Chapter 1: Islander

"'hoy, Miss Tetra! Time to get up!"

Tetra sat up in her bed sharply and groaned. She was not in the mood to be wakened so early in the day. Rubbing her tired eyes, she silently cursed the offender who had awakened her. Peering into the doorway of her cabin, she could see him behind the half-drawn curtains.

"Finally!" Gonzo said. He was a tall man—at least to Tetra—having a thick build of a body, wearing a dirty-green shirt with tattered sleeves. His nose was slightly red; he wore a purple bandanna over his head covering up most of his black hair. He also had crimson sash around his waist and beneath he wore white pants and thick black tarnished boots.

"Finally!" he repeated, stepping inside. "I thought ya had gone to sleep fer good! Is there something bothering you, Miss?" Instead of being friendly, Tetra scowled at him. Gonzo was being too pushy again.

"Hmmm..." she mumbled. "Yes, there is something bothering me; it happens to be standing in my cabin doorway." Folding her arms, she glared at Gonzo.

He hung his head a little while standing there in the wooden doorway. "I'm... sorry, Miss Tetra," he apologized. "I just worry about ya."

"Ugh... did you have to wake me?" Tetra asked with indignation in her voice. "What's so...?" Then she remembered; today was that day, a very important day. "Oh..." she sighed, and nearly slapped her face in humiliation. "All right, all right. I'll be on deck in a few minutes. Call the others, if this is the day I'm thinking of, then... we need to all meet. Don't ask now, Gonzo!" she added, seeing him about to open his mouth. "Just get up there, and make sure all the others are on deck."

"Aye-aye, Miss!" Gonzo saluted her and then ran out of the room swiftly.

Sighing again, Tetra wondered if she was being too harsh on him. I always told the boys to never wake me unless I asked ahead of time. But then again... I was so tired last night... I might have asked without remembering.

Tetra slid out of her bed, and her feet touched the cool wood floor. She smiled contently, that was what she liked about wooden floors; they did not become freezing cold like stupid marble and stone floors. She stretched out and walked over to her dresser grudgingly to change.

With a vigorous shake of her head, Tetra opened the drawers and pulled out her clothes. She swapped from her long, and white night-shirt into her usual outfit. On top, it was a blue vest and a purple sleeveless shirt. Around her waist, she put on a red sash, and to cover her legs, she wore white pants that went down to just a bit above her ankles.

Tetra slipped into her brown sandals, and then proceeded to tie a red neckerchief around her neck. It was the favorite part of her outfit because it was so comfortable to wear. She took out a belt of throwing daggers and strapped it to her waist. Finally, she buckled a curved shortblade to her waist, and then went to fixing her hair.

Her hairstyle was easy to manage, so it didn't take her long to do. Tetra was not a vain girl, but she always enjoyed looking decent. She tended to roll her golden blond hair into a curl that sat on her head, and that was all there was to it. As she did her hair, Tetra's hand brushed the pointed end of her ear—a common trait among the people in the world. Her skin, like the rest of the pirates, was tanned. Even for a fourteen year old, she was quite attractive and that's the effect she wanted.

Ah, looking good as usual. She winked at herself after checking herself in the mirror. With a sly grin and feeling a less tired, she proceeded out of her cabin out into the interior of ship. Not bothering to stop, she went straight to the door that led out to the ship's deck, and opened it.

Outside, and waiting for her, were her pirates, or her 'boys.' The young captain was pleased to see that they had followed her orders as prompted and were all assembled together: Gonzo, Senza, Nudge, Mako, Zuko, and even the swabbie, Niko. They all looked a little puzzled and somewhat anxious.

"Oh good," she said, smiling. "Despite the rude awakening I got this morning, I'm glad to see you're all on your toes."

She sized them all up and then took stock of the ship, gazing around carefully. The large pirate flag was in place, the catapult in the back on the raised deck over the cabin door was unarmed and loose, and the sails were rolled up so the ship would avoid moving while Tetra was holding the meeting.

