Disclaimer: I don't own anything in this story other than Reina and Rita and the adaptation to the plot. Thank you, that is all.
The Legend of Zelda: Heroes of the Wind
Curse of the Great Sea
Link and the twins were setting off to the location marked on the map by the King of Red Lions. The trio was currently speaking about their next destination, Great Fish Island, and the Spirit that lived there.
"So tell us, what is this Spirit like?" Reina asked, as she was writing down the information for later reference, while Rita was manning the rudder, "Is he anything like Valoo or the Great Deku Tree?"
"The Spirit of the Sea is a wise creature just like Valoo and the Great Deku Tree," the talking boat explained.
"So what else can you tell us?" Rita asked, beginning to sound impatient due to the stopping and marking of each island they passed, all to fill in information for Link's sea chart.
"I can tell you that the Spirit of the Sea has had great experiences over the years," the King of Red Lions began, and started to explain about Greatfish Island and its inhabitants. Link and Reina were eagerly paying attention, while Rita was beginning to fall asleep until she noticed a ring of dark clouds around a destroyed landmass.
"Hey Mufassa," Rita interrupted the talking boat as he was in the middle of speaking, Reina face palming at her twin's Lion King reference, "Is Greatfish Island supposed to look like a shipwreck with stormy skies and rough seas?"
"Why no, it is a sacred place that is home to Jabun, the Great Spirit of the Sea," the boat answered, "Why do you ask?"
"Because Greatfish Island looks like a shipwreck to me," Rita said, pointing to said island as everyone had a look of horror on their faces.
Greatfish Island… it really couldn't be called an island anymore, they realized, approaching the shattered shore through the stormy weather.
What looked to have once been a decent sized and inhabited island was now a broken mass. The twins marveled at the dynamic scenery with sections of land paused up into steep inclines while Link focused on the structures.
The Hero of the Winds felt a cold sweat on his neck despite the rain and wind. The remains of a village clung to the smashed shards of the island. It looked like it may not have been so different from his village on Outset Island.
This wasn't natural, some calamity born from the sea; he sensed that in his bones. This was the work of man, one man. He didn't know how he knew, but as he looked over the remains of a cataclysm that left no one to tell the tale, one name rose to the forefront of his mind in blazing letters.
Ganon.
He looked over to his traveling companions; the twins seemed to be realizing the implications, looks of worry and anger darkening their faces. He wondered what his own face looked like to them.
His quest was to stop Ganon, but his goal had been to save his sister in all honesty. This talk of grand quests and the implications of destiny, they seemed too outlandish for a nobody like him. Perhaps the descendant of heroes, but…
No buts now, this was not something he could sail away from even with his sister, he realized. The power to do such a thing, wielded by someone who would use it so…
"This is Ganon's work," the King of Red Lions confirmed bitterly.
"We're too late," Reina said as she and her sister heard the King confirm this was Ganon's doing, "From what the King of Red Lions said, there was precious little time but we all didn't know how little time there was."
"Indeed. A Great Spirit of the Sea named Jabun once lived here upon Greatfish Island," the King spoke up.
"I bet he really was a great fish," Rita commented as she got a smack upside the head by her blue streaked chi wizard twin.
"Will you please be quiet?" Reina hissed, "We're facing an emergency situation."
"Okay, but standing around isn't going to get us anywhere," the red streaked martial artist countered.
"HO!" yelled a voice, and there was Quill the postman flying towards them.
The postman landed before them, glancing about at the ravaged island with concern.
Well "islands", Rita supposed was more appropriate.
"Such devastation, I suppose the shadow in the dark fortress is responsible for this as well. Though the day is clear elsewhere, dark clouds hang over this place.
"Valoo sends a message, he knew you would come here and what you would find. There is a thread of light in this tragedy – Jabun escaped before the dark powers destroyed the island," the Rito postman told them. While the others were relieved Rita felt a little ticked.
"So he ran away while the people got curb-stomped by Ganon?" Rita demanded. Quill was taken aback at her angry response.
"Well, I don't know exactly. But I do know he has fled to a place of safety where even Ganon's power cannot yet reach him. Link's homeland Outset Island," Quill continued.
"Do not worry for your homeland Link, there is power there that Ganon cannot overcome yet. But you must make haste; the shadow grows in power and boldness.
"Though I fear I may have brought some trouble to Outset of a different sort.
"I went to those pirates when I came across them, thinking as your allies they could be trusted. But they did nothing but go straight to the sacred gate and try to force it open!" Quill exclaimed. He was more irritated than angry, both at himself and the pirates.
"What did they try to do, blast it open?" Reina asked sarcastically.
"Yes," Quill answered. Reina went bug eyed; a powerful magical seal and they actually thought gunpowder and projectiles would break it. And here Link spoke so well of them.
