Legend of Zelda 1. A Pirate's Past

Disclaimer: Everything quoted from The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker is copyright of Nintendo. I don't own Zelda or anything related to it. If I did then I would be making the next Zelda game right now!! ...like I said.I don't own anything.-.-  
  
A/N: Like most other stuff I write about (which isn't much mind you), I got inspired to write about the Wind Waker. Also this has spoilers so if you didn't beat the game and don't want anything given away then don't read! This story is somewhat of a treat for those of you who played through the whole game (since it shows what Tetra does while Link wanders about), but if you didn't play through the entire game (or never played it at all) then that's ok. You just might have trouble picturing the characters and environments and the storyline might confuse you a little (there are websites out there with pictures you could look at anyways...I'm using too many parenthesis, aren't I?) Also it would help if you played the Ocarina of Time to get the legend part down.  
  
A better summary is in my bio if anyone's interested. Also, delays on posting can and will be found in my bio (I strongly suggest you check it so you know when to look for updates).  
  
Ok enough of my talk. Here's the story! *waves Zelda flag*  
  
Default chapter: A Pirate's Past -------------------------------------------------------  
  
"Mother, mother, come quick!" a young blond-haired girl yelled. She jumped up and down frantically on her creaky bed as her mother entered the room.  
  
"What, what is it, Tetra?" the woman said quickly, sounding a little  
worried.  
  
The 5-year-old just smiled at her mother. She jumped off her bed and ran to her mom's side, grabbed her hand, and squeezed it.  
  
"Don't you know what time it is?" she said with a cute smile.  
  
Her mother thought for a moment, then got a look of pure happiness on  
her face.  
  
"Of course I do, dear." She said sweetly. "How could I forget?"  
  
Tetra jumped with happiness as she let go of her mother's hand and ran to the bed. This was her favorite time of the day, even if it meant afterwards she would have to go to bed. She didn't care though, since most of the time she would end up dreaming sweet dreams about her mother's bedtime stories.  
  
By now, Tetra's mom had made her way to a desk with a picture mounted on the adjacent wall. She opened one of the drawers and pulled out a thick book that looked like it could be a hundred years old.  
  
When the woman turned around to look at her daughter, she saw instead an irregularly shaped wad of blankets that was giggling profusely. She smiled and walked up to the pile of talking covers and searched a bit before grabbing the cloth and wiggling her fingers. The resulting sound of Tetra's laughing was enough to make her laugh as well.  
  
"I thought you wanted to hear the story?" she said in a joking manner.  
  
A head quickly poked out of the covers. Before she knew it, Tetra was sitting right next to her on the bed, eyes anxiously staring into hers.  
  
"Alright then, shall we begin?" she said as she begun to open the  
book.  
  
"Yes! Lets!" the young girl said in great excitement.  
  
With that, Tetra's mom opened the fat book and turned to a page that had old-looking pictures on the right and strange writing on the left. Propping the book with her right hand and holding Tetra in the other, she began to read...  
  
"Long ago, there existed a kingdom..."  
  
"A kingdom where a golden power lay hidden."  
  
"It was a prosperous land, blessed with green forests, tall mountains,  
and peace."  
  
"But one day, a man of great evil found this power..."  
  
"And took it for himself..."  
  
"And with it at his command, he spread darkness across the kingdom."  
  
"Oooooooo." Tetra mused, as she snuggled closer to her mother.  
  
She continued...  
  
"But then...just as all hope had died..."  
  
Tetra leaped as she quickly pointed to a picture dangling on the wall next to the bed.  
  
"Then he came!!!" she shouted excitedly.  
  
"Oh you're so smart!" her mother said heartily.  
  
"Read on, please!" Tetra said happily.  
  
The woman looked back down to find her spot.  
  
"A young boy clothed in green appeared as if from nowhere."  
  
"Wielding a blade that repelled evil, he sealed the dark one away..."  
  
"And gave the land light."  
  
"This boy, who traveled through time to save the land,..."  
  
"Was known as the Hero of Time."  
  
"What a funny name." Tetra interrupted.  
  
Her mother looked down at her with a smirk on her face.  
  
"Oh sorry...I didn't mean to interrupt you momma."  
  
"It's ok dear."  
  
The woman looked back down to continue but suddenly stopped. She lifted her head and said to Tetra. "Don't you think you should be going to sleep now?"  
  
"What? Why?" her young daughter replied. "You always stop there! Can't you read more??? Please!" she begged.  
  
"Dear, it's late, and we have a big day tomorrow." She explained. "I would like it if you went to bed early."  
  
Tetra humphed but gave in to her mother's wishes and crawled  
under the covers.  
  
"Hey Mom..." she began to ask.  
  
"Yes?"  
  
Tetra paused for a while before continuing.  
  
"Do you think we'll ever find that great treasure in the ocean?" she asked as she stared at another picture across the room.  
  
Tetra's mom smiled and said. "I don't know, honey. But what I do know is that when we do, we will finally know where we belong."  
  
Tetra fiddled with the necklace that her mom gave her when she was two. She wasn't sure why they were looking for such a place when their lives were going just fine as it was now. But then again a better life did sound neat, so she didn't question her mothers objectives.  
  
Just then, they both heard a knock on the bedroom door, followed by a slightly deep and goofy-sounding male voice. The voice sounded anxious...  
  
...and frightened...  
  
"Miss! Miss, you must hurry and get up on deck! It's urgent!" the  
voice cried.  
  
Tetra's mom looked at the door with a puzzled look and said. "In a minute, Gonzo. I'm putting Tetra to bed."  
  
"But Miss...!" Gonzo cried. "They're here!"  
  
The woman's eyes went big.  
  
"What?!"  
  
She quickly turned back to Tetra.  
  
"Tetra, stay here in your room. I'll be back to tuck you in,  
Ok?"  
  
"Ok." Tetra said, a little confused as to why her mom was acting  
a little strange.  
  
Tetra's mom quickly got up, walked to the door, and stopped. She turned back to look at her daughter.  
  
"Tetra..."  
  
She looked up at her.  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
The woman looked away.  
  
"Promise me you will take care of that necklace? Make sure no one else take's it from you...guard it with your life...ok?"  
  
Tetra was now even more confused. Why was her mom telling her to watch over her necklace? It wasn't going anywhere...right?  
  
But she promised her anyways, even if she didn't know why.  
  
The woman began to open the door.  
  
Tetra quickly looked up and called.  
  
"I love you mother."  
  
...But the door was already closed...  
  
The tall male known as Gonzo watched as Tetra's mother quickly closed the door behind her. The man looked very much like what a pirate would look like; this was so, because he was a pirate. In fact, everyone on the ship was a pirate. He had overheard what they were talking about inside the room and had something to say to the woman before they went on deck.  
  
"Are you ever going to tell her the whole story, Miss?" the man asked. He rubbed the sleeve of his forest-green top as the woman looked at him with soft eyes.  
  
"I will..." she replied. "But...not now...for now I want her to know the happier ending." She lowered her gaze. "I'll tell her...when she is ready."  
  
"If you say so, Miss." Gonzo replied.  
  
Once Gonzo and Tetra's mom got to the main deck, she looked over to see that the entire crew had gathered to one side of the ship, all of them looking out into the sea. When she asked them what was going on, they all turned to her and started to speak all at the same time.  
  
"It's them!" One was shouting.  
  
"They're here!" Another yelled. Others pointed out into the vast ocean that stretched for miles down on to the horizon.  
  
"It can't be..." she thought. The woman ran up to the edge of the railing and gazed out to the sea.  
  
Sure enough, something was coming towards them on the horizon...  
  
The whole crew began to talk at once and pretty soon no one could understand what the other said in all the chaos.  
  
"Calm down!" Tetra's mom shouted, trying to get the crew in  
order.  
  
Once they quieted down, she leaned forward.  
  
"Now tell me...one at a time."  
  
Back in the room, young Tetra was shifting in her bed in anxiousness. She had tried to go to sleep like her mother wanted her to, but she didn't feel the least bit sleepy. She could hear voices coming from the upper deck but she couldn't make out any words through the thick wooden ceiling.  
  
She turned on her side to face the picture hanging next to her bedside. Every night her mom would tell her the story of the Hero of Time, but she never actually told her why. She mostly figured it was to lull her to sleep, but now she was questioning that thought. She also wondered why her mom never read the whole story. Was there something in the ending that her mother didn't want her to know?  
  
She signed. All this pondering was making her tired.  
  
Rolling back into a flat position, she slowly closed her eyes and tried to fall asleep again.  
  
Just when she thought she was about to doze off...the ship suddenly jerked sharply to one side, flinging Tetra out of her bed and sprawling her onto the floor!  
  
She sat up quickly, wondering what had just happened that made the ship lurch like that.  
  
Suddenly, she got extremely worried.  
  
"Mother!" she cried. She quickly stood up and bolted out of the door to search for her. After running through a small hallway, she stopped in front of yet another door and heaved it open. Once it was open, she was suddenly bathed in light!  
  
Tongues of fire were dancing around the main deck in front of her, burning away at what use to be the crows nest! The pirate ship...was on fire!  
  
She tried to shield her eyes from the heat and shouted.  
  
"Mommy!"  
  
She kept her distance from the fire and climbed the small flight of steps that stood next to the door she just exited from. She covered her mouth to try and not breathe in the smoke, but her arm was not enough to keep it from entering her lungs. She coughed a bit as a little puff of smoke managed to seep into her throat and caused her to gag a little. She swallowed it down as she tried to search through the thick blanket of smog. It was even harder to see, considering it was after sunset.  
  
Not a trace of her mother or the crew was in site...  
  
"Mother!!!" she cried, even louder this time over the loud crackling  
of the flames.  
  
"Miss Tetra!"  
  
Upon hearing familiar voices, Tetra looked around to find the source. The voices sounded like they were coming from off the ship, so she looked overboard toward the sea.  
  
Floating right next to the burning ship was the crew, crowded in a small boat that the pirates used only for emergency escapes.  
  
Her mother, though, was not among them...  
  
Instead of jumping into the boat, the young girl cried out.  
  
"Where's my mom?!"  
  
Before they could even consider answering her, a loud screech was suddenly heard hovering over the entire ship!  
  
Tetra winced at the sound and covered her ears. She looked up to find the source...and gasped at what she saw!  
  
There gliding around the ship was the biggest bird she had ever seen in her entire life! It had dark black feathers that covered its entire body, while the tips of the wings were a pale white with black and maroon trimming. Four huge tails protruded from the creature's rear, each one covered with large, brilliant yellow and green feathers. A large mask-like helmet was protecting the bird's face and part of its upper grey beak, the mask being a shiny metal color with maroon designs all over it. Two bright yellow jewels made up the eye sockets of the foul's helmet, which made the bird's maroon colored neck and head look even more frightening.  
  
The huge beast let out another screech as it made a turnabout and headed straight for the ship, talons extended.  
  
Tetra wanted to run but was paralyzed with fear and terror. Even if she wanted to run, there would still be nowhere to hide...or run to even! She was nearly surrounded by burning fire! She could only watch as the bird came closer and closer...to where she was standing!  
  
Right when it came too close for her comfort, Tetra let out a loud high-pitched scream in hopes that she would scare it away!  
  
Suddenly, she felt something push her out the bird's path of flight, knocking her off balance and causing her to stumble backwards! She hit the slightly scorched railing, but it was already brittle from the fire and it quickly snapped under her weight upon impact!  
  
Before she knew what was going on, Tetra was suddenly drenched in salt water as the waves swallowed her up into the sea! Without hesitating, she reached out her arms and clawed around to try and reach the surface to breathe. But not matter how much she tried, it appeared as if she was going only further into the ocean depths. She was still at a young age...and no one had taught her how to swim yet!  
  
Just when she was on her last bit of air and on the verge of drowning, a hand suddenly grabbed the back of her shirt and yanked her out of the choppy water.  
  
She gasped for air and leaned up against the side of the boat she was pulled into, relieved that someone had pulled her to safety.  
  
"Miss Tetra, are you alright?" one of the shorter pirates with  
buckteeth asked.  
  
Tetra didn't answer him, but instead sat straight up. She looked back at their burning ship and stared with frightened eyes.  
  
Her mother could still be on that ship!  
  
"Mother!" she cried as she blindly started to crawl out of the boat.  
  
"Miss Tetra, stop!" said one of the taller pirates, reaching out and grabbing her by one of her arms and pulling her back into the boat.  
  
"TETRA!!!"  
  
Tetra froze.  
  
That was her mom's voice!  
  
"TETRA!!!"  
  
She frantically looked around, along with the other pirates, to try and spot her mother.  
  
Before anyone could spot her, they all heard another screech, followed by loud flapping directly over them.  
  
Everyone quickly looked above them as the giant bird swooped over their heads and begin to fly off toward the dark horizon.  
  
Young Tetra was, unfortunately, the first one to see what was clutched in the bird's huge talons.  
  
"MOM!!!" she cried.  
  
Her mother was now being carried away in the talons of the enormous bird, and was slowly getting fainter and harder to see in the distance. She was reaching out to her daughter helplessly and repeating Tetra's name over and over, her voice getting fainter and fainter as they flew further away.  
  
Tetra reached back to her mother, even though she knew she was too far to reach. Tears welded up in her eyes and she squinted to get one last look at her dear mother.  
  
While doing so, her eyes accidentally fell upon something that was on top of the bird's back...  
  
It looked like a human figure...  
  
...with pitch black clothing... 


	2. The Nightmare Capture

Disclaimer: Same as usually...don't own Zelda cause it's owned by Nintendo...blah blah blah.  
  
A/N: One review?! That's all I got? Man...either fanfiction.net doesn't get a lot of readers in the Zelda section, or my story just isn't interesting...Where are all the Tetra fans out there?! Well, I guess I really should give it time till more reviews come. Until then, chapter 1 will do(and I'm going to wait until I get 8 reviews before I post chapter 3, got that). I'm still not quite sure how old Tetra is, but I'm guessing it's 12. If I'm wrong then oh well. I am tweaking some part of the game to make it interesting too. Mind you though, some parts were changed dramatically while others I just changed the wording. Enjoy ^-^  
  
Chapter 1: The Nightmare Capture ---------------------------------------------------  
  
~7 Years Later~  
  
"Niko! Get up here!"  
  
Tetra placed her hand on her hips and waited after she finished her call, tapping her sandaled foot as a smaller, buck-toothed pirate stumbled out of the door leading from the lower deck.  
  
"Y-yes, Miss Tetra?" he squeaked. Everyone knew that when Tetra raised her voice, someone would get a major yelling to. It seemed that Niko was the culprit this time.  
  
The other pirates watched from their posts as Tetra held up a red bandana that looked like someone spilt dark red juice on it.  
  
"Niko...what is the meaning of this? My bandana looks like I just gutted a fish with a hammer!" She crossed her arms and waited for an explanation from the small pirate.  
  
Niko shifted his feet a little in nervousness. Boy was he going to get  
it...  
  
"Well you see Miss..." he stammered. "I was washing it like you told me to, but I got hungry so I went and got a tomato. And...I...uh..." he stopped.  
  
Tetra put her hands on her hip.  
  
"You dropped it in by accident, didn't you?" she said slightly annoyed.  
  
Niko hung his head.  
  
"Well...yeah..." he quickly looked at her. "...but I swear it was an accident! Honest!" When he was finished, he quickly looked back to the ground in shame.  
  
Tetra sighed and shook her head in disbelief. As she did this, she suddenly noticed that everyone was looking at her through quick glances. She gave a quick glare at all of them and they quickly turned back around to do their duties.  
  
She looked back at Niko, who was trying his best not to look her straight in the eye.  
  
This made her think...  
  
"Hmm...perhaps I'm being a little too hard on him. My bandana isn't ruined so I guess I can forgive him."  
  
Tetra clutched her bandana and began to wrap it around her neck as she eyed Niko and spoke.  
  
"I guess I can let you off easy this time."  
  
Niko leaped for joy.  
  
"Oh thank you, Miss Tetra! I promise I won't do it again!"  
  
The captain eyed him some more.  
  
"You better not, cause if this happens again, it's coming out of  
your wallet!"  
  
"Aye-aye, captain!" he replied before saluting and darting back  
below deck.  
  
While all this was going on, the pirate's ship had sailed into a remote corner of the Great Sea. But what the crew didn't know...  
  
...was that they were being watched.  
  
About a mile away, an enemy watchtower was eyeing their every move. In this tower, two grayish colored creatures with long flat ears and devil- like tails were talking amongst themselves about the sight they were seeing.  
  
One of the two odd-looking creatures quickly motioned for the other to take out its telescope in haste after making a couple strange noises that the other supposable understood.  
  
Following the others command, the monster that was also known as a Bokoblin took his telescope out and peeked through its finder. It focused on someone in particular on the ship and after about a few seconds of contemplation, the creature put his telescope down and looked at his partner. It made even more squeaky-sounding sounds while it pointed to the ship, giving its buddy an message that only Bokoblins could understand.  
  
With a quick nod to each other, both creatures scurried down a ladder, mounted a boat, and sailed off to the north.  
  
~ ~ ~  
  
Later that day, the pirates were just about to settle down and eat  
dinner.  
  
"Hey Niko! Hurry up with my plate! I'm starving here!" a taller pirate with a purple top yelled. He scratched his short beard as he watched Niko scurry around the deck, trying to do three things at once.  
  
"I'm going as quickly as I can here, Senza! Stop rushing me!" Niko replied angrily. He hated being at the bottom of the pirate ladder, especially if it meant having to wait on everyone and wash everyone else's clothes. He shuttered at the thought of Gonzo's underwear. Still, he was use to it, so he never complained much unless someone other than his captain was pushing him too much.  
  
After much debate, everyone was served and eating their fill.  
  
Well...  
  
...almost everyone that is...  
  
"Hey where is Miss Tetra, yeah?" Gonzo questioned. "She should be here after we sounded the gong."  
  
Everyone looked at him through stuffed cheeks and shrugged, then began to gorge themselves again.  
  
"I know...where she is." said a smaller pirate with a white and blue striped top, brown sideburns, and a red bandana on his head. His name was Zuko; he was the pirate responsible for being the look-out for land or, less preferably, trouble.  
  
Zuko gestured to the bow of the ship while he stuffed a piece of bread down his throat.  
  
Everyone looked over to see Tetra sitting at the end of the ships long, wooden front directly over a wooden snake carving. Even with her back to them, she appeared to be deep in thought.  
  
Another tall pirate, this one having a pale purple shirt and an orange bandana on his head, got up and walked to the bow of the ship. He didn't bother to climb to where she was since one, he was a little too big, and two, he was afraid of heights. His name...Nudge.  
  
"Miss Tetra?" he called. "Diner is ready, so you can come eat now."  
  
Tetra didn't answer him.  
  
"Miss Tetra? Are you alright?" he called again, hoping she would respond this time.  
  
She must have heard him this time since she slowly glanced over at him, gave a small gesture, and turned back to the sea.  
  
Nudge understood this and returned to his seat.  
  
The other pirates looked at Nudge through a full mouth and tried to ask what was wrong with their captain, spewing bits of food as they did so. If anyone knew something was wrong with Tetra, it would be Nudge.  
  
Nudge just waved a hand through the air.  
  
"Miss Tetra just needs some quiet time to herself. That's all."  
  
The crew nodded their heads to each other. They knew what Nudge meant.  
  
Tetra swung her feet back and forth as they hung over the edge. She kept her balance by clinging to the rope that connected the ships front to the top of the crows nest. Having moments like this was something that she had been doing for years...ever since that fateful day.  
  
She remembered everything. Despite her attempts to put it behind her, she still couldn't shake the events of that day from her mind. It lingered in her memory like a bad odor of rotten fish. The huge bird, that strange human...her mother...she remembered it all like it just happened yesterday.  
  
Slowly she reached down her neck into her bandana and pulled out a necklace that had a golden triangle tied at the end of it. The triangle had a triangular-shaped gap on the lower part of it, which made the golden accessory look like a "V" if it was turned upside down. She gazed at it as horrible memories flooded back into her mind. She closed her eyes.  
  
"What were you trying to tell me mother?" she thought.  
  
Her thoughts kept turning to the stories her mother read to her every night. A clue had to be hidden in it somewhere! Why else would her mother tell it to her so often?  
  
She stuffed the necklace back under her bandana in frustration. She was so confused! Not even her crew could help her with this problem. The only thing she was clear on was that they had to find the great treasure under the ocean. That's the only thing that mattered to her right now!  
  
Tetra was so tuned out from the world around her, that she didn't even hear Zuko call out of the blue.  
  
"We've got...company!" he shouted, pausing in-between words like he normally did as he pointed to the ocean through his telescope.  
  
"What?! Where?" the crew questioned in unison as they quickly putting  
down their wooden plates.  
  
They gathered to one side of the ship to see what Zuko was seeing through his telescope, expecting an enemy ship to be seen. But all they saw was a speck in the sky.  
  
"Zuko, you're seeing things, yeah?!" Gonzo scolded. "It's just a small flock of sea gulls." He certainly didn't change over the years...and neither did his outfit.  
  
"Oh, it's more...than just a mere sea bird! Have a look...for yourself!" Zuko replied as quick as he could while he handed Gonzo the telescope.  
  
Gonzo put it up to his eye and searched the sky for any sign of life. He focused on the horizon...then dropped the telescope.  
  
"Miss Tetra!!! Come quick!"  
  
Tetra made an exasperated sigh and glared at Gonzo from where she was sitting.  
  
"You know I hate to be disturbed, Gonzo." She muttered loud enough for him to hear.  
  
"But Miss! It's that horrible creature again!"  
  
Tetra raised an eyebrow. The only horrible creature that they couldn't handle in their years as pirates was...  
  
...no...it couldn't be!  
  
She quickly turned around to look behind her, hoping to confirm her suspicion.  
  
She couldn't have been more right...  
  
Heading straight towards them like a nightmare from the past...was the huge bird! That same huge beast that took away Tetra's mother!  
  
Tetra clenched her teeth as she quickly scooted back onto the ship's  
deck.  
  
"ALL HANDS ON DECK!" she shouted. "MAN THE CANNONS!"  
  
"WE ARE TAKING THAT BIRD DOWN!"  
  
The crew didn't question her as they scurried to their battle positions. Nudge and Senza took control of the catapult, Gonzo took the wheel, and Zuko headed for the ship's upper deck to keep track of the beast.  
  
"Niko, Mako! Hoist the anchor!" Tetra commanded. "Gonzo! Turn her forty degrees starboard! I want this vessel heading straight for that monster!"  
  
"Aye-aye, Captain!" he replied, turning the wheel sharply to one  
direction.  
  
Mako and Niko returned and said. "Orders done, Miss!"  
  
"Good! Mako you help Zuko keep an eye on that bird!"  
  
"Yes ma'am!" the small pirate replied, running to where Zuko  
was.  
  
"Niko!"  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"Get me some water."  
  
Niko's smile turned into a frown as he slumped over below deck.  
  
By now, the falcon had almost reached the ship. It was now close enough to hear its mighty call of war; and it was in range of the cannon. Two smaller look-a-likes flew behind the beast, holding creatures with sharp weapons in their grasp.  
  
With a loud call, the bird went into a dive-bombing position and headed straight to the ship!  
  
"Aim the cannon!" Tetra shouted.  
  
Nudge cranked the lever and aimed at the huge target.  
  
"READY!"  
  
"FIRE!"  
  
Senza released the catapult, sending a cannonball on a collision course with the bird.  
  
With one huge flap of its wings, the creature effortlessly swooped over the cannonball and went back to gliding. It let out another squawk as if it was laughing at them before going back into it's dive-bombing position.  
  
"Shoot!" Tetra screamed. "Get that bird back on target! I want that thing out of the sky before it hits the ship!"  
  
Senza quickly started to prepare another cannonball and also by now, Niko had gotten the water for Tetra.  
  
"Your water, Miss Tetra?" he said, holding out the cup to her.  
  
"Not now, Niko!" she spat as she started to make her way up to the crow's nest. "Go help the others if they need anything!"  
  
Niko humphed at her rudeness, but did not dare talk back to her. He started to walk to where Zuko and Mako were, but stopped when he suddenly heard a strange noise that didn't come from the bird itself. He quickly looked up to see two smaller birds drop reinforcements...two Bokoblins! One of the thin, bluish-grey creatures they were carrying landed on the upper deck...smack dab in front of him!  
  
"Eek!" Niko yelped. He quickly ran away from the creature as it chased him, waving its weapon in the air with a war cry. It wasn't long before Niko was cornered however, and the pirate quickly spun around to face the monster as it began to laugh at his stupidity.  
  
It raised its weapon and was about to slash him, but stopped halfway there. It fell to the ground in a heap, revealing a small pirate with glasses behind him, a slightly blooded dagger in his hand.  
  
"Wow, thank you, Mako!" Niko exclaimed.  
  
Mako just fixed his glasses and muttered. "And you wonder why you're at the bottom of the pirate ladder...sheesh."  
  
Niko just blinked at his remark.  
  
"FIRE!"  
  
Another cannonball flew though air at the huge bird and once again missed its mark. With two attempts failed, the bird was now too close to have time to get another shot in! Nothing was stopping it from colliding with the ship!  
  
"Prepare for impact!" Gonzo shouted as he clung tightly to the wheel. Hearing this, the crew scrambled to find something to hold on to!  
  
Tetra was not even halfway up the ladder when the warning was sounded. She tightened her grip on to the ladder as she watched the bird head straight towards the sail, which was right in front of her!  
  
Right before it hit the ship however, the bird flapped its wings hard and skimmed the top of the crows nest, avoiding a harsh crash to the large vessel.  
  
Tetra was perplexed. Why didn't the bird smash up their ship? What was it trying to accomplish anyway?  
  
She pushed the thought aside and continued on up the ladder to get a better view and hopefully spot a weak point on the massive creature. As soon as she got to the top of the ladder though, she was viciously greeted by the other Bokoblin, who immediately tried to slash her! She ducked just in time to avoid the sharp blade, and ran to the opposite side of the nest. The creature turned around and gave a squeaky roar.  
  
"Oh that was pathetic! Is that the best you can do?" she taunted.  
  
The creature sneered at her, and charged. Tetra quickly unsheathed her dagger and met the blade of the Bokoblin's weapon. With all her strength, she pushed the creature backwards and tried to slay it when it's head was down. The Bokoblin must have foreseen the attack, so it quickly leapt backwards and jumped into the air, foot extended. It connected with Tetra's cheek and forced her backwards to the ground, causing her to drop her dagger and grasp her jaw.  
  
"Ouch! Oh you will pay for that!" she said angrily.  
  
While it's guard was down, she stretched out her foot and tripped the creature, making it fall on its back. She scrambled to catch her footing and grabbed her fallen dagger, and with a running charge and a shout, she sprang into the air to slash the creature.  
  
She underestimated the creatures reflexes once again since the creature rolled out of the way, grabbed its own weapon and swung around. Its sharp blade connected with the surface of Tetra's right arm, cutting a deep gash into it.  
  
Tetra screamed in pain and fell against the edge of the nest. Closing her eyes, she clung to her now-injured arm to try and minimize the pain and bleeding. It only started to hurt more as she tried to put pressure on it; but nothing helped!  
  
She had never felt so much physical pain before! When she couldn't think of any other way of relieving herself, she yelled again, this time louder, in hopes to get her mind off the pain.  
  
The Bokoblin started laughing at her as it began to slowly walk towards her with its weapon in the air. The image of her enemy snickering and getting closer suddenly made her feel weak and helpless. She sheathed her dagger as she backed up as far as she could to keep away from this beast.  
  
Suddenly a voice roared out.  
  
"MISS TETRA! LOOK OUT!"  
  
But it was too late...  
  
Before Tetra knew it, both her and the Bokoblin were knocked out of the crow's nest as something hit both of them with tremendous force!  
  
The huge bird had made a turnabout and had purposely hit both her and the Bokoblin with its huge talons. The two fell into the vast, salty ocean, much to the horror of the crew.  
  
Tetra kicked her feet as hard as she could as she felt herself quickly begin to sink into the depths. Her wounded arm was paralyzed with pain from the salt in the water, causing her to only use one arm to swim and end up going nowhere fast!  
  
It was da ja vu all over again! She knew how to swim by now but what good is it if you can't use one of your arms and your body feels like its been through a meat grinder! She used every last ounce of her strength, but couldn't get to or even find the surface.  
  
"This must be it..." she quietly thought to herself. "I've failed..."  
  
"Mother...I'm so sorry..."  
  
Just then, she lost consciousness...  
  
...the last thing she remembered before she passed out...  
  
...was the feeling of talons...  
  
...snatching her from the depths... 


	3. A Boy and a Beginning

Disclaimer: I don't own Wind Waker or Zelda or any of the characters in this story. Got that? So don't sue me! Please...?  
  
A/N: Sorry for the delay o few loyal readers (if their still are any). If you read my bio you would have known the cause. Anyways, the people who have reviewed, I thank you very much from the bottom of my heart! They mean a lot to me! So here's the next chapter for your enjoyment!  
  
Chapter 2: A Boy and a Beginning  
  
----------------------------------------------  
  
Everything was dark and silent...not a sound could be heard from every angle. It was as if everything was destroyed and then frozen in time.  
  
Tetra suddenly began to awaken. She was lying flat on her back and facing up at nothing but darkness. Without moving, she opened her eyes.  
  
"Where...am I?" she thought to herself. "Am I...dead...?"  
  
She slowly began to sit up. She wasn't feeling any pain anywhere on her body and she checked herself to see if anything was bruised. Much to her surprise, she looked as if nothing had ever happened to her. Not a scratch was on her!  
  
Tetra was confused. She stood up and looked around her. There was nothing but darkness and endless void in every direction. She began to walk in the direction she was facing in hopes to find something...anything!  
  
Suddenly she heard a voice hovering in the darkness. It sounded deep and sinister...like it could swallow the empty void if it wanted to that instant.  
  
"Tetra..."  
  
Tetra stopped. "Who's there?!" she said, sounding a little frightened. The voice only repeated her name...  
  
"Tetra..."  
  
"Show yourself!" she demanded, while looking in all directions.  
  
Just then she heard a sound coming from behind her. She spun around to see who it was, but only saw a dark figure standing some distance away.  
  
Tetra made an annoyed sigh. "I can't see you in this darkness you  
moron! I need light!"  
  
As if to obey her command, a beam of light shot out of the dark abyss from above and surrounded the figure. Now Tetra could see who it was.  
  
She gasped...  
  
"Mother?!"  
  
Tetra's own mother was standing in the ray of light, head hung down and completely still as if frozen in place.  
  
"Mom!" Tetra joyfully shouted. She felt like she could just cry as she started to run to her mother's side. "I can't believe it! You're alive! You're alive!" she kept repeating.  
  
Right before she reached her mother, the woman lifted her head to show a look of pure sadness and despair...before she vanished in a flash of light!  
  
Tetra stopped abruptly when this happened.  
  
"Mother!" she cried. "Mother!"  
  
No answer...  
  
Suddenly she heard maniacal laughing coming from all directions. Tetra looked around for the source but couldn't see anything beyond the beam of light.  
  
"Where's my mom?!" she shouted up to the voice. "Who are you?!"  
  
When she said this, she saw someone walking toward her behind the ray of light. She place a hand on her sheathed dagger, readying to fight whoever dared take her mother away.  
  
The figure stopped however before it reached the light.  
  
"Come into the light you coward!" she said angrily.  
  
The figure paused for a moment before taking two steps into the beam.  
  
Tetra's expression slowly went from anger to utter shock and  
disbelief.  
  
"YOU!"  
  
The person she saw in front of her had the same black armor that the human figure that was perched atop the giant bird had on the day her mom was captured!  
  
Tetra, quickly concluding that it was the same person, snapped out of her shock and unsheathed her dagger. Without a second thought, she blindly charged at the figure in black, hoping to avenge her mother and clear her mind of all those bad memories. With an angry yell, she held her dagger in the air and leaped at the figure!  
  
Right when her dagger was about to reach the figure though, it suddenly vanished in a small beam of light that diminished as quick as it appeared!  
  
Tetra landed on the invisible ground and stared at the spot where the person disappeared in anger.  
  
"Stop trying to flee, whoever you are!" she shouted angrily. "Get back and fight me you chicken!"  
  
In response to her threat, the mysterious figure resumed its tainted laughter from wherever it was, making the pirate even more fumed.  
  
But before Tetra got too enraged, her request for combat was then fulfilled as the dark abyss around her began to pull itself from under her feet!  
  
The female captain stared in shock and slight fear as her very surroundings pried itself off the black floor and rose above her head, hovering high above her as if it was staring down at her. It wasn't too long afterwards either, did the tiny fingers of darkness yank themselves down and begin to wrap themselves around her!  
  
Tetra gasped in shock as she felt her body get constricted by the numerous deep purple shadows, struggling to lift her arms and try to pry them off of her! But too many were coming all at once! She didn't even get enough time to free her own hands as wave after wave of the mysterious shadows creped their way up to her neck.  
  
It wasn't long before Tetra couldn't move anything except her head, and she used all the strength she could muster to try and get herself out of this requested mess!  
  
Suddenly, the maniacal laughing resumed once again, forcing Tetra to look back toward the ray of light at the shadow figure standing under it. It raised one of its hands as if to issue a command and when he was finished performing this gesture, Tetra immediately felt a couple of the dark fingers slip their way around her neck and squeeze, real hard!  
  
Tetra gasped for air as their constriction got so tight, her eyes felt like they were about to pop out of her skull. But she suddenly lost all her air before that happened and she immediately fell unconscious! At least...she thought she did.  
  
The pirate felt her head fall forward and hang limp as if she was dead, but she remained conscious for some abnormal reason. She could only listen however as the shadowed figure made one more laugh before everything around feel completely cold.  
  
She thought for sure that this was the end for her...until...  
  
"Miss?"  
  
Tetra stirred.  
  
"Miss? Wake up. Miss?"  
  
"That voice..." she thought. "Who...is making...that voice...?"  
  
She stirred some more.  
  
"...it sounds so...gentle..."  
  
Tetra slowly began to regain consciousness and managed to open her  
eyes.  
  
Instead of meeting pure darkness however, another pair of young eyes was staring straight back into hers with a most concerned look in them.  
  
She blinked.  
  
A young boy that looked about her age was gazing up at her from his stand on the flat, green grass. He was wearing a strangely familiar green tunic with a long hat mounted on his head that covered up most of his blonde hair, with the exception of a few thick bangs hanging in front of his forehead. A sheathed sword was strapped to his back, and he wore brown boots and a matching belt about his waist.  
  
The boy's expression changed and he smiled up at her, somehow glad to  
see she was alright.  
  
Tetra stared back down at the boy as the last bit of consciousness seeped its way back into her body.  
  
As soon as she was fully awake, she suddenly realized what position she was in.  
  
Instead of being on the ground, she was hanging in mid-air! The back of her vest was snagged onto a small branch protruding from a tall tree's trunk high above the ground.  
  
She gasped in surprise and without thinking, Tetra immediately started to kick her feet to un-snag her vest and shake herself loose.  
  
All her flailing though caused the small branch that her vest was stuck onto to suddenly snap off from her vigorous moment!  
  
Gravity took its effect as Tetra fell to the ground, which was a good 8 to 9 feet down. She landed on her bottom with a thud and let out a yell upon impact.  
  
The boy in green moved out of the way and cringed when he saw Tetra land. He quickly ran to her side and knelt down.  
  
"Are you ok?" he asked her, sounding concerned.  
  
Tetra was about to answer him but suddenly felt her right arm begin to throb with pain. She clutched her arm and looked to see the gash made by that Bokoblin was still there. It had stopped bleeding because of the salt but her fall must have opened it up again and she winced a little.  
  
The boy heard this and looked at her arm, which was now trickling a little bit of blood. He gently lifted her arm to examine the wound and thought for a moment.  
  
"I know." he exclaimed to himself, slowly putting her arm down.  
  
Tetra watched him curiously as he reached up to his long, green hat and pulled it off his head, revealing his short, blonde hair. Grabbing the edge of it, he pulled hard enough to tear the rim of his hat off and make a strand of cloth. He put his hat back on, despite the hot weather, and slowly propped Tetra's arm back up. She moved her hand that was covering her cut as the boy began to carefully wrap her injury up with the cloth.  
  
Tetra looked at him. Who the heck was this guy? And why was he  
bothering to help her? He didn't even know her.  
  
Despite her slight confusion however, in the back of her mind, she was secretly glad he was being so kind as to help her wound.  
  
The boy finished his work, and looked at her.  
"Does that feel better?" he asked.  
Tetra moved her arm a little to see if she even could move it. It still hurt a little but the kid's hand-made bandage had stopped the bleeding and made it feel better than it did before.  
  
Being the person she was though, she gave the kid a look.  
  
"It still hurts."  
  
The boy looked at her funny, a little taken back by her not-so- thankful attitude. He put his hands on his hips and replied. "Well sorry for not being a doctor." He stood up and reached his hand out to help her up.  
  
Tetra didn't take his offer and tried to get up on her own. She managed to get her footing but she was still a little weak from being unconscious for so long, and stumbled to keep her balance. The boy had to grip her shoulders to keep her from falling face-first into the ground.  
  
Once she got her balance, she swatted the boy's hands away and muttered. "I can stand on my own, thank you."  
  
The boy once again scoffed at her rudeness. He was trying to help this girl and she wasn't even giving him a chance, much less a thank you.  
  
Tetra gave him a weird look as she looked his tunic up and down. The outfit looked way too hot to wear in this sunny weather.  
  
"So...what's with the outfit?" she questioned obnoxiously.  
  
The boy snapped out of his thoughts and looked down at his green  
tunic.  
  
"Uh...well..." he stuttered.  
  
Seeing how he wasn't finding any words to say, she interrupted and  
spoke. "Forget about it...so where am I anyway?" she questioned, looking around. All she saw was trees, tall grass, and an occasional stump or two.  
  
Just then, it hit her.  
  
"That's right! That huge bird came...and..." she shuttered at the thought of all that she had gone through during that encounter. It was even enough to make her wound hurt a little more.  
  
"MISS!"  
  
Tetra paused and began to look for whoever was calling her.  
  
"MISS TETRA!"  
  
Tetra suddenly recognized the voice to be that of Gonzo's and she looked to her right just in time to see him running up to her and the boy.  
  
"Oh thank goodness you're safe!" Gonzo said quickly. "When I saw you get dropped on this summit, I thought for sure you'd..." he paused at the thought.  
  
"Summit?" Tetra wondered. "So that bird dropped me on a mountain?"  
  
She angrily looked to her right.  
  
"Well...wasn't that nice of it." She said in a very sarcastic tone.  
  
With no delay, she immediately headed in the direction that Gonzo came from and motioned for him to follow.  
  
"Well come on! Let's go!" she shouted to Gonzo. "It's time to repay our debt to that bird in full!"  
  
"But Miss...?" Gonzo said, motioning to the boy. "What about  
this boy."  
  
Tetra didn't slow her pace.  
  
"Forget about him. Now come on!"  
  
Gonzo didn't argue and quickly followed Tetra out of the woods, leaving the boy behind.  
  
This was all too interesting to the young lad though, so he ran after  
the two.  
  
Once out of the woods, Tetra was bathed in sunlight once again. She spread her arms out to smell the fresh air and feel the cool breeze touch her skin. She was very glad that she was still alive to see another day.  
  
Hearing the sound of footsteps interrupting everything from behind her however, she turned to see the boy in green running up to her and Gonzo.  
  
"You are just too curious, you know, kid." Tetra teased.  
  
The boy didn't look fazed by her remark and tried to ignore her.  
  
Just then, she heard a younger voice call out to them.  
  
"Big Brother!" The voice called.  
  
All three of them looked ahead to see a small girl waving to them from across a bridge that connected the cliff they were on to the plateau the girl was on. She had a blue dress with flowers on it, and had the same colored hair as the boy did in two small pigtails. A bunch of sea gulls were also flying around the girls head, cawing loudly as if they were greeting them as well.  
  
Tetra heard the boy make a small laugh and looked over to see him wave back with a smile, obviously glad to see the young girl.  
  
"Who's that?" Tetra questioned him.  
  
The boy stopped waving and looked at Tetra. "That's Aryll, my sister."  
  
The young pirate looked back at the girl and nodded.  
  
"Thought so...you two look alike." She watched as his sister began to make her way across the bridge to greet them.  
  
Suddenly, Tetra heard something other than the slight creaking of the  
bridge.  
  
It sounded eerily familiar...  
  
...like the flapping of huge wings!  
  
Before Tetra could even find where it was coming from, she suddenly heard a loud swoosh followed by a loud scream of horror coming from right next to her!  
  
The huge bird that had kidnapped her had returned! And it was flying directly toward the poor kid's sister!  
  
"Aryll! Look out!" suddenly came the boy's voice.  
  
But...with a huge crash and a swipe with its talons, the giant eagle quickly grabbed the girl right off the wooden bridge, shaking it violently!  
  
The girl cried for help as she was carried off in the bird's talons, reaching out to her brother and yelling.  
  
"BIG BROTHER!" she shouted helplessly.  
  
Tetra watched in awe as the huge bird began to fly off with the girl  
in its clutches.  
  
Her ear twitched slightly when she suddenly heard the sound of a sword being unsheathed, causing her to tense up and turn around.  
  
The boy had taken out his sword and now wore a terrified but determined look on his face. Without wasting another second, he suddenly started to run toward the bird, in a blinding effort to save his sister!  
  
"Stop!" Tetra shouted.  
  
The boy didn't stop or answer.  
  
Tetra quickly ran after him. That stupid kid was about to run right off the edge of the cliff they were on top of!  
  
Sure enough, the kid realized this fact too late...and he fell over  
the edge!  
  
He yelped as he fell a little distance down toward the rocky base of the plateau, twisting in the air and trying to grab a hold of something! He didn't fall far though, before a hand quickly caught his flailing arm and held on tight to keep him from slipping.  
  
It was a good thing Tetra had good reflexes!  
  
But instead of keeping still, the kid began to struggle to get out of her grasp, wanting her to let him go so he could chase after the bird!  
  
"Stupid...kid!" she said through gritted teeth as she tried to hold on  
to him.  
  
With a little help from Gonzo, she managed to keep her grip on the struggling boy, and when it didn't look like the boy wasn't going to quit, she tried to talk some sense into him to try and make him stop trying to escape her grasp.  
  
"Get a hold of yourself!" Tetra shouted down to him. "There's nothing you can do now! She's gone!"  
  
The kid must have heard her, since his movements slowed down and he stopped flailing. He hung there and watched helplessly as his little sister slowly disappeared into the sky.  
  
When his movements slowed, Tetra looked down at him and saw the look on his face. It was a look of pure heartbreak; he had just witnessed his sister being kidnapped, and now he was dangling from the edge of a cliff, completely helpless to do anything about it.  
  
It suddenly reminded her of the day she lost her...mother.  
  
Her look softened. She stared at the kid through her narrowing eyes, suddenly wishing there was something she could do to reunite this kid with his sister. A sense of great pity wielded up inside her as she slowly got a look of sadness in her eyes.  
  
Her thoughts were interrupted when she heard the sound of Gonzo's heaving. He pulled Tetra back, far enough so that he could help her lift the kid back up on the ledge.  
  
After they got him back up on safe ground, the kid looked back in the direction the bird had carried his sister off to.  
  
He stayed this way for the longest moment and after watching him a few seconds, Tetra motioned to Gonzo.  
  
"Let's go, Gonzo." She said quietly.  
  
The two began to walk away.  
  
"Wait..." the boy called, still sounding a little traumatized by all that has happened.  
  
Tetra turned around and saw the boy looking straight at her.  
  
He paused a moment before speaking.  
  
"...thank you." He managed to say.  
  
Tetra stared at him, touched by the kindness that he was showing her even after she treated him like dirt. She paused a bit and stared back at him for a moment before she turned back around and headed for the bridge. Gonzo ran ahead of her to inform the crew down on shore that their captain was safe.  
  
The kid watched her as she started to cross the bridge. Tetra looked back once more to look at him, but quickly turned around when she saw the kid was still looking at her.  
  
He smiled. His expression turned upside down again though as he went back to staring at the horizon.  
  
Down on shore, Tetra was greeted by her crew. They looked extremely happy to see their precious captain was still alive.  
  
"Oh Miss Tetra you're safe!" Nudge stated happily.  
  
Tetra jokingly eyed him and spoke. "Come on Nudge! Do you really think I couldn't handle a fall from hundreds of feet in the air?"  
  
"Well..." he began. "...no..."  
  
Tetra smirked at him. "You all really should have more faith in your captain." She crossed her arms and looked at all of them.  
  
The crew started chanting.  
  
"Were sorry, Miss!" they all said.  
  
"You're forgiven." Tetra said with a smile. She was happy to see her crew was safe as well. "Now what do you say we get out of here and get on with our lives?"  
  
"Yes, let's!" they chanted. With that, Tetra ordered everyone but Gonzo and Niko to get back on the ship and prepare to shove off. As they went back to the ship, Tetra turned to the two men and spoke.  
  
"So where are we?"  
  
Gonzo scratched his head. "I believe this island is called...uh...oh what was it! Onset? Outsun?"  
  
"Outset!" Niko finished.  
  
"Yeah I was about to say that next, yeah?!" Gonzo said sheepishly.  
  
Tetra rubbed her chin. "Outset huh?" she pondered. "I've heard of this place. It's pretty far south from where we were."  
  
She stomped her foot. "But shoot! We don't know where that bird went!"  
  
She thought for a moment. "How are we going to find it? We have to pay that bird back for what it did to me!"  
  
"Tetra..."  
  
Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of the kid with the green outfit's voice. She spun around to see him looking at her with a look of determination in his eyes. She didn't except to see him again.  
  
"I want to go with you!" he suddenly said quickly and sternly before she could say anything to him.  
  
Tetra's eyes grew big.  
  
"You what?!"  
  
The boy repeated his request and waited for an answer.  
  
Tetra put her hands on her hips and scowled at him. "Do you even know what your asking kid?"  
  
He looked at her funny.  
  
She rolled her eyes. "We're pirates! You know...Pirates!! The Terror of Seas!" she crossed her arms. "You're asking the wrong question to the wrong people, kid. What would we get out of bringing some helpless little kid along with us?"  
  
The boy lifted a finger to reply, but she cut him off.  
  
"I'll tell you what we get! A headache!"  
  
The boy must have gotten use to her rude remarks by now since he merely dropped his hand and eyed her back. Inside though, he was really being hurt by her words.  
  
Tetra suddenly started to ease up on the rude comments, unfolded her arms, and continued.  
  
"I can understand how you must feel, what with your sister being kidnapped and all..." she lifted her head and eyed him back. "But that really has nothing to do with us now does it?"  
  
The boy was about to answer her question when they heard someone  
speak.  
  
"And how do you figure?" a voice said.  
  
Everyone looked over to see a man with a beak, white hair and folded wings hanging from crossed arms looking at them. The boy recognized him as being one of the Great Sea's postmen. He believed Quill was his name.  
  
Gonzo stepped in front of the guy and spoke. "Hold on there! Since when did you have the right butting in on our conversation, yeah?!" he said, trying to sound tough but not really succeeding.  
  
"Please..." Quill said. "All I'm trying to say is that if you big bad pirates hadn't come to this quiet little island, that boy's sister would not have been kidnapped."  
  
Tetra raised an eyebrow. "And what do you mean by that?" she said,  
tauntingly.  
  
Quill eyed her. "You want to know where that bird went, don't you?"  
  
Tetra paused as Quill continued...  
  
"That huge beast has been the harasser of many islands, and from what I've heard, its been kidnapping young girls with pointy ears, much like your own. My hunch is that the bird must have mistaken this poor kid's sister for you, so that's why it grabbed her instead!"  
  
Tetra looked away with a frown, obviously defeated by this winged man.  
  
"And if I'm not mistaken..." he continued as he looked over to the boy. "I believed it was young Link here who saved you from the monsters in the forest."  
  
Tetra looked at the boy who she now knew was named Link. She had no idea that she was in any real danger in that forest. Did this kid really protect her from monsters while she was unconscious?  
  
"Is this true?" she asked Link, trying to sound tough but finding her  
voice was more soft sounding than she wanted.  
  
He merely just smiled and scratched the back of his head.  
  
Quill spoke. "I might as well add that that foul bird has made its nest in the walls of the Forsaken Fortress, north of here."  
  
Tetra quickly took her eyes off Link and looked up at Quill. "The Forsaken Fortress?! Isn't that the place where...?" she paused.  
  
"So..." Quill added crossing his arms. "What are you going to do? Under the circumstances I don't think it would be unreasonable to give Link a little help."  
  
Tetra put her hands on her hips. "I don't need you to tell me that!" She looked back at Link and gave him a frown. "Even if I was to consider it, lately I've heard nothing but evil rumors about this Forsaken Fortress." She looked him up and down and grinned. "You can't possibly think to go there with just that cheap little sword of yours. That's not brave. It's stupid!"  
  
She crossed her arms. "Tell you what, if you can find something that you can use as a shield then I'll let you stow way on our ship. But be quick about it, since we're shoving off in a few minutes! Got it?"  
  
Link got a hopeful expression on his face and nodded his head.  
  
"Thank you!" he replied as he bolted toward one of the few houses that  
dotted the shore.  
  
"Oh yeah!" she shouted, making him stop and turn around. "Keep in mind  
that once we leave, you won't be coming back here for a while so say your  
good-bye's while you have the chance. I don't want you getting all weepy-  
eyed and homesick on me!"  
  
Link's expression somewhat dimmed a little, but he quickly regained  
his thoughts and nodded his head as he ran off.  
  
When the boy got out of hearing range, Gonzo looked down at Tetra.  
  
"You're letting a little kid like him on our ship?"  
  
Tetra glared up at him. "Listen Gonzo, if you have something to say then just say it!"  
  
Gonzo zipped his lip and kept quiet as Niko made a silly grin at the defeated pirate.  
  
After a few minutes, Link came running back to them with what looked like a shield. Tetra eyed it and wondered if it was enough to protect him. But instead of saying so, she scoffed at the thing and spoke.  
  
"Wow, that's a decrepit old shield..." she muttered. "Are you sure you can still use that thing. Are you going to get splinters and cry?"  
  
Link looked at her with a confused look on his face.  
  
Tetra rolled her eyes.  
  
"Nevermind...so are you ready to go?"  
  
Link nodded his head.  
  
"Then climb aboard, rookie." She said, motioning to her ship.  
  
"We've got a long journey ahead of us!" 


	4. Trouble at Sea

Disclaimer: I still don't own anything about this story except for the fact that I wrote it and the changed parts were my ideas. Again don't sue me because I think I just said something wrong. O.o *inches away slowly*  
  
A/N: I must thank the reviewer who criticized my work as well as everyone else that is still reviewing. It will help me in the future :) I'll do my best to dim down on the exclamation marks (in dialogue or in descriptions? Or both?) and use proper descriptions (I myself don't actually know much about ships but that won't stop me. I don't however, want to be too technical and confuse people). And yes I know it's a catapult and not a cannon. I just so happened to notice that right after I posted . sorry about that.  
  
A warning though. This particular chapter (along with one or two others) is one in which I added something that is definitely not in the game. Why I added it, I will explain after the final chapter (cause it has a purpose and I don't want you to be distracted while reading now). Oh yeah...and if anyone examined Tetra's room while playing the game, I'm assuming the picture above the couch is a pic of Tetra's mom. But I'm not sure, so if I'm wrong then don't sue me. Actually don't sue me for anything! Ok? Moving on...^_^  
  
Chapter 3: Trouble at Sea -------------------------------------------  
  
Booooooooooooooooonnnnnnggggggggg  
  
The sound of the ship's gong echoed throughout the entire island, attracting the attention of the locals. News on Outset spread like wildfire and in no time flat, everyone knew that Link's sister Aryll had been kidnapped. After finding out that Link was leaving to go save her, the residents gathered at the shore to see off their young comrade.  
  
Link was too busy looking around the ship to noticed them though. He had obviously never been on a pirate ship before. In fact, he had never been on a ship, period! The young boy merely watched in slight fascination as the crew prepared to depart from shore.  
  
Just then, he heard someone call his name.  
  
"Hey Link!" Tetra called to him from the stern of the ship. "Get  
over here."  
  
Link climbed the steps and walked up to her.  
  
"What is it?" he asked.  
  
Tetra just gestured toward the shore without saying anything.  
  
Link looked down to see the crowd of locals waving and shouting good- byes to him.  
  
"Good luck saving Aryll!" some were calling. "Take care of yourself!" others were saying.  
  
Link began to wave back. He was going to miss them...all of them. Even if some of them were kinda weird.  
  
Tetra sat behind him and watched the people on shore wave their farewells. For all she knew, this could be the last time the kid would see these people again, so she didn't bother rushing him. She then watched Link as he suddenly made his way to the farthest edge of the ship. She looked over to see him waving with both arms to a woman standing on the porch of one of the houses. The lady looked pretty old so she assumed it was his aunt, or grandma, or something like that.  
  
After a while, Tetra got tired of all this farewell stuff, and  
spoke.  
  
"Ugh. How long is this gonna take do you think?" she mumbled,  
referring to the length of his sister's rescue.  
  
Link stopped waving and turned around.  
  
She watched him as she continued. "Are you sure you shouldn't  
just quit right now? Seriously...think about it." She put her hands  
behind her head and eyed him. "I can tell just by that look that  
you're only going to get more sentimental from here on out." She  
mumbled.  
  
Link gave her a half frown and half pondering look and turned around to face his island. Tetra could tell that he really wanted to go back; but then again she could tell he did not want to go back either. Either way, she had to know for sure what his decision was.  
  
"There's still time you know." She said to his back. "Are you sure we shouldn't just turn around and take you back to your island?"  
  
Link remained silent in thought, but eventually he looked to the  
ground and made up his decision.  
  
"I'm going to save Aryll." He said sternly. "Even if it's the last  
thing I do!"  
  
Tetra was stunned. She knew this boy wanted to save his sister, but she didn't know how far he would go in doing so. She did have to give him credit though for being so confident, even after all the rumors he heard about the fortress. She stood up.  
  
"Well if you're sure about that, then I guess you will need some help. It's not like the place will just let you in once we get there." With that, Tetra turned around and began to walk towards the bow of the ship to give instructions to Gonzo.  
  
Link continued to stare back at his home island for a little while longer before he turned around and watched her leave. He walked down the stairs to the main deck and stopped upon realizing he didn't have a clue as to where or what he was suppose to be doing on the ship. He feared that if he just stood around and did nothing while on this particular ship, he'd most likely get thrown overboard; so, he questioned the nearby pirates to get instructions.  
  
He just happened to talk to Mako first.  
  
"So you're the new swabbie on board huh?" the small pirate said, fixing his glasses to get a better look.  
  
"Uh...yeah...I guess." Link replied. He never heard the word swabbie before, but he figured it meant new kid or something like that, so he didn't bother asking what it meant.  
  
Mako laughed. "You know, all new swabbies end up doing the chores around here. You know, do laundry, prepare the meals, swab the deck, you know, the usual. Looks like you're the new bottom rug on the pirate ladder." He chuckled lightly. "Boy will Niko be happy."  
  
Link cringed at the thought of having to do all that work when he was only going to be with them for a short amount of time; but he suddenly got curious and asked. "Who's Niko?"  
  
Mako yanked the thick book under his arm up as he replied.  
  
"Oh Niko is the pirate who served us before you came along. All new pirates report to him for instructions and training." He gestured to a door across from where they were standing. "He's through that door, down the companionway. You can't miss it." The pirate turned back to Link and was about to continue, until he noticed the very confused look the boy in green was making at him from his use of nautical terms.  
  
"Oh that's right. You've never been on a pirate ship have ya lad?" he questioned while fixing his glasses again.  
  
Link made a defeated smile and nodded his head.  
  
"Well..." Mako began. "The companionway is-"  
  
"The stairs leading below deck." Suddenly came a voice.  
  
Link and Mako quickly spun around, only to be met by Tetra's harsh gaze.  
  
She crossed her arms and shot a glare over at Mako.  
  
"Now is not the time to be giving lessons, Mako." She said sternly. "You've got duties to perform so snap to it!"  
  
"Y-yes, Miss Tetra." The spectacled pirate responded slowly. He quickly walked off.  
  
Tetra then turned to Link, who quickly tensed up in defense thinking she was going to hit him with her accusing finger. "And as for you...you can't just wander around the ship chit-chatting to my crew. This is a pirate ship if you haven't noticed and they've got work to do." She eyed him as she quickly remarked. "You'll only get in everyone's way."  
  
Link held up his hands in defense. "I'm sorry, Tetra. I really didn't- "  
  
"Of course you didn't know." She quickly finished. "I expected as much." She straightened up and crossed her arms again to let it sink in.  
  
It wasn't until Link made a puzzled face at her did she get off the subject and finally give him orders.  
  
"I've informed Niko to look after you for the trip, so you better get on down below deck for instructions. You don't want to keep him waiting." With that said, she turned around and walked away.  
  
Link grinned at her when she wasn't looking and walked through the door to the lower deck.  
  
By the time the ship had cleared Outset, it was about late morning. Tetra estimated that the trip to the Forsaken Fortress would last until well after the evening hours...that is...if they sailed non-stop.  
  
"We aren't stopping anywhere?" Gonzo said, stunned. Usually they would stop somewhere to eat or possibly restock the ship. Why were they in such a rush? Or the right question would be...why was Tetra in such a rush?  
  
"You heard me!" Tetra replied sternly. "We are going to get to that place as fast as our sails can carry us!"  
  
"But Miss..." Gonzo uttered.  
  
"I am not repeating myself! We are not stopping and that's final!" Tetra replied harshly as she turned and stomped away.  
  
The crew looked at one another, obviously puzzled by Tetra's command. However, they knew their captain must have had some important reason so they didn't persist anymore than they had already.  
  
Tetra quickly entered the door that led below deck. Being a captain of a pirate crew had its share of stress and she needed to calm herself a little, so she went into her cabin and closed the door behind her. Plopping herself on the couch to her right, she stared at the ceiling for a while, trying to clear her thoughts.  
  
She just happened to glance over at a picture hanging above the couch she was laying on. It was one of three pictures that she managed to find in the wreckage of her sunken ship, seven years ago. This one happened to be a picture of her mother.  
  
"Mother..." she silently whispered. The dream she had while she was unconscious suddenly came back to her. The image of her mother disappearing in front of her had reminded her of that day, even if she was reminded every day against her will. Her thoughts also turned to that horrible man in the black clothing.  
  
Tetra suddenly felt anger well up inside her. She knew this man had something to do with her mothers kidnapping; in what way though, she still wasn't sure about. Was he the person behind it all? Was he just a servant or something? Did he control that vicious bird?  
  
She gripped her head. There were so many unanswered questions in her mind it was enough to give her a headache! She turned on her side, and looked at the floor, letting one arm dangling over the edge.  
  
She quickly felt her eyelids start to get heavy, quickly realizing she was more tired then she thought she was. A nap did sound nice at the moment, so she got into a comfortable position and slowly began to doze off. Before she knew it, she fell asleep on the couch...as clouds began to form outside.  
  
~ ~ ~  
  
"Tetra...Tetra wake up!"  
  
"Huh...what..." Tetra moaned. She slowly opened her eyes to see who would dare try to wake her while she was sleeping. Her eyes widened when she saw who was hovering above her.  
  
"Link! What the heck are you doing in my-" she stopped short when she saw her surroundings.  
  
They were not in her cabin and instead were smack in the middle of a huge, barren field surrounded by tall mountains in every angle. Only a few pieces of broken ruins stood around the area, which hung underneath an eerie, reddish-colored sky full of dark clouds. Both her and Link were underneath a large chunk of the ruins, for reasons unknown to her.  
  
Tetra quickly sat up and stood. "Where in the world are we?"  
  
Link put a finger to his mouth, signaling for her to keep her voice down. He motioned for her to look as he slowly peeked around the ruin.  
  
Tetra put her hands on her hips. Since when did he become the boss around here? Curiosity overcame her attitude though as she followed his lead. She looked around the corner, expecting to see something not worth her time.  
  
What she saw though, made her breathe catch in her throat...  
  
Standing with his back turned towards them was that man in black armor!  
  
Tetra gritted her teeth. She didn't know why the man was here or what he was doing...but she knew he only meant trouble.  
  
Without even considering why they were hiding from him, the fearless pirate began to stomp out of their hiding place to go confront this human.  
  
"Stop Tetra!" Link sternly whispered, grabbing her arm.  
  
Tetra was now getting frustrated with this kid ordering her around. She yanked her arm out of his grip, and continued her pursuit toward the dark human.  
  
Link tried to reach out and forcefully pull her back, but he was too slow and couldn't reach her as she continued walking.  
  
"Tetra! Stop!" he quietly shouted to her, hoping the man in black armor wouldn't hear him.  
  
Tetra didn't listen to him and kept walking.  
  
"Tetra, please! Stop!" he persisted.  
  
She still didn't slow down.  
  
Link couldn't take it anymore and shouted, only this time, he didn't bother to suppress his voice.  
  
"Tetra!!!"  
  
His loud call not only made Tetra turn her head, but it also caused the man to be aware of their presence. The man merely glanced over his shoulder and lifted one arm.  
  
A small orb of dark energy formed in his extended reach and began to sizzle with power.  
  
Tetra turned back around and watched as the orb got bigger and bigger. Her eyes widened as she felt the heat that was coming off the ball of darkness, causing her to take a few steps back. She suddenly felt fear begin to stir inside her.  
  
By now, the orb had gotten to the size of a large crate, and its wielder slowly turned around to face the pirate, sensing the emotion within her. His glowing yellow eyes were the only distinct features that Tetra could see. Without hesitation, the man pulled back and flung the orb at her with such force, it made the ground underneath it crumble in its wake!  
  
Tetra froze. She wanted to run, but found she couldn't make herself move due to her being paralyzed by her own fear!  
  
"TETRA!"  
  
Tetra suddenly felt herself get flung to one side by Link, who had body slammed himself into her to get her out of the blasts path. They both tumbled to the ground in a cloud of dust as the energy orb flew past them and crashed into their previous hiding spot. The already beaten down hunk of rubble collapsed, even before the orb came in contact with it!  
  
Tetra and Link slowly looked over at the rubble. Barely any of it was left after the orb had passed through it. They then heard footsteps coming towards them.  
  
Looking toward the sounds direction, Link and Tetra cranked their heads to see the man standing only a few feet away from them!  
  
Tetra didn't think she could be so scared.  
  
"Why am I so frightened?" she thought. "He's not even that scary. Why do I feel like I want to run!"  
  
The man was getting closer.  
  
Suddenly, Tetra heard Link get up from the ground and stand. He placed himself in between her and the advancing man, sword and shield drawn and posed for battle.  
  
"Link...don't!" she thought. "Wait...what am I thinking? Am I actually...worried about him?"  
  
The man stopped as he approached Link. He looked down at the boy only to make a small, evil chuckle. Then he began to speak in a low, evil voice that sent chills down Tetra's spine.  
  
"So...you think you can protect her, boy?" he said.  
  
Link did not answer him. Instead, he squatted a little before he began to charge straight at the man!  
  
But he didn't get far before he was swatted aside like a mosquito by the back of the man's hand. His sword flew out of his hand and landed some distance away as Link fell to the ground.  
  
Tetra fell silent. The kid had just tried to defend her and was slapped away like a rag doll. And he was armed too!  
  
She then heard the sound of a long sword being taken out of its sheath. She looked ahead of her and was met by the end point of the man's long weapon. He chuckled an evil laugh before he raised the sword in the air and with one huge swipe, he brought his sword down.  
  
Tetra's eyes went wide with fright as she watched the sword come down on her forehead!  
  
CRASH!  
  
Tetra shot awake.  
  
She bolted upright and began heaving and gasping for air, trying to recover from her nightmare. Beads of sweat were dripping down her forehead and she quickly wiped them away with her hands. She put her feet on the floor and suddenly breathed a sigh of relief.  
  
"It was just a dream..." she whispered to herself. She looked over to her right to see a shattered glass bottle that had fallen off one of her counters.  
  
She stood and looked around, thinking someone must have sneaked into her room and knocked it over by accident. As soon as she stood though, she suddenly felt herself trying to keep her balance. The ship was swaying back and forth...but not in a normal kind of way.  
  
Tetra then heard voices coming from the upper deck; and they didn't sound like they were having fun. Without bothering with the mess, she ran out of her room and to the main deck. Once she got out there, she was immediately drenched with hard rain and mist.  
  
The ship had encountered a storm! And no one bothered to wake her?  
  
Her duties as captain sprang awake as she ran around to search for her  
crew.  
  
Gonzo was at the wheel trying to keep the ship steady against the  
pounding waves. Nudge and Senza were hauling crates and ammo to a more  
secure location out of the rain. Right in front of her was Niko, Mako,  
and Link, pulling on the ropes used to haul up the single sail so it  
wouldn't get damaged in the harsh weather. Zuko was near the wheel,  
watching for a way to get out of the storm.  
  
Lightning lit up the sky, as she ran to Senza. She shielded her eyes  
against the pounding ran and shouted. "Why did no one wake me up!?"  
  
Senza continued to carry the crate as he replied over the loud sound of the waves hitting the side of the ship, mixed with the thunder. "The storm came out of nowhere, Miss Tetra! I tried knocking at your door, but you didn't answer!"  
  
Tetra made a frustrated humph and quickly ran to the middle of the deck. She cupped her mouth to make her voice heard over the rain.  
  
"KEEP IT TOGHETHER EVERYONE!" she shouted as she turned to Nudge. "Take the wheel! Tell Gonzo to get down here and help with bring up the sail!"  
  
"Aye-aye, captain!" he said as he rushed over to the upper deck.  
  
More lightning flashed and a loud boom from the thunder sounded, causing Tetra to cover her ears. The storm only seemed to get worse and the more they worked to fight it, the more the storm grew violent.  
  
The sail was only halfway up when a huge wave crashed against the ship, knocking everyone trying to raise it to their knees. The two brails they were using to raise the sail slipped out of their hands, causing the sail to open up and began to tear at the seams.  
  
Tetra screamed. "GET THAT SAIL SECURED!"  
  
Everyone scrambled for the ropes and began to pull as soon as they  
caught them.  
  
Seeing how the job was taking them too long, Tetra grabbed one of the brails and began to pull along with everyone else. But even with five people working the sail, they were still having trouble getting it secured with the unpredictable wind. To hinder them even further, the waves were pounding the ship, which was throwing their balance off!  
  
Just when they thought they had everything under control, a large wave struck the ship's flank, causing it to lurch violently! The sudden shift in position caused some of the crew to stumble and lose their balance and also their grip on the ropes.  
  
The slippery deck didn't help as everyone, including Tetra, tried to keep their footing and grab onto something to keep her balance. Before the female pirate was able to find something though, a mound of rushing water washed over the deck and swept her off her feet! It didn't carry her far, but the sudden wave of water washing over her head made her tumble a bit before the water washed over board and left her sprawled on deck.  
  
As everyone scrambled back to their feet and ran back to the loose brails, Tetra sat up and rubbed her head. Except for the little bit of stinging in her arm, everything seemed to be ok...but something felt missing...  
  
While rubbing the back of her neck, Tetra suddenly noticed that something was indeed missing. She couldn't feel her necklace anywhere underneath her bandana!  
  