"Uh... Miss Tetra?" Gonzo put his hand up and pointed to the sky. "It's uh... noon." He corrected her with a slightly uneasy look on his face.

Tetra blinked and looked up to see the sun in the middle of the sky. "Whatever... you know what I mean, Gonzo."

Nudge, another large man, approached her. He had long black hair, a large chin, and wore a light purple shirt with an orange scarf around his head.

"Miss Tetra," he said, clearing his throat before speaking. "What have you called us here for?"

Tetra smiled slyly again and began to pace in front of the lined up pirates. She gazed over her boys; Gonzo was in the middle of the group with Nudge to the left, and Senza—another pirate with a strong build—to the right. Mako, Zuko, and Niko—the shorter pirates—were all in front of the three large ones.

"Gentlemen," she said, causing them all swallowed at once. Tetra never called them that unless it was important. "I've been thinking it's time to pull our raid on the mainland. Specifically, on the Royal family." Worried expressions; she knew what they were thinking. The pirates and their young leader had been planning an assault on the mainland for quite some time now. She had held back specific details about the plan, but her boys knew that it had to do with the Annual Swordsman Tournament. "As you all know, the tournament begins in a few days."

The pirates had been to the Tournament a couple years in a row. Each year, Tetra had scouted the arena inside and out as sneakily as she could, surveying any hole she could possibly use to her advantage. "I've been 'taking notes' as we watched the tournament for the past two years, and I think I've found a way into our target. You all know about the arena and how its rules are set up, but do you know what's behind the arena?"

Her eyes feel on Zuko, the first of the smaller pirates. With his large brown side-burns, he was easier to notice of the three smaller ones. Wearing a blue horizontally-striped shirt, and dark green pants, he wore a skull-embedded belt like the rest of the pirates.

He glanced around nervously, his red cap flapping as shook his head. "Uh... me?" Tetra nodded. "I don't know, Miss," he answered uneasily.

Tetra let out an irritated sigh and looked at the pirate standing next to Zuko. Carrying a large book wherever he went and brain full of knowledge, this one tended to fail Tetra the least of the bunch.

"Mako! What do you think?" she asked him.

"Well, I'm assuming you are referring to The Temple of Time, which is usually located behind the arena, and is usually a high-traffic tourist attraction unless the tournament is underway." Mako adjusted his large round glasses on his nose, one of the lenses being cracked.

Tetra smiled with satisfaction. "Very good." She was about to continue when Senza spoke up, scratching his thick, black beard.

"Does that mean we're going after the Royal Family's prized treasure?" he asked, folding his arms across the chest of his purple shirt.

Tetra nodded at him with a smile, despite the interruption. "Yes, we're going to steal The Ocarina of Time."

She noticed a wave of awed silence pass over the pirates, causing her smile to widen. The Ocarina of Time, according to legend, was the key to the legendary Golden Power known as the Triforce. Those who managed to get to and touch the Triforce could have their fondest wish granted.

Abruptly, the pirates, to Tetra's gross annoyance, then began chattering excitedly to themselves. The boys were talking about what they should wish for and how to 'split' the Golden Power if necessary. Finally, Tetra cleared her throat very loudly, and then stomped on the deck to catch their attention.

Tetra stopped pacing, and eyed them with complete seriousness. "This is going to be a tough raid, so, I don't want any fooling around. Understood?" Her voice was dark and stern.

The pirates silently nodded at her.

"Now, as you know," she continued on as if there had been no disruption. "We're going to need a swordsman for this raid. So-" Again, she was interrupted, but by Gonzo this time.

"I'll do it, Miss," the large pirate said rather proudly, while smiling, and brandishing a long, curved sword. "I can be yer swordsman!" Tetra just stared at him, and allowed an uncomfortable silence to settle. With a smirk, she snatched the sword from Gonzo's hands in the blink of an eye. She giggled a little at the shocked expression on his face.