"Anyway, they went to Windfall after the locals became angered at their failed attempts to force the door.
"Valoo said you shouldn't linger in this land, what was sacred is now cursed," Quill imparted ominously, before flapping up into the stormy sky. They couldn't blame him; doom seemed to linger in this place. With heavy hearts, they waded back out to where the King of Red Lions waited.
"We were too late. I knew time was short, but I did not know how close to running out. Ages waiting, only to arrive and find a new disaster," the possessed boat lamented. He sounded ancient and Reina was tempted ask how old he was. Or even what magic had made him and set him out onto these strange seas.
The quartet had been sailing across the Great Sea for some time now trying to make headway to get to Windfall Island, dropping bait and filling up the sea chart along the way. It was there they would learn what the pirates were up to and where they could find some answers to what was going on.
During the boat ride, however, Reina noticed something odd. The stormy skies and rough seas that plagued the ravaged Greatfish Island somehow made their way across the Great Sea as if time itself seemed to have stopped. The blue streaked chi wizard was about to say something when the group found themselves arriving on Windfall Island near the exact same place where Link woke up after being knocked unconscious by Ganon's monstrous bird.
"Well, what do you know," Rita summed up as she noticed the pirate ship in the cove, "Seems like we're not the only ones up this late."
"Indeed; I do not know what the pirates are researching here on Windfall Island but I do know this," the King of Red Lions said, "Even if you were to ask what the pirates were up to they would not tell you anything directly."
"I get it," Rita smirked, letting Reina know that she had indeed inherited one of their mother's notable traits, "We sneak up on them and listen in to what they're saying."
Link lead the way through the crawl space, grateful; the twins were keeping quiet rather than arguing who went first between them. He was unaware of the quick rock-paper-scissors game deciding the issue behind his back.
Reaching the landing, Link was pleased to be in light and warmth after the long voyage, but was concerned by the babble below.
Crawling to the ledge he was treated to the sight of the price gouging bomb merchant thoroughly tied up and gagged, while Tetra's crew gathered up his stock by the barrelful. The twins joined him, keeping low, Rita smirking at seeing actual pirates at work like this.
"Enough, you idiots argue over the dumbest things," the sea tanned blonde captain spoke up. The twins watched the pirate girl lean against the wall and berate the far more imposing men. Reina shook her head at the display while Rita threatened to go starry eyed. She had a new hero/role model.
"Captain Miss! You can't mean for us shove off right away! We've been at sea so long. I-I mean the men are so looking forward to shore leave. Good eats, drinks, and merriment; the pleasures of the port. I'm just saying it would be terrible for morale," the brawny pirate officer spoke up.
Captain Tetra gave him a steady unnerving gaze that almost had the big man blubbering.
Rita may have squealed, though she would deny it. The young Captain glanced up to the ledge. The twins pulled back, but not fast enough to quite escape those eyes. Link, alas, was less experienced in sneaking than those two veterans, and some of his golden hair remained in sight to the tanned blonde.
'Link, you're still alive and with a crew of your own? Good for you. Alright, I can be sporting since I did shoot you into the fortress with a catapult,' Tetra decided.
"Alright you sea dogs, if you're going to whine so loudly…
"Shore leave for the night when you get these munitions loaded. But we sail at first light, and I'll have the hide of any man not ready to sail!" she declared. A cheer of affirmation greeted her as the pirates hastily hauled off the barrels, eager for the taverns of Windfall.
"Hey Gonzo, what is the password for today?" Mako asked the pirate known as Gonzo.
"What you forgot already?" Gonzo responded shocked, "The password is "treasure", be sure to say it right, you know how Niko is, he won't let you in the ship if you don't say it right."
"Aye, treasure, so that's the password," Mako said as he left.
Tetra was the last to depart, sparing a sneaky smile over her shoulder at the novice spies.
The three wandering heroes crawled back to the ledge when the coast was clear. Well, save for the bound and gagged bomb merchant, but they felt no great need to come to his assistance.
"She's my hero," Rita remarked in awe of the awesomeness.
*smack*
"Ow!" Rita rubbed her head as Link looked over at the girls with some exasperation.
"Focus, we need to get those bombs and beat her to Link's island," Reina reminded her sister.
"Big deal, we have till dawn and just one mook will be guarding the ship and since we know the password we break in, beat him up and then we take the bombs," Rita waved off the worries.
Link told them he would rather not beat up one of Tetra's crew.
"Eh, stealing from pirates isn't stealing, its redistribution of wealth. Besides, she wants to steal what's rightfully yours," Rita shrugged, leaping from the ledge and exiting through the front door of the shop.
"I don't think that's how it works with the pearls, Rita," the blue streaked twin sighed.
