The knights’ uniforms, as seen on Pipit, are kind of like Link’s normal tunic, only yellow-brown. They apparently change color annually, and the new year’s color is, of course, green. Gaepora had doubts about the color, but seeing Link put on the uniform, it suits him. (Of course, anything’s better than the getup he’s had up to this point. No one else dresses like that.) Gaepora wishes Link good luck in his travels before returning to his quarters to study ancient texts for more information, and Link is welcome to return as he needs. He also suggests that Link stop by the Skyloft bazaar to stock up for the journey.
As Link leaves his room, Fledge approaches with a present he made for Link, an Adventure Pouch, which holds useful items. The starting pouch can hold four items, which include important items like Link’s shield and bottles. Right now, there aren’t enough items to fill the pouch, but they wouldn’t give Link four slots if he wasn’t going to use them all, and wouldn’t have the pouch (plus the Item Check for overflow items) if Link got to carry everything with him at the same time like he usually does, so… well, it’s obviously fine for now, but we’ll see how it works out. One of Groose’s lackeys – the short one who threw eggs at Link during the race – is stalking the halls and blames Link winning the race for Zelda’s fall and I don’t have time to listen to him. Outside the Academy, Instructor Horwell gives Link a wooden shield, warning that it might break easily and is susceptible to burning.
Fi pops up with a bunch of news. First, she recaps everything we know so far: the tablet she gave Link has opened a path through the clouds to the surface. But Link’s not ready to go to the surface yet; he needs to go to the the bazaar and stock up. Really, I don’t know what he’d do without her. She also points out that the huge controller displays that point out what the buttons do can be turned off when the player gets comfortable with the interface, so… maybe eventually.
As Link enters the bazaar, the fortune teller calls out to him, saying Link’s about to go on a dangerous journey. He offers to tell Link’s fortune, at a special rate of 1 rupee. Okay, I can make that back easily enough, so let’s do it. The fortune teller says Link’s about to head into a dangerous wooded area, so he should get a shield and potions. His eyes see everything, but somehow missed the big wooden disc on Link’s back. I want my rupee back.
Next to the fortune teller is the potion shop, and the potion seller says Link needs potions, which I think I would get by now even if they weren’t hammering that point home. But she actually sells them, so what else is she going to say? Oh, Link’s also going to need a bottle to carry potions in, so she gives him one to get started, and he buys one of the two available potions, the red potion that restores eight hearts. Link’s only got six [1] right now, so it’s not like he needs one of the better potions. And they’re not ready yet, anyway.
Also of note in the bazaar: The potion seller’s husband takes bugs and grinds them up to boost potions. Another man uses treasure to upgrade gear. There’s the basic item shop. There’s a woman cooking, but she doesn’t seem to be selling anything. Finally, there’s the Item Check, where Link can store items he can’t fit in the Adventure Pouch, and whoa, are they prepared to store a bunch of items. The woman who runs the Item Check has the same kind of terminally bored attitude that Salvatore did back in Wind Waker/Phantom Hourglass.
Finally armed with the shield and potion everyone’s telling him to get, Link finally heads out to begin his landward journey. The hole in the clouds has a bright green beacon shining through it, so it’s impossible to miss. As Link approaches, Fi pops out to explain that the green beacon marks the safe place to pass through the clouds, and that there’s a mark on the map just in case the beacon isn’t bright enough. Is it too late to trade her for a talking hat? Anyway, the Loftwing passes over the hole, and Link jumps off to fall the rest of the way.
Next: Men walk on earth.
[1] Yes, the game starts Link with six hearts rather than the standard three. I’m guessing this is their way of staving off the typical Zelda game issue where the early game is tough because Link doesn’t have much health.