Planting the sword onto the deck, and leaning on it, Tetra shook her head. "Nope. Sorry, Gonzo, you can't be it. I'm going to need someone else-" she started, but suddenly all the other pirates jumped towards her, shouting out that they could be the swordsman for the tournament. Tetra stumbled backwards and let Gonzo's sword drop.

"No!" Tetra bellowed, silencing them. "None of you can be in the tournament! Your fighting style and looks will just give you away!" She paused to breathe and regain her composure. "Look," she said, softening her voice. "We need someone else—none of us—to be the swordsman. And we'll need a good one to create an excellent distraction for us. Even if we had the best disguises in the whole world, I wouldn't risk putting you in the arena just because you can fight."

"But I'm good fighter!" Gonzo pouted, picking up his sword as if it were a broken vase.

"Yes, yes," Tetra said dismissively. "But I'm going need to need you for the raid, Gonzo."

Gonzo still didn't appeared to be satisfied. "All right," he said. "So, who's it gonna be then?"

Tetra crossed over to the door of the cabin and wiped her hand across the handle. "That's a good question, Gonzo." She looked up at them and a sly smile spread over her face. "We'll need someone who's easy to control... a sap." She raised her head, and put two fingers over her chin, her eyes never moving from the pirates.

"Someone who we could easily... manipulate."

-S-

It was noon at Outset Island; the sun was high in the clear sky. Sarah, an elderly lady, took in the fresh sea air as she watched the Great Sea from the balcony of her house. She liked the quietness of her island, which was much different from the mainland of Hyrule to the north. She turned around to gaze upon her home, of which she liked to muse about from time to time.

The people were kinder, smiled most of the time, and treated each other as if they were family. The atmosphere was so calm and tranquil that no one feared to sleep under the stars at night. The concepts of mass trade, castles, and other things of the mainland were very much foreign to them.

Although she never knew why, Outset was a pair of isles, with tall and flat hilltops above the sandy beaches. These pair of isles were connected by both a wood bridge at the bottom and a rope bridge connecting the two tops of the hills. On the eastern isle, there was a path which winded around the hill to the top, where if careful enough, she, or any of the other islanders, could walk across the rope bridge to the other hill on the western isle.

On that hill, there was a large forest which all of the islanders—except maybe old man Orca—kept their distance from. There were a few houses on Outset, more on the west isle than on the eastern one. They were very quaint, small homes, but Sarah knew that it did not bother the people; they were quite content with life as it was.

Sarah was the grandmother of two young children. She kept a house on the western isle. It was a fairly large one compared to the other homes, and faced east with its left side looking out to the Great Sea. The house was built on a slanted hillside that rose above sea level and over the beach. Thick wooden poles held up the balcony on the side facing the sea and supported the house's weight.

"Grandma!"

She turned her head towards the door on the balcony. It was open, and standing there was a seven-year old girl with blond hair, rolled into two very short pigtails. She wore a light-blue gown with a painted yellow and pink flower on its lower left side. She looked eagerly at her grandmother.

Sarah smiled. "My dear Aryll, what is it?"

"I can't find my big brother," Aryll said with a half frown on her face. "He isn't in the house."

"Why don't you try your lookout tower? He goes there often to sleep. Be sure to have him come to the house as soon as you find him."

"Okay! He's so lazy," Aryll remarked with a giggle. "I'll get my telescope, and find him."

"Good. I'll be waiting inside." She smiled softly.

With a swift turn, Aryll dashed back into the house. Slowly, Sarah walked towards the door and headed inside. By the time she got inside, she knew very well that Aryll would already have burst out the front door to begin her search for her elder brother.

-S-

Aryll stepped off the front porch, carrying her red telescope. Through her telescope, she gazed over to her lookout tower. Maybe he'll hear me from here? she thought. "'hoy, big brother!" She waited, and there was no response.

'Aryll's Lookout' was a wooden tower was on the eastern isle of Outset. It was a tall building with a triangular rooftop, and a small platform at the top. There was a wooden ladder that led up to that platform. The tower was set near the ramp that led up to the hill just south of it.