"Well, let's stop her from damaging the lookout too badly," she concluded, following after her twin. Link wondered what his quest would be like without those two keeping things lively.
The sole pirate grumbled, rubbing his head from where Rita had whacked him into opening the treasure chamber. Rita had been quite enthusiastic about not jumping through still more hoops. Link sent an apologetic look to the pirate while Reina tried to look exasperated. A futile effort since she might have done the same thing.
"Well here it is Link, at least tell them I defended it valiantly," Niko muttered as he showed them into the treasure room. Link nodded sympathetically while Rita rushed ahead to the chest. Finally, combustible awesomeness was at her fingertips.
"You should carry them," Reina whispered to Link, recalling the incident with the bomb flowers as Link nodded agreement.
"Ohh, cartoon classic," Rita commented holding one of the round black bombs aloft.
"Hey!" a voice called out making everyone jump. Poor Niko reflexively saluted, while the twins realized the sound came from Link.
"Did your voice just change?" Reina asked.
"Long time Link; you really should be careful who you steal from. Especially when you still have the two way communication pendant," Tetra called through the simple amulet as Link pulled it out.
"Miss Captain, I just want to say you are awesome. You're like my mother, only cooler and blonde!" Rita spoke up, advancing to address the talisman.
"Oh, that part of your crew Link? I pegged you for being the loner, but I guess you realized they come in handy. Well, most of the time.
"Don't think your little heist means anything, you would never have gotten this far if the ship was guarded by more than a pathetic rat of a man," Tetra continued.
"No need to be mean to Niko, Rita already beat him up," Reina defended the already kicked dog of a man.
"Oh, guess that makes you the nice one.
"Well Link, you survived your little jaunt in the Fortress and had the moxy to steal from me, impressive. So as one captain to another I give you a head start. My men and I will be enjoying the hospitality of Windfall tonight, and tomorrow we sail for your homeland to claim the treasure of Jabun.
"You'll never be able to find all our bombs, so don't try. Your only chance is to have the treasure and be gone before I arrive to pilfer you in turn. Better hurry hayseed, I sail at dawn and my ship is faster than yours," Tetra explained before the crystal darkened.
"So cool, can I carry that?" Rita asked Link, getting her repressed-fan-girl in gear. She tried to pluck the crystal from his hand only for her hand to get smacked away by her twin as the trio left the ship and made their way back to the King of Red Lions.
The travelers found themselves on the dock of Outset Island ready to go and find Jabun when the King called out to them.
"Have any of you noticed that it has been raining since we left Greatfish Island?" the boat asked, "It's almost as if time has stopped or is frozen. However, if this night does not end then perhaps we need not worry about Tetra's pirates overtaking us. In fact, it might be a good idea to see your friends and family again after having been away at sea for so long."
The trio nodded in agreement as Link suggested that they go and see Orca and Sturgeon and told the twins all about what he knew about them.
"From a female pirate captain to a swordfighter who actually taught Link how to use a sword," Rita said as she and Reina followed behind Link, "I wonder if I can get him to teach me a thing or two. Perhaps I can get him to give me a new weapon. This spear isn't doing much."
"Now sis, you must understand that martial arts are supposed to teach discipline and the art of self-defense," Reina said, "Martial arts are more than just being able to kick butt or use hooks in battle. Martial arts are also supposed to help control one's emotions. Mom let her own anger at being called short get the better of her and that's what got her in detention for a week."
"Hello, you think I don't know that?" the red streaked martial artist shot back, "If you ask me the guy was bullying kids back when mom was still a kid. From what I can tell he had it coming to him."
The blue streaked chi wizard was about to retort but a shot from Link let the twins know they were at Orca and Sturgeon's house, with Orca living on the ground floor and Sturgeon on the second floor via ladder.
"Thanks for the location Link, but shouldn't you go see your grandmother?" Reina suggested, "I'm sure she's wondering what happened to you by now. We'd like to go but we wouldn't want to impose on her. Wouldn't we, sis?"
Rita was about to comment but a look from her sister silenced her before she could start, as she noticed that Link was heading into Orca's, so the twins decided to follow him. As soon as the hero of Outset Island waked through the door, the twins rushed in right after him and found Link conversing with an elderly man.
"Um, excuse us," Reina said, "I hope we weren't intruding. We just wanted to say hello."
"Hello, so you are the two girls that young Link here has met on his journey, right?" the elderly man spoke in a gruff voice.
"That would be us," Rita answered, then noticing the area she added, "Nice dojo, you train around here a lot?"
"And why should I train somebody like you?" Orca said, "You sound more likely to blow something up if you left your technique unrefined."
