This is my submission to the LC writing challenge, "song inspired" competition. Quickly wrote this up when I realized I was running out of time, so I apologize if it's rather hot off the press. The song I had to use was Stairway to the Skies by Within Temptation (note: No, this isn't a songfic.)

Enjoy.

Adventures in Grooseland

Groose groaned and Link leaped up from his sitting position. It was stupid of him to just fly from out of nowhere, grab onto him, and pull him down like that. They were lucky that their crash wasn't fatal. But Link wasn't mad. Annoyed, a little, but not mad.

"Hey," Link called to Groose. "Mind explaining what you just did?" The way he said it was unlike anything he had ever said to Groose before. It was forceful. Almost as brazen as something Groose would say.

Groose didn't respond for several seconds. He just stared warily at his surroundings, drinking it all in before he shouted, "Where are we?" He stood up, perhaps too fast; he grabbed his head as he felt blood rushing. "This is so confusing. And…" his voice drifted as his gaze fixated on what was beneath him. On the ground, there were several small birds of several colors. Then there was a piercing scream.

"What are they?" Groose squealed. "They're like our birds, but they're smaller? What kind of world is this? So many trees!"

Link let him go on for a moment. He was shocked to see such a place when he came down here, too, but he wasn't so vocal. "Groose," Link finally spoke up.

"Huh?" Groose looked over at Link, his face contorted into a face of dumbfounded dumbness. "You!" He pointed a finger at Link. "I was so sick and worried about Zelda! And I always saw you zipping on and off the island. What have you done, Link? What is this place? And where is Zelda!" He stomped his foot into the ground at the end of his tirade.

Link raised his hands defensively, but kept his face calm. "Don't worry, Groose; Zelda is safe."

Groose's face immediately turned from idiotic to joyful. "She's okay?"

"Yes. It's a long story, though. I'll try to sum it up. This world is beneath the clouds. There is a man – monster – named Ghirahim, who is after Zelda, and he's gotten real close. Right now, she's in a safe place, and I'm going to the old woman who lives near here for some information on the place Zelda went to."

Groose's face immediately turned back into the idiotic face.

"Are… you okay?"

Groose just stared passed Link. The green-clan hero turned to see what he was looking at, and saw the Goron who he had met several times.

"Oh, him. He's one of these lands native creatures. Trust me, it gets weirder." Link was torn between trying to help Groose calm down and understand this world, and just leaving him there so he could go to the old woman. But he knew he had to help Groose. He'd probably die without his help, so of course he had to. He was supposed to be a hero. He would need to hero-y.

By this point, however, Groose seemed to have regained his composure. He ran a hand through his 'do' and smirked at Link, a silent assurance that he would, as always, save the day.

"Don't worry, Link, you can go back to Skyloft, now. With me here, I can save the day!"

Link promptly sighed.

"Yes, I'll find this Ghirahim fellow, beat him to a pulp, save Zelda, and finally see about making our relationship official."

Link wanted to barf.

"And… while we're here, we need to name this place."

Link braced himself.

"We shall call it… Grooseland!"

And Link was not surprised.

Groose put his hands to his hips and walked over to Link. His big grin stretched across his face in an almost comical fashion. "A fitting name."

This was enough for Link. "Groose!" He started ferociously, narrowing his eyes as he readied every word he needed to say. "This isn't a game. You can't just walk into the woods, find the bad-guy, kick his butt, and save the day! Lives are at stake! Zelda's life is at stake!"

Groose seemed taken aback at Link's treatment. His lips trembled. From fury? Or perhaps Link had actually struck a nerve in him? He wasn't sure. "H-h-how… dare you!" he replied indignantly.

"Dare I? Damn it, Groose, you can't be so blatantly immature about this! This isn't like any of our times on Skyloft. There are real dangers here. Monsters. With weapons. Nothing like what's in the skies. You might be built big, but if you were ganged up by Bokoboblins, how would you fend them all off?"

Groose's nostrils flared with anger, and Link thought for a moment that he might have provoked him too far. But, instead, Groose turned away, and huffed. "I don't know what a 'Bokothing' thing is, but Groose can handle it. I'll find a weapon, slay the monsters, be the hero. Zelda needs a real hero, not a wimp. And I'll prove it to ya. Where's this old woman you said about? She knows where Zelda is. She'll get me to her."

Link didn't bother saying anything. He didn't have anything to say, and he didn't want to fight Groose on the subject, anyway. He just watched as he walked away… the wrong way. "Uh, Groose… she's the other way."

"I knew that."

Link didn't doubt that for a second; he doubted it for a lot longer. Groose now headed in the direction of the old woman, probably to harass her for information regarding Zelda… "Wait, I'm supposed to be getting information on Zelda," Link realized. He would just have to catch up to Groose. But he decided he would take his time. He wouldn't mind waiting a little bit to see Groose. So he started his slow trek, while he hoped silently that the woman would have the information he was looking for. Until then, he'd just have to adventure… in 'Grooseland'.

Grooseland? It almost was a perfect name. Hostile, full of surprises, and Zelda apparently attracts the two. Grooseland, it would be. For the moment.

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