Putting the telescope to her eye again, Aryll focused on the top of the tower. From where she stood, she could not see anyone up there; for they could easily be hidden by the guardrails.

I bet he's hiding... She ran over to the tower, and put her telescope away in a small pouch she had around her waist. Then, she climbed up the ladder rung by rung until she reached the top.

There, Aryll peered inside the tower. I knew it! Her brother—Link—was there, lying flat on his face, and fast asleep. He was wearing a blue shirt that had a white design of a lobster sewn into both the back and the front of the shirt. He had thick yellow hair that looked like a bundle of stretched cotton balls.

"Ah! Big brother! Wake up!" Aryll called as she stepped off the ladder onto the floor of the tower.

-S-

Link thought he heard someone call him. Ugh... not now, he thought. Later... maybe tomorrow. The voice continued to badger him, but he refused to react. After what seemed like a long time, he was able to recognize the voice.

"There you are, Link!"

He rolled over abruptly at the loud voice, and sat up. Immediately, the salty sea air wafted into his nose. Link looked over to see the cute face of his little sister; she was smiling at him.

"I've been looking for you all morning," Aryll said. You sure know how to hide, huh?"

Link got up, feeling very tired. He yawned and stretched out his arms. "Oh, hi, Aryll," he said. "What has you so excited? You're practically bouncing on your feet."

Aryll looked surprised. "Oh no. Don't tell me you forgot!"

"Mm... forgot what?" Link asked, rubbing his eye.

"It's your birthday, Link!" she said happily. Nothing clicked; it was his birthday, did it matter? "And... it's your fourteenth birthday, isn't it?" Aryll sounded determined.

"Fourteenth birthday?" He scratched his head, and paused. "Wait a minute... isn't that-?"

Aryll giggled. "Yes! Today is your special birthday!"

"Special birthday...!" His eyes popped open; now he was awake. "Wait! Then is Grandma looking for me?"

Aryll nodded. "Yup. You better go see her. She's waiting inside at home."

Nodding, and saying a good-bye to his sister, Link dashed over to the ladder. He climbed down as fast as he could. His eye caught Aryll waving to him as he went down. Great! he thought to himself. The day I sleep in is the day I don't want to miss! Link ran across the fields near the beaches, and over the wood bridge to the other isle.

How did this day come already? How could I've forgotten about today? ... Wait a minute... didn't I stay up past dusk to see all the stars last night? I should get out of that habit.

Quickly, Link ran up to the front door of his house, and opened it. His home had two floors; and he went around the bottom one, looking for his Grandmother, Sarah. There was the kitchen in the far back, and in the corner, there were two beds and a bunk-bed for Aryll and Link.

Not here... maybe she's above? Link ran his hand across the plain wooden wall, and went back toward the door. Nearby, there was a ladder that led up to the second floor.

He went over to the ladder, and his eye caught his Grandma waiting for him above. Her white hair was pulled into a ball and tied around by a ribbon. She was wearing a red robe with a dark-purple sash around her waist. "There you are, Link!" she called. "Come on up, dear."

Link climbed up to the upper floor. As he walked over to Grandma, he noticed that she had her arms outstretched, holding a bundle of green clothes. He looked at the shirt, tunic, belt, cap, boots and pants; and half-smiled. I had a feeling I'd get these, why can't I have a sword instead?

"Here you are, I made them this morning for you," Sarah said, handing him the clothes. Link frowned, and she must have caught his expression. "Why the long face? Today is a day to celebrate! Now, Link, you must realize that this is part of the tradition. You're about the same age as the Hero of legends, so it would be appropriate if you wore this green outfit. These clothes mark your coming of age, my child."

"But Grandma," Link complained. "These clothes... they look too hot to wear in this weather." He felt the fabric of the clothing, noting its thickness. He knew they had been coming, but he hadn't expected them to be so thick. Grandma, being the kind person she was, just smiled at him.

