No Matter What

I can't believe I thought this man was kind! Dark shadows have fallen over Ganondorf's features, making him look like a demon king that has just crawled to the surface. This is not the same man I met outside the stadium. This... this man is the criminal Link and Father have warned me about.

"I don't care what it takes, I want Link gone before the 50th minute," he orders Zant and his son.

"I'm trying! But I'll get a red card if I keep ramming my cleats into his legs," the pale player exclaims to the coach.

"Weren't you listening? I said I don't care!" Ganondorf barks in hushed tones. He looks around to make sure that nobody is listening and I quickly turn my head away from them. I'm on the other side of the frosted glass that covers the benches but I'm still scared that he'll recognize me somehow. "Make sure he doesn't ever play sports again!" Ganondorf whispers and my heart drops.

"Well I don't know what else to do," Zant sighs. "His ankles are drenched in blood but he refuses to stop playing."

"Go for his left knee, he had surgery a couple of years ago," Ganondorf says to them without a trace of mercy in his voice. "Dismissed."

Zant and Ganon nod at the coach and turn their backs to him.

"Not you," the father says to his son. Ganon stops but doesn't turn to face his father. "What's wrong with you? Why aren't you scoring any points?"

"I scored a goal, it's 1:1," Ganon defends himself.

"I don't want 1:1. Score more goals."

"Fine."

"What'd you just say?" Ganondorf growls.

"Yes, sir," Ganon snarls.

"That's what I thought. And listen..." Ganon turns his head slightly to look at the coach. "If Zant fails, I need you to get Link off the field."

"And how do you suggest I do that?"

"If he is still playing in the 50th minute, get in a fight with him. He'll get suspended," Ganondorf says under his breath. I step closer yet again to make sure I don't miss a single word. I should record this for proof.

"If I get in a fight with him I'll get suspended too," Ganon snaps.

I search my pockets but my phone is not in any of them. Heat flares over me as I remember when I last had my phone. Did Karusa ever give it back when he ended my phone call?

"He has to hit you first. Don't strike back and you'll be fine," Ganondorf instructs.

"You're out of your mind if you think I'll let that half-pint hit me in front of all these people."

"I'm not asking," Ganondorf retorts. "If we lose tonight don't bother coming home."

"Yes, sir," Ganon returns quietly and walks back to his teammates.

Looks like there is one person more fearsome than Ganon. It's good to know that there is someone who has a leash around Ganon's neck, the bad news however is that Ganondorf just ordered his team to destroy Link in whatever way possible. I have to warn him. He has to stop playing or he will get seriously injured. I can't see him getting hurt. My heart will jump right out of my chest if I watch him get fouled one more time.

"Impa!" I whisper and tug at her sweatshirt until she turns around.

"I can't find him," she says annoyed.

"I told you, he probably left."

"Bullshit. I'm going to search the hallways. I will search the men's restrooms if I have to."

"Wait, don't leave. I need your help."

"With what?" She looks at me with arched brows.

"I have to talk to Link, it's very important, but I don't want to go over there by myself."

"Okay, I'll come with you," she nods and takes my hand as we walk past Lorule's fans.

Link's team is at least 10 feet away from him; the captain and coach are talking to the players in a big circle while Link is sitting on the bench all by himself with a white towel resting on his head. He's breathing heavily, his head lowered, his fingers clawing his thighs.

I can only see his back but I examine his body with my eyes. His socks are tainted by dark red spots, his white shorts have turned green and brown from the many times he was dragged over the turf, and his arms are covered in abrasions and bruises. My chest is suffering from the sight of his battle wounds. I want to jump over the low fence and hug him until all his wounds have healed.

"Link!" I whisper, leaning over the fence.

His back straightens and he removes the towel from his head but he doesn't turn to look at us. I can see the blood smudged over his forehead. The wound is small but the towel looks like it's been used to wipe a crime scene.

"Zelda?" He whispers back in pure surprise. "Is that you?"

"Yes it's me. You have to stop playing."

He shakes his head. "I thought you didn't come."

"I know you didn't want me to come but... Well, that's not important right now. We don't have much time, I need you to listen to me. Ganondorf is ordering his team to foul you until you leave the game." I wait for a reaction that never comes. "Link, they won't stop until you're too injured to play."