Looking around frantically, she quickly spotted her bright gold accessory some distance away on the deck, drifting a little in a small puddle that didn't wash overboard. The pirate quickly got to her feet and began to stumble over to her fallen item while everyone else tried to keep the sail at bay.  
  
Before she could even get halfway to her fallen necklace however, another mighty wave hit the ship, knocking only her off her feet. The resulting shake and the bit of water that washed back on the deck was all the item needed to slip out of her reach and wash across the deck...right over the edge!  
  
"No!" Tetra screamed. She couldn't lose that necklace! She was told specifically not to lose it by her mother...and she did not intend to ignore that request! Without even thinking about her own safety, the determined pirate ran to the edge where the necklace fell from and began to climb over the ship's railing.  
  
While tackling with the sail's ropes, Link just so happened to look over in time to see Tetra's figure disappear over the ship's railing.  
  
"Tetra!" he shouted.  
  
SPLASH!  
  
Tetra was suddenly engulfed by water, having taken a big breath before she entered the churning sea. She squinted her eyes open to try and spot her sinking necklace, but she immediately closed them back up upon feeling the stinging in her eyes. But she was persistent...she wasn't about to loose the only thing she had left from her mom to the great sea!  
  
Trying to ignore the stinging in her eyes and in her arm, Tetra quickly started to kick her feet and look around in the murky water to find her necklace. A shimmer caught her eye almost immediately and she squinted down to see her necklace slowly drifting and sinking further down into the depths.  
  
Tetra had to move quick. Not only was the necklace sinking further out of reach, but she couldn't swim very well with the crazy surface current the storm was creating, and she was using up a lot of energy and air swimming against it.  
  
With all her strength, the determined girl kicked as hard as she could and reached out her hand to the slowly sinking treasure. She managed to grab a hold of the string and as soon as she did, she quickly stuck it into the little bag at her waist so she couldn't losse it again. She twisted herself around to begin her swim back to the surface.  
  
But something was wrong...her kicking was slowing and the energy she had put into retrieving her necklace had drained her strength. She could barely swim properly and the salt in the water was stinging her injured arm enough so that it hurt when she tried to use it for swimming. Plus, she was running out of air!  
  
Clawing the water with her outstretched hand, the drifting pirate used up even more energy and air to try and reach the surface. But it was just too far above her head...she knew she wasn't going to make it up at the rate she was going.  
  
Tetra shut her eyes even tighter and gripped her necklace as she took one more hard kick with her feet in hopes she would resurface and feel herself get bathed with cool air.  
  
To her relief, her head suddenly emerged out of the water's rough surface. She gasped and tried to take in as much air as she could, but a wave suddenly hit her head and she inhaled a bit of water. She gagged and swallowed as the wave shoved her back underwater, bubbles billowing out of her mouth as she coughed up the rest of her air trying to get the water out of her lungs.  
  
Swimming back up through the twisting current, she struggled to keep her head above the surface to breathe. Wave after wave kept pounding her head and yanking her underwater and after doing this too many times, Tetra soon grew very tired and keeping her head above the water grew more difficult.  
  
As soon as her head emerged back above the surface, Tetra managed to look just in time to see an extremely large wave tower over her and smash itself down on top of her!  
  
The force behind all that rushing water was just too much for Tetra's skull to handle and the jolt immediately knocked her unconscious as it pushed her back underwater. The now helpless pirate could do nothing to get herself back above water, and she slowly began to sink deeper into the depths.  
  
It wasn't until after she blacked out...did a hand suddenly reach through the dark water and grasp her outstretched hand.  
  
It was unfortunate for Tetra not to be awake, for she didn't know that Link had come to her rescue yet again.  
  
Without wasting another minute, the heroic boy in green pulled Tetra toward him and held her close as he tugged with his free hand on the rope that was wrapped around his waist. Instantly, the two were pulled through the water at a quick speed and with the help of Link kicking his feet, their heads quickly emerged out of the restless ocean.  
  
The boy kept his grip on both Tetra and the rope around his waist as he tried to keep both of them above water while trying to swim back to the pirate ship. He didn't have to be worried about getting lost since the other end of the rope was being held by the pirates still aboard the ship, and together, all of them helped in pulling the boy and their captain back to the ship. Eventually, the two hit the ship's flank and were slowly yanked out of the restless sea and over the railing to safety.  
  
As soon as Link and Tetra's forms hit the wooden planks of the main deck, the pirate captain suddenly started to regain consciousness. She began to cough up seawater and tried to catch her breathe as she sat against the railing, dripping wet by all the rain.  
  
The crew quickly gathered around to check and see if she was alright.  
  
"Miss! Are you alright?" Gonzo quickly asked, worry riddled through his words.  
  
"Give her some space!" Link suddenly demanded, kneeling next to the soaked captain, and also dripping wet himself. "She needs rest. Go back to doing your duties. We're not out of this yet!"  
  
The crew, along with a very stunned Gonzo, stared at him. They only took commands from their captain! Since when did this kid have control over them?  
  
Through her constant panting, Tetra gave them all a dirty look.  
  
"You heard him! Get back to work!"  
  
As the crew quickly parted ways without talking back, Link looked back down at Tetra and tried to look her in the eyes.  
  
"Are you alright, Tetra?" he questioned her with concern in his voice.  
  
The soaked captain merely glanced up at him, trying to hide her exhaustion as she replied through short breaths.  
  
"I'm...fine." She said a little sarcastically as she put the necklace back around her neck. "You go back to helping the crew now."  
  
The boy in green nodded and stood up to get back to tackling the  
ropes.  
  
Almost suddenly, the wind started to die down a little and the rain appeared to be stopping, which made getting the sail up a little easier. The storm looked like it was clearing up, much to the relief of the crew.  
  
As quick as it had come, the storm disappeared. Not a single cloud was in the sky and the darkness was lit up with the moons rays as it reflected off the oceans surface. Stars began to show and sparkle in the clear night sky. It was a peaceful moment indeed.  
  
The pirates gathered at the side of the ship to take in this moment of calmness. They've been through storms like the one they just experienced. They were lucky nothing or no one got hurt this time.  
  
While taking in the beautiful sky around her, Tetra looked over to Link, who was staring mesmerized at the scenery. Not too long after the wind had died down did one of her crew members inform her that the boy was the one who had saved her from drowning.  
  
It was strange to the young pirate, though. This kid had saved her life twice now! Why was he risking his own life to save someone he really didn't know? And even after she was such a jerk to him.  
  
She shrugged.  
  
She probably would never figure this kid out... 


	5. Enter the Forsaken Fortress

Disclaimer: Do I really need to say it? *gets death glares from disclaimer people* Ok fine. I don't own WW, Zelda, or any of these characters. There happy now?  
  
A/N: Yes! It makes me happy to see that some people are still reading and reviewing. Mark my words, if I get even more, I'd be the happiest person alive :) And I wouldn't mind if those who are still reviewing to go back and review the chapters you might have not reviewed in( you don't have to, but like I said before, it would make me faint with joy). This chapter took long to get up cause of the editing (stupid Word makes me have to format it!). But none the less, I think the humor side of me must have emerged when I wrote this chapter (plus this spot in the game was just too funny to make serious anyways *winks*). Enjoy. ^.^  
  
Chapter 4: Enter the Forsaken Fortress  
  
-------------------------------------------------  
  
Late evening came. The moon rose high into the sky, casting its pale glow over the vast sea of glass. A few misshapen clouds hung in the sky's wake, hoping to block its endless reach.  
  
After a few more hours of night-time sailing on calm waters, a dark island soon began to appear above the horizon.  
  
Being the first to spot it, Zuko was ordered to inform the captain as soon as their destination was in sight. He pocketed his telescope and crawled down the ladder to pass on the news. After telling Tetra, she sent him back to the nest and headed for the lower deck to inform Niko and Link. She climbed down a flight of steps and entered a reasonably large room that could have only been the cargo bay. It was obviously where they kept their food, supplies, ammo, exedra, but it was also the room where training took place.  
  
Tetra stood in the doorway and stopped to watch for a few seconds. Niko was all the way across the room, shouting commands to Link who was not too far away from where she was standing. From the expressions on Niko's face, Tetra could tell that he was enjoying every minute of the training.  
  
"You have to jump kid!" Niko shouted from across the room. "What are you, afraid of heights or something?"  
  
Link shook his head and replied. "No it's not that. It's just that...it looks so far." He looked down from where he was to the level below him. It looked pretty far down from his point of view. "Are you sure I can make it just by jumping?"  
  
Niko shook his head, apparently disappointed in him. "Just jump with all your might and grab the rope. It's that simple!"  
  
Link frowned. "But what if I miss?"  
  
Niko slapped his forehead. This might be harder than he thought. "Just try it! It's not that far down."  
  
Link planted his feet. "Well...ok then."  
  
With a good running start, he leapt at the hanging lantern in front of him, arms extended. He managed to grab the rope easier than he thought he would and began to swing back and forth, clinging to it so he would not slip off. As he swayed, he glanced at Niko and then at the floor.  
  
"So...now what do I do?" he called.  
  
Before Niko could answer him, he suddenly started to smell something...like something was...  
  
"Burning?" he thought.  
  
Link looked down. His eyes grew big and he yelped in a high-pitched voice. The bottom of his tunic was dangling in the lit lantern...and it was starting to catch fire!  
  
He kicked his legs frantically to try and put out the flame while still clinging to the rope...but it wouldn't go out! He quickly glanced in all directions. Seeing no other quick solution, he quickly released his grip on the rope and fell a good seven feet down to the floor. He didn't bother to get up and immediately started to roll around on the floor to put out the flame.  
  
A grin appeared on Tetra's face as she was witnessing this moment. She couldn't hold it in for long and soon she began laughing.  
  
Niko was also cracking up at the site.  
  
"Hahahahahaha! Oh I knew you would be a laugh, but I didn't imagine you would be this hilarious swabbie!" Niko chuckled loudly so Link could hear him.  
  
Link stopped rolling all over the place after having put out the small flame and sprawled his arms and legs over the floor, breathing a sigh of relief that he didn't become a human candle. Upon hearing Tetra, he looked over to see her sitting on the upper level, kicking her feet with her head thrown back in laughter.  
  
He really didn't see the humor in all this...but instead of getting angry, he got caught up in the moment and began to laugh right along with them.  
  
Tetra slowed her laughing and looked down at him with a half smile. She hadn't laughed like that in a long time; at least, not since her mother was kidnapped. It felt good to finally have that feeling again.  
  
But almost as soon as she had started, she tried to catch her breath and get serious. They really didn't have time to joke around like this, so she stood up. After moving a couple bangs from her eyes, she crossed her arms and shouted above the laughing.  
  
"That's enough!" she proclaimed. Link and Niko immediately stopped, sensing the seriousness in her tone.  
  
"We are nearly there. We won't be arriving for another hour though, so you better start getting serious. Both of you!" she scolded as she glared at both of them.  
  
Niko hung his head while Link looked at her, puzzled by her sudden change in mood. Just a few seconds ago, she was actually showing signs of happiness...but now she changed into a ticking time bomb.  
  
He scooted back a little when she locked eyes with his.  
  
"If you really want to save your sister..." she said harshly, "...then I would suggest you stop fooling around and learn whatever Niko is trying to teach you." She put her hands on her hips. "I doubt you'll even get through the first door without screwing up somehow..."  
  
Link was hurt. She hasn't even seen him in action yet and was putting him down before he even got off the ship.  
  
Tetra quickly turned around to go back on deck and spoke.  
  
"Niko, I expect you to train him hard. Don't show any mercy to  
him."  
  
Niko looked down at Link. "Aye-aye captain."  
  
Tetra began to walk away and stopped.  
  
"Oh and Niko..." she said. "Once the kid is gone, you're going back to being the bottom rug, got it?"  
  
Niko got a sorry look on his face and hung his head again. "Yes Miss..." he uttered pitifully.  
  
With that, Tetra walked away.  
  
A half hour went by. No one on deck uttered a word during this time, focusing more on what they would encounter once they arrived at the fortress. The place didn't hold good memories for the crew. They shrugged it off though, knowing the rumors they heard were untrue. Well...almost everyone thought that.  
  
Tetra, being the person she was, always took everything seriously. She did not like to take chances, thinking everything always had a severe punishment if it was taken lightly. She wanted to make sure nothing would go wrong.  
  
"Soon..." she thought. "As soon as we reach that island, I can finally settle the score with that bird...for what it did to me and my mother." Putting a hand to her hidden necklace, she secretly vowed to fulfill this oath. She wouldn't know how though, until they reached the island.  
  
Another half hour went by before the ship finally reached its destination. Upon seeing the island, Tetra's first thought was to land as soon as possible without getting spotted. This idea went out the window though, once she saw how guarded the place was.  
  
"Shoot!" she exclaimed. She leaned over the side of the nest. "Gonzo!"  
  
The runner of the wheel looked up.  
  
"I want you to pull us up to that mound of rock over there." She said, pointing to a large pile of rocky earth sticking up out of the ocean like a sore thumb. "Get as close as you can to it. I don't want us to get spotted."  
  
"Aye-aye, Miss Tetra." He saluted as he began to steer the wheel in many directions.  
  
Tetra looked down at Nudge. "I want you to go fetch Link. Tell him we arrived and to hurry and get up here."  
  
"Yes Ma'am." He said, walking towards below deck. She watched the door he went through until he came back with Link rushing at his heels. She could tell he was anxious to start his mission.  
  
Nudge walked away before Link could ask for directions and the boy stood there and scratched his head, not knowing where the pirate leader was.  
  
"Hey! Link!" Tetra shouted.  
  
Link paused, hearing her voice. He looked everywhere but up to try and  
spot her.  
  
Tetra rolled her eyes. "Up here!"  
  
He then looked up and finally saw her. In a rush, he quickly climbed up the ladder, only to find her staring him down with her hands on her hips.  
  
"It's about time you got here." He muttered as she glared at him and  
raised a questioning eyebrow. "What were you doing with Niko anyway?"  
  
"Uh...well...umm..." he stuttered. He had promised Niko he wouldn't tell anyone what they did. He scratched the back of his neck and looked to his side.  
  
By the look on his face, Tetra could tell he was hiding something...she figured she knew already.  
  
"Don't tell me you were playing some stupid game...for treasure...were you?" she scolded, eyeing him suspiciously.  
  
Link quickly looked at her, amazed at her guessing skills. "I...uh..." "Oh I hope I don't get in trouble..." he thought.  
  
Tetra rolled her eyes. "Well whatever...just look over there will  
you?"  
  
Link lifted his head as Tetra tilted her head to her right.  
  
"That..." she continued. "...is the cursed isle known as the Forsaken  
Fortress."  
  
Link looked to his left to see a dark and gloomy looking fortress full of searchlights and strange guards of some sort. He walked next to Tetra and pulled out a telescope he got from his sister for his birthday. He peeked through the finder and examined the place up close. He couldn't see his sister anywhere unfortunately.  
  
Tetra continued to speak while he continued to search.  
  
"So the rumors are true..." she uttered. "This place has taken a completely new turn since I last saw it. It use to be the hideout of a no- good group of pirates we use to compete with in the past." She paused. "But they were just small time...now the place looks pretty dangerous."  
  
Link wasn't paying too much attention to Tetra, and while he peered around the fortress, he suddenly spotted the giant bird sleeping in a huge nest near the peak of the fortress. The creature gave a big yawn that even made him yawn and then fell back asleep.  
  
"Ah I knew it!" Tetra proclaimed. "Look!"  
  
Link didn't look up to see where she was pointing and tried to search for whatever it was on his own.  
  
Tetra frowned at him and yanked his telescope in the right direction.  
  
"By that window. Do you see it?"  
  
"Yeah." Link said. Through his sister's telescope, he could see a bunch of sea gulls flying around a single lit window.  
  
"I'll bet you anything that's where they're keeping your sister." Tetra stated. "It doesn't look too hard to get to either."  
  
Link kept seeing beams of light crisscross his view. He pocketed his telescope and used his own eyes to spot the sources and saw a hoard of searchlights, some watching the fortress for intruders while others searched the outskirts of the water around the place.  
  
"You think they have enough searchlights down there?" he questioned sarcastically.  
  
Tetra shrugged. "It does look like the place is under heavy guard doesn't it?" This struck a thought to her.  
  
She stomped her foot and crossed her arms. "Shoot! This won't work. We'd be spotted before we could even think of landing there!"  
  
Link looked at her. "So...how are we going to get in?"  
  
Tetra hung her head and thought. Her previous plan was to sneak in and overtake the place with their catapult, but they were obviously not going to get close to the place without them knowing they were there. So much for getting revenge on the stupid bird...  
  
Then her thoughts turned to Link. He was here to save his sister, and he was totally oblivious to her real intentions. So she figured...why not help the kid rescue his sister, then come back later to reek havoc on the fortress. Sounded good enough...but how would they go about getting the kid over there without getting spotted?  
  
Tetra hummed to herself. There had to be a way to get over there without being spotted! There just had to be!  
  
Suddenly an idea struck her mind. She lifted her head and eyed Link with the most mischievous look on her face.  
  
Link didn't like the look she was giving him. "Umm...you thought of something I take it?"  
  
"Oh yeah." she replied with a smirk. She quickly headed to the ladder and climbed down to the deck.  
  
"Hey, wait up!" Link called after her. She was already on deck and talking with Gonzo by the time he got down. Then she suddenly sprinted below deck.  
  
As she pasted him, Tetra called out. "Go where Gonzo is and wait for me. I'll be right back." Then she was gone.  
  
Link wanted to know what the heck was going on, but chose to listen and walked over to Gonzo. After a minute or two went by, Tetra emerged from below deck and ran up to them.  
  
Link tapped his foot. "So when can I hear this plan of yours?" he asked impatiently. He wanted to get in and get out with his sister in hand as quickly as possible, and here this pirate was taking her sweet little time with the whole ordeal.  
  
That same grin he witnessed in the crows nest appeared on her face as Tetra spoke. "You'll know soon enough, kid." She said with a sinister grin.  
  
Link frowned at her. The look was creepy enough so why can't she tell him this plan of hers?  
  
"Ok kid," Tetra said. "I can see you're in a rush so I guess we can  
begin."  
  
Link nodded his head with satisfaction. It was about time.  
  
Tetra stepped aside and motioned to a barrel that was sitting next to  
her.  
  
"First off, you got to get in this barrel." She instructed.  
  
Link scratched his head. "That's it! That's your plan?" he questioned.  
  
"I'm not finished giving you instructions yet, kid. Just get in the barrel!" she said sternly.  
  
Link squinted at her. "I have a name you know." he stated as he walked up to the wooden barrel. He grabbed the edge and tried to pull himself up. Not having enough strength to pull himself up all the way, he dangled on the edge a bit and tried to push himself up the rest of way with his feet.  
  
Tetra watched him struggle for a moment, then reached up and secretly put something in his pocket. He was too busy trying to get in the barrel to notice this. He stopped and looked down at Tetra.  
  
"Umm...A little help here please." He said sheepishly.  
  
Tetra rolled her eyes. If this kid couldn't even get in a barrel without help, then what are the chances of him surviving in a place like the Forsaken Fortress? She shrugged at the thought as she grabbed the bottom of Link's boots. With a quick shove and a slight yelp from Link, Tetra lifted him up and he fell, head first, into the barrel.  
  
As soon as the sound of Link hitting the bottom was heard, Tetra motioned for Gonzo to pick up the barrel and move it. Senza walked up and helped him put it on a slightly raised platform at the bow of the ship.  
  
Link grumbled a bit as he rubbed his head and shifted around inside the cramped space to find the top. He poked his head out and picked Tetra out. He scowled at her.  
  
"Thanks for the help..." he mumbled to her with low-slit eyes.  
  
She smiled. "Don't thank me just yet kid." She smirked as she pointed  
downward.  
  
Link had no idea what she was taking about, but looked down anyways. His eyes grew large when he realized what the barrel he was in was sitting on.  
  
"A catapult!" he shouted. He suddenly caught the hint that they were going to fling him over to the fortress using their cannonball launcher. "But I thought we were all going!"  
  
Tetra raised an eyebrow. "You thought all of us could fit in that thing?" she joked. Link frowned at her, obviously not liking her plan or her joke.  
  
"Look kid..." Tetra explained, as Senza and Gonzo started to aim the catapult. "This is the only way we can get you in there without getting spotted." She held her head up and smiled. "Don't worry...we pirates do this all the time."  
  
"You hurl people onto islands on a regular bases?!" Link remarked with shock in his voice.  
  
Tetra laughed.  
  
Link didn't find this funny and tried to crawl out of the barrel on his own. He was quickly pushed back down by Gonzo. He kept resisting and struggled to try and escape this crazy bunch of pirates. Maybe he could swim over there or something!  
  
"Stop struggling!" Tetra commanded. "This is the only way!" She crossed her arms. "For someone who claimed to do anything to rescue his sister, you sure are doing a great job of keeping your vow."  
  
This must have struck a cord with him since Link stopped struggling. He looked down at Tetra with a sorry look on his face.  
  
Tetra turned to Gonzo. "Is everything ready?"  
  
Gonzo saluted, meaning a yes.  
  
Link's expression shifted to a worried look.  
  
"Stop worrying kid." Tetra reassured him. "We'll launch you  
good!"  
  
Link's expression didn't change as Tetra began to count down.  
  
"3..."  
  
Link tried to keep a straight face and look brave.  
  
"2..."  
  
He shut his eyes tight to prepare for lift off.  
  
"1..."  
  
Before Link knew it, the barrel was hurling through the air faster than a paranoid fish being chased by a shark. He could only watch as he was getting ever closer to the...wait...wasn't he suppose to be launched into the window?  
  
He gulped. Then why was he heading for...a wall?!  
  
He suddenly started screaming as loud as he could as he came closer to impact with the solid rock.  
  
CRASH!  
  
The barrel splintered and broke into a thousand pieces, leaving a vertically sprawled Link flat against the walls surface. He blacked out upon impact and slid off the wall into the water below. The cold liquid must have snapped him out since he resurfaced to catch his breathe. He floated there for a second, submerged his mouth, and began to blow bubbles.  
  
That's the last time he'll take advice from a pirate!  
  
He swam over to the closest spot he could crawl up to and climbed out of the water, thankful that he actually landed in the water than the hard ground.  
  
"Now I'm all wet!" he thought. He began to rig his outfit and squeeze it dry. "Thanks a lot, Tetra..." He sarcastically stated out loud.  
  
"Your welcome."  
  
Link jumped at hearing a response to his comment. Did he just hear Tetra's voice? He looked around, but could not see her anywhere.  
  
"Tetra? I thought you were staying on the ship!" he yelled in all  
directions.  
  
"Shhhhhh!" Tetra's voice hissed. "Check your pocket."  
  
Link reached into his pocket and felt a rounded object inside. He pulled it out to find that it was some sort of glowing gem wrapped in the form of a necklace. He stared at the pretty object as it glowed a bluish color. Then it began speaking to him.  
  
"Heh...I slipped this stone into your pocket before we fired you over there." Tetra said. "It's no ordinary stone either."  
  
"I can tell." Link stated while examining the stone. "It's not every day a rock talks to me."  
  
He heard Tetra laugh. Then her voice became stern. "You may not have realized it, but once you hit that wall, your sword slipped out of its case and fell all the way at the top of the fortress."  
  
"What?!" Link exclaimed. He reached behind him to check, and sure enough, his sword was not in its sheath. "Aw great! Now I'm unarmed..." Link mumbled.  
  
"Sorry about that...I guess my aim was off by a little..." she paused. "...but the look on your face! Priceless!"  
  
"Hey wait a minute..." Link exclaimed. "How did you know I lost my sword when I hit the wall YOU aimed me at?"  
  
"You don't have to be rude about it." Tetra scoffed. "If you must know, I can hear and see what you are doing as long as you're in range." She paused. "...and obviously you can hear me back."  
  
Tetra raised her voice. "Listen up though. I need this back once you save your sister so don't go losing it, ok?"  
  
"Uh...sure." Link uttered. "So do you have any suggestions as to how I should get up to where my sword is?"  
  
He could hear Tetra as she pondered his question. "Walking is always nice." She joked.  
  
"Tetra! Come on, I'm serious!" he said, slightly annoyed by her attitude in such a serious situation.  
  
"Ok Ok sorry!" Tetra replied firmly. "Since you don't have a sword then you're going to have to rely on stealth until you get it back. That won't be easy with all them searchlights around there. Do you see anything you can use to sneak around in or something of the sort?"  
  
Link took his eyes off the stone and looked around. "All I see is a couple small pebbles, water, and two barrels."  
  
"A barrel? Great! Get under it." Tetra commanded.  
  
Link frowned at the stone.  
  
"This isn't another prank is it?" he questioned suspiciously.  
  
"No!" she replied angrily. "I'm totally serious! You can use that barrel to conceal yourself."  
  
Link humphed. "And how do you think I will see where I'm going from under it, huh?"  
  
"That's an easy one." Tetra replied. "I'll guide you."  
  
Link hung his shoulders.  
  
"Oh yeah...I'm doomed." 


	6. A Halted Rescue

Disclaimer: Still don't own Zelda or anything of the sort. It all belongs to Nintendo (like you didn't know already...*coughs*)  
  
A/N: I just noticed something. Getting this amount of reviews at the rate I'm getting them at is normal. Ha! Boy am I dense. Well anyways, keep reviewing all you good people! Just a note, this chap is when Tetra starts to realize something she should have seen earlier *winks* On with the next chapter!  
  
Chapter 5: A Halted Rescue  
  
-------------------------------------------------  
  
"Left...  
  
...now right...  
  
...keep going...  
  
...now turn left...  
  
...no, your other left!"  
  
Tetra was lying in her bed, flat on her back and staring up into her mother's necklace. When combined with the Pirate's Charm, a gift she had gotten for her fourth birthday, she could see everything that the holder of the charm was doing through the gap in her necklace. It was nifty in times such as this.  
  
"Ok Link..." she stated. "I think it's safe to get out now."  
  
Link heaved the barrel off his head and plopped it down beside him, wiping some sweat off his brow.  
  
"Whew...I'm glad that's over...it was hot in there." he proclaimed  
quietly.  
  
"You could have picked a better outfit to wear for the trip ya know." Tetra remarked.  
  
"Hey..." Link uttered, slightly offended. "My grandma made this outfit  
for me."  
  
"Well sorry." She replied in a sassy tone. "So what do you see around you. I need to know your position."  
  
Link looked around. "I see a door to my right and left and a pathway to my right also."  
  
"Hmm..." Tetra pondered. "Can you see where the pathway leads to?"  
  
Link took a few steps backwards to get a better view.  
  
"Yeah..." he replied. "There's a searchlight up there."  
  
"I see..." Tetra thought out loud. "It would be easier to get around this place without those searchlights watching you. Why don't you head up there and turn it off. It would make rescuing your sister much easier."  
  
"No arguing here." Link agreed as he headed up the pathway without hesitation. He reached the bottom of a ladder that lead up to the spotlight's control panel with haste and took two steps up it, but stopped at the sound of Tetra's voice.  
  
"Hold on Link! Don't be so hasty! You don't even know what's up  
there."  
  
Link looked down at the blue stone hanging from his neck.  
  
"What could possibly be up there that I can't handle?" he stated as manly as he could.  
  
Tetra didn't sound fazed by his comment.  
  
"There's a monster up there Link. Did you forget? You don't have a  
sword!"  
  
Link paused. "Oh...right."  
  
"Hmm..." Tetra pondered. "Well you still have a shield. If I were you, I would use my shield to defend against the monsters blows and make him drop his weapon. That way you could use his own weapon against him. If you slay the monster, then you can shut off the searchlight."  
  
"Sounds sinister...but it sounds like it could work." Link commented.  
"I'll do it."  
  
"Well it looks like I'll finally be able to see you in action." Tetra said, barely sounding excited as she stuck one hand behind her head and added. "Break a leg, kid."  
  
Link frowned as he slowly and quietly climbed further up the ladder. "Are you ever gonna call me by my real name?"  
  
"Just get up there!" Tetra huffed.  
  
Link cringed at the seriousness in her voice. Upon reaching the top, he peeked over to spy on the unsuspecting creature operating the searchlight. When he finally spotted the lone Bokoblin in the dark of night, he gripped the side of the ladder and tensed himself up.  
  
"Well...here goes nothing!" he stated quietly to himself  
  
With that, he yanked himself forward and ran at the creature when it wasn't looking.  
  
The Bokoblin turned to look at the last minute and it was quickly tackled to the ground in surprise. Link reached for the weapon in its hand but was knocked off before he could get it. He jumped away and came face to face with the Bokoblin, which didn't look too happy from his sneak attack.  
  
It gave a squeaky roar before it suddenly charged at Link. He was ready with his shield out and blocked the strike the Bokoblin tried to swing at him. The creature bounced back, then jumped into the air to try and hit him from above.  
  
Before the Bokoblin's weapon came in contact with his head, Link lifted his shield and leaned back toward the ground. As soon as the weapon hit his shield, he pushed it up and flipped the Bokoblin over his head and straight into the wall. It crashed and fell to the ground with a thud.  
  
Link got to his feet and picked up the fallen stick-like weapon that  
it was using.  
  
"That wasn't too hard." He said to himself. He lifted the stick and watched as the Bokoblin got up from the ground. It wobbled around, obviously dizzy from its blow to the head. It staggered around to face Link, holding its head with one hand.  
  
"Oops...sorry...let me help you with that." Link faked. He lifted the stick and swung with all his might as it connected with the Bokoblin's cheek. It flew across the ground and skidded a couple of times before it slipped over the edge and fell off the small tower, plunging into the water below, never to be seen again.  
  
Link dropped the stick and walked over to the spotlight panel. He examined the strange wheel and turned it a bit to see what it did. The spotlight cranked up and aimed its beams of light up into the clouds.  
  
He breathed a sigh of relief.  
  
"Well...how was that Tetra?" he questioned with curious eyes as he glanced at the stone. He, of course, couldn't see anything except a little bit of blue.  
  
He didn't hear a reply.  
  
"Tetra? Are you there?" he asked again and wondered. "Don't tell  
me she didn't see any of that!"  
  
He blinked when he finally heard Tetra's voice.  
  
"So what did I miss?" she questioned.  
  
Link hung his shoulders in dismay. "You mean you didn't see any  
of that?!"  
  
Tetra sounded confused. "Any of what? You mean the shutting down of a spotlight? That's hardly worth my time, Link."  
  
"No! I mean me beating up the monster! You didn't see any of  
it?"  
  
"Nope."  
  
"But why?!"  
  
"I had to go to the ladies room."  
  
Link almost fell to the ground in disbelief. His one chance to actually show her he deserved respect and she had to go. He shook his head.  
  
"Nevermind."  
  
After more navigation and utter complaints, Link managed to sneak deep into the fortress without too much trouble. This was a good thing obviously, but according to Tetra, it caused the boy in green to become a little too confident in himself.  
  
"Sheesh...for a place that's suppose to have a bad reputation, it sure does need to have smarter guards in it." Link stated.  
  
"You shouldn't take this place lightly, Link." Tetra explained. "It may be easy now, but I doubt it will get easier before it gets harder. You must stay on guard at all times."  
  
"Yeah yeah...whatever you say captain." The boy joked.  
  
"I'm serious!" Tetra firmly stated. "You shouldn't be so hasty with your decisions, Link. It could get you in trouble sooner or later."  
  
"Ok Tetra." He said, not sounding serious as he pushed open a door and  
walked in.  
  
Once inside, he flatted up against the wall and slid along it to avoid being spotted by anything. He peeked around a corner to see a big goofy looking creature with a long spear, having strange tattoos covering its dark maroon colored body. It was sniffing around as if it was looking for something specific.  
  
"It looks like they're on to us." Tetra stated. "They seem to be more alert than the previous monsters I've seen."  
  
Link slid back against the wall and looked down at the stone. He then  
pulled his shield out.  
  
"They don't look so tough." He stated. Without showing much hesisation, the young boy purposely turned the corner and began to walk towards the creature.  
  
"Link! What the heck are you doing?" Tetra shouted.  
  
The big monster, also called a Moblin, heard Tetra's voice. It stood up from its sniffing position and looked in Link's direction. Upon seeing the boy, it made a goofy sounding grunt as it grabbed its spear with both hands and began pacing over toward him.  
  
Link smirked and readied his shield as the Moblin's pace turned into a sprint and began to charge at him, spear slightly in the air. He darted at the creature before it reached him and jumped aside, hoping to get behind it and maybe hit its back to drop its weapon.  
  
However...his plan did not go so well. Once Link jumped aside to run behind the Moblin, the monster stuck out his spear horizontally, causing Link to run into it and loose his footing.  
  
With Link hanging from its horizontal weapon, the Moblin pushed forward, sending Link backwards toward where he entered the room. He tumbled a bit and landed on his front. It didn't hurt him that much and he flipped his body around to face his enemy, shield in front of him. The Moblin was hanging over him like a huge fat statue, glaring down at him with a huge toothy grin.  
  
With a quick thrust, it swung its spear and knocked Link's shield out of his hand! It flew into the wall and fell to the ground with a clank.  
  
Without thinking, Link quickly scrambled to his shield, which was his only source of protection at the moment. He had just grabbed the handle when he suddenly felt himself being lifted into the air! He didn't even have enough time to see what was happening and before he knew it, he got heaved into the air by the Moblin and at about mid-way up, he saw a fist fly toward his face.  
  
Sudden pain filled his head upon impact as Link flew across the room and crashed into the adjacent wall. He fell to the ground and landed hard on his side.  
  
"Link!" Tetra shouted, suddenly sitting upright and glaring at her  
necklace.  
  
The small boy cringed as he felt his head start to throb. He slowly turned to get back up, but suddenly halted upon seeing the Moblin's hoof- like feet near his head. He quickly looked up at the fat creature, but only managed to get a glimpse before he was suddenly kicked in the head!  
  
The boy screamed as he once again flew across the floor, landing in a heap near where he entered the room. He coughed a bit as he felt the air in him get pushed out of his lungs when he hit the ground.  
  
Tetra glared down into the necklace as she watched the whole event unfold. She could see that Link was starting to lose consciousness from the many blows to the head he had received.  
  
"Get up!" she hollered.  
  
The boy slowly turned his head to face the necklace. He tried to say something, but his words were so faint that Tetra couldn't make any of it out.  
  
"Stay awake kid!" Tetra yelled at him, sounding a bit angry but also having the faintest hint of worry in her voice.  
  
Link's vision was getting duller as he hung on the edge of consciousness. His head was throbbing with pain so much that he could barely keep his vision straight. Everything was a blur and he could barely see the image of the Moblin as it began to approach him. He couldn't stand it anymore and finally...he blacked out...  
  
~ ~ ~  
  
"Link.  
  
Link wake up."  
  
Link shifted a little. He could hear a voice but was not fully conscious yet to actually make out who it was. He didn't feel like getting up either and didn't bother to open his eyes.  
  
"Dang it kid, wake up!" The voice shouted, even louder this time in hopes of getting him fully awake.  
  
Link groaned and twisted his body to lay flat on his back. His eyes fluttered open, hoping to see a face of someone looking down at him with concern. All that he saw though, was a ceiling. He slowly propped himself up into a sitting position and rubbed the back of his head, which felt like it was hit with a rock.  
  
"It's about time you woke up." Tetra mused.  
  
Link groaned again. The least she could do was make sure he was alright or something. Instead she was yelling at him like she didn't care what he felt.  
  
"I warned you about this, kid. But you just didn't listen to me."  
Tetra said.  
  
Link opened one eye and looked down at the charm.  
  
"Thanks for caring..." he uttered, sounding annoyed but also sad.  
  
"Look, I'm sure you got hurt and all but we really don't have time to cry over a few scars." Tetra said, a little calmer this time. "But you can't forget your mission. Anything could have happened to your sister by now."  
  
Link looked straight ahead of him after realizing this.  
  
"If anything..." Tetra continued. "...it would be best to find her now before more time is wasted."  
  
"Right!" Link replied. He looked around to check where he was, seeing that he was no longer outside, and instead was sitting inside a jail cell with no guards around. "So...where am I?"  
  
"You were carried into that cell while you were unconscious." Tetra explained. "It's not too far from where you left off really, so once you get out, you can get back to the area pretty quickly. Oh and that stupid monster didn't even think to take away your shield so you still have some protection."  
  
Link looked puzzled. "So how do I get out?"  
  
He heard Tetra give a frustrated sigh.  
  
"You never think ahead of time do you?" she questioned.  
  
"Uh..." Link trailed.  
  
"Forget it." She mutter, getting back on subject. "Now from what I can see, there's a bench and a shelf in that cell of yours. I think I see a crack in the wall behind that piece of pottery on the shelf. Do you see it?"  
  
Link got up and looked up at the pot. He climbed up to it and moved it  
aside.  
  
"Hey! There's a passageway back here." Link exclaimed. He got on all fours and squeezed into the small opening. After crawling for a little while, he reached the other end and crawled out into the open.  
  
"Ah, free at last!" he exclaimed with a smile.  
  
"Don't forget kid..." Tetra said. "...it's not over until you get your sister back, so stay on guard, and don't pull a stunt like you did before!"  
  
"You got it." Link replied, and with that, he ran off down a hallway  
and exited the room.  
  
After only a few minutes, Link reached the room that he was captured in, and sure enough the Moblin was still there guarding the place. After some coaxing from Tetra, Link reluctantly used a barrel to get past it without being noticed, and sneaked into the door it was guarding. He emerged outside and ran up a flight of steps, only to find yet another Moblin. Using the same method, he sneaked by it undetected and advanced further up the tower.  
  
Back on the ship, Tetra had made her way to the crow's nest to inform her crew that they were going to be there a little while longer. Of course, no one liked the idea but didn't complain for fear of getting yelled at.  
  
Before he even knew it, Link turned a corner and spotted a shimmer out of the corner of his eye. He looked over to see what it was and saw his sword lying only a few feet away.  
  
"Wow. It landed all the way up here?" He thought. He must have landed higher up on the wall than he thought. It didn't matter now though, so he quickly sprinted over to reclaim his lost weapon.  
  
"Watch out Link." He heard Tetra say. "There's a monster by that  
door."  
  
As he picked his sword up, Link glanced to his right to see another Bokoblin guarding a door, this one sleeping on the job and snoozing the night away.  
  
"Link, I think your sister is being held in that room." Tetra said. "It looks like you're going to have to fight the creature to get in so be careful."  
  
"No problem." He replied. "Now that I have my sword back, it will be a piece of cake."  
  
"That attitude got you in trouble last time, Link." Tetra scolded. "Don't blow it this time!"  
  
Link looked at the stone. "Stop worrying so much. I'll be back with my  
sister in no time. Just watch me."  
  
He didn't hear Tetra say anything back, so he assumed she was watching. Link tapped the wall with his sword to get the Bokoblins attention. The creature quickly woke up from its nap and shot its head up, looking his direction. It lowered its head and eyed him with an evil glare as it then began to approach him.  
  
Link posed and pointed his sword at the creature.  
  
"Come on!" he shouted to it.  
  
Sensing his anxiousness, the Bokoblin charged at him, its blade ready for battle. Link defended with his own sword and side stepped to his left. This made the Bokoblin throw its weight forward and fall. It lost its footing and stumbled a little but not long enough so Link could swing at its back. It turned around quick enough to block his attack with its own wooden shield. Link did a back flip to get out of range if it decided to attack him.  
  
The two glared at each other, waiting for the other to attack first. Eventually, the Bokoblin grew tired of waiting and ran forward. Link also sprinted forward and the two clashed, their weapons slashing in all directions. They bounced back and leapt into the air, yelling as they flew toward each other. A clang was heard as both Link and the Bokoblin landed on their feet. Neither moved for a brief moment...  
  
Suddenly the Bokoblin gripped its side and fell. It made a strange sound before it collapsed to the ground in a small pool of blood.  
  
Link sheathed his sword and vertically clapped his hands after a job well done. He really didn't like to kill anything really or see blood, but the thrill of fighting with his sword made him feel strong and energetic. He could get use to doing this often.  
  
He didn't hear Tetra utter a word during the whole fight, so he glanced at the gem hanging from his neck and spoke.  
  
"How was that, Tetra?" he asked, hoping she saw him this time.  
  
He didn't get a response.  
  
"Tetra!" he hollered at the stone, annoyed at the thought that she wasn't answering him.  
  
"I'm here, kid. Don't get your tunic all in a knot." He finally  
heard her reply.  
  
He cocked his head. "Well..."  
  
Tetra got a smirk on her face.  
  
"I guess you did semi-decent, considering you haven't been using that cheap thing for a long period of time."  
  
Link blinked. What will he have to do to get this pirate to appreciate  
him?!  
  
He shrugged, thinking he probably never would.  
  
Tetra glanced up at the fortress then looked back at her triangle- shaped necklace. "I guess I should congratulate you for getting this far though." She complimented with a smirk. "I truly thought you wouldn't make it this far."  
  
Link looked at the door standing in front of him.  
  
"You know..." he quietly said. "I actually didn't think I would  
either..."  
  
Tetra suddenly became quiet.  
  
Link looked down at the stone with a smile on his face.  
  
"Thanks, Tetra." He said gently. "I doubt I would have made it this far without your help and guidance."  
  
Tetra was speechless. She looked at the ground, trying to think of some sort of remark to catch him off-guard with. When no phrase entered her mind, she slowly looked back at his image in her necklace.  
  
"...I...uh..." she stuttered. She couldn't find anything rude to say to him; not after he was kind enough to thank her despite her attitude. A nervous but small half smile crossed her face.  
  
"Your...welcome..." she managed to say.  
  
Link's smile grew. He was happy that he finally got her to say something other than a rude comment to him. With satisfaction, he pushed the door open and entered the lit room.  
  
Back on the ship, Tetra was still trying to get over this weird feeling she was having in her stomach. She leaned up against the plank of wood that held up their pirate flag and stared straight ahead of her. She never felt this way during her entire life...except when her mother was still alive. Why was she getting this feeling all of a sudden? What was this feeling anyway?  
  
Tetra looked to the ground, trying to figure out this strange emotion. She thought she had come to the conclusion that she was just excited from all that was going on. Now she was second-guessing that thought...  
  
"Miss Tetra!"  
  
Tetra's head shot up. She straightened up and peered over the edge to see Gonzo doing some odd dance while pointing to the fortress.  
  
"Miss! Miss Tetra!" he hollered, suddenly looking up at her.  
  
"Out with it, Gonzo!" She yelled back at him.  
  
Gonzo quickly looked back at the fortress.  
  
"T-the bird! It's...awake!" he quickly shouted, sounding scared.  
  
"What?!" Tetra said, both aloud and to herself.  
  
She quickly turned to face the Forsaken Fortress to find that Gonzo was indeed right. The giant bird was hovering over its nest, flapping its huge wings vigorously to keep itself airborne and rise further into the air. She watched as it made a couple rounds around the fortress, then start to head toward the central tower.  
  
Her eyes widened even more when she realized that it was heading for the same tower that Link had entered.  
  
Without a second thought, Tetra shouted into her necklace with sudden fear in her eyes.  
  
"LINK!" she hollered. "GET OUT OF THERE!"  
  
But she was already too late...  
  
When she was finally able to focus from all her excitement, she could see Link, staring up at the huge bird in what looked like a small room surrounded by a single platform spiraling up past her necklaces viewing range. To his right, she could see a single wooden cell with three girls trapped behind its bars. One of them she recognized to be Link's sister, gripping the bars and gapping at her brother's predicament.  
  
The bird let out an ear-piercing screech as it suddenly lowered its head and grabbed Link in its beak!  
  
The boy gave a slight yell from shock, as did his sister. Tetra could hear his sister call out in sear terror as she watched her big brother get carried up into the air.  
  
The pirate could only watch as Link tried to slash at the bird's face with his sword, only to have his weapon bounce off the creature's hard mask- like helmet. Seeing that that wasn't working, he tried to pry himself out of the bird's beak...but to no avail. The monster had too tight a grip on him to make it budge even the slightest.  
  
By now, the bird had reached the top of the tower and was leaving the walls of the fortress. Tetra lifted her head and spotted the creature as it emerged out of the tower and into the night sky. The bird made a couple flights around the fortress then suddenly stopped in front of a ruined piece of ship that was anchored at the top of the fortress. It hovered there as if it was waiting for someone to tell it what to do with the prisoner in its beak.  
  
The young pirate was confused at the bird's actions and looked down at her necklace to see what was going on. Link also had the same look of confusion on his face as he stared at something that was inside the ruined ship.  
  
Tetra's eyes got even bigger when she got a good look at what was standing in front of him.  
  
It was a person...with pitch black clothing...  
  
Tetra stepped back a few feet and bumped into the flag post. She leaned against it with pure shock as she stared at the images in her necklace. That same horrible man that haunted her dreams and kidnapped her mother was standing in front of Link, examining him and pondering what to do.  
  
With a slight gesture, Tetra saw the evil man tilt his head toward his left, hinting a command to the large creature hovering in front of him.  
  
The bird caught wind of this command and lowered its head. With one huge swing, the bird released its grip on Link, sending him through the air...straight toward the open sea!  
  
Tetra could hear Link scream as he flew through the air, twisting and turning the whole way. She quickly shot her head up to see where he was actually heading, and when she couldn't see exactly which direction he was flung to, she went back to her necklace.  
  
As she stared in shock, all of a sudden his image began to fade as he started to fly out of range, much to Tetra's astonishment.  
  
"No! Not now!" she shouted to the rock, hoping it would clear up.  
  
It did not obey her wishes and instead grew darker and darker. The sound of Link's voice was slowly getting fainter, as was his image. Eventually she couldn't hear his screaming and watched as his moving figure slowly disappeared into nothing. In only a few seconds, Tetra had lost contact with him.  
  
Silence followed...  
  
Tetra stared at the gap inside her necklace, completely shocked at what had just taken place. In her mind, she didn't want to believe that what she just witnessed actually happened; but she knew she was only fooling herself. She slowly let herself slide down the pole she was leaning against until she hit the floor and sat still.  
  
She was totally silent as she stared into her necklace. So many emotions were running through her head. Shock...anger...confusion...all of these feelings clouded her mind and thoughts.  
  
Tetra looked up from her trance.  
  
"This wasn't suppose to happen..." she told herself in her head. "That man was definitely not suppose to be here! That jerk ruins everything!" Giving an angry look over to the fortress, the pirate quickly made a sneer in half a hope that he could see it as she angrily but quietly added. "He will pay..."  
  
She didn't make that face long though before it was replaced by a vacant-like stare as she looked down at her necklace. As she peered down at the blank gap in her golden accessory, a sudden loneliness filled her soul and she caught her breath. For a brief moment, she did nothing but stare, until she lifted her hand and covered her face with it.  
  
At her fingertips, Tetra lightly felt a tear run down her cheek.  
  
The pirate removed her hand and wiped away the small bit of liquid before she peered down at her fingers.  
  
"I'm...crying?" she asked herself in confusion. "But...why? Why am I crying?" she paused a little before added. "...and why do I feel so...alone?"  
  
It didn't make much sense to the young pirate. She had never cried in her life really, except when she was very little. She had also cried on the day her mother was taken too, for obvious reasons. So...why did she start up again?  
  
"Wait a minute..." she mused as she returned back to reality. She blinked slowly as she realized that she had gone back to staring at the gap in her necklace, giving her a hint to why she was feeling the way she was.  
  
It quickly dawned on her that she had felt lonely right after she lost contact with Link. But...why was that?  
  
Almost as if to answer her question, Tetra suddenly remembered how she felt when he had thanked her for helping him.  
  
He was certainly different, that boy. Most normal people she had met looked down on her, for obvious reasons that she was a pirate with an attitude. But Link...he looked like he didn't care what she was. Pirate or not, he had still thanked her...and she had returned the kind comment with one of her own...  
  
That certainly wasn't normal. Did she actually say something nice to someone outside of her crew?  
  
Tetra had to take her eyes off her necklace, and glanced over at the green bandage on her arm that Link had done himself. It took her till now to finally figure out why she felt so lonely. Without her even realizing it...she had just lost a friend...and not just any friend...  
  
Link was her first friend, outside of her crew.  
  
Tetra remained silent as she continued to stare at her bandage.  
  
Suddenly she lifted her head, a look of determination in her eyes. Without hesitation, she quickly got to her feet and darted to the edge of the crows nest. She peered over the edge and shouted a command to get her crew's attention.  
  
"Heave the anchor, boys!" she hollered with a stern tone.  
  
"We're setting sail!" 


	7. The Prophetic Dream

Disclaimer: *a sign has been left here that says, "Zelda and all its characters and plot is copyright of Nintendo"*  
  
A/N: Whoa I'm past 20 reviews! What joy! *smiles profusely* You all are so good to me *sniff*. Now I know I'm probably not expressing Tetra as the tough bold pirate she really is, but like I've mentioned before, there is an explanation for why I did. To find out that explanation, you'll have to wait until the end of the story (when I post an authors summary). I really don't want to keep you waiting more than you already are, but please bear with me (I'm sorry! I really am! *panics*). For now just enjoy what I have and try not to think about it too much. Oh yeah, and this chapter contains a plot twist that I think fits the actual plot of the game. Confused? Ah don't worry, hopefully you won't be after you read this chapter (which is kinda short when I think about it...darn it...). Enjoy ^.^  
  
Chapter 6: The Prophetic Dream  
  
-------------------------------------------  
  
It was very early in the morning. The moon was still visible high in the sky, signaling the approach of a few hours past midnight. Not a cloud was in sight except for a few small puffs scattered here and there. A gentle breeze was blowing through the ship's sail as it slowly drifted the ocean. Everyone on board appeared to be calm just like the night itself.  
  
Looks can be deceiving however...  
  
While everyone on board was indeed tired, their captain had ordered that they search the known sea until they had found what they were looking for. They were not, however, searching for treasure like you would expect a pirate crew to search for. Instead, they were looking for some signs of life on the water's surface...a boy to be precise.  
  
The night was dragging the crew down though; dimming their expectations to actually find someone on the waves. They could not stop however, until their captain ordered them to.  
  
"Miss Tetra...please!" Gonzo begged.  
  
"No! I told you already, Gonzo! We are going to search until we have found him. End of discussion!" Tetra was getting annoyed at her crew for being so persistent in their attempts to get some sleep.  
  
"But Miss..." Mako said quietly. "We've been searching for hours. The odds of that kid not drowning by now are very low. Please...we need a break."  
  
Tetra glared at them. Her crew would never try this stunt if they were hot on the trail of a ship loaded with treasure. She humphed at their willingness to give up.  
  
Nudge made his way to the front of the group. He was always the one who would help Tetra make a wise decision, and right now, he was hoping to change his captain's mind.  
  
"Miss Tetra..." he said quietly. "Can I speak with you in private?"  
  
Tetra eyed him with a haunting glare. She knew he wanted sleep like the others and figured he was hoping to talk her into letting them hit the hay. However, his conversations with her often made her chose the right course of action...perhaps this was something she needed to hear.  
  
Tetra rolled her eyes to try and hide her change of thought from her  
crew.  
  
"Fine." She scoffed.  
  
Nudge smiled as he and Tetra went to the far bow of the ship, out of hearing distance from the rest of the crew. Nudge sat next to the catapult, while Tetra leaned against the railing of the ship. With arms crossed, she raised an eyebrow to him and spoke.  
  
"Ok let's hear it." She muttered.  
  
Nudge rubbed the back of his neck.  
  
"Listen..." he began saying. "I know you're wanting to find that boy and all...but..." he paused and looked at her. "I just don't think he's alive. Unless someone else found him, he would have drowned by now."  
  
Tetra shot a look at him.  
  
"And how would you know?" she spat.  
  
Nudge could have sworn he heard her choke back a sob.  
  
He cocked his head, a small grin running across his face with curiosity and concern for his captain. Then he quietly uttered the one question that Tetra never thought anyone would ask her...  
  
"You liked him, didn't you?" he questioned in the softest tone he  
could muster.  
  
Just like he expected, Tetra was completely taken off-guard by his question. Her look quickly went into a light stare as she quickly looked to the floor, trying to work up a tough frown when really she was trying to hide her expression from him. Never had anyone dared to ask her such a question.  
  
"I...I don't think I did." Tetra quietly said, sounding as if she was questioning herself for the true answer.  
  
Nudge smiled a little. He knew he had noticed a slight change in her mood when the boy first got on the ship. Sure, she was always a little bossy but she always seemed to boss the kid around in particular. He guessed it was her way of showing she cared.  
  
He looked at her again.  
  
"I haven't seen you this determined since your mother was kidnapped." He said, folding his hands in his lap. "That boy must have meant something to you if you are this determined to find him."  
  
Tetra kept her head low, trying not to make eye contact with him.  
  
Nudge knew she was trying to hide it, but he had a knack for knowing exactly what she was feeling. His smile slowly dimmed however, knowing that her hope for finding him was going to be cut short by his words.  
  
"I'm sorry Miss..." he said quietly. "I don't think he survived."  
  
Nudge looked away, not wanting to see his captain's response. He suddenly had to yawn, reminding him on his other objective.  
  
"Uh...Miss Tetra..." he said quietly, looking toward her while he  
yawned.  
  
As if yawning was contagious, Tetra also gave a small yawn, from what Nudge could see anyways.  
  
Without lifting her head, Tetra motioned for him to leave.  
  
He nodded, knowing this was a gestured command to call it a day. He slowly stood up and walked back toward the group to spread the word.  
  
Tetra's thoughts were in a whirl. What Nudge said was the most logically explanation for them not finding Link...so why was she still believing they would find him?  
  
She gripped her necklace. Perhaps what he said was true...could she really like this kid that much? But how? She had only known him for a day. She hung her head again as she released her grip on her necklace. If only her mother was still here...she would be able to help her...  
  
Tetra looked to the sky for comfort. A few stars were visible in the dark blue of space, twinkling as if they wanted to cheer her up.  
  
"Oh mother..." she thought. "I wish you would give me some sort of clue as to why I'm feeling this way."  
  
She suddenly felt relaxed after feeling a soft breeze brush against her skin. She looked up and watched as it made the sail of the ship wave in a neat pattern.  
  
A thought suddenly struck her mind as she watched the sail move.  
  
"Could this have anything to do with my mother's stories?" she thought. "The stories about the Hero of Time and the ancient kingdom...could Link have anything to do with them?"  
  
Tetra wasn't sure, though she wish she knew the answer. Perhaps an answer would come to her in her sleep.  
  
After lifting herself up, she slowly made her way to room, careful not to disturb the loud snoring she was hearing further below deck. As she crawled into bed, she couldn't help but glance at the picture hanging next to it. The boy in the picture looked just like Link...but...it wasn't Link...was it?  
  
Tetra took her eyes off it and stuffed her head in her pillow. She yawned and slowly closed her eyes, slowly realizing how tired she was. After five minutes, she was out like a light.  
  
~ ~ ~  
  
"Tetra...wake up..."  
  
Tetra tightened her already closed eyes. She felt a hand on her shoulder trying to get her up by gently shaking her. She moaned and shooed the hand away as she turned herself on her side to try and get back to sleep.  
  
"Tetra, you must get up...it's me..."  
  
Tetra made a sound of annoyance and slowly opened her eyes. She didn't like being disturbed while she slept...especially if the person who was waking her was inside her...  
  
...room?  
  
Tetra blinked with confusion when she saw her surroundings. That is...if you would call pure nothing all around you a surrounding.  
  
"Where...am I?" she thought.  
  
She looked to the person who woke her up for the answer. Instead of getting an answer though, she got a joyous but puzzled look on her face when she saw who it was.  
  
"M-mother? Is that...really...you?!" Tetra exclaimed through sear joy and confusion. She quickly sat up.  
  
Her mother smiled at her.  
  
"Yes...it is me..." she said. "But...sadly I am no longer of this  
world..."  
  
"Huh?" Tetra was baffled...her mother was kneeling right next to her and here she was saying she didn't exist? "But...you're..."  
  
"I know dear...but this isn't real...its only happening in your mind..." she quickly replied, trying not to make Tetra think she was real. "I'm sorry my dear..."  
  
Tetra got a pained look in her face. She felt more sad than happy that she was seeing her mother now, but to know that none of it was real? She hung her head as the fact sunk in.  
  
Her mother reached over and embraced her daughter, hoping to comfort  
her.  
  
"It's alright Tetra...you can still be with me in your dreams. Please  
don't cry."  
  
Tetra hugged her in return as she tried to hold back tears. She missed her mom so much...she needed to be near her for at least a moment.  
  
Tetra's mother loosened her hold and slowly pulled back, holding Tetra by the shoulders and trying to look her in the eyes. She held out a hand and tilted her daughter's head up so she could look into her face.  
  
"Tetra..." she said gently. "I'm very proud of you. You're taking good care of the crew and are a much better captain than I was at your age." She slowly began to stand up. "But...I need your help..."  
  
Tetra wiped away her tears that wielded up in her eyes and looked up  
at her mother.  
  
"You need...my help?" she questioned, curiosity written all over her  
face as she quickly recovered.  
  
Her mom nodded and looked straight ahead, not focusing at anything specific. With a small sweep of her hand, a sky suddenly started to become visible and the ground beneath their feet suddenly started to fade away.  
  
Tetra stared as the ground beneath her started to vanish. Before she could realize it, both her and her mother began to float on air with nothing assisting them. Tetra was startled for a small while, but became even more confused when she saw a body of water start to take shape far beneath them.  
  
"It's...the Great Sea." Tetra stated with awe. "But...why?" she turned to her mother.  
  
She was gazing down at the ocean, carefully observing it as if she was looking for something. After getting no answer for a while, Tetra finally saw her mother look upon her.  
  
With a gesture, the woman motioned to a lone island sticking high out of the waters surface.  
  
"I need you to go to that island." She said calmly.  
  
Tetra squinted her eyes to get a better look. She had seen that  
island before...  
  
"Greatfish Isle? Why there?"  
  
"You must search for a pearl that waits on that island." She  
replied.  
  
Tetra looked at her.  
  
"A pearl?"  
  
"Yes..." the woman replied. "That pearl, along with two others, is a key...a key that will show a hero his destiny."  
  
"Destiny? A hero?" Tetra was now more confused than ever. Why did they need a hero? Was the world in danger or something? Tetra lightly shook her head. "Mother, I don't think I...understand..."  
  
"I know dear..." she replied. "But I don't have time to explain...you must help this hero defeat the evil that haunts our world."  
  
"Evil?" Tetra thought. Only one person stood out of her mind that she considered evil. "Do you mean..."  
  
"Yes..." She replied, looking back at Tetra. "The man who had kidnapped me seven years ago...he is the one whom the hero must slay." She paused for a moment.  
  
"His name...is Ganondorf."  
  
Tetra grinned, thinking the name sounded more weird than frightening.  
  
The woman continued. "...and the only way the hero can succeed is if he acquires all three pearls." She paused. "You must help him achieve this."  
  
Tetra looked down at the vast ocean beneath her. So now she had a new mission to fulfill, which required her to help out this unknown hero. So...who was the hero?  
  
As if she could read her mind, Tetra's mother pointed toward the sky as something began to glow and appear in the clouds. It formed into a long, blue-hilted sword with a yellow jewel on both sides of the hilt. It's blade was glowing with an unknown power that made the clouds part in its wake.  
  
For some reason...it looked very familiar.  
  
Tetra floated stiff, mouth agape as she stared at the glowing object.  
  
"Is that...?"  
  
"Yes..." her mother replied without letting her finish. "That is the Master Sword...the blade of evil's bane. It is what the hero will use to slay Ganondorf and his evil army."  
  
Tetra closed her mouth as she levitated above the ocean beneath her. Well she now knew what the hero would wield as a weapon; but she still didn't know who the hero was, so she turned to her mother to ask directly.  
  
When she did, she suddenly saw her mother start to fade right before her very eyes.  
  
"Mother!" She cried. She reached out to grab her but her hand only passed right through her body. She floated backwards a bit and stared as her mother slowly began to disappear.  
  
"Don't go! Please!" she begged.  
  
Her mother did not reply as she slowly became transparent and disappeared into thin air.  
  
Tetra gaped at the space where her mother once was. Her surroundings slowly started to darken as a blanket of dark clouds began to fill the sky. She glanced around frantically, wondering what in the world was going on around her. Pretty soon it got so dark that she could barely make out anything below her.  
  
Suddenly she heard laughing. She tried to spot the source but couldn't figure out which direction it was coming from. It sounded like it came from all directions actually.  
  
Then she heard a whooshing sound coming from behind and she quickly spun around and shouted.  
  
"It's you!"  
  
Levitating right behind her was a tall dark shadow, silhouetted with a dark purple outline that vaguely told the person's features. But Tetra could tell without the fine details who the person was.  
  
"What did you do to my mother?!" the young pirate angrily yelled.  
  
The figure only made a large grin as it lifted its hand into the dark air. Tetra tensed up as she watched its hand go up and make a swift gesture, which puzzled her slightly.  
  
Suddenly, Tetra felt her body grow heavy and before she knew what happened, she began to plummet down toward the sea beneath her! She yelled as gravity took its effect and the distance in between her and the waters surface shortened dramatically. The dark figure grew smaller and smaller very quickly and pretty soon, Tetra knew that she would hit the water below at any second! Before she allowed herself to be swallowed up by the waves, she lifted her head and screamed!  
  
"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhh!"  
  
Tetra sprang awake and bolted upright in her bed. She started panting as if she was short on air, gripping her blankets tightly and trying to pull herself together.  
  
"It...was all a dream..." she thought. She put a hand up to her heaving chest and looked herself up and down with confused eyes.  
  
"But...it felt so...real..."  
  
Tetra wasn't sure what to make this. It was all just a dream, but it felt more like a prophecy...like her mother was trying to tell her something...important.  
  
She remembered clearly what her mother had said to her. The three pearls...the new evil...the hero that would save them...Tetra remembered it all like she knew it for years.  
  
"But..." she thought. "...should I follow the instructions of my dream? What if that's all it was...just a dream...a nightmare."  
  
Tetra didn't know what to do. For a half hour or two, she just sat in her bed, contemplating her dream and all that had happened in it. She also pondered what she was going to do next, and what course of action needed to be done accordingly. If she did follow her dream then what would she get out of it? After all, she was a pirate...and pirates never did anything for free. She would get the satisfaction of having helped save the Great Sea...but that really didn't mean much to her. Not now at least...  
  
But...if she didn't try to help...then what would happen?  
  
During her planning, Tetra looked up at the picture diagonal from where she was sitting. Upon seeing her mother's portrait, she suddenly made up her mind.  
  
With a swift jump, Tetra hopped off her bed and went above deck. Once outside, she realized the sun was already high in the sky, signaling that it was already a good ways into the day. To get her crew up, she made her way to the gong at the bow of the ship and grabbed the stick that went with it. With a quick swing, the vibrating gong flooded the ship with its loud, echoing sound. Tetra covered her ears to prevent herself from going deaf and listened as the faint sound of bodies falling to the floor was heard.  
  
A minute later, Gonzo, Nudge, Senza, Mako, Zuko, and Niko came bursting through the door leading below deck. They scrambled around a bit before they all stood before Tetra, awaiting her orders.  
  
"Get to your stations, boys!" Tetra said with enthusiasm.  
  
"We're going to Greatfish Isle!" 


	8. Unexpected News

Disclaimer: *is sitting on top of the sign that was in the last disclaimer* Yeah I know. I got lazy. So sue me...er...wait a sec...don't sue me! Please don't! *starts to panic*  
  
A/N: Sorry bout the last chappie being a little short. I had to stop there or else it would have been huge. This would have been up sooner but FFN was having problems. Heck, you people deserve the next chapter quickly! I got so many reviews over the last few days I almost fainted with happiness! No way am I going to keep you good reviewers waiting. And a heads up to Aria Zephr about what you said in your most recent review. This chap might clear up anything you might have had a question on. Hope you like this one! ^_^  
  
Oh yeah before I forget. Any questions about my story will be explained and/or answered in the author's summary after the very last chapter (if I haven't already mentioned it before...I think I did...arg, bad memory .). But that doesn't really mean you should save you questions until then! Not in the least! By all means, ask away in a review and I'll get back to it when I write the summary. Ok I think that's about it...*inches away* Sorry to keep you waiting ^.^;  
  
Chapter 7: Unexpected News  
  
-------------------------------------------------  
  
"LAND HO!"  
  
Upon hearing Zuko's call, the crew lifted their heads to try and spot the reason for his call.  
  
All of the crew was very excited. They haven't been on shore for a number of days, maybe even weeks! They didn't count the stop at Outset, since instead of getting a break, they got a kid in a odd green outfit. The thought of decent food and rest from the hard work on board made their spirits high with relief and excitement. Even Tetra was relieved at the thought of seeing civilization again.  
  
Not only were they looking forward to rest, but they were also glad to go back to doing what pirates did best: Looking for treasure! Tetra had informed her crew that they were searching for a great gem that was hidden on Greatfish isle.  
  
The crew was glad to hear that they were finally going back to their normal life as pirates. But no one got too excited, since they knew Zuko always announced their arrival when he first spotted land; and usually that meant they still had about an hour left of sailing. So...the crew went back to doing whatever they were doing to pass the time.  
  
About a half hour later, Tetra grew too impatient with the waiting and climbed up to where Zuko was in the crow's nest. Zuko was doing the usual...looking through his telescope and keeping an eye on their destination. Tetra didn't talk to him much except when she gave an order so she rarely knew what was on his mind. She often wondered if he ever got bored of looking through the darn thing twenty-four seven. She didn't bother with it though.  
  
Tetra wanted to see their destination up close and didn't have enough patience to want to wait another long half hour...so she asked Zuko for his telescope.  
  
Zuko didn't hesitate to hand it to her, knowing that what Tetra said, goes. All of the crew knew to stay on her good side, knowing the extra work they would have to do if they failed to do so.  
  
Tetra peered through the finder and searched. A somewhat rounded- shaped island floated on the horizon, poking its tall earth above sea level and clawing at the wind as if it was out of air. It looked a little like a stranded fish out of water; hence the name Greatfish Isle. She had been here once or twice before when she was little, though she could barely remember what it was like. Her thoughts were on other things as she gazed at the distant island through the finder.  
  
"I'm not sure how I will go about finding this pearl..." Tetra thought to herself. "...but I will get it! Somehow..."  
  
She lowered the telescope and gave it back to Zuko, who immediately began to peer at the island like he was doing before she arrived. He moved the telescope around to view the outskirts of the isle, just out of curiosity.  
  
Tetra was about to make her way back down the ladder when she suddenly heard Zuko say a couple of things at a rapid pace. She turned around and gave him a look of confusion, not knowing what the heck he had just said.  
  
The small side-burned pirate was pointing toward the island while still looking through his telescope. He glanced at her quickly, then looked through the finder, then back at her.  
  
"I really don't feel like playing charades, Zuko." Tetra said, raising an eyebrow. Seeing how he kept pointing out to the ocean, she tried none the less to find what he was so excited about with her own eyes. She couldn't see anything but water and the islands silhouette.  
  
Finding Zuko's rare fast talk annoying now, the young captain stuck a hand on her hip and cocked her head to him, partially rolling her eyes.  
  
"Repeat that in English, if you please." She requested in a slightly huffed tone.  
  
Zuko caught the hint and quickly calmed himself. Still motioning his head to the sea, he began to speak in his normal stuttering speech. "Something approaches...from the island." He held out the telescope to her, quickly finding it hard to keep himself calm.  
  
Tetra took the telescope, gave Zuko a weird look, then peeked through the finder. She focused on the water's surface and found nothing but waves at first.  
  