"Oh, please wear them," she said. "You only have to wear them for a day, after that, you won't ever have to touch them again. Is that all right? Come on, Link, put them on. I want to see how you look in them."

"All right, Grandma." Link sighed before going down the ladder to the lower floor in order to change. After taking off his old clothes, he put on the new ones. When he finished, he looked himself over.

The outfit was a green tunic which had a light-green long-sleeved shirt. Around his waist was secured a brown leather belt which had a yellow spiral-shaped buckle. Covering Link's legs were a pair of long white pants and little brown boots on his feet. He had a little trouble fitting the long, green cap over his messy hair, but after a few tugs, it slipped on quite snugly. Darn it, they're a little too warm already!

Link then ascended the ladder to show Grandma how he looked in them. When he reached the floor, she gasped and clasped her hands together.

"Awww!" Grandma exclaimed. "Why look at yourself, Link! You are the striking appearance of the Hero himself. Those clothes fit so well." With a pleasant smile, she added, "I'm sure you'll get used to them, when a cold day comes, you'll be glad you have them."

"Well, all right," he said, feeling a bit bad for having such irritated thoughts toward his Grandmother. He waited a moment, expecting her to say more, but she did not. I should talk to her about our promise... well, here goes. He took in a deep breath.

"Grandma? It is my birthday... my fourteenth birthday, and I remember talking to you about this a few months ago."

Sarah's smile faded. I knew it, she's afraid. Link wanted to leave Outset and go to the mainland, Hyrule on his own for the Annual Swordsman Tournament. He had been working hard ever since he was very young for the event, training with Orca. Sarah, at the time, told him he could not go because it was too dangerous and he was too young. However, she promised him that if he kept up on his swordsmanship training until he became of age then he could go to the mainland.

"I see..." She lowered her head, and Link was biting his lip. "I was hoping you'd forgotten about that," she said before looked back up at his face. "My boy, Aryll and I still need you, but... I did give you my word."

"Grandma..." Link put on his best, comforting smile, and the clothes didn't seem to feel so warm now. "Don't be sad, I'm not going to leave you and Aryll for long. I will come back! It's just that... this has been my dream and I want to fulfill it."

She nodded and strode over to the wall where she had hung a wreath around a shield. It looked old and rusty, but it had shape of a bird and of the Triforce imprinted upon its face. Underneath the shield were two wooden swords crossed diagonally. Grandma looked at the shield for a few moments as if she was longing for something. Then, she walked over and took it off the wall. She turned towards him. Link looked at her and then the shield; he looked back at her and saw a smile on her face.

"If you are really going to leave, Link, then take this shield with you," she said. "I have a feeling that you will need it."

He smiled, and took the shield from her. "Grandma, I won't forget you, or Aryll."

"I know that, Link." She smiled. "I know you won't."

-S-

About a half an hour later, everyone on Outset Island had gathered together to wish Link good-bye and good luck. Link had already buckled the shield to his back using a leather strap that went around his chest, and he was standing near the shore.

Among the crowd of people, there was Orca. He was the only person left on Outset who was a master at fighting. He was an old man with a frail body, but Link knew better than anyone else on the island that he was hardly defenseless.

Next to him was his brother, Sturgeon. About as old, he was Orca's opposite. More than anything, he loved spending his time with books and studying them. He was most intelligent man on the island. He was short and had a large head.

Also among the group was Aryll. She had a sad expression on her face. It stung Link to leave his dear sister behind, but they both knew that it was too dangerous for her to come with him.

Some of the islanders had prepared a blue wooden boat for Link which he would use to travel to the mainland. This boat was the best one that they could provide for him, and they hoped that it would get him safely across the sea.

They all knew the small boat could not carry Link all the way to mainland, but they knew of a small fishing island just northeast between the trading island of Windfall and Outset. Link had been saving as many ruppees as possible so that he could buy his way onto a larger ship that would take him to the mainland. I only have twenty, he thought. I hope that's enough to get me there and back home.

