So I beat the new Zelda game, Phantom Hourglass, last night. I seriously wanted to cry at the ending...It was so stupid!! I came to be a big fan of Linebeck, and his gradual "fatherly" love towards Link damn near broke my heart at the end. So I figured, Why not redo the ending? This is mine. So yeah. As you would expect, it will contain some amount of spoilers for the ending of the game. You have been warned.
"I'm telling you!" Tetra barked, her hands firmly on her hips. Her stiff posture reminded Link strongly of a time not so long ago, when she had been reduced to a gray, stony statue—a mere effigy of her former self. "THAT! SHIP! IS! DANGEROUS!! It's dangerous...and it's...it's—"
"—Gone," Link finished in a whisper, his eyes wide. He hoisted himself up on the rail to get a better look at the empty waters stretching out before him. He shook his head slowly in total disbelief. The Ghost Ship—the absolute bane of his existence for the past few months (or for the past ten minutes?)—had vanished entirely from the face of the earth.
Tetra stormed up beside him and lifted herself up beside her friend. She flung out a hand as if trying to clutch at the Ghost Ship's creaky railing, a railing that had been there only seconds before. The two young pirates locked gazes in shock. How could something so huge and terrifying be gone...just like that?
"I don't believe it," murmured Tetra, and she gave herself a shake like a ship's cat climbing out of the sea. "It's really gone...isn't it?" Unable to say anything different, Link nodded silently. Tetra whipped around and made a smooth leap down from the rail, then strode busily toward the few standing crew members. "Listen, you...I'm telling you..."
Link stopped listening after the first few words. He, too, slid down to the deck, confused beyond all telling. Ten minutes...had it really only been so long? Had Oshus, the Ocean King, set eveything right and restored order to his world? If he were to see Ciela now, would she recognize him...or even realize that she was the Spirit of Courage?
"And furthermore..." Tetra continued fiercely, pointing a threatening finger at the nervous crew. Link leaned back against the railing with a sigh. Something prodded him in the backside, rather sharply. He jumped forwards and reached into his pocket in search of the mysterious poker. His hand came out wrapped around a smooth glass bulb. Smiling slightly to himself, the boy ran a gentle hand over the gleaming surface, then up to the four-pronged blue top.
The Phantom Hourglass.
Link held the Hourglass up to the bright midday light, wondering if Bellum's essence had been converted into Sand of Hours like every other monster he had defeated. The noon sun danced across the rounded surface of the Hourglass, glinting and glowing brightly. The youth's face fell as he realized the artifact was empty. He felt utterly defeated, although he realized he should have expected all traces of his arduous journey to be erased. With a broken sigh, he slid behind Tetra—who was still delivering a fearsome speech about Link's brave deeds and how they clearly had taken more than ten minutes to complete—to throw the Hourglass overboard.
I'm giving this back to you, Oshus, he thought. It's not like I'll ever need it again. It would be fun to hang onto, but it would be pointless to carry it everywhere I go. He gave the Phantom Hourglass—the one simple item that had kept him alive in the belly of a deadly temple—a parting look and rub, then cocked his arm back and prepared to throw it into the sea. The boy shut his eyes, not wanting to see the final journey of his treasure, and took a deep breath to steady himself. His arm locked up, and his mind screamed, YOU CAN'T!!!
I can! I have to! he told himself viciously. There's nothing left for me in this world...I have to leave this here when I go.
But it's all you have of this world! the nagging voice insisted. Oshus doesn't need it...His Temple will be restored now that he has his power back. No one will ever need the Hourglass again!
Which is why I'm throwing it away.
But it's all you'll have to remember Linebeck, and Oshus, and Ciela, and Leaf, and Neri, and—!!
As he stood grappling with indecision, the ear-shattering horn of the S.S. Linebeck blasted through the salty air, loud enough—as always—to wake the dead.
Link's eyes jolted open, and his hand clutched the Phantom Hourglass safely to his chest. He slipped it back into his pocket and pulled his little body up to see over the railing. The paddle-steamer blasted its horn again as it slipped through the waters not far from Tetra's ship. Link laughed, his eyes alight with a feverish joy. He pulled himsellf up higher to straddle the rail, cupped his hands around his mouth, and howled, "LIIIIIIINEBECK!!!"
The S.S. Linebeck let out another thunderous blast.
"Link!" Tetra abandoned her victims and raced to the railing. Link was a boy of very few words, and to hear him shout was even scarcer. Link pointed down at the tiny ship, grinning like a monkey at his discovery. Tetra laughed. "What're you waiting for?" Link hesitated, eyeing the distance from the rail to the waves below. He shed his pack and belt pouches to cut down on unnecessary weight, then dove into the waters. He dropped down with a small splash that echoed through his ears like rolling thunder.
The water was cold, and it filled his ears and nose with a salty, dark, rushing sound. Link squeezed his eyes firmly shut, and clawed at the water above him. The current tugged at his tunic, threatening playfully to pull him away from Linebeck's ship. He gave a swift kick, scissoring his legs rapidly, and pushed up through the surface with a gasping cough. "LINEBECK!!!" he shouted, treading water. The tip of a wake-wave slapped over his head wetly, forcing him under again. The steady rumble to the Linebeck's wheels was beginning to die down, and the sparkling wake of bubbles was already crackling into nothingness. Link fought his way back to the surface doggedly. He had come close to finding Linebeck...He wasn't about to lose the old treasure-hunter just yet!
It is difficult to see into the minds of such men as Linebeck, a deep, powerful voice murmured through the water. Link, his eyes still tightly squinched shut, turned in its direction.
I know, he thought back.
If you truly wish...
Yes.