Suddenly, she spotted something that puzzled her.  
  
Something was moving through the water in between their ship and the island at quick speeds. It looked like some sort of sea creature...and it was splitting through the waters and heading right towards them.  
  
Tetra slowly lowered the telescope and gawked at the abnormal wave in front of them. It was moving so fast that it only took about a few minutes before it got close enough for the entire crew to notice it. Everyone went to the side of the ship to get a better look.  
  
The creature was a huge greenish-blue fish. It had big, bulgy eyes and a weird-looking flab of flesh that hung in front of its forehead. A lantern-shaped object hung at the tip of it, swaying back and forth from the movement the fish was making.  
  
Everyone on board grew silent as the fish grew in size when it got closer. It didn't look like it wanted to attack them...the problem was it was still heading toward their ship...and it wasn't slowing down or showing signs of wanting to turn!  
  
Tetra shook her head to get herself out of her gaze and leaned over the nests edge and shouted.  
  
"Don't just stand there you morons! Get this ship out of the way!"  
  
The crew got out of their state of amazement and quickly ran to their evasive stations. As quickly as they could, they tried to turn the ship out of the fish's path.  
  
Tetra watched as the fish got even closer. It was still showing no signs of slowing down, and it was now so close that it would smash right into the side of the ship even if it turned or even slowed down!  
  
"Brace yourselves! It's going to hit!" The captain shouted as she gripped the edge of the crows nest and prepared for impact. Her crew quickly did the same to whatever they were holding onto.  
  
Just at the last few moments, the huge fish dipped its head and launched itself completely up and out of the water. It jumped so high up in fact that it soared right over the pirate ship...without even touching it!  
  
Water dripped upon the ship as it literally flew overhead and bathed the crew with its cascading water and darkness from its shadow. In a huge splash, it landed on the other side of the ship and as quickly as it appeared, it vanished beneath the waves.  
  
Tetra ran a hand through her hair, relieved that the fish did what it did; otherwise, she wouldn't have a ship to sail the sea. But she wondered...what was it swimming from?  
  
"Miss Tetra!" Zuko called. "Look!"  
  
Tetra spun around to see what Zuko saw this time. But instead of seeing something in the water this time around, she spotted something dark and disfigured in the sky. She quickly snatched the telescope to get a better look, but before she could focus on the strange thing, she suddenly heard a faint whoosh followed by a loud bang that literally made the ship vibrate!  
  
Tetra looked up toward the island and gasped at what she saw.  
  
The island was no longer a round hunk of earth but a huge ball of fire! The island had just been struck by some sort of magical attack that literally ignited the whole island. The place was burning so intensely that smoke had covered the entire isle in a matter of minutes.  
  
Huge chucks of earth shifted positions as more small orbs of magic suddenly began to shower the place!  
  
Through her shock, Tetra quickly glanced through the telescope to find the source of all this destruction. What she finally focused on, didn't really surprise her...  
  
No sooner had she spotted them, the figure of that wretched bird was suddenly seen flying away from the now burning island.  
  
And along with it, that same horrible man from her dreams was perched on its back...  
  
His name suddenly entered Tetra's mind.  
  
"Ganondorf." she uttered through gritted teeth. Not only was she infuriated at the man and his stupid pet, but she couldn't figure out why someone would do such a horrible thing for no apparent reason! All those people living on the island...why would anyone want to end so many lives at once? Sure she was use to seeing destruction, what with being a pirate and all...but not like this! She and her crew would never kill anything unless they knew the thing was pure evil.  
  
Tetra slammed her fist on the side of the nest out of anger. How many times was she going to witness this horrible demon and his monster destroy another life? It was hard to bear even if it wasn't happening to her specifically. She raised her head to take one more look at the smoldering isle...and her face twisted into a look of confusion and curiosity.  
  
The island was still burning immensely, but now this huge, odd- looking cloud hung above the whole place like a big levitating blanket. It was only above the island, and nowhere else as rain was now being seen pouring on the island, putting out the large fire that had spread through the whole isle.  
  
Tetra squinted as a thought popped into her head. Without much hesitation, she quickly climbed down the ladder, shouting a command to the rest of her crew.  
  
"Get back to your stations." She ordered. "We are still going ashore."  
  
The crew looked at their captain and followed her order as they continued on toward Greatfish Isle...  
  
...or what was left of it anyways...  
  
Once ashore, Tetra ordered them to search as much of the place as possible and search for any signs of life. In addition, they needed to see if the treasure was still here. After an ordeal like that, it could have been blown off the island and lost at sea...or worse...it could have been destroyed.  
  
Tetra hastened the search. The treasure had to be here somewhere. It just had to be! She didn't come all the way over here just to fail.  
  
Her efforts to find the gem or a survivor was dimmed however, when her crew reported nothing after a half hours search. No one had spotted treasure or a survivor anywhere on the island.  
  
Tetra hung her head, letting the rain run down her hair and drip to the ground. They had just hit a roadblock. The pearl was nowhere to be found on the place Tetra was instructed to look...now what was she suppose to do?  
  
She kicked her foot and sent a small cloud of wet sand into the air. The crew looked at each other, knowing their captain was getting frustrated from all that was going on.  
  
"Miss Tetra?" Nudge said, sounding concerned.  
  
Tetra kept her eyes to the ground as she ran a hand through her blonde hair and quietly spoke.  
  
"I'm fine..." she muttered, trying to cover up her stress by sounding tough. "I just...don't know what to do now..."  
  
Nudge looked back at everyone behind him. They just looked at each other again, hoping someone would say an answer to their predicament. But no one said a word...  
  
Nudge looked back at Tetra and scratched the back of his head, obviously not having an answer himself.  
  
Tetra flung her head up to get her dripping bangs out of her face and  
spoke.  
  
"Let's get back to the ship." she ordered quietly. "There's no sense in staying here any longer..."  
  
The crew nodded in agreement. With no one uttering a word, they slowly made their way back to their ship.  
  
~ ~ ~  
  
The pirate ship swayed with the small current of waves that hit its flank. For hours, the large vessel was drifting in such a manner since Tetra gave no order to go anywhere or do anything. The ship was floating on an unknown course...where they ended up didn't even matter to the captain. She was secretly hoping the wind would carry her to the right place...but she knew she was only fooling herself again.  
  
"Darn it!" she thought to herself. "How am I supposed to know where to go now? I don't have the slightest idea where to start." She leaned against the railing of the ship as she gazed out into the open sea. "I need a hint...a clue...anything that can point me in the right direction."  
  
"Miss Tetra!" Zuko called from the nest.  
  
Tetra looked up from her thinking position and glanced up at him. Well...that didn't take long...  
  
"What is it?" she called back to him, finding his abnormal loud  
tone questionable.  
  
Zuko pointed toward the east and replied.  
  
"Something is approaching from the east!"  
  
Tetra, along with the rest of the crew, looked in that direction and faintly saw something coming toward them.  
  
...and it was flying.  
  
Tetra immediately tensed up. "It can't be!" she thought. That thing flying toward them...could it be...that bird?  
  
She grinned. "So...he came back for me, huh?"  
  
Tetra spun around to face her crew and ordered.  
  
"Battle stations everyone!"  
  
The crew saluted and ran to their positions to prepare for battle. Tetra followed Gonzo and Senza to help them aim the catapult, since last time they kept missing the darn thing.  
  
"Turn it forty-five degrees, Senza! I want to hit our target  
this time!"  
  
"Aye-aye, Miss Tetra!" Senza said while cranking the handle to  
aim the launcher.  
  
"Cannonball loaded, Miss." Gonzo added.  
  
"Good!" She replied. "Ready..."  
  
Senza grabbed the handle that released the catapult.  
  
"FIRE!"  
  
With a quick pull, Senza yanked the lever down. The cannonball placed in the holder went flying through the air at a crazy speed toward the oncoming creature. Everyone watched to see if their aim was true...  
  
Whatever was approaching them had seen the cannonball launched and was now flapping like crazy to try and get out of the way. It managed to get out of its path, but as the cannonball flew past it, it got clipped in one of the wings and started to plummet right out of the sky. It flapped even more vigorously as a result to try and keep itself stable in the air.  
  
As she was watching, Tetra suddenly noticed that the thing they were shooting down was way too small to be the huge bird.  
  
In fact...it wasn't even a bird...  
  
"Oh shoot!" Tetra choked as she spun around. "Stop your fire! That's not the bird!"  
  
The crew stopped what they were doing and looked at her with confusion, then looked at the thing in the air. It had stabilized itself by now and was hovering in mid-air, not even daring to get any closer.  
  
Tetra ran to the ships railing, cupped her mouth, and called.  
  
"It's ok! You have permission to come aboard."  
  
Upon hearing this, the thing flew closer so that everyone on board could see who or what it was.  
  
That thing...was Quill.  
  
Quill landed on the ship and spread out his right wing to examine it. Other than a couple of feathers ripped off, it looked ok. He took one look at Tetra and said.  
  
"A little jumpy, aren't we?"  
  
Tetra smirked at him.  
  
"Sorry about that. We thought you were that huge bird."  
  
Quill folded his wing back and looked at her, baffled.  
  
"I don't see how I look anything like that foul creature..." he commented. He looked around at all the crew members, wielding a puzzled expression for some reason.  
  
"By the way..." He continued, looking down at Tetra. "...where is  
Link?"  
  
Tetra's smirk suddenly turned upside down at the mention of Link's name. The whole crew had heard this question and all of them were now looking at each other, knowing that they had lost the kid at sea.  
  
Tetra looked to the ground at her right to hide her sudden change in mood that showed on her face. She didn't want to remember the fact that Link was gone.  
  
Quill noticed this weird change and cocked his white head.  
  
"He is with you, isn't he?" he questioned.  
  
Tetra kept her eyes to the ground.  
  
"No." she said quietly, trying to keep a straight tone.  
  
Seeing how his captain was getting bugged by something, Gonzo  
quickly stepped forward to get the Rito off her back.  
  
"The kid was lost at sea, yeah?" he explained.  
  
Quill got a concerned look on his face. He lifted one hand and  
asked.  
  
"When?"  
  
Mako stepped forward this time and peered up at the tall Rito.  
  
"About five days ago..."  
  
Quill put a hand up to his mouth in thought, then scratched his beak with confusion.  
  
"But how can that be?" he questioned them. "He was at my home island just four days ago."  
  
Tetra's head shot up when she heard this. Her eyes went wide along with a "huh" from the rest of the crew. Link was still alive?! But how...?  
  
Quill looked at all of them with a puzzled look. Seeing how the pirates were too shocked at the news to answer him, he cleared his throat to get their attention.  
  
"I need to find Link as quickly as possible." Quill stated. "I have a message from the great Valoo to give to him." He cocked his head again. "So...do you know where he is?"  
  
All the pirates were still staring at him. They blinked a couple of times without answering.  
  
"I'll take that as a no..." Quill quietly stated to himself. He turned his back to the pirates and looked back at them. "Whether you pirates will help me or not, I must find him." He then proceeded to walk away.  
  
Tetra had a lot of thoughts running through her mind. Not only was she shocked to hear that Link was still alive but for some reason she felt relieved as well.  
  
That weird feeling suddenly lifted in her stomach again. She had no idea she would be this happy to here he was still living.  
  
But...where was he now? And what was this message he needed to  
hear?  
  
"Wait a minute!" Gonzo suddenly called to him.  
  
Quill paused and looked over his shoulder as the large pirate  
frowned at him and spoke.  
  
"Just what is this message that you have for the kid that we pirates can't hear?"  
  
In response to getting talked to finally, the Rito turned his body  
around to face them again.  
  
"I thought for sure that Link would have found and told you by now..." he stated as he crossed his arms. "I only mean to tell him that GreatFish Isle was destroyed and that he will not find the water spirit, Jabun, there."  
  
Everyone straightened up, even Tetra...slightly.  
  
"Who's Jabun?" Gonzo questioned, making the winged mailman statement sound dumb and pointless.  
  
Quill raised an eyebrow at him, thinking pirates would be the first to know who Jabun was. But none the less, he began to explain. "He's a great spirit that use to live on GreatFish Isle, until it got cursed by the shadow in the fortress. He fled the island beforehand though, and is now taking residence at Link's home island."  
  
This time, Tetra was only one who straightened up even more as Quill  
continued.  
  
"I must let him know that Jabun resides there and that he must go to Outset if he wishes to speak to him."  
  
Now the captain was even more interested. By Quill's description, this Jabun character had to be that huge fish that nearly collided with them on their way to GreatFish Isle.  
  
It all made sense now. That fish must have the pearl she was after!  
  
"So..." she thought to herself. "It was fleeing from Ganondorf, huh? Could he be after the pearl too?" She scratched the bottom of her chin as she confirmed the reason and got a determined look. "If he is then I better get it first!"  
  
Then another thought struck her mind, this one more serious than the  
first.  
  
"If he's after the pearl...and Jabun is at Outset...then..." She suddenly stopped scratching her chin.  
  
She quickly spun around, not wasting another second while she gave a stern order to her crew.  
  
"Boys!" She proclaimed in a high tone. "Get to your stations. We are going to Outset!"  
  
Everyone but Quill saluted and scattered across the ship.  
  
Quill quickly looked around as they dispersed, then looked at Tetra with a confused expression on his face.  
  
"Why are you going to Outset?" he questioned.  
  
Tetra frowned at him.  
  
"Non of your business." She replied in a huffed tone.  
  
Quill didn't like the sound of that. He was suddenly starting to regret telling these pirates about Jabun and Outset Island.  
  
By now, Tetra was getting annoyed with his presence on her ship. She eyed him and spoke to him directly to get his attention.  
  
"If you don't mind, I would like it if you would leave now." She looked away. "Link is not with us so go find him and tell him your silly message."  
  
Quill backed his head after hearing this girl command him to leave. He wasn't really surprised though, since this was the same attitude she had the last time he saw her. But she was right about one thing...he still had to find Link and tell him the news.  
  
He turned around and spread his brown wings. Seeing that the pirates were serious in this matter, he figured he had to hasten his search for Link. With a couple huge flaps of his wings, Quill lifted off the deck and flew into the wind. In minutes, he disappeared in the opposite direction.  
  
Tetra crossed her arms as she stared ahead of the ship, which was now heading south. She kept her eyes on the horizon as she lowered her head and quietly spoke to herself...  
  
"Here we come, Outset!" 


	9. A Steal and a Reunion

Disclaimer: *is painting WW designs all over the disclaimer sign* I just thought I should make it look pretty since you'll be seeing it a lot. *makes a sheepish grin*  
  
A/N: I knew this chapter was going to be predictable. But what else would you expect? This story is a remake of a game you all have probably played after all. But it's no big deal really. Aw geez let's just start already shall we?  
  
Chapter 8: A Steal and a Reunion  
  
-------------------------------------------------  
  
"FIRE!"  
  
A loud swoosh was suddenly heard echoing through the steep plateaus of Outset Island, followed by a bang and a quick splash. The pirates had reached Outset in record time due to the wind being in their favor, and now they were shooting cannonballs at the side of one of the steep cliffs. A huge slab of stone was gouged into the flank of it, blocking the entrance to a cave. The pirates had guessed that this was where Jabun was hiding.  
  
But...no matter how hard they tried, each cannonball failed to make even a dent in the huge piece of rock. They would simply bounce off the slab's surface and plummet into the water without so much as a scratch to the slab.  
  
But they persisted...they just had to get their hands on that treasure or else they would be failures as pirates. They never left a treasure undisturbed without giving it their all.  
  
"Keep trying men!" Tetra called. "It's got to budge sooner or later. And stay away from that whirlpool! I don't want us to get sucked in!"  
  
"We are doing the best we can, Miss." Mako called back to her. He had to raise his voice over the thunder that was booming above their heads. Ever since they arrived at Outset, it had been storming like you wouldn't believe. Hard rain was pouring down on all of the crew, drenching them with its watery goodness and refreshment. It wasn't so much the rain that was bothering them though.  
  
"Miss Tetra! We are running low on ammo!" Gonzo shouted while preparing to load another cannonball on the catapult.  
  
Tetra frowned after hearing this. Without any ammo, they could not break through this blockade that stood before them. She had to think of something...  
  
"Shoot!" Tetra exclaimed out loud in frustration. Nothing was coming to her at the moment. She knew they needed the few cannonballs they had left below deck, in case they needed them in the open waters. They weren't even remotely close to a place that would sell any ammo, so the ones they had left was all they had.  
  
"Try one more time, Gonzo." Tetra ordered after thinking a while. "Perhaps it just needs one more push to get it open." She lowered her head and looked to her side. "Hopefully it will work..."  
  
Gonzo nodded his head and motioned for Senza to release one more cannonball. Senza cranked the lever a bit, then pulled it back to release the trigger. The cannonball flew through the air toward the stone slab as everyone leaned forward with the expectation that it will work.  
  
The ball slammed itself hard into the very center of the stone doorway, creating a loud cracking noise and releasing a billow of dust that blocked the view where it hit. The pirates lifted their heads, thinking it had worked.  
  
They suddenly hung their shoulders though, when they saw their last attempt break through the dust and drop into the water with a splash. The door didn't even get a dent in it...  
  
The pirates shook their heads, disappointed in that last attempt and also disappointed in themselves. They were the best and probably the only group of pirates on the Great Sea, and here they couldn't even break through a measly old piece of decorated rock.  
  
Tetra was extremely annoyed at this predicament. If they couldn't break the stone slab with their cannonballs, then what on earth would? She folded her arms and closed her eyes to try and reach in the back her mind for some sort of solution. Instead of getting an answer though, she was getting a headache from all this pondering.  
  
"What can break through rock?" Tetra questioned out loud. If she could get a correct answer for this question then all their problems would be solved...well most of them at least.  
  
Her crew overheard this, and gathered around to the main deck. Everyone tried to come up with an answer but none of them could immediately think of one.  
  
While they were pondering, no one noticed Niko as he emerged from below deck. He was carrying another cannonball and had not heard Tetra's command to cease fire; and since he was the lowest of them all, he was instructed to carry the ammo back and forth when needed. He didn't look too happy about doing all this work, but he had been doing stuff like this for years so he had gotten use to it by now. He was whistling a tune as he approached the group, but wasn't paying attention to where he was walking...  
  
But it was already too late for Niko to notice Zuko's dropped  
telescope...  
  
He tripped over the fallen item and began to stumble around the deck to try and keep his balance. His racket got the attention of the other pirates and they lifted their heads to turn and look at him. Niko took a few unbalanced steps backwards and accidentally bumped into one of the crates, causing him to drop the cannonball he was holding into the open bin full of wicks for the lanterns.  
  
"...oops..." was all Niko could say.  
  
Tetra rolled her eyes. This was the worse time for Niko to get himself into trouble. She parted the group and approached him with a very annoyed look on her face.  
  
Niko backed up a bit, knowing if looks could kill, he'd be dead. He pitifully held up a hand and quietly uttered. "D-don't worry...I'll get it." He quickly spun around and practically dove into the barrel of wicks, his legs dangling from the edges as he searched for the hidden cannonball.  
  
He reached too far into it however, and suddenly fell head-first into the pile of wicks.  
  
Tetra let out an annoyed sigh. She knew they didn't have time for this. They were suppose to be finding a solution to their problem and here Niko was fooling around like they had all the time in the world!  
  
"Get out of there, Niko!" Tetra hissed. "We don't have time for this, so stop playing games!"  
  
Niko must have heard her since the barrel he was in started to talk.  
  
"Y-yes Miss." He replied.  
  
Niko's head poked up as he tried to lift the cannonball he had found out of the barrel. It was pretty heavy so its weight caused the whole barrel to tip forward and with a slight yelp from the bucktoothed pirate, the barrel and all its contents scattered at Tetra's feat, much to the captain's displeasure.  
  
Niko's head swayed back and forth from the sudden fall forward. He managed to keep his grip on the cannonball, which now had wicks on top of it.  
  
Tetra was about to scold him and give him more work as punishment, but suddenly stopped when she got a glance at the cannonball. All but one of the lantern wicks had fallen off, leaving the lone one perched right on top of the ball.  
  
It looked very much like...  
  
"A bomb!" Tetra said suddenly, getting the attention of her crew and causing Niko to fall backwards. "Of course! Bombs could easily blast through that rock! Niko you're a genius!"  
  
Niko shook his head.  
  
"I am?"  
  
"Quick!" Tetra said as she turned to Gonzo and Nudge. "Go below deck and see if we have any!"  
  
"Yes, Ma'am!" they both replied. They quickly vanished through the door leading below deck.  
  
A few minutes later, they came back up...empty handed.  
  
"We're sorry, Miss. We couldn't find any, yeah..." Gonzo reported with a hint of disappointment in his voice.  
  
Tetra frowned. "Then we must get ourselves some! Zuko! Where is the closest island that sells bombs?"  
  
Zuko scratched the bandana on his head as he thought.  
  
"I believe...the closest place...would be Windfall Island, Miss."  
  
"All the way there?" Tetra complained. That place was at least a day's trip away. "Are you sure?"  
  
Zuko nodded.  
  
Tetra looked ahead.  
  
"Then we must set sail immediately! Get to your stations!" she pointed out to the North. "We're going to Windfall Island!"  
  
"Aye-aye, Captain!" They all replied in unison. In only a few short minutes, they were on their way to their new destination.  
  
~ ~ ~  
  
By the time the pirates reached Windfall Island, it was about mid- afternoon. Despite it being mid-day however, no sun was visible and not a clear piece of sky was seen for miles. The storm they had experienced at Outset seemed to have followed them all the way to Windfall, and the rain and thunder created so much noise that you couldn't even here yourself speak unless you shouted at the top of your lungs. It was as if the entire Great Sea was covered by this dark storm in hopes of casting it into pure darkness and night.  
  
Tetra had to shield her eyes from the harsh rain and wind that was stinging her face. Her crew followed behind her, also trying to protect themselves from nature's fury as they paced up a muddy path that led to a lone, lit shop that stood near the water's edge.  
  
Upon reaching the door to the shop, Tetra turned to her crew.  
  
"I'll go in first." He commanded. "Gonzo...Mako...you come with me. The rest of you stay here and don't come in unless I sound for you. Got it?"  
  
"Aye-aye, Miss Tetra!" they all replied to her.  
  
With that straightened out, Tetra, Gonzo, and Mako entered the lit  
building.  
  
"Oh...customers."  
  
Tetra had to squint and adjust her eyes to the light to try and spot the person who was speaking to them.  
  
A man with a funny hair-do was sitting on a barrel behind a counter at the far end of the room. He wore a creepy smile on his face and his eyes were tightly shut like he had something permanently stuck inside them. Tetra was surprised he even saw her coming through the door. The shop wasn't too big either. A couple of crates and barrels were along the walls behind the counter, not to mention the huge shelf that towered over the counter itself.  
  
Tetra suddenly caught a glimpse of what they had come to get. On top of the counter sat a couple of blue bombs neatly arranged in a straight line on a small shelf. She grinned as they casually walked toward the counter.  
  
The man itched his nose as he watched them approach and spoke.  
  
"Welcome to my shop, young person." He said in a gruff-sounding voice.  
  
Tetra looked up at him.  
  
"I see you have bombs here." She said while eyeing him.  
  
He grinned.  
  
"The finest on the Great Sea in fact." the man commented. "The name's Cannon, and no one makes finer explosives than me, I assure you!" He lifted his head proudly to show off his ego.  
  
Tetra frowned when he wasn't looking. They really didn't have time to listen to this weirdo babble on about his so-called talent...  
  
"Look sir..." Gonzo said as he put a hand on top of the counter. "We've got better things to do than stand here and chat, yeah. So could you just tell us the price?"  
  
Cannon put a hand to his chin.  
  
"Certainly." He replied. He pointed to the smallest batch of bombs on the shelf. "There's a batch of around ten bombs over there for 10,000 rupees."  
  
Everyone's mouth dropped open.  
  
"WHAT!" they all shouted in unison.  
  
"That much?! You can't be serious!" Tetra shouted at him.  
  
Cannon looked down at her with a serious face.  
  
"I never joke, missy." he said, sounding a bit impatient. "That's the cheapest I've got, so are you going to purchase some or not?"  
  
"Are you crazy?!" Tetra hollered back at him. "Do you really think we have that much with us?"  
  
Cannon peeked open one of his eyes and glared down at her. "Look little girl, I'm running a strict business here." His mood shifted to that of pure annoyance toward Tetra. "If you're not buying anything then scram!"  
  
Tetra sneered at him with an angry look. How dare this man try to sell bombs at that price to pirates!  
  
She turned around to Gonzo and Mako.  
  
"Looks like he's not selling us bombs for cheap, boys." She said with a sneaky sneer.  
  
Gonzo and Mako smiled sinisterly, knowing what that look meant.  
  
Tetra cocked her head and motioned behind her.  
  
Getting the hint, Gonzo and Mako passed by Tetra and made their way to the counter.  
  
Cannon got a confused and stunned look on his face as he was suddenly snatched off the barrel by Gonzo and immediately gagged with a white cloth! He shut his eyes tighter as he tried to struggle free but then felt ropes starting to get wrapped around his body. When he knew he couldn't move, he tried to yell for help but to no avail.  
  
Tetra turned to the door and called.  
  
"Come on in, boys!"  
  
In seconds, the door flew open and Nudge, Senza, and Zuko quickly entered the shop.  
  
As they stood at the doorway awaiting orders, Tetra walked over to the counter's edge and leaned against it to watch. She motioned behind the counter and spoke.  
  
"Get as many bombs as you can carry and load them onto the ship." she commanded them.  
  
They saluted, then proceeded behind the counter to fulfill her  
command.  
  
The young captain folded her arms across her chest and watched as her crew went about their duties.  
  
"It won't be long now..." she thought. She never was a patient person. Well...except when her mother was still around. When her mother was still with her, Tetra would not have acted the way she was now. In fact...her whole personality seemed to have changed ever since that day, seven years ago. It was like she had changed into a totally different person!  
  
The thought of her mother made a feeling of anxiousness build up inside her and she suddenly wanted to get back to Outset as quick as possible.  
  
As she got back to reality, Tetra looked over to where Cannon, Gonzo, and Mako stood. Gonzo scratched the back of his head after Mako had said something Tetra didn't hear. The tall pirate then said something back to Mako, then turned to Tetra with a red, blushing face.  
  
"Miss Tetra, are you listening to this nitwit?" Gonzo said to her from afar. "Can't you dock him some pay or something?"  
  
Tetra narrowed her eyes, knowing by the way he was blushing that they were talking about her.  
  
"Quit goofing off!" she spat. "Both of you!"  
  
Gonzo and Mako literally froze on the spot once they heard the seriousness in her voice.  
  
Tetra eyed them with a glare and continued, keeping her arms crossed.  
  
"Keep your childish jokes to yourselves and get those bombs back to the ship! The second you're done loading them up, we're setting sail for Outset Island!"  
  
Gonzo got a look of pure shock on his face.  
  
"What?! Miss! We have to leave immediately?"  
  
"You heard me!" Tetra replied quickly.  
  
"But...it's been so long since we were on shore." complained Gonzo. "We need to fill our bellies with some good eating, yeah." He said while patting his stomach. "How about we grub tonight and shove off tomorrow morning instead?"  
  
Mako looked over to Tetra, who had a very annoyed and slightly angry look on her face. He cringed, and looked back to Gonzo.  
  
The tall pirate twiddled his fingers a bit in nervousness. He knew he shouldn't go against Miss Tetra's wishes, but he was doing this for the good of the crew. He knew she'd understand...hopefully. He wanted to stay on her good side though, so he quickly spoke up.  
  
"I mean...Uh, I-I'm fine either way, of course. Whatever you say is fine, Miss, is what I mean to say!" He rubbed the back of his head and looked to the floor. "...it's just that, the boys were so excited to come to town, yeah?" He looked back up. "And I can't help but think it would be awful hard on them to leave so soon without a proper layover."  
  
Tetra was still eyeing him menacingly, but he persisted.  
  
"So...what say we set sail tomorrow, yeah?" Gonzo questioned her while trying to put on a serious face. He wasn't succeeding though because of sheer nervousness.  
  
Tetra was erringly quiet the entire time Gonzo was trying to change her mind about leaving immediately. All of the crew was listening in on Gonzo's plea, but said nothing during the whole episode as they waited for a final order from their captain. When Gonzo didn't receive an answer from Tetra after a few seconds, he tried again to convince her.  
  
"Please, Miss." He begged pitifully. "That treasure isn't going anywhere..." He turned to the rest of the crew standing just a few feet away. "You're with me, right boys? Who's up for a night of fun?" he asked them, hoping to get help with trying to change their captain's mind.  
  
No one uttered a word as they glanced at one another in hopes of finding an answer that wouldn't upset their captain.  
  
Tetra was annoyed at their attempts to change her mind. Didn't they know that time was of the essence here? She kept her arms crossed at she gave a half confused and half annoyed look at all of them and spoke.  
  
"You're all fools..." she uttered quietly but loud enough for them to hear. "You saw that demolished island! You saw the senseless destruction! We have to hurry on to Outset, or the same thing could happen there!" She eyed them more suspiciously now, wondering how the heck they couldn't have known such an obvious fact.  
  
The crew only hung their heads in shame.  
  
Mako had different thoughts though. He slowly walked towards Tetra with a confused and curious look on his face.  
  
"Not to be disrespectful..." he began. "...but by the sound of things, you're more worried about that island than the treasure, Miss..."  
  
The crew lifted their heads and glanced at her.  
  
Tetra shifted her position awkwardly, but quickly regained her  
stubborn attitude.  
  
"Don't be ridiculous!" she quickly spat, trying to cover up the truth with her tough-sounding voice. "I want...you know...the treasure..."  
  
Her voice got quieter near the end of her sentence as she lowered her head and looked to the floor on her right. She knew very well that what Mako said was true. She was worried about Outset...she didn't want Link to get back home and not have a home to come to...much like how she no longer had a place to rightfully call home...  
  
Just then, she faintly heard a sound coming from above. Knowing it was too quiet to be lightning, she quickly looked up to the huge shelf just above her head to see what it was.  
  
She just barely caught a glimpse of a head quickly retreating out of  
her view.  
  
Tetra stared at the vacant spot for a brief moment. A smile suddenly crossed her face as she closed one eye and eyed the spot where the thing retreated.  
  
Someone was spying on them...and she knew who...  
  
Without giving it much thought, Tetra straightened up from her leaning position and began to walk to the door.  
  
"All right. Fine. Have it your way." Tetra said in a normal voice while shrugging her shoulders in defeat. "We can leave town tomorrow, you big babies."  
  
The pirates got a look of relief and joy on their faces. Getting their captain to change her mind was always a difficult task. It looked like they got lucky this time.  
  
"But!" Tetra quickly noted before she exited the door. "We're setting sail at first light, so no sleeping in! Understood?"  
  
All of her crew saluted to her and replied with a mighty "Aye-Aye!"  
  
Tetra grinned at all their enthusiasm, but smiled anyway as she turned the doorknob and exited the store. Her crew quickly followed, having the reassurance of knowing they were finally going to have fun for a change.  
  
Once the bombs were loaded onto the pirate ship, Tetra and her crew, with the exception of Niko, went to search for the best hangout on the island. They happened to stumble across the local bar, and decided that it was the best place on the island to relax and enjoy themselves.  
  
"You boys can go on ahead of me." Tetra said to them before they entered. "You get the place to ourselves. I'll be right in."  
  
"Aye-aye, Miss Tetra!" they replied.  
  
As they scrambled into the small bar, Tetra turned around and sought shelter underneath the overhanging drapes of cloth that made up a shop underneath the bar. Almost immediately, she reached into the bandana around her neck, and pulled out her mother's necklace.  
  
It suddenly began to glow a pretty gold color, signaling to Tetra that the wielder of the Pirate's Charm was in range of being contacted. An image slowly began to appear through the gap in the triangle-shaped necklace, and in only a few seconds, Tetra was able to see the image clearly.  
  
A small smile crept onto Tetra's face as Link's form became clear through her necklace. He was standing in a small room that looked like it was part of the storage area. Niko was standing not to far away from him, so this confirmed Tetra's guess that he was inside the ship.  
  
Her expression changed a little, when she saw what he was doing.  
  
Link was trying to heave a barrel onto his back...and it happened to be one of the barrels full of bombs that they had recently stolen! He wasn't wasting anytime in getting them off the ship either.  
  
Tetra just smirked as she opened her mouth and spoke into her  
necklace.  
  
"That's mighty courageous of you...trying to steal treasure from  
pirates."  
  
She couldn't help but grin as Link jumped a little and dropped his grip on the barrel. He looked around with a surprised and confused look on his face.  
  
"Tetra?! Is that...you?" Link called while still looking around. Niko was doing the same.  
  
"Of course it's me!" Tetra stated. "Who else can speak to you without actually being there."  
  
Link looked ahead of him as he suddenly remembered the stone she had secretly given him before he entered the Forsaken Fortress. He searched through his pocket and quickly pulled out the stone that was now glowing a bright blue.  
  
Before he could say anything to her, Tetra quickly and calmly spoke  
up.  
  
"Before you say anything, I've got one question for you...what the heck have you been doing all this time?!" she suddenly hollered in a loud and slightly annoyed tone.  
  
Link had to shut his eyes to tolerate her yelling. When she finally finished, he merely stuck a hand behind his head and scratched his neck.  
  
"Well...I was...busy." the boy answered vaguely and sheepishly. "But I was going to look for you when I had time. Really!" He made a nervous smile down at the blue rock.  
  
He heard a humph come from the stone.  
  
"Heh I'll bet." Tetra retorted with un-enthusiasm. Her normal voice returned quickly however as she continued. "I suppose I should be shocked too.I'm pretty amazed that you managed to survive after being tossed out of that tower."  
  
Link rubbed the back of his neck even more as he remembered that  
moment.  
  
"I guess I got lucky." He said shrugging.  
  
"Luck will not always save you, you know." Tetra commented. She paused a brief moment as she analyzed his expression. "And I'm guessing from the look on your face that you haven't saved your sister yet, huh?"  
  
Link hung his head, knowing that his sister was indeed still trapped  
at the fortress.  
  
Tetra knew by this gesture that she guessed right. She put one hand on her hip and glared down into the necklace.  
  
"You don't give things much thought, do you?" she questioned as Link looked back at the stone. "You just rush in, never thinking how badly things could go for you."  
  
She grinned as she watched Link fiddle with the charm. "Honestly...didn't you learn anything from your experience in the Forsaken Fortress?"  
  
"Uh..." was all Link could say. He knew he didn't make good decisions when he was trying to save his sister...but that was at least a week ago. He had gone through a lot since then and had changed a bit, and here Tetra was still treating him like he was 5 years old!  
  
He hung his shoulders, figuring he was never going to get this girl to appreciate him for who he was.  
  
"I figured such an answer." Tetra muttered. "I guess the only way you'll ever succeed in rescuing your sister IS by seer luck." Tetra took her hand off her hip and waved it through the air. "Like just now...the only reason you got what you did was because we left a simple-minded little rat like Niko behind to look after things."  
  
Link glanced over at Niko, who was listening in on the whole conversation. The small pirate hung his head and kicked the ground a little in shame. Boy was he going to get in trouble when the crew got back. Link looked back at the stone as Tetra continued.  
  
"No one else would have parted with our treasure so easily, I assure you." Tetra scoffed. She was a little annoyed at Link for stealing her new treasure...but why did he need them anyway?  
  
Tetra got a curious look on her face.  
  
"And just how do you intend to use those bombs anyway?" she questioned  
him.  
  
Link shuffled his feet a bit. Was it alright to tell her about his  
plan?  
  
Before he could give her an answer, Tetra once again used her guessing skills to find him out.  
  
"Don't tell me you're going after Jabun's treasure, too..." she  
proclaimed quietly.  
  
Link was taken aback by her amazing guessing skills, once again. He pointed to the stone with shock.  
  
"H-how did you know?" Link stuttered.  
  
A sneaky smirk appeared on Tetra's face.  
  
"I have my ways." She replied.  
  
Link got a grin on his face. So much for not getting found out. It was almost like he couldn't hide anything from this female pirate.  
  
"Alright, kid..." Tetra suddenly said. "I can tell you're in hurry so I'll make this short and to the point."  
  
Link cocked his head. Was she about to give him advice on her own free  
will?  
  
Tetra brushed aside a couple wet bangs from her forehead as she  
continued.  
  
"Right now, Jabun is hiding in a cave at the back of the island you were born on. But the entrance is blocked by a giant stone doorway and you can't get in without breaking down the door."  
  
Link stood there, staring down at the bluish stone as if it had just  
hypnotized him.  
  
Tetra looked above her, then back down at the stone.  
  
"We're going to relax in town and eat our fill of whatever this town has to offer, but we'll be leaving for Outset first thing in the morning." She shrugged her shoulders. "If you manage to find Jabun tonight, then I guess you win..."  
  
Link got a surprised look. He really wasn't expecting her to let him off this easily, much less give him directions.  
  
"But!" Tetra quickly said. "If you take too long, we'll come sailing right by you tomorrow morning." She pointed an accusing finger at her necklace. "And believe me, you didn't get ALL of our bombs." She dropped her hand as she glared down at Link's image. "You'd better be quick, kid."  
  
Link nodded his head. He turned to the barrel, but paused before he  
reached for it.  
  
"Hey Tetra..." Link said into the stone.  
  
Tetra didn't reply, but he assumed she was listening. He gave the  
stone a smile.  
  
"Thank you."  
  
With that said, Link pocketed the stone and heaved the barrel onto its  
side.  
Tetra watched in silence as Link rolled the barrel on its side and exited the room. Why did this kid never cease to amaze her with his kindness? It seemed no matter how harsh she treated him, he still showed friendship back at her, despite her attitude.  
  
She slowly stuffed her necklace back into her bandana and leaned up against one of the wooden poles supporting the canvas above her head. She put a hand to her chest and felt her heart beating lightly.  
  
Tetra felt completely at ease with what she had just done. She had let Link go off and search for the treasure that she had to acquire to give to the hero. For some reason, she didn't have any regrets with letting him do this either. Perhaps Link was on a mission other than saving his sister. Could he be getting the pearls to help the hero also?  
  
Tetra looked to the ground as she pondered all of this. The rain was starting to pour harder and the wind was now beginning to blow more fierce. It suddenly blew in a direction so that it threw the rain underneath the protecting cover of the shop.  
  
The young pirate covered her eyes as she suddenly started to get sprayed with mist and water. She quickly ran out from under her shelter and sprinted into the entrance to the bar to minimize how much she would get wet.  
  
Closing the door behind her, she walked up a flight of steps and turned the corner as she removed her bandana from her neck and began to rid it of the rainwater that had seeped into the cloth. She glanced over at her crew that had gathered around one table, watching Gonzo and Nudge arm- wrestling while the rest of them cheered both of them on. She couldn't help but smile at her crew's way of "relaxing".  
  
Out of the corner of her eye, Tetra spotted a window wedged into the side of the wall near where her crew was. She walked up to it as she wrapped her bandana back around her neck and peered outside. Through it she could see the open ocean, stretching out as far as the darkness of the storm could let her see.  
  
Like a sore thumb, Tetra faintly spotted a small, bright red boat heading south from the island, its sail billowing with the force of the wind and rain. Inside it sat no one else but Link, sitting near the backend of the boat and manually steering the rudder with one hand.  
  
Tetra gripped the imprint of her mother's necklace in her bandana and smiled as she watched him and his boat sail into the darkness of the mighty storm.  
  
Silently, she whispered.  
  
"Good luck..."  
  
"...Link." 


	10. Turn of Events

Disclaimer: *waves the sign she made around frantically*  
  
A/N: Oh what joy! I'm almost up to 40 reviews! Man am I a happy camper! It's things like this that makes a story worth while. *gleams* On with the next chapter!  
  
Chapter 9: Turn of Events  
  
----------------------------------------------  
  
"Oh no!"  
  
Gonzo, along with the rest of the crew, gasped as they sailed around the back of Outset and reached the entrance to the cave. They have had their fill of relaxation the night before and had a good night's sleep, despite the fact that it had stormed the entire night. Once morning broke, the pirates wasted no time in getting to Outset to claim the great Jabun's treasure. But as soon as they arrived the next day, the stone slab that had blocked the entrance to the cave was now gone.  
  
The crew hung their heads in dismay. It looked as if someone had beaten them to the treasure.  
  
Tetra was the only one who didn't look surprised by the absence of the stone doorway. She knew who had beaten them to the treasure.  
  
She turned to her broken-spirited crew.  
  
"Cheer up, men." She proclaimed somewhat cheerfully. "There's plenty of other treasure we still have yet to find."  
  
The crew lifted their heads. Her words cheered them up a little and they managed to put on a normal expression.  
  
Tetra looked to Nudge and Niko.  
  
"I want you two to store at least twenty bombs in the cargo bay. We might need them later at sea." She turned to rest of the crew. "The rest of you bring the bombs we are not keeping to the main deck. We can sell them for a little bit of profit."  
  
"Aye-aye, Miss Tetra!" they all replied as they scattered across the  
deck.  
  
Once this task was complete, they set sail to find a place to sell their leftover bombs.  
  
After about an hour or two of sailing northeast, the crew spotted a lone ship drifting out in the open ocean. It was a small boat neatly decorated with purple cloth, and on each side of it was a small sign that read "Beedle's Shop Ship".  
  
"Well...that wasn't so hard." Mako stated.  
  
The crew murmured with agreeing statements.  
  
Tetra clung to the railing of the ship as she watched the boat drift with the current.  
  
"Perhaps whoever runs that shop will buy our leftover bombs." She stated out loud. She turned around. "Steer us aside that ship, Gonzo."  
  
Gonzo nodded and turned the wheel to align the ship parallel to the  
small boat.  
  
As if it knew they wanted to come aboard, the small boat halted in the waves as the ship came close. The pirates let down a roped ladder and Tetra and Senza climbed on board the tiny, floating shop, while everyone else stayed on the pirate ship. Mako threw another rope down to Senza, who caught it and held it tight to keep the two ships close together.  
  
Tetra waved a gesture up to Nudge.  
  
"You stay here, and I'll see if whoever runs this tub will buy our bombs." she ordered him.  
  
Nudge saluted to her, telling her that he understood her command. With that taken care of, Tetra causally walked into the entrance of the store.  
  
As soon as she entered, she quickly heard a somewhat high-pitched male voice greet her at the door.  
  
"Oh! A customer!" the voice squealed.  
  
Tetra glanced around and saw a tall and skinny man with a long nose start to walk up to her. He had little beady eyes, no shirt on, and short pants that went pass his knees. He quickly grabbed one of her hands and began to shake it frantically as a friendly greeting gesture.  
  
"Welcome to Beedle's floating shop ship!" he howled while still shaking a surprised Tetra's hand. She quickly gave him a look that nearly said "please...don't touch me." He paused after he saw the look she was giving him.  
  
"Oh, I'm so sorry, Miss Customer..." Beedle stammered. He released his hold and waved a hand around to show her the shop. "Please, feel free to look around my lovely, little stash of goodies. I'm sure you won't be disappointed." He said gleefully.  
  
Tetra shook her hand like she was trying to get cooties off it or something, then pulled a bang out of her eye.  
  
"I'm not here to buy stuff." She said to him as the bang dropped back  
in her eyes.  
  
"Oh?" he sounded, hinting his curiosity.  
  
"Yeah..." Tetra responded, sounding slightly annoyed cause her hair was being stubborn. After stuffing the annoying bang up on her head, she put her hands on her hip and continued. "I'd like to know if I could sell anything to this place."  
  
"Oh of course, Miss Customer!" Beedle replied happily. "I'll be glad to buy stuff off of you! Just show it to me and I'll name the price I'm willing to pay."  
  
Tetra lowered her look, not liking the name he was calling her. But she shrugged it aside and lifted her head.  
  
"Great." Tetra said, pleased with the cooperation this man was showing her. He was acting much better than that creepy bomb shop guy. She turned around and looked over her shoulder. "I'll be right back."  
  
"Take your time, Miss Customer." He replied, waving a hand through the  
air.  
  
In just a few minutes, she returned with Nudge, who was carrying one of their barrels full of bombs.  
  
Beedle must have spotted the few sticking up out of the top and he quickly pointed to them, his mouth wide with excitement.  
  
"Are those...bombs?!" he said quickly, almost too quickly for them to make it out.  
  
"Uh...yeah." Tetra quietly said but loud enough for him to hear. "So...how much will you pay for one?"  
  
Beedle scratched his back as he thought.  
  
"I've always wanted to have bombs as part of my variety of goods!" he rambled. "I'm willing to pay 20 rupees each. How's that?"  
  
Tetra's eyebrows went up. He was easier to bargain with than a sack of potatoes. It must have been their lucky day.  
  
"We'll take it!" she said quickly.  
  
After going through all the counting and sorting out the details, the pirates were able to earn a good profit of more than 250 rupees. It was enough to make the crew happy at least.  
  
As the pirates aboard the shop ship climbed back up to the main deck, Beedle stood outside his small shop to see them off.  
  
"Thank you so much, pirates!" he called.  
  
Tetra was the last in line to get on the rope ladder, and before it was her turn, she quickly turned to Beedle and spoke.  
  
"If you happen to get another customer...and he has a green hat and outfit...give him the cheapest price you can possible give him. Ok?"  
  
Beedle scratched his head, then pointed to the sky as if he suddenly got an idea in his head.  
  
"Ohhhhhh...I know him!" he suddenly proclaimed.  
  
Tetra paused.  
  
"You do?"  
  
"Yeah!" he replied, waving a hand through the air. "He stopped by here just a few hours ago and bought some bait. Do you know the guy, Miss-" he suddenly stopped short when Tetra interrupted him.  
  
"Which way did he go?" she said rapidly.  
  
Beedle paused then pointed to his right.  
  
"Northeast, I believe...why? Are you acquainted with him?" he questioned as he looked back at the young captain.  
  
Tetra made a face that looked like a half smirk.  
  
"I guess you could say that." she answered. She turned around and began to climb up the roped ladder leading back to her ship. About half-way up, she paused and looked back down at Beedle.  
  
"Just remember to give him your cheapest price next time you see him, ok?" She had to make sure the oddball would remember.  
  
Beedle made a salute and replied.  
  
"Certainly, Miss Customer!"  
  
Tetra frowned. "It's Miss Tetra."  
  
"Ok, Miss Customer."  
  
Tetra rolled her eyes, then went back to climbing up the ladder. Once everyone was on board, they quickly let down the sail and shoved off.  
  
For another hour, the ship sailed further northeast, its destination unknown to everyone on the ship. The only order the crew had received from their captain was to sail northeast until further instructions were made. The crew figured they were on yet another treasure hunt, and its whereabouts were still unknown, even to their captain; so, no one questioned the command and went about their duties.  
  
Everyone on deck remained quiet...  
  
...until a half hour later...  
  
By now, Tetra was growing impatient with all the waiting and not knowing what to do next bit. She sat cross-legged atop one of two flat- topped crates near the entrance to the lower deck, examining her crew and trying to figure something that was bugging the daylights out of her. It was a question that she could not find an answer to ever since the night at Windfall Island.  
  
She glanced up into the now bright orange sky full of pink clouds, feeling the light breeze blowing through her blonde hair.  
  
"What could you possible be up to, Link?" she questioned in her mind. Not only was it bugging her that she didn't know the answer, it was also annoying since she couldn't ask anyone else for an answer. The only person she could ask was Link...and he obviously wasn't with them at the time.  
  
"Darn it!" she thought as she folded her arms across her small chest. "Why do questions always have to be this hard to answer!" She made a frown, thinking it was probably another hard truth about life that she still had yet to learn.  
  
"Miss Tetra!" Zuko suddenly called down from the crows nest.  
  
Upon hearing Zuko's call, practically everyone within hearing distance jumped. They all tried to look for an explanation to his sudden call of attention as Tetra quickly leaped off her perch and climbed up the ladder to see what he wanted.  
  
"What is it?" said Tetra to a pre-occupied Zuko as she took the last few steps off the ladder. He was gazing through his telescope with the most bewildered look she had ever seen him make.  
  
"The horizon..." he answered. "An island...I have never seen before...is rising from it."  
  
Almost automatically, he handed Tetra his telescope so she could see it a bit closer.  
  
After taking the object, Tetra peered through the lens and focused on the silhouette of what looked like a very tall island. There was something about it though that was a little...off.  
  
The island didn't have a shore, or even a beach for that matter. Instead, it had numerous stone pillars jutting directly out of the sea, arranged in a circular pattern and holding up a large stone ring that connected each of them. Serving as one of the stone pillars was a very wide and very large tower that extended past the height of the ring and went on to the sky above, looking like it was reaching up into the heavens themselves.  
  
"What...is that place?" Tetra questioned Zuko in a quiet voice, obviously stunned by how tall the tower was.  
  
Zuko shrugged.  
  
"I have never...seen that particular island...in all our years of sailing...the Great Sea, Miss."  
  
Tetra lowered the telescope and peered out into the ocean, not even showing the least bit annoyance toward the way he talked. Even without the aid of the telescope, the place still looked enormously tall...and they were at least a mile or two away from the thing!  
  
With utmost curiosity, Tetra handed back the telescope and climbed back down the ladder.  
  
"Perhaps the place won't mind a visit..." she said out loud, but mostly to herself. She turned to her crew with a sneaky smile. "Boys...this could be our lucky day. There might be treasure awaiting us inside."  
  
The crew's faces brightened at the sound of treasure. It had been a while since they had acquired real treasure! Ever since Tetra was kidnapped by the bird, they've been doing nothing but sailing around and looking for unreachable goods, so the sound of finally going back to being pirates was somewhat of a relief to them.  
  
Now all they had to do...was get there...  
  
Even after another hour of sailing with the wind, the ship had not reached its destination quite yet. They estimated another fifteen minutes of sailing until they got there, and that was if the wind stayed in their favor. As they drew nearer and nearer, the tower grew taller and larger in both height and width. They were now so close that they could see the fine details of this magnificent structure.  
  
Strange, ancient designs covered the whole tower from top to bottom, while the stone ring was neatly crafted to look like the entrance to an old castle. The combination of the stone pillars and the giant ring created huge arches of rock that hovered high above the waters surface. It looked very old, yet at the same time it looked almost like it hasn't been there for a long time.  
  
Everyone peered at it with wonder and awe, pondering where it came from and how it got there. No one knew a logical answer though, so instead of working up a headache to get one, they concentrated on just getting inside once they got there.  
  
Another burst of curiosity overcame Tetra and she climbed back up to the crows nest to get Zuko's handy telescope, longing to get a better look again. After receiving the item, she peered through its glass lens once again, this time focusing on the stone archways instead of the tower.  
  
Before she could see anything of interest, Tetra suddenly felt the wind pick up almost instantly. It blew as if it was being sucked into an unknown source, getting strong only briefly before dimming slightly again. Then as quick as the strong breeze came, it disappeared.  
  
All was quiet for a moment...until...  
  
Wooooooooooosh!  
  
Tetra and the rest of her crew flailed their arms as the wind suddenly shifted direction and blew a strong gust against the right flank of their ship.  
  
"What the...!" Tetra yelped out loud, struggling to keep her footing and not fall flat on her bottom. She gripped the side of the nest to keep her balance, expecting another gale to come ripping through.  
  
When no such gale came after a few seconds, she looked up, suddenly feeling a light breeze instead of a fierce wind. The wind was just blowing toward northeast...now it was blowing...northwest?  
  
"Since when did wind suddenly change direction like that?" Tetra thought. It was a puzzling act of nature indeed...  
  
Tetra could hear the light moans of one of her crewmembers and glanced over at the other side of the nest. Unlike her, Zuko hadn't managed to keep his footing and was now leaning against the side of it, upside down. His eyes had a certain swirly look in them, making it obvious that his head probably got scrambled during the toss.  
  
Tetra just shook her head at the sight. Her crew never was a graceful bunch, but they knew how to follow orders and when to be serious, so she was satisfied. She quickly turned her attention back to the tower and peered back into the scope, hoping to find out what had caused the wind to change direction all of a sudden. This time she focused on the courtyard of water that the stone ring enclosed.  
  
As she swayed the scope from side to side to get the whole picture, something suddenly slipped out of view behind a couple of the pillars. She hastened to find what had gotten out of range, and quickly spotted it as it left the courtyard of water inside the ring.  
  
It was a small and well-carved boat, red in color and having the head of a dragon as its bow. Its sail looked a little big for such a small boat, yet not too big so that it would tip the whole vessel over. And yet...somehow it looked strangely familiar...  
  
Tetra's expression changed when she saw who was riding the thing.  
  
It was none other than the boy in the green tunic...Link.  
  
"I knew I recognized that boat from somewhere!" Tetra expressed in her thoughts. She lowered her gaze. "But since when did he get a boat?"  
  
She shook her head and looked back into the telescope. She got him back in view as he began to sail with the wind at his back to the northeast. As he started to move, Tetra saw him insert a strange looking object into his pocket that he had in his hand.  
  
"So...you did that, huh Link?" Tetra said quietly, knowing for a fact he couldn't hear her unless she spoke into her necklace. Which reminded her...  
  
Without too much thought, Tetra tossed the telescope back to a still disfigured Zuko and quickly reached into her bandana for her treasured accessory. After pulling it out, the image of Link sitting at the rudder's end of the boat slowing appeared. Tetra cringed...  
  
Link's clothes looked like they had been through a shredder! They were torn slightly in too many places for Tetra's liking and bits of what looked like dried blood could be seen surrounding some of them.  
  
Tetra stared a bit, with both confusion and shock. Why was Link covered with cuts? And where the heck was he going?  
  
With a closer look, Tetra could see his face, which had the most straight and serious expression she had seen him put on. She squinted, knowing that she had seen that look before when they were just shoving off from Outset. It was the look of determination...  
  
Tetra got a half smirk on her face. She could tell just by that expression where he was heading...  
  
~ ~ ~  
  
"Keep it slow, men!" Tetra called to the crew moving about the deck. "I don't want us to be spotted!"  
  
"Y-yes, captain." They replied, stuttering only because it was a tad difficult to keep a large ship like theirs unnoticed, even from a mile or a half a mile away.  
  
They had been following Link's red boat for almost an hour now. The sun was slowly slipping below the horizon, allowing night's dark fingers to reach out over the clouds and bathe the sea with its darkness. The wind stayed calm, ensuring that the night was going to be a clear and quiet one.  
  
It was nights like this that Tetra would just sit out on deck by herself and stare up into the starry sky. It was a good way to keep her soul at ease and think about the things she was hoping to find. Treasure...her destiny...it didn't matter what it was. Time to herself was the only way she was able to find comfort...since she was alone.  
  
She never really had anyone to share her feelings with after her mother was captured. Whenever her crew tried to cheer her up, she would only turn them away. And when someone she didn't even know tried to help, she would, like always, scoff at their face and try to hide her sensitivity behind her attitude. It had worked for seven long years...  
  
But Tetra knew something was afoot. Ever since the day she was kidnapped by that giant bird and dropped on Outset Island, everything had made a complete turnabout. It was as if her whole life was suddenly going down a different road...and she didn't have a map to guide her. All she had as clues, it seemed, were the dreams she'd been having the past week or so. And even those didn't make much sense!  
  
Tetra shook her head to get out of her thoughts. She would not find an answer to any of these questions right now, that was for sure. She needed to focus on what they were currently doing instead of bombarding herself with unanswered questions.  
  
It was a good thing she did...  
  
"Holy goddesses!" she yelped.  
  
Towering almost a mile and a half away was the largest and windiest cyclone she had ever seen! And it came out of nowhere!  
  
Tetra gawked at it with wide eyes, but didn't stay this way too long. She didn't want her ship to get sucked up by the vortex, so she shouted commands to halt the ship and get it ready to turn around if need be. Once this task was complete, Tetra suddenly remembered another fact.  
  
"Link!" she gasped. He was at least a half a mile ahead of them, which made him closer to the tornado than they were. He could get sucked up! Without a moment to waste, she quickly got her hands on a telescope and looked through it to try and find him.  
  
He wasn't in sight at first glance, but a closer inspection revealed him near the base of the violent whirl of air. His boat was caught on the edge of a small whirlpool created at the base of the vortex by the swirling of the wind. And it looked like he couldn't get out!  
  
Tetra shot her head up and spun around to the dumbfounded group of pirates behind her. She lifted a finger and was about to issue a command...when everything almost instantly fell silent.  
  
The sound of rapid wind blowing wildly was now gone, and so was the mist that the vortex was throwing around.  
  
Now as dumbfounded as her crew, Tetra slowly turned back around to see what had happened. What she saw was...nothing.  
  
The cyclone had vanished into thin air! Not even a trace of it remained...like it wasn't even there in the first place.  
  
"That was...odd." she thought. They've been having some strange  
weather lately...  
  
But Tetra had a hunch that she knew who could have made the twister disappear. Looking back into the telescope, she eagerly searched for Link's red boat on the waters surface.  
  
She breathed a sigh of relief when she finally spotted him some distance away from where she last saw him.  
  
He didn't look the least bit fazed by the fact that he could have gotten sucked up and thrown who knows how far and how hard. Instead, he was...talking to something?  
  
Tetra moved the scope up a bit to see what he was talking to, but before she got a good glimpse of it, it shot off into the sky at a blinding speed and out of view. Once it disappeared, Tetra focused back on Link, who was fiddling around inside his pocket for something.  
  
"Now what are you planning?" Tetra said, a little annoyed that she didn't know what the heck he was doing.  
  
Her question was half answered when she saw him pull out that weird long object that she saw him put away at the tower. It was a long, white stick that had two circular handles on both sides of its lower half. It's tip was glittering with tiny sparkles of light.  
  
Tetra had no idea what the thing was...but she didn't have enough time to ponder this thought.  
  
With his back to her, Link made a couple swift gestures to his left and right and also to the sky and his feet. Almost instantly, the sky became windy and the water's surface once again stirred under its wake.  
  
Tetra quickly glanced up. The wind suddenly became so harsh so quick that she could hardly believe what she was seeing.  
  
Another cyclone, this one a little smaller, had appeared out of the blue again! But instead of it being a safe distance away from Link, it had formed directly over him!  
  
In an instant, his small boat was plucked off the ocean surface and spun into the air like a rag doll. It lifted him so high that she had to squint to try and keep her sight on his boat. Then, like a flash of lightning, the whole vortex lifted off the ground and shot through the air toward the northwest, taking Link and his boat with it! In just one second, they were nowhere in sight...  
  
The crew was horrified. It wasn't every day you see a traveler almost get sucked up by a tornado and then captured and thrown by one! It sure did make them feel lucky that they didn't get sucked up themselves.  
  
Of course, Tetra knew he had done that last move on purpose. That weird item he had must have changed the wind, and caused that vortex to take him away.  
  
"Clever kid..." Tetra mused. He must have gotten a few handy objects since she last saw him. "Well...you may have gotten a head start, but we're right behind ya!" She turned back to her crew.  
  
"Get this ship moving again and proceed northwest." She commanded.  
  
"We've got a kid to save!" 


	11. Dawn of the New Hero

Disclaimer: *sips tea while sitting on top of the sign...and it suddenly collapses under my weight* Ouch! *snaps fingers* Darn it...*looks over in time to see disclaimer people tip toeing away with a saw* Hey!  
  
A/N: *squeals* Yeee! I got over 40 reviews now! Yay! Yeah I know...I need to get a life . But right now I'm just so glad you people are enjoying it :) Unfortunately though, this chapter is somewhat short...so I'm going to try and get the next chapter up tomorrow. But I hope you like this one anyways :) Enjoy! Yay!  
  
Chapter 10: Dawn of the New Hero  
  
----------------------------------------------------  
  
"Ah I knew it!" Tetra exclaimed.  
  
While Tetra seemed to be the only one who was a little anxious, the rest of the crew got a bad feeling in the pit of their stomachs, once they saw what their captain had seen.  
  
Much to the weariness of the rest of the pirates, they had continued to sail northwest non-stop for hours on end. The sky was now dark with the presence of night and barely any clouds were visible beyond the horizon. Bright stars and constellations lit up the water's surface, with the help of the moon's brilliant beams of light aiding the process.  
  
So what did they see...?  
  
Looming on the horizon about a mile away was the cursed isle they had unintentionally visited about a week ago...  
  
...the Forsaken Fortress...  
  
Tetra got a smug look on her face and walked up to the stern of the ship. Gonzo looked down at her from his position in front of the wheel, wondering if she was actually going to order them to go to the horrible place. She must have sensed his intentions and glared up at him.  
  
"Yes Gonzo, we are going there." she quickly said, much to his  
amazement.  
  
Gonzo scratched the back of his head and looked down. When it came to trying to hide stuff from his captain, or anyone else for that matter, he usually wasn't very good at keeping it hidden. He looked back down at her and put on a sorry look.  
  
"Do we really have to-" he began to say before she cut him off.  
  
"How many times must I tell you!" Tetra quickly hollered with annoyance. "We are going there whether you like it or not!"  
  
Gonzo quickly shut his mouth. He may have won the last persuasion at Windfall, but by doing that, he almost guaranteed his next attempts to end in failure. He simply hung his head and went back to sailing the vessel.  
  
Tetra eyed him with her glare.  
  
"When we reach the island..." Tetra said a little calmer this time. "...I want you to slow the ship and wait for further orders. Got that?"  
  
"Yes, Miss Tetra..." Gonzo uttered quietly.  
  
In only a few short minutes, the pirate ship got close enough to the island to see the small beams of light protruding from the spotlights around the fortress. With those scattered along the walls of the fortress, the ship obviously couldn't get close enough to the entrance for swimming distance. And no one was willing to use the method they had used on Link to get over there. They had to think of some other way to get inside...  
  
Tetra squinted in thought as she eyed the dark building, searching for a clue. In her search she happened to spot the all-too-familiar beast that she unwilling held a sour reputation with. The evil, giant bird was perched inside its nest, wings folded back and head dangling in front of its body. It was, to Tetra's liking, asleep.  
  
But Tetra knew it would wake up if they tried to enter the fortress  
somehow.  
  
As the ship got a little closer, she got her hands on Zuko's telescope and examined the island up-close. She could see the path of water seeping into the entrance that was way too small for her ship to squeeze through. Inside it, she could barely see the stern end of a boat. A red boat to be precise...  
  
"Just as I thought..." Tetra quietly said to herself. "Link IS here."  
  
She was hoping to confirm this fact as she took her focus off the entrance and searched the inside of the fortress.  
  
Almost instantly, she spotted his green hat sneaking around about halfway up the fortress. At his pace, he looked like he could reach the top in only a few minutes. He was in some rush!  
  
Of course, she couldn't blame him. She would be worried too if she knew a sibling was locked up at an evil fortress for more than a week. For all she knew, the girl could be dead by now...  
  
Tetra lowered the telescope when a thought seeped into her head. If Link got to his sister like he did before, then history would only repeat itself if they didn't do something about the bird!  
  
The young pirate stared off into the vacant distance. They really didn't have much time before Link arrived at the cell door. She had to think of something quick before the bird would wake and snatch him up like it did before.  
  
She tightly shut her eyes, trying to piece together some sort of plan.  
  
"HOY, THERE!"  
  
Tetra jumped at the sound of a voice as it knocked her out of her thoughts, and she angrily lifted her head. Who would dare interrupt her planning without asking permission?!  
  
The entire pirate crew looked to the sky to find the source of the  
calling.  
  
Hovering only a few feet above the sail, was the familiar postman, Quill, and flying right next to him was a younger and smaller male Rito, having semi-long white hair and small brown wings to match. His red eyes were wide with curiosity as he observed the ship from stern to helm, gawking at it as if he had never seen one before.  
  
Tetra crossed her arms as she looked up at the two hovering birds, humans, whatever they were. Only Quill would go so far as to disturb a pirate...well...him and Link that is...  
  
Gonzo placed his hands on his hip and tried to sound mean as he called up to them.  
  
"What are YOU doing here, yeah?" He hollered in a goofy-sounding tone.  
  
Quill assumed it was ok to land and slowly hovered onto the main deck, followed by the younger boy. He held up both hands as if he was surrendering and spoke.  
  
"I only wish to know if Link is here." He said. He motioned down to the young Rito next to him. "The young Prince Komali and I want to help him in his quest to free his sister."  
  
Tetra eyed them both, wondering if the two could actually prove useful in keeping the bird off Link's tail long enough so they could get in, do what they needed to, and get out.  
  
Suddenly, an idea hit her.  
  
The young captain casually stepped forward and placed her hands on her hip as a smirk formed on her face.  
  
"Your timing is impeccable, gentlemen."  
  
~ ~ ~  
  
"Ooooooooooh! Why do I always get stuck doing the worst tasks?!" Niko complained. "Why couldn't Mako or Zuko have the job of distracting the giant bird? It's not fair!"  
  
Quill looked down at the small pirate gripping his feet and frowned.  
  
"Quit complaining." he called down to him, a little quietly. "It's not like I had a say in any of this either..."  
  
Niko merely frowned back at him, having no smart comment to say back at his face.  
  
The two flew through the air cautiously as they made there way to where the bird slept. It's head was bobbing up and down with each huge breath that it took, its huge wings folded onto its back. They couldn't tell if its eyes were open, since the creature's huge mask was covering the front of its face. For a second, the two could have sworn they heard the beast snore a little.  
  
Once they were about a good 15 feet away, Quill halted his approach and hovered in place. He looked down to Niko.  
  
"Well go on. Call it."  
  
Niko glared up at him.  
  
"What?! Why me?!"  
  
"Because your captain ordered you to!" Quill retorted. "And be quick about it! We don't have much time."  
  
Niko looked back down at the huge foul sleeping only a few feet away and gulped. He wasn't really the bravest pirate of the ship, but he was specifically ordered by the captain to get the creatures attention. And so...he mustered up all his courage and called down to the beast.  
  
"...um...w-wake up?"  
  
Quill took his gaze off the bird and looked down at Niko with a sorry  
look.  
  
"You have to shout louder than that!" he urged.  
  
"Ok, ok!" Niko replied quietly. He looked back down and tightened his grip as he felt his palms start to get sweaty.  
  
"W-wake up!" he shouted, a little louder this time, but not loud enough for the bird to hear. When it didn't stir, Niko added another word, quietly.  
  
"...please?"  
  
Quill rolled his eyes. His previous thought that all pirates were fearless suddenly flew out the window as he glared down at the coward he was holding. They really didn't have time for this.  
  
Without a second thought, Quill immediately started to shake his legs around to try and knock some courage into the pirate.  
  
"Aaaaaaaack! Stop!" Niko yelped. "I can't hold on with you moving!"  
  
Quill didn't halt his movements, much to Niko's dislike. He tightened his grip to keep from falling and kicked his feet to try and keep himself steady.  
  
The small dagger that dangled on Niko's side then suddenly started to slip out of its sheath. With some more flailing from both Quill and Niko, it finally got flung out of its holder and fell toward the birds nest.  
  
As the two continued to struggle in mid-air, the dagger accidentally hit the bird right on the front of its mask. The clank it made along with the slight force of the impact was enough to jar the bird awake from its slumber and it quickly gave a small squawk and shot its head up. Shaking it's huge head with annoyance, it then looked from side to side to see what had hit it.  
  
It didn't search long though when it suddenly heard voices not too far away. It stood up and spread its large, black wings as it's gaze fell upon the two hovering bodies not too far away.  
  
Quill and Niko were oblivious to the birds awakening and continued to argue among themselves. Neither could make out what the other was saying since they both were speaking at the same time and drowning out each others words.  
  