"Because I need to help Link rescue his sister Aryll from the Forsaken Fortress," Rita growled as she restrained herself from blasting the master.
Link nodded as he explained everything that had happened up to this point to Orca.
"So will you please help us?" Reina asked, "I was hoping you had a spare sword for Rita or something."
"I do have a sword, but I see no reason to take you as a student in the noble art of the blade," Orca answered.
"No reason? I'm helping him with the whole quest deal! Helping me is helping him," Rita objected. Orca scowled and shook his head at the red streaked girl.
"I will only pass my knowledge on one who is worthy in and of themselves. Many have come to seek instruction for reasons great and small. Yet their reasons matter little. It is their character that matters, for that will determine their path in life and the way in which they will truly use what I have to teach.
"Link has a humble heart and reaches ever to aid others. Such a man will never make me regret passing on my knowledge.
"You are impatient and impulsive. You carry yourself with the arrogance of youth and those who know success much too early in their life's journey. You might use these skills for a good cause now, but I have little faith you would not later abuse it for your own gain… or amusement," Orca declared, crossing his arms.
Link had decided to take Rita and Reina to see Sturgeon in order to help Rita keep her anger in check.
"Sis, I take it that you're having trouble reeling in your anger, huh?" Reina questioned, noticing the look on Rita's face.
"Sis, you have no idea how pissed I am right now," Rita growled, "How the heck am I supposed to catch a dragonfly in two hours from the forest and bring it back to him?"
The twins guessed that from what Link had told them of Sturgeon, the bookworm seemed to have traveled the Great Sea and knew more about the secrets it held than most of the inhabitants they had met so far.
"Um, excuse me." Reina spoke to the elderly man who seemed to be reading a book, "Are you Sturgeon?"
Sturgeon was currently reading a book that seemed to be of an ancient legend when Rita tried to get his attention.
"Um, excuse me, again," Reina tried to say only for Rita to interrupt.
"Hey, my sister's speaking to you!" the red streaked tomboy shouted, managing to get Sturgeon's attention.
"Oh, my apologies," Sturgeon said, then getting a good look at Reina and Rita he asked, "I've never seen you two here before. Who are you and where are you from?"
"It's a long story," Rita said as she and Reina began telling Sturgeon about how they met up with Link and how they got back to Outset Island. They left out the part where they were dragons so as not to scare him.
"Well, that is quite an interesting story," Sturgeon said after listening to everything that the twins had said.
"So does that mean you believe us?" Reina asked hopefully.
"I've traveled across the Great Sea and I've heard quite a few tales before," Sturgeon said to the group, "But I've never heard of a tale as vivid as that one. However, if what you say is true then you might want to let Link's grandmother know about how you been helping her grandson."
"Speaking of whom, is she alright?" Rita questioned, to which Sturgeon told the trio about how Link's grandmother had been in poor health lately.
Link decided that he had better go tend to his grandmother at once and the twins decided to follow him and to provide moral support.
The twins waited outside of Link's house in an awkward silence. Rita glanced to the peaks of the island pensively, while Reina looked to the door, frowning. They both wanted to say something, but the words seemed inappropriate. So it was with both dread and relief they suppressed sighs when the door swung out.
Link stepped onto the porch, thankfully wearing a look of determination. That meant things, however bad, weren't beyond them.
"So, what you going to do?" Rita asked.
"You realize you are running out of time right?" Reina asked her sister, watching a bug buzz in front of them. Link was blazing a trail through the forested peak of Outset Island, the twins following so they wouldn't have to deal with the giant insects.
Rita kicked away the giant bug's corpse, pursing her lips. It was true, she had only glanced the dragonflies she needed to catch. She was sure she could catch one and get the teaching she needed from that crazy fisherman. And she could rationalize that Reina was enough help for Link the rest of the way…
But no, Link hadn't half-assed rescuing her by leaving Reina to do the hard work while doing his own thing.
Doing the right thing could suck sometimes.
They finally caught up to Link after ascending to a ledge with a large boulder.
"Great Fairy Fountain? I'd call this false advertising. Or seriously in need of renovation," Reina commented, reading the sign. Link ignored her, focused on setting one of their few precious bombs just right against the boulder. He jumped down under the edge with the twins; Rita resisted a cheer at the boom and rubble rain afterwards. Pulling themselves up, they saw the boulder was gone, revealing a hole in the long dry pool bed.
Link spoke for the first time since leaving the hut.
"Really, thanks," Rita bowed as she set off to seek the bug while Link and Reina descended to the fountain.
Rita walked down the mountain path miserably, and bug less. The deadline had passed; she had failed the test set in order for her to receive instruction from Link's sword master.
Orca was sitting in a meditative pose when Rita entered his training room.
"You have returned, Link and your twin were concerned," the old man