"You came..."

Did he hear what I just said?

"I'm not going to stop playing," he says and gets up.

How can he possibly think about continuing to fight when there is no way that he can make it out of here unharmed. He's already so beat up, I can't imagine it getting much worse than this but I know it will if he goes back out there.

"Link, Link look at me, please," I practically beg.

"I can't. A dozen thousand eyes are watching me and if I look at you people might assume that something is going on between us and--and your dad will..." he rubs his forehead. "I'm not losing the game and you. Please go home."

I feel the crack in my chest when he tells me to go home but I'm not going to leave him behind.

"You're not going to lose me," my voice breaks. He will never lose me. I wish I could tell him just how much he means to me.

"Why did you come..." he asks me quietly, still facing the opposite way.

"Because I wanted to tell you that it doesn't matter whether you win or lose."

"It does though, when will you finally get that?"

"No, listen, please just listen to me. Maybe it matters to them, but it doesn't matter to me. Not one bit. I'll be proud of you either way. I'm already so unbelievably proud of you, you have to know that. All I want is for you to be okay. Every time you get hurt, it hurts me too. I can't watch them hurt you any more than they already have. It's too painful to watch."

"That's exactly why I didn't want you to come... " His lips pressed into a thin line and his back tense, he pants, "Zelda... I'm in so much pain."

As soon as he admits to his suffering I feel the floor falling apart. I knew he was in pain but hearing him admit it just proves how bad it truly is. He needs help. This is his way of asking for help.

I will not walk away and ignore his suffering as Bellum did. I will do whatever I can to make him smile again, to hear that sweet sound he makes when I tickle him. I will do anything to play catch in the living room again and I will take a million selfies with him because I know it will make him happy. I will play tennis with him, race him in Mario Kart, and tell him how I feel about him. About us. I just need him to be okay.

"Tank the game," I say.

"No."

"Link--"

"There is nothing you can say. I will never tank a game."

"You need to stop playing! You need to step back."

"No, what I need is your support!"

"You always have my support," I say downheartedly. What am I doing wrong? Why is he getting mad again?

"So then tell me that I can do this," he bids.

I promised him that I will support him no matter what. At that moment, when I said that, I was thinking about his defeat, but I suppose it goes both ways. If I want to keep my word, then I have to support him even if he decides that he wants to keep playing. I have to support him no matter what.

"You can do this," I say.

Whether I truly agree or disagree doesn't matter one bit. Link is not going to stop fighting for Hyrule. He desperately needs me to believe that victory is his, and quite frankly, so do I. I kept thinking that the outcome of this game doesn't matter, but seeing Link like this and seeing all these fans has proven me wrong. Link needs to win, not for them, but for himself. It matters to him and every time I said it doesn't matter to me I was being unsupportive. I was too blind to see that he needs this victory.

"I--" he shakes his head as his fractured breaths dart in and out of his lungs. "My left knee--it's--I have patella tendinitis--and--my knee joint will dislocate again if I continue to strain my left leg."

I shut my eyes and ball my fists, forcing the tears back. He needs me to support him, not to stop him. But how can I support him destroying himself like this?

"Then you have to use your right leg to shoot," I see against my will.

This is what he needs to hear. Even if telling him to keep going despite his condition tears my heart to pieces.

"Halftime is almost over," the coach calls Link.

"I need to see you," Link says out of breath. "I'm going to look at you. Only for a second."

He turns his head to look at me. I force my worries to hide behind a small smile and hope my eyes aren't too glazed.

"I have to go now. Th--thank you for being here. I, uh..." he rubs the back of his head. "Stay close to Impa."

"Wait," I call and he stops. "Ganon will try to make you hit him. Don't let him get in your head. This is all about mental strength too, don't forget that."

He nods at his feet, takes one last deep breath, and jogs back to his team. I, too, draw my first full breath since halftime started and walk back to our seats with Impa by my side. I don't know if Karusa really did leave the stadium but I hope he did. For Impa's sake. Now that he knows that Impa is on probation he might try to provoke her on purpose.

Looking back at the benches I see Domidak warming up. I'm sure the coach noticed Link's condition and told the backup to get ready just in case. When we sit down I clutch my necklace and just pray in silence.