"You stupid birdbrain!" Niko shouted up to the still-flapping Quill. "Are you trying to make me fall or something?!"  
  
Quill sneered back at the pirate.  
  
"How else was I going to get you to speak louder? Did you really think the bird would hear you if you whispered?"  
  
"Hey it was worth a shot!" Niko replied loudly. "I don't want to draw too much attention, ya know?!"  
  
Quill swung his head.  
  
"That wasn't what your captain ordered you to do!" he corrected.  
  
"Oh yeah! Since when were YOU my mentor?!" the pirate shouted back.  
  
They both growled at each other and bared their teeth in angry but  
silly manner.  
  
Before either of them could shout another word, they suddenly heard the sound of huge wings flapping not too far away. They both paused at the sound and got a look of slight fear in both of their eyes as they slowly looked back down to the nest.  
  
The giant bird was hovering right in front of them, looking down upon them with its huge yellow eyes with its beak slightly open.  
  
Quill and Niko froze slightly, with the exception of Quill's wings keeping them airborne. The two stared back at the winged creature, not uttering a word, for almost a minute...until...  
  
SCRRREEEEEEEEEECH!  
  
The bird lifted its head and let out a loud, ear-piercing squawk, exposing the inside of its sky blue mouth and tongue as it flapped its black wings faster in anger.  
  
Both Quill and Niko's skin stood on end as they screamed in a high- pitched tone in reply to its call. Without wasting a second, Quill spun around and took off in the opposite direction with a very terrified Niko trying to hurry him along with constant yelps of terror. The bird made haste and flew off after them, squawking the whole way as it chased the two nuisances...away from the fortress.  
  
Tetra got a smirk on her face as she watched her plan get set into  
motion.  
  
"Well...now I know what old Niko is good for." she thought, grinning. She obviously wasn't too worried about them. She knew they could take care of themselves.  
  
With phase one of her plan complete, Tetra spun around and shouted up to Nudge, who was at the wheel.  
  
"Ok Nudge! Take her around back as quickly as you can!"  
  
"Aye-aye, captain!" he replied.  
  
As quickly as he could, Nudge steered the ship around the backend of the fortress, where no searchlights or obstacles were present. Next, he coasted the ship close to the fortress near the area below the entrance to the tower, while Tetra, Gonzo, and Senza waited on the side of the main deck, grappling hooks in hand.  
  
Once they got close enough, the trio took the bare end of the rope and gave the hook end to Prince Komali.  
  
As all this was going on, Tetra happened to glance up to where they were trying to reach. She could barely see the bit of green from Link's head as he reached the tower's entrance. She quickly hastened their pace, knowing that the bird could be heading back to the fortress by now.  
  
"You know what to do, kid." Tetra stated to the young Rito as he began to hover above them.  
  
He quickly nodded down to the young captain, then flew on up to the platform with the hooked ropes attached to his feet. Once up there, he quickly unwrapped them from his ankles and latched them onto the inside of the wall.  
  
"Ok!" he called back down to the awaiting pirates.  
  
Tetra turned to Gonzo and Senza.  
  
"You heard him! Let's go!"  
  
"Right!"  
  
With that, the trio climbed up onto the ships railing and gripped their individual ropes. Tetra went first, and with a quick leap, she jumped off the railing and swung partially into the water. Senza and Gonzo quickly followed her lead.  
  
For the most part, they ignored the water and swam up to the towering walls of the outside of fortress. They quickly lessened the slack on their ropes and tightened it until the ropes had no slack at all. With the ropes secured, the two men and their captain literally walked up the side of the walls with the help of their grappling hooks.  
  
Prince Komali waited on the platform, until the three finally made it to the top and climbed over into the walls of the fortress.  
  
"Well, that wasn't so hard." Tetra said, as she brushed a bit of hair out of her eyes. She looked over to the prince. "I want you to wait here until we get back. Ok?"  
  
The young prince blinked.  
  
"But I want to help Link."  
  
Tetra sighed.  
  
"Look, kid. You can help Link by staying out of his way and waiting here for him. Don't worry. We'll be back before you know it."  
  
Prince Komali hung his head.  
  
"Well...ok..." he said, defeated. "...if it will help Link..."  
  
Tetra bobbed her head to him then looked over to Gonzo and Senza, who were observing the inside of the fortress with wide eyes. They didn't think the place was this big, since it looked so small from the sea.  
  
"Enough gawking already!" she called, once she got back their attention. "Now let's get a move on."  
  
"Y-yes, Miss Tetra." They both stuttered, hearing the sternness in her  
voice.  
  
Quickly and quietly, the two men followed their captain through the door and into the base of the small tower.  
  
Tetra had to shield her eyes once they entered the tower. The inside was much brighter than the darkness of the outside night, since it was plastered with large, lit candles equally spaced along the walls. A large wooden ramp was squished up against the wall at the far end of the room and spiraled up along the wall to the very tip top of the tower. She didn't pay too much attention to the layout, though. She was too busy looking for the familiar green of Link's outfit.  
  
Once her eyes adjusted to the light, she spotted him at the front of the cell where his sister was being held. She could see his little sister on the other side of the bars with a very relieved smile on her face, obviously very happy to see her big brother.  
  
Link was too busy trying to yank open the locked door to notice the pirate enter behind him.  
  
Tetra rolled her eyes. It was just like Link to come all the way up here without thinking to bring some sort of tool for opening a locked door. Still, for some odd reason, she felt relieved to finally see him in person. She was secretly very happy to see him, much to her own surprise.  
  
Link kept prying at the knob to his sister's prison. The blasted thing wasn't going to budge without a key or something strong. Of course, Link didn't think this...  
  
Tetra finally decided to put him out of his misery.  
  
"The door won't open that easily." she said with a smile.  
  
Link quickly spun around to see who had sneaked up on him without him being aware of it. His dark eyes grew big with surprise when he finally saw her and her two shipmates.  
  
Before she could let him say anything, Tetra quickly spoke up.  
  
"There you go...acting before you think...as usual." She said, placing her hands on her hips.  
  
Link was hoping for a little bit of a nicer greeting, but he knew it was probably impossible to get one out of this particular pirate. Nevertheless, he was a bit relieved to see them here at this particular moment. Perhaps they could get the cell door open for him.  
  
As if to read his mind, Tetra glanced over her shoulder at the two men behind her and motioned for them to open the door.  
  
The two pirates obeyed and walked past both Link and Tetra to get the door open with their strength.  
  
As they walked pasted her, Tetra continued.  
  
"I swear..." she said with a smile. "Do you even realize we had to draw that monster bird off of you?" She jerked her head to get a bang out of her eye as Link turned around to watch the men open the door, his back to her. He didn't pay much attention to what she was saying.  
  
Tetra, however, didn't seem to mind as she continued.  
  
"That stupid beast was about to come flying in here after you again."  
She stated.  
  
She was about to add how some of his Rito friends had come to help out, but suddenly stopped herself when her eyes fell upon the weapons that where strapped to his back. He had the same shield...but his sword...  
  
...it didn't look quite the same.  
  
Instead of a having a small, sorry excuse for a weapon, Link had now a bigger blade that was much more decent looking than his previous one. It had, strangely enough, a blue hilt and a small yellow gem at the base of the blade.  
  
Tetra gasped. It looked exactly like the sword that her mother had shown her in her dream!  
  
Link must have heard her loud intake of air and turned around. When he saw the way Tetra was staring at him, he got a funny look on his face, wondering why she was looking at him the way she was.  
  
Now that Tetra accidentally had his attention, she spoke up, all the while keeping her focus completely on Link.  
  
"...that sword!" she said with shock in her voice. Tetra rubbed her eyes, thinking she was seeing things and that her mind was playing tricks on her. But she wasn't fooling herself this time...  
  
Link had in his possession the blade of evil's bane! The Master  
Sword!  
  
But how? And why?  
  
Tetra's breath caught in her throat as the truth finally  
revealed itself to her.  
  
He was the person she was suppose to be helping all along!  
  
Link was the new hero! 


	12. A Foul Fight

Disclaimer: *frowns* Obviously the disclaimer people don't like me for using a sign instead of myself to tell the disclaimer. So then I will begin by saying what all of you know already. Zelda, WW, and all its related subjects are copyright of Nintendo. *walks off*  
  
A/N: Just a quick note here...well, actually it's a reminder. If you have any questions about a spot in the story that you've read so far then by all means ask away! It most likely will be answered at the end of the story in my summary. Another thing I must say too, is that this chapter is where the action begins! What action you ask? *grins* You'll see. Enjoy!  
  
Chapter 11: A Foul Fight  
  
-------------------------------------------------  
  
"Where did you get that?!"  
  
Tetra kept her eyes locked on to the confused boy, still not wanting to accept the fact that the kid in green standing in front of her was the hero that was suppose to save everyone.  
  
Link blinked with confusion at her strange change in mood. He glanced over to his left at the hilt sticking out of the sword's sheath and blinked again.  
  
"Um..." he stammered while scratching the back of his head. "It's kind of a long story..." He looked up at Tetra and added. "Do you really need to know right now?"  
  
Tetra lowered her gaze, not liking the response he gave her.  
  
"He can't be the hero..." she thought. "He can't even save his own sister without help. He can't possibly think he could save an entire world by himself." Her look slowly went back to her dumbfounded gaze. "But...then again...he has the Master Sword...why else would he have the blade meant for the hero...?"  
  
The female pirate shook her head slightly and shrugged.  
  
"How could it be...?" she uttered quietly, still having trouble accepting Link's new position in time. He was the last person she would suspect to be the hero! Destiny must have been on vacation when it came time to choose the person to save the world...  
  
Link was now even more confused than ever as he watched Tetra continue to stare at him with stunned eyes.  
  
Suddenly his ear twitched as the sound of a door slowly creaking open quickly caught his attention. He glanced over his other shoulder to see that Gonzo and Senza had finally jimmied open the cell door, and were now walking into it to carry out the rest of their captain's plan.  
  
The noise also got Tetra to snap out of her trance and she quickly shook her head to try and not look too silly. She was a little late on that achievement, but it didn't matter to her much so she merely stuck her hands back on her hip and spoke.  
  
"Well, I guess I'll have to think about that later." She said a little quietly, but not too low for Link to hear. "For now, we'll just take these girls." Lifting her head, she then added. "I'm sure their father's back in town will pay a handsome reward for their return."  
  
Right after she completed her explanation, Gonzo and Senza came pacing out of the cell, the two girls slung over their shoulders. Link's sister, Aryll, stood in the doorway as they left, a hand placed on her chest. A huge smile formed on her face as she took a few steps forward and reached out to her brother, her eyes looking like they could burst into tears at any second.  
  
Link sighed with delight, finally having the reassurance that his little sister was finally free from her horrible prison. He spread out his arms and knelt down on one knee, welcoming her embrace.  
  
Aryll picked up the pace and ran into her brother's arms, burying her head into his chest as she started to sob with joy.  
  
Link held her close. He knew she must have gone through some frightening events here at this evil place and that she needed to be reassured that it was all finally over. He squeezed her gently as he quietly said a few comforting words to his little sister.  
  
Tetra smiled warmly as she watched the two siblings finally get reunited. For the first time in years, she had finally succeeded in one of her own many goals. Her goal to help this young boy get reunited with his sister...was finally complete. She didn't think she would feel this proud of herself before...and of Link too.  
  
The young captain sighed. Though she really didn't want to end the heartfelt reunion, she knew that time was of the essence and that it wouldn't be long before the bird would return to spoil their rescue.  
  
Tetra's gaze fell upon the Master Sword again, which suddenly reminded her of the still-hard-to-accept fact. Link was the new hero...which meant he had to destroy the great evil and all of his army. And that also included the bird...  
  
"So..." she thought. "...Link has to stay here and destroy  
Ganondorf..."  
  
Boy, she didn't like that idea. Pairing Link up against that huge bird, not to mention his controller, was hardly a mission Tetra wanted Link to be in.  
  
But he was the hero...he had no choice...and neither did she...  
  
The female pirate hesitantly spoke up.  
  
"I'm sorry to interrupt such a heartwarming reunion..." she said as Link and Aryll parted from their hug and looked over to her. The young pirate lifted one arm and pointed up toward the opening at the top of the tower as she looked to Link and continued. "...but isn't there still something you need to take care of?"  
  
Link slowly stood up, forming a rare but serious look on his face. He knew what she meant...how she knew, though, was beyond Link's grasp. He was told by a different source that he needed to destroy Ganon. He nodded to her in reply.  
  
He suddenly felt Aryll tug at his tunic and looked down to see his little sister, still looking at Tetra and clinging to the side of his outfit. A look of concern got on his face.  
  
Tetra saw this and spoke up.  
  
"If you're worried about your sister...don't be. I promise I'll deliver her safely back to your little island." she finished as Link looked back at her. When it came to figuring his emotions out, it appeared Tetra was the person who could do it best.  
  
The young captain waved a hand through the air.  
  
"Normally, I'd expect a huge reward for something like this..." she said, trying not to sound like she was expecting any reward. She had to continue, since Link got a stunned look on his face, obviously falling for her half-trick.  
  
"...but this time..." she added. "It's my treat."  
  
Link smiled.  
  
"Thanks, Tetra."  
  
"Don't mention it." She replied, sticking her hand back on her  
hip and smiling.  
  
Link was about to head toward the winding ramp when he felt Aryll's grip on his tunic tighten. She didn't want to leave her big brother now! She didn't even get to spend ten minutes with him!  
  
When it didn't look like Aryll was going to let Link take even two steps, Tetra had to step back in.  
  
"Listen Aryll..." Tetra said to the younger girl. "...your brother still has some things to take care of." She glanced over to Link and added. "Big, important, grown-up things..."  
  
Link smirked at her enthusiasm as Tetra looked back to Aryll.  
  
"He'll be back soon, so you just wait nice and quiet until he returns." She lowered her head. "...ok?"  
  
Aryll got a sad look on her face as she looked up at Link.  
  
"But...big brother..." she said quietly with sadness in her voice.  
  
Link put his hands on her shoulder and tried to look her in the eyes as she lowered her head to wipe her small tears away.  
  
"Tetra's right, Aryll." He calmly said to his sister. "I'll be back before you know it. Just stay with the pirates and wait for me, ok?" he smiled down at her as she gazed back up at him.  
  
"Ok..." she managed to say between sobs.  
  
As soon as the young girl finished, Gonzo came running back inside, having completed his order. He stopped next to Tetra, panting slightly.  
  
"Miss Tetra! We have to hurry!" he said anxiously. "The bird will be here any second!"  
  
Tetra didn't turn around to face him and merely glanced over her shoulder to look at him, a half-smile on her face.  
  
"Gonzo! Excellent! You're just in time." She said. She gestured to Aryll and added. "Take this one for me."  
  
Gonzo's expression changed to that of confusion. He understood her order but wasn't sure why she wanted him to take this girl back to the ship.  
  
"But she's-" he stopped short as Tetra finished his sentence.  
  
"She's fine! Just do as you're told!" she replied quickly and sternly.  
  
That was enough to get Gonzo moving, and he quickly went over to retrieve the young girl.  
  
As Gonzo lifted Aryll onto his shoulder and began to head for the door, Aryll reached out to her brother, still not wanting to leave him.  
  
"Big Brother!" she called back to him as he started to wave good-bye  
to her.  
  
As Link continued to wave, Tetra spun around and followed Gonzo out the door. Before she reached the door, however, she paused and stopped in her tracks.  
  
"Link..."  
  
Link paused his waving motion and looked at her.  
  
Tetra turned her head to look back at him and closed one eye and as she made her trademark smirk and added.  
  
"We'll be back! I swear it!"  
  
Before she could see what his resulting expression was, she turned back around and disappeared out the door.  
  
Back outside, Gonzo was giving Aryll directions on how to hold on as she clung to a hovering Prince Komali's feet. He quickly finished and Komali carefully flew off to drop off the small girl at the ship.  
  
Almost instantly, Tetra stopped as the door slowly creaked closed  
behind her.  
  
"What a minute...what am I doing? I still have a score to settle with that bird!" she scolded herself in her mind. "I can't let Link have all the fun!"  
  
She quickly turned around, placed her hands on the closed, wooden door, and pushed.  
  
It didn't budge.  
  
She pushed again, this time harder, to try and get it open; but it still didn't move an inch.  
  
"Oh great. The door's locked." she muttered sarcastically.  
  
Tetra was about to back up when she suddenly felt something cold wash over her feet, which caused her to look down at her sandels.  
  
Water was seeping out from under the door.  
  
"Oh shoot! The inside of the tower is flooding!"  
  
The young pirate quickly looked around for another way she could get in, and happened to look up to the top of the tower.  
  
The large bird had suddenly appeared out of nowhere, and it was now doing circles above the tower's top entrance. After a few seconds of doing so, it suddenly let itself drop into the large tower.  
  
"That's it!" she exclaimed as an idea struck her.  
  
Without wasting another minute, Tetra ran over to where her grappling hook was attached and began to reel the rest of the rope up and out of the water below.  
  
Gonzo grabbed his own rope, but looked over at his captain with a  
puzzled look.  
  
"Um...Miss? What are you-" he stopped short when she interrupted him.  
  
"Gonzo, head back to the ship and tell the crew to wait!" she quickly said as she reeled in the last bit of rope and detached the hook from the wall. "I'll be right back!" And with that, she quickly ran off.  
  
"Wait! Miss!"  
  
Tetra ignored Gonzo's calls and ran in front of the door, the hook end of the rope in one hand and the rest dangling from her other arm in a set of loops. Grasping the hook tightly, the pirate looked up to try and spot the closes platform attached to the tower.  
  
There happened to be a small one about half way up tower, much to Tetra's liking.  
  
"Perfect!" she exclaimed.  
  
As best as she could, Tetra twirled the hook in a circular motion next to her head and took aim. When she thought she had it on target, she threw the hook up into the air toward the platform.  
  
To her relief, the rope flew right over her target and fell to the other side. The hook smashed against the side and had enough force to motivate it and latch onto the stone.  
  
After tugging the rope slightly to see if it had a good hold, Tetra grabbed a hold of the dangling rope and began to climb up.  
  
As she was climbing, she heard faint noises coming from the inside of the tower. The bird was making a couple squawks and shortly after each one, she'd hear the sound of boards snapping in two.  
  
She hastened her accent up the rope.  
  
Once at the top, Tetra climbed onto the ledge and prepared to throw the rope yet again, and this time, she was close enough to aim for the top of the tower. Performing the same stunt she did for the first ledge, the pirate hurled the rope up, snagged one of the large stone slabs, and continued her ascent upward.  
  
About half way up, she suddenly heard the bird again; only this time, it's screech was much louder. Almost immediately after its call, she heard a swoosh, followed by a sudden splash!  
  
Tetra didn't like the sound of that, and she immediately thought for the worst. Did Link just get eaten or get knocked back into the water and drowned? She had to find out!  
  
As she neared the top, the pirate found herself a spot to stick her feet and peeked over the castle-like rim of the tower, hoping to see what had made the bird squawk so loudly.  
  
To her relief, she saw Link's figure emerge from the tower, holding a very large and very odd-looking hammer. The bird was nowhere in sight.  
  
"I guess I can't pay my debt to the bird now." She muttered quietly to herself, sounding only a little disappointed.  
  
But she spoke too soon...  
  
The tower suddenly started to vibrate irregularly as if an earthquake was occurring at its very foundations, and with a loud swoosh, the beast came twirling out of the tower's depth's, water cascading down its back. With a big wave of feathers, it spread its huge wings and let out the loudest and most angry sounding screech Tetra had ever heard! Even Link had to cover his ears at the sound of the creature's war cry!  
  
The opening that Link and the bird emerged from had slowly closed during the bird's call and now the tower's peak had become a huge battlefield. The only thing that wasn't part of the field was the small path leading up to a very large, broken piece of a ship's stern that overlooked the battlefield.  
  
The battle was about to begin...  
  
Tetra kept herself hidden as the bird took off in a random direction. She didn't want Link to know she was up here. If he did, she knew he would probably be too focused on her safety and not fight at his best; so she stayed behind the wall, out of both his and the bird's view.  
  
Link just stood there, unsure of how he could defeat such a large creature without getting too beaten up. He had to be extra careful; not just because he was fighting such a huge beast, but also because the inner rim of the tower was lined with numerous sharp spikes! And he knew those would hurt if he wasn't careful.  
  
Screeeeeeeeeech!  
  
By now the bird had obviously finished its pass and was now heading back toward the tower, announcing its return with another mighty call. When it got close, the foul stiffened its wings and glided on the wind currents, slowing it enough for it to land.  
  
Link braced himself and readied his shield and sword.  
  
"Well...here it goes!" he called out. He still wasn't sure how he would defeat the creature...but like all the other minions he had faced during the past chaotic week, he had to figure it out for himself...the hard way!  
  
The hard stone ground rumbled as the bird stomped its way toward Link, wings spread out. It glared down at him through it's piercing yellow eyes and lifted one of its huge talons. Link caught on to its intended attack and quickly jumped back as the creature brought its foot down hard to the ground.  
  
Link frowned at the creature's pathetic attempt to hit him. Perhaps this bird was not as hard as everyone said it was. He got back to his feet and turned around, excepting the bird to still be recovering from its attack.  
  
...but instead, he was met by the bird's other foot!  
  
"Eek!" he gasped as he quickly back flipped out of the way, barely escaping its quick attack. He looked back up again to see the other bird's foot try to squish him! He dodged that quickly but kept on moving as the bird continuously tried to stomp him!  
  
"Man it's pretty fast for such a huge creature!" He thought as he scrambled back to his feet when the bird finally stopped. "I guess that's lesson number one in fighting a large bird."  
  
THWACK!  
  
Link was suddenly hit upside the head by one of the bird's large, feathery tails, sending him tumbling across the ground. He settled in a cloud of feathers and stayed motionless for a few seconds before he quickly scrambled back to his feet, rubbing his head.  
  
"Ok...lesson two...don't keep your eyes off the darn thing!" he scolded himself while rubbing his head.  
  
Meanwhile, Tetra was also scolding Link, but kept her voice low enough so he couldn't hear her. She put a hand on her forehead and shook her blonde head.  
  
"You don't turn your back to a 20 foot tall bird! You just don't!" she said to herself, knowing very well that Link couldn't hear her. Well...we can't all be perfect...  
  
Once the bit of throbbing in his head stopped, Link shook his head and  
wondered.  
  
"How can I defeat this bird?! It's got to have a weak spot somewhere!" he thought. "But where...?"  
  
The bird cawed with anger having seen that the boy had recovered. It quickly stomped its way over to him and mumbled what sounded like a small growl as it reared its head back and thrust forward, hoping to jab Link into the ground with its beak!  
  
Link managed to roll out of the way before the fouls bill connected with his head. He got back on his feet to face the bird, excepting it to have another attack coming his way.  
  
Instead of an attack, however, he saw something very different...  
  
Because the bird's fast attacked missed, it couldn't slow its head quick enough and its beak drilled straight into the ground...and now its beak was stuck! The large bird yanked its head back a couple of times, but its bill was too deep into the ground to even budge.  
  
"Stupid creature..." Tetra taunted quietly.  
  
Link was thinking the same thing also but didn't stay in thought too long upon seeing the foul's mask-like helmet.  
  
"That it!" he exclaimed.  
  
Quickly he took out the same odd-looking mallet from before and ran up to the bird as it continued to try and yank itself from the ground. As he drew close, Link lifted the hammer into the air and swung with all his might toward the beast's mask.  
  
With a loud clank, the hammer smashed into the bird's helmet!  
  
The resulting force from the mighty weapon loosened the bird's beak from its place in the ground and with one mighty yank, the beasts flung its head out of the ground and into the air, screeching like mad. Pieces of it's fancy mask went flying in all directions as the creature flung its head around in anger and shock. Once it stopped flailing, the bird angrily looked down at Link, revealing the true figures of its head and face.  
  
Three strange yellow lobes of featherless skin stood on top of the bird's head while small black and white feathers surrounded its blood-red eyes, which were staring down at Link with the most obvious hint of anger.  
  
Upon seeing the strange lobes on its head, Link immediately figured that those were the creatures weak spot. Now all he needed to do was test his theory and somehow get the bird to get its beak stuck again.  
  
"Easy...I'll just get the stupid thing to try and hit me again." Link  
planned.  
  
As the bird glared at him with fury, Link stuck his tongue out at the beast and made a couple of weird noises to try and get it more angry.  
  
It must have worked since the bird came charging at him, cawing madly and gaping its mouth as if it wanted to eat him.  
  
Link quickly ran away toward the edge of the tower, keeping a short distance away from the spikes and pretending to have accidentally corner himself. He spun around and looked up at the towering beast above him, hoping it was going to use its pecking attack.  
  
He successfully fooled the bird into thinking he had no way of escaping and the bird once again reared its head back to begin his attack. As the creature brought its head down, Link rolled forward right between its legs and avoided the attack once again. And like before, the bird got its beak stuck in the ground.  
  
While she was watching the whole event, Tetra was getting suspicious. The bird was suddenly getting easier to fight against...but why? Usually battles would get harder before they got easier.  
  
"This is very unusual." The young pirate whispered. "...almost too  
unusual..."  
  
Link casually walked in front of the bird and began to speak as he slowly unsheathed the Master Sword.  
  
"Not so tough now are ya?" Link said cockily as he slowly started to lift the sword to slash the dangling yellow lobes.  
  
The bird got a vicious look in its eyes as it yanked its head around vigorously to try and loosen its beak, even madder this time because it was fooled twice by the young hero.  
  
Or was it...  
  
Right before Link was about to bring the sword down on the creature's head, the beast opened its wings and started to flap them vigorously. The resulting wind from its wings was so strong that Link lost his footing and dropped the Master Sword!  
  
The boy yelled as he was literally lifted off the ground and hurled  
through the air!  
  
...directly toward the spikes!  
  
Tetra gasped and covered her mouth, knowing that if Link hit any of those spikes at the speed he was going, it could possibly give him extremely fatal injures if he didn't do something quick!  
  
Link had only had a split second to come up with something. As he flew head-first toward the oncoming spikes, he quickly gripped his shield and twisted his body to face the sharp objects, shield positioned in front of him.  
  
With a metallic clank, Link's shield hit the sharp spikes, keeping him well out of their reach until he landed on the ground and the bird halted its flapping wings.  
  
But...before Link or Tetra could breathe a sigh of relief, the bird let out an ear-piercing screech and lunged forward, head-first, toward the crouching boy.  
  
Link managed to quickly turn around, but only to be swatted aside by the beast's massive skull, hurling him all the way to the other side of the field before coming to a rest near the many spikes that lined the closes wall.  
  
"Link!" Tetra shouted.  
  
Upon realizing what she just did, the pirate quickly covered her mouth again, and ducked before neither of the two fighters could spot her. She quietly scolded herself for calling out the way she did...she had to keep quiet or else she would be found out!  
  
The bird luckily didn't hear her, and instead was too focused on the still figure of the boy clothed in green on the other side of the tower's edge. It quickly stomped its way over to the small hero, casting its dark shadow over him like a blanket of black smoke.  
  
Link moaned a bit, slightly dazed by the sudden hit to his side that was now aching and feeling like mush.  
  
His attention quickly turned to the bird as it let out yet another war cry and lifted one of its feet.  
  
Upon seeing the beast's huge talon's over him, Link quickly rolled in the only direction he could to try and avoid getting stomped on!  
  
The bird saw this maneuver coming and quickly moved it's lifted foot over to where Link would eventually end up.  
  
Link's eyes went wide with shock as he quickly tried to roll the other  
direction!  
  
But he wasn't quick enough to get his whole body completely out of the  
way...  
  
The hero let out a painful scream as one of the beast's huge talons caught his right wrist underneath its heavy weight, pinning it to the ground!  
  
Despite the pain he was getting though, Link tried to yank his wrist free from its trap underneath the bird's talon, but it only made it hurt even more!  
  
The bird glared down at the pinned boy and cawed a little in delight as it added more pressure to its foot, which in turn caused Link to cry out and make his trapped wrist start to bleed. The young boy screamed again, this time louder, as the weight on his wrist strengthened even more!  
  
Tetra could barely watch as Link lay pinned underneath the huge beast. She wanted to jump in and help! She really did!  
  
But she kept herself from jumping into the fray. Link had to get rid of this creature...it was his duty as the new hero!  
  
"Come on, Link." She quietly said, sounding worried. "You can get out of this. I know you can!"  
  
Link kept his eyes tightly shut as he endured the extreme pressure on his wrist. He had to think of something quick or else he would loose the use of his right hand!  
  
Suddenly, an idea struck him.  
  
Using his free hand, he quickly reached behind his back and fumbled around for a certain object he knew could get him out of this situation. He quickly found it and pull it out from behind him.  
  
It was an arrow!  
  
Without wasting anymore time, Link used all his strength and jabbed the pointed object as deep as he could, right into the bird's leg!  
  
Suddenly feeling pain, the bird cried out and flapped its wings wildly, removing it talon from its spot atop Link's wrist. It took a few steps back and lowered its head to remove the small but very irritating arrow from its leg.  
  
Quickly seeing his opportunity, Link scrambled to his feet and sprinted for the Master Sword that lay only a few feet away from him. He quickly grabbed the blade's hilt and charged as fast as he could toward the giant creature!  
  
With a shout and a quick motion of his left arm, Link bolted in front of the bird, jumped up to its head, and slashed at the hanging yellow lobes. He managed to cut a small incision into the front one, but couldn't jump high enough to slice any of them complete off.  
  
The young hero landed on his feet in a puff of dust as the bird reared its head back in shock, screeching in a loud pitch that probably could be heard from miles away!  
  
The commotion the beast was making over such a small scratch confirmed both Link and Tetra's suspicion about the yellow lobes on the creatures head. Link had given only a small cut to only one of the lobes, and the beast was screaming as if both its wings had been cut clean off.  
  
With this confirmed knowledge, Link quickly ran for his shield while the bird regained its train of thought and turned back to the battle, now more infuriated than ever.  
  
As Link got his shield and turned around, the beast crouched down and flapped its wings vigorously to get its body airborne. Once in the air, the bird flew off into the distance...away from the tower.  
  
"Now what is it planning?" Link thought as he clenched his teeth to try and tolerate the hurting in his wrist.  
  
Tetra was thinking the same thing too as she shifted glances to both Link and the bird. She was worried about how long Link would last with his injury, and from seeing how angry the bird was now, she knew it was going to stop at nothing until it had torn the hero to pieces.  
  
The two watched anxiously as the giant phoenix flew upward a little, obviously preparing for something as it began to turn around and fly back toward the tower. Before it reached it however, the beast folded its wings back slightly and started to glide.  
  
"Uh oh..." Tetra mused with a very worried tone.  
  
She had seen THIS attack before... 


	13. Encounter with the New Evil

Disclaimer: *is asleep and in her dream she mutters* I don't own Zelda...*snore*...it belongs to Nintendo...*snore*...Eek lawyers! *wakes up and bolts* A/N: Whoa! A review boom! Cool! *sniff* I'm...overwhelmed here...you all are so good to me. I must say I'm sorry that I stopped where I did on the previous chap. I had to because, like before, it would have been extremely long if I tried to finish the battle and continue to where I wanted to stop. I shall no longer leave you in suspense...here's the continuation! *toots French horn*  
  
Chapter 12: Encounter with the New Evil  
  
----------------------------------------------------------  
  
This certainly wasn't a good sign...  
  
During its fight with Link, the bird had taken off into the air, had gone into a diving bombing position, and was now picking up speed very quickly as it approached the tower from the air. It was about to perform the same move that had kidnapped Tetra, her mother, and Aryll, and had caused countless amounts of damage to anything that was unfortunate enough to be in its path. And to top it all off, the bird was raging mad and more determined than ever to destroy Link and anyone else that was on his side.  
  
This worried Tetra tremendously. The attack this bird was about to use on Link had horrible result in the past, and present. Sure, Link had witnessed it once before, but that was a kidnapping, not an intended attack. How would he know how to dodge or stop it if he had only seen it once?  
  
The pirate let out a worried breath, knowing the only way she would find the answer was to regrettably watch and see what happens.  
  
By the time the bird was halfway to the tower, its speed was so tremendous that Link knew he couldn't get out of the way in time...even if he tried!  
  
The boy in green tensed up as he tried to think of some way to possibly slow or stop the bird's approach. But nothing was coming to him at the moment...  
  
"Come on, Link, think! There's gotta be a way of stopping that thing!" he said to himself. He quickly looked around to see if anything around him would possibly help.  
  
Suddenly an idea struck him!  
  
As fast as he could, the hero ran to the center of the battlefield and spun around to face the oncoming beast. He tightened his grip on his sword and readied himself as the bird drew ever closer to the small battlefield.  
  
"What are you planning, Link?" Tetra questioned him, quietly, wondering what the heck he was doing.  
  
Link took a couple deep breaths. He knew what he was about to attempt wasn't the safest choice...but if everything went right, his plan would not fail. It all depended on what the bird would do once it reached him.  
  
The large phoenix let out a mighty call as it neared the tower, its mouth wide open with feathers trailing wildly behind its body.  
  
Right before the foul reached the field, Link set his plan into action and lifted the Master Sword, suspending it vertically high above his head.  
  
"Link, what are you doing?!" Tetra quietly shouted. He wasn't excepting to actually get a hit in while the bird flew at him at that speed, did he?  
  
Upon seeing the mighty weapon, the bird closed its beak and switched to using its feet in hopes of hitting Link while avoiding the blade at the same time.  
  
Little did the bird know that this maneuver was what Link expected it  
to do...  
  
With a mighty call of power, the bird extended its talons and prepared to hit the boy as it swooped overhead.  
  
Tetra kept her eyes focused on Link as the huge bird swooped over the field at a blinding speed, directly over him!  
  
WOOOOOSH!  
  
Tetra suddenly heard a loud crash and suddenly felt herself fall backwards as the added wind from the bird's pass knocked her off her perch!  
  
She yelped as she fell a very short distance down before she reached out and grabbed her still attached grappling rope. Clinging tightly to it, she slowly slid to a halt, having avoided a long fall and at the same time avoiding a nasty meeting with the ground below.  
  
The pirate breathed a sigh of relief and silently thanked her quick reflexes as she began to climb back up the rope to her position behind the wall.  
  
After quickening her pace, she regained her spot in less than a minute...but instead of looking into the field, her attention was drawn to the area below the wooden stern of the ship overlooking the field.  
  
What she saw surprised her very much.  
  
The bird had smashed into the mountain of rock that supported the wooden ship and was now plummeting down toward the sea, unconscious from the impact with the mound of stone. Quite amazingly, the supporting mountain of rock did not get damaged and remained unharmed as the beast disappeared out of sight, falling pass the tower and flinging feathers everywhere as it did so.  
  
Tetra got a look of joy on her face. It all made sense to her now! Link must have positioned himself so that when the bird passed over him, it would crash into the oncoming structure.  
  
"He must have done that sword gesture to make sure the bird went at him with his feet instead of its head so he could dodge it better." She thought as she stared at the spot where the bird collided with the rock. She half smirked and half smiled as she added. "I guess I underestimated the kid's potential as a hero..."  
  
Upon thinking Link's name, Tetra took her eyes off the spot and searched the field for him with a smile on her face.  
  
Her smile suddenly faded though when she finally spotted him...  
  
"Oh no...Link!" she shouted.  
  
Link was laying motionless on his stomach near the edge of the tower, closes to where the bird hit with his sword and shield scattered in different locations on the field. His plan to get the bird to collide where it did had worked...but his plan to dodge its feet as it flew over him had failed...  
  
Tetra suddenly didn't care if she was spotted or not. She quickly emerged from her hiding place and began to climb over the castle-like wall.  
  
But...the pirate suddenly froze in her tracks when her ears picked up the eagle-like sound of the bird, hovering over the entire fortress.  
  
Quickly looking in all directions, Tetra suddenly saw the evil beast emerge from the other side of the tower, its head flailing with large black feathers scattering in all directions.  
  
The large foul flapped its mighty wings harder as it made circles above the battlefield like a vulture drawn to a carcass. It quickly swung around and landed back into the arena, feathers molting off its head and wings. It immediately spotted the unconscious Link and stomped over to his lifeless body, still raging mad that the boy had tricked it into flying straight into a wall.  
  
Lifting its head high into the night air, the bird called out as it looked back down at Link and inched its head closer to him, its beak wide open.  
  
Right when its mouth got only a few inches away from the unconscious boy, its beak suddenly snapped shut, much to its surprise.  
  
A rope had come out of nowhere and lassoed around the bird's beak, closing it shut and preventing the beast from chomping down on the unconscious Link. Upon seeing the rope around its mouth, the bird looked over to see who wielded the other end.  
  
It was none other than Tetra.  
  
With all her strength, the young pirate girl yanked the rope harder to get the bird farther away from Link.  
  
"There's no way you are going to kill him while I'm around!" she yelled through gritted teeth, pulling even harder on the rope as she did so.  
  
Before she allowed the bird any more time to retaliate, the pirate quickly ran toward one of the bird's legs, jumped on top of it, and held on as she began to quickly tie the rope around the foul's thick ankle.  
  
The bird finally got out of its state of surprise and tugged at the rope, hoping to yank the girl off its leg.  
  
But Tetra had completed her maneuver quick enough so that when the bird yanked the rope, it yanked its foot right out from underneath it!  
  
The winged creature collapsed headfirst in a cloud of feathers as Tetra quickly got out of the way. Once she landed, the young pirate ran toward the creature as it scrambled to try and get back on its feet.  
  
With the bird's wings and talons moving wildly, Tetra ran up to one of the flailing wings and grabbed a hold of one of the large feathers on the tips of it, causing her to get flung onto the creature's back.  
  
This was just what she wanted to happen.  
  
Clinging to the many feathers that lined the creature's body, the young pirate reached down and unsheathed her small dagger from its sheath, then lifted it up into the air.  
  
"This is for kidnapping me!" she shouted as she quickly brought the small weapon down, sinking it right into the bird's back.  
  
The bird flung its head around wildly as the dagger sunk into its back, trying to call out but only succeeding in making a small screech instead of a loud squawk.  
  
Tetra removed the dagger and lifted it again.  
  
"This is for kidnapping my mother!" she cried out, this time slicing off a couple large feathers while cutting a deep gash into the lower portion of the foul's neck.  
  
The winged beast once again made a small squawk of pain as the pirate held up her blooded dagger over her head.  
  
"And this..." she began.  
  
"...this is for Link!"  
  
She quickly stabbed her weapon straight into the back of the creature's large neck!  
  
The bird cried out as loud as it could with the restraint on its beak and flailed around like mad. It couldn't stand having this girl on its back stabbing it!  
  
Thinking quickly, the bird started to roll its body in hopes of crushing her under its weight.  
  
But Tetra jumped off in time before it was even close to finishing its  
roll.  
  
With a small puff of dust, Tetra landed on her feet and spun around to face the evil creature.  
  
The bird called out as loud as it could and kicked its feet harder, still trying to regain its footing. It finally shifted position and got back on its feet, but it was struggling to walk straight, since its beak was still tied tightly to its leg. It planted it foot into the ground and yanked hard to try and snap the rope or loosen it from either its leg or beak.  
  
While Tetra watched the bird struggle with the rope, she suddenly heard a small moan coming from behind her.  
  
The pirate quickly turned around and sighed with relief when she saw Link slowly start to prop himself up, shaking his head slowly and rubbing it with one hand.  
  
Of course, Link wasn't exactly feeling very well. His insides felt like they all got misplaced and his whole body was aching from the impact from the bird's foot. Luckily, he still had enough energy to stand up.  
  
"Oh man..." he said quietly while still rubbing his aching head. "I hope I don't have to do THAT again..."  
  
Suddenly, he tensed up, upon hearing the bird's small annoyed squawks coming from behind him.  
  
"No!" he thought, lifting his head. "That thing still can't be alive!" He quickly turned around, expecting the bird to be hovering over him with an attack, ready to catch him off guard.  
  
He was, however, very surprised to see the bird all tied up and struggling to get a rope off its beak.  
  
"What the..." he uttered quietly with shock. "Did...I do that?" He blinked a bit with confusion.  
  
But he didn't stay in this state long, and shook his head again to get his thoughts back on track. The bird was obviously still alive, and its head was down low enough so that he had a good shot at the yellow lobes. Now was his chance!  
  
Quickly sprinting to the Master Sword, he grabbed the mighty blade with his left hand and spun around to look at the struggling creature. Tightening his grip on the sword's hilt, he waited until the bird slowed its flailing head; and when it did, he quickly saw his moment and charged straight toward the creatures head!  
  
At the last moment, the bird saw the hero coming and its red eyes went wide with surprise and shock. It did one more mighty yank at the rope in hopes of getting it off before Link got too close!  
  
With a loud yell, Link leapt into the air toward the bird's head with the Master Sword held high into the air!  
  
SNAP!  
  
The rope holding the bird's beak shut suddenly broke, freeing the bird's head from the connection with its foot. The bird's skull yanked sideways as a result from the sudden snapping of the rope...  
  
...and it just so happened to head in Link's direction.  
  
Link suddenly felt himself get hit in the stomach as the side of the bird's beak collided with his body. The resulting force flung him all the way to the other side of the field, screaming the whole way from utter shock and pain. He landed in a heap of dust and scrunched his body into a small circle, holding his stomach as if he just ate something that was not edible.  
  
Tetra was not liking this scene one bit. From her perch behind the wall, she could only watch in horror as her careful rope trick suddenly backfired on Link, instead of the bird. She suppressed her voice low enough so no one could hear her scream out his name in terror.  
  
The bird got her attention however since it was making such a loud racket, and she quickly looked over to see why it was making so much noise.  
  
The huge beast was crying out with so many ear-piercing squawks that it made the whole tower vibrate! Its head and wings were flailing around like crazy, along with feathers flying all over the place and scattering under the wind the creature was causing.  
  
As it flailed around, both Link and Tetra suddenly realized why the bird was acting this way.  
  
The bird's front lobe was completely cut off.  
  
During his collision with the bird's beak, Link's sword had managed to get a hit in and had cut it clean off the bird's head! A strange yellow liquid was now seeping all over its face as it flailed around in agony from the loss of one of its tender lobes.  
  
In a crazy attempt to lessen the pain, the bird flapped its wings crazily to get itself airborne and began to lift into the air slowly, its body swaying oddly as it went higher and higher with the broken rope still dangling from its leg. Its squawks became weaker sounding as it moved away from the tower, struggling to keep itself airborne.  
  
Then...all of a sudden...the whole field lit up with an extremely bright glow!  
  
The sudden presence of light quickly made Tetra cover her eyes in order to keep herself from going blind! As she squinted to minimize the light entering her pupils, she saw something very bright and fast shoot out from one of the lit windows on the wooden ship. It wasn't long before she then heard a blood-curdling screech coming from the winged bird!  
  
When the light dimmed, both Link and Tetra watched with pure amazement as the bird itself plummeted right of the air toward the ocean below, feathers flying in all directions. Whatever flew out of the ship had collided with the mighty beast, giving it extremely fatal cuts and burns from raw energy and sending it hurtling towards its watery grave.  
  
As it fell, the dying beast let out one last cry, before it plunged into the vast waters around the dark fortress.  
  
Then...everything fell silent...  
  
Still recovering from her state of shock, Tetra could only stare as she quickly turned her gaze up to the broken piece of ship above her head.  
  
"He...destroyed his own monster?" she wondered with pure shock. She knew who had released that beam of magic. It sort of surprised her that Ganondorf had killed his own servant; but she shouldn't have been surprised, knowing that this man didn't hesitate in the past when he destroyed other lives. It was almost too much destruction in one sitting for the young girl to comprehend.  
  
As she pondered, the pirate's attention suddenly shifted to Link, upon hearing his constant moans.  
  
Tetra took her eyes off the ship and looked over to see a very injured Link, slowly trudging across the field toward his fallen blade with one hand on his stomach. His wrist was bleeding pretty badly, and his expression was a look of pure exhaustion like the wind had been knocked completely out of him. His pace was extremely slow as he dragged his feet over to the Master Sword.  
  
The young pirate couldn't stand to see him this way. He was in no condition to do anything effectively, and yet he was still moving around to retrieve his equipment. She really wanted to just run out there and drag him out of this horrible place.  
  
Link had reached his blade while Tetra was debating on showing herself or not. He bent down to pick up his weapon but as he did so, he suddenly gripped his stomach even tighter and collapsed onto the cold floor, breathing heavily from seer exhaustion.  
  
"That's it! I can't let him go and fight Ganondorf like this!" Tetra thought. She had made up her mind, and was about to climb back over the wall...  
  
...but she stopped once she saw Link move onto his back and reach for something in his tunic.  
  
Slowly, he pulled out what looked to be a glass bottle with something small and glowing inside it.  
  
With his last bit of strength, the boy hero took his other hand and yanked the cork off the opening of the bottle. As soon as he finished, he allowed his head to fall back to the ground and closed his eyes, letting his body fall limp as he tried to continue breathing.  
  
Whatever was inside the bottle quickly emerged from its small prison and fluttered around the boy's head, dropping small glittering specks of light onto his face.  
  
Tetra watched with curious eyes as the little ball of light quickly flew all over his still body, casting even more bits of glitter all over his outfit.  
  
Then...it flew off.  
  
The young captain blinked with curiosity as she watched the small light vanish into the distance.  
  
"What was that thing?" she wondered. She looked back over to Link...and her eyes went big.  
  
Link was getting back up...and other than a torn tunic, not a scratch  
was on him!  
  
Tetra's mouth dropped open as Link got back to his feet and took a big breath of relief.  
  
"Thank goodness for fairies." He said with a nod. He reached down and picked up the Master Sword by its blue hilt, put away the bottle, then walked over to retrieve his shield.  
  
As he was walking over to his fallen shield, he couldn't help but glance up at the ship anchored on the stone mound near the tower. That same serious look appeared on his face as he reclaimed his shield and looked over to the path that lead up to the wooden structure.  
  
He took two steps toward the path, but stopped when he heard a clank under his boot.  
  
The boy took his foot off the object and peered down at it with  
curiosity.  
  
A small dagger was laying on the ground right below him, its blade being covered with blood.  
  
Link cocked his head as he picked the weapon up and examined it. It looked sort of familiar...but it certainly wasn't his...so whose was it?  
  
Upon seeing the dagger that Link picked up, Tetra quickly looked down to her side to see that her own dagger was missing from its sheath. She must have dropped it during her spar with the large bird.  
  
Still not knowing who's dagger he was holding, Link took a quick glance around the field to see if the owner was still around.  
  
Tetra quickly hid behind the wall, hoping he didn't spot her.  
  
Link paused a bit and shrugged. He pocketed the dagger after giving it a quick cleaning, then walked on toward the path up to the wooden ship.  
  
Tetra peeked back over the wall, and when she saw Link walk out of view, she slowly crawled out of her hiding spot and leaped over the sharp spikes onto the flat ground.  
  
Still eyeing Link the whole way, the young pirate followed him from afar, keeping herself hidden until his image went out of her view. She heard the sound of a door creaking open, and then heard it close with a thud.  
  
Though no one could tell from the outside, inside, Tetra did not want Link to enter that ship. She wasn't sure how he would fair against the new evil that was Ganondorf...and she hated it when she didn't know what would happen next!  
  
She couldn't help but wondered also on how Link was feeling. She was sure he didn't want to do this...but she knew as well as Link did that it was his fate now...he had to get rid of this fiend, no matter what.  
  
"He must have a lot of courage, that kid." Tetra thought. "But...will having a lot of guts and a legendary sword be enough?"  
  
The pirate lowered her blonde head. She didn't want to just stand around, knowing Link was about to fight an evil man. She just had to see what was going on in there!  
  
Immediately after she made up her mind, Tetra quickly scanned the wooden ship from where she was standing.  
  
The ship had a couple of windows wedged into it, and there was also a very thin ledge right underneath them that snaked its way all around the helm. It would make an idle place for her to climb up to and look in on what they were doing from the windows.  
  
As quickly as she could, the pirate climbed her way up to the ledge and began to slide across the bit of wall just below the window. Once she reached the first one, she peeked in to see what was happening.  
  
All she could see was the mostly black armor that was making up the back of Ganondorf's clothing, plus most of the inside of the ship. Link was not in sight, since Ganondorf was blocking her view. The dark man was saying something to Link, but was speaking too low for Tetra to make out any of the words.  
  
Not liking the view she was getting, the pirate squatted back down and continued across the ledge, passing a few windows and knocking some bits of rock off the ledge.  
  
Just when she thought she had found a good spot, she heard someone from inside call out like they were charging to the frontline of a war! The call then suddenly cut short, after a small clanking sound was heard.  
  
Tetra didn't like the sound of that. She recognized the call to be that of Link's, which made her look into the ship with even more haste.  
  
As soon as she looked inside, her eyes went wide with shock...  
  
Link had the Master Sword held toward Ganondorf...who had the legendary weapon held down by its blade! The young hero had tried a running slash at the fiend, but he had somehow been able to stop the blade by simply catching it in his hand!  
  
"What's going on?!" the pirate suddenly thought. "I thought the Master Sword was the only thing that could destroy him? How can he just catch it without no harm coming to him?!"  
  
Link must have been thinking the same thing, since he wielded the same expression as the young pirate captain did.  
  
As he stood there holding the hilt of the legendary sword in shock, Ganondorf suddenly bent down and, before Link could react, quickly punched him right in the stomach!  
  
Tetra gasped and put her hands over her mouth in horror as Link quickly shut his eyes and fell to his knees, gripping his stomach in agony. A bit of blood started to trickle out of his mouth as he knelt there, shaking a little to try and lessen his pain.  
  
The young pirate looked on with shock, suddenly thinking it was a mistake to even think Link could defeat the King of Evil.  
  
Looking dazed and dizzy from the unknown attack, the young boy lifted his head and looked around as if he did not know where he was.  
  
He then started to get back on his feet, but didn't have time to complete his stand when the tall fiend quickly back-handed him across the head, sending him across the room! The boy gave a small yell as he was hit and landed in the middle of the room on his side, lying still to try and endure the sudden pain his whole body was feeling.  
  
The sound of a sword being unsheathed quickly snapped him out of his rest, and he turned his head to look back at the evil man...  
  
...but instead was met by the sharp end of a sword!  
  
The boy inched back a bit with extremely wide eyes and froze, staring at the blade and hoping the man wasn't intending to drive it into him.  
  
"You foolish boy..." the fiend suddenly said with an evil glare. "You cannot possibly defeat me with a blade that does not sparkle with the power to repel evil!"  
  
He took a few steps forward, making Link move even farther back to avoid getting the sword through his throat.  
  
"What you hold is useless...it has rotted in its pedestal, unmoved and untouched, for years..." The man snickered down at the boy in green and added. "It's power is gone...and its edges are dull."  
  
Link was shocked. Of all times to realize your sword is not going to work right, now was definitely the worse time! He continued to stay frozen in his position as Ganondorf kept his sword pointed at his head.  
  
A very sinister and half-angry look appeared on the fiend's dark brown face, sensing Link's unwillingness to move. He withdrew his long blade and began to lift it over his head as he slowly added.  
  
"You've come all this way...for nothing..."  
  
With his blade now fully over his head, Ganondorf prepared to bring it back down right on Link!  
  
But suddenly...he stopped...  
  
The man heard a sound coming from somewhere behind him and looked over his shoulder to see what had caused the noise.  
  
There crouched down on her feet after just leaping through the window...was Tetra.  
  
Wasting absolutely no time at all, the female pirate ran at full speed toward the dark man, having a look of anger on her small face. She quickly leaped through the air and rammed herself into the man, hoping to knock him back and make him drop his sword.  
  
Ganondorf didn't budge however, and swatted at the girl with his free hand to get her away from him.  
  
Tetra, knowing that her little distraction wasn't going to work any longer, quickly used his moving arm as a stand and pushed herself backwards, out of his reach. She landed on her feet a small distance away and spun around to face him.  
  
The young pirate took her eyes off him though, when she heard the sound of Link finally getting back onto his feet. She looked over to her left to see him struggling to walk toward her, but he suddenly fell back to the ground, holding his stomach in agony.  
  
"Link, get up!" she begged. She knew she couldn't hold off this man all by herself. She needed him to get back up so they both could run and escape this fight she knew they couldn't win!  
  
Suddenly, Tetra realized that she left herself wide open for too long, and she quickly looked back in Ganondorf's direction to confirm his whereabouts.  
  
Her eyes went huge when she saw one of his hands quickly reach down and grab her right around the neck!  
  
The evil man lifted her high into the air by the throat as the defenseless pirate grabbed his hand and kicked her feet, trying to get herself loose.  
  
Link looked up from his slouching position and gasped once he saw the scene that he was witnessing. He tried once again to get back on his feet and be of some use, but he only ended up back on the ground again from the crippling pain he had in his body.  
  
Seeing how the pirate's attempts to free herself were failing, Ganondorf lowered his gaze and spoke in an annoyed tone.  
  
"You pathetic little sea rat...did you really think you could save this boy?" He muttered, then humph as he added. "Foolishness...you shall suffer the same fate as this boy did for attempting such a mindless mission."  
  
With that said, Ganondorf tightened his grip around the girl's neck, causing her to gasp loudly as she tried to take in air. He lifted his other hand and began to reach for Tetra's head.  
  
"No...Tetra!" Link said weakly. He wanted to get up and rescue her from Ganondorf's grip, but his body wasn't letting him! He could only watch as her attempt to help him turned around and backfired in her face.  
  
Tetra gapped her mouth and kept her eyes tightly shut as she continued to kick wildly. She could feel her heart racing as she struggled to try and get herself out of this man's clutches. But her strength was slowly draining out of her body from all her struggling, and the added pressure on her throat was quickly making it very difficult to breathe!  
  
Ganondorf snickered again as his hand drew closer to the girl's blonde head, preparing to end her life in one short minute...  
  
...but...his attention was suddenly drawn to the bright glow that was starting to radiate from the back of his lifted hand.  
  
The man halted his movements and peered down as three yellow triangles formed on the back of his hand, the symbols being stacked in the shape of a pyramid. Oddly enough, the triangle above the other two was glowing brighter than usual, signaling an unknown message to the evil man.  
  
No sooner had he seen the marking on his hand, Ganondorf looked over to see a necklace dangling out from under a struggling Tetra's bandana.  
  
For no apparent reason, Ganondorf started laughing evilly...  
  
"At long last..." he began to say. "I have found you!" Looking up to Tetra, he quickly added.  
  
"Princess Zelda!"  
  
Tetra slowed her frantic attempts to get free and peeked open her eyes. She then managed to say something back to him, through small breathes and confusion.  
  
"What...are you...talking about?" she said between gasps. "I don't...know any...Zelda..." She quickly shut her eyes again as Ganondorf's grip on her neck got even tighter.  
  
"Feigning ignorance with gain you nothing." Ganondorf said through an annoyed grin. He reached down and took the necklace in his hand, letting it rest in his palm as he continued. "Tell me...if you are not Zelda, then why do you hold this fragment of the Triforce?"  
  
Tetra struggled to answer as the man released the necklace, letting it fall back across her heaving chest.  
  
"I...I don't..." she stuttered. She suddenly got a blast of courage and quickly shouted as loud as his grip would let her.  
  
"I don't know!"  
  
Ganondorf got an angry look in his eyes, obviously not pleased with the remark she gave him. Not liking also the stubbornness she was showing him, he squeezed the girl's neck even harder in hopes of getting her to cooperate.  
  
Suddenly feeling his grip get even tighter around her throat, Tetra lifted her head as high as she could and let out a weak breathless scream!  
  
"No...Stop it! You're hurting her!" Link shouted helplessly, trying to crawl over to where the two were.  
  
Upon hearing his weak but very concerned voice, Tetra slowly opened her glazed eyes and looked down at the worried boy.  
  
"Link..." she said weakly.  
  
The young boy looked up at her from his spot on the floor, his eyes locking with hers and showing the extreme pain he was getting from his invisible injury, and also from watching her get choked.  
  
Tetra opened her mouth.  
  
"I...I...ugh..."  
  
She tried to finish her sentence, but was loosing her last bit of oxygen with every word she said.  
  
But she persisted...she had to tell him. She had to let him hear the one phrase that she'd been wanting to tell him ever since they had started their journey. She found enough air in her lung, and quietly uttered the words...  
  
"...I'm...sorry..."  
  
Immediately after she said this, her eyes slowly closed shut and her head fell back. Her hands fell to her side as her body turned lifeless, her hanging feet and arms going limp as her small body dangled from Ganondorf's cold grip.  
  
As everything turned dark and cold around her, Tetra slowly slipped into unconsciousness.  
  
The last thing she heard...  
  
...was Link...crying out her name... 


	14. Twist of Fate

Disclaimer: I still don't own WW or anything related to it. Although I do own a copy of the game! Gack! That's something new, huh? *frowns*  
  
A/N: Man I loved how the last chap ended. So sad...*sniff* Oh um...er...don't mind me. I have to say though, this chapter might be a bit boring considering you know who's speeches (those who played the game know who it is). But none the less, its required to get a lot explained so...I did the best I could in trying not to copy the exact words (but there is some mind you). Hopefully I won't put you to sleep with this chapter, but if you last through this one, believe me the next one will be better! Enjoy. ^_^  
  
Chapter 13: Twist of Fate  
  
-------------------------------------------------  
  
All was completely dark and lifeless...  
  
It was indeed a late hour into the night, but this darkness was something of a different nature. It was un-sensing...you could not see anything...you could not touch anything...because nothing would be there. Just black and endless void surrounded this vast cover of night. The only remote hint of life in all this abyss...was your sense of hearing.  
  
This was what Tetra was experiencing...  
  
There was barely any sign of life surrounding the young girl. She couldn't see herself...or anything else for that matter...and yet she could still hear voices. But she couldn't understand them...she may be able to hear them, but her sense of hearing had diminished in all this darkness.  
  
Eventually, the number of different sounding voices changed into one. It's sound was unlike any of the others she was picking out. It was soft, and spoke in a small gentle whisper.  
  
Somehow, the more this voice spoke, the better her hearing got. In fact, everything was starting to come back to life as the voice continued to speak softly to her.  
  
Slowly, Tetra's senses came back to her. The voice that was calling to her was becoming clear, and soon she could make out what it was saying.  
  
"Tetra..."  
  
Upon hearing her name, her sense of feeling returned, and the pirate felt her body move slightly as it began to ache a little.  
  
The young girl suddenly felt relaxed though, when she felt a hand gently touch her arm.  
  
This small touch was enough to get the captain fully awake, and slowly, young Tetra opened her eyes.  
  
"Tetra!"  
  
The pirate blinked a couple of times to get her vision straightened out, and slowly propped herself up into a sitting position as she looked toward the owner of the voice.  
  
"Link!" she said as a smile formed on her face. She couldn't believe it! He was alright!  
  
Link was thinking the same thing. He wasn't sure if she would survive an encounter like the one she had experienced.  
  
The boy in green smiled back down at her as he took his hand off her arm and stood up from his kneeling position next to her, relieved that she was finally awake from being unconscious for so long.  
  
Now that she was fully awake, Tetra suddenly felt her neck begin to feel sore. She lifted her hand and removed her bandana as she rubbed her throat to try and make it feel better.  
  
Seeing what she was doing, Link got a concerned look on his  
face.  
  
"Are you alright?" he said to her.  
  
Tetra halted and looked up at him.  
  
"Yeah...I'm fine..." she replied calmly as she went back to her rubbing. "I just have a sore neck, that's all."  
  
Upon hearing about her neck, this reminded Link of something, and he looked back to Tetra.  
  
"You know..." he began as the pirate looked back at him. "...you didn't have to do what you did back there."  
  
Tetra started to wrap her bandana back around her neck but paused again when she heard him say this. She quickly thought up a reply and answered.  
  
"I know..."  
  
She closed one eye and watched him as she added  
enthusiastically.  
  
"...but I couldn't let you have all the fun of getting rid of  
the bad guy!"  
  
Link couldn't help but smile and shake his head slightly at her answer. It was just like her to give him an answer like that. He reached behind his back and rummaged for something as Tetra started to observe her surroundings.  
  
Both her and Link were sitting inside Link's red boat, which was floating inside a small reasonably good-sized pool of water that had a glowing yellow ring of light near the boat. Steps led out of the water and onto a small grassy courtyard of trees all around the pool, except for the area behind them, which had large steps leading up to a hallway of pillars held up by a small stone bridge.  
  
From what Tetra was seeing, it looked like they were in the backyard of some sort of castle.  
  
As she kept taking in her surroundings, Tetra's eyes went big when she looked up into the sky.  
  
Instead of seeing a sky full of clouds or a night full of stars...she  
saw water!  
  
The place they were at was inside a huge pocket of air underneath a large body of water!  
  
Tetra was completely baffled by this sight, yet was also in awe at the same time. She had never seen anything so unnatural but beautiful in her entire life.  
  
While she continued to stare at the water far above her head, the young pirate snapped out of her thoughts when she heard Link speak up.  
  
"Here, Tetra. I believe this is yours."  
  
Tetra looked over to see the boy holding out a dagger to her and motioning for her to take it. She recognized it to be hers, of course, and exchanged glances between it and Link before she cautiously took it out of his hand.  
  
"Thanks..." she managed to say awkwardly and quietly.  
  
Link just smiled and eyed her curiously as he leaned against the side of the boat close to her. He knew now that she was the one who had tied the bird up while he was unconscious. He didn't say anything though, but inside he felt deeply grateful for the help she had secretly given him.  
  
Tetra looked around and spoke up, knocking him out of his thoughts.  
  
"So...exactly where are we?" she questioned him while looking around the place with curious eyes.  
  
Link was about to answer her until she suddenly gasped, which got his attention even further.  
  
Tetra quickly spun her head around and stared at Link as another, more important question, entered her mind.  
  
"And Ganondorf! What happened to him?!" she said rapidly.  
  
Link blinked a couple of times as he tried to take in her fast talk, and lifted his finger...but he was suddenly interrupted...  
  
"Link."  
  
Link stopped.  
  
"Yes, Tetra?"  
  
She blinked.  
  
"That wasn't me..."  
  
The two of them stared at each other with a confused look on their face, then glanced around to see if anyone had sneaked onto the scene without them noticing. But, they didn't see anyone...  
  
"Link!" the voice repeated.  
  
Tetra looked at the boy and pointed.  
  
"I think it's coming from your pocket." she said, confused as to how a person could fit in such a small place.  
  
Link reached inside and fiddled around a bit before he pulled out the Pirate's Charm. It glowed a bright blue as both Link and Tetra looked down at it with wondering eyes.  
  
"Link! What are you doing?" the stone said.  
  
The hero got a smug look on his face. He could answer that question a number of ways...  
  
Tetra was also baffled.  
  
"Who is using that stone...?" she thought. That charm was hers...how could someone else know how to use it?  
  
The voice talking through the stone continued before either of them  
could answer.  
  
"You mustn't waste time, my boy." It said. "You must come to the room where you got the Master Sword. Hurry!"  
  
Link blinked a couple times. This castle was indeed where he got the legendary blade, and he knew how to navigate through some of it. But...should he listen to the stone? The voice did sound a little familiar to him, but he couldn't quite put his finger on who it's owner was.  
  
After a shrug, the hero quickly made up his mind and decided he was going to listen to the rock. Before he pocketed the stone however, he suddenly heard Tetra speak up and looked up at her from his watch on the stone.  
  
"Hold on there!" Tetra quickly said as she pointed an accusing finger at the glowing rock. She sounded pretty annoyed at the inanimate object...  
  
"Link and I are the only ones who can speak through stone." The pirate said as she moved her hand that wasn't pointing at the stone and placed it on her hip as she added. "How dare you use what's not yours!"  
  
The stone glowed a brighter blue as the voice on the other end  
replied.  
  
"Your name is Tetra, correct?"  
  
Tetra was about to shout at the thing again, but stopped. She stared at the rock with confused eyes, wondering how the owner of the voice knew her name.  
  
The stone quickly replied, knowing she was too perplexed to answer.  
  
"You must come with Link to see me at once."  
  
Once its sentence was finished, the voice wasn't heard again and the rock faded into a dull grayish-blue color.  
  
Tetra humph.  
  
"Well...don't you sound important..." she scoffed with a smirk as Link put the stone back into his pocket.  
  
"You think we should go see who that was?" the boy questioned her, thinking this could be a trap or something of the sort.  
  
Tetra eyed him like he was crazy or something.  
  
"Of course we are!" the pirate stated. "No one uses my charm without me saying so and gets away with it!"  
  
Once she finished her sentence, the pirate climbed out of the boat and splashed into the waist-deep water below. When Link didn't jump in behind her though, she spun around and glared up at the hesitating kid.  
  
"Well, what are you waiting for?" she questioned earnestly. "You heard the stone!"  
  
Link blinked a couple of times before he answered.  
  
"Uh...right!" he said quickly, hoping the pirate wasn't thinking he was scared or anything. He was what you would call...cautious, and wasn't sure if this was a good idea. Upon seeing how Tetra was growing impatient however, he quickly changed his mind and went along with the stone's orders.  
  
He jumped into the water after the young pirate and waded through it until he emerged onto the large steps leading up to the hallway, with Tetra close behind him. Once both of them were out of the water, Link turned back to the pirate and made a quick gesture to the door at the end of the hallway.  
  
"It's this way." He said to her as he turned back around and walked down the hallway.  
  
"I'm right behind you, kid." She replied calmly, not looking the least bit scared as she followed the boy. As she followed slowly behind him, she took one more look back at his boat and added. "You sure do have an odd looking ship..."  
  
Tetra could have sworn she saw the thing's dragon-shaped head make a face, but she dismissed the small distraction and ran to catch up with Link.  
  
Once they reached the large door, the two heaved it open and entered the ancient and mysterious castle.  
  
~ ~ ~  
  
"Whoa! This place is huge!" Tetra hollered with amazement upon passing through the large doorway.  
  
The inside of this particular room was, indeed, large; both in size and diameter. It looked very much like a ballroom, since it was all mostly vacant floor space. Two flights of stairs branched off from the entrance where the two were standing and led up to the walkways held up by large stone pillars on both sides of the room. A large stone statue of a person holding up a sword stood on the platform overlooking the vacant floor, not too far in front of them.  
  
Strangely enough, the statue of the young man had the same outfit and sword that Link possessed.  
  
Tetra had to shake her head with awe. For some odd reason, the place looked eerily familiar to her...like she had been here before at one point in her life...  
  
But...that couldn't have been true. She would have remembered being to a place that was this big and exotic looking. So...why did she feel like she knew this place somehow?  
  
Tetra shrugged.  
  
"Well, that's not important now..." she thought as she waved her hands around. "...right now I want to confront whoever used my stone without permission!" She turned to Link and spoke. "So...where do we go from here?"  
  
Link began to walk forward, toward the statue's pedestal.  
  
"It's down there." He said, pointing down to a hidden stairway right next to the statue's stand.  
  
"Well then, let's go!" the pirate said anxiously as she sprinted down  
the steps.  
  
"Hey, wait up!" the boy called down as he ran after the quick girl.  
  
After walking down a dark flight of stairs, Link and Tetra reached a lit chamber that was much smaller in size, compared to the room above them. Several candles were embedded into the wall above two more flights of stairs on either side of them, casting a dim light that barely lit the room. Below them where the two flights of steps ended, a small walkway led up to a raised platform surrounded by very large metallic knight statues. A small stream of water surrounded the circular platform and flowed under the small walkway and several stain-glassed windows on the surrounding wall.  
  