Then, Link heard someone approach him, he turned around and saw Orca putting his spear down. He smiled at his master, and then noticed that he held a wrapped bundle of cloth. Curious and excited, the young islander spoke up. "What is that, master?"

"Link," Orca said in a scratchy voice. "I feel that it is time to give you this. You've come of age, and are worthy to have this; my own sword."

I knew it! Link thought happily. Orca handed the bundle to him. Unable to contain his excitement, Link unwrapped the bundle. Before his eyes laid the very sword that he had been training with all his life. With it, was its brown leather scabbard.

"Thank you so much for this gift, master!" he said, bowing. He held the small sword in his left hand, admiring the craftsmanship of it for a moment, and then sheathed it into its scabbard. While attaching the sword to his back—via the leather strap that held his shield—Orca spoke to him again.

"You are welcome. You have earned the right to wield that weapon," he said. "Though, remember," he added with a warning tone of voice. "Never use that sword for anything dishonest or cruel. The sword is a weapon of righteousness, never to be used for wicked deeds."

"I will not disappoint you, Orca," Link said, bowing again. "I'm going to come back a champion."

Sturgeon's voice came from Link's right. "A tournament!" he cried, tapping his staff with irritation on the sandy shore. "Why... what happened to your studies? You were doing so well, my boy."

"Let him be," Orca said. "He is a man now and he can choose his own path. Besides, I have not found little use for the mind in all my years."

Sturgeon glared at his brother. "That's because you spend your time ramming your hands into walls! Your life is nothing but rubbish!"

Link put his hands between the two before the argument could become heated. "Hey, stop it!" he said. I'm always the one breaking it up. "Please don't fight, not today, at least for my sake." He looked at Sturgeon. "Besides, it's not like I'm wasting my studies. I'm sure the things you taught me will help me out when I'm in Hyrule." While the two brothers cast a curious glance at each other, Link had little hope that it meant anything.

Then, Grandma came running down from the house. "Wait! Link!" The people moved aside for her. She was carrying two glass bottles with her, each tightly closed with a cork in each. She looked tired, but she was smiling. "Take these with you. One is filled with fresh water and the other is filled with two helpings of my soup. I'd thought to give you them since you might get hungry on the sea."

"Thanks, Grandma," he said.

Then, the wind picked up and began blowing north, with the tide heading the same direction. Link turned towards all the people of Outset Island, and waved. "It looks like it's time for me to go, everyone," he said, trying to hide the tears on his cheeks. "I promise to come back." He saw everyone waving at him, and felt a sting of homesickness notwithstanding the fact that he had not left yet. Nodding, he got into the boat, and just as he was beginning to tie the white sail to the mast, he heard a familiar voice behind him.

"Wait! Big brother!" It was Aryll. Link turned around to see her running up to the boat. Stopping, she panted a little. "I-I," she stammered for a moment. "I want to give you this." She handed him her telescope, which was red with seagulls painted on it. He looked up at her in surprise.

"Aryll, I can't take this. It's your-"

"It's my favorite treasure," she finished for him. "Since it's your birthday, I want you to have it. Just because you're my special brother." She beamed at him. "Aren't you lucky?"

"Aryll..." he said softly. "I'll... I'll take good care of it. I promise I won't break it." Aryll nodded and Link continued, "you're the big kid in the family now. And while I'm gone, I want you take care of Grandma, okay?"

She nodded again and moved over to Link to hug him. "I'll miss you, Link," she said. "I'm not gonna cry, though."

Link smiled at her. "I know you won't." He released her and put the telescope in his sack. Link finished tying up the sail and looked at Aryll, then to everyone else. "I'm off!" he said cheerfully, still trying to suppress his tears. "Wish me luck!"

The wind picked up and the sail pushed the boat out into the sea. With his hand on the rudder, Link waved to his friends and family on Outset. He could see Grandma in the distance and he waved high to her. He looked at Aryll and he could clearly see that she was crying.