Then wish with all your heart, Hero.
Link bit his lip and tilted his head upwards, where the glimmer of light from the surface world played and danced through the waves. His ears were starting to ring; his chest was aching for air now. His survival instincts screamed for him to stop playing make-believe and fight his way back to the world of air and light. His heart said to be patient and trust that the Ocean King knew what he was doing.
The lap of the waves overhead grew fainted and fainter, and the boy realized he was beginning to sink slowly into the darkness. He struggled to grasp memories that Oshus would be able to work on: his first encounter with Linebeck in the Temple, traveling from island to island, steering and defending the sturdy steamboat...Happy memories that would increase his desire to be with the old seadog. The subtle glow of encouragement in Linebeck's dark eyes. His increasingly playful and fatherly demeanor as the journey wore on. His unexpected show of courage at the final battle with Bellum. His apology at the end.
Why had Linebeck hesitated before wishing that his ship be restored?
What was he planning to wish for?
Why did he look at me?
Link felt a swiftly-rising surface beneath his feet. The water roared in his ears as he soared up out of the darkness and into the light. He kept going with that one thought...the ultimate thought. He wanted me to stay! That's what he wanted!! He wanted me to stay, but he couldn't say it in front of Ciela! He wouldn't say it with so many people listening and hanging on his every word! The world around the youth grew brighter and brighter...and with a sudden burst, he coughed and drew in a deep breath of fresh air. He had just enough time to let it out in a sigh of relief before he fell ten feet through the air—and landed with a jarring thud on the wooden deck of the Linebeck.
Link pushed himself up and retched to clear the seawater from his lungs. Salt burned and stung the corners of his eyes, where it had managed to slip in. He raised himself up on shaking arms, breathing heavily to gulp down as much fresh air as he possibly could. He was shivering despite the cheery afternoon sunlight, but the icy cold of the recently escaped-from clutches of the sea felt good...mind-clearing.
"Fly much...my little green parrot?" a cool, calm voice asked dryly. Slowly, purposely drawing out the moment, Link raised his head. He grinned weakly. Linebeck knelt in front of him, offering his hand to help the boy to his feet. Link didn't need the hand, although it felt good to see someone care about him like that. He lunged ahead with his feet half under him and threw his arms around the man's waist, burying his face in the blue, woolen cloak. He staggered, slipped, and fell, only to be caught and lifted by Linebeck.
"Yeah," he whispered. "But apparently not often enough."
"I should say not. Pathetic! Terrible form all around on that one, kid. Even Sparkles could do better than that mess!"
"LIIIIINK!!!" Tetra's faraway voice cried. Linebeck dropped the boy swiftly, craning his neck up to study the ship Link had jumped from. Link sat up, rubbing his head dizzily, and looked up at the indignant seadog.
"You set me up!" Linebeck hissed. "You didn't say your little statue friend was going to be here—watching my every move!!" To this, Link merely shrugged, a bemused look crossing his face as Linebeck began to pace. "Give me one good reason why I shouldn't toss you right back into the sea right now!" Link smiled winningly, causing Linebeck to groan. He stopped pacing and stood in front of the youth, his hands spread wide hopelessly. "Listen, kid...Link...It's not good for you to be hanging onto this place. You need to move on. There's a big world out there waiting to be explored by someone like you...You'll never see it if you cling to old times."
"Then come see it with me."
Linebeck froze. He spat out a number of syllables, none of which seemed conducive to the point he wanted to make, and made a number of disjointed gestures skyward. Link watched him through it all, his gaze unchanging as he waited for the man to finish and give up in his fight to protest. Finally, the old treasure-hunter folded his arms across his chest and turned on his heel, away from Link. "What's in it for me?" he demanded roughly, emphasizing every consonant he could find in the phrase. Link smiled.
"Treasure. We are pirates, after all."
Linebeck turned his head to glance at the boy over his shoulder. "I don't think I could get into all that stealing," he muttered. "I mean, I love a good piece of booty as much as the next guy, but...Pirating is bad, kid. Besides, what would I do with my little ship? My pride and joy?"
"Take her with us. Tetra wouldn't mind...and neither would I."
The two exchanged glances filled with genuine affection, and Linebeck nodded. Link laughed and tackled the old man again. This time, however, Linebeck did not seem to care that Tetra and the rest of the crew were watching. He swept the boy up into his arms and held him tightly.
;-:-;-:-;
Before the sun set, Linebeck had signed onto Tetra's crew, pledging to follow her wherever she went and to do as she ordered. Well...there were a few extenuating circumstances, but there were really quite minor. Things that could be expected from someone such as Linebeck, like how he could refute any order given by Tetra, on the grounds that he was older.
As the sun sank down into the sea, a bloody red pearl, the Linebeck set out beside Tetra's ship. Link stood beside her captain on the front of the ship, gazing out at the shining, crimson waters. The two looked up at each other, smiled briefly, then looked back out at the waves. The sea was painted red and gold, reflecting the vaulting skies above like a gracefully melting mirror. A few stars flickered into view in the east as the heavens there faded slowly to dark indigo and black. A seagull wheeled overhead, cackling and shrilling with the sheer joy of being alive on such a mystical evening.
It is difficult to see into the minds of such men as Linebeck, Oshus mused as he glided effortlessly beneath the crimson surface of his watery kingdom. But I think you managed, Link. Take care, Hero...Safe journeys... The mighty whale-king's fluke drifted up and down gently, and his massive, dark eyes shifted up to the gleaming surface of the water. The corners of his mouth twisted up in a mile-long smile. Giving the haunting moan of a wandering whale, the Ocean King pumped his tail twice, and powered through the darkness of his reclaimed kingdom.