As the two began to pace down one of the flights of stairs, they managed to catch a glimpse of someone standing in the center of the circular platform. And whoever it was, had their back to them...  
  
Being the first to spot the person, Tetra quickened her pace, anxious to give this person a piece of her mind.  
  
"Tetra, slow down!" Link called quietly as he quickly grabbed her wrist. "You don't know who that is."  
  
Tetra halted and looked back at him as he released her arm. From the look on his face, she could tell he wanted to go ahead of her to make sure the human wasn't an enemy; so she reluctantly allowed him to walk ahead, but stayed close behind.  
  
The two stopped once they reached the top of the slightly raised platform, making them only a few feet away from the mysterious human in a red cloak-like robe in front of them.  
  
"Hey you!" Tetra suddenly yelled, much to Link's disliking.  
  
The figure didn't turn around or reply.  
  
"Ok fine. You don't have to turn around." The pirate huffed. "Just answer me this...are you the one who was using my stone without my permission?" She lowered her gaze, waiting for a reply.  
  
Much to her own disliking, the person once again didn't answer or move in response.  
  
"Answer me!" Tetra shouted, not liking that the person wasn't  
answering her.  
  
"Tetra, calm down!" Link quietly urged while giving her a look. She certainly wasn't showing much patience...  
  
Tetra glared back at him.  
  
She was about to say something back at the boy, when she was suddenly interrupted by the voice coming from the person.  
  
"Your stone?" an old male voice questioned, still keeping his back to  
them.  
  
The young pirate quickly glanced back at the person, with Link doing the same. From the sound of its voice, they both knew now that it was a man. Tetra was about to reply and say it was, indeed, her stone, but the figure spoke up again before she had a chance.  
  
"That stone you possess..." the man began. "...is an enhanced version of the Gossip Stone long spoken of in the legends of the Hyrulian Royal Family." The white collar that covered the back of his head moved slightly, but not enough so they could see his face, and added. "I am the one who made it."  
  
Tetra laughed, while Link just stood there, puzzled.  
  
"You made it... the Royal Family's Gossip Stone...?" Tetra shook her head and put her hands on her hips as she eyed the man's back. "I'm sorry, but I have no idea what you are talking about." she responded in a half confused, half-annoyed tone.  
  
Link shrugged his shoulders.  
  
"Me too..."  
  
The slightly plump man in the red outfit sounded a little perplexed as he responded to their confusion.  
  
"Have neither of you heard the tales?" he began. "The tales of a kingdom spoken of in the legend of the great hero? The place where the power of the gods lies hidden?"  
  
Link was still confused, and so was Tetra, though the pirate was starting to think it did sound just a tiny bit familiar.  
  
Still sensing they were puzzled by his words, he continued on in hopes of getting them to understand.  
  
"...this place, where the two of you now stand...is that kingdom...  
  
...this is Hyrule."  
  
The man turned around to face them and quickly added.  
  
"...and I am its King. Daphnes Nohansen Hyrule."  
  
Link and Tetra exchanged glances to each other, now knowing that they were standing before a king. They looked back at the man with their previous looks on their faces, Link's being confused, and Tetra's having a slightly annoyed look.  
  
The King made a small laugh and looked at Link with his puzzled  
expression.  
  
"Link, do you not recognize my voice?"  
  
The boy suddenly got a look of shock, as Tetra made a glance in his direction. He lifted a hand and managed to spit out a few words.  
  
"You mean...you're..."  
  
"Indeed, I am the one who guided you here." The King replied with a smile, not letting him finish his sentence. "I am the boat upon which you sailed the seas in...the King of Red Lions."  
  
Tetra smirked.  
  
"Ha! I knew I saw that boat make a face..." Tetra confirmed in her thoughts, as the King continued to say something to Link about the Master Sword. She didn't stay in thought long however, when the King purposely jarred her out of her thinking with his low, royal-sounding voice.  
  
"Both of you must listen to what I am about to tell you now..." he said in a slightly serious tone.  
  
Link look at him intently while Tetra eyed him with her glare as the King of Hyrule began his speech.  
  
"Long ago, Ganon, the one you know as Ganondorf, had turned my fair kingdom into a world of darkness, hoping to obtain a great power that dwelled in Hyrule so he could use it at his will." The man lowered his gaze and added. "I tried to stop the fiend...but my power alone was not enough...me and my people were left no choice but to give the fate of the kingdom to the gods who had created the great power."  
  
Link and Tetra expressions went back to normal.  
  
Knowing by the looks on their faces that they understood everything so far, the King continued on.  
  
"When the gods heard our plea, they choose to seal away not only Ganon...but Hyrule as well. And so...with a torrential downpour of rain from the heavens..." he paused and waved his hand around like he was motioning to the whole castle and added. "...you can see the result..."  
  
He continued.  
  
"But the gods knew that by sealing away Hyrule, they would be granting Ganon's wish for destruction of the land...so before the sealing of the kingdom, they choose those who would build a new country, and commanded those people to take refuge on the high mountaintops."  
  
The King looked at the two and added.  
  
"Those people...were your ancestors."  
  
Both Link and Tetra got a look of amazement on their faces. By ancestors, they knew he meant their very distant relatives. They had no idea that someone in their family tree was involved with the sealing of a whole kingdom. It was actually pretty incredible when they thought about it.  
  
"Hundreds of years have pasted since then..." the King continued. "As long as Ganon was not revived, my kingdom would remain down here at the bottom of the ocean...never waking from its slumber." He got a look of sorrow on his face and added. "But then, what I didn't expect actually happened. When you, my boy, removed the Master Sword, the power that was sealed from Ganondorf returned to him, and he has once again, become as powerful as he was hundreds of years ago."  
  
The royal being looked down at them with a kind but serious look. "Do you both understand?"  
  
Link and Tetra slowly nodded.  
  
Tetra was more amazed than she thought she would be. From what this king was telling them, both her and Link were descendants of those who fled up to the mountains, which were now islands on the Great Sea. This also included her own mother, and maybe even her crew! The young pirate continued to stare with amazement as the King explained even further.  
  
"The sacred power of the gods that Ganon is striving to possess, and that was ultimately what sealed him away, is the same power that also exists in the world you know above the waves."  
  
The King lifted his head and gestured to the triangular symbol on the floor where the Master Sword's pedestal stood. "This power is called the Triforce. It is a very powerful and sacred treasure that consists of three basic parts, one of which, Ganon already possesses. He is obviously searching for the other two so he can lay his hand on the True Force and have his evil desires granted."  
  
Tetra remained astonished, while Link quickly snapped out of his amazement and spoke.  
  
"Ok, I understand what you are saying...but..." he paused and looked up at the King with a pondering look. "...why are you telling us this...?" he questioned, emphasizing the word "us".  
  
The King of Hyrule got a soft but serious look and set his gaze on the curious Tetra.  
  
"Tetra...please come forth."  
  
The young pirate perked her head up with confusion and shock.  
  
Not sure on whether she should listen or not, the blonde girl looked over to Link, in hopes of getting some advice on what to do.  
  
The boy in green was looking at her with a confused but curious look, much like the one she was expressing. He was obviously too stunned to even speak himself.  
  
The pirate looked back at the royal king. Seeing how Link wasn't going to say anything, she made up her own mind and slowly started to walk toward him, keeping her pace at a minimum. She wasn't sure what he needed her for and because she didn't know, her walk was slow and very cautious. She wanted to question his command and ask why...but right now, she was too curious and amazed to even speak.  
  
When the young captain finally reached the King, her attention suddenly shifted to the strange glow that was coming from below her. She looked down to see her mother's necklace hanging out from under her red bandana, its surface shining with a golden light that made her stare at it with awe.  
  
Then...it vanished with a small flash of light.  
  
Before Tetra could even say anything against what she saw, the King quickly spoke up to make sure she didn't flip out over her necklace's disappearance. Upon hearing him, she looked up to find him now holding her necklace, which had magically warped into the palm of his outstretched hand.  
  
"This necklace..." he began. "...is a part of a sacred treasure called the Triforce of Wisdom, which has been passed down for many ages within the royal family of Hyrule."  
  
With a stern but soft look on his face, the man looked down to the young, wide-eyed girl.  
  
"Your mother gave this to you and instructed you to treasure it...and to guard it with your life..."  
  
Tetra gasped.  
  
"...am I not correct?" the man added quickly.  
  
The stunned pirate's mouth fell open as she gapped at the king, then at the necklace he held.  
  
"How...how did he know?" she questioned in her mind. "How could he possibly know that that necklace was given to me by my mother? And...how did he know my mother said all those things..."  
  
The King watched Tetra's expression shift to a mix of confusion and a bit of sadness.  
  
"Do you know why she told you all of this?" he questioned.  
  
Tetra slowly lifted her head and stared at him, having an expression that told him she had not the slightest idea.  
  
The King moved his hand a little so that the necklace shifted position  
in his palm.  
  
"This necklace, which is also a part of the Triforce of Wisdom..." he paused.  
  
"...it is one of the other two pieces that Ganon is looking for."  
  
Not only did Tetra get surprised by this fact, but behind her, Link also had to gasp in shock. It was no wonder Ganondorf said what he did at the fortress!  
  
With astonished eyes and muted lips, the two continued to stare as the King looked back to Tetra.  
  
"The gods placed upon your ancestors the task of protecting this treasure from evil's grasp." He stated. Through his stern but kind eyes, he slowly started to lift his free hand.  
  
"It is time..." he proclaimed. "...time for me to teach you the fate into which you were born...the very reason that you live."  
  
With this said, the royal king opened his now lifted hand to reveal...  
  
...the other missing piece of the Triforce of Wisdom.  
  
Magically, the two pieces started to levitate out of the King's hands, glowing a bright golden color as they moved and floated in front of an amazed Tetra.  
  
The pirate watched with wide eyes as the broken Triforce of Wisdom began to piece itself back together, right in front of her eyes. Closing the gap that was in the sacred triangle, the missing piece quickly wedged itself into its proper place in the necklace, welding itself together and leaving no crack or imperfection in it.  
  
The Triforce of Wisdom was made whole, once again!  
  
Now complete, the sacred treasure began to glow a much brighter gold, preparing to fulfill its second role as the Triforce of Wisdom. And that was...to seek out its holder.  
  
Instead of disappearing however, the golden triangle that was no longer a necklace started to get brighter and brighter!  
  
Tetra wanted to shield her eyes from the immense light but couldn't find the will to move her hands or her head; she was just too amazed and shocked to even move! She merely squinted as she watched her unknown treasure glow brighter.  
  
Suddenly, beams of light shot out of the sacred triangle in all directions, lighting up the room and making a strange crackling sound as it bathed everything in it with its golden light.  
  
The sudden burst of light was too much for the young pirate to stare at and she quickly shut her eyes, suddenly feeling a strong breeze surround her and whip her hair around like a rag doll.  
  
While she kept her eyes shut from the strong light, Tetra could tell just by not looking that something was happening...and it was happening to her.  
  
Other than the wind, she was suddenly feeling this very strange and very powerful sensation begin to enter her body. A chill ran down her spine as the unknown sensation got stronger and spread throughout her entire body, causing her to let out a very silent cry; not from pain...but from the seer shock and the feeling she was getting from this strange power. She couldn't keep her thoughts straight and for a brief moment...her mind went totally blank.  
  
Then...it all finally slowed down and came to a halt. The sensation throughout her body dimmed into nothing...and all became quiet...  
  
With everything now silent and still, Tetra finally regained her train of thought and slowly opened her eyes, wondering what had just happened. She was staring at the floor in front of her and breathing heavily without even realizing it. Once she calmed down a bit, she also realized that she didn't feel that strong sensation anymore. All she felt was a slight tingle on the back of her right hand.  
  
Confused by this weird feeling, the young girl looked at the back of her right hand, only to see nothing at first. Then...out of nowhere, the symbol of the Triforce appeared on the back of her right hand, with the bottom right triangle glowing brighter than the other two.  
  
It shimmered a golden yellow, before the girl finally realized something different about her hand.  
  
She no longer had bare hands, and instead, her hand was covered by a glove that went all the way up a little past her elbow.  
  
Tetra couldn't help but gasp out loud as she looked at the rest of  
herself.  
  
She had a completely different outfit on!  
  
Instead of having her pirate clothes, she now had on a dress fit for a royal subject. The dress was a dark pink color and it went all the way down to her feet, covering both of them up. A gold belt was around her waist, and from it hung a blue cloth that had the symbol of Hyrule weaved into it.  
  
Young Tetra couldn't help but stare as so many questions started to run through her mind. Through her seer confusion and longing for answers, she slowly lifted her head and quietly spoke.  
  
"...my...fate...?"  
  
Confusion was written throughout her unchanged voice as she quietly spoke these words.  
  
She finally got one when the King of Hyrule began to speak...but what he said, surprised and confused her even more.  
  
"You are the true heir of the royal family of Hyrule...the last link in the bloodline...  
  
...You are Princess Zelda." 


	15. Meeting with a Nightmare

Disclaimer: Still don't own Zelda...yadda yadda yadda. *holds up a shield for protection from angry disclaimer people*  
  
A/N: Aw fiddle...I didn't want to stop there but by now I'm sure you know why I had to...oh well...I'll get around it somehow. I'm switching to calling her Zelda instead of Tetra now, for obvious reasons. This happens to be one of my favorite chapters cause, well...I added a part that I thought would have been sweet to add ^.^ And also, this is around the time she realizes something she should have seen long ago. *winks* On with the story!  
  
Chapter 14: Meeting with a Nightmare  
  
-------------------------------------------------  
  
"Zelda...?  
  
...I'm...a princess?"  
  
As she slowly spoke these words, the young girl who use to be known as Tetra looked up at the King standing before her, confusion written all over her face. She had just gone from pirate to princess in under a minute...and it all happened so fast. She could barely keep up with the sudden fact that she had royal blood in her.  
  
The King could tell by her expression that the new princess was utterly taken off-guard by her new identity. He nodded to the young girl in hopes of getting that stunned expression out of her eyes, but when she merely blinked in response, he had to resort to talking.  
  
"You are confused, aren't you?" he questioned, already knowing the answer. He lifted his head. "I guess such is to be expected."  
  
Upon lifting his head, the King of Hyrule quickly remembered their true mission. He knew Ganon was still alive somewhere. They had to move quickly to prepare for their next encounter with the evil king.  
  
Zelda kept her gaze on the King as he focused his own gaze on a different source behind her. Upon seeing him do this, the new princess suddenly remembered that Link was still in the room, and she slowly turned around, her dress dragging a little on the stone floor as she faced the boy behind her.  
  
Not surprisingly, he was staring right at her, looking just as amazed as she was by her sudden change in looks.  
  
She couldn't help but feel a little awkward at the way he was staring at her, though her amazement made it short-lived. Too many questions were running through her head at the moment to consider what his thoughts were.  
  
"Link..." the King said, getting the boy's attention but also getting Zelda's attention by accident. The princess kept her eyes on Link and listened as the King continued his talk.  
  
"I am terribly sorry that you have been caught up in these events." He said to the young boy. "...but now that it is known that Tetra is indeed Princess Zelda, Ganon will be searching frantically for this child in an attempt to get the power of the gods that she possesses." He lowered his gaze to him and added. "He will not rest until he has found her."  
  
Link glanced over at Zelda, who had an obvious look of shock in her eyes upon hearing what he said.  
  
"If he succeeds..." the King continued as Link looked back up at him. "...my ancient kingdom under the sea will be turned into a land of shadow and despair...and so will the world you know above the waves."  
  
Link got a serious and determined look in his eyes upon hearing this. He didn't want any of that to happen to his home island...or anywhere else for that matter!  
  
The King was pleased to see this boy's tremendous courage show in his eyes. He may have been just a boy, but his courage was unlike any he had ever seen in anyone. Thus, he was fitting to take on such a task as protecting the world when it needed it.  
  
While the King explained things further to Link, Zelda remained quiet throughout his entire speech. The princess was really having trouble copping with the fact that she was being hunted at that very moment. Somewhere out there, Ganondorf was looking for her and from the Kings previous explanation, he was going to stop at nothing to get her in his grasp once again.  
  
This fact made her feel very vulnerable all of a sudden, and fear began to seep into her soul, much to her already overwhelming surprise.  
  
"Why...why do I feel so frightened...?" she questioned herself subconsciously. She would never have felt this afraid while she was Tetra...instead she would be rushing everyone and ordering them to get up so they could go after the darn fiend!  
  
But...she didn't have that kind of will anymore. It was almost impossible for her now; almost as if her whole personality had changed along with her clothing. And she didn't feel comfortable...or at ease about this fact.  
  
The young princess wasn't paying much attention to what the King was saying through her inner turmoil, but she did managed to hear that they had to go back to the surface to restore the power to repel evil to the Master Sword. Somewhere in his explanation, Link looked back at her for a brief moment and then looked back at the King.  
  
She did her best to try and hide her fear as she inadvertently continued to stare at the boy in green. She found that every time she looked at him, and saw the courage shine in his eyes, it made her feel more relaxed and less tense. Zelda couldn't believe how safe she felt right now with him in her presence.  
  
"Zelda..."  
  
The sound of her name quickly broke her stare and her thoughts.  
  
The princess slowly took her eyes off Link and turned to the royal being that called her name.  
  
The King looked down at her with soft eyes.  
  
"It is far too dangerous for you to join us in restoring the Master Sword's power and searching for the final piece of the Triforce." he said. "Fortunately, this sacred chamber is not yet known to Ganon. It is my wish that you remain here in hiding until we return."  
  
"It's my wish too." Link quickly added.  
  
Zelda looked to her left to see the young hero now standing beside her, and on his face was that reassuring look he always gave her when he knew she had to make a decision.  
  
"Will you do this?" the King questioned.  
  
Zelda gazed back at Link for a little while longer before she looked to the floor. She really didn't want to stay here all by herself. Did they really have to go, she wondered...did Link really need to leave...she didn't know what she would do if he left now.  
  
But...he was needed to restore power back into the legendary blade...he had to go...  
  
Slowly, she closed her eyes and nodded her head in response. Though it really didn't show, inside she was screaming at herself for allowing them to leave her behind.  
  
Both Link and the King smiled kindly at her, knowing it must have been hard to make such a decision.  
  
When the princess finally opened her eyes, she raised her head a little, about to say a request that they hurry with their return. Before she could speak though, the image of the King's feet suddenly vanished right in front of her eyes!  
  
Both her and Link gasped a little at his sudden disappearance. Before they had time to figure out why though, they quickly heard the King speak to them from behind.  
  
"Link. We must go." he said quickly.  
  
The hero and princess turned around to face where they entered the chamber to see the King standing at the foot of the stairs. He disappeared again, reappeared halfway up the steps, and then vanished once more. He materialized at the top and paused to look at them before he faded out of the room, leaving the two alone in the silent chamber.  
  
They stared for a couple of seconds, obviously astonished by the King's disappearing act.  
  
Link was the first to regain his thoughts. He hesitated for a brief moment, before he started to walk toward the steps to catch up with the King.  
  
"...Link."  
  
The boy stopped and looked back at the princess, who now had a hand reaching out to him.  
  
"Yes, Tet-I mean...Princess Zelda?" he questioned. He shook his head at the messing up of her name, but then stopped short when he saw the look in her eyes.  
  
Zelda did not look happy at all. Fear was very obvious through her gaze, and for a second, the boy thought he saw her tremble a little.  
  
The princess lowered her hand as she tried to find words to say. There was just too much she wanted to tell him right now...and time was short. And so...she chose the most important of them.  
  
"...I...I don't know how to say this..." she stuttered. Pausing a moment to gather her words, she then continued. "...I should have told you this long ago...but everything that's happened to you and your poor sister...it's..." she paused again, this time from realization.  
  
Knowing though that Link needed to hear the truth, she pushed her discomfort aside and suppressed her voice as she finished with the words...  
  
"...it's all been my fault..."  
  
The young girl then lowered her head and looked to the floor, letting her hair that was no longer in a bun fall in front of her clothed shoulders. She felt so guilty for getting him involved because of her identity. Putting a gloved hand up to her heart, she slowly added in her most sincere voice.  
  
"...I'm so sorry."  
  
Link remained quiet. He was touched and a little taken off-guard by the way she was apologizing to him for something she really didn't have control over. He now could tell that her clothes were not the only things that had changed...  
  
The boy couldn't stand to see her act so guilty for something she had no say in in the first place though, so to ease her guilt, he waved a hand through the air and spoke.  
  
"It's alright." He said calmly and sweetly. "It wasn't your fault."  
  
Zelda slowly looked up at him.  
  
"How...can you say that? You would not be here in a ruined castle getting ready to go fight a great evil if it wasn't for me." she said, sounding a little persistent.  
  
Link stared at her, wondering why she was trying to convince him it was all her fault.  
  
The young princess got a sad look in her eyes and lowered her head  
again.  
  
"...and...now you have to leave...and I can't do anything to help." she quietly whispered. Tears began to fill her eyes as she held her hands up to her chest in an attempt to try and ease her sadness.  
  
"...I...I'm scared..." she said quietly before she closed her eyes and  
started to sob.  
  
After a brief moment of silence, young Zelda suddenly felt a hand on her shoulder.  
  
The princess slowly looked up to meet Link's soft, comforting eyes. His gentle gaze made her breath catch in her throat as she stared back into them with her own moist eyes, trying to find words to express the rest of her fears.  
  
But she didn't stare long, and quickly lowered her head slightly, not wanting him to see the fear that was overcoming her.  
  
Before she could tell him how worried she was for his own safety, she suddenly felt him slowly pull her toward him, and before she knew it, his arms were wrapped around her waist and holding her gently, locking her in a small, tender embrace.  
  
Zelda quickly reopened her eyes, stiffening in response to his hug. She was obviously taken off-guard by his method of easing her fear, and she quickly ended up staring over his shoulder, her mouth partially open with surprise.  
  
But...instead of shoving him away like she would normally do, she found herself getting less tense and more relaxed and finding no will to break the awkward moment. All her guilt and tension was suddenly leaving her, as she continued to stare off into space.  
  
For the first time in seven long years...she felt completely safe.  
  
Before the moment lasted too long though, Link suddenly pulled back.  
  
The princess looked over at him with her glazed eyes once they parted from each other. She suddenly found herself staring when she locked eyes with him...and what she saw somewhat surprised her.  
  
The boy's cheeks were totally red, and his smile had a wide bashful look to it. He managed to keep a straight face through it all, but he couldn't keep it long, knowing what he had just done to ease the girl's inner turmoil. His eyes were shifting from her to the floor constantly, all the while rubbing the back of his head with one hand.  
  
Put plainly...he was blushing.  
  
Zelda suddenly felt her own cheeks feel a little warm and before she knew it, she was blushing too.  
  
Knowing that she was feeling better than she did before from her face, Link turned back to normal and took a few steps back, all the while still keeping his shifting eyes on her.  
  
Then...he turned around and quickly walked up the steps.  
  
Upon reaching the top, he slowly looked back down at Zelda, only to find her where he left her standing. She was still staring up at him, with that same blushing face he left her with.  
  
The boy managed to smile through his embarrassed face and waved a farewell to the princess, knowing that he wasn't going to see her again for at least a couple more days.  
  
Seeing his gesture, Zelda slowly lifted her right hand and returned his farewell with her own small wave.  
  
With their silent good-byes said, Link turned around and disappeared into the dark stairway.  
  
"...Link..." she whispered as she watched him leave.  
  
As soon as his figure vanished into the dark passage, the princess looked at her still waving hand. She halted her farewell upon seeing the symbol of the Triforce on the back of her hand and she slowly put it up to her heart.  
  
"...please...be careful..."  
  
~ ~ ~  
  
Hours passed...  
  
...but to the Princess of Hyrule...it seemed more like an eternity. For hours on end, she sat near the small stream of water at the base of the platform...thinking. It wasn't exactly the way she wanted to pass the time, but she knew she needed time to straighten things out and this was obviously the only way she knew how to. She had tried to fall asleep as another solution; but she wasn't the least bit tired and only ended up staring at the ceiling.  
  
Sometime during her silent wait, the princess had tried to leave the lonely room; but she found that the entrance to her chamber was sealed closed by the pedestal of the statue in the room above. This didn't pose much of a problem though, because for some unnatural reason, she didn't get hungry, thirsty, or tired during the long hours. It was like time itself was frozen in this small sacred chamber.  
  
Leaning her head forward, the young girl peered at the stone floor as a dozen thoughts ran through her mind.  
  
"So...this is my destiny?" she questioned herself out loud while looking down at the glowing Triforce symbol on her hand. "...to be a royal princess of an ancient kingdom that lies forgotten at the bottom of the sea...that is my fate?"  
  
The princess took her eyes off the symbol and slowly leaned over to peer into the clear stream of still water.  
  
She couldn't even recognize who was staring back at her. She looked so different from when she was Tetra. She looked so elegant...and innocent. The jeweled accessory on her head made her look even more royal, as did the small gold plate on her chest that was loosely wrapped around her neck with a pink cloth. She touched the dark pink beads that were around her throat, trying to accept her reflection to be her own.  
  
Suddenly, thoughts of her long lost mother came rushing into her already crowded thoughts. Memories of what her mother had said seven years ago kept replaying in her head, reminding her of one of her many goals.  
  
When we find the great treasure under the ocean...  
  
...we will finally know where we belong...  
  
...that's what she had told her.  
  
"This place..." the young girl silently said. "Is...is this the great treasure underneath the sea that my mother was searching for?"  
  
There was really no other explanation for it...Hyrule must have been what Zelda's mother was looking for.  
  
"Then...why do I feel so lost?" the princess whispered. "Why do I feel this isn't what my mother really wanted...?"  
  
She continued to stare at her reflection on the waters still surface. She now knew why her mother didn't finish her stories...she obviously didn't want her to know that what they were looking for was a forgotten kingdom that was once overthrown by a great evil in the past and then buried underneath the waves. It would have ruined her stories.  
  
Slowly, Zelda reached at her reflection, until her fingers touched the waters surface, creating small ripples that distorted her figure.  
  
The young princess suddenly missed her mother more than ever. She would have felt more prepared for this if she was still with her...but instead she had to face her new destiny all by herself...with no one to help her.  
  
Zelda continued to stare at her partially submerged hand, catching the small wrinkled glow that radiated off the Triforce symbol. As she watched it glow, she quickly realized what she was thinking...and suddenly remembered who had comforted her when she needed it the most.  
  
Slowly lifting her hand out of the cool water, Zelda glanced over to the small pedestal where the Master Sword use to lay dormant. She lowered her head, as thoughts of Link came into her mind.  
  
She really missed him...more than she thought she would actually. She had waited days it seemed for his return and with each passing minute, she grew more and more worried about him. For all she knew, he could have been dead by now...  
  
The young princess shuddered at the very thought. She didn't know what she would do if he suffered such a fate. To her, it would be like her mother's kidnapping all over again...or possibly worse. He was more of a friend to her than she ever thought a person could be to her...much to her slight amazement.  
  
Quite frankly, she didn't think she could make any friends. When she was Tetra and her usual self, she really didn't get along with anyone except her crew. And plus the fact that she was a pirate gave her somewhat of a bad reputation, and she was avoided by all common folk they ended up meeting. Link had been the only one who hadn't given up on finding her good side, and because of that, Zelda thought him as a friend.  
  
But now, some slightly different questions were popping into her head. Was that all Link was to her? Just a friend?  
  
Zelda suddenly lifted her head.  
  
It finally dawned on her. After spending days on trying to figure out that strange feeling that had snuck its way into her heart when she first met the young hero, Zelda somehow but finally knew why she felt the way she did.  
  
Link was more than just a friend to her...  
  
Over the few days she had known the young boy, she, as a stubborn and full fledged pirate, had secretly grown to admire his unsurpassed courage and unending kindness, and as result, had gone out of her way to help him and keep him from harm. She had done things that even went against her role as a pirate, and had even put herself in great danger to keep the boy from meeting his own death.  
  
And now that her true identity was revealed, along with her true personality and innocence...the realization of how much she cared for the boy was more believable.  
  
Nudge was right...Link did mean a lot to her...so much in fact that the thought of him not living was devastating to the princess.  
  
Zelda had to stare back down at the symbol on the back of her hand. She didn't think she would experience such weird feelings at such a young age...but then again she didn't act her age...and neither did Link. No normal twelve year old would have taken on a task of being a hero or a leader of a group of pirates. Both she and Link's personalities seemed to rival that of fourteen or fifteen year olds, which made them pretty mature for their age in both personality and responsibility.  
  
...but even if Link was more mature than his age, she knew he was still just a young boy...he had his limits! She couldn't help but worry over how he was fairing against Ganondorf's army all by himself. He treated her with friendship despite her rude behavior, and had even gone so far as to save her life three times without any concern for his own safety. He was someone special to her...and she couldn't bear the thought of him not living to see another day.  
  
All this worrying was making the young princess even more anxious for the young hero's return. Slowly propping herself back on her feet, she silently walked back up the small steps to the circular platform and halted, staring down at the vacant pedestal that now stood at her feet.  
  
"I don't know where you are...or what you are doing..." she whispered quietly. "...just please...come back safely, Link..." Her blonde hair slipped over her shoulders as a single tear escaped her eye. "...I...I need you...now more than ever...  
  
...please...come back to me..."  
  
Before the princess allowed herself to start sobbing, she quickly took a deep breathe and wiped away her tear.  
  
Just then, her pointed ears picked up a faint sound echoing throughout the entire chamber, grabbing her attention and interrupting her thoughts.  
  
It was a very odd sound too. It was occurring spontaneously in brief moments, and after each sound came a loud but muffled thud like something just hit the floor in the room above.  
  
Princess Zelda straightened up as the noise suddenly halted. She peered toward the entrance to the chamber, now seeing that the dark stairway leading out of the room was a little bit brighter than usual.  
  
Immediately, she knew that someone had opened the way into her small chamber of solitude. She took a few earnest steps forward as she kept her eyes locked onto the still dark entrance.  
  
"Link?" she quietly called, hoping to see his familiar green figure emerge from the dark stairway.  
  
As she watched with hopeful eyes, she suddenly felt a cold draft start to blow into the room, making a sudden chill run down her spine and cause her to close her eyes for a brief moment. Once the draft weakened, the princess looked back to the entrance...  
  
...and her mouth dropped open with shock.  
  
"Ganondorf!" Zelda cried, suddenly freezing with fear.  
  
Ganondorf didn't respond to her call of fright. He just stood there, letting his presence creep darkness into the small lonely chamber. Dark purple smoke seeped in from behind him, making his presence even more frightening.  
  
The stunned princess didn't move an inch as the dark fiend then started to make his way down the stairway, taking small casual steps like he wasn't in any sort of rush. He was the last person she wanted to see...especially now!  
  
"H-how...how did he get down here? I thought he didn't know about this place!" she thought, suddenly realizing she was stuttering with fear even in her thoughts.  
  
Ganondorf grinned evilly.  
  
"You thought wrong, princess." He suddenly said in a low cold voice, much to Zelda's surprise. She stared in shock as he reached the base of the steps and was now making his way across the small pathway up to the platform where she stood.  
  
Upon seeing how close he was getting, Zelda forced herself to get out of her stunned state and quickly spun around to run in the opposite direction. She didn't get far however, before she heard a swoosh and suddenly saw Ganondorf standing in her path of escape.  
  
She skidded to a halt and stared up at the tall fiend, suddenly realizing she couldn't outrun him.  
  
But instead of accepting this fact, she turned around yet again and started to bolt to the exit as fast as her heels could take her.  
  
Instead of being stopped by Ganondorf this time however, she was met by a wall of blazing fire!  
  
Princess Zelda halted immediately before she met the burning ring of flames that now encircled the platform her and Ganondorf stood upon. She knew now that she was trapped...  
  
Also knowing there was absolutely nowhere to run now, the defenseless princess could do nothing but turn back around to face the King of Evil, who was snickering at her pathetic attempts to flee from him.  
  
"So..." he began as he slowly started to walk toward her. "...it looks like the fearless sea rat has finally become the helpless princess she was destined to be." He chuckled. "Did you really think you would be safe here knowing that I had the Triforce of Power in my possession?"  
  
The Princess of Hyrule did nothing but shiver a little in response.  
  
He grinned. "Foolish child...with my full power no longer sealed by the Master Sword, there is no safe haven for you!" he halted his approach. "...and now that you know who you really are..." his grin widened. "...you must know now why I have spent all these countless years searching for you and your ancestors."  
  
Princess Zelda gasped.  
  
"The Triforce!"  
  
Ganondorf made a small snicker at her right answer.  
  
The princess looked down at the glowing triangle on her hand, which was now pulsating a little because of the presence of another Triforce piece that Ganondorf already had.  
  
Almost out of the blue, the fiend suddenly started to speak words that the princess really wanted to forget.  
  
"I remember you now..." the evil man muttered. "...on that day...seven years ago. You were just a small girl at that time."  
  
Ganondorf got a cruel smile on his face.  
  
"...the day I captured your helpless mother instead of you...yes...I remember clearly..." He added coldly.  
  
Princess Zelda took her eyes off her hand and shot a look of heartbreak straight at the fiend, which told him she remembered clearly also, much to her disliking. The princess ended her silent period and quietly spoke.  
  
"What...did you do to my mother?!" she managed to say.  
  
Ganondorf merely gave her an icy smile.  
  
"...she was no longer of use to me..." he uttered. "...and I  
always dispose what I no longer need."  
  
Zelda gasped upon hearing those words. She knew exactly what he meant by dispose...  
  
The young girl suddenly fell to her knees and covered her face as tears started to pour out of her eyes. Even if she already guessed her mother was dead, it was just too much for her to hear that sudden fact from the person who had killed her. She started to cry into her hands, suddenly feeling like she was the only person left alive on the earth.  
  
Ganondorf broke the sound of her sobbing.  
  
"...it was only a matter of time before I found who held the Triforce of Wisdom and claimed what was rightfully mine." He stated while looking down at the crying princess. "...and now that I finally have you within reach...I will make sure I will not leave empty-handed."  
  
With that said, Ganondorf started his approach again, knowing that Zelda was too preoccupied with her feelings to even consider running away.  
  
So many thoughts were running through Zelda's head, which did make her oblivious to Ganondorf's approach.  
  
"Why did this have to happen?!" she screamed in her head. "Why?! This is definitely not what my mother wanted!" She took her hands off her eyes and stared at the ground, letting her tears fall to the stone floor. "...I...I can't...I can't let this horrible man get his hands on what my mother wanted me to protect from him. I just can't!"  
  
Watching her tears fall to the floor, a strong feeling gripped her heart as she whispered. "Link...where are you...?"  
  
Suddenly, Zelda felt a cold hand grip one of her arms and tighten its hold as it tried to drag her to her feet.  
  
"No!" she cried, resisting Ganondorf's pull on her gloved arm. She grunted and heaved to try and release his grip, only to find that it would get tighter with each struggle she did.  
  
"Link!" Zelda cried, hoping he could somehow hear her and come to her rescue like he always did in the past.  
  
"Call all you want, princess." Ganondorf huffed. "He will not come to your rescue now, no matter how hard you try to call him."  
  
Zelda didn't listen to him and shouted Link's name even louder, as she used all her determination and strength to try and yank herself loose.  
  
Feeling her will getting slightly stronger, Ganondorf squeezed his hand on her arm so tight, that the slight sound of bones cracking resulted.  
  
Zelda screamed as she felt his icy grip tighten to the point where the bones in her arm started to feel like they were going to snap in two! Before they broke however, Ganondorf yanked her sideways and threw her right across the platform to the other side with annoyance.  
  
Landing in a heap opposite of the evil Ganondorf, Princess Zelda remained motionless as she held her almost broken arm while laying on her side, panting from the throbbing pain she was getting from it. She kept her glazed eyes shut tight as she endured the horrible feeling in her arm, and in her heart.  
  
Ganondorf made his way over to the princess' side and glared down at the pitiful site before him.  
  
"You truly are a foolish child...just like that boy..." he muttered, frowning at the poor girl at his covered feet.  
  
Through all her suffering, Zelda somehow managed to reply to the fiend's comment.  
  
"Link...will...come..." she said through gasps.  
  
"...and...he...will...kill...you!"  
  
Ganondorf just grinned an evil smile.  
  
"Well...you are partially correct. He will come..." he remarked. "...and when he does...I will have a little something waiting to greet him." He added with a sneaky smile.  
  
Zelda forced one of her blue eyes open and stared up at the fiend, suddenly fearing the worst.  
  
"No..." she cried. "I...won't let you!"  
  
While she said this, the young princess started to get back up on her feet, slowly but surely. She was about to try and run in a blinding attempt to flee, but before she even got one foot away from him, Ganondorf hit her in the back with his hand, sending her sprawling back to the ground.  
  
"Have you not been listening to me you idiotic child!" he shouted angrily. "You cannot run from the inevitable! Accept your fate now, or I will go right now and kill the boy!"  
  
An eerie silence followed.  
  
Zelda didn't move during the period of silence. She started to prop herself up to her knees, keeping her gloved hands placed on the floor with her head low while letting her blonde hair fall in front of her eyes. Immediately she started to sob again.  
  
Ganondorf could tell by the way she responded that she had made her decision. He paced up to her slouching figure as he muttered a few words.  
  
"Do not worry...I will not kill you...yet." he said in a low tone. "I need you as bait to lure your pathetic excuse for a hero to my lair." He paused. "That is...if he manages to pass the trial that will await him once he returns to this chamber."  
  
"In the meantime..." he slowly added as he reached down to the broken girl and lifted her by the back of her neck. "...you have something that I need..."  
  
Zelda did nothing but peek open one of her teary eyes. She looked back into the fiend's cold red gaze as he lifted his other hand and placed it on her forehead. She shivered and shut her eyes tighter upon feeling his cold palm on her head, not even bothering to lift even a finger against whatever he was hoping to do.  
  
Keeping her suspended above the ground, Ganondorf started to cast a mysterious spell, which slowly started to seep its way into Zelda's body. It didn't take long before the princess started to feel the effects of the spell and once Ganondorf completed his casting, he let her drop back to the ground and watched.  
  
Zelda didn't feel any pain or burning from his cast, but instead was finding herself having trouble keeping her eyes open. She saw the ring of fire around her suddenly disappear through her blurring vision, and immediately she felt an urge to try one more attempt to run.  
  
As she tried to get on her feet, she started to feel the full effect of the spell. It was slowly draining all her energy out of her, and now she found it difficult to even try to stand up...  
  
...but she persisted.  
  
Ganondorf just grinned at her constant attempts to even stand up and watched as the princess finally got to her feet.  
  
Zelda slowly started to feel very tired and weak as she started to walk to the exit... she was just too exhausted from the spell's effect to even get halfway there.  
  
Without another moment lost, Princess Zelda suddenly let herself fall back to the floor, never to get up for who knew how long. She closed her eyes and sadly let herself fall victim to Ganon's spell of darkness.  
  
Ganondorf smiled evilly as he watched the princess collapse under his  
spell.  
  
"...sweet dreams...  
  
...Princess Zelda!" he said with an evil chuckle. 


	16. The Truth is Revealed

Disclaimer: *has bandages all over her* Ok the shield obviously didn't work well...I don't own Zelda or anything related to it...still...*touches bandages* ...ouch...  
  
A/N: Heh...boy there was a lot of Ganondorf bashing in the reviews ^^; I guess I have to warn you all about something then. If you thought Ganondorf was mean in the last chapter, just you wait until the final battle...oh boy, you will definitely hate him more then. Ok enough chatter...on with the next chapter!  
  
Chapter 15: The Truth is Revealed  
  
----------------------------------------------------  
  
"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!"  
  
A horrifying scream broke through the dark abyss of the eternal void. The sound of someone panting and gasping for breath could be heard from every direction, the source being nowhere in sight. Everything was just too dark and empty to see a trace of anything, and no source of light was visible, which made it even more difficult to see.  
  
"No! Go away! Please!" the female voice cried.  
  
Somewhere in the mists of this empty void, a young girl in an elegant dress came running from a random direction, panting and heaving as if she was low on air. Behind her, the faded outlines of numerous monsters were visible, each bearing blood red eyes with a look of death clearly seen in them. They roared and snarled with the most spine-tingling noise the girl had ever heard.  
  
"Leave me alone!" Princess Zelda shouted in a frighten tone. Without slowing her sprint, she looked back over her shoulder to see how close or how far the creatures were behind her.  
  
The beady red eyes of the evil beasts were right behind her, quickly closing the gap between themselves and the fleeing girl in front of them. Spears, swords, and any other weapon you could think of sliced through the air as the shadowed creatures held up their weapons as if they were in a war.  
  
Princess Zelda quickly turned her head and picked up the pace. She didn't know where she was or where those horrible creatures came from...but one thing was for certain; they weren't friendly and from the look in their eyes, they were going to stop at nothing until they had her in their grasp.  
  
Closing her eyes tightly, she ran as fast as she could, further into the endless black of night that surrounded her and the pursuing creatures. She didn't care where she ended up; just as long as she could stay away from these horrible creatures chasing her!  
  
For what seemed like forever, she kept running and running, all the while gasping for breath like she was being deprived of the very air in her lungs. The monsters didn't slow their pace either, and only kept getting closer and closer to the tiring girl.  
  
When Zelda finally opened her eyes back up, she saw nothing but black in front of her, which wasn't really a surprise. But her eyes could tell that something different was ahead of her, and without hesitation, she ran even faster to reach what she thought could be a possible exit from this empty abyss.  
  
When she got close enough however, she had to force herself to stop dead in her tracks.  
  
Though it wasn't very visible, Zelda could vaguely make out the darker outlines of a crack in the black ground in front of her. It wasn't a small crack however...more like a sudden drop off into an even darker pit that looked like it had no bottom to it!  
  
Gasping at her sudden predicament, the princess spun around to face the oncoming creatures that were chasing her.  
  
Seeing how the girl had cornered herself, the monsters lowered their weapons and slowed their pace, forming a blockade so she didn't have no where to run.  
  
Zelda stepped back a few feet, holding her hands out in front of her in an attempt to keep them away from her. The sound of her heavy breathing along with growls and snarls from the monsters was all that could be heard as they stared at one another.  
  
After staring at the girl for a bit, the beasts that stood only a few feet away from Zelda held out the pointy end of their weapons and slowly started to walk toward her.  
  
Seeing the monsters starting to advance, the young princess slowly started to step backwards while still facing the armed creatures. She had nowhere to run to and had no choice but to inch herself even closer to the cliffs edge...unless she wanted to be skewered by a bunch of sharp weapons.  
  
The monsters didn't show signs of halting their approach and Zelda soon felt the edge of the cliff underneath her heels. She halted her retreat and looked over her shoulder down into the endless pit below.  
  
She suddenly had to make a horrible decision. Allow herself to be skewered by the beasts spears and swords...or fall into the dark pit behind her and hope she survives...  
  
Princess Zelda didn't like either choice...but the monsters were only a few feet away from her and their weapons were practically touching her throat. She had to think of something quick or else she would be killed!  
  
That was easier said than done of course...  
  
"I can't get out of this by myself!" she thought quickly. "I need help!" She looked around anxiously to try and find someone or something that would help her. But nothing of the sort was visible.  
  
"Help!" she hollered in the featureless void. "Someone! Anyone! Please help me!"  
  
Before she could even get a reply from anything, she suddenly felt the sharp point of a large spear poke her arm.  
  
"No! Get away from me!" she cried, swatting at the weapon in an effort to keep it away from her.  
  
Her suddenly motion against the weapon was not a very good maneuver however...  
  
Before she knew it, Zelda suddenly felt her body become more heavy, and she start to fall backwards!  
  
The poor girl screamed as she plummeted over the edge from lose of balance, falling down into the endless pit of darkness. The resulting wind whipped her hair and clothes around like mad as she twisted and turned through the invisible air, trying to find a way to halt her fall!  
  
She saw nothing however, and found the only thing she could do was let herself fall helplessly until she either hit the bottom or fell unconscious from the fall...  
  
Zelda kept her eyes tightly shut as she continued to fall into the dark abyss. In a last effort to call for help, she stretched her head out and let out one last scream.  
  
"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!"  
  
Suddenly a bright light came out from below her and engulfed her dark vision, temporarily blinding her for a brief moment before she was bathed in darkness.  
  
...then...everything went completely silent...  
  
~ ~ ~  
  
A vast blue ocean...  
  
That's all that you could see instead of there being nothing everywhere. A large body of water that stretched out in all directions under a pale orange sky had replaced the darkness; and it seemed to have come out of nowhere. No land could be seen for miles and the waters surface remained completely featureless, except for the small outlines of the waves.  
  
There was one exception however to all this empty surface...  
  
Stranded out in the middle of the endless ocean was a very small patch of sandy earth that vaguely peeked above the waters surface.  
  
And sprawled on the shore of this small island...was Princess Zelda, who looked like she had washed up on shore by accident. She wasn't moving...and appeared to be unconscious.  
  
Small waves splashed against Zelda's lower half that was partially submerged in the shallow water, playing with her dress and at the same time getting it completely soaked. Now and then, a bigger wave would wash up to catch her face, which when it happened enough, started to bring the girl back to life.  
  
Slowly, Princess Zelda began to open her eyes. She blinked a couple of times to get her vision straight, and once it did, she began to prop herself up.  
  
"Ooooh..." she moaned, rubbing the back of her head and touching the jeweled tiara on her forehead. "What...what happened...?" she questioned herself out loud even though she knew she didn't know the answer.  
  
Once the throbbing in her head finally stopped, the princess started to take in her surroundings.  
  
"Where...am I?" she questioned again. The ocean surrounding her was a baffling site to see at this particular time. But she didn't get just confusion out of it. At the same time, she somehow felt relieved to see such a large featureless sea.  
  
"It...looks just like the Great Sea." Zelda said quietly. She didn't realize how much she wanted to see the ocean until now. It's calm surface was giving her a sense of peace, and it was reminding her of the good times that she had during her life on such an ocean.  
  
Staring out into the orange horizon, the young princess of Hyrule couldn't help but remember the life she had as a pirate. It was certainly different from being a royal princess, that was for sure. But she also realized how uncomfortable she was with being such a royal being. She certainly wasn't use to it, and probably never would get use to it...being a princess was only giving her more problems than she could handle.  
  
Zelda slowly got to her feet, keeping her eyes locked on the color- changing horizon. She all of a sudden realized how much she missed the life of a pirate. She also missed her silly, but lovable crew. But most of all...she missed the bold and somewhat courageous side of her personality from when she was Tetra.  
  
Upon remembering how she acted when she was the fearless captain, a sense of longing welled up inside her, and caused her to hang her head in dismay. She wondered if she was ever going to go back to her normal life and live the way her mother wanted her to. The life of a princess certainly wasn't meant for her...  
  
...was it?  
  
"Tetra..."  
  
Zelda perked her head up. Did she just hear someone call her by her previous name?  
  
"Tetra..."  
  
She blinked and looked around, confused. Someone WAS calling her. But  
who?  
  
"Who...who are you?" she called while spinning in all directions. She couldn't see anyone, anywhere; not even on her tiny island.  
  
The voice called her yet again by her old name.  
  
"Tetra..."  
  
By now, Zelda was starting to think the voice sounded a little familiar. It was muffled quite a bit and wasn't very clear. The only thing she could tell about it was that it was...  
  
...female.  
  
"Mother? Is that you?!" she called. "Where are you?" she added while trying to spot her.  
  
The voice replied.  
  
"Yes. It is me, my daughter." it said. "I'm sorry, but unfortunately I cannot show myself. Ganondorf has put you under a cursed sleep, blocking my attempts to reach you in your dream. My voice is the only thing that can get through while you're in this state."  
  
Zelda gazed up in the sky with a lost look.  
  
"I'm...dreaming?"  
  
"Yes. I managed to get you out of your situation before, but because I did, I can now only communicate to you by sound."  
  
The young princess didn't change her expression as another question came into her head.  
  
"How...how did you recognize me...?" she called, remembering how she didn't even recognize her own reflection.  
  
Her mother's voice seemed to hold back a small laugh.  
  
"Why wouldn't I recognize my own daughter?" She replied.  
  
Zelda hung her head.  
  
"I...I'm sorry, Mother..." she said quietly. "... but I've changed...I'm no longer the girl you knew as Tetra..." She seemed to try and hold back a shutter. "...I'm now a princess...Princess Zelda...of Hyrule kingdom."  
  
Her mother didn't reply for a brief moment, until finally she  
answered.  
  
"I'm the one who should be apologizing..." She said, making Zelda look up into the now pink sky. "I should have told you that you were the heir of the ancient kingdom of Hyrule..."  
  
"Why didn't you?" the princess questioned with wondering eyes.  
  
Her mother paused a little before she started to explain.  
  
"I wanted to wait until you were ready to become who you are now. But as you can see, Ganondorf ruined that plan and took me away from you before I had a chance. I was forced to let fate make the decision on when you would be revealed your true identity."  
  
Her voice halted again, but then continued.  
  
"When Ganondorf left to search for you, even in my death, I knew that when he did, you would finally know your destiny as a princess. I knew you were still not ready...but their was nothing I could have done to prevent him from going after my only daughter and I had no way of delaying it either..." She paused again before adding. "...I'm sorry. This isn't the way I wanted your life as a princess to be..."  
  
Princess Zelda was in awe. Her explanation was a big relief in someway, but now that she knew she wasn't ready to be a princess...what was her fate now?  
  
Her mother continued.  
  
"Because I knew I had no choice but to let fate play itself out, before I died I made a prayer. I prayed that Ganondorf would never find my one and only daughter. But shortly after I made this wish, I realized that would be like requesting time to freeze forever...so I made a second prayer. Since I couldn't be there to protect you myself, I wished for the gods to send someone else in my place...someone who would be there for you and help you when you needed it most."  
  
After a brief pause, the woman's voice added.  
  
"...it wasn't until shortly after you became a princess did I realize who the gods had sent."  
  
Young Zelda made a small gasp.  
  
"You mean..."  
  
"Yes. At first I couldn't believe they would send such a person...but after seeing the events you had gone through ever since you were captured by Ganon's minion, I knew that he was the one they had chosen."  
  
Her mother quickly added. "The gods made a fine choice of choosing Link, the new hero, to go in my steed."  
  
Zelda was completely silent for the longest time. She had no idea Link was an answer to one of her mothers final prayers. It did explain why the boy showed so much friendship toward her. But why didn't he tell her? Did he even know he was suppose to second as her mother's replacement and at the same time be a hero? It seemed a little much for such a young boy to handle.  
  
"Does...Link know?" Zelda questioned.  
  
"No." the woman replied. "The gods knew he would have too much to worry about if he knew he was the new hero and at the same time had to protect you. So to solve this, they made it so that when you two met, he would feel implied to help you if you needed it."  
  
Zelda was slightly puzzled.  
  
"But...if he doesn't know why he feels this way, wouldn't he be confused as to why he has such feelings?"  
  
Though Zelda couldn't see it, she somehow knew her mother made a  
smile.  
  
"The gods would not have chosen a person who couldn't handle it." Her mother said. "Link is a strong boy in more ways than one, and he hasn't shown any sign of questioning why he has a sense to defend you."  
  
"Now that I think about it..." she mentioned after a brief pause. "...he's done more for you than I thought he would."  
  
Zelda couldn't help but suddenly feel a little bashful. Her mother was making it sound like Link had stronger feelings for her. She wondered if this was true or not, but she didn't have enough time to piece together an answer.  
  
"My daughter..." her mother began. "...I know I shouldn't request this when you already have enough troubles...but..." she made a long halt in her sentence before saying. "...will you promise me that you will do whatever you can to aid the young hero in ridding the world of Ganondorf?"  
  
Princess Zelda didn't answer for a while as she stared up into the partially clouded sky. She then hung her head and looked to the sandy ground at her feet before she answered.  
  
"I wish I could..." she said slowly. "...I don't want to disappoint you, mother...but ever since I became Princess Zelda, I've felt so innocent and helpless, like there was nothing I could do to help anyone, not even myself. I have the will...but I no longer have the bravery to carry out anything..."  
  
Pausing briefly, she added. "I'm sorry..."  
  
The sound of her mother's voice was not heard for a short while, making Zelda think her mother was disappointed with her. It wasn't until the woman replied that made her think otherwise.  
  
"But you haven't changed." She said sincerely. "I know you went through a totally new transformation both physical and mentally...but you are still my daughter and nothing can change that...not even destiny. The power to do what you set your mind to is still inside you." In a sweet and somewhat serious tone, she quickly added. "...you just have to find it."  
  
Her words really did make Zelda think. From what her mother just said, she had the power and will to do anything she set her mind to all along. All she had to do...was find it...?  
  
"Whatever happens, I want you to remember one thing..." her mother said in a loving tone. "...no matter what goes on from here on, whether it be good or bad...you will always be my little princess."  
  
Once her heartfelt words ended, another moment of silence ensued that seemed to last a little longer than the previous one. The light breeze that floated through the sea air blew gently, as the last bit of the falling sun slipped under the horizon  
  
Just then, Zelda heard a faint sound rumble in the distance, catching her attention and making her try to look for its source. It sounded a bit like thunder.  
  
As if to confirm her suspicion, the sky suddenly got very cloudy and she felt a single drop of water hit her forehead and cascade down her face. Another drop quickly followed, and before she knew it, it started to rain down on her and her little patch of earth along with the rest of the endless ocean.  
  
"What's going on?" Zelda questioned out loud, wondering why the rain and clouds came as quick as they did.  
  
Her mother replied calmly.  
  
"Ganon's spell is wearing off." She explained. "With his curse on you disappearing, it won't be long now before you become conscious and fully awake."  
  
Zelda looked around her little sandy island in awe. Halfway through her observing, she soon found herself start to feel sleepy and tired. She felt her legs become weak and slowly got down on her knees, sitting on the now wet sand and suddenly feeling her eyelids start to get heavy.  
  
"Mother..." she whispered, sounding exhausted.  
  
Her mother's voice echoed through the air as she made her last few words to Zelda.  
  
"Remember...what I told you...my princess...  
  
...I love you."  
  
Zelda suddenly felt her body fall limp. She managed to halt her fall sideways and carefully lowered herself until she lay on her side to keep from hurting herself. Slowly, she looked back into the rain above.  
  
"I love you too...mother." she managed to say before she closed her eyes and let her head rest on the wet sand.  
  
Then...her vision went black again...  
  
~ ~ ~  
  
The sound of rain was the first thing young Zelda awoke to. Her hearing was the first to get fully restored and the soft splashes of raindrops hitting the ground was a soothing melody for her to wake up to. But almost immediately after hearing the rain though, she heard something else that didn't exactly sound welcoming.  
  
It was the sound of maniacal laughing.  
  
Upon hearing the eerie sound, all of Zelda's senses rushed back into motion and she quickly opened her eyes. Immediately she saw that she was lying on stone flooring that was getting poured on somehow by rain. It wasn't until she slowly sat up did she realize that she was outside of the chamber that she last remembered being in.  
  
In fact, she wasn't even close. She wasn't sure where exactly, but wherever she was, it was definitely not inside the castle.  
  
Almost to confirm her suspicion, her blue eyes trailed to her left. They then went wide with awe when she saw that the place she was at was a thick stone tower that stood not too far from Hyrule Castle. It wasn't the height that awed her though. It was the huge columns of water that were seeping out of the watery sky that got her attention!  
  
"Hyrule kingdom! It's..." she trailed in her mind. "...it's being buried back underwater!" Why the kingdom was being flooded however, she had no idea.  
  
As she gawked at the slowly flooding land below her, Zelda's attention shifted to the eerie laughter that was still lingering and becoming more loud and insane sounding. Her expression changed to being half frightened and half disgusted, knowing only one person who could make such insane laughter.  
  
She once again confirmed her suspicion, when she stood up and turned to look toward the middle of the large circular field.  
  
Standing almost in the center of the large stony area with his head thrown back in laughter...was Ganondorf.  
  
Why he was laughing though, Zelda wasn't sure. But she got an idea why, when she took a closer look at who was standing behind the evil man.  
  
"Link!" she called happily.  
  
Unfortunately, the boy didn't hear her. The relentless rain was enough to drown out her voice low enough so he couldn't pick it up, even with his long ears and good hearing.  
  
Zelda's expression shifted to that of worry though, when she saw what he was doing.  
  
Link was gripping his left arm with his right hand and was hunched forward slightly as if he was injured in some way. He looked like he was about to fall flat on his face in agony, though he merely just stood there, his back to her and his front facing Ganondorf's back.  
  
Other than his apparent condition, Zelda suddenly noticed something else that didn't look quite right.  
  
He didn't have the Master Sword...  
  
Before she allowed panic to get the best of her, she quickly took a closer look at Ganondorf to see if he regrettably had it. When all she saw was the back of his clothing, she took a few steps forward and squinted through the rain to get a better look.  
  
As she did so, she accidentally bumped into something, and whatever it was, fell to the floor with a clank. She looked down and there laying at her feet...was the Master Sword. It no longer looked like an ordinary sword either...it's blade was glowing with an iridescent light that couldn't have been nothing else but the surging power to repel evil!  
  
"He did it!" she thought proudly, knowing Link must have succeeded in restoring the legendary blade's power.  
  
Zelda reached down and firmly grasped it's hilt with one hand. She then had to use two hands to hold it up, quickly realizing how heavy the weapon was. She wondered how Link could even swing it without losing his balance, but she put that thought aside and started to slowly pace her way over to Link. The princess was still a little tired from the spell that was put on her, but eventually she got close enough so that both Link and Ganondorf were in hearing distance.  
  
By now, Ganondorf had halted his insane laughter, and remained quiet until he muttered something that Zelda couldn't make out. She was relieved he stopped his laughing since it was beginning to drive her nuts. Without even considering what she was doing, she opened her mouth and started to speak in a voice loud enough so the two men could hear her.  
  
"What the heck are you laughing at, Ganondorf?" she called while making a small laugh.  
  
The dark man didn't reply, or even move an inch, though she knew he had heard her question.  
  
Link, on the other hand, turned around as quick as his arm would let him, and he looked back to see her slowly approaching his side with his fallen blade.  
  
"Zelda!" he exclaimed, a relieved expression replacing his slightly tired one as he smiled to her. "You're alive!"  
  
"Of course I am. Why wouldn't I be?" she replied with a playful smile as she stopped right next to him.  
  
Link's smile widened a little upon hearing her tone of voice. She no longer sounded like the lost and quiet princess he had left behind back in the small chamber, and he could tell that she had somehow taken another turn in personality...this time for the better.  
  
Before the young hero could say anything else, Princess Zelda got a slightly dim but cheery expression and spoke.  
  
"I think it's time to say good-bye to this place." She stated half- hardily. She might have only been in Hyrule for a couple of days it seemed, but during that time she had somehow grown attached to the kingdom that she was destined to rule.  
  
But there was another world that she had a much better attachment  
with...  
  
"There's nothing left for us here." Zelda stated. "We must return to the world above. Back to our ocean!" She made another small smile at Link and held out the Master Sword to him as she added. "What say you?"  
  
Through his slightly squinted eyes, Link replied with a thankful smile  
of his own.  
  
"Yes..." he answered quietly. "...lets."  
  
Looking down at the legendary blade, he took his hand off his arm and reached out to reclaim his fallen blade from the young princess. As he grasped the blue hilt with both his hands, Zelda released her grip on it and looked back up at him from her own gaze on the sword.  
  
Holding the Master Sword in front of him, Link quickly looked back at Zelda and his eyes locked on to hers. His tired expression came back, but his smile remained as he stared into her blue eyes.  
  
"I'm glad you're ok." He whispered quietly, suddenly remembering how worried he was about her when he found out she was kidnapped.  
  
Zelda was a little speechless. For a while she stared back at him, unable to respond as she gazed into his dark green eyes. Eventually she snapped into it and spoke up.  
  
"You too..." she whispered.  
  
During this entire time, Ganondorf had remained eerily quiet, not even budging from his stand not too far away from the two youngsters. His silent period ended however, when he suddenly began to speak in a deep icy voice.  
  
"So...it's happening again..." he muttered.  
  
Upon hearing his sudden deep voice, Link and Zelda quickly straightened up and looked his direction, both somewhat baffled by his words.  
  
"Again...I am confronted by the two wielders of Wisdom and Courage." He stated, loud enough for both of them to hear. "Again...the fate of the world is resting on the outcome of one battle." He slowly looked to one side, hinting his intentions to have the next sentence be directed at the hero and princess without actually looking at them.  
  
"Unlike them, however..." he said coldly. "...you will not succeed in defeating me."  
  
Link and Zelda exchanged confused but slightly nervous glances for a brief moment before Link mustered up enough guts to turn and reply.  
  
"You must be blind, Ganondorf!" he stated sarcastically, lifting the shimmering Master Sword in front of him. "We have the one thing that can defeat you, if you haven't noticed."  
  
Ganon made a small humph.  
  
"You both really are fools." He mumbled, his back still turned. "If you think just a legendary sword will win you this fight..." he paused, before finishing. "...you are bigger idiots than I thought!"  
  
His comment angered the hero and princess a little for a short while, but the boy resisted the urge to charge at him, while Zelda just tried to ignore his comment.  
  
Ganondorf straightened his gaze forward before speaking up again.  
  
"If both of you are wishing for an early demise however..." he questioned with a little delight. "... far be it for me to stand in your way."  
  
From the view they had of his back, Link and Zelda now saw that the dark man was slowly lifting both of his heavily clothed arms, suspending his hands out to his side.  
  
"Allow me to show you...your future..." he said quietly, but loud enough so they could hear him.  
  
Link immediately tensed up. Gripping the Master Swords hilt even tighter, he slowly faced the evil man and placed himself in front of Zelda, a look of determination burning in his young eyes.  
  
With a quick motion of his hands, two long swords appeared in Ganondorf's extended palms, one in each hand.  
  
"...yes...allow me to show you...just what hope you have..." he continued, still keeping his back to them.  
  
Link planted his feet and readied his sword, sensing the anger the man was keeping in starting to build.  
  
With a brief yell of either anger or delight or maybe even both, Ganondorf quickly spun around to face the hero and princess, an evil smile mixed with fury shown clearly on his dark face.  
  
His evil smile widened upon seeing the two behind him ready for battle, and he quickly shouted in the most angry voice he could muster.  
  
"See how much your precious Triforce is worth!" 


	17. Fight for the Future

Disclaimer: Is it just me or this getting redundant...? Zelda, WW, and all related characters are and always will be copyright of Nintendo. Unless something happens that would make that untrue...which I hope never happens...O_o  
  
A/N: Bum bum bum! It all comes down to this! The final battle! Wheee! And boy is it a long one! Link does steal the spotlight in some spots during this chapter (and the next, but what did you expect really), but its nothing too big. It's still more focused on our princess just to let you know. And another warning...this chapter is ending on one seriously big cliffhanger, so prepare those ropes! (pun intended...I think...) Also, I did I guess what you would call a large change to how the battle is fought (believe me, you'll notice it immediately, however it does have most of the tactics used in the game). But like everything else, I have reasons that would make it somewhat true so it doesn't go against anything official. (it's a twist you might say...and I'm using too many parentheses aren't? .) Ok enough of my chatter. Let good versus evil commence! Enjoy!  
  
Chapter 16: Fight for the Future  
  
----------------------------------------------------  
  
The faint sound of distant thunder...  
  
Though it was small and hardly worth a second thought, the low sound caught the attention of some of the many people and creatures that lived upon the Great Sea. The number of people who actually paid any heed to the distant noise grew in a few short minutes however, as the once small clouds on the horizon soon grew in size and strength quicker than anyone thought a storm could grow.  
  
Rapidly, the wind picked up in all regions of the inhabited ocean. As it did so, it shuffled the leaves of an old tree that had a head carved into its base. On its face bore an expression of worry and despair...  
  
At a different island, a great red dragon roared into the quickly darkening sky, signaling to the island's inhabitants that doom was approaching...  
  
A young blond-headed girl looked on with great worry from the edge of an ocean bound ship, with several other men, short and tall, standing along side of her, each one baring the exact same expression...  
  
All the people who lived on the Great Sea watched with confusion as the dark clouds began to block out the sun's rays, casting black shadows over everything, even things that were near a source of light. In only a few minutes, everything grew dark and cold...  
  
The battle was about to begin...  
  
~ ~ ~  
  
As rain and mist soaked the three lone figures atop Ganon's Tower, the ancient kingdom of Hyrule slowly grew more and more aquatic. With each passing second, the once prosperous kingdom slipped even more under the slowly rising water, and if this went on long enough, the kingdom would soon be buried under the depths of the ocean along with anything and anyone that was unfortunate enough to still be in kingdom.  
  
The rain and mist was reminding Princess Zelda of how little time her and Link had to defeat Ganondorf. From her position behind the new hero, the nervous girl looked up into the pounding rain, peering at the slightly faded sunlight that shone down to them through the only spot on the sea that the sun pierced through.  
  
"Link." She whispered, inching a little bit closer to him. "We don't have much time before this whole place floods. We have to get this over with as quickly as possible." When she finished her sentence, Zelda looked over at the boy, expecting an answer.  
  
But all she got was nothing. Link was too focused on Ganondorf to even mutter a response, and looked more as if he was having a staring contest with the evil man than getting ready to fight him. Either that or he fell asleep while standing up.  
  
"Link, why are you not attacking him?" Zelda whispered, a little louder this time. She wasn't really a fighting expert, but she knew they couldn't defeat Ganon by staring at him! Every second mattered!  
  
Link responded this time, but not in a way that she thought. Instead of speaking, he made a small motion for her to be silent without turning his head, keeping his eyes locked on to Ganondorf as if he was expecting some sort of sneak attack.  
  
Zelda quickly hushed herself, and for a while nobody said or did anything except stare at one another.  
  
That is, until Ganondorf suddenly disappeared in a puff of purple smoke!  
  
Before Zelda even knew what had happened, she suddenly felt Link grab her arm and pull her into a run toward a random direction. It was a good thing to, because the spot they were previously standing on quickly erupted into a cloudy ball of shattered stone and rock! The resulting quake brought both Link and Zelda to the ground as the dust settled to reveal a big dent into the tower's top.  
  
"What j-just happened?!" Zelda stuttered with shock.  
  
Link once again didn't answer her verbally, and instead shot a look at Ganondorf who now stood at a completely different spot with one of his swords pointed at the piece of ground that exploded. A bit of smoke was trailing off the blade, as if the source of the explosion came directly from it.  
  
"Shoot!" Link thought. "He's much faster than I thought he was!" He lowered his gaze, trying not to let the hopelessness of the fight show as he added in his head. "This isn't good..."  
  
Ganondorf lowered his outstretched sword as a grin formed on his dark  
face.  
  
"I expected no less from the one chosen to replace the Hero of Time." He said in a somewhat deep voice.  
  
Link didn't look fazed by his statement and quickly got back on his feet while helping Zelda stand up also.  
  
"Ganondorf!" the boy called, sounding a little angry. "Your fight is with me! Leave Zelda out of this!"  
  
Both Zelda and Ganondorf gave a slightly surprised look at the young  
boy.  
  
"What?" Zelda questioned. "But I thought..."  
  
The dark fiend almost let out a laugh, then made a shrug.  
  
"Very well then, boy." He muttered. "I'll kill you first so the princess may watch you die a slow and painful death."  
  
Before Link could say anything back to him, Zelda quickly made herself known to the young boy.  
  
"Link, I thought we were both going to fight him." She said persistently. "If I could just-"  
  
"Zelda." he quickly responded, making her stop short and look at him. "This is a fierce opponent we're dealing with...and...I don't want you to get hurt. And besides..." he paused. "...if worse comes to worse, I've got some backup that will help out."  
  
"But Link..." she persisted, not quite getting his last statement.  
  
Before the boy could try and persuade her more, another loud cracking noise sounded through the air, grabbing both of their attention. Ganondorf had grown impatient with them already, and was beginning to unleash a whirl of tiny black and purple orbs of energy straight at them!  
  
Link reacted in time and used his new mirror shield to block the orbs before they could hit either one of them. As the energy balls bounced right off the shield's shiny surface and shoot toward a different direction, Link quickly looked back at Zelda.  
  
"Run!" he shouted over the loud bangs they were hearing from the  
blasts.  
  
Zelda spun around. "But Link!"  
  
"Go! Now!" he shouted again, this time adding a slight push with his  
free hand.  
  
That was enough to get Zelda moving as she reluctantly ran further away from him and Ganondorf. When she felt she was a safe distance away, she quickly spun back around to watch what was going to happen.  
  
When he felt Zelda was a good distance away from harm, Link grasped the Master Sword's hilt and listened intently for another one of Ganon's orbs to fly toward him. When he finally did, he quickly lowered his shield and timed it's impact. At the last possible moment, he slashed at the oncoming energy ball, which connected with his sword and went flying...straight back at Ganondorf!  
  
A bang resulted as the orb smacked right into the fiend's face, releasing a billow of purple smoke and dust that temporarily blocked Ganondorf's presence with a wall of debris.  
  
"Alright!" the princess of Hyrule called out loud. She'd be surprised if Ganondorf would still have a head after that backfire!  
  
Link also looked pretty pleased himself.  
  
As soon as the smoke cleared however, both of their expressions  
dropped.  
  
Ganondorf was still in tact and not a scratch was on him. Only an evil smile was left on his otherwise unharmed head. Not even his clothes got damaged!  
  
"I must say, you've got guts, boy." He said. "You're pulling the same stunt as the hero of old did many years ago." He paused in what appeared to be in thought before he continued. "It must be quite difficult for you to handle my magic so directly."  
  
"Tell you what, young so-called hero..." he said, lifting the two long swords at his side. "...I'll use no more spells or magic and we'll duel with the sword and soul." He grinned at the boy again and asked. "What say you?"  
  
Link hesitated a moment, thinking this was some sort of trick; but he found no obvious downside to the suggestion when he thought about it. He did have a fully powered Master Sword also. But what kind of advantage could Ganon possibly hope to gain from just using swords?  
  
Oh well...its Ganon's loss.  
  
"Alright. A fight with the sword it is." He replied. "But  
remember...no magic!"  
  
No one could see it but Princess Zelda made a frown from afar.  
  
"Oh yeah, like he'll keep his word..." she thought. "Don't fall  
for it, Link!"  
  
Ganondorf made a creepy smile.  
  
"Then let's get started...O Hero of Winds!"  
  
And with that, Ganondorf made a tremendous leap into the now pouring rain, flinging raindrops in every direction as he pointed both his swords downward in an attempt to drive them down into Link's skull.  
  
Luckily, Link rolled out of harms way in time and Ganon's sword's drilled straight into the stone floor, giving him enough time to sprint behind the man and slash at his open spot. Before he could do that however, Ganon took one of his hands, spun around, and swatted the boy away, leaving him enough time to get his swords free and charge straight at him!  
  
Link responded quickly yet again and took this opportunity to try an aerial attack. As Ganondorf came down with his swords, he leapt into the air high enough to get above his head and with a yell, Link brought his sword down toward the evil man's head!  
  
A clank suddenly sounded, and Zelda watched on with anxiousness. Ganon just lifted his two swords in a crisscross pattern, creating another block for Link's attack.  
  
Nether side was about to give up now though, and as soon as Link landed back on the wet floor, he prepared another attack for when Ganondorf had his shot at him.  
  
The two went at each other in this manner for a decent amount of time, exchanging attacks, trading blows, and pretty much canceling each other's attacks without any of them dealing any damage. As she watched, the Princess of Hyrule couldn't believe how evenly matched they were! But...something was puzzling her...  
  
"Why did Ganondorf want a plain old sword fight?" she wondered silently. "He knows that the Master Sword is the only sword that can defeat him, and with Link fighting him at the level he is, he should at least be a little worried about getting injured. So why...why is he continuing to duel with Link when they aren't even dealing each other any damage? What is his hoping for?"  
  
As she pondered this for a couple seconds while watching Link retaliate from a downward slash from the dark man, something caught her eye that perhaps only her and Ganondorf had seen.  
  
Link's reaction time to Ganon's attack wasn't as quick as usual and once he stopped moving for a moment, she could see that Link was breathing pretty rapidly.  
  
Suddenly, the princess knew what the fiend's plan was.  
  
"Link!" she hollered over the endless rain, grabbing his attention. "It's Ganondorf! He's trying to tire you out until you make a mistake!"  
  
Upon hearing this, the young hero took one look at the evil man and performed a back flip to create some distance between them. He glared at the man and tensed back up when another creepy grin formed on his opponents face.  
  
"She's right you know." Ganon said, his tone making it sound like it was too obvious. He lowered his swords and the fight seemed to halt for a time; at least until he made his point.  
  
"It was a mistake to allow yourself to become a hero, boy." He said grinning. "You may have some slight skill in the ways of the sword...but without the strength of the body, you will only end up exhausting yourself until you have nothing left to give." He made a snicker and turned his palms up while still holding his weapons to catch a couple of the raindrops. "As you can see, your precious kingdom is already doomed. So why fight a battle you know is for nothing?"  
  
Link just straightened up and took this time to take a breather.  
  
"You're wrong, Ganondorf." He retaliated. "This fight is to ensure a future of peace and happiness; one that does not have suffering and pain." He pointed his glowing sword at him. "By removing you and anything else like you from the picture, such a future can be made possible! And if you think I'm going to give up...your dead wrong!" He lowered his head to emphasis his seriousness and added. "I'll NEVER give up!"  
  
"Tell him, Link!" Zelda cheered quietly, making sure not to draw too much attention to herself.  
  
Ganondorf must have had a deep hatred for stubbornness, and anger quickly started to show in his eyes.  
  
"You are just a mere child!" he shouted, his grip tightening on his sword's hilts. "Your title means nothing! You may have the legendary blade of evil's bane, but that alone will never be enough to defeat me!"  
  
"Say what you want!" Link retorted. "I will not rest until you are defeated, once and for all!"  
  
With his anger now even more fueled, Ganondorf got a burst of energy and charged straight at Link faster than the eye could see!  
  
Link almost didn't react in time, but luckily his reflexes took control and he inadvertently lifted the Master Sword horizontally. Ganon's two long sword's came down on the shimmering blade, resulting in a loud clank that echoed throughout the flooding kingdom. They then started to tremble as Ganondorf added more force to try and drive the blades down on Link's head.  
  
The hero used all the strength he could muster to keep the sword's from reaching his skull and he tightened his grip even harder when the added pressure started to make his wrist sore. To add more strength to his sword, he took his mirror shield in his right hand and held it in front of his bending form. He pushed it against the Master Sword and added more resistance to Ganondorf's twin blades, thus making it easier for him to keep them away from his head.  
  
"Face it, boy!" Ganondorf said through gritted teeth. "You, along with everything else you hold dear will fall under the darkness I've already cast! Surrender now, and I just might consider letting you and your pathetic princess live."  
  
Link's eyes narrowed through his tensed expression.  
  
"Never..." he spat quietly.  
  
Ganondorf kept his red eyes locked onto the young boy's face as he grew more and more annoyed with his determination. They stayed like that for a couple more seconds, frozen as if time just halted its never-ending flow.  
  
Before the moment lingered too long however, Ganondorf suddenly eased the added force on his blade, and took half a step back as if something just struck his mind that he never thought of before. He lowered his head as his two blades rested at his sides, his face unseen to Link. He remained erringly quiet during the whole scene and soon nothing could be heard except the rain and light thunder.  
  
Finding his behavior somewhat odd, Link lowered his shield and the Master Sword and looked at him with a confused face. Did he finally get the hint?  
  
Zelda thought Ganon's actions were puzzling as well.  
  
...almost too puzzling...  
  
"What is he doing? He's just standing there like an idiot, wide open for attack." She thought. "...what is he up to..."  
  
Suddenly, even from her spot some distance away, Zelda caught the faintest hint of Ganondorf snickering under his shadowed face. She quickly tensed up.  
  
"LINK! LOOK OUT!"  
  
...but she wasn't quick enough...  
  
Before the boy could figure out what she was talking about, he suddenly felt a coursing pain run through his stomach, forcing him to cry out and tighten his eyes shut in agony. He felt the rest of his body fly backwards from the force that came with the sneak attack and he tumbled on the wet stone flooring before skidding to a halt in a large puddle of water.  
  
Zelda put a hand over her mouth as she watched Ganondorf retract his extended foot and start to walking over to the boy's figure, who was now laying on his side and holding his stomach with the hand that use to wield his shield.  
  
As the King of Evil reached the small hero, he looked down at him with a half evil half pitiful look on his face.  
  
"I tried to warn you, foolish boy..." he muttered, as Link made a couple quiet moans. Standing next to his body, the man pulled back his foot and kicked the boy hard in the back, sending him on another short flight across the waterlogged battlefield.  
  
This time, Link's scream was even louder and landed hard on his side before coming to a halt. He lost his grip on the Master Sword upon impact, and it fell to the ground about a foot away from his head.  
  
"No! Link!" Zelda called as she watched him lay on the cold, wet ground, panting and trying to tolerate the aching in his back and stomach. With him unable to fight back and with Ganondorf walking toward him again, she couldn't help but fear for his life and she began to run toward him, anxious to get there before Ganondorf did.  
  
"Hold on, Link! I'm coming!" she called as she quickly closed the gap between herself and his sprawled body.  
  
Just when she was about to reach him however, a sword planted itself in between her and Link and she skidded to a halt on the slippery ground. She froze as she looked up to see that Ganondorf had beaten her.  
  
"You stay out of this!" he quickly said. Lifting the sword he used to stop her with, he turned the sword on its dull end and hit her right across her body, sending her back to where she was previously.  
  
Princess Zelda yelled a little as she hurdled through the air and landed on her side with a small splash, a little bruised, but mostly unharmed.  
  
With her out of the way, Link was left wide open for Ganondorf to do anything his black heart desired, and so he took the same sword he used against Zelda and pointed it down at the young hero.  
  
"This is the end, boy..." he said in a deep evil voice that could only be his. "This was over before it even started, and now..." he paused and formed an evil smile. "...you will die here..."  
  
Link managed to open his eyes and squinted up at him, completely helpless to do anything because his body still hadn't recovered from the man's sneak attack. He could only watch as Ganondorf began to pull a stunt that Link was all too familiar with.  
  
The fiend slowly started to lift one of his swords, raindrops trickling off its sharp blade as if it was drooling for the taste of first blood.  
  
Link tried to move, for he knew what the man was planning to do with that weapon. When he did however, he was suddenly overcome by a stinging feeling which crippled him into not moving.  
  
With his sword now fully over his head, Ganon made another sneer at the young boy in green and slowly uttered the words...  
  
"Farewell...foolish boy."  
  
Link quickly tightened his eyes shut as Ganon started to bring his sword down, expecting extreme pain to follow.  
  
But instead of feeling pain, he suddenly heard a familiar zing, followed by a yell and a resulting flash of light that filled his black vision!  
  
Immediately, Link opened his eyes, which widened with surprise once he saw what was before him.  
  
Ganondorf no longer had his sword raised and instead his form was arched back with these small yellow streams of what looked like lightning running all over his body. Not an inch of him was moving except for whatever moved slightly when he breathed. Whatever hit him had put some sort of paralyzing effect on him.  
  
Link knew that he couldn't have done that by accident. In fact, he had seen that form of attack before and it required the use of his bow and arrow.  
  
Suddenly finding the strength to prop himself up, his eyes quickly trailed around the arena, looking for the only other person that could have pulled a stunt like that.  
  
Finally, he spotted her. Standing some distance away with a notched arrow that had its tip glowing, along with a bow aimed right at Ganondorf...was Zelda. She had secretly taken Link's bow and arrows when he wasn't looking, and now she was finally helping out like she wanted to in the first place.  
  
"That was for hitting me earlier!" she shouted, before glancing over to Link. "Quick!" she hollered. "Hit him now while he's stunned!"  
  
"Right!" Link called back. Suddenly finding the energy in him returning, he quickly got to his feet while grabbing the Master Sword off the ground. With one burst of energy, the hero charged straight at the still paralyzed Ganondorf, intent on giving him serious payback for pulling a sneak attack on him.  
  
As Link pulled back and swung the Master Sword over his head, the paralyzing effects on Ganondorf grew weaker, giving the evil king enough time to sidestep out of the way before the Master Sword sliced open his side. However, his movement was slow since the paralysis was not fully gone and the legendary blade singed his heavily-clothed right arm, cutting through the tough fabric like it was butter and forming a decent cut on his left arm.  
  
Link quickly spun around to face his opponent, observing him as the last bit of paralysis wore off. He was staring at his new wound, which by now was showing only the faintest trace of blood.  
  
"You will pay for that!" Ganondorf suddenly yelled as he spun around and lunged straight at Link!  
  
The young hero held up his sword to block, but again, another bright flash occurred and Ganondorf suddenly stopped dead in his tracks. Zelda had shot another what she called a Light arrow before the fiend reached the boy, giving Link yet another chance to get a hit in.  
  
And hit he did, for as soon as he could see again, the Hero of Winds took advantage of Ganon's open front and charged toward his bent form. He leapt through the air and did one large thrust toward Ganondorf's shoulder, deeply cutting it and even causing the fiend to let out a yell!  
  
"Alright!" cheered Zelda. "A couple more of those and he'll be history in no time!" Immediately, she prepared another arrow, in case Ganon went on another rampage. Quite frankly, she wasn't sure what kind of effect these shining arrows would have on the evil king, but she figured Link wouldn't carry around glowing arrows just because they were pretty and knew they had some sort of usefulness. Besides, who knew she had such good aim, and now that she knew they paralyzed evil itself, she wasn't going to let them go to waste!  
  
Ganondorf had already recovered from both the paralysis and the injury, and was now steaming mad that the two runts were suddenly gaining the upper hand. He may have been the King of Evil, but even he could not divide his attention between two separate targets.  
  
The man shot a furious look at Link, and then at Zelda, once the princess suddenly started to speak.  
  
"Not what you expected, ay Ganondorf?" she said with a sneaky smile. "You may have more stamina and speed than we do, but with both of us working together, your not even able to fight back!"  
  
Ganondorf was now even more raged than he was before, and his fists tightened more over the handles of his twin blades.  
  
"Silence, you pathetic child!" he shouted over to her. "You may outnumber me two to one, but both of you are still no match for my superior skill and might!"  
  
Almost right after he said this, he heard a small laugh from behind him and quickly glared back at the owner.  
  
"I guess those two hits from the Light arrows didn't give you a good enough hint." Link said. "Just how do you plan to fight me, and at the same time dodge Zelda's shots, huh?" he finished, giving a look at Ganondorf that demanded an answer.  
  
His smirk quickly faded however, when the King of Evil made a sneaky grin of his own instead of an angry one that he expected.  
  
Zelda didn't like that look either, and watched as the heavily clothed villain shook his head.  
  
"You two cannot even begin to comprehend the full extend of my abilities." he stated deeply. "Just because you've managed to give me only superficial wounds, does not mean that you can claim victory. This fight has only just begun..."  
  
"Then why don't we just cut the talk and finish this already?!" called an impatient Zelda.  
  
The man slowly glanced over at her. "As you wish...  
  
...dear princess!"  
  
Suddenly, Ganondorf disappeared!  
  
Link and Zelda quickly tensed up with cautious and shock. They quickly scanned the soaked battlefield for any sign of the dark fiend, but not a trace of him remained except the bit of water that splashed up when he vanished.  
  
Suddenly, Link shouted over the loud pouring rain!  
  
"ZELDA! LOOK OUT!"  
  
Zelda quickly spun around in all directions to try and see what to look out for, and she inadvertently looked up, only to find Ganondorf dropping out of the sky toward where she was standing, swords first!  
  
Without even thinking, she sprinted in a random direction with only one thought in her mind, and that was to get out of the way! Luckily she noticed him in time, and she managed to slip out of range before Ganon landed and drilled his swords into the ground, rather than her skull.  
  
Zelda didn't stop running. She knew she had to get a good distance away from him in order to properly use the Light arrows, and though she may have gotten most of her bold attitude back, she was still a little frightened by this man's power and abilities.  
  
"Curse these heels!" she thought, suddenly finding it hard to run in them. When she finally thought she was a good enough distance away from him, Zelda quickly stopped and turned around to confirm Ganondorf's whereabouts.  
  
Instead of finding him where she previously was however, she found him soaring through air as if he was flying, right toward her!  
  
She gasped in horror and quickly spun back around to run away again. But this time, the slippery ground caused her to stumble and trip right over the hem of her long dress, making her fall to the ground and land in a large puddle with a splash.  
  
Immediately she propped herself up and tried to scramble back to her feet to continue her run, but suddenly found that she couldn't move forward. Something was suddenly keeping her pinned to the ground by the tip of her dress! She quickly looked behind her and saw that Ganondorf was stepping on it with one of his feet, a large frown crossing his dark face.  
  
"You can't keep running away from me, princess." he muttered with annoyance. He quickly raised one of his long swords and said. "This will teach you not to interfere with my reign!"  
  
Princess Zelda quickly shut her eyes as Ganondorf brought his blade down, only for it to be met by the Master Sword!  
  
Both Ganondorf and Zelda quickly looked over to Link, as the boy used all his might to keep the sword from coming down on the princess. The Hero of Winds did a mighty push to the sword to get Ganon's foot off her dress and then shouted to her.  
  
"Run!" he said.  
  
Without even hesitating, the young girl scrambled out of the way, giving Link and Ganondorf more space to fight. Once she was out of the way, Link took the opportunity to try and get another hit in. Rolling to one side, the boy hero made a mighty slash to Ganondorf's left flank, making a huge cut along the fiend's side!  
  
The boy jumped back as Ganondorf flailed his head and let out a painful yell, swinging his swords about and flinging water in every direction. When he finally stopped, the man quickly turned to face the boy.  
  
"You will regret doing that, boy!" he shouted.  
  
Link crouched a little to get ready for an oncoming attack. But Ganondorf didn't lunge at him like he expected...  
  
...instead, he turned back around and jumped high into air, landing exactly in the middle of the arena and far away from both Link and Princess Zelda.  
  
"What's he doing?" Zelda wondered. She watched with curiosity from her spot not too far from Link, slowly preparing another arrow in case the King of Evil was about to pull a fast one on them.  
  
But what happened next was something both Link and Zelda didn't expect  
at all.  
  
Ganondorf took both his blades and held them horizontally in mid-air, pointing them directly at Link. The tips of the swords then suddenly began to glow with this strange blue aura, which quickly wrapped itself over the entire blade and even Ganondorf's hands.  
  
Link and Zelda's eyes went large, when they suddenly realized what he was about to do.  
  
Before either of them could do anything, the blue glow churned greatly and a large beam of white magic shot right out of the blades themselves, cutting through the air and rain like it was nothing! The loud sound it was making as it flew through the air was enough to wake up the dead, and the ground beneath it literally crumbled in its wake!  
  
And it was heading straight for Link.  
  
The boy didn't know what to do to counter this sort of attack, and his first instinct was to try and block it somehow. In a split second, he raised his mirror shield and planted his feet for impact, right before the blast rammed itself into him!  
  
With a bang, the beam crashed into his shield, exploding on contact and flinging dust and smoke in all the directions. The tremendous force not only threw dust everywhere, but it was also so great that Link couldn't keep his footing! The strength of the blast was too much for the boy to hold back and he was immediately launched backwards and hurled through the air like a rag doll.  
  
"Link!" Zelda cried as she watched him land right on his side and bounce a couple of times before he stopped.  
  
He remained still for a short while, but didn't stay down long and slowly started to stand back up. But...as soon as he did, another large energy ball came careening toward him again; and this time, it was too late for him to block!  
  
This one wasn't aimed well however and it blew up right next to him instead of directly on top of him. But the explosion itself was still enough to knock Link off his feet and he flew sideways through the air, landing even further away from where he was previously. He suddenly felt pain shoot through his tiny body and he cried out in agony, hoping it would stop.  
  
"Stop it!" the princess shouted. "That's enough! He can't fight back!" she shouted, more so to Ganondorf than to herself.  
  
The man ignored her pleas and charged up another ball of magic, which he fired again at the young hero before he could even retaliate. The beam hit the ground in front Link this time and he was sent straight up into the air before landing hard on his back not too far from Zelda.  
  
"NO!" the princess cried.  
  
Link was now even more battered and bruised than he was before. But despite his slight burns and scrapes, he somehow got back on his feet; just in time to see yet another white beam coming at him, this one aimed to perfection and intent on ending his life in one big bang! His eyes grew huge and his body stiffened as the beams bright glow suddenly engulfed his vision.  
  
He could feel immense heat coming from the blast as it just about reached his face, forcing his mouth to open wide with shock.  
  
But...just when the hero thought for sure he would die...when everything around him went completely white...he faintly heard a voice cry over the loud noise of the oncoming blast.  
  
"LINK!!!"  
  
...and that was the last thing he heard before everything went  
white... 


	18. Beginning of the End

Disclaimer: Still don't own Wind Waker, Zelda, or anything related to it, darn it! *glares at lawyers* You are shortening my life by the minute...you do know that, right? *lawyers sip tea* ...*growls* ...dorks...  
  
A/N: It's part two of the final battle with Ganondorf! Oh my! And who knew it would turn out to be so long! Heh, sorry I left it at a cliffhanger, but don't fret...cliffhangers build character! ...at least I think it does ^_^; I hope none of you get mad at me for what I had happen in this chapter. And if you do, get over it *laughs*. Aw just kidding. Ok, I'll stop chewing on your ear now...Enjoy!  
  
Chapter 17: Beginning of the End  
  
-------------------------------------------------  
  
"LOOK OUT!!!"  
  
Over the pouring rain and slight thunder, Princess Zelda's voice was heard, echoing across the flooding kingdom and splitting through the large streams of water that poured out of the ocean sky.  
  
The Hero of Winds didn't even get a chance to react, as a magical blast of explosive energy came careening toward him at such a blinding speed, it was virtually impossible to dodge. He watched with terrified eyes as it drew closer to him, knowing for sure that one hit could end his life in a matter of minutes. He could do nothing however, except watch the ball of doom get closer and closer with every second.  
  
Finally, knowing that it was all going to be over very shortly, the terrified boy shut his eyes tight and merely waited for the end as his vision went pure white and heat fell upon his face.  
  
But suddenly...his white vision turned a deep grey and he quickly felt his body lurch sideways. Before he even could open his eyes, Link hit the stone floor on his back, briefly rendering him unconscious from the sudden blow to the head, and also knocking him straight out of the beams path!  
  
In only a few seconds time, the white ball of energy zoomed passed the boy in green...and disappeared into the distance.  
  
Only the sound of the rain followed...  
  
It wasn't too long afterwards before Link managed to regain his conscious and train of thought. Still keeping his eyes shut to tolerate the ache he now had gotten from his sudden fall to the ground, he tried to piece together what had happened, while the rest of him recovered from shock.  
  
He was pretty surprised that he was still gripping his shield and the Master Sword, and also the fact that he was still in one piece was enough good news for the boy. But what exactly did happen that kept him alive?  
  
"W...what...happened?" the young hero thought silently.  
  
He couldn't quite remember, knowing he had been too scared to do anything during that last second. And plus, he had his eyes shut, so he couldn't see what had happened either. He only remembered one thing...and that was...  
  
"Oh no...Zelda!" He suddenly remembered hearing her call out before the blast nearly collided with him!  
  
The feeling in Link's body quickly returned, and he instantly felt something's weight partially on top of his chest. His eyes shot open, suddenly fearing what was laying on him.  
  
What he first laid eyes on quickly made his breath catch in his throat...  
  
Lying motionless partially on top of his sprawled body with her head and one arm slung across his chest...was Zelda.  
  
"Zelda!" Link called out loud. He immediately dropped his hold on his sword and shield and quickly but carefully sat both him and Zelda up, suddenly figuring out what had happened in that split second before the blast collided with him.  
  
Princess Zelda had shoved him out of the blasts path, but must have only gotten partially out of the way herself and possibly hit by the blast as it flew by. In that quick instant, she had risked her own safety...just so he could live.  
  
It was now, after realizing what had happened, that Link noticed how badly injured Zelda was. Her back was covered with burns and small cuts, obvious that the beam had left it mark on the princess as it sliced by them. Blood was seeping out of the small cut areas on her dress, possibly causing her pain and feel weak if she was not unconscious.  
  
Link could tell that she was still conscious though, for she was gripping the front of his tunic very tightly in possible agony. He could feel her chest that was against his panting heavily as well, along with the sound of her rapid breathing on his arm. It was very clear to the young hero that she was in a lot of pain.  
  
The boy quickly grew very worried, and took hold of her shoulders while being careful not to touch any of her wounds. He gently tried to move her from his arm, lowering her across his chest until she lay over his lap. Cradling her head in one arm, he peered down into her tightly closed eyes, quickly seeing how much pain the girl was tolerating without falling unconscious.  
  
"Zelda..." he whispered to her, hoping she could still hear him.  
  
The hurting princess merely continued to breath heavily, showing no signs of even remotely hearing his words.  
  
Link could barely tolerate what he was seeing. He may have seen pain and suffering before...many times in fact; but nothing was comparing to the horrible feeling he was getting from seeing someone like Zelda suffer in his place.  
  
The poor boy couldn't take it anymore after a short while however, knowing she had risked her own safety and was now hurt because of him. He suddenly felt very guilty and closed his eyes, hanging his head until it touched Zelda's forehead. Immediately he began to secretly apologize to her, for being a coward at the worse possible moment.  
  
From his stand some feet away behind them, Ganondorf watched with unchanging eyes the scene that was unfolding before him. Though it wasn't showing in his face, he was secretly enjoying watching this boy suffer from the princess' noble sacrifice; and to make it even worst for the Hero of Winds, he suddenly starting speaking to him with his usual low and icy voice.  
  
"Now do you see, boy..." he uttered loud enough for him to hear. "This...all of this is what you get from taking on such a task as protecting the Triforce. Pain...suffering...that is what a hero is rewarded with for his trails and hardships." He paused and narrowed his red eyes. "Now you should know how foolish it was to even think of challenging me."  
  
Knowing that the boy could hear him but unsure if he was listening, the evil man slowly started to pace toward the two youngsters and added. "Why not save yourself the torture of continuing this losing battle...and give up."  
  
Link didn't respond to him and merely kept his head low in thought. He suddenly didn't know what to do...should he listen to Ganondorf and give up on everything he hoped to save? Or should he continue to fight a battle that he wasn't sure he could win now?  
  
"...L...Link..."  
  
Link quickly reopened his eyes and removed his head atop Zelda's. He looked down to find that her eyes were now slowly beginning to open, and a relieved expression quickly formed on his face when her tired gaze were peering back up into his.  
  
Ganondorf must have noticed the boy's sudden change in mood, since he suddenly stopped in his tracks to observe what was happening.  
  
Somehow managing to stay awake, the wounded Zelda spoke to the young hero in a quiet and weak sounding voice.  
  
"A-are...you alright..." she asked weakly in between breaths.  
  
Link's eyes grew soft upon hearing her concerned words, and a relieved but still worried smile formed on his face as he nodded.  
  
"Thanks to you, I am..." he replied sweetly.  
  
The wounded princess managed to make a small smile back to him. She had to strain to hear him, since her hearing had diminished from being so close to the screeching beam of energy; but never the less, she was glad she had kept him from getting injured or possibly killed, even if it meant the loss of her hearing.  
  
Not staying in the moment too long however, Zelda quickly had to close her eyes back up, suddenly feeling a sharp pain run through her greatly injured back.  
  
Upon seeing her cringe, Link held her closer to his chest, hoping he could minimize her hurting just by being nearer to her.  
  
In response to his gentle hold, Zelda buried her head further into his tunic, while still breathing in short quick gasps. She tightened her hold on his shirt, in hopes of letting him know that his presence by her side was all that was keeping her from falling unconscious.  
  
Ganondorf couldn't help but make a disgusted snicker at the young hero and princess.  
  
"How pathetic..." he mumbled out loud. "You really are a hopeless child if you think she will live through this fight. Why don't you save yourself the misery and accept her defeat, as well as your own."  
  
"D-don't...listen...to him." Zelda quietly commanded, keeping her head buried in Link's chest. "You...can still...win this. Even if..." she paused.  
  
"...even if...I'm not there...to help you..."  
  
Link lifted his head a little more after hearing Zelda say this. The most fearful look then quickly entered his eyes as he peered down at her moist face.  
  
"No..." he replied while shaking his head. "You're...you're not going to die. You...you can't die!" Without even realizing what he was doing, the boy reached over and lightly slipped his hand into hers, and added. "...I won't let you..."  
  
At first, Princess Zelda didn't respond.  
  
But after only a few short moments passed, Link quickly felt Zelda's hand weakly squeeze his in return.  
  
It wasn't until now, did Link suddenly remember what he had been saving as a last resort.  
  
The boy didn't waste another second as he carefully shuffled his position a little and reach behind his back.  
  
"Hold on, Zelda..." he said as he rummaged around for something. "You're going to be alright. Just hold on for a few more seconds." Just when he finished his sentence, he found what he was looking for and pulled it out from behind him.  
  
It was a shiny glass bottle...and it had a familiar glowing object floating about inside it.  
  
Link peered through the glass, knowing that the glowing fairy inside this bottle would be able to heal Zelda back to full health, if she could just hang on for a couple more minutes. But he also knew that it was the only thing he had with him that could do such miracles, and if he used it now, he would have nothing to heal himself with during the remaining portion of the fight.  
  
But Link didn't care about any of that. Right now, his only thought was to get Zelda healed as quickly as possible.  
  
"...if worse comes to worse." He quoted to himself as he bit down on the bottle's cork and yanked it off with his teeth. He spat the cork aside and watched, as the small glittering fairy emerged and floated up to his face, casting a warm glow upon his anxious face.  
  
"Please..." he quickly said to the winged fairy as he put away the bottle and gently lifted Zelda head up. "...heal my friend...and hurry!"  
  
The fairy made a smile and did a quick nod before it swiftly flew over to Zelda's face. It peered at her for a brief moment, then began to flutter about her head, sprinkling small bits of light onto her face and hair. It went on to the rest of her body and quickly made a couple circles over her form, all the while shedding sparkles of light onto her.  
  
After a couple of seconds of doing Link's request, the fairy flew back over to the hero and hovered in front of his nose, signaling to him that its task was complete.  
  
"Thank you." Link said with a relieved smile.  
  
The fairy made another smile back, and with a gesture from its small wand, it quickly vanished into the thin but humid air.  
  
When it had disappeared, Link immediately turned back to examine Zelda. She no longer had any cuts, blood, or injuries on her back, but her dress was still torn in some spots since a fairy couldn't heal clothing. When he saw that the injuries were gone, he looked over and peered into her face, which now had a soft peaceful look to it.  
  
"Zelda?" he whispered with earnest.  
  
He saw her eyelids barely twitch after a few seconds, and soon, they slowly fluttered open to reveal her still and tired blue eyes.  
  
The most joyous expression formed on Link's face as she took a couple deep breaths, staring at nothing in particular while blinking to adjust her blurry vision and to keep the raindrops from getting in her eyes. Then her blue eyes slowly peered up at Link's face that nearly hung right over her own.  
  
"Link." she quietly called with joy, while still sounding tired. She then peered around at their surroundings, obviously still trying to regain her senses from her very painful experience.  
  
Quickly finding her strength returning, the young princess slowly began to sit up, while still being held and supported by Link. As he helped her get into a sitting position, she looked herself over, confused by how there wasn't a scratch on her.  
  
"What...happened? How did I...?" she began to question, unable to finish her sentence from confusion. She couldn't really remember anything; not even what she had said while she was still conscious.  
  
Link didn't want her to feel frightened for any reason, and calmly placed his free hand back on top of hers.  
  
"It's alright." He reassured her. "You're healed now. And that's really all that matters."  
  
She looked up at him. Then her eyes trailed down to his hand resting on top if hers.  
  
"I'm glad you're ok." Link suddenly whispered.  
  
Zelda just stared at his hand for a couple seconds more, before lifting her head to greet his sincere smile. She wasn't sure how she managed to come out completely unharmed after an ordeal like the one she was in; but despite her slight confusion, she remained calm, as she quickly found herself staring straight back into the boy's eyes, unable to remove her gaze from them.  
  
Then, out of the corner of her eye, Zelda quickly saw something move and shimmer behind Link's back...  
  
She turned her head...and her expression instantly turned into pure horror...  
  
...when she saw Ganondorf standing right behind Link...with one of his swords right above his head.  
  
"Link!" she shouted.  
  
Realizing he had been spotted, Ganon quickly brought his sword down before he allowed Link anytime to react!  
  
CLANK!  
  
Ganon's eyes went wide with surprise when he suddenly saw the Master Sword underneath his blade instead of the hero's head. He looked down even further to find Link using only one hand to hold his sword, and the other on the ground to keep himself from falling on an equally surprised Zelda.  
  
And on his face...was the most angriest look he had ever seen.  
  
Before Ganondorf even recovered from his stunned state, Link quickly put all his might into his sword and pushed as hard as he could, shoving the King of Evil back far enough from him to get back on his feet. Almost the second his boots touched the ground, the young hero charged straight at the man, suddenly unleashing a volley of sword slashes at such a speed, that Ganondorf quickly found himself having trouble blocking all of them!  
  
"How did this kid get so fast!" he wondered through gritted teeth as he blocked wave after wave of attacks from the Hero of Winds. This boy had suddenly gotten faster than he was when he was at full health. How did he get so fast in such a short amount of time?  
  
The evil man had little time to ponder an answer, as Link didn't halt his barrage of quick attacks on him, forcing him to keep his attention on blocking rather than thinking.  
  
As Link kept dishing out attacks for Ganon to munch on, Princess Zelda watched from her new stand a good distance away. She had already moved out of the way even before Link started his attack, and now that she was far away from them, she took a brief moment to gather her thoughts.  
  
The fact that she was alive was still a shock to her, since she couldn't find any obvious explanation for her having only a slightly torn dress instead of pain running all through her body. Her mind was lingering on the verge of unconsciousness just a little while ago, and because it was, she barely had any memory of what Link had done to save her. All she remembered clearly, was the seer pain she was in, and the next moment, complete relief.  
  
Wishing she could have heard his words clearly, the princess held her hands up to her chest, knowing he had stayed by her side even with Ganondorf's presence still near.  
  
"I don't know what you did to heal me, Link..." she whispered to the boy out of hearing range. "...but...thank you..."  
  
Now hearing loud battle cries coming from the two fighters, she quickly got out of her thoughts, knowing that she still had a part to play in this fight.  
  
Immediately, the princess began to scan the battlefield in search of the bow and arrows she had purposely dropped before her attempt to save Link. As she did so, her eyes inadvertently fell upon the kingdom below her, which not surprisingly was still flooding.  
  
She was, however, surprised to find that the whole place wasn't underwater by now. But if you couldn't call it underwater yet, then you could say it was close to it. Hyrule Castle was already at least halfway underwater, along with everything else that was lower than the tall and mighty structure itself.  
  
"We don't have much time left." She thought to herself. "We have to get this over with quick, or else no one will get out of here alive!"  
  
Almost immediately after she thought this, her eyes fell upon what she was looking for. The bow and the handful of arrows were right were she dropped them not too far away, and she started to sprint toward them without another moments waste.  
  
She bent down to pick up the fallen weapon, when suddenly, she heard this loud noise echo throughout the whole kingdom, forcing her head to look straight up into the watery sky.  
  
The noise was enough to even get Ganondorf and Link's attention, and the two men suddenly paused their fight to look up at what was causing the noise.  
  
One gigantic waterfall after another suddenly came pouring out of the sky, luckily not falling on the top of the tower and instead submerging the outskirts. Large streams of it however, splashed its way across the battlefield, making the place more aquatic and scattering a thin layer of water all across the ground.  
  
In a matter of seconds, a wall of water had surrounded the battlefield, blocking all possible escape paths...  
  
"No!" Zelda called in horror. Without access to the castle, or even to the inside of Ganon's Tower, her and Link couldn't escape from this soon to be forgotten kingdom!  
  
Link must have been aware of this as well, since he looked on with worried eyes too.  
  
This was a very bad mistake however, and Link suddenly knew he had left himself open for way too long. But by the time he looked in Ganondorf's direction, it was already too late...  
  
The young hero suddenly screamed in pain as the King of Evil gave him a huge cut right along the arm, forming a huge gash and luckily not slicing it clean off. The man had not removed his arm intentionally though, since he wanted to see the boy suffer as much as possible.  
  
Link quickly started to breath rapidly as he endured the excruciating pain his right arm was in. But even with the sudden and possibly fatal injury, the boy showed no sign of wanting to back down, and he suddenly leapt at Ganondorf, ignoring the pain and yelling the whole way to show how determined he was to defeat him!  
  
Ganondorf once again blocked, and he and Link went into another slashing spree of attacking and blocking, just like they had been doing ever since the start of the fight.  
  
Link's scream had already gotten Zelda's attention back and it quickly reminded her of what she was suppose to be doing.  
  
Immediately she took out an arrow and notched it into the bow, which suddenly made the tip of the yellow arrow begin to shine. She looked back to the two fighters, aimed it at the taller fighter, and prepared to fire it. When Link took a leap backwards out of the way, she released her hold on the string and the Light arrow went soaring toward its intended target.  
  
...but instead of hitting its target, the arrow swiftly flew right pass Ganondorf while he was in mid-air, just before she thought it was about hit him...  
  
The fiend landed back to the ground and quickly resumed the fight with the hero, who shot a quick look at Zelda that could have said "You missed?!" Of course he threw his attention back to the fight once Ganondorf resumed the battle and attacked as if nothing had happened.  
  
"Shoot!" Zelda growled. She could not believe she had missed such a large target. Blaming her miss on the short amount of time she had to practice using such a weapon, she quickly prepared another Light arrow, and this time, she made sure that her aim was perfect.  
  
Knowing this time she wouldn't miss, she released the arrow and it quckly followed a flight path that had the King of Evil right in the way.  
  
But once again, it missed its intended target...only this time, it was very obvious that Ganondorf had dodged it...while still fighting Link!  
  
"What the-" the princess thought, cutting herself off in the middle of her sentence. "He...he dodged it? While fighting Link?!" She paused in wonder, and narrowed her eyes as she watched Ganondorf deal another blow to Link's raised shield, which he immediately countered once he got his balance.  
  
Hoping she still just had bad aim however, she decided to try one more time and see if she could hit him while he was most distracted. Notching another arrow while observing the fight, she aimed at Ganondorf and waited until he looked like he was about to attack.  
  
It didn't take long before she saw Ganondorf attempt a downward slash at Link, and she quickly fired. The Light arrow pierced through the rain and it looked as if it wasn't going to miss its target this time.  
  
But Princess Zelda's hope was dashed to pieces yet again, when Ganondorf literally halted his sword in mid-air, and leapt backwards, well out of the way of the Light arrow as it merely passed in front of his nose.  
  
"Oh no...this...this isn't good!" Zelda thought. She was either getting worse aim by the second...or it was becoming very obvious that Ganondorf was getting harder and harder to defeat...  
  
"Link!" she called out, hesitating a little since she really didn't want to distract him. Even when he didn't look at her, she continued. "Something is wrong! I can't hit him!"  
  
Both of the fighters heard this, and Ganondorf made yet another big leap backwards, as did Link. The two stood away from each other and neither made any motions to show they were about to attack.  
  
As he glared at the evil man while making a couple deep breaths, Link listened intently to the rest of Zelda's call.  
  
"He's somehow gotten more powerful!" she continued. "I don't know how, but he's now able to dodge my shots and at the same time fight you without any interruption!"  
  
Link narrowed his eyes as the dark fiend made a snicker. Oh sure, he knew that Ganondorf could dodge anything if his attention was on it; but how could he know when to dodge while keeping his mind on fighting?  
  
The King of Evil must have somehow read his thoughts.  
  
"Don't look so surprised, boy." He said, snapping the hero out of his thoughts. He lifted his head and made an evil smile down at him. "I may not have the full extent of the Triforce's power, but even without it, I am still more powerful than you could possibly imagine!" He formed an even bigger smile and slowly added. "You probably have not noticed it yet...but I've only been using a portion of my strength ever since we started this fight."  
  
Link's eyes went huge, as did Zelda's. He was only toying with them this whole time?!  
  
Ganondorf slowly started to lift his swords.  
  
"That is...until now..."  
  
All of sudden, Ganondorf charged at the young wide-eyed hero!  
  
Link got even more surprised than before and tensed up to try and defend. But before he even got his shield half-way up, he was suddenly hit right in the face by Ganon's elbow!  
  
Zelda gasped, as Link took a couple steps backwards, trying to keep his balance and tolerate the soreness in his nose at the same time.  
  
He quickly opened his eyes when he heard Ganondorf yell again, but just as he got them open, he suddenly felt the dull end of a sword hit him right in the back!  
  
The force from the blow was enough to knock him forward and off his feet, but before he even hit the ground face first, he felt a knee jab itself right into his stomach, forcing his eyes and mouth open in sheer shock and pain.  
  
The Hero of Winds felt a little bit of blood fly out of his mouth as he stammered backwards, trying to regain some balance and train of thought so he could fight back. But, even more pain suddenly entered his body, when he felt another blow hit his stomach, this time by Ganondorf's foot.  
  
Princess Zelda was completely stunned and shocked by how fast the fiend was moving. In fact, she couldn't even see him at all except for a split second, and that was when his attack got a hit in. She stood there in horror as she regrettably watched Link receive one attack after another, all the while trying to figure out some way she could possibly distract or stop the King of Evil from hurting him anymore!  
  
"There's no way I can hit him when he's moving that fast." the young girl sadly concluded. It would be nearly impossible for her to paralyze the fiend while he was literally invisible to her and kept reappearing in different spots too quick for her to keep up.  
  
Sometime while she was planning, Ganondorf made an extremely hard slash at Link right along his side, cutting a reasonably deep gash and making the small boy cry out in pain.  
  
The princess cringed with frightful eyes as he loss more precious blood with each received attack, hearing his painful cries and longing to somehow take it away from him.  
  
"I have to help him!" she thought earnestly. "I can't just stand around and do nothing while he gets beaten to death!" A determined look crossed her face. "I have to try!"  
  
With her even stronger determination, Princess Zelda took out another Light arrow, notched it, and aimed as best she could at the spontaneously reappearing form that kept reappearing somewhere around Link. She found herself moving her bow to her target, which would just disappear and then reappear somewhere else; but when she aimed for that one, it would again vanish before she could even fire.  
  
"Shoot!" she whispered, a little frustrated. "He's moving so fast!"  
  
Knowing that the chances of her hitting the evil king now was almost slim to nothing, she contemplated on whether she should waste her few remaining arrows and try to hit him anyways, or attempt a different method that she had no ideas for currently.  
  
A sudden yell from Link quickly made her make up her mind.  
  
She finally worked up the confidence to actually fire, and suddenly sent one flying toward the two fighters, unsure whether or not it would hit the intended target.  
  
Surprisingly, Ganondorf suddenly stopped his flurry of attacks on the young boy and looked back at the oncoming arrow now coming at his back. He didn't waste another second and quickly jumped to on side, letting the arrow bypass him...  
  
...and head straight at Link!  
  
"NO!" Zelda screamed, suddenly realizing her arrow was about to hit the wrong target.  
  
Luckily, the boy's attention was aimed in the right direction, and he noticed the arrow just in time to quickly lift his shield up to avoid being hit himself!  
  
The Hero of Winds ducked his head, as he felt the arrow bounce right off his reflecting shield and shoot back in the direction it came from...  
  
...right back at Ganondorf.  
  
It was too late before the King of Evil even noticed what had happened, and the arrow quickly cut through his clothing, piercing his skin and sinking its magical effect deep into his nerves. The arrow itself instantly dissolved from the magic upon impact, as the paralysis quickly overcame Ganon's body, immobilizing him once again and forcing the fiend to call out in shock.  
  
Of course, when Link saw what had happened, he didn't let the opportunity go to waste and he got back to his feet as quickly as his wounds would let him. Waving the Master Sword high in the air, he charged at his frozen opponent and began a sideways slash in an attempt to give him a large wound on his arm.  
  
But his sword was suddenly met by one of Ganondorf's long ones...while the fiend was still partially paralyzed...  
  
The wounded hero's eyes widened with shock, suddenly realizing that the paralyzing effect was not working as long as it should have.  
  
Ganondorf got a furious look in his red eyes and he quickly used the hero's shock to his advantage by taking his other sword, and quickly slicing a large cut right across Link's back.  
  
The young boy threw his head back and screamed when he suddenly felt the sharp blade cut open his skin. He quickly felt his legs give way and he fell forward, onto Ganondorf's heavily clothed arm. He dangling there for a brief second, before the man shoved him away in disgust.  
  
Princess Zelda grew stiff with fright as she watched Link land in a puddle of cold water, which quickly grew red with blood. She had to force herself not to cry out to him, and quickly reached for another arrow before she allowed Ganondorf to give him anymore harm.  
  
But when she reached into her stash of arrows...she quickly realized that she only had one left...  
  
The princess couldn't believe she had depleted her stash already and searched some more...but still found only one remaining.  
  
"No...no!" she panicked, not wanting to accept the fact that she had only one left. She took out the remaining Light arrow and looked at it, before she glanced back at the two fighters.  
  
The paralysis had worn off long ago, and now Ganondorf was hovering over Link's trembling form. He didn't utter a word as he glared down at the greatly injured boy, finding the site quite pitiful and at the same time enjoying every minute of it.  
  
Wanting to see this boy suffer even more than he already was, he slowly took one of his swords and lightly touched the boy's shoulder. Then in a split second, he swiftly yanked it and cut another gash diagonally right along his chest.  
  
Once again the small hero cried out in agony, as his body lurched harshly before his figure grew still.  
  
Zelda gasped in horror when she saw his head fall lightly into the small pool of liquids without opening his eyes. Just seeing the very site made her want to stop all this torture and she quickly notched her last arrow and aimed it at Ganondorf, who had his back partially turned toward her.  
  
As if he was totally oblivious to Zelda's presence, the King of Evil placed the pointy end of his sword on Link's throat, which he quickly yanked sideways, forming a light but painful cut across the boys neck!  
  
Zelda quickly found her hands begin to quake as Link managed to make a very light cry that lingered in the humid air.  
  
"I...I can't shoot..." the princess realized. "...if I miss, then all our hopes for winning will be destroyed!" she reopened her closed eye and slowly lowered the bow. "I...I can't risk it...I just can't..."  
  
Trying not to let tears form in her eyes, the fearful princess kept her extremely worried eyes on Link and remained frozen in her position, unable to bring herself to shoot her last arrow.  
  
Through his sheer torture and excruciating pain, the Hero of Winds slowly began to turn his head toward the princess. He slowly forced his eyes open and looked at her with such a pale expression that it made her want to release the tears she was holding back.  
  
"...Z...Zelda..." he stammered in too low of a tone for her to even hear. He quickly had to shut his eyes however, when he suddenly felt his arm feel like it was being crushed!  
  
Zelda made another heartbroken gasp, when she saw Ganondorf purposely step on Link's right arm, adding more pressure until the wounded boy couldn't stand it anymore.  
  
Then...without whispering another painful word...Link quickly grew limp and his head fell back onto the ground...  
  
He remained motionless as the King of Evil removed his foot, examing the boy for any trace of movement. When he found none, a pitiful look made its way onto his dark face.  
  
"It is done..." he whispered to himself.  
  
"...the hero has fallen..."  
  
He lowered his gaze on the still hero and slowly glanced to his side.  
  
"...and so has the hope." He added as his cold eyes fell upon the Princess of Hyrule not too far from him.  
  
Zelda still had her bow and arrow aimed at him partially...but from the look on her face, she wasn't about to fire it anytime soon. In fact, she looked way too frightened to even think about moving, let alone fire an arrow. She kept her eyes locked onto Link's still figure, a dozen thoughts running through her mind a little too quick for her liking.  
  
"...no...Link..." she whispered. She knew it wasn't suppose to end this way. She thought for sure that they would win this fight together...but now she was all alone to face this evil that she knew she could not defeat.  
  
Quickly, she found herself begin to tremble with fear; especially when she heard the sound of soft splashes coming toward her. The noise quickly forced the princess to look straight ahead at who was causing them.  
  
Ganondorf was already halfway to her, a look of hate mixed with delight spread across his face.  
  
Her reflexes quickly told her to lift her bow, and she quickly pointed the notched arrow at him, all the while quivering as if she was cold.  
  
The man could sense the fear in her and a smile crossed his face.  
  
"Come now, princess." He muttered while still pacing toward her. "You know as well as I do that I can still dodge your shots even at this range...so why even waste your arrows trying?"  
  
Zelda did nothing but take a few tiny steps back, still keeping the arrow aimed at him with trembling hands.  
  
An evil smile made its way onto Ganon's face.  
  
"How pathetic..." he snickered. "...look at yourself...you don't even have the courage to even fire." His cold eyes narrowed as he took a few more steps and halted a small distance in front of her. "And even if you do manage to hit me..." he continued. "...what harm could you possibly do that could end my life now?"  
  
The princess got a fearful look in her eyes.  
  
"He's right..." she thought. "...no matter what I do, I won't be able to destroy him by myself..." she shut her eyes tight as she tried to hold back tears. "...I've...failed..." Squinting her eyes back open, she stared at the ground, letting the rain fall down her face as she slowly added.  
  
"...I'm sorry...mother..."  
  
Lifting her head partially, she set her slightly blurred vision in Link's direction, about to secretly apologize to him for failing as well.  
  
But she quickly muted her thoughts, when she saw that Link was no longer on the ground...but on his knees with his mirror shield held in her direction.  
  
She immediately resisted the urge to shift her expression so Ganondorf wouldn't get suspicious, and watched him out of the corner of her eye as he managed to make a very small gesture to her.  
  
Though she wasn't quite sure what he was trying to tell her, his slow motions toward himself made it look like he wanted her to...  
  
...shoot at him?  
  
Zelda was puzzled, but unfortunately her thoughts were interrupted again.  
  
Without taking her eyes off the Hero of Winds, she regrettably listened to what Ganon had to say.  
  
"It was a big mistake to put all your hope in that boy." He stated, knowing she was looking at the young hero but didn't bother turning around to see why. "But I guess I should have known that someone your age wouldn't know what was in your best interest." He paused as he eyed the princess intently. "Tell me...do you really think that you will win this already lost fight?"  
  
Zelda didn't answer him for the longest time, all the while keeping her head low as if she was pondering a right answer.  
  
Finally, she slowly lifted her head to look up into the fiend's eyes...and a smirk crossed her face as she answered.  
  
"...not by myself."  
  
Ganondorf 's evil smile quickly faded when Zelda suddenly lifted her bow and pulled back her last arrow.  
  
As quick as her reflexes allowed her to, the Princess of Hyrule aimed her bow off to Ganondorf's left and immediately fired her final arrow.  
  
As it passed the evil king, he quickly looked back to see why the princess did such a stupid maneuver.  
  
He turned just in time, to see the Light arrow intentionally bounce right off of Link's raised shield and get sent flying straight back at him...and he didn't have enough time to dodge it.  
  
Ganondorf arched his back and flailed his head in both shock and anger, as the paralysis engulfed every inch of his body, paralyzing him once again and giving the Hero of Winds enough time to get on his feet and charge!  
  
Almost a second after he was hit, Ganon recovered enough mobility to turn back around. He glared ferociously at Princess Zelda, and in an angry rage, the man quickly lifted his sword and slashed at the princess before he allowed her time to get out of the way!  
  
The sword caught her right along her arm, and she let out a painful yell as she fell to the ground from the force of the blow.  
  
The angry man quickly turned back around to face Link, and immediately lifted his other sword to slash at the oncoming hero!  
  
But Link had seen this coming, and as soon as the fiend's sword began to come down, he quickly rolled to his left, avoiding the sharp blade and at the same time creating an opening on Ganondorf with which to attack him with.  
  
With a loud call of energy, the hero sliced Ganondorf right along the back, forcing the man to shoot his head up again and cry out in pain. The King of Evil could then only watch as the young Hero of Winds launched himself high into the air and let gravity run its course of bringing the hero right down...  
  
...right on his head.  
  
The sound of a sword piercing and sinking into flesh immediately followed, along with an extremely bright light that illuminated the battlefield. It engulfed everyone that was near it, and even went on to break through the wall of water! The large beam of light quickly broke the water's surface, and shot into the heavens!  
  
...then...  
  
...all went completely silent... 


	19. Reviving the Hope

Disclaimer: *is trying to sound like this is her first time saying this* Zelda, Wind Waker, and all related material is copyright of Nintendo...*frowns* So stop calling me! *stomps away*...well I tried...  
  
A/N: OMG! So many reviews! I can't even count them! Oh wait...fanfiction.net does that for me? ...oh...well ok then. Thank you so much for the lovely reviews! *goes into a more serious tone* Ok I'm going to be direct with you all on a certain subject since I don't feel like waiting until the summary to tell you. Now I don't want to disappoint anyone...but unfortunately there is not going to be a kiss anywhere in the story...*waits for flying tomatoes* Ack! I know I know you all were really expecting one! But there really was no need! Besides, if I did add a kiss, what will be left for a sequel if I make one *winks* Oh dear I think I just started something...I shall delay you no longer! *throws the next chapter at everyone* Enjoy! (I really need to stop saying that...)  
  
Chapter 18: Reviving the Hope  
  
----------------------------------------------------  
  
The sound of heavy rain against the cold stone floor of Ganon's Tower echoed throughout the remains of Hyrule Kingdom. That's basically all you could here, except the occasional crack of thunder that managed to seep its way down through the endless wall of water surrounding the battlefield.  
  
Only the drops of rain was heard...until the sound of glass shattering broke its rhythm...  
  
Somewhere close to the center of the waterlogged arena, Princess Zelda had taken notice of the noise, and was now beginning to recover from Ganon's enraged quick attack on her. Holding her arm as she slowly stood up from the cold, wet ground, her eyes trailed over to the only other people present on top of the tower.  
  
Ganondorf, the King of Evil, and Link, the Hero of Winds, were not too far away. Both were motionless, and remained still in the positions they put themselves in from those last few seconds of the fight. Link stood right on Ganondorf shoulders, still gripping the hilt of the Master Sword while the man did nothing but stand frozen in position.  
  
Ganon remained motionless...because the mighty blade was driven right  
into his skull...  
  
Blood began to trickle down the man's dark face as he slowly fell to his knees, uttering not a single word as the power within the legendary blade started to overcome his body. His quickly dimming vision stayed focused on the tired eyes of the boy over his head...and a defeated smile crept it way onto his face.  
  
"Heh heh..." he weakly stammered. "...the...wind..."  
  
"...it's...blowing..."  
  
He silently started to make a weak and quiet laugh, as the overwhelming sensation in him grew too much for the evil king to handle. The area around where the Master Sword lay stuck in his head suddenly started to harden into a strong layer of rock, covering his blood and spreading to the rest of his head.  
  
Link quickly leapt off, and both he and Zelda watched with exhaustion and wonder as Ganondorf's fate was literally sealed before their very eyes. The strong layer of stone spread over the fiend's entire form and soon, only the sound of the soothing rain broke the quiet silence that followed.  
  
Princess Zelda made a quiet but relieved sigh as she placed a hand  
over her chest.  
  
"It's over..." she silently whispered. "...it's finally over..." She lifted her head and looked over at the young hero. "...you did it, Link."  
  
Ignoring the pain she was feeling in her arm, the Princess of Hyrule slowly started to walk over to the boy clad in green, who remained oblivious to her approach and did nothing but continue to stare up at the now stone figure of his opponent.  
  
Eventually, it sunk in that he had finally won this grueling fight, and he let out a deep relieved breath that he just realized he was holding in. He slowly touched his right arm and looked to floor with half-open eyes, taking in the quiet silence that he didn't want to end.  
  
Just then, a small hand placed itself on his shoulder, and he slowly opened his eyes to see a part of Zelda's dress drag its way beside his feet. Her quiet voice soon followed.  
  
"Link...?" she whispered, concern lingering all throughout his name.  
  
The sound of her voice quickly made him more relaxed, and he closed his eyes, feeling all the tension that kept him standing start to leave. His small legs quickly became weak from exhaustion, and he slowly started to fall forward.  
  
Zelda gasped and quickly reached over to halt his fall, throwing her hands around his back and holding him up lightly by his heaving chest. The wounded hero now quietly hung limp in her arms, as the princess used her strength to keep him from falling onto his face.  
  
For a few short moments, they stayed this way, listening to each other's breathing and the soft beating of their hearts.  
  
Eventually, Zelda knew she couldn't keep him standing for much longer and as gently as she could, she laid the boy down on the cold ground, doing her best to get him in the driest spot possible.  
  
Kneeling next to his still form, the young girl peered down at his closed eyes, seeing nothing but pain and exhaustion on his small, moist face.  
  
"Link..." she quietly whispered, trying not to let tears choke up her words. "...don't worry, Link...you're going to be alright...we'll get out of here...somehow..." The young princess closed her eyes and lowered her blonde head, letting the water from her hair fall onto his torn chest.  
  
She knew very well that the wall of water was blocking all means of escape. But she wasn't about to tell Link that...not now...  
  
"...it's...it's not going to end this way..." she continued. She then slowly and gently placed a hand on top of his, and added. "...please...don't die..."  
  
Kneeling even further over Link's beaten form, she suddenly allowed the tears she was holding back to escape her blue eyes, quickly realizing how an escape was now impossible and that both their lives could very well end here in the very kingdom they had descended from. She quietly began to sob, trying not to let the hopelessness of their survival sound in her voice.  
  
For the next few moments, she silently cried next to the young hero...praying that they, but mostly him, will somehow live to see another day...  
  
Just then, the sound of soft splashes created by footsteps slowly arose behind the crouching princess.  
  
Princess Zelda slowly opened her eyes.  
  
"Is...he going to be alright, King of Hyrule?" she questioned sadly, knowing without turning around who was standing behind her.  
  
The King smiled, and answered. "Thanks to you, he will."  
  
The young girl lifted her head and turned to look up at him, unsure as to how he could sound so calm when they were clearly trapped in a soon to be underwater kingdom.  
  
"So..." The King began while slowly lifting his gaze and setting it on the mountain of water surrounding them. "...the wish that was set upon the Triforce is being fulfilled...just as the legend said it would."  
  
Zelda lowered her head again, knowing it must have been hard for him to see his very kingdom get reburied underwater.  
  
"Why did Ganon have to do such a horrible thing to this kingdom...?" she quietly asked, wondering how anyone could want to destroy such a lovely land.  
  
The King didn't answer her immediately, and merely kept his eyes on the water until he finally answered.  
  
"It was not the King of Evil that wished for the washing away of Hyrule..." he replied quietly.  
  
The young princess reopened her eyes and stared at the floor for a bit before she looked back up at the royal being, confusion written all over her face. If Ganondorf didn't wish it, then who else would have? Or a better question would be...who could have wished it?  
  
The King of Hyrule merely looked to his side over at the stone statue of the once mighty Ganondorf.  
  
"...King..."  
  
Both the King and Princess Zelda looked back over at the owner of the voice who just spoke.  
  
Zelda immediately got a half relieved but worried look, when she saw that Link was now trying to prop himself up on his own.  
  
She quickly saw how hard it was for him to even sit up by himself, and she quickly reached over to help him. He held on to her arm for support, as she lent him her strength and lifted him onto his feet.  
  
"...who wished...for this to happen then...?" the boy managed to say as Zelda helped to keep him standing. "...I mean...if both Zelda and me were knocked out...only Ganondorf was left to touch the Triforce...so..." he paused, suddenly feeling a shooting pain run through him for a brief moment. He winced and shut his eyes to tolerate it before he continued. "... so who...made the wish?"  
  
The King's expression grew blank, as he closed his eyes and  
replied quietly.  
  
"I did."  
  
Zelda and Link went into a stare.  
  
"You? You wished for Hyrule to go back underwater?" the princess questioned, a little shocked and also confused.  
  
He nodded slowly.  
  
"But...why?" Link asked.  
  
The man in red reopened his eyes to look down at the two  
youngsters.  
  
"It was for the good of the future..." was his only response. He was hoping the two would understand his decision, but when he only received even more puzzled looks, he knew he had to get them to understand. Lifting his head, he fixed his eyes on nothing in particular and began to speak.  
  
"This land has seen many hardships over the course of time..." he explained. "...it would be foolish of me as its king to allow it to see anymore hardships."  
  
Somewhere during his short explanation, Link and Zelda must have caught the hint that Hyrule was doomed, since they were now looking at the ground. This made the king's expression dim even more, despite the fact that he still wore a smile on his face.  
  
"Please do not grieve over the lost of Hyrule, my children." He requested. "Hyrule cannot and never will be the same prosperous land like it was many years ago if it were to live on." He lowered his head. "What's done is done...and no one can change that."  
  
The King moved his head back up with a half serious, half joyful look.  
  
"But all is not lost..." he stated.  
  
Link and Zelda lifted their heads in unison, and a look of slight confusion spread across their wet faces.  
  
Nodding his head to the two of them, he quickly added.  
  
"The future will be preserved...for you will live to create it."  
  
This made the hero and princess' expressions change to that of slight puzzlement mixed with hope.  
  
"We're going to make it out of here alive?" Zelda wondered in her head. It sounded almost too good to be true. But...how was that possible? How could they escape when all the possible exits were blocked?  
  
The King must have read her and Link's expressions like a book, since he gave them a reassuring smile that somehow made both of them believe him fully.  
  
"I want you to live for the future." He requested, then turned his eyes to Zelda. "With the bloodline of Hyrule alive and well, the kingdom's future can still be created."  
  
Zelda perked her head up a little; not with interest, but with the realization that she was the last heir to the throne, other than the King of course.  
  
The Hero of Winds straightened a little too. But not for the same reason that Zelda did...  
  
"Wait a minute...King..." he began to question. "...you're still the King of Hyrule...where will you go when your kingdom is gone?" The boy sounded a little earnest; almost as if he was fearing what kind of answer he was going to receive from the King.  
  
The royal majesty of Hyrule merely made a half smile, along with a grim look that made the boy's eyes look worried.  
  
"I have been the king of this land for many long years..." He stated slowly. "...and during that time, I grew a special bond with it in a way no one can explain, not even myself." He paused. "But like all good things, my reign as its king had its flaws. I did many things that I ended up regretting...things that I could not undo even with the help of time."  
  
Lifting his eyes to the young boy, he attempted to make a happier smile, which he really didn't succeed in doing.  
  
"I have lived bound to Hyrule..." he said slowly. "...and parting with it even under these circumstances is something I cannot do..."  
  
Not only did his words make both Link and Zelda gasped a little, it was enough to make the young hero in green want to change his mind. They both knew what the King meant by his words.  
  
"You mean...you're not...coming with us?" the boy asked, finding the energy in him to no longer use Zelda as support and take a few tiny steps toward the royal king. The princess looked at the boy and then back at the king, wondering the same thing.  
  
The King merely lowered his head.  
  
The Hero of Winds stood stiff for a moment, quickly realizing what the King intended to do.  
  
"No...you...you can't!" Link said earnestly. "You'll die!"  
  
"Your lives are more important for the future than mine." The king in red replied, wishing the boy would try and accept his decision.  
  
But Link, much less Zelda, didn't find sense in any of this. The young hero continued to stare up at the royal man, trying to once again accept a fact he really didn't want to accept.  
  
But like he had done before, it finally sunk in that he couldn't change his mind, and he sadly hung his head.  
  
Both the King of Hyrule and Princess Zelda got a depressed look themselves, upon seeing how sad the boy was about all this.  
  
"I'm sorry, my boy." The King said quietly. "The world above the waves is all that your ancestors and I were able to leave you..." He drooped his head again, low enough the shadow his eyes as he silently added. "...please...forgive us..."  
  
The next few moments stayed in silence, allowing everyone to gather their thoughts and consider what was happening, and also if they could somehow change it into something better.  
  
As she watched the Hero of Winds from behind, Princess Zelda couldn't help but feel his pain...and it wasn't physical.  
  
"I know just how you feel, Link..." the princess said to him in her head. Though she really didn't know how close the two were, she somehow knew that him and the King of Hyrule had some sort of bond that the boy apparently didn't want to break. It was enough to remind her of her relationship with her mother in a way.  
  
Quietly, the princess clasped her hands together and held them up to her lips. There had to be a way so that the King could live. Perhaps this way of escape he was indirectly referring to could only work for her and Link. Or maybe he thought there wasn't enough room for him on the surface in terms of transportation.  
  
"That must be it." Zelda confirmed. She lifted her head and a smile formed on her face, since she knew how to solve that problem.  
  
"W-wait!" the young girl said aloud cheerfully, grabbing both of their attention. "You can! You can come with us!"  
  
The King gave her a wondering look, as did Link. That is, until the boy heard what she said next; then a hopeful smile appeared on his face.  
  
"Yes! We have room for you! We have a ship!" The princess stated happily. "And with it, we can find it; no...we WILL find it! The land that will be the next Hyrule!"  
  
"Yeah. Yeah! That's right!" Link happily agreed, turning to the King with a hopeful smile.  
  
"So...will you come with us?" Zelda asked, stepping forward until she stood next to Link.  
  
At first, the King didn't answer her, staying silent as if he was pondering an answer. For a while he just stood there, peering down at the young princess with the same expression he had when she first spoke up.  
  
Finally, a wise smile formed under his white mustache.  
  
"Ah...but child..." he stated quietly. "...that land...will not be  
Hyrule..."  
  
Link and Zelda's smiles quickly faded into sad glances. Defeated in their attempts to change his mind yet again, the two lowered their heads in dismay as the fact sunk in again and stayed firm in their minds.  
  
Just then, the two youngsters felt a hand on each of their shoulders, causing them both to look up and meet the King's warm, reassuring smile. Staring into their eyes with his ancient gaze, he quietly but sternly finished his statement.  
  
"...it will be YOUR land."  
  
Just then, all three of them heard the sound of rushing water, causing them to look all around to see what was happening.  
  
The wall of water surrounding them was already closing in, peeling large streams off itself and spraying it across the stone ground, forming wave after wave of water that was just now roughly lapping at their feet. The rain immediately got harder, and in no time flat, the drops were as large as an orange.  
  
Princess Zelda made a slightly frightened gasp as the water rapidly submerged the tip of her dress and feet. Along with Link, she lowered her head to shield her face from the stinging drops, while also trying to keep her balance.  
  
Before any of them gave in to gravity however, the King gently tightened his grip on their shoulders and lightly pushed the hero and princess toward each other.  
  
"You must stay together...my children." He called over the loud rain.  
  
When their shoulders touched, Link and Zelda looked into each other's faces, staring into each other's eyes in slight fear.  
  
Without questioning the King request though, the young Princess of Hyrule slowly reached down and took him by the hand, squeezing it lightly as the rain got even more loud and rough on her head. Through the pounding rain, her eyes grew soft, as she gave him a small determined smile.  
  
Link tightened his grip in return and gave her a smile back, before he shut his eyes again to prepare for what was going to happen next.  
  
Shortly after Zelda followed Link's lead, the booming sound of even more rushing water was heard...  
  
Princess Zelda squeezed even tighter, when she quickly felt the rushing water at her feet move more rapidly. The pouring rain quickly made it feel like she was standing directly under a waterfall, as it stung her ears and even the top of her head. It wasn't until the noise became so loud that it hurt, did the princess take in one large breath, preparing herself for the longest underwater swim she would hopefully never have to make in her life!  
  
She didn't know how she and Link would make it to the surface in one breath, but she trusted the King's words that they would make it to the top.  
  
Just as soon as she finished inhaling, a loud rushing sound resumed that could have only been the sound of the watery sky caving in completely, and with one continuous downpour of salt water, all the remaining air down in Hyrule vanished...  
  
...and water quickly replaced it...  
  
Right when the sky collapsed, Zelda suddenly felt the rushing water at her feet grow too strong for her to keep her balance. The young girl was immediately washed upward in a swirl of bubbly water, twisting and turning in the crazy currents that clashed from the sudden elimination of air.  
  
After only a few seconds of crazy churning through the currents, Zelda felt the hand she was holding on to suddenly slip out of her grasp, forcing her to open her eyes despite it being salt water she was swimming in.  
  
It wasn't until now that she realized she could actually breathe an see underwater, because a clear thin layer of strange film was surrounding her body, keeping the water out and the air in.  
  
But she didn't care about that right now, and without thinking twice, she reached down into the black waters below, hoping it would somehow finding its way to Link's hand since she couldn't see anything in all the darkness of the blue water.  
  
All of a sudden, the princess felt her head become tight under the extreme pressure at the depth she was at, and she closed her eyes back up again to try and endure the sudden pressure.  
  
As the sound of bubbling water danced around her turning body, Princess Zelda quickly felt everything around her grow darker and felt a warm sensation quickly overcome her body. She shuddered under this sudden feeling, but quickly relaxed when a small, light voice softly echoed its final words throughout the remains of the great kingdom of Hyrule...  
  
"I have scattered the seeds of the future..."  
  
Then...she mysteriously fell unconscious...  
  
~ ~ ~  
  
The soft sound of small waves...  
  
It was a soothing melody for the young girl to hear as she slowly regained her senses. Like before, it started off with her hearing, followed by her sense of touch. When her feeling did come back, she could feel warm water bathing her from the neck down, giving her a sense of calmness and peace that she couldn't help but give in to. She allowed herself to drift lightly on her back with the weak currents a little while longer, taking in the warmth and peacefulness and letting it ease her small body.  
  
She knew, for sure, that she had reached the ocean's surface.  
  
Longing to see the familiar waters of the Great Sea, she slowly closed her mouth that was hanging open and tilted her head sideways to look upon the small waves that lapped at her cheeks. Opening them slowly so she wouldn't be blinded by the sun's rays, her blue eyes focused on the shimmering outlines of the waves dancing around her, as if they were welcoming her back.  
  
"I'm...back..." she silently said in her head. "...I'm...back on the Great Sea..." Slowly looking up into the clear blue sky, she closed her eyes and lightly smiled with satisfaction. "I'm finally home..."  
  
As she lightly drifted on the warm current, she suddenly noticed that she didn't feel...how could you say...weighed down by accessories. In fact, she could feel that most of her skin was actually touching the water instead of feeling it through cloth, and her hair didn't feel like it was loose either.  
  
Without opening her eyes, the girl made a quiet sigh upon realizing that she was no longer Princess Zelda...  
  
She had somehow changed back into the pirate leader, Tetra.  
  
The transformed pirate merely let her head rest in the water, listening to the familiar sounds of the waves and the quiet squawks of seagulls calling out to one another. As she took in all the sounds and smells of the sea, her waterlogged ears suddenly but faintly picked up the sound of light breathing.  
  
Reopening her eyes slowly, she turned her head in the other direction, and a smile crept onto her face upon seeing the boy that was floating beside her.  
  
Link, the young Hero of Winds and now also the hero of the Great Sea, was drifting lightly in the same manner she was, his mouth and chest moving in sync with his breathing. He had a somewhat peaceful look to him, though she could tell by how his eyes were tightly shut that his wounds were still present and perhaps hurting.  
  
Not wanting to disturb him however, Tetra merely closed her eyes back up and relaxed her head, allowing the two of them to drift undisturbed in a comforting silence.  
  
That is, until a quiet young voice called over to them from a great  
distance...  
  
"Link!"  
  
Tetra reopened her eyes and blinked a couple of times, wishing that they weren't disturbed but too curious as to who was calling to them. When the voice quickly called Link's name a second time, the pirate watched with half open eyes as the boy slowly came back to life.  
  
Not even bothering to move even the slightest, he slowly opened his eyes and vaguely stared up into the sky, regaining the last of his senses and blinking a couple of times to adjust his vision. He then turned his head in her direction and, after searching her face, created a tired smile.  
  
"T...Tetra. You're...back..." He said quietly, noticing the spiral bun on her head and the red bandana around her neck.  
  
The pirate did nothing but reflect his expression.  
  
"No..." she replied silently. "We're back..." she added, putting emphasis on the word we're.  
  
The young hero's expression went soft as he quietly looked into her blue eyes, relieved that they both had made it back to the surface. Tetra did the same back at him, and the two quickly found themselves gazing fondly at each other.  
  
"Link! Miss Tetra!"  
  
Upon hearing the young familiar voice getting closer, the two suddenly broke their stares and looked in the direction it was coming from. Their eyes grew wide with either surprise or happiness, when they saw the young Rito, Prince Komali, flying in their direction.  
  
The winged boy's happy expression widened as he got closer, slowing down a bit before he hovered just in front of the two youngsters.  
  
"Hoy, Link! Miss Tetra!" Komali stated happily as he glanced at each of them when he said their names.  
  
The Hero of Winds smiled as did Tetra, who by now was fully awake and floating just below her shoulders.  
  
"Miss Tetra! Over here!"  
  
The pirates pointed ears perked up at the sound of more familiar voices coming from her left.  
  
Both her and Link slowly turned around in the water to pin point the owners and, to their surprise and relief, they saw Tetra's crew, along with Link's little sister Aryll, waving down to them from their scattered position atop the mighty pirate ship. All of them bore the exact same expression of happiness, relieved that they had finally found the boy and pirate captain that went missing for a couple days.  
  
Link and Tetra couldn't help but feel very relieved to see the ones they left behind, and the biggest smiles formed on their faces as the ship gradually pulled itself to a halt beside them.  
  
"My lands, Miss Tetra!" Niko called down from his perch on the lower beam of the sail that hovered over them. He leaned over more to get a better look at them and said. "We've been searching for days! We'd just about given up hope of ever finding you-whoa...wha...whaaaaaaaa!"  
  
He obviously leaned over too far, and in an instant, the small clumsy pirate slipped right off his perch and landed in the water with a splash!  
  
Link and Tetra turned their heads to shield their faces from the resulting splash, and looked back over as Niko quickly poked his head above water and gasped in shock.  
  
Immediately the two began to laugh, and in no time at all, everyone was joining in on the silly moment...even Niko himself.  
  
As the happy sound filled Tetra's ears, the young pirate looked around with an expression of pure satisfaction.  
  
It certainly was good to be back. 


	20. Return to Outset

Disclaimer: Zelda, Wind Waker, and all their related characters are copyright of Nintendo. You know that...I know that...we all know that. *throws her hands in the air* Sheesh...  
  
A/N: Wait! That wasn't the last chapter! There's a few more to go still! *gasps for breath* Whew...that was close. I thought for sure you people were going to stop reading. But everything fine now so I'm cool. Well it looks like peace has finally been restored! But that doesn't really mean the conflict is over. Nope...something is still bugging Tetra. But what could it be? *makes a wide smile* You'll find out soon.  
  
Chapter 19: Return to Outset  
  
-------------------------------------------------  
  
A lamplight flickered from its spot on a desk.  
  
The now resting Tetra was sitting at the edge of her bed, covers draped over her lap. A single bandage was wrapped around her arm, healing with time as she sat alone in her private room below deck. She had retreated down there after her brief but somewhat vigorous reunion with her crew, wishing time to herself to gather her thoughts and think.  
  
A quiet sigh escaped from the young pirate as she gazed down at a picture that rested in her hands on her lap. The picture was obviously the one of her dear mother, and she stared at it with half-open eyes, looking as if she was either about to cry, or fall asleep on the spot.  
  
But she did neither, and merely sat there in silence...until a knock on the door quickly broke the cycle.  
  
"Miss Tetra?" came a voice from the other side. "Are you in there?"  
  
Tetra looked up at the door, quickly slipping the picture underneath  
the covers.  
  
"Who is it?"  
  
The door creaked open a little and a head peeked out, revealing it to be Nudge who was knocking at her door.  
  
"I've come to change your bandage." He stated. Whenever anyone needed medical attention on the pirate ship, he was always the one to treat them. He glanced around the room, and added. "I'm not intruding on anything, am I?"  
  
Tetra's expression lightened a little and gave him a motioning gesture for him to enter.  
  
The tall pirate did so and began walking over to her bedside, carrying a wad of white fabric in his hands. He placed the supplies on the bed once he got there and sat down next to her to begin his work.  
  
Tetra watched as he started to unwrap her already stained bandage from her arm and begin to put on a new one. She didn't mutter a word while he worked, which made Nudge wonder if she was even awake.  
  
Not really wanting to ask directly if something was wrong however, the pirate spoke up to break the eerie silence.  
  
"Zuko says we should be arriving at Outset Island in about three, maybe four hours." He stated in a cheery tone.  
  
Tetra didn't respond much and began staring at her arm as if she was still deep in thought.  
  
Nudge's smile somewhat faded as he quietly added "I just thought you should know, Miss."  
  
Just now finishing his work, the male pirate made a satisfied nod and smiled at her again in an attempt to get her to respond. A look of concern replaced it however when she just went back to looking at the floor.  
  
"Are you alright, Miss?" he questioned earnestly. It was very unlike Tetra to be this quiet. She seemed happy not too long ago; but when she left for her room, she had not emerged at all, which made him wonder if she was acting this way the entire time she was alone down here.  
  
Finally, Tetra spoke up.  
  
"Nudge..." she quietly began without lifting her head.  
  
The tall pirate perked his head up and shifted his position slightly, letting his felt movement signal to her that he was listening.  
  
Scrunching her hands to grip her covers, she continued. "...when my mom was leader...did she ever help any...strangers?"  
  
Nudge cocked his head a little. That was a pretty strange question to ask...especially when you were a pirate. He scratched his head in thought for a moment before answering her question.  
  
"Well...now that I think about..." he said. "...your mother did in fact help people." he paused for a moment before continuing. "She claimed that great rewards could come from helping others and that it pleased the gods to see such good deeds. In fact, most of the time she called us treasure hunters, instead of pirates." He looked down at Tetra. "But after you were born, we resumed being called under the pirate name, and she avoided most all contact with strangers unless it was absolutely necessary."  
  
Tetra must have been listening intently since she lifted her head and looked at him with a wondering glance.  
  
"Do you know why she did?" she questioned.  
  
Nudge got a silly grin on his face and answered.  
  
"I believe she told me it was because she wanted to keep you from all harm that could possibly come from it." He explained with a soft smile. "And...with us running under a pirate name, everyone did avoid us, so it was more of a reason for her to stay a pirate and keep you safe."  
  
He was relieved when a small smile slowly appeared on Tetra's face as she fiddled with her covers and looked back to the floor.  
  
"If I may say, Miss..." Nudge suddenly said. "...I thought it was very thoughtful of you to help the young boy in green rescue his sister." He smiled and added. "Your mother would have been very proud."  
  
Tetra let his words play around in her head for a moment. She then lifted her head and looked at him.  
  
"No, Nudge..." she said quietly as a light expression came to her  
face.  
  
"...she is."  
  
The pirate gave her an understanding nod while reflecting her expression. He then began to stand back up.  
  
"Well, I've got duties to fulfill." He stated as he slowly started to walk to the door. "I'll be back to check on you in a while."  
  
Tetra watched him for a moment before glancing to the ground in slight  
thought.  
  
"Hey, Nudge..." she suddenly said, causing him to stop halfway through opening the door. He turned around and asked.  
  
"Yes, Miss?"  
  
Tetra glanced up at him with a look that seemed like she was holding back something inside herself. She waited a while, before she quietly asked him her question.  
  
"How is...Link?" she managed to ask.  
  
Nudge merely peered back at her for a moment before he made an odd smile and answered.  
  
"Sleeping like a baby."  
  
Tetra made another small smile at his description, as the tall pirate exited her room and slowly closed the door behind him.  
  
As soon as he was gone, the young pirate's expression dimmed and she went back to looking at the floor. She remembered that shortly after Komali left and everyone had had their reunions, Link had suddenly collapsed to the ground, unconscious from seer exhaustion. She had quickly ordered Nudge and Mako to take the boy down to one of their cots and tend to his wounds, with his sister hot on their heels.  
  
Of course, she couldn't blame him for wanting to finally give in to all that pain he must have been in...  
  
With her thoughts set on the boy hero, she couldn't help but find herself turning back to what she had been thinking about ever since she had retreated to her quiet room.  
  
She wasn't quite sure why, but no matter what she did, she couldn't keep her mind off what the King had said to her and Link during those last few moments in Hyrule. His words were still impressed on her mind that as long as the bloodline of Hyrule was still living, a future for the forgotten kingdom could still be made...a future that he vaguely claimed would be more prosperous than the last.  
  
What the royal being said was still a little unclear to the young girl. He didn't specify where, or how this new kingdom could be made possible, let alone how it was suppose to be created. But one thing was for certain...she had to find out. As the last living member of the Hyrulian Royal Family, it was her un-chosen destiny to seek out a new future for her kingdom and make it possible.  
  
It was something she knew her mother would want her to do.  
  
"Well...it looks like I've got a long road ahead of me." Tetra thought. "The land waiting to be the next Hyrule is out there, somewhere. And I have to find it..."  
  
Slipping the picture of her mother out from where she hid it, the young pirate gazed back down on it with a half wondering, half fearful look as she finished.  
  
"But...am I going...alone...?"  
  
Knowing now wasn't the best time to try and answer that question, the pirate merely put it aside and stood. She lightly hung the picture back on its spot above the couch and walked over to the door. Reaching for the handle and turning it, she opened the door, but paused before she began to exit.  
  
Looking back in the direction of her bed, she set her eyes on the picture of the boy in a green outfit that hung on the wall next to her bed.  
  
Then...she quietly left the room.  
  
~ ~ ~  
  
Barely anything happened during the next few minutes of sailing with the wind. The crew did however, spot a small upturned boat and had immediately informed their captain of the strange scene. When she had seen what they had called her for, she immediately ordered them to retrieve the small vessel without haste.  
  
She recognized it to be Link's red boat that he mentioned was called the King of Red Lions, and which was also the form the King of Hyrule had taken at some point.  
  
As they hauled the small red vessel aboard with ropes, Tetra gazed at it in hopes of seeing some kind of movement she had at one point seen it do. But when she gazed at the dragon-shaped head at its bow, she could tell that the King wasn't to be found in its vacant yellow eyes.  
  
Quiet sailing resumed for the next few hours...until a loud call from Zuko signaled that Outset Island was in sight.  
  
Knowing by his call that only an hour of sailing remained until they reached the tiny island, Tetra figured the least she could do was inform Link of their near arrival. And so, without allowing herself to be seen, she quietly slipped back below decks and paced down the short stairway that led to the storage room. Before she entered the room however, she took a sharp turn to the left and walked down another short flight of steps, which led to her crew's quarters.  
  
Taking small quiet steps upon entering the tiny room, the young captain scanned the three bunk beds that lined each wall, expecting to find Link awake and resting in one of them.  
  
She quickly halted her steps though, when she finally spotted him.  
  
She had expected him to be awake...but instead she found him lying across the room in what she identified to be Nudge's bottom bunk bed. Though she wasn't getting a good view from where she stood, she could tell that his eyes were closed.  
  
"Wow...he's still asleep?" she wondered in her head. She straightened up a little as she looked to the ground in thought. "He must be more exhausted than I thought. Should I really wake him up?"  
  
Lifting her head back up to look over at him, she contemplated for a while before starting to quietly walk toward his bed. She figured he'd want to know when they would reach his home island enough to forgive her for waking him.  
  
Upon reaching his cot, Tetra could now see that he was indeed asleep underneath the covers. His mouth was hanging open, and she could hear the faintest trace of light snoring escaping his open gap, which made her laugh a little since he sounded nothing like her crew when they slept.  
  
His green cap wasn't on his head and had been replaced with a large bandage that was wrapped completely around and all through his blond hair. From what she could see that wasn't covered from the neck down by the blanket, stained bandages were also present on his bare arms and even around his neck.  
  
But, Link was sound asleep as if he didn't have a scratch on him. The covers moved up and down lightly with each breath he took, making his otherwise beaten form look peaceful and innocent. He looked more like a sweet caring boy right now, rather than a strong courageous hero.  
  
A smile made its way to her lips as Tetra watched the young boy sleep peacefully in silence. It wasn't until now did she suddenly notice the other form curdled up next to him.  
  
Tetra looked over to see Link's little sister, Aryll, also asleep but lacking the snoring her brother was doing.  
  
The pirate captain couldn't help but make another warm smile at the two siblings. She was quickly reminded of their two reunions; the one when he first rescued his sister, and also the one they had immediately after he set foot on her ship earlier that day.  
  
Never in the short amount of time she had known him had she seen Link look so happy. Even with his injuries, the boy had shown no sign of fatigue whatsoever, as he allowed his little sister to squeeze the life out of him. It had reminded her of similar times she once had with her own dear mother, which is why she had quickly retreated to her room right after giving orders to set sail for Outset.  
  
Letting a sigh escape her lips, Tetra looked back down at the small hero, giving him a heartfelt glance as she very quietly spoke.  
  
"You're so lucky to still have family around, Link..." She whispered, being careful not to be too loud but not too low either.  
  
The boy was too fast asleep to even hear her, but he must have been dreaming about something since he closed his mouth and moved ever so slightly, causing a couple bangs to fall over his eyes.  
  
As she watched him resume his light snoring, a strange feeling came over her that made her heart suddenly skip a beat. Without even knowing what she was doing, she very slowly lifted one of her small hands and began to reach over to his face, longing to brush his hair aside and gaze into his young sweet face.  
  
But suddenly...she stopped.  
  
Slowly, Tetra pulled back her hand and lightly put it up to her heart. She merely gazed down at him for a little while longer in silence, before allowing a half smile to creep onto her lips.  
  
"I'll let him sleep a little while longer..." Tetra whispered to herself, before she gradually turned to head back on deck.  
  
Before her presence left the room, the young captain paused at the doorway and placed a hand on the wall, before lowering her head and turning back around to look at the boy and his sister one more time.  
  
Her half-smile then suddenly but slowly turned into a saddened expression, before she turned back around and left the room...  
  
For the next forty-five minutes, Tetra did nothing but sit on the railing of her ship and watch as they grew closer and closer to Outset Island. Eventually though, she brought herself to finally decide to wake up Link. But instead of doing it herself, she ordered Niko to go tell him of their arrival and added that she wanted him to wake the boy nice and easy, or else he'd be having fish bones for dinner.  
  
The small pirate made a quick salute and dashed below decks, while Tetra herself followed him a short distance until she reached her room. She entered to check some things and act like she was doing something necessary, until she heard loud footsteps coming from below.  
  
Tetra emerged out of her room just in time to see Aryll bulldoze Niko to the ground in excitement at the foot of the steps below her.  
  
The female pirate made a small laugh as Aryll whizzed passed her and burst out of the door to the main deck, leaving Niko to lay there in soreness.  
  
Not too long afterwards, Link turned the corner, wearing his tattered green outfit again and walking as fast as his wounds would let him while avoiding Niko's sprawled form.  
  
"Hey Aryll! Wait for me!" he called, pretending to gasp for air but wielding a large smile while he spoke. He caught site of Tetra as he neared the top of the steps and smiled up at her. "You coming, Tetra?" he asked her cheerfully.  
  
Tetra made a small smile back and slowly waved a hand through the air.  
  
"You go on ahead." She said calmly.  
  
The boy merely smiled again and bypassed her as he headed toward the same door Aryll went through earlier.  
  
As she watched him leave, she slowly lowered her hand and quietly whispered to herself.  
  
"I'll be...right...behind you..."  
  
The sound of Niko's moaning quickly got her out of her quiet moment, and the young captain then headed back out to the main deck.  
  
Just as soon as she emerged outside, Tetra had to stop in her tracks when she saw that Link had just spotted the King of Red Lions for the first time.  
  
The boy just stood there, staring at the small boat tied to the ships railing in what she thought was shock. When he didn't move for some time however, Tetra felt compelled to speak up.  
  
"We found it out at sea a couple hours ago." She explained, hoping to get him to move.  
  
Link didn't even bother to turn around and quickly walked over to the red boat. Just like she had done earlier, he examined its face and also concluded that it wasn't going to speak to him like it usually did. When he realized this, the boy hung his head a little in sadness.  
  
"Link! Come here! Look!"  
  
Tetra kept her attention on Link as the boy lifted his head and looked over at Aryll, who was bouncing up and down and motioning for him to join her at the ship's railing. Link took one more look at the King of Red Lions, then made a very small and quiet sigh before working up a lighter expression and walking over to join his sister.  
  
Watching them for a few seconds longer, Tetra was suddenly spoken to by one of her crew members.  
  
"Awaiting orders to dock, Miss Tetra?" came Senza's voice from behind  
her.  
  
Tetra looked at him over her shoulder and replied with her normal captain sounding voice.  
  
"Prepare for arrival, gentlemen." She replied, speaking loud enough so most of her crew could hear her. "Dock the ship near the closest pier, but not too close to shore. Got it?"  
  
Of the ones who heard her orders, they saluted and replied with a mighty "Aye-aye, Captain!"  
  
Satisfied with their replies, Tetra looked back to Link and Aryll as they exchanged joyous words to each other while pointing to their home island.  
  
~ ~ ~  
  
Word that a pirate ship was coming toward the island quickly spread like wildfire amongst the inhabitants of Outset. Immediately a crowd was formed on the shore's edge, awaiting the return of the young boy who had set out to rescue his sister.  
  
One woman in particular was extremely happy to hear the news, and in no time flat, she was out the door and standing at the head of the crowd, a hopeful expression spread across her wrinkled face.  
  
The pirate ship quickly anchored before it reached the shore, halting beside the longest dock on the island and already extending a walkway down to it. As soon as it was secure, two small forms sprinted down the wooden plank.  
  
"Grandma!" Aryll shouted happily.  
  
"Aryll! Link! You're back!" called the old woman as she ran as fast as her little legs could carry her towards the young girl and boy running up to her. In one great big hug, the old woman, Link, and Aryll were bunched together, squeezing the living daylights out of each other while exchanging relieved words and shedding tears of joy.  
  
Tetra observed the heartwarming reunion as she made her way down the walkway and onto the dock behind them. She smiled warmly at all the happy expressions and joyous statements that hung in the air, knowing that this moment marked the completion of her goal to get Link reunited with his sister and brought back home to where they rightfully belonged.  
  
She didn't think she could feel so good inside. The relieved words and smiles on everyone's face brought her joy that she didn't think she could feel just by looking at a family reunion.  
  
It was Link's expression in particular though, that made Tetra feel the most joy from. He must have been so happy to be back with his family that he had forgotten all about his injuries, since he showed absolutely no sign of pain or hurting. All she saw was a huge smile, along with the happiest look she had ever seen.  
  
As the family gathering grew on, Tetra continued to watch quietly with satisfaction as she spoke silently.  
  
"You're home, Link." She whispered quietly.  
  
"You're finally home." 


	21. Choosing the New Path

Disclaimer: I just realized something...I'm running short on chapters. I won't have to do this anymore soon! Weeee! *coughs* Um...Zelda, Wind Waker, and all related characters are copyright of Nintendo. *inches away with a sheepish smile*  
  
A/N: Wow...I'm nearly done with completing the story! There's only one more chapter after this one(not including the summary)! Gack! My, where did the time go?! *shrugs* Well all good things must end eventually so...oh geez, why am I babbling on about the last chapter? This is the second to last chapter! Ha! Um...forget what I said. Now after you read this chapter (and perhaps the first half of the next one), please don't think me mean or nothing for doing what I'm about to do to Tetra's feelings. Just like everything else that is questionable in my story, there is a reason (and a good one...I hope). And like I said before, I am not making Tetra and Link kisses...my reasons are few but will not be explained yet until the author summary. But I will tell you now...if or when I do a sequel, they WILL kiss. Trust me ^_~ Enjoy the chapter anyways though...hopefully *smiles sheepishly*  
  
Chapter 20: Choosing the New Path ----------------------------------------------------  
  
A pleasant breeze filled the skies over the peaceful island of Outset.  
  
The sun cast its warm rays over everything that wasn't covered as it rose higher into the sky, signaling the approach of high noon. The pirate ship had made good time in getting to Outset all the way from whence it came, and now that everyone was on land, they took the time to relax, take a few pictures maybe (that's what Link did anyway), or perhaps have a bite to eat. Even the pirate crew settled down to rest by order of their captain, who claimed they all deserved a time off.  
  
No one on the island seemed to mind having pirates wander about freely on the island though. In fact, Link's grandma had told them all that the pirate's would always be welcomed onto their island home on terms that they had helped Link rescue Aryll. Of course, not shortly after she said this did she just notice how beaten up he was.  
  
The boy had reassured his grandmother that he would be fine though, and claimed that a quick walk around the island would do him some good after he had said hello to everyone.  
  
But...he never said he was going alone...  
  
~ ~ ~  
  
Tetra remained very quiet and at the same time deep in thought, as she remained in stride with the boy walking beside her. Link had requested that the pirate captain would accompany him on this "walk" and now the two were heading up a somewhat narrow pathway leading up to one of Outset's plateaus. Why he asked her in particular to come with him though was beyond her reach.  
  
Out of the corner of her eye, the young girl would glance now and then at the boy clad in green. He obviously wasn't bothered by the lack of verbal communication between them, and he merely walked with eyes focused further up the pathway, baring a content smile as if he was anxious to get to wherever they were going. He would cringe slightly now and then however, since his injuries still were not fully healed, and he also had a small limp that kept him from walking too fast.  
  
But looks can be deceiving. Though Link bore a smile on his face, he was also a little uncomfortable with the silence between him and Tetra. He found it odd, since she wasn't usually the quiet type, and it made him worry a little too. She was acting just like she had been when she first became Princess Zelda ever since they arrived at Outset, which suggested to him that something must have been bugging her. It made him wonder what was causing her to act so un-normal like.  
  
But instead of saying anything, the boy remained quiet and walked on, figuring that she was perhaps tired and would return to normal after they paid a visit to where they were heading.  
  
Tetra looked on with pondering eyes. She obviously had no idea where they were going, but Link certainly knew since he didn't have that "I'm lost" look in his eyes. She wasn't too curious as to where they were going really.  
  
That is...until they pasted a sign that read "Danger" on it. Then Tetra finally said something.  
  
"I take it wherever we're going isn't meant for the public?" she questioned while looking back at the sign as they continued walking through the tall grass.  
  
Link must have been either startled or taken back by her sudden question, since he turned around with some haste.  
  
"Oh that?" he said relaxing while looking back at the sign as well. "Well, yeah I guess you could say it's not the safest place on the island."  
  
Tetra looked back at him with a questionable look.  
  
"And may I ask why are we going to such a place when you're not in the best shape?" she asked, partially crossing her arms and stopping. She wasn't about to let him go into battle just for the heck of it.  
  
Link must have sensed her resistance and stopped himself, just to make a small grin and answer. "Don't worry about it, Tetra. If there are even any monsters there, we can easily avoid them. And if we do have to fight, I'm sure you could take care of it yourself." He paused. "You did bring your dagger right?"  
  
Tetra smirked at him and went back to walking.  
  
"I never leave my dagger behind for anything, Link." She told him outright upon reaching him.  
  
He smiled.  
  
"Good." He said, nodding to her as he started walking. "Then we'll be  
just fine."  
  
Tetra cocked her head a little at him once he turned around. He certainly had confidence in her.  
  
The pirate looked down to the ground and stared at her feet, keeping a small smile spread across her face. She was glad their conversation was taking her mind off what was bugging her.  
  
But after a brief pause in the conversation and a little more walking further up the path, Tetra then noticed where they were actually heading, and her thoughts quickly returned. She could only wonder in silence at what she saw as they reached the summit of the plateau.  
  
They were heading toward the roped bridge that crossed between the two plateau's of the island.  
  
Link on the other hand was not bothered by the site.  
  
"Well, I guess they finally repaired the bridge." The young boy stated as he peered at the present suspension bridge, putting one foot on it as if to test its stability. When he was satisfied, he began to make his way across, only to stop two steps along the way and turn around at a hesitating Tetra.  
  
"Is something wrong?" he questioned with concern.  
  
The young captain just stared at the bridge for a moment, before shaking her head and crossing her arms again.  
  
"First off..." she began while motioning to the forest on the other side of the bridge. "I don't know why you want me to go back to that particular place." She paused and crossed her arms. "And second, I'm completely surprised that you yourself are not showing signs of dislike. This was where your sister was kidnapped after all."  
  
Link stared at her for a little while, before glancing back across the  
bridge.  
  
"I guess I haven't thought about that until now." He said quietly as the memories suddenly came back to him. But his dimmed expression faded as he turned back to Tetra and spoke. "But all that is over now, so I try to forget about it."  
  
Knowing she was going to catch up eventually, Link turned back around and continued his walk across the bridge.  
  
Tetra made a quiet sigh to herself as she slowly paced after him with her head low.  
  
"I wish I could do the same..." she whispered quietly.  
  
~ ~ ~  
  
Link waited until Tetra caught up with him before they both continued further into the Forest of Fairies. Upon arrival, Tetra had asked what they were going to do now that they reached the place, and Link finally told her the reason. He said that this forest was once littered with fairies a long time ago, but now all that remained now was a single fairy fountain, which he intended them to visit. All they had to do, was get past whatever monster they came across, if there even were any left.  
  
A further walk into the thick tree-filled forest though, proved that some creatures were still present, even after the defeat of their master. Of course, as luck would have it the only monster they encountered was a Bokoblin, and the dumb creature was snoring away as if their was no tomorrow.  
  
With a quick stab from Tetra's dagger, the beast was easily defeated and they were on their way to the fountain. And it wasn't long after that before Link stopped beside a large dirt patch and motioned to a hole in the middle of it.  
  
"Well, here we are." He stated proudly.  
  
Tetra peered at the small dark pit and made a face as she replied. "I don't see anything."  
  
Link made a small laugh and stuck his hands carefully on his hips.  
  
"Well that's because they are inside the hole." He chuckled as he half walked, half limped his way over to her and carefully grabbed her arm. "Come on. Let's go!" He added with a light tug.  
  
Tetra stiffened a little at his touch, but quickly found herself giving in as he led her to the hole, released her arm, and jumped in without hesitation. She stood there for a minute in silence, before she followed his led and leapt in after him.  
  
Instead of feeling herself fall like a rock, Tetra quickly realized that some strange force was gradually slowing her fall and before she knew it, she was standing in a small bright room filled with sparkling water and glittering blue and white walls. Large seashells decorated the lower portions of the wall, which looked as if they were entirely made of clear cascading water.  
  
The young pirate gazed in awe at the beautiful site, taking a few steps forward while looking all over the sweet scented room. She then spotted Link standing on some steps near what looked like a small pool of water, and she walked over to see what he was looking at.  
  
When she reached his side, she looked toward the water's surface just in time to see a small fairy spiral down into the water and disappear in a flash of glitter. But before the glitter faded, an even bigger fairy with four arms and no wings twirled out of the water and floated just above the pool's surface.  
  
Tetra stared up at it in wonder as it suddenly began to speak to them.  
  
"Welcome young waker of the winds, and princess of destiny." the Great Fairy said softly in a female voice. "What brings ye two to this sacred hallow?"  
  
Tetra was stunned and confused as to how this fairy knew her true identity, but it didn't bother Link, and he merely smiled up at the levitating woman.  
  
"We have come to be healed by your powers." He requested politely.  
  
The Great Fairy formed a pleasant smile as bits of light danced around her. "As you wish, O young hero."  
  
And as quick as she had appeared, the fairy was gone in a flash of bright light. A bunch of smaller fairies then appeared where she had vanished and Link turned around.  
  
"Come on!" He called happily, as he took Tetra by the wrist and led her into the shallow pool.  
  
Soft splashes ensued as the two waded into the ankle-deep water up to the small cluster of fairies waiting for them. Tetra wasn't sure why, but the little winged angels didn't look the least bit frightened by either of them, and seemed to welcome them just a much as the Great Fairy did.  
  
As Link knelt down to greet them, one of the little fairies fluttered on up to Tetra's face, which made her lurch her head back in surprise. They peered at each other as if they were both amazed by the other's presence for a while, before the fairy gave her a small smile.  
  
The pirate wasn't really fond of cute things, but none the less she returned the expression and held up her hands underneath it as if to help it stay airborne, catching the bits of light that sprinkled off its glowing body.  
  
Link got back up and smiled when he saw them.  
  
"And to think, these fairies actually saved your life once." He said  
sweetly.  
  
Tetra looked at him and blinked in confusion.  
  
"They did?" She didn't quite remember such an occasion. "When?"  
  
Link took his eyes of her and lifted his hand in the same manner the pirate was doing with the fairy. "Remember when I said I had backup during our fight with Ganondorf?" he began.  
  
She replied. "Yeah..."  
  
He smiled again. "Well, that backup was a fairy...and..." he suddenly paused a little. She could have sworn she saw his cheeks turn a little red as he added. "...and...I used that last fairy to keep you alive after you got hurt by that blast."  
  
Once he finished, the boy shifted his eyes to the fairies below him.  
  
Tetra peered at him in thought.  
  
"So that's what happened..." she thought as she looked down at the fairies as well. She knew he had done something to help her then...but to use his last resource up just so she would survive...  
  
Link quickly broke the silence that had shortly followed.  
  
"I never did thank you for saving me then." He said quietly as he looked back over at her with his usual cheerful smile. "So...thank you."  
  
Tetra kept her eyes on the water in silence. She didn't look like she had heard him on the outside, but inside, her stomach was getting that same weird feeling she got from the last time he thanked her.  
  
Link quickly straightened up and shook his head.  
  
"Well...I think I'm ready to get rid of these bandages now." He exclaimed cheerfully down at the fairies. Getting off the subject, he then asked. "You think you could heal both of us with your magic?"  
  
The fairies looked excited by the request and almost immediately, they separated into two small groups and flew on over the two individual youngsters' heads.  
  
Upon seeing bits of light falling in front of her eyes, Tetra lifted her head just in time to see the fairies start to twirl around her blond head, scattering shimmers of white light onto her hair while some fell down her body as if it was water.  
  
Almost instantly, Tetra felt the slight soreness in her injured arm begin to vanish. The pirate looked down at her arm curiously, noticing that a lot of the glitter had settled on her bandage and was shifting around as if it was sucking up her wound right through the fabric. Having never had experienced anything like this in her life, she stared down in wonder at the magical healing taking place on her arm.  
  
Curious to see how Link was reacting, Tetra looked over to find the boy looking up into the swirl of light with his eyes closed. He looked like he was about to fall asleep from seer relief, but he remained standing with his arms open partially, welcoming the healing powers that was being poured onto him.  
  
After a decent while of getting healed in this manner, the fairies sensed no more exhaustion in either of them and halted their dance. They fluttered on back in front of them as the two took a deep breath in unison.  
  
"Thanks. That's feels much better!" Link said to them, making a huge relieved smile to show how thankful he was.  
  
As the fairies nodded in reply, Tetra reached for her arm and slowly took off her bandage. She was stunned to find not even a scar left from where her cut use to be.  
  
Link began to unwrap what he could too as he turned around and waved farewell to the small little angels. Tetra followed his lead while still gazing at her arm in awe, even when they stopped underneath the hole through which they had entered.  
  
The pirate had to then take her eyes off her arm, when she suddenly felt herself get lifted into the air by that same strange force that slowed her fall earlier. She had to stare down in even more surprise as both her and Link were lifted in mid-air and carried right back up to ground level.  
  
~ ~ ~  
  
"That was...interesting." Tetra commented once they were finally standing outside the hole.  
  
Bunching up the wad of bandages he managed to remove from himself, Link made a silly grin over at her and nodded his head. "It was to me at first too. But, when you have this many wounds though, you tend to not notice it as much." He stated while lifting the bundle of cloth and making a face at it before tossing it over his shoulder in disgust.  
  
Without saying anything else, the two turned around and started their walk back to the village.  
  
But before they even exited the forest, something caught Link's attention and he suddenly spoke up.  
  
"Hey Tetra!" He called, making her turn toward him. He turned in a certain direction and began to walk through a couple small trees and bushes, signaling for her to follow him.  
  
Tetra stood there for a minute, wondering what he was doing or where he was going. She was anxious to get out of the forest and here Link was taking a detour to who knows where. But never the less, she followed him through the bushes anyway.  
  
Once the pirate emerged from the thick shrubs, she spotted Link standing not too far away, staring up toward the canopy of the trees. At least...that where she thought he was looking.  
  
"Just as I thought." Link said quickly as he continued to stare.  
  
"What? What are you looking at?" the girl asked.  
  
Link motioned his head in the direction he wanted her to look and Tetra peered up with curiosity.  
  
At first she didn't see anything out of the ordinary...until she took a good hard look at the tall tree she was staring up at.  
  
The small pirate almost gasped in surprise. They were now standing underneath a tree with a broken branch hanging off its limbs...the place where she hung unconscious after the bird had dropped her into the forest.  
  
Memories instantly rushed back into her mind as she realized that they were standing in the very place where her and Link met for the first time.  
  
Link could tell by the way she was staring that the pirate knew where they were. Then he made a small laugh and shook his head lightly as a thought came to his mind that he had to express.  
  
"I never thought I'd say something like this..." he began as he peered back up at the towering tree. "...but I can actually think of one good reason for that giant bird coming to Outset."  
  
A couple of confused blinks quickly broke Tetra's stare as she made an odd face over at Link.  
  
"What good could have possibly come from that horrible creature?" she asked him with a look that could have ended her sentence with the word moron.  
  
Link didn't pay any attention to her odd look, and gave her a somewhat bashful smile, which made her get an even more puzzled look.  
  
"Well..." he said slowly while scratching the back of his green hat. "...if that bird didn't bring you to this island, then we probably would have never met."  
  
Tetra's look suddenly dimmed into a realizing stare as the boy quickly looked to the floor in slight embarrassment, think he might have said something wrong. If he knew Tetra like he thought he did, one wrong word could get you on her bad side and you'd probably end up getting hit.  
  
But Tetra didn't even flinch, much less say anything. She was too busy trying to figure out how this kid could surprise her so much with just a simple phrase, as she went to staring at the ground in thought.  
  
A lingering silence ensued for a brief moment before Link finally cleared his throat.  
  
"Well...I guess we should be heading back." He managed to say without stuttering. "We don't want anyone to think we're lost or something." And with that, the boy turned around and retreated back into the bush.  
  
Tetra remained in her trance for a little while longer and looked back up at the tree with the broken branch, before she turned around and left as well.  
  
~ ~ ~  
  
The rest of the daylight hours seemed to go by all too quick...especially for Tetra. During all the rest and relaxation, she had pretty much remained in her cabin undisturbed, coming out now and then for some air. Of course, when it came around suppertime, she emerged to look for her crew, so they could prepare a meal for themselves on deck.  
  
When she did find them however, she wasn't too surprised to find them already stuffing their faces. Link's grandma had invited them all to dinner, and now everyone but herself was enjoying a meal at the woman's table, while listening to Link retell his adventures to his family, as well as the crew.  
  
At first, the pirate captain wished to not disturb them. But she was spotted however by you know who, and couldn't bring herself to turn away Link's offer to eat with them.  
  
She didn't stay long however, for just as soon as Link got to the part when he finally rescued his sister...she secretly left.  
  
Other than those times however, Tetra wasn't really seen at all out in the open. Only when sunset came around, did she finally but secretly emerge from her solitude inside her ship.  
  
Wishing to watch the sunset in peace, the young pirate sot refuge in a wooden lookout that stood at the farthest end of a pier along shore, finding it reclusive enough for her liking. She found the place to have a better view than from the crow's nest of her ship as well, and she leaned on the wooden railing that brimmed the lookout to further gaze out at sea.  
  
The view was absolutely breathtaking. She hadn't taken the time to look at the sunset for days, and to now see it again with even more appreciation made it look even more beautiful than ever.  
  
The young girl let out a light sigh.  
  
"Oh how I wish you were here mother..." She said quietly to the bright orange sun just above the horizon.  
  
Lowering her head to peer down at the water below, the thought of her dear mother made her think about all that had changed in the past two maybe three weeks.  
  
So much had happened ever since she last set foot on the island of Outset. She had traveled to the farthest reaches of the Great Sea, helped a kid rescue his sister from the clutches of an evil man, and had even found the reason for her very existence and a new identity. And it happened all because of the events from so many years ago.  
  
Of course, she knew now that everyone on the Great Sea must have been affected somehow by those events.  
  
Placing her head onto top of her folded arms, Tetra could only wonder if any of the inhabitants on the sea had such a large task placed on their shoulders like the one she had. She was just a mere pirate with royal blood in her...who knows what destiny the gods chose for those with higher rank.  
  
All her thinking about everyone's fate quickly brought back thoughts of what had been bugging her all this time.  
  
Quite frankly, she wasn't sure why she was feeling so down about her quest for the new land. Perhaps it was because she thought it was such a large task for her and her crew to take on without much guiding them. But she knew that wasn't the reason...  
  
...because she found that it would get more worse whenever she saw Link with his family...or when he said something nice to her. At first she thought it was because it reminded her so much about her mother...but something was telling her that wasn't entirely the case.  
  
Glancing up at the slowly sinking sun, the young pirate then remembered what Link had said to her while they were in the Forest of Fairies.  
  
He had said that he was glad that they had met, even if it wasn't under a good note.  
  
That had surprised her tremendously. To consider meeting a pirate that had a bad attitude most of the time was something she definitely didn't expect. No one had ever said anything like that to her. It made her a little confused...but it also made her feel...special.  
  
Tetra felt like smiling at the very thought, but a depressed feeling got its way into her heart and she ended up making a sad frown and looking back down at the water.  
  
"Why..." the pirate thought in confusion. "Why do I not feel happy that Link considers me as his friend?"  
  
It didn't make any sense. She knew the reason wasn't that she didn't consider him a friend back...so what was the problem?  
  
All of a sudden, it dawned on her.  
  
The young pirate lifted her head as her confirmed reason got embedded in her memory. She didn't know why it didn't occur to her before...in fact, she did consider it a reason but didn't fully believe it was the true reason for her discomfort.  
  
Link was the first person she ever considered to be a friend...but unlike her, he was never actually instructed to go search for the new land. He actually had a choice; a choice of either going with her and her crew to search for the new kingdom, or stay with his family here on Outset...and probably never see her again.  
  
Tetra quickly felt her heart almost shatter into pieces. She saw how happy he was when he was reunited with his sister and Grandma. And she knew that if she was in his position to choose, she would choose to stay home almost without hesitation. What was stopping Link from doing the same thing?  
  
The young girl slowly lifted her hand to touch her red bandana. She had already made a decision to set sail on her voyage tomorrow morning and didn't mention it to anyone, not even her crew. That didn't leave Link a lot of time to make a decision...  
  
Tetra made another saddened frown as a thought came to her.  
  
"He probably hasn't even thought about it yet..." she concluded, knowing once again that if she was in his boots, she'd be too distracted by joy to even think about it. Family probably meant just as much to him as it did to her.  
  
But she wasn't about to rush him with his decision.  
  
"I guess I should go find him." She thought while peering at the waves. "Dawn will be here before I know it. And I still have to give him his options."  
  
Not really rushing herself, Tetra attempted to perk her head up and slowly began to turn around to proceed toward the ladder she had gotten up there with.  
  
But she suddenly had to force herself backwards, to avoid hitting who was suddenly standing in front of her.  
  
With equal surprise, Link himself took a few steps back as the young pirate was taken off-guard and fell to the ground from lack of balance, landing lightly on her back and making a small thud when she hit.  
  
The boy quickly put his hands up in defense.  
  
"Oops...uh, sorry Tetra." He said with a small laugh. "I didn't mean to startle you."  
  
Tetra propped herself up a little and closed her eyes as she started to rub the back of her head, even if it didn't hurt. She then peeked open one of her eyes and managed to muster up a normal expression and glanced up at him with her usual glare.  
  
"How long have you been standing there?" she questioned, putting slight emphasis on the word "you".  
  
Link lowered his hands.  
  
"Not long enough to notice you turning around, that's for sure." He replied sheepishly. Without any hesitation, the boy then reached his hand down to her.  
  
Tetra suddenly paused her rubbing, and looked up to meet his warm helpful smile.  
  
The pirate tried her best to smile, instead of glancing from his hand to his face and at the same time suppressing how grateful she was to him for being so nice to her.  
  
But the site of his sweet face had quickly made her fear return, much to her great disliking. The gloomy feeling was just too strong for her to keep a straight face, and a dimmed expression appeared across her lips, as she merely made a low sigh before picking herself up without his help.  
  
Link wasn't sure to take this as a hint that she had returned to normal or not. But the expression on her face as she stood up and turned back to the ocean though, certainly didn't look normal to him.  
  
As Tetra quietly walked back to her spot at the edge of the lookout, Link paused for a second to try and figure out her strange behavior, before slowly following her lead. He found a spot on the railing beside her and folded his arms on top of it, as he peered out toward the sunset in silence.  
  
At first, neither of them said anything to each other, leaving both of them to only guess as to what the other person was thinking. The silence was making Link nervous though, so he finally broke it with a good note.  
  
"It's beautiful, isn't it?" he asked quietly while looking at the golden sun with a smile.  
  
Tetra had already folded her arms in the same way Link had, and merely nodded her head in reply.  
  
When he didn't hear a verbal answer, Link turned to her, knowing that something must have been wrong if she didn't feel like speaking to him. But instead of asking her outright what the problem was, he was hoping to cheer her up instead and continued.  
  
"I always did like to sit down and watch the sunset." He stated as he turned back to the ocean. "In fact, before Aryll was kidnapped, I use to go up here and stand at this very spot to get the best view. Me and Aryll would always come up here everyday just so we could get away from it all and have some time to ourselves."  
  
Though Link really was trying to help, all his talk about his family was only making Tetra more uncomfortable. She found herself hesitating to bring up what she wanted to tell him in the first place and merely listened until he finished, before working up enough courage to talk to him. In the most normal tone of voice she could muster, the pirate spoke to him.  
  
"Have you told anyone about what happened in Hyrule yet?" she questioned without turning her head.  
  
Link looked over at her with relief at finally hearing her reply to him. He pondered her question for a moment before answering.  
  
"Not yet." He said quietly, wondering if that was an answer she wanted  
to hear.  
  
In response, Tetra held her hands in a tight ball, as she lightly looked down at the glittering waves below.  
  
"Me and my crew are leaving tomorrow morning." she suddenly said  
quietly.  
  
Link looked a bit surprised to here this for some reason, and a wondering look crossed his face.  
  
"Already?" the boy asked. "But we just got here. Why so soon?"  
  
The pirate had to turn her head away a little to hide her pained expression. He certainly wasn't making it easy for her.  
  
"You know me, Link." She replied, hoping he would understand. "It's what I decided...and I'm not going to change my mind..."  
  
She managed to work up enough courage to turn her head and look into his eyes as she added. "...and...I'm not forcing you to come with us."  
  
Link got a puzzled look.  
  
"You're not making me go?" he questioned. That was a strange question, he thought. He had a choice?  
  
When Tetra lightly nodded her head to him, he suddenly straightened up to face her.  
  
"But I have to go." He replied quickly. "The King said-"  
  
"The King said..." she interrupted. "...that the bloodline of Hyrule was to search for the new land." She paused when she added. "He never said that you had to go as well."  
  
"But...Tetra..." the boy uttered quietly.  
  
"Please don't try to change my mind..." the pirate replied, lowering her head back down to the sea and closing her eyes. "...it's what I've decided...you're just going to have to accept that..."  
  
Link didn't say anymore as the quietly stubborn pirate lifted her head toward the dimming sunset.  
  
"I'm giving you a choice." She explained. "You can either come with us, or stay here on Outset. It's your decision."  
  
Knowing for sure that Link got the hint now by his silence, Tetra slowly turned around and began to walk away, keeping her head slightly low to hide her expression.  
  
"You've got until tomorrow morning to make a decision." She quietly said, pausing before she proceeded down the ladder.  
  
Link gazed off into the sea, her words playing around in his head about the sudden decisions he had only tonight to think about. He suddenly straightened up as if a thought came into his head, and he quickly turned around.  
  
"Wait!" he called, turning just in time to see her blond hair slip out of view from below the ladder.  
  
He stared at the spot for a short while, a bunch of thoughts running through his mind. His stare then turned into a soft look of realization.  
  
"Tetra..." he silently called.  
  
Down at the beach, the young pirate was anxiously walking back to her ship, resisting the urge to want to turn around and tell Link how much she wanted him to come with her.  
  
"It's the right thing to do." She kept telling herself. "After all he's been through, he deserves to have a choice."  
  
Doing her best to avoid making a conclusion, she couldn't help but fear what his decision would be. It was probably best that Link stay with his family; but the very thought of leaving without him being with them was something she found difficult to accept.  
  
A light breeze silently blew pass the young pirate, playing with her hair and causing a few strands to brush lightly against her cheek.  
  
Tetra suddenly halted her walk.  
  
Giving in to her impulse to turn around, she turned her head to look up with soft blue eyes at the lone silhouette that stood under the protective roof of the lookout.  
  
Tetra could only hope that her fear about his decision would subside. She knew she was getting ahead of herself really, but she couldn't help but guess what he would decide, considering his reactions the past few days.  
  
But...she was still going to leave everything to him, and there was no way she going to allow herself to influence or interfere with his decision.  
  
Just then, Link's silhouette moved slightly, making it look like he had turned in her direction.  
  
Tetra quickly turned around and started to run to her ship, hoping she had only imagined him seeing her staring up at him. Before she knew it, she had reached the door to the lower deck and she quickly threw it open, entering the dark hallway before closing it behind her.  
  
Avoiding all contact with whoever crossed her path, she entered her room and paused at the door to calm herself down from her run. She then slowly walked over to her bed, resisting the urge to want to look at the picture that hung beside it.  
  
Laying her head on the cushioned pillow, she sprawled herself over the piece of furniture and laid still for a while, before scrunching herself into a small ball, clutching the covers tightly as she held them up to her chest.  
  
Longing to get her thoughts off a certain subject, the young pirate closed her eyes and took a deep breath, relaxing her grip on the covers until they fell out of her hands.  
  
Slowly allowing herself to give in to sleep, the pirate fell into a deep and well-deserved rest, vanishing her thoughts...  
  
...as the last bit of the sun slipped under the horizon. 


	22. The End of One Journey, The Beginning of...

Disclaimer: Zelda, Wind Waker, and all it related characters are copyright of Nintendo. Hurray I don't have to say that anymore! Yay! *throws confetti*  
  
A/N: Well this is it. The last chapter.oh my goodness...I think I'm going to faint! I've never completed a story such as this! I'm just...so proud of myself! I could cry! *sniff* Well maybe not but still. Dang I'm so happy!  
  
Yeah I know what you are thinking. Is this story going to end up on a sad note? Well I know you people who have played the game know what will happen (I might surprise you anyways though), but for all you others, you've got to read to find out. It does have a touching little scene though that I thought would have been cute to add ^.^ A major heads up to all of you...The next chapter (not a part of the story so its not really a chapter) is going to be an authors review slash summary thing. I would suggest you read it if you are wondering why I added some things that were different, or if you just feel like getting more background info on the story. Just specify in a review what you would like to be explained. Ok enough of my chatter. Here's the last chapter of The Wind Waker: Tetra's Journey! *throws more confetti while crying tears of joy*  
  
Final Chapter: The End of One Journey, The Beginning of Another ----------------------  
  
Morning came.  
  
The sun slowly began to peek itself over the horizon and through the few clouds that hung over it, casting its warm rays through the large plateaus of Outset Island. The morning mist of the ocean began to vanish under the heat of the sun, removing its thin blanket and presence from the island's shore. Tall shadows stretched on through the trees of the forest and the coconut palms of the beach as the first hour of sunrise began.  
  
Tetra was already awake to greet the golden scene. From her stand at the end of the pier where her ship was docked, she watched with observing eyes as her crew darted back and forth on deck, fulfilling her orders to prepare for departure.  
  
The pirates weren't the only ones up however. It was normal to find most, if not all the inhabitants of Outset already about with their morning chores. Now and then, they would pause whatever they were busy doing and look curiously toward the large vessel, knowing that activity on a ship could mean departure. And that's exactly what the pirate ship was doing really.  
  
Knowing darn well that it usually didn't take her crew long to ready the ship for departure, Tetra took the short amount of time to decide on how she would handle what was to come.  
  
"Well...this is it." She thought while watching the sail wave with the morning breeze. "Today marks the start of a new journey...the new land is out there...just waiting to be discovered."  
  
Turning her head to look down into the clear water below, a half wondering expression mixed its way onto her tanned face as she finished.  
  
"All that remains now...is a decision..."  
  
The pirate had done her best all morning to hide her discomfort inside about what she had told Link the previous night. Her sleep had proved helpful in her attempts to ease her negative thoughts about today, but now that her restless sleep was over, they had quickly returned to her against her will. At least, she was calmer now that she did get some rest.  
  
But she still felt uncomfortable. Link should have made his decision by now, and she hadn't seen the boy yet all morning. And they were just about ready to leave.  
  
Wondering if she was perhaps getting a little too far ahead of herself, Tetra walked halfway back down the pier and glanced over at the King of Red Lions on the other side of the dock, to check and see if any supplies were in it.  
  
Though she was hoping to find stuff packed inside, she wasn't surprised when she found nothing of the sort in the small red boat.  
  
She let out a deep breath.  
  
"Hoy, Miss Tetra!" suddenly came a young cheery voice.  
  
The pirate captain lifted her head upon hearing Aryll's voice coming from the beach, and she looked over to see the small blond girl walking toward her with a wondering smile.  
  
"Hey kid." came Tetra's calm reply. She tried not to choke up her words, since the young girl was acting as if she was never informed about Link's decisions, which either meant she was never told...or her brother wasn't leaving. The pirate tried her best not to conclude a reason too soon.  
  
Upon reaching the pirate, Aryll gave another wondering look at her ship and asked. "Why are all the pirate's so busy this early?"  
  
Tetra looked up at the vessel and made another quiet sigh.  
  
"Well...it's because we are leaving." She answered.  
  
"Already?" Aryll asked, throwing a questioning look to her.  
  
The female pirate merely nodded her head, trying inside not to get too worked up since the little girl was repeating what her brother had said the night before.  
  
But at least Aryll didn't rub it in.  
  
"Well...ok. You are the leader." The young girl said shrugging. Putting her hands behind her back and rocking on her feet, she then asked. "Would it be ok if I said goodbye to everyone before you go?"  
  
Tetra paused a second, before she managed to work up a small smile.  
  
"Sure."  
  
With a gleeful bounce and a quick thank you, Aryll sped passed her and skipped on up the boardwalk.  
  
"Hey Aryll..." Tetra quickly called.  
  
The girl stopped halfway up the boarded walkway and turned around.  
"Yeah?"  
  
The pirate hesitated a moment before asking her question.  
  
"Do you know where your brother is?"  
  
Aryll put a finger up to her mouth in thought before answering. "I think I last saw him in his bed, but I think he was awake since he was talking to Grandma." Glancing over to her house, she quickly corrected herself and pointed. "Oh wait, never mind. Here comes Grandma now." And with that, she resumed her rush and quickly disappeared out of view on deck.  
  
Tetra turned around to see that Link's grandmother was indeed coming toward the dock, and she was carrying something hidden under a cloth in her hands. The old woman gave her a wrinkled smile as she reached the young captain, who in fact was almost, if not taller than her.  
  
"Hello dear." She greeted warmly, making the pirate put on a normal expression back. Just like her granddaughter, she too couldn't help but look at Tetra's pirate ship and comment about her trip. "I couldn't help but hear you and your crew were leaving, so I thought I'd prepare you something for the trip."  
  
She held out the somewhat large covered object and explained further. "It's not much really, but please take it anyways. It's a fresh batch of my home-made soup that your crew so enjoyed yesterday."  
  
Tetra gazed down at the covered jar of soup before she stepped forward and accepted her farewell gift. She managed to say a quiet thank you, before calling Niko to come and load it on board.  
  
As the command spread on deck and the buck-toothed pirate ascended down the walkway with Aryll close at his heels, it was then that Nudge leaned himself over the railing and called. "We're ready to set sail, Miss Tetra."  
  
Everyone except the pirate captain glanced up at him from their stand further down the pier.  
  
As Aryll pranced on up next to her grandma, the old woman looked back to Tetra and spoke.  
  
"Are you sure you don't want to stay longer?" she asked politely but with earnest. "You know you are always welcome to stay if you wish."  
  
"No, that's ok." Tetra replied quietly as she looked down to the wooden planks of the dock. "I've...got a long journey ahead of me."  
  
The short woman gave her an understanding smile and nodded her head.  
  
No one said anything after that for a short while, until another call from Nudge ended it.  
  
"Miss Tetra?" he called again, wondering if she heard him the first  
time.  
  
Tetra still didn't answer him, and instead lifted her head with an attempted normal look.  
  
"I...guess I should be going now." She said, more so to herself than to Aryll or her grandmother.  
  
Slowly, the pirate turned around and lightly hung her head as she began her slow walk toward the plank that boarded her ship.  
  
"I guess...Link has made his decision..." she stated sadly in her head, and in her heart.  
  
"Wait!"  
  
Tetra halted her steps about halfway to the boardwalk and turned her head upon hearing the familiar voice.  
  
Running down from the house toward the dock on which she stood, came Link, moving as fast as his boots would take him. With something clutched in his hand, the boy wasted no time in making his way past his sister and grandma, and headed straight for the pirate captain herself.  
  
Tetra made what sounded like a relieved sigh as Link halted in front of her, panting as if he just ran a two-mile long marathon. Turning to face him completely, she lifted her head and took a deep breath. Now was the time she would find out what he had decided.  
  
But Link spoke up first, before she had time to ask.  
  
"Whew...it's a good thing Grandma woke me up." He stated in between breaths before straightening up and added sheepishly. "I never was good with mornings."  
  
As the boy lifted his head further, he then noticed the slightly rushed expression on the pirate captain's face. He quickly decided to bring up a different discussion; but not because of her impatient glance. It was the look in her eyes that told him she was longing an answer that made him change the subject.  
  
But there was something else he had to do first.  
  
"Before you say anything..." He said quickly as to not give her enough time to speak. He glanced down at his occupied hand. "...there's something I need to give you."  
  
Lifting his hand up, he loosened his grip on the object, allowing it to dangle partially out of his palm so she could see what it was.  
  
It was the Pirate's Charm.  
  
"I never did give it back to you." The boy explained. "So...here." He extended his hand, levitating the object in front of her.  
  
Tetra merely stood there in silence, doing her best to keep herself from staring at the dim blue charm. She had almost forgotten about the precious item; but apparently, Link hadn't. The Pirate's Charm was the only thing she had left that was given to her by her mother; and here he was being so kind as to return it to her.  
  
When Tetra didn't even move, much less show signs of wanting to take it, Link had to coax her further.  
  
"Go on, take it...it's really yours anyway." He said while motioning for her to take the object.  
  
Tetra glanced up at his tender smile, before peering back down to the  
stone.  
  
Slowly, she reached her hand out and opened her palm, allowing the boy to drop the charm into her hand. Taking her other hand, she then lightly traced its surface with her fingertips, gazing deep in thought down at the special stone.  
  
Then, after doing this for a few seconds, the pirate reached over without warning and took hold of his wrist, pulling it gently until his palm opened. She put the necklace back in his hand, and closed it herself with her other hand.  
  
"You can keep it." Tetra said, releasing her hold on his wrist.  
  
Link looked down at his reoccupied hand with slight confusion, then looked up at her for an explanation.  
  
"Consider it a gift...for your birthday." she said in response to his expression. She had found out during the previous day that his birthday was on the same day his sister was kidnapped. At least now, he had something he could remember her by.  
  
Finding her kind behavior different but at the same time reassuring, Link gave her a sweet little smile as his way of saying thank you.  
  
"So..." the pirate slowly began, putting her hand on her arm as she tried not to give in to his kind smile. Knowing she was stalling on purpose though, she finally worked up enough courage to finish the question she was longing an answer for.  
  
"...have you decided on what you are going to do...?" she finished.  
  
In response to that particular question, Link had to lift his head and peer at her with searching eyes. He then turned his head to look behind him, toward his little sister, who had a wondering look on her face, and his grandma, who wielded a smile.  
  
He made a small sigh and answered.  
  
"I have..."  
  
Taking in a deep breath, he closed his eyes and turned his head back around to give her his answer.  
  
"Tetra..." he slowly began. "I'm..."  
  
Suddenly, he halted his words...when he felt a finger touch his lips.  
  
Reopening his eyes, he saw that Tetra had her hand up to his mouth, silencing him with her head down low.  
  
"You deserve to stay were you belong." She said quietly. "...there...really is no need to tell me..."  
  
Link gazed at her with wondering eyes. Was she now forcing him to stay, without even hearing his decision?  
  
"But, Tetra..." he began.  
  
The young pirate tilted her head up just enough to look pass him at his sister and grandma.  
  
"You belong with your family, Link..." She persisted. "...with people you love...with friends that care about you..." she paused for the longest time before slowly adding. "...and...pirates really cannot offer that..."  
  
Tetra quickly silenced herself. Surprised with what was coming from her own lips, she closed her eyes, quickly realizing what she just said.  
  
"I...I have to go now." she quickly said.  
  
Slowly, she turned around, resuming her walk down the dock as she began to beat herself up inside on what she just did.  
  
But...she was not too preoccupied to hear the next few words come from Link's mouth...  
  
"...I'll miss you..."  
  
Tetra suddenly halted her stride and fell silent. For a long while, she stayed this way, as if something had glued her feet to the ground that kept her immobilized.  
  
Then...without any warning...she quickly shut her eyes and turned around, going into a short sprint before she suddenly threw her arms around the boys neck and closed her eyes.  
  
Link was completely taken back as the pirate locked him in a small embrace. He stared ahead for a short while, before he looked down at her with a stunned expression.  
  
Tetra didn't know what had came over her. But quite frankly...she didn't care. She didn't care who saw them, or what anyone else thought of the whole thing. All she wanted...was to be near the young hero.  
  
Letting her head rest on his shoulder, she kept her eyes closed as she held back the tears that wanted to escape her eyes. The warmth of his body against hers was now giving her comfort that she needed at that moment. She hugged him gently, suddenly wishing that she could stay with him, instead of going off on this journey without him.  
  
Link could feel Tetra's heart racing underneath her small chest that lay pressed against his. It was now beating in rhythm with his own heart, which was now moving faster upon feeling the pirate quickly embrace him in her arms.  
  
As the tender moment lingered, Link slowly found himself melting into the lasting hug, giving in to the sudden move put on him by the young pirate. He quickly realized his arms were still held back from his surprise, and he lightly lowered them so he could return the embrace back to the young girl.  
  
But...before his arms could wrap themselves around her waist, Tetra quickly pulled back, spun around, and ran down the pier, leaving him with only his thoughts, and no farewell...  
  
Keeping her head low with her eyes shut tight, Tetra sprinted pass her awaiting crew, who in turn peered down at her as she ran pass them and disappeared below decks.  
  
As soon as she bypassed Nudge, the tall pirate couldn't help but notice her mood and he looked back over the ship's railing down at the young boy that stood motionless on the pier. A saddened frown made its way onto his face, knowing how his captain felt about the boy and what this could all lead to if it were to actually happen.  
  
But, knowing by how quickly she had boarded the ship and how Link wasn't making any attempt to follow, he knew that this was a hint that it was time to depart. It was what the captain would have said...if she was in a mood to talk.  
  
"Let's go, men." Nudge said, turning to the rest of the crew. "That was our signal to shove off."  
  
Turning their confused looks over to the tall pirate, they merely nodded and scattered to take their positions. Once the anchor was hoisted, the sail let loose, and Gonzo placed firmly at the wheel, the pirate ship slowly began to coast out of the shallow waters of Outset, possibly never to return...  
  
Link could only stare, as the mighty ship grew smaller with each passing second. He was so preoccupied with his new and sudden thoughts that he didn't even notice his little sister walk up beside him, gazing at the ship as well while his grandmother stood next to his other side.  
  
Without breaking his stare, the young boy listened as the old woman quietly spoke to him.  
  
"Are you really going to let her leave without you?" she questioned him with a gentle tone.  
  
Link still continued to stare, but forced himself to break it and slowly looked down at the dull blue charm still resting in his hand. He gazed at it in silence, wondering if what he was allowing to happen should actually happen.  
  
After a few minutes of peering in thought, Link lifted his head back toward the disappearing ship.  
  
"Aryll..." he suddenly said, causing the young girl to look up at him.  
  
"...there's something I need to tell you."  
  
~ ~ ~  
  
Back on the pirate ship, gossip amongst the crew started on the strange behavior of their captain, as well as the absence of a particular kid in green. They all didn't really care if the boy came or not, except for Niko who really wanted Link to come so he wouldn't have to go back to being the swabbie. Nudge wished for the boy to come as well, though for obviously different reasons which he kept secret from the rest of the crew.  
  
But unlike the rest of the crew, he knew the reason for Tetra's odd behavior. But, knowing his captain, all she wanted now was to be alone for a while, so he decided it would be best not to go and disturb her.  
  
At least...that he thought anyway.  
  
Inside her cabin, Tetra really wanted just the opposite. She stood in the very center of her room, fists clenched and head held low to the ground. At first, she did nothing but stand there with arched shoulders, as if she was trying to tolerate an irritation or wound.  
  
That's actually what she was doing...but she wasn't tolerating  
physical pain...  
  
After standing still for some time, the young captain suddenly but slowly lifted her head and took a deep breath.  
  
"Get a hold of yourself, Tetra." She commanded herself in her head. "You shouldn't be acting like this...you're a pirate...and a captain at that! If your crew saw you like this..." She trailed all of a sudden, not wanting to think what might happen. Tightening her eyes shut, she clenched her fists tighter and added. "You can get over this...just forget about what had just happened, and you'll be fine."  
  
After standing there for a few more short minutes however, she couldn't hold it in anymore...  
  
Without second-guessing another thought, Tetra suddenly threw herself onto her bed, burying her face into her pillow before allowing the tears that had wielded up in her eyes to flow down her cheeks and into her pillow.  
  
She knew she couldn't just forget about everything. She had tried that so many times before and it had never worked; and plus, too many things had happened for her to just forget about it...things her heart did not want to throw away. She could never forget about Link...no matter how many times she tried.  
  
