Efflorescence (Zelink)

Welcome

Nothing has ever happened like this before. I know I am hated for whatever reason, but the way they treated me before... It's disgusting. Not understandable. Obnoxious.

I've called my father, and told him he should come and pick me later up, and currently, I'm sitting in the bathroom of the gym, and clean my face with cold water. I stopped crying, I mean, it's meaningless anyway. Nobody would care about me. Well, except for Peach, Samus and maybe Palutena. They are my best friends at the academy, especially Samus. She's so tough. I wish I could be just like her...

I look into the cheap mirror again and regard my still red face, then, my arms. I often thought about cutting myself... But then, I remember the pointlessness of it, so I never did it. Luckily. However, all over my body are marks of the mistreatment from before. So I need one more hour to cover it up with concealer, because I don't want my father to see me like this. I want to make him proud, he shouldn't see me like a weak and poor girl.

Once I am finished with covering up, I go to the in the meantime empty parking lot. The sound of snow when you are the first one who touches it, it's very satisfying. I love winter.

"Zelda?"
I look forward, and see my father coming with his expensive car. I smile, and wave.
"Hop in", he requires, and I do so. While we are driving towards our home, dad asks me about my day. Yeah, sure, it was amazing. I don't judge him, I just can't understand that... I am basically screaming for help, my whole attitude shows that something is wrong, but still, he doesn't notice it at all. Though it's better like this.

"Glad you can see your friends tomorrow again?"
Father throws a side-glance to me. I beam.
"Definitely!" And that's not even a lie. Thinking about happy days, makes me merry again. Being with people that have the same problems as me; Palutena has green hair, and she can't do anything about it, although it perfectly fits her. Luigi and his brother Mario always had mustaches, even when they were kids. And well, I have pointed ears. Though I am not the only one at Smash academy; there are four others from Hyrule, but I've never seen them, since they are on higher levels than me.

I go to my phone. Forty messages. And everything but positive. Slut... Bastard... Outcast... And a link. I don't even want to klick on it, since I know what it is going to show me. Block the bad thoughts out, honey! Tomorrow everything will be different. I really hope so... With these reflexions, I soon fall asleep, dreaming about nothing than snow.

Another day

The next morning, I choose for my circumstances quite girly clothes: a wine red, cozy pullover and a grey skirt. I put my brown hair into a braid, apply a beautiful lipstick and conceal the wounds from yesterday: and I've got to admit, I look very appealing in this. I put some clothes, weapons and books into my case, and some other stuff, go downstairs, take a seat in the car, and prepare myself for ten freaking hours of driving. Driving into a literally another dimension. I pluck in my earbuds, and shut the world out.

"Zelda, we are almost there."
"Huh?"
I rub my tired eyes, hopefully not smudging my eyeliner, and open them. The sun already started to set down; but it just makes the huge building look even more impressive. I feel like coming home. I hold my palms before my mouth, happy, to be here again. Dad stops in front of the entrance and gazes at me expectantly. I plant a kiss on his tanned forehead, and quickly leave the car with my case, already the target of two piercing blue eyes.

"My dear Zel', you look extremely pale. Our first destination: tanning salon!"
I smile playfully, and hug the blonde girl.
"I missed you", I say, after I looked into her eyes.
"You too, honey! Oh, but actually your skin tone really matches your hair color. We can leave it like that." I know Peach doesn't mean it like this. I really love her.

"Hey, I'm also here", a deep feminine voice complains behind me.
"SAMUS!", I cry out, hugging her even more firmly than I did Peach. The tall platinum blond woman smirks, and lets go. I smile silently, and also hug Palutena, which stands next to Peach.

"So, who sleeps with who?", Peach asks, resting her hand at her wide hip.
"They hand the plans out after the welcome ceremony, or how it is called", Palutena answers. She always seems to know everything. To be honest, I hope I can share a room with Samus, though.
"Well then, let's better go to this unnecessary shit", she suggests, and together, we enter the school, after I've given my case to an employee.

It's full of new people I've never seen before. A cute little dog with a duck on his back, a very sporty looking, pale woman, a boy with a big red shirt on... Interesting. Maybe I can establish new contacts? Anyway, there are also students from the last time, like Lucina. She seems very cold, and she never hangs out with girls. So she's a perfect victim for Peach.

"Yuck. There's this tomboy again. Even wears the same cloths from the last time." Peach wrinkles her nose, as if the blue-haired woman stinks. Palutena and I sigh frustrated, and Samus rubs Peachs' back.
"Where is this auditorium again?", I ask, gazing around the huge corridor.
"This way."
An unknown voice behind me says, while the person taps on my shoulder, pointing into the left direction.

I turn around, and my jaw immediately drops, exactly like the other girls' one's. An extremely handsome man with shaggy, dark blue hair, stunning blue eyes and broad shoulders looks right into my eyes. My eyes!
"Thank you", I respond quietly, totally fascinated by the man's face. And his body. And everything about him. In the background, I hear Peach gasping.
"I'm Ike, what's your name?" The corner of his mouth raises, which makes him look even better, if that is possible.

I smile shortly, offering my hand. Surprisingly, he doesn't shake it like I expected, but brings it to his mouth and kisses it gently, while his striking blue eyes keep in contact with mine. Gentlemen like this still exist?
"Zelda", I say finally. Ike tenses his immense muscles, causing me to almost melt away. God damn.
"What a beautiful name for a beautiful lady", he whispers softly. "Well then, Zelda, see you later." Ike quickly blinks, and then goes to the auditorium.

Although he has already left, I still stand there like I froze.
"What was that?!" Peach exclaims shocked.
"I think this month is going to be very different than the others", Samus says mischievously. I glare at her.
"He totally fell for you. Even someone blind would have seen that." She shrugs, smiling. I slap her playfully.
"Well, we'll see..."
"Let's better go to the welcome room, okay?", I distract. The other girls nod, and we continue.

As we reach the gigantic room, which looks like a theater, we choose to sit together on the best seats. There are three levels; and in the front is a small stage. Once everyone seems to be there, I start to count the smashers: forty-eight, in total. My face grows hot, as I see how Ike has kept his gaze on me. Next to him is a boy, also pretty muscular, with dark blonde hair and pointed ears. He must be from Hyrule, too. The boy looks over to me, and we both stare at each other for a second, before I turn away and chat a little bit with Samus. Eventually, the principal, Mr Sakurai, shows up.

"Welcome to the third smash tournament this year!" We all start to clap loudly. It's the same as always. He tells us the rules, no boys at the girls dormitories after twelve PM, and no girls at the boys dormitories after twelve PM, how we should behave, how the new system is built up (at first, I have to train at my former level, and if I seem to be better, there's a final competition and then I can level myself up), and so on. It's my eighteenth time here.

"... The room numbers are hung up at the reception. However, I wish you all good luck! Thank you!" Mr Sakurai bows, and we clap again.
"Lord, that was an eternity", Peach growls. "However. Shall we go to the reception?"
"Not yet", Palutena adds calmly. "Everyone will go there. Once they are gone, it'll be a lot more composed there."
Peach looks at her surprised, and agrees.

"YES! Not the tomboy!", Peach cries out contentedly.
"Seems like we are together, Zelda", Palutena explains serenely. I nod. Maybe our relationship will get better?
"Room fifteen. Almost next to ours", Samus laughs.

As Palutena and I go into our room, she has already chosen the smaller bed for herself, and has closed her eyes. She really is pretty, especially when she sleeps. Once her breath turns more evenly, I put my things into the shelves and turn the light off, slowly falling asleep.