so long around people." "Yeah, so you're an introvert?" Link asked. "Yep. I don't mind people, but strangers and crowds just drain me." She answered. "My mom was just like that." Link said, "She would need to recharge all the time." Zelda caught the past tense, but she didn't press. If Link wanted to tell her anything, he would. "So you're a child prodigy at ancient tech, and you enjoy your alone time, What else?" Link asked after a moment. Zelda glanced at him. "I'm a reader." She said, "Always have been." "I remember," Link said, cracking a smile, "Books seemed to be all you packed." Zelda groaned as the horrible memory of her entrance to the Academy filled her mind. "Why'd you have to bring that up?" She asked. Link laughed. "Sorry." he said, then he winked and cupped his hands around his mouth. "Hey Sidon!" He called, "See that drape of vines?" the zora turned around and pointed to a curtain of green questioningly. "Pull them aside!" Link called. Sidon walked to the hanging vines and grasped the middle. With a heave, he parted the curtain. Zelda nearly lost her breath. A beautiful clearing sat behind the vegetation, hidden from view by the trees and landscape. Rich, green grass coated the ground, bordering a small stream that rushed down a rocky outcropping several feet high. The waterfall itself poured into a small pool feeding the stream, maybe fifteen feet across, and filled with laughing, cool water. Outcroppings smoothed by the rush of water sat and jutted out from the rocky face of the waterfall at several locations, forming natural seats and ledges. "Link," Zelda said, breathless, "This is incredible." "Pretty cool huh?" He said. "I think the creek is the same one that winds through The Grove, farther south. This place is completely untouched and unsanctioned." "It's beautiful," Zelda said. Link grinned and gestured forwards, to where Sidon and Yona were already walking across the clearing. "Shall we?"