In that instant, the pirate changed again; from the tough captain who had not a care in the world, to a sensitive young girl that longed for the comfort of someone she had held close to her heart.  
  
For a while, she stayed this way...trying to pull herself together and stop the tears that flowed down her cheeks. She was so preoccupied with her feelings, that she didn't even notice that the ship didn't feel like it was moving. But she wouldn't have cared, even if she did notice...all she could do was cry, and only wish that no one would come in and see her like this.  
  
But suddenly...there was a knock at the door.  
  
"Miss Tetra?" came a voice from the other end, which was that of Gonzo's. "You're needed on deck."  
  
For some reason, he didn't sound too pleased with something as the sound of his footsteps on the wooden floor soon followed as he left.  
  
Tetra had heard his call, but didn't bother to answer as she removed her face from the fluffy pillow, relieved he in particular didn't enter her room. She didn't find it unusual that the pirate wasn't at his post either, as she slowly moved to the edge of her bed, dangling her sandaled feet as she wiped away the tears from her eyes.  
  
"I can't let my crew see me like this..." She thought while trying to get the moisture off her cheeks and neck. Once she got most of it dried off with the help of her bandana, the young pirate rose to her feet and took a deep breath, preparing herself for the biggest fake attitude she'd have to pull off in her life.  
  
Standing a little while longer, Tetra finally felt she was ready and began to walk to her door. She took a quick glance over to her mother's portrait, and quietly whispered.  
  
"I guess...I'm on my own now..."  
  
Hanging her head slightly and resisting the urge to cry again, the strong-willed pirate eventually left her cabin, toward the main deck where her crew would be waiting.  
  
Before she exited the hallway, she lightly pressed a hand on the door that led outside and paused, taking in another deep breath before pushing open the door.  
  
~ ~ ~  
  
The sunlight instantly bathed the pirate with its light as she stepped out of the dark hallway, forcing her to shut her eyes to keep from going blind. When they finally adjusted to the light, she carefully opened them. And the first thing she saw...  
  
...was a green outfit.  
  
Tetra's eyes immediately went wide.  
  
Standing not too far in front of her, amongst half her crew near the main mast...  
  
...was Link.  
  
The young pirate suddenly could not find her voice, as she immediately stiffened in place, subconsciously planting her feet and finding no will to move them. She now stood still, frozen in her now straightened and surprised position.  
  
Link was being too distracted by Niko to notice her at first, since the small pirate was acting too excited and relieved for his own good.  
  
After getting him to calm down and be quiet for at least a few seconds, the boy finally looked in her direction. His look suddenly turned into a brief stare, before a bashful smile crept its way into his face.  
  
"Hi...Tetra." He called, sounding quiet and also nervous at the same time. He turned to face her completely, trying to keep his face from turned a shade of red upon remembering their hug.  
  
Tetra blinked once. She quickly found her heart start to beat faster upon hearing his hello, suddenly longing to run up and hug the boy like she did before.  
  
Somehow though, her subconscious kept her from moving and doing such a thing in front of her crew, and she continued to gaze vacantly at the boy, as if he was hypnotizing her with his very presence.  
  
When Link only got a continued stare instead of a greeting back from the young pirate, he couldn't help but feel even more nervous. He didn't know if her silence meant she was mad at him for making her think he was staying, or if she was just too shocked to see him on her ship without getting permission.  
  
Neither one of those assumptions were entirely correct however. Tetra was being silent for only one reason; and that was in that moment, she had quickly realized how happy she was to see him standing before her.  
  
But...for some odd reason, she felt like she was getting tortured by his presence at the same time; perhaps because his presence on her ship did not entirely mean he wanted to come with them.  
  
Tetra quickly got her thoughts on track, suddenly wanting to know what was going on. Doing her best not to stutter with shock or perhaps delight, the pirate slowly spoke up.  
  
"I-I thought..." she stuttered on accident. "...but your family...you're not..." she paused, unable to find enough words to finish her sentences.  
  
Link suddenly perked up at the sound of her voice. Assuming by her tone that she wasn't infuriated with him just yet, he quickly lifted a hand and took a step forward as he began to explain.  
  
"The King may have said that I didn't have to go..." he paused before added with raised eyebrows. "...but he never said I couldn't go if I wanted to."  
  
Sticking his hands lightly on his hips, he lifted his head. "And besides...if pirate's cannot offer friendship, then how am I able to stand here without getting throw overboard?"  
  
As soon as he finished, the boy made a satisfied smile at Tetra, secretly hoping his explanation was good enough for her.  
  
In response to his reasons, Tetra had to change her stare into a realizing gaze that quickly sunk deep into Link's eyes, as if she was searching them for seriousness. When that's all she found in the boy's gentle gaze, her open mouth slowly changed into a small smile, upon realizing he wasn't about to let her even think about trying to change his mind.  
  
Her instincts as a pirate instantly kicked in however, and her smile turned into that mischievous smirk she always wielded when something sinister would enter her mind. She then slowly but casually paced the short distance over to Link.  
  
The boy got a wondering look in his eyes as the pirate stopped within inches of his face.  
  
After a brief scan of the deck, Tetra looked him straight in the eyes, lifted one hand...and flicked him right in the nose.  
  
"Ow!" the boy called in response to the light shot to his nose. He quickly put a hand up to it, even if it didn't hurt in the least. It was enough however to surprise him and make him wonder what he did to deserve such a move.  
  
Tetra placed her hands on her hips, keeping her smirk firmly on her face as Link gave her a confused expression, though he knew he probably deserved the sudden maneuver.  
  
"You sure do have a lot of guts to say that to us pirates." She stated in her normal tone of voice. Smirking even more, she then added. "There really is nothing stopping us from throwing you overboard right now."  
  
Link was stunned.  
  
But...he didn't stay that way long when he saw the kind of look he was getting from the female pirate.  
  
She was peering at him with one of her eyes closed, eyeing him suspiciously with the biggest smile he had ever seen her make.  
  
"I must say though..." she continued, as she lifted her head. "I'm impressed that you're bold enough to speak outright in front of your captain like that. But, you can only go so far..."  
  
Lowering her head slightly, the pirate then added in the most sincere and softest tone she could...  
  
"Know your place...Link."  
  
Relieved that her words were only to keep her status as a pirate high with her crew, Link returned her expression and removed his hand, putting it up to his forehead.  
  
"Aye-aye...Miss Tetra." Link replied, saluting.  
  
She grinned.  
  
"Just call me Tetra."  
  
Link shrugged sheepishly as he brought his hand down, keeping his smile spread across his face.  
  
"Well then..." the pirate captain began, bring her hunched shoulders straight and lifting her head higher. She made a sweeping glance to her crew that stood bunched behind Link and said. "What's say we get this sorry excuse for a ship moving again. I don't recall ever giving orders to stop anyway, now did I?" she commanded in a playfully stern tone.  
  
Her crew quickly bolted upright after realizing they did indeed set anchor when Link requested to come aboard. As they dispersed and Link headed back to where the King of Red Lions was, Tetra managed to shoot a playful smirk over at Nudge, who merely gave her a smile back knowing he had stopped the ship so Link could board.  
  
Watching as the rest of her crew got into position, the pirate captain's eyes trailed back over to the boy in green, who was now stepping back into the King of Red Lions which was still being held up by ropes with the help of Senza. His reason for coming with her on the journey to the new land quickly reentered her thoughts, replying itself over and over in her head until a smile formed onto her face.  
  
"You got me there, Link..." she whispered.  
  
"You got me there..."  
  
~ ~ ~  
  
A very light breeze blew across the waters of the Great Sea.  
  
Since it wasn't enough to get neither ship moving, both the sea-going pirate ship and the King of Red Lions remained still on the water's surface, rocking slightly whenever a small wave hit their flanks.  
  
Tetra stood calmly on the upper deck of her ship, arms folded, allowing the gentle breeze to blow through her hair and brush it lightly against her cheek. She glanced up at the mighty sail in front her, watching it move in a wavy pattern as a result of the light wind.  
  
Her eyes then trailed down to the lone boy sitting at the stern end of his red boat, sail hoisted, and waving lightly in the same manner her ship's sail was doing.  
  
Everyone remained in silence...  
  
...until the sound of the wind picking up brought everything to life.  
  
The sails suddenly moved and billowed as the wind filled them with its presence, lurching the ships they were attached to.  
  
Having no anchor holding it back, the King of Red Lions slowly began to move through the waves, parting the water before it as if to lead the way for the larger ship to follow.  
  
Without wasting another moment, the esteemed Tetra unfolded her arms and raised a commanding hand into the air.  
  
"Anchors aweigh!" she called proudly. "Hold the tiller steady!" Refolding her arms across her chest, she then gazed ahead at the sea that stretched out before her.  
  
A smile formed on the captain's face, knowing that she could now overcome anything that stood in her path, no matter how tough or evil it was. With the people she had at her side now, the very thought of anything going against her and winning was nonexistent. She could only continue to smile, as her journey slowly began to be underway.  
  
Putting a new spark in her blue eyes, Tetra raised her head into the wind, as her thoughts echoed into it...  
  
"And as for our destination...  
  
...the wind will guide us."  
  
THE END 


	23. Summary Part 1

Author Summary- Story description and Behind the Scene's Info  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Warning: VERY LONG! This is actually so long it takes up three documents to post, so about halfway through the summary you will be forced to go on to the next document. But remember, you don't actually have to read this. But you can if you wish. A lot of stuff is going to be explained in here, and there's some neat facts and questions that you might find interesting too. ^_^ If you hate parenthesis...get use to seeing them cause there are a LOT in here *laughs* This would have been up sooner but FFN had problems and so did my internet box, so internet was down for me for a few days (ick!). Plus what with it being so long it took a while to sort out the documents. I did my best to keep it organized so if its not, don't correct me about it and blame it on the rate I made this summary. Anyway, let's begin with an intro.  
  
Intro:  
  
Well, it looks like this is it...I finally completed my first fanfiction! Holy smokes, I can't believe this is actually happening! I've never completed a story such as this before! You all don't know how happy I am to have completed this story! Wow...ok I think I should calm down a little and give you the summary now, huh? *grins sheepishly*  
  
Basically how I'm going to do this is put different information under different sections, one of which will be in the form of FAQ (the last section). But that won't be used often, so don't run off just yet! Here's the sections in order:  
  
1.) Thank You's (brief thank you's to reviewers and others)  
  
2.) Summaries and info (a brief summary of each chapter, followed by explanations to changed parts and other stuff about that chapter)  
  
3.) Extra Info(just some behind the scene's info plus other questions done in FAQ style)  
  
That's basically it. So, let us begin shall we?  
  
1.) Thank You's  
  
That's right! The first thing I'm going to do is thank all you pleasant reviewers for all you wonderful reviews and comments on my story! You all deserve it! And this is going to be individual too, so you all each get a little something said to you from me. Even the anonymous people! It's the least I could do for you taking the time to read and review ^_^ They aren't long, but I had to do something for ya. Oh and these are not in order of favorites. Let's begin!  
  
Aria Zephyr:  
  
Ok I kinda half-lied. I had to put Aria first cause this particular form of thanking reviewers was in one of her stories and I must give credit to her for the idea. Now the first thing I must say about you Aria is that you gave me a lot of inspiration with your story The Way the Winds of Time Blow. I thank you for creating such a story while I was writing, cause it helped a lot. You rock! You other reviewers should read her stories! They are great! Also, I believe you Aria reviewed the most, so that means you rock even more! *throws confetti on you* Yayness! Your reviews were great. And by the way, tell Twister I said Hi and why don't we get together one day to bash Ganondorf for fun. *laughs evilly* Nah I think he gets enough of that fro Link. Thanks anyways!  
  
DJ Skittles:  
  
Hey you may have only reviewed once, but heck, a lot of people did. Thank you O anonymous one for saying that my story was logical, and to keep going! Every little bit matters!  
  
Animelover231:  
  
Yet another great anonymous reviewer who encouraged me to go on, and to even ask about me considering a sequel. The answer will come my friend. :) Thank you!  
  
The Time Traveler:  
  
A great reviewer who stuck with the story for quite a while! The encouragement to go on really helped! Thank you a whole bunch! *gives you a cookie*  
  
Number 1 Zeldafan:  
  
Heh...either FFN screwed up, or you liked my story enough to write the same review three times *giggles*. You stuck with the story ever since you started reading it! You're awesome! I thank thee greatly anonymous one! :)  
  
Chaos Angel-Angel Princess:  
  
*is still picking confetti off herself from a review while grinning* You know, you are one of my most memorable reviewers. Not only did you shower me with confetti in happiness, but you also threatened to kill yourself or me if I didn't update *laughs*. And you are also the one who is most looking forward to the sequel too. Like before, you will know the answer soon enough *smiles*. I thank you for loving how I portrayed Link and Tetra's relationship. That means a lot to me! *does two thumbs up* Go Link and Tetra! Woot!  
  
Ri2:  
  
You did a number of short one-phrased reviews but I am not complaining! You are great since you stuck with my story as well and commented on whatever happened in that chapter. *gives you chocolate* Thank you!  
  
Red Chaos Mage:  
  
Short, sweet, and to the point. I like those kind of reviews. They were neat! You are also another loyal reviewer too, so I give thee a gift! *gives you a bowl of candy* Hope you are not allergic to sugar ^.^ Enjoy! And thank you a whole lot!  
  
RavenGhost:  
  
You be another loyal reviewer. Sweet! I don't care if they were short, they still mattered to my writing skills. Here! *gives you a plate of brownies* Thanks!!  
  
Alex:  
  
A one-time reviewer but heck, I've already established that everyone counts! Thank you for taking the time to review anonymous one. And yes I agree, Tetra IS the best character! *waves a flag with her picture on it* Yay!  
  
Shadow Fox 05:  
  
You'd be surprised how a simple phrase like "nice work" can influence a story. And for mine, it was a definite positive! You're reviews were great! Thanks!  
  
computer dunce:  
  
My very first constructive criticism reviewer! Let me tell ya, it was new having someone like you reviewing. I wasn't sure how it would affect my story since I take criticism a little too negatively. But after seeing it a bit longer, I realized it was helping more than hindering. So I must thank you tremendously for helping me spice up my grammar and overall writing style! You're awesome!!! *throws lots of confetti on you* Yayness times two *laughs*. Thank you, thank you, thank you! :)  
  
Lorilei Mackenzie:  
  
I must say this first...when are you going to update your story?! I need a good WW humor fic to read! *laughs in advance* Heh...well a big hearty thank you to ya for reviewing my story as well! *attempts to give you inspiration somehow* Ack! It's so hard! I know it! Oh well...I'll keep a lookout for the future update O great reviewer! :)  
  
Heather Wianur:  
  
Neato! You really like how I portrayed Tetra as well! You rock! *giggles* And thanks for saying my story was what a fanfic should be like. That really kept my spirit high. Thank you anonymous reviewer! Weeeee!  
  
Redhotrapist:  
  
I question the name but oh well...and you're the second person who threaten to kill themself if I didn't update *laughs*. I never believed you, but I wasn't about to take a chance so...*trails, then clears throat*. Anyway, thank you a lot!  
  
Hero of Winds:  
  
Heh...you write reviews similar to mine when it comes to WW. I always get caught up in a moment and start commanding the non-existent characters to do stuff ^_^; I can't help it! And I bet you can't either ^.^; Oh well...thank you O great anonymous one who is posing as Link. *laughs, then starts looking for the Wind Waker*  
  
Linkfan:  
  
I went about my word of updating, young fan of Link, and your review helped more than I bet you thought it did. :) Thanks a whole lot!  
  
Ani1:  
  
Oh cool! You were one of the people who liked my writing style! Sweet! I didn't think it was that good, so I must thank you greatly for raising my esteem on my style a little higher! I appreciate it tremendously! *gives you silly string to spray on people* *laughs*  
  
P4Pancho:  
  
You, my friend, are a cool writer! I'm flattered you wished to link with my story, and I am looking forward to seeing more of your own updates! And you were also another small constructive criticism reviewer too so I thank thee even more to putting your two cents in and helping me! *attempts to give you inspiration as well* Good luck with your story my fellow writer!  
  
Author Blitz:  
  
I believe you mentioned something in a review about Ganondorf using magic right? Well if you wish, you can skip on down to the question section and you'll find out why I did that. And thanks a whole bunch for reviewing my story! You be a great writer too (just not as clean as me ^_^;).  
  
ignorantly grinning:  
  
Interesting name...sounds like a pen name Ganon would use if he had an account *laughs*. Oh sorry, I didn't want to be mean or nothing . Anyway, I really like it that you liked my writing style too! You're so kind! Thank you a whole lot!  
  
Dragon Heart:  
  
You know, one of the reasons I made this story was to attract Tetra fans, and I assume you're one of them considering your review. Awesome! I adore having fellow fans read and review my work! It was a real treat to have someone such as yourself reviewing my humble story ^.^ Thank you!!  
  
Drummaboy:  
  
Heh! I hope I fulfilled your expectation of this being a Tetra and Link pairing, cause I was hoping it would turn out to be one ^.^ It's always nice to see more T/L people here at FFN. You rock! And by the way, I am loving your stories too. Please continue them! I beg you! *coughs* Oh and thanks for reviewing too! Yay!  
  
Twyla Zone:  
  
Another sequel hungry reviewer ^_^; I didn't expect this many really. Oh well...thanks for reviewing and I'm glad you liked my story! *does peace sign to you* Neat!  
  
The Evil Midget of Doom:  
  
I really hope you are reading this, cause YOU WERE MY FIRST REVIEWER! And that makes you a totally cool person! When I saw your great review, I instantly jumped with happiness. Literally! So therefore I must show my appreciation! *gives you a mountain of cake with edible confetti on it* Yayness times infinity! Woot!  
  
Zornor:  
  
Heh...more threatening. Oh well, at least you won't kill yourself (or me) ^_^; Thanks for the great reviews cause by saying the chaps were great really helped with the other chapters! Thank you so very much. :)  
  
Zeldafreak84067:  
  
I guess the first thing I should say to you O anxious one is skip on down to the bottom of this summary for your answer about the sequel. That's pretty much all you said in your reviews (that and how much you liked the story, which I liked!) ^_^; Thank you so very much!  
  
Jean-Grey/Phoenix:  
  
*looks back on your review* Am I making a sequel where Link and Tetra get married...hmm...*giggles*. That would be interesting, but I don't think that will happen just yet in any sequel I would make. But I'm sure you'll find someone who would do that ^.^ Thanks for taking the time to read my Zelda story (other than an X-Men one I mean...I saw your favorites list ^.^;). Thanks again!  
  
Carrie:  
  
You saw my drawings?! I must ask which ones? I've got many up all over the place and they all are of different stuff ^_^; Aw well. Thanks for saying my story was enjoyable to read and for even going so far as to say I made Tetra "perfect". I didn't really expect that. :) I'm curious to read this WW story you are planning too, so I'm going to keep an eye out for it! Thanks again!  
  
Miguel Gama:  
  
Oh shucks...I'm flattered that you think my story is perfect, but believe me it's not. But I'm not complaining! I thank thee greatly for saying such a thing about my humble story! *smiles profusely*  
  
Jakia:  
  
Hee hee...more threatening yet again. You people sure do have a funny way of getting a writer to update ^_^; Aw but it's nothing against me. Thank you fellow writer for sticking my Zelda fanfic amongst your favorites of Harry Potter ^_^;;  
  
PrincessKitty-Chan:  
  
A critic! Ack! *laughs* Aw just kidding Kitty-Chan ^.^ I must say though you really did give me a lot to think about with your particular reviews online. Criticism is somewhat new to me and I know you are trying your best to make my writing better! So to thank you, I give thee a present! *hands you a lifetimes supply of candy and throws more confetti on you* Hee hee! Thank you!  
  
Junky:  
  
Aw sorry about that Junky. But all good things must come to an end unfortunately. But hey, you might not be disappointed with your mentioning of a sequel *winks* Thank you! *waves*  
  
And last but definitely not least...God. No way would I have been able to finish this without him! He gave me the talent! Also, I must thank Nintendo too! Without them, the Wind Waker would have been non-existent and I wouldn't have been able to do the story period! Thank you, Nintendo!  
  
Well that's all of you! Again, a very big thank you to all you great people who reviewed! *throws confetti all over you again* Yayness!  
  
2.) Summaries and Info  
  
This is probably the main reason why I even bothered to write a summary. You all saw the changes and altercations done to the real plot and events of The Wind Waker, so I just thought I'd clear things up so no confusion exists and so you know what parts were my ideas. Let's start with the default chapter!  
  
Default Chapter: A Pirate's Past  
  
------------------------  
  
Summary:  
  
-7 years before the events of the WW began, a 5-year-old Tetra witnesses her mother's capture by a shadowed figure atop a large phoenix.  
  
Info:  
  
Yup, this is one of only a few chapters in which I could decide how everything went on my own. I believe it doesn't interfere with anything done in the game, so I figured it was good to use, and plus I also needed something to help explain the reason why Tetra was looking for Jabun's pearl (other than the fact that she was a pirate, and pirate looks for treasure all the time. That was too obvious). The idea of Ganondorf snatching her mother and still flying off with her instead of turning around for Tetra was intentional. I figured as long as Ganondorf knew he had a woman with long ears, he could care less if he only got one and not two. Another thing I thought was neat to add for mystery's sake was to have Tetra's mother not tell her the entire story and see if you all could figure out why. Of course, its explained in chapter 14 why she did that so I won't have to explain it. The relationship Tetra had with her mother was another thing I just had to add, since the fact that she actually has a picture of her hanging in her room suggested such a fact.  
  
Chapter 1: The Nightmare Capture  
  
-------------------------  
  
Summary:  
  
-7 years later, a 12-year-old Tetra (now captain of the crew) gets kidnapped by the giant bird after being knocked unconscious.  
  
Info:  
  
This is another chapter in which I could make up anything I wanted to happen. Obviously I had to make up my own scene as to how Tetra came to be kidnapped and then taken to Outset later on, so I started with introducing her new captain status and her crew, so anyone who hasn't played the game will know who's who (hey that rhymed!). The little battle scene I put between Tetra and the Bokoblin was for spice, and to show off how Tetra's personality had changed from when she was 5 years old. She's obviously more bold and stern, and she lacks that innocent nature she once had. Intentional again, since the story slightly tilts toward realism, and I know if anyone witnessed their mother kidnapped in front of their eyes and you couldn't do anything about it, your personality would definitely change. Yeah, I know, I probably went too deep with that, but who's complaining? ...umm...don't answer that ^_^;  
  
Chapter 2: A Boy and a Beginning  
  
----------------------------  
  
Summary:  
  
-Tetra experiences a nightmare involving her mother and the shadowy figure from the past. Tetra wakes up and meets Link for the first time. Link's sister Aryll is kidnapped by the large bird. Link joins Tetra and her crew on their trip to the Forsaken Fortress.  
  
Info:  
  
This is obviously where the game begins in my story, so this chapter was half my idea half actual plot. The nightmare Tetra had was done to show that she might not be a strong as she thought she was when it came to being able to avenge her mother by herself. Of course, she doesn't notice this. I intentionally made it so that she had a cut on her arm when Link saves her from her nightmare (and from the monsters she was oblivious to while unconscious). I thought it was sweet to add the extra kindness Link was going to show as a result ^.^ This is also where we see the first signs of Tetra beginning to like the boy, though of course her attitude makes it very mild right now. But of course...that will change later on ^_^ Everything else is pretty much the game only in more detail.  
  
Chapter 3: Trouble at Sea  
  
-------------------------------  
  
Summary:  
  
-After setting sail and laying down the laws of the ship, Tetra puts Link under Niko's command to train him. Tetra falls asleep later on and has a dream involving Link, her, and the shadow figure again. A storm occurs after she awakes and she drops her necklace into the ocean by accident. Tetra almost drowns while retrieving her necklace, but is rescued by Link again. The storm halts shortly afterwards and they resume their trip to the Forsaken Fortress.  
  
Info:  
  
Major change in this chapter obviously. They really didn't encounter a storm in the game, but there is a reason why I did such a thing. And that reason is because I wished to show just how determined Tetra is to keep her promise to her mother about not losing her necklace. At first I had it so that she almost fell overboard(and she never lost her necklace), but then that removed my whole point of creating this chapter in the first place. So I changed it to what it is now. She kept her word obviously even if it almost cost her her life in return. But I knew I couldn't let her drown! So I stuck Link in there to save her of course ^.^ Obviously as a result she's even more confused about why he would do something like that for her without wanting a reward, but of course knowing Tetra she wouldn't dwell on that too much (and plus I couldn't make her start to like him then anyways, since that would be too fast too soon according to how I want their relationship to be gradual). The reason for adding that nightmare too, was to give a hint to a future event, which takes place in chapter 12 (their first encounter with Ganondork...er...dorf...and how it won't go so well *cackles immensely at what she just said*).  
  
Chapter 4: Enter the Forsaken Fortress  
  
-------------------------------  
  
Summary:  
  
-A funny scene unfolds during Link's training. The pirates arrive at the Forsaken Fortress. Link is catapulted off the ship into the fortress, and loses his sword in the process, forcing him to rely on stealth and Tetra's guidance via the Pirate's Charm.  
  
Info:  
  
Not much happened in this chapter as far as the storyline goes...but this was by far the funniest chapter I had to privilege to write! Of course, it was hilarious in the game too, so I added to the humor by sticking that one scene with Link catching fire just for fun *makes evil smile*. That scene was also suppose to give a hint to Tetra that Link could very well be an answer to getting her good side to show more. But once again, she doesn't take the hint and goes back to her normal stern attitude (I had to actually because she still shows rudeness to him at this point). Everything else in the chapter basically explains itself.  
  
Chapter 5: A Halted Rescue  
  
-------------------------------  
  
Summary:  
  
-Link shuts down a searchlight after fighting a Bokoblin. Link gets knocked out and thrown into a jail cell after picking a fight with a Moblin. Link wakes up, uses stealth to escape, and finally reaches his sister's cell. Link is snatched by the bird before he rescues her, and then tossed out to sea by orders from a shadowy figure. Tetra begins orders to go find Link.  
  
Info:  
  
It's the Forsaken Fortress...only in more detail. I actually got caught by a Moblin in the game too, so I figured it would be neat to add that in the story. I'm not positive that my method for Tetra using her necklace to communicate with Link via the pirate's charm is true in actuality, but it's all I could think of unless she has another charm (which I'd never seen at all during the game) somewhere on her. Though I do wonder what's in that pouch of hers on her waist...*trails* Anyways...its obvious that by the time Link enters his sister's cell (after thanking Tetra of course), the pirate begins to feel the first signs of actually liking him. But obviously I made her more confused than relieved about this. Why? Well my reason is this...I made it so that Tetra had never actually experienced friendship from anyone other than her mother and crew (in actuality I think that's what happened anyways). So obviously she's not sure what the feeling is just yet. But eventually, when its shown to her enough, she'll realize it and have a deeper respect for the boy. Of course, she notices it a tad too late (thanks to Ganondorf...that meanie!), and ends up questioning herself inside about his importance to her. And of course, since she now knows he is very important to her (what with him being her first outside friend and all), she orders to find him, knowing that she wasn't about to loose the first person whom she considered a friend.  
  
Ok everyone. I can only fit so much on one document on FFN so head on over to the next so-called chapter for the rest of the summary. That is...if I haven't put you to sleep yet ^.^;; 


	24. Summary Part 2

Ok I'm not going to start this continued summary with a big note, so I'll jump straight to the next chapter. So...*hops on over after having a lot of coffee*  
  
Chapter 6: The Prophetic Dream  
  
-------------------------------  
  
Summary:  
  
-After hours of searching for Link, Nudge convinces Tetra into letting them give up their search, on accounts that the boy didn't survive. That night, Tetra has a dream, in which her mother instructs her to help a new hero defeat a new evil by collecting three pearls, the first of which, being on Greatfish Isle. Tetra wakes up, and instructs her crew to head for Greatfish Isle.  
  
Info:  
  
Yet another imaginary chapter. Obviously in this one, I went so far as to having the pirates search a very long time until everyone got too tired to go on (other than Tetra of course). Since Nudge is the one who helps Tetra make wise decisions (how I found that out is explained in the Extra Info section of this summary), I made him try to change her mind about continuing the search (I had to, cause I knew they couldn't be searching for Link the whole time he was off searching for the pearls. That would have been boring to write, and read). Somewhere while planning how the plot would go, I remembered how Tetra recognized the Master Sword when she saw Link having it (chapter 10 and 11 according to my story). I knew I had to make up an explanation as to why she did, and also why she was searching for Jabun's treasure, so I pieced together the idea of her mother wishing for her to help the new hero by helping to find the pearls for him. And to help her recognize who the hero was, the Master Sword was brought into play. It turned out to be a logical explanation for her shocked reaction, as well as tying in good with the actual plot while not interfering with it. It also gave me something interesting to write about as far as plot goes, and it opened new doors for creating a better storyline for the next few chapters. The fact that it was shown to Tetra in a dream was actually the only way I could do this, knowing that her mother wasn't alive at the time (and that in past Zelda games, this was commonly done to get a plot moving. Example being Ocarina of Time when Zelda had that prophetic dream about Link...that wasn't a good example was it...). Turned out quite well, actually.  
  
Chapter 7: Unexpected News  
  
-------------------------  
  
Summary:  
  
-The pirates arrive at Greatfish Isle, only to witness its destruction by Ganondorf and see a large fish flee beforehand. After searching the island from top to bottom, they find nothing and return to their ship. They drift for a while, until Quill appears. Quill states his message to Link about Jabun's location on Outset to the pirates. Tetra begins orders to go to Outset Island.  
  
Info:  
  
Basically this is how Tetra's new mission is carried out. I knew that Greatfish Isle was destroyed sometime during the game, and I remembered hearing Tetra mention on Windfall that they saw the island demolished. Literally though, I wasn't sure if the pirates actually saw it happen, but I found no harm in making them witness its destruction so I went about it that way. I had to make them see Jabun too, on accounts that if they didn't, they wouldn't know who Jabun was and that he had the pearl they were looking for. Another thing I knew I had to clear up, was when Quill told the pirates of Jabun's location. I remembered Quill's conversation with Link when he was at Greatfish Isle, so I went on from that and decided he would be tricked into telling the pirates right after they saw Greatfish Isle destroyed. This is also when you see that bit of fast-talk Gonzo was suppose to pull that was mentioned by Mako at Windfall. I believe everything else is pretty much explained in the story.  
  
Chapter 8: A Steal and a Reunion  
  
----------------------------  
  
Summary:  
  
-The pirates arrive at Outset, but fail to open the way to Jabun. After a clumsy but surprisingly helpful act from Niko, they figure out they need bombs and head for Windfall. Once there, the pirate's steal bombs from Cannon and Tetra spots Link spying on them. The pirate's decide to rest for the night, and Tetra talks with Link via the Pirate's charm about how he can go search for Jabun's treasure with the bombs he was stealing from them. Tetra heads to where her and her crew are relaxing for the night, and watches Link leave.  
  
Info:  
  
Well obviously I had to follow the plot of the pirates going to Outset and failing to get to Jabun. Their method does explain the huge cracks already in the slab when you get there in the game, but I guess I failed to make the large cracks in my story . I believe I had writer's block then, so my logic went somewhere else at the time. The silly scene with Niko was done to add length and variety to the chapter. I knew that it would be too easy and boring for them to say "Well we need more cannonballs so let's go to Windfall and get bombs instead", so I made a small conflict there, and had them solve it shortly afterwards in a funny manner. I figured it needed more humor again *laughs*. Anyways, other than adding more detail to what they did at Windfall and prying a lot into what Tetra was thinking and doing while it all went on, this chapter was pretty much the actual plot.  
  
Chapter 9: Turn of Events  
  
-------------------------  
  
Summary:  
  
-The pirates are already back at Outset, only to find that someone (Link) had beaten them. They decide to sell some of their bombs for some profit, and stumble across Beedle's shop ship. After selling some to Beedle, Tetra finds out which direction Link went and they begin to head that way. They arrive at the Tower of the Gods just in time to see Link, and they follow him a short while until they encounter a cyclone. After it disappears mysteriously, Link is then sucked up by a small cyclone and disappears northwest. Tetra figures out where he is heading, and commands to continue heading northwest.  
  
Info:  
  
Yup, a lot happened in this chapter. What's neat though is that I added that scene with Beedle because if you happen to talk to him after acquiring Jabun's pearl in the game, he mentions that the pirates sold him the bombs and asked Link if he was acquainted with Tetra (the adorable little pirate girl...*laughs*). It was something I just had to add, plus I needed a way for Tetra to figure out where Link was going since she had to end up at the Forsaken Fortress as well. It would have been boring to just make them head to the fortress and wait for him, so I had them follow the boy (once they found him) up until they encountered that huge cyclone. If you haven't played the game this part would have confused you slightly. In the game, this is one of the spots in which you could learn a song called the Ballad of Gales (which warps you to a different spot on the ocean), and you need to fire arrows at the red frog (Cyclos I believe his name was) inside it to be able to learn the song (that's who Link was looking at that when Tetra was trying to see what caused the cyclone to disappear). This is usually where I learn it in the game (since I usually don't feel like sailing the whole way to the fortress), so I figured it would add a neat twist to the story if I put it in their. And plus, I needed a way for Link to get ahead of the pirates, since you don't see them at the fortress when you arrive there in the game.  
  
Chapter 10: Dawn of the New Hero  
  
----------------------------  
  
Summary:  
  
-Pirates arrive at the Forsaken Fortress. Quill and Prince Komali arrive to help, and Tetra thinks up a plan to keep the bird off Link's tail. Quill and Niko distract the bird long enough for Tetra, Gonzo, and Senza to sneak into the fortress and help Link free his sister. Tetra finds out that Link is the new hero.  
  
Info:  
  
Now that I think about, the only thing in this chapter that was entirely my idea was how the pirates went about getting into the fortress without being spotted. I tried to keep it real, considering the searchlights and all, and I actually went to the fortress in the game and examined the outskirts to see if my way of doing it would work. Turns out it would work, since no searchlights or cannons were back there underneath the spot they would board (you can check yourself, just look for the balcony Link enters his sister's cell from in the water and see). The only thing I did see in the game though that I didn't notice until it was too late, was that the bird was no where in sight when you arrive in the game. So that would have meant the pirates had gotten there before him, and distracted it for who knows how long until they entered the cell to help you. By the time I realized this however, this chapter was already up and posted so...I couldn't change it. Further more I would have had to make some major changes to the previous chapter if I were to go by that method and I really didn't feel like doing that at the moment. Oh well...*shrugs*. More humor obviously was added here, considering Tetra's method for distracting the bird (hehe...poor Niko and Quill). If you're wondering, I did make it so that they made it back to the ship in one piece...tired, but in one piece none the less *laughs evilly*. Um...right...moving on...^.^;  
  
Chapter 11: A Foul Fight  
  
----------------------------  
  
Summary:  
  
-Link and Aryll are reunited. With the new realization of Link being the hero, Tetra reminds Link of how he must settle the score with the bird. After Aryll and the pirate's leave the cell, Tetra suddenly wishes to help with the fight against the bird, but finds the door had locked behind her. Using her grappling hook, Tetra climbs up alongside the tower until she reaches the top, where the fight between Link and the bird begins. Halfway into the fight, the bird begins to prepare its most powerful attack.  
  
Info:  
  
Yeah I know...I made Link and Aryll's reunion very touching. I couldn't help it! I didn't think they had a heartwarming-enough reunion in the game so I changed it a little to make it more sweet. Another thing I drastically changed too, was the fact that I made Tetra watch the fight between Link and the giant bird. Why did I do that? Well I figured that Tetra was too vengeful and determined to settle her own score with the bird to just sit around and wait until she grew too curious and spied on Link and Ganondorf later. So I came up with the idea of her witnessing the battle secretly, and later jumping in. But please, don't go crazy trying to look for her on the tower walls while you're fighting the bird in the game. She will not be there, no matter how much or how hard you try to search (this is one of those things that are definitely not in the game). I did my best to describe the battle according the game (more details about that are in the Extra Info section), but in the next chapter, the battle turns more to my imagination then the actual game flow.  
  
Chapter 12: Encounter with the New Evil  
  
-------------------------  
  
Summary:  
  
-The fight between Link and the bird escalates, to the point where Tetra steps in (while Link is unconscious). The bird is killed by his own master (Ganondorf), and Link heals himself with a fairy. Tetra spies on Link and Ganondorf, only to see Link losing. Tetra steps in again to help, but ends up getting strangled by Ganondorf. Tetra falls unconscious from lack of air, but not before she apologizes to Link.  
  
Info:  
  
This chapter was for some reason very enjoyable to write, and I believe this is so because of how it ended. The way I made Tetra finally say her sorry to Link for being mean to him and for being unable to help him at that moment must have tugged at my heartstrings *sighs*. Boy do those two make a cute couple ^.^ (and yes I know I have no life...). Anyways, there was obviously major changes to how the fight with the bird ended. I know you don't see a large magical beam shoot out and deal the final blow to it; but to have it fly up and explode into purple smoke sounded like a boring and unrealistic death to me. So I made Ganondorf kill it, knowing that he would normally dispose of worthless servants when they are on their last legs (he did it in Ocarina of Time with Phantom Ganon, so why not now?). I also had to show how Tetra went about spying on them, so that was a given (I know you don't see her when Link falls to his knees in the game, but I wanted to make it more creative so you all at least see a bit of Link and Ganondorf's confrontation). Of course, I made up that part up of Link being brought to his knees from a hit to the stomach (I had to since they didn't show how in the game). Plus, I also made their confrontation with Ganondorf longer than the game had it, to add more detail.  
  
Chapter 13: Twist of Fate  
  
----------------------------  
  
Summary:  
  
-Tetra awakens to find her and Link inside the backyard of a castle that's underwater. After a short conversation with a mysterious voice through the Pirate's Charm, Link and Tetra enter the castle basement. They meet the King of Hyrule (also known as the King of Red Lions when in boat form). After a long conversation with him, the King reveals Tetra's true identity...Princess Zelda.  
  
Info:  
  
Yeah I know what you're thinking. Is that really how being unconscious feels like? Well I'm not entirely sure. But would you believe me if I told you I got an idea what it feels like from actually having passed out once myself? Heh, it's true! And from what I can remember of it, my hearing was the first to come back, then my sense of touch and vision. Creepy, huh? Things like that tend to help in writing a story though (but don't go doing it for fun! Seriously I don't know what made me faint that one time...I just did! I even hit my head on my Playstation for crying out loud!). Ok moving on...I guess not much in this chapter was entirely my idea. I believe all I did was add more detail to them entering the castle, as well as their surroundings and talk with the King. At one point, this chapter did contain Tetra spotting that huge picture of Zelda and the crew in uniform and her and Link talking about it, but I found no importance in keeping it in, so I deleted it. Believe me though, it would have been boring to read anyways if I kept it.  
  
Chapter 14: Meeting with a Nightmare  
  
-------------------------------  
  
Summary:  
  
-Tetra (now known as Zelda), Link, and the King talk some more. The King leaves, and Link and Zelda say their good-byes. Zelda waits in the chamber, until Ganondorf shows up. Ganondorf puts Zelda under a dark spell, and she falls into a deep sleep.  
  
Info:  
  
Yet another chapter that I enjoyed writing, reason being that cute hug I had Link and Zelda do ^.^ I didn't think their good-byes were sweet enough in the game, and since I gave Link a voice in my story, I could add to what the game had already done and have him speak, rather than just doing a gesture and leaving. Seriously though, I think Nintendo should have put that in there. It's just so cute! Well anyways, I had to go into great detail with Zelda's thoughts while she was alone obviously, reason being there was a lot that wasn't cleared up at this point and this was the best time to. By now she realizes that she really likes Link(not love just yet...remember she's only 12), so she now has a much deeper respect and care for the hero. Up until Ganondorf shows up however, my imagination really kicks in. I really didn't think that Zelda was unconscious the whole time during the game, so I made his method of putting her in a deep sleep done (that's actually what happened I think...).  
  
Chapter 15: The Truth is Revealed  
  
-------------------------------  
  
Summary:  
  
-Zelda has a nightmare in which she is chased and almost killed by evil monsters. Dream changes to Zelda talking with her mother. Zelda wakes up and finds herself at the top of Ganon's tower with Link and Ganondorf. The final battle is about to begin.  
  
Info:  
  
The first thing that popped into my head when I thought up this chapter was instant nightmare. I doubt that any spell coming from Ganondorf would have pink flowers and fluffy bunnies, so a nightmare was almost a given really *laughs*. Of course, there were a couple things that I thought were still unexplained that could only come from Zelda's mother, so the last half of her dream had to involve her. I also remembered what Ganondorf said when he claimed he could see Zelda's dreams (oceans...oceans...oceans...oceans...geez what is he, a broken record?!), so I had to put a vast ocean in there somewhere. You probably noticed that I didn't have the wall of water appear yet. That's because I needed to slow down the amount of time Hyrule would be flooded, so the battle wouldn't have to be quick and I could have more stuff happen in the fight.  
  
Chapter 16: Fight for the Future  
  
-------------------------  
  
Summary:  
  
-The fight begins with Ganondorf using magic. Fight resorts to using just swords, and later, Zelda jumps in by using Light Arrows. Soon, Ganondorf starts cheating and uses magic again. Chapter ends with a powerful beam of energy heading straight for Link.  
  
Info:  
  
The biggest cliffhanger in the story probably was in this chapter. But this was also when I had my biggest writers block! It was horrible! But somehow I got through it, and created what you read. It took a while to think up how to begin it without being too quick to the battle, so I decided to give a brief description of what was going on on the surface before I started the fight. For those who wondered who the heck were the people I described, the dragon was Valoo, the tree with the face was the Great Deku Tree, and the little girl with the other men was obviously Aryll and Tetra's crew. Now for the battle...yeah the first thing that probably entered your mind was "Ganondorf can't do those kind of attacks! He never did in the game!" I'm well aware of this, but I had a good reason to add it (which is in the Extra Info section in the form of a question). But I did keep the fact of Zelda shooting Light arrows (though I guess I didn't use it as much as I should have...oh well). Another thing I have to mention about Zelda...she by now has gotten part of her bold attitude back (not much though. She still acts like an innocent princess when I think about it. That would explain her still being a little teary-eyed up until she changes back to Tetra).  
  
Chapter 17: Beginning of the End  
  
-------------------------  
  
Summary:  
  
-Zelda shoves Link out of the way before it hits him, and it partially skims Zelda as it passes. Link and Zelda exchange a couple words for a while, before Link uses his last fairy to heal her. The fight resumes afterwards, with Link and Ganondorf repeating the start of the fight. Ganondorf then uses his full strength and starts beating the heck out of Link. Zelda is suddenly left with one arrow, and Link falls to the ground, extremely hurt, before Ganondorf switches his attention to Zelda. Zelda fires her last arrow at Link, and they paralyze Ganon long enough to drive the Master Sword into his head.  
  
Info:  
  
The longest chapter yet! It had to be obviously to fit everything I wished to be in it. This was yet another major change to the actual storyline. Zelda does not get hit by magic or nothing of the sort (she does get knocked unconscious in the game but only for a short time), but I thought the added drama and tenderness between Link and Zelda would be too good to pass up. Plus, I needed to show how much Zelda would risk in order to save the first person she had feelings for (feelings that, I might add, are not too strong at this point, but they are there, and that's enough for her since it's her first time feeling this way). Then obviously the fight resumes, but now Ganondork is not holding anything back *cackles*. Link had to get busted up enough to want to faint (which he does in the next chapter), so don't think I did that cause I don't like him or anything (not in the least! Link and Zelda/Tetra are my favorite characters! *throws confetti on them*). Other than making the technique they use to paralyze Ganondorf for the last time a little bit more sneaky, I'd say everything else followed how the last battle went (in more detail of course, but that was obvious).  
  
Chapter 18: Reviving the Hope  
  
----------------------------  
  
Summary:  
  
-Ganondorf turns to stone, and the King appears. The King explains a bunch of stuff to Link and Zelda, such as how the kingdoms future can be made with the bloodline still alive, and the old Hyrule is doomed. After even more talking, Hyrule finally gets buried underwater (with the King intentionally staying behind). Link and Zelda (now back as Tetra) make it to the surface and are found by Prince Komali, Aryll, and the pirates.  
  
Info:  
  
Hmm...well this was just a very detailed version of what happened in the game basically. I really went in deep with the King's speech though (hopefully not too deep to the point where I confused ya), but then again I had to, otherwise quite a bit of stuff would be confusing to those who haven't played the game. But even from what I wrote there's still one thing that eludes me...if the Master Sword is removed from Ganon's head, would he come back to life?! Boy I wish I knew the answer to that...but I bet I will when another Zelda game comes out. They sometimes explain things like that in future releases. Oh yeah, and I bet you're wondering why I didn't put Medli and Makar on the ship when Link and Tetra see the ship. Well, I thought they weren't really needed, seeing how if anyone never played the game, they would have no clue who or why those people were there. And also, I believe the only reason they were put there in the game at that point really, was to symbolize their presence and that they were showing how thankful they were even if they were somewhere else (confused? ..yeah me too...). Plus it would take the focus off Tetra anyways (I think...maybe not too much...). Ok I'm just saying that just so you people don't think I didn't add them cause they stink...cause that's not the case at all...*smiles sheepishly*  
  
Chapter 19: Return to Outset  
  
-------------------------------  
  
Summary:  
  
-Now on their way to Outset, Tetra begins to think about her new mission for the new land. Tetra and Nudge talk about her mother and also Link. The pirates spot the King of Red Lions and bring it aboard. Tetra visits Link while he's asleep for a short time, after which she waits until they almost reach Outset before waking him. The pirates dock at Outset, and Tetra watches Link's family reunion.  
  
Info:  
  
This is it. Up until the very last scene of the story, mostly everything from here on was made up. It took me a while to figure out what to put in this chapter though...I knew Tetra had to be thinking about her new mission a lot cause obviously it's important at this point. The conversation between Tetra and Nudge was added for length and maybe some brief past information, that was basically it. I had to add them finding the King of Red Lions too cause obviously they had to since when you get back to Outset in the game, Link has it. Since there is no fairy around now, I was forced to have Link treated in the normal sense and of course he had to have been exhausted with all them injuries so I made him take a nap (Aryll was put there just to show to Tetra the closeness Link has with his family). By now however, something is bugging Tetra, and she doesn't even know what it is yet (she will figure it out in chapter 20...its the realization of the possibility of Link not going with her to find the new kingdom). This deep realization she hasn't really taken notice of yet is actually what stopped her hand when she was about to show her affection to Link while he was asleep. It was a strange hidden impulse I guess you could call it. She doesn't think about it too much now though (which is why she didn't question the impulse), so the main reason why she's acting so quiet would be her new mission and how her mother is no longer around to guide her now. Of course, that will change later on when she sees more of Link's relationship with her and his family.  
  
Chapter 20: Choosing the New Path  
  
-------------------------------------  
  
Summary:  
  
-After a short time spent on Outset, Link and Tetra head to the Forest of Fairies to be healed. After being healed, the two take a short walk down memory lane before exiting the forest. Later that day, Tetra retreats to a lookout and watches the sunset in peace, until Link finds her a little while later. Tetra explains to Link what she plans to do and how he has a choice of either going or staying. Tetra leaves to let him think by himself, and she falls asleep in her cabin.  
  
Info:  
  
Yeah, I know. Link doesn't get a choice in the game (he might have but Nintendo didn't show it), but in actuality I think he did or should have been given those choices. I mean, when you think about it, the King really didn't specify that Link HAD to go help with the new land, so that gave me something to work with. I really didn't think Link would wait until his wounds healed over time with the knowledge that a fairy fountain was near either, so I put that flow of him and Tetra heading to the place intentionally. I made it so that he asked Tetra in particular to come with him because he knew she could deal with any obstacles they could encounter (and also cause he enjoys her company and wished she could be healed as well from her own injuries). All the kindness Tetra gets from the boy as a result though, makes the pirate more aware of his ability to decide his own course of action, so this tended to make her more depressed than happy (depressed because she thinks she knows what his decision will be and also because she knows she's not going to allow herself to influence his decision...of course, she does by accident in the next chapter without even knowing it ^.~).  
  
Chapter 21: The End of One Journey, The Beginning of Another  
  
-------------------  
  
Summary:  
  
-Dawn comes, and the pirates prepare to leave Outset. Tetra talks with Aryll and Link's grandma for a short while, before Link comes at the last minute. Link is about to tell Tetra his decision, but she stops him. After a brief hug, Tetra runs back to her ship and enters her cabin. A short while later, she goes back on deck and finds Link aboard her ship, and he explains his reasons for coming with them. Tetra accepts his reasons and her and Link begin a new journey for the next Hyrule.  
  
Info:  
  
Well, by now I had created a really weird bond with this story, so there was no way I was going to give in to writers block (which I had again)! So I did my best and thought up a decent ending to rap up my story. A lot of things about this chapter is explained in the Extra Info section so that narrows the topics of discussion...hmm...what now...oh yeah! I remembered that Link still did not return the Pirate's Charm (even in the game he doesn't), so I added that for clarity (as well as making it second as a gift from Tetra in return just for fun). And yes, I figured if I wasn't going to add a kiss, I should at least make them do something else! So the sweet hug was in order ^.^ I'm very fond of hugs so that's why you probably saw a lot of them in the story. And what I was hoping to direct to all of you by that embrace, was that I was hoping you all would notice that she is Tetra when she hugs him (last time she was Princess Zelda and it was Link who gave the hug). So that gives you even more confirming of just how much she likes him (close friend...like I said before its not love just yet). On to when Link gets on the ship, me knowing how Tetra has this natural talent for hiding her feelings most of the time in front of people, I had to make her stop staring when she saw him on her ship when she pried it into her head that he was staying (which was why she was staring really). Her flicking him in the nose was how I made her cover it up obviously (I thought it was funny). A very good ending I must say though...I really hope you all liked it as much as I did! :)  
  
That concludes the summary! I hope I cleared up most of what I was hoping to clear up. And if you're still confused about something, perhaps it will be answered in the next section, which is unfortunately in the next document. Onward! 


	25. Summary Part 3

Dag nabbit I wish this wouldn't take up so many documents but FFN has a length limit. Fooie! Oh well...it's question time! Woot!  
  
3.) Extra Info  
  
This section is going to split up into two groups. The first will be background info about how the story came to be. Second is storyline questions. Just some stuff I thought you people might find interesting to know basically. ^_^ This is also where questions asked by reviewers are answered as well, amongst other questions that I even asked myself. First section...first question...  
  
Q: What made you want to write a Wind Waker story in the first place?  
  
A: The game of course. But when I completed the game, the first thing that came to my mind was sequel! But after thinking about trying to figure out a sequel just then, I found that there were a lot of things that were unexplained about my favorite character (Tetra) that would have made writing one difficult, or make many things about the sequel confusing. So I thought...why not rewrite the entire game from her point of view? And presto! Instant story! But probably my main reason for wanting to writing a story about Tetra, was to portray what I thought her past, actions, and feelings were really like during the game. So I wedged myself into her situations, thought up a logical explanation for her actions as well as putting a creative twist on events, and it just went on from there.  
  
Q: What kind of story is The Wind Waker: Tetra's Journey?  
  
A: If you're talking genre then I believe it was a little bit of everything really. Action and Adventure was the most obvious though, along with suspense (I guess). Romance wasn't too big but I thought I showed enough of Tetra and Link's relationship to make it at least a little romantic and make it the second most referred to genre. Humor was another thing added, to make sure the story didn't become too serious. Now if you're talking about it in general then that's a different explanation. This story was mostly pre-written, meaning that it was almost entirely complete before I started posting it on the internet. Why did I do this? Because I didn't want it to end up like my other story I have posted on FFN (that story is still uncompleted). I figured if no one knew it even existed and I for some reason stopped writing it, no one would get mad at me for discontinuing it or delaying it. That would keep guilt off my shoulders as well as giving you great people a steady update and also a finished story at the end. :) I recommend this method to all you other fanfic writers too. Believe me, it's a great way to go!  
  
Q: How long did it take you to write it?  
  
A: Well let's see...I started writing the default chapter on the first of May (2003), and I finished all the correcting and junk in mid October of the same year. So that would mean, from when I began to when I finished...it took me about 6 months to write the whole story. Of course, that's only a rough estimate, since on the 4th of July, I took a trip to New Jersey and later on a road trip all over the northern border of the U.S. During that time, I made almost no progress or enhancements to the story what-so-ever! I was just so darn busy I had barely anytime to write (and when I did try to write, what I came up with was crap!). I believe the start of chapter 16 was when this occurred. But when I returned from the trip in the beginning of August, my usual routine of typing up the story on the computer resumed (not sure what it is...I do my best writing straight from just sitting alone at the computer). After I completed the whole story, I began to edit and post the story on the internet, up until this summary ^_^  
  
Q: Did you ever get writer's block or encounter any obstacles while writing this story?  
  
A: Yes! Writer's block is like practically unavoidable to all writers when you think about it. But what is weird and perhaps a little scary about my writers block for this story in particular, was that it seemed whenever Tetra was depressed in the story, I found myself having writer's block. Probably the biggest example of this, was in the last two chapters when Tetra is depressed the most (It was too creepy and I hated it!). It's a good thing though that it went away and I could revise the chapter a little if it sounded too cheesy *cackles*. But of course, I got writers block in other spots as well, whether Tetra was depressed or not.  
  
Q: Exactly what did you do to get out of writer's block and keep yourself inspired to continue writing?  
  
A: Well the first thing I found myself doing to cure writers block, was to run to my GameCube and play Wind Waker for a while. It worked great for a while, until...*gulps*...I...I got tired of seeing it everyday! *bashes self* I know I wondered how such a thing was possible too, but it happened (I guess its called too much of a good thing). So I shifted my focus and got away from it for a while (during my trip actually...though I did play it a lot up there too. But that was different, since I was surrounded by fellow WW fans instead and I got inspiration from them, thankfully). But probably my best tool of inspiration, was listening to music! Music really helps set the mood. I found myself using New Age music (from Radio@AOL surprisingly) for those normal or peaceful parts, and also the variety of CD's I have. I listened to stuff like Evanescence(used "Going Under" to help think up what happened in chapter 3), Yanni (New Age again), and even the Pirates of the Caribbean soundtrack (worked very well with the fast paced parts and battle scenes!), all of which helped to fit whatever mood the story was set in. Another thing that helped inspire me, was reading fellow Wind Waker fan fiction on FFN! Stories like...The Way the Winds of Time Blow (written by Aria Zephyr, great finished story!), Tetra's Hope (written by Zeldafreak84067, very cute!), Finding Love (written by Sakura84067, yay Link and Tetra forever!), and also The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker 2 (written by P4Pancho, unfinished but has a very interesting plot!). There are others, but then this question would be waaaaaaaay too long ^_^  
  
Now for the storyline questions...  
  
Q: Is Tetra really 12 years old in the game?  
  
A: Umm...well to tell ya the truth, I'm not sure if that's really her official age. I spent a good deal of time trying to figure that out since Nintendo doesn't specify anywhere what her true age is. 12 was just right to me though, considering her size and maybe her personality. I knew she was the same age as Link though, so I went about trying to figure out his age. I think I remember hearing that young Link in Ocarina of Time was 12 when he started his journey, so since Link got his outfit at his coming of age (when young Link started his quest), 12 seemed the right amount. It was either 10, 12, or 13 to me really. 13 I figured they looked too small to be that old, and at 10 neither Link nor Tetra act that young, so I was stuck with 12. But I've seen that age used a lot in fellow WW fanfiction, so I think I made the right choice.  
  
Q: How in the world did you know as much as you did about Tetra's crew?  
  
A: I got most of my TRUE information about them from their individual figurines in the Nintendo Gallery. There's a side quest involving the pictobox and the guy hidden on that small island next to the Forest Haven in which you could get figurines of whoever you took a picture of, and each figurine has a description of that character. That is where I found out that Nudge was the one who understood Tetra the most (and is also the strongest of the whole crew), that Niko is too merry for his own good, and also that Mako keeps his dagger slash knife hidden in that huge book he carries. But things like how Zuko talks weird so no one understands him (partially at least) and how Gonzo keeps repeating the word "yeah" a lot, I got mostly from the game (too obvious). Also I talked with every one of them twice (whenever I could) in the game to find out more about Tetra's past or themselves. I did leave out a couple things...but hey, I could always express them better in a possible sequel.  
  
Q: I never saw Ganondorf use magic like that during the final battle in the game. Could he have really done that if Nintendo allowed it?  
  
A: If Nintendo allowed it, of course! Anything Nintendo makes official is official, whether it makes sense or not. But obviously they didn't...so why did I add it then, you ask? Well I believe he could have used magic like that, in all possible truth. You see, I did some small research on previous Zelda games, and I just so happened to find slash remember this...In Ocarina of Time, Ganondorf did use magic when he didn't have the Triforce of Power. If you can recall (that is if you played the game), Ganondorf did shoot a small blast of magic at young Link in the scene when Zelda and Impa were fleeing the castle to get away from him (and he didn't have the Triforce of Power then). And also Ganondorf did mention him having "magic" throughout the WW (though by that he probably meant strength...he's so darn vague! .) So now you know that it could have been possible. But other than that, the added effect of Ganondorf using magic I believe heightened the tension of the fight. I mean, come on...a plain old sword fight for the entire battle would have been boring and possibly hard to write when you think about it (I really don't know martial arts or anything about swordplay so what was I to do...learn in a couple months? Nah...).  
  
Q: I never played The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker. What was Link doing from when he was tossed into the ocean by the bird until when he got to the Forsaken Fortress for the second time?  
  
A: Well let's see...right after Link was tossed out to sea (and somehow rendered unconscious too), he was found by the King of Red Lions and taken to Windfall. After acquiring a sail, Link then began his own quest to retrieve the three pearls (so he could get the Master Sword down in Hyrule...it was the only way). As he was acquiring the first two (first from Dragon Roost and second from Forest Haven), chapter 6 and 7 were going on. Link then went on to get the third but found Greatfish Isle in ruins (you know why *grins*). Quill found him just then and explained about Jabun's location as well as the pirates being at Windfall. Then chapter 8 steps in, up until he leaves to go get the last pearl. He does obviously get it, and places the pearls in their appropriate spots on different islands. The Tower of the Gods (seen in chapter 9) appears and he does a whole dungeons worth of fighting (this explains his tattered clothes in my story) until he defeats the boss and goes down to Hyrule. He gets the Master Sword there, and then goes back to the surface. Then chapter 9 enters, until he warps himself to the closes spot to the Forsaken Fortress (which would be Tingle Island...*shudders*). He sails the rest of the way there to rescue his sister. So basically, he was doing what Tetra was instructed to do by her mother, where as Link was instructed by the King of Red Lions. The only difference is that Link was quicker *snickers*.  
  
Q: Ok then what happened immediately after Tetra fell unconscious during her and Link's first encounter with Ganondorf up until when she wakes up in Hyrule?  
  
A: Well, right after she blacked out, the whole ruined ship they were inside started to shake. Ganondorf was distracted enough by the noise long enough for Quill and Prince Komali to fly in a snatch Link and Tetra up and away from him when he wasn't looking (what a dummy *laughs*). Valoo then appeared (in my story he would have arrived while the whole confrontation was going on) and torched the ship while Ganon was still in it (he didn't fry him unfortunately...darn!). The scene then shifts over to the Tower of the Gods where everyone now is, and after a short chat with Valoo, him, Quill, and Prince Komali fly off back to Dragon Roost. The King of Red Lions, Link, and an unconscious Tetra then use the portal in the water to sink down into Hyrule, where she wakes up.  
  
Q: You do know that the large bird is called the Helmaroc King right?  
  
A: Heh heh...yes I am well aware of the large fowl having a name. I guess I didn't add its name because no one ever says or tells its name to Tetra or Link (or no one really...heck I didn't even know it had a name till I got its figurine ^_^;). I know, it's a stupid but logical reason...I guess I could have now that I think about, since I did the same with the Bokoblins. But oh well...I can't change that now, and it wasn't that big a deal.  
  
Q: Are all the attacks you made the Helmaroc King try against Link actually in the game?  
  
A: Most of them are. Like for instance, the bird does do that beak drilling into the ground attack, as well as the dangerous dive-bombing attack (which I might add, can make it fly into the wall if you're positioned right). It also tries to stomp you if you are too close (which I might add looks like its attempting to dance and looks very silly), and attempts to blow you into the spikes (not while its beak is in the ground though). All the other attacks I made it do came from my head, mostly to add something new to the battle and to accommodate the presence of Tetra jumping into the fight. I might as well go on to add that it takes more than one hit to the bird's mask to knock it off in the game (in my story it only took one), and also once the mask is off, arrows can hurt it (just an added bonus I thought I could mention).  
  
Q: Why did you make Tetra's experience as Princess Zelda so depressing?  
  
A: I have a couple reasons. My first will be that I noticed how she wasn't acting normal anyway in the game after she changed, which sort of suggested to me that she was either too surprised to recover her attitude up until everyone left, or her personality changed. I went with the whole changing personality thing, cause it sounded more logical and I thought it would be more interesting to read and write. Second reason would be I wished to show what her personality would have been like if she never experienced her mother's kidnapping (hence the innocence and not-so-bold attitude). Besides...what's a story without some sort of drama? ...um...don't answer that...^_^;  
  
Q: Was Tetra's past really like what you showed it to be?  
  
A: If you mean is it official, then no. I did not contact Nintendo and ask them about her past, and instead went on from clues I got from playing the game. For instance, you learn from Nudge that their previous Miss (Tetra's mom) was "lost". He didn't say how though, so I guess that wasn't much of a clue. Never the less, I knew that I had to stick her mother in there somewhere. While I was planning, I found out that having her mother taken by Ganondorf didn't interfere with the actual storyline. It sounded like a good way to begin the story too, and I also wished to present the legend somewhere (as well as her mother's words to protect the necklace...you know how that goes). It all came together somehow while I was writing.  
  
Q: How come you didn't make Link and Zelda/Tetra kiss ever?!  
  
A: You have to remember that I did this story on a slightly realistic view, and I thought to have two 12 year olds kissing was a bit much. It's not so much that I didn't WANT to see them kiss (believe me I really wanted to see one too!), but mostly everything was going against the idea. They never did in the game anyway, and I don't think Link likes her THAT much just yet. Heck, he hung around Medli more often than Tetra or Zelda in the game! So Link, to me, did not spend enough time with her to actually get to know her well enough in the game and kiss her (same goes for Tetra, but she has never had friendship before from outsiders and doesn't know what to do when it comes to love. It's still way out of her league at this point). I'll finish by saying, however, that by the end of this story, Link and Tetra are good friends, and that is a very good start for romance in possible sequels.  
  
Q: In chapter 20, why did Tetra leave during dinner when Link got to the part of rescuing his sister?  
  
A: I had her leave for only a few reasons. And those are, she didn't want to hear her experience as a princess all over again, and she also did not want to see her crews reaction to the fact that she is actually a princess (and even cried while being one). But what I didn't mention in the story (or even in the summary for that matter) is that I made it so Link did not go beyond rescuing his sister (which is why he said no when she asked him if he did or not). Actually I made it so he talked about the Helmaroc King battle as well as him and Tetra's confrontation with Ganondorf, but when he got to the part when they were rescued, he merely stopped there and said that the Rito took them to their island to help them recover. Also if or when he would be asked why he and Tetra were out in the middle of the ocean with no boat around, he would cover everything up by saying that he and Tetra were looking for them, and they got caught in a cyclone and tossed out of their boat (good explanation considering that the King of Red Lions was somewhere else when they found it). He would have covered up for his apparent injuries by saying they had to fend off a lot of sharks while stranded in the ocean and he didn't go down without a fight. So basically he stopped there, cause he guessed the reasons for her leaving and didn't want to go against her wishes...*shrugs* Dang that was long...O.o  
  
Q: Why did you make it so that Tetra forced Link to stay on Outset and experience torture and sadness as a result, instead of making her allow Link to say his decision?  
  
A: If you didn't get the hint why I did this in the story, then it's because she actually felt he deserved to stay with his family more so than staying with pirates (which she guessed he considered not as great as being with family). Plus she had already guessed his decision in advance, even if she waited until the last minute to hear his true decision. She really wanted the best for him, and actually pulled a selfless act by making sure he stayed, even if it meant hurting herself emotionally. I think that pretty much explains it.  
  
Q: What was Link's decision in the first place anyway?  
  
A: In all actuality, I made it so that he decided to go with her to look for the new kingdom. But obviously I had Tetra stop him for reasons already explained, and so he could not let her know his true indentions. He decided this, because he felt like he, as the Hero of Winds and as a friend, should continue protecting the bloodline to ensure the kingdoms future (and also he didn't want to let the King of Hyrule down by not helping with finding the kingdom). The conversation he had with his Grandma that was mentioned by Aryll in my story, was focused on that decision. Just thought I should mention that ^_^  
  
And for the most frequently asked question of them all!  
  
Q: Is there going to be a sequel?!  
  
A: You all hopefully will be happy to know that I am indeed planning a sequel ^.^ In fact, I've got two ideas, and both of their storylines have been laid out, minus the details. I don't want to tease you or anything like that, but I find no harm really in telling you the titles of both ideas along with a brief bio. The first is titled The Legend of Zelda: The Gates of Jade, a mostly action and adventure story that I believe would make a terrific Zelda game if it could have been made (it can't...believe me I asked Nintendo). Seriously though, this has a flow similar to any Zelda game (you know, dungeons, bosses, and an ultimate evil). The second (and the one I'm most likely going to do) is titled A Pirate's Life for Me, and no its not based off the song (I don't know the lyrics). Basically this one is an action story, with lots of turns in the plot and even a plot that partially originates from Wind Waker. In actuality, this particular story I believe would be better on screen than in writing, since it has more movie qualities then a Zelda game storyline (this is a good thing!). And don't worry about romance in either of these sequels. Unlike the amount I put in Tetra's Journey, both of these ideas will have much more going on in Link and Tetra's relationship ^.^ (I only do G or PG rated stories, so you better not be getting dirty thoughts *glares at you menacingly if you are anyway*) Before you get too exited though, I must give you a big warning. So...  
  
WARNING: If or when I write a sequel, I will be writing it in the same fashion I did Tetra's Journey, meaning that it will be pre-written before I start posting it here at FFN. That means, people, that this sequel will NOT be posted within this year (don't panic, it's almost New Years ya know). If I start writing within the next month or two, you can expect it to be finished sometime in the year 2004, that is if inspiration remains constant. But that is if I start writing soon. It pains me to say this...but after taking as much time and involvement as I did with this story, I feel I must take a break from writing (and even Wind Waker cause I'm suddenly losing interest in it! Help!), so I can better prepare myself for the next story. Don't say I didn't warn you about this! I did the best I could to give you all a good story, and I plan to continue doing so with future titles. But to do that, a break is very necessary, and it requires a lot of patience on your part.  
  
Look on the bright side though! There are other great fanfic stories out there for you to read and keep you busy while you wait. Just don't make waiting for the sequel your life (believe me I know a couple people who would...), or else you might be disappointed if it never happens (IF people, IF!).  
  
That ends my summary. Again I must thank all of you (especially the people who read this entire summary! Dang!) and I am looking forward to seeing you again in the near future!  
  
This is the Ultimate Treasure Hunter signing off. 


End file.
