Author's Notes: Yeah... I finally got my arse in gear to continue this random thing.

Random? You've put me through hell!

No I haven't. You're just saying that to make people not read this... Anyways readers: Read on... Before Shadow strangles me.


The island would normally be peaceful but the giant bird's arrival had changed it completely.

Shadow had resorted to cutting down the trees that blocked his path before stopping on a rickety bridge. "Why did they not use metal here?" he muttered carefully running across. He jumped over the missing plank and found his way into Outset Forest.

The forest was, as expected, littered with tall grass and trees, some of the larger ones which had fallen looked to have been cut down. He began to cautiously take steps forward before noticing that the girl that Aryll talked about was hanging from a tree, unconscious and above some strange creatures.

As he neared them they instantly noticed him and lunged at him with jumping kicks. Jumping to one side he quickly swiped at one of them with three successes. Just he was about to deal a fourth hit he noticed the other lunging towards him again and, instead of the expected vertical slice, he spun on the spot. One died from the attack and exploded into nothing while the other was flung backwards into the grass. It quickly recovered to a sword impaling it's rear and, like the other, it too exploded leaving a green gem.

He picked it up, thinking it was useful, before he heard a wooden snap from behind coupled with the sound of someone in pain. Shadow looked behind him to see the girl has literally fallen off the branch. He walked past saying, "We should go."

The girl didn't move, "What are you?" she eventually said, making Shadow stop and turn around.

"A hedgehog." Was all he said.

"Whatever... Where am I?" She asked.

"Outset Island, apparently."

"Oh that's right... That giant bird came and-" she didn't finish as a tall and well built man has appeared in the entrance to the forest shouting, "Miss! Miss Tetra!" His eyes had started to show signs of crying.

"Oh! Oh, thank... Thank goodness! You're safe! When I saw you get dropped on this summit, I thought for sure you'd-" This time it was Tetra's turn to interrupt.

"Summit?" She looked towards Shadow, "So that bird came and dropped me on top of a mountain? Well, Wasn't that nice of it?" Tetra's words oozed sarcasm as she walked off, "Well come on Gonzo! Let's go! Time to repay our debt to that bird in full!"

"But Miss! What about him?" Gonzo asked.

"Don't worry about him. Let's go!" Tetra snapped, leaving, Gonzo following behind after glancing at Shadow.

All Shadow did was shake his head is a way of saying, "Why me?" before walking out.

Upon leaving the forest he noticed Link being pulled back by Aryll, most likely because he wanted to try and help him. "Their fine! See! He didn't need your help!" could be heard from Aryll.

What only Shadow noticed, and was too late to act on, was the Giant bird from before grabbing both Link and Aryll, flying off with them. "Typical. One crisis solved and another starts right after. Now I see why Sonic can be so arrogant sometimes." Shadow muttered as he crossed the bridge again, The Pirates having gone on ahead.

Shadow was walking by the pier where they had docked when he heard Tetra saying, "Now that I'm back, let's just leave here."

"Really? Not going to give one whit about the two kids that just got taken by the same bird that tried to take you?" Shadow said.

"None of our business." Tetra stated.

"Well in that case, since you're going after that oversized pigeon, I might as well go with you." Shadow said, "I'm not letting that bird keep them away from their Grandmother."

"What?" Tetra gasped, "You want to come with us on our ship?"

"Precisely. I know you're pirates, I can tell by the sail." Shadow stated.

"I don't care you're not using us as transport. Those two kids' fates aren't our business!"

"And how do you figure that?" A birdlike man asked.

"Whoa whoa, Whoa there! Just who are you? Where do you get off butting in on someone else's conversation?" Gonzo asked, his bearing giving off a violent nature.

"Please! All I mean to say is that if you pirates hadn't come to this quiet little island... Those two wouldn't have been snatched by that bird." the birdman stated.

"And just what do you mean by that?" Tetra asked.

"Just be quiet for a moment, and I'll tell you! Now, as my work entails delivering letters, I spend much of my time travelling amongst the many different islands. As a result, I hear many things... Haven't any of you heard word that young girls have been getting kidnapped lately from all regions of the Great Sea? No matter. Whether you've heard it or not, that seems to be the case. Young girls with long ears like yours have been getting kidnapped never to be seen again. And unless my eyes fail me, that young girl who was just kidnapped from this island also has long ears, does she not? Much like YOU do Miss Fearsome Pirate. My point is that the bird mistook that poor girl for you, and that's why it grabbed her. The boy was grabbed too because the girl was still holding onto him." The man said, starting to sound like a lecturer, "And correct me if I'm wrong but wasn't it Shadow here that saved you from the monsters in the forest?"

"More like wimps than monsters." Shadow added.

Tetra seemed to think for a moment before saying, "Is this true?"

"Oh and while I'm at it I may as well tell you that the bird that

kidnapped both you and those two kids has made its foul nest to the north on the heights of the Forsaken Fortress." The birdman stated.

Tetra muttered something before saying, "All right fine. But If you don't get a shield before we leave I'm not coming back to get you."

The birdman took off towards another island most likely, while Shadow walked off. "This is getting weirder and weirder." He mumbled as he entered Link's home.

A quick check of the upper area, which was the likely place where the shield would be revealed a lack of shield. When Shadow descended the ladder again and turned to speak to Link's grandmother she too turned around and said, "Is this what you're looking for Shadow?" She paused before adding, "Take it with you."

"Just what I was about to ask you about." Shadow murmured as she began to say something about loss through tears. Shadow let himself out, not wanting to cause her more grief, and simply strapped the shield along the scabbard of the sword and approached Tetra again.

"Ready to go?" she asked.

Shadow said nothing, instead boarding the vessel.


A/N: There we go. One saved pirate. One ship boarded.

Do you have to say stuff like that?

Yes... Now go away before Mal puts you through hell...