The game continues and Link is back on the field. I forgot to warn him about Zant... He's the first Boar to approach Link on Lorule's side of the field. Link has the ball and tries to outrun Zant and the faster they run, the more nervous I get. They're so close to the opponent's goal! Zant tries to trip Link but he makes a quick turn, causing Zant to trip over his own feet.

"Ha! Eat dirt!" I laugh and cover my mouth immediately, ashamed of my words.

"Eat shit!" Impa joins and I swat her arm.

The referee blows the whistle and pauses the game. Zant is still on the ground, holding onto his shin.

"Bunch of flopping crybabies!" Impa waves her hands through the air.

"What happened?" I ask her confused.

"Zant's pretending that he was fouled by Link."

"Link didn't even touch Zant," I say irritated.

"Un-believable," even Revali is annoyed.

"What now?" I ask as the referee places the ball in front of our goal.

"The referee awarded a free-kick," Revali explains, shrinking in his seat.

"At least Link didn't get a red card," Impa adds.

Zant kicks the ball quite far, sending it all the way back to our side where Vaati receives the ball. He passes it to Ganon who takes a pretend shot before he takes his real shot. Karson leaps in the wrong direction but his foot holds Ganon's ball by an inch. It bounces back into the air.

Ganon kicks the ball back toward our goal. Karson holds it again! I'm on my feet! Impa and Revali as well. Karson doesn't have time to get up, Ganon fires again but the ball is parried by our keeper's hands once again!

Everyone in the stadium is shouting and screaming their emotions at the players as the ball flies back up into the air. Link tries to get the ball but Zant jumps up and receives it mid-air. With a powerful kick he forces the ball into our goal, injuring Link in the process. The cut above Link's eyebrow is bleeding again and he's covering his face to hide it from the fans.

The whistle is blown and I think the referees are discussing whether it was a foul or not. I want to rip out my hair. This has me on edge. It's so frustrating to watch. It's 2:1 for the Boars now.

"Yess!" Impa and Revali cheer at once.

"It was a foul," Impa explains when I give her a confused look. I'm glad that it wasn't neglected this time but I don't want to be happy that Link got hurt. "So now we're getting a penalty and they're losing the point they just scored."

I guess that is pretty good. But still... Poor Link.

Link is chosen for the penalty. The whole stadium turns silent as he prepares himself. You got this Link. You got this! I have never seen him this focused! Ghirahim is trying to distract him by talking to him and making grimaces but Link's attention is undivided. He takes a few steps back, runs, and kicks with his right foot! As if out of a cannon, the soccer ball flies right past Ghirahim's hands into the upper left corner of the goal!

"Goal!" We cheer and launch our fists into the air. He did this with his right foot, I can't believe it!

We're all on our feet now. Link's team sprints toward him for hugs and pats. Ganondorf is still calm but Zant looks even paler than he did before. It's 2:1 for Hyrule now and Link is still fighting with every ounce of strength left in his body.

Having gotten pretty close to the opponents' goal again, Link tries to score his third goal. Ghirahim holds the ball and arrogantly sticks out his tongue while Hyrule's fans sigh and shake their heads in disappointment. Why are they so upset? Link already scored twice, they should show some appreciation and respect for the young athlete.

"Go, Link!" I shout quietly against everyone's sighs and receive many different looks.

"Why are you cheering? He missed," Revali notes. I ignore him.

Ghirahim kicks the ball back to Ganon. We're getting close to the 80th minute and Link is still standing. I can't help but look at Ganondorf every couple of minutes to watch as he slowly turns red, trying to contain his frustration in front of the cameras.

Osfala gets subbed in by Hyrule's coach and, by blocking Ganon, defends our goal as if his life depended on it. I expected Ganon to be the most aggressive player on the field, but his teammates are doing most of the fouls. Vaati appears and tackles Osfala to give Ganon a clear shot. Once again, Ganon remains innocent and scores his second goal.

I clench my fists and close my eyes until the Boars are done celebrating. We'll score next, we have to. I find Link at the other side of the field bending over to catch his breath. He has been practicing for nearly two days straight with hardly any sleep or rest. I can't imagine what his body must be going through right now. I hope he at least ate a proper meal today.

He has told me over and over; there is always time for food. But I have a feeling that he hasn't been following that rule himself lately. I'd like to take him out for dinner when this is all over. Yes, I think I'll take him out tonight. Or we'll go to his place and order some pizza. I just want to be with him and help him recover.

It's 2:2 now and the game is nearing its end. Link looks fine but I know he is dying inside. Come on, ten more minutes, just hold on a little longer. Karson passes the ball to Pipit who sprints forward and passes to Link. Link's face is twisted in pain but he kicks the ball like any other time, with his left leg though, and scores a point for Hyrule!

3:2! Everybody is jumping and whooping! Apart from the Boars who are booing at Link with a passion for misery. I look at the scoreboard. We are in the lead! Only a few minutes remain. I'll be the happiest person on this planet when we win, not because we won the game, but because it will be over for Link. And he'll be okay!

More time passes and Ganondorf is quickly turning into the beast he truly is, yelling at his team to finally score a goal and turn the game around. But Ganon doesn't score and Zant doesn't injure Link. In fact, Link has the ball again and is dodging Vaati with a beautiful move that looks like something you'd see at a dance recital. I chuckle at my silly thought of Link dancing on stage.

The closer Link gets to Lorule's goal, the louder our voices become. But one voice overpowers all the others. It's Daruk shouting from the front row.

"You can do this little guy!"

"Don't screw this up!" Revali negates the cheer, glaring at Link.

I smack the back of his head with Impa's empty soda bottle.

"We love you Link!" A group of girls screams, holding up some poster with his number and hearts drawn with glitter.

"Pathetic," Revali huffs and for the first time, I have to agree with him. I can't help but smile at those girls, feeling slightly bad that they don't know him. Not the way I know him. And they don't love him. Not the way that I...

My thoughts are interrupted by the game. Link can't get close to Ghirahim without Zant throwing himself at Link's feet so Link keeps his distance and takes the risk, kicking the ball from the center of the field and--no way! He scores again!

"Holy shit!" Impa throws her arms around me and pulls me into a tight hug. I am out of oxygen when she squeezes me and can't help but think of Karusa. In terror and shock, I push her away and gasp for air.

"Sorry!" I apologize for my odd reaction. "Can I see your phone for a second?"

She hands it to me without questioning it. Her wallpaper is a silly selfie of us at Walmart. She insisted on riding in the shopping cart like a toddler. I was so embarrassed but it was a lot of fun and I'm happy she took a photo of it. I know her passcode, it's her birthday.

I open the camera and zoom in on Link. I want to record this to show him just how well he played tonight. I know he's in pain but I can't help but think about how handsome he is when he plays sports.

"Why aren't you using your own phone?" Impa asks.

"Er, it died," I shrug. I'll tell her that I lost my phone when we are far away from this horrible campus.

"Girl! You really gotta get a charger for your car," she laughs. "Actually, don't. It'll be my Christmas gift."

"First of all, Christmas isn't for another two months and secondly--"

"I hate gifts," we say at the same time. "I know," she continues and shrugs. "But--and here me out--I don't care."

In the process of rolling my eyes I spot Ganondorf shouting at Zant in a fit of anger. Link doesn't even have the ball right now but Zant steers at him anyway. Link is running toward the opponents' goal, too focused on Pipit's pass to notice Zant. Having given up on tactical fouls, Zant kicks Link's left leg as if it was the ball.

Both take a dive but only one gets up.

Link, face down, is hitting the grass repeatedly with his flat hand like a fighter in submission. The fall itself didn't look like anything crazy but I am paralyzed from head to toe. I know that this fall was different... I just know it. This one broke Link in one way or another.

"He was swimming," Revali sounds startled. He's trying not to care but his voice holds neither anger nor joy. I think he's just as uncertain as any of us. How are you supposed to feel when a player doesn't get up anymore?

My heart skips every beat until I realize that I'm still recording. I quickly end the video.

"No," I whisper, both hands pressed against my lips. "No, no no, no, no. Please get up, Link."

"He'll be okay," Impa tells me for the hundredth time today. I know she means well but there is no comfort in her words when I know that he's not okay. I shake my hand and repeat the same words. Please get up.

The whistle has been blown and Pipit helps Link up. He is standing on his own now and I can finally breathe again. One of our players jostles Zant, striving to get into a fight, but the referees step in and lead Zant off the field with a red card. The doctors want to take a look at Link but once again he dismisses the case with a shake of the head and limps back toward the ball for a free kick.

I can't wrap my head around this. Link could be losing his leg and still refuse to stop. Only one thing can take him down now... Ganon. He's talking to Link. I don't know what he's saying but their facial expressions are enough to guess that it is something unpleasant. Link's concentration is dwindling and his fists are clenched by his sides more times than not.

I can tell he wants to fight Ganon but he never strikes a punch. I spend the remainder of time praying for Link's health. No more goals are scored and when the fans are counting down the last ten seconds of the game the Boars have pretty much given up on scoring another goal.

"4!" the crowd says in harmony. "3!" I decide to jump in. "2!" I poke Revali to join us. "1!" We all say together and fill the stadium with cheers!

When the clock hits zero, everyone is on their feet, hugging and high-fiving each other! It's over! It's done! We did it! We beat the Boars! I can't believe it!

Impa's hugging strangers and even I wrap my arms around Revali and hug him against his will. He fights me for a second but then he just lets it happen, making sure that I hear his annoyed groan. I let go and hurry down to the sidelines while the first spectators begin to clear the stadium.

Link is cooling down by himself while his team is talking to the press and fans.

"Link!" I catch his attention when I arrive at the fence.

"Lorule will start a fight. You have to go," he demands.

I look over at the Eagles, signing soccer balls and hoodies. Then there are the Boars, starting to push and goad other fans. Each person holds a different expression; from rage and disappointment to tears of joy and triumph. But Link... His face is plain, unreadable. He's the only one here who doesn't display any feelings regarding the outcome of the game.

"You did it, Link," I try to awaken that feeling of relief in him. "It's finally over!"

His eyes look up at me. Full of despair, they search my eyes for hope. "It's not over," he says. I can sense an evident fragment of anxiety in his unstable voice.

"What... What do you mean it's not over? You won..."

"Did you hear what Ganondorf was shouting at Zant?" Link asks. I've never seen him this anguished.

"No... What did he say?"

Link looks away and quietly speaks through his teeth, "Kill him!" Link clenches his jaw and drives his hands through his drenched hair. "They went too far today. And they still lost... Next time will be so much worse. They'll do anything to win. Anything..."

"Next time?" my voice is shrinking with each of his words.

"The baseball game in February," he says, watching Lorule's team from afar. "Baseball is now Lorule's last shot at a championship this year. Their last shot at defeating Hyrule."

Baseball... my mind is still catching up. My stomach twists into knots as I picture Karusa and his friends on the same field as Link.

"Does Ganon play baseball too?"

Link nods and all the relief I felt a minute ago disappears at once. Link's right. This isn't over. Not at all... Link has to play against Lorule again. Karusa and Ganon on one team... I can't picture a more terrifying nightmare.

And even if they win, Link is only a sophomore, so this will go on until he graduates! Lorule won't sit back while Hyrule wins one championship after another. They'll be way more aggressive next time. Link must be terrified. I sure am and I'm not even the one who has to go against them.

Fortunately, we still have a couple more months until the baseball game. There must be a way for me to help Link. If I report Karusa and get him suspended from sports, Link would have one less thing to worry about. Although he would probably find out about what happened in the tunnel and take matters into his own hands. I can't let that happen.

But if there is a way for me to get Ganon behind bars, or at least expelled for framing Impa or assaulting his girlfriend, Link won't have to fear death when he plays against them. And neither will I, because if anything serious ever happened to Link, I wouldn't recover.

All these thoughts are already overbearing while there is one simple solution to it all. He should just not play baseball. He won't be given his scholarship if he doesn't play, and as much as I would hate to see him transfer schools, I would rather he attended a different university than risk his life for sports.

"Link--"

"Stop," he interrupts, "You can't stop me from playing for Hyrule."

"I... I was just going to ask if you want to get out of here." I nod toward the exit.

He blinks a couple of times and nods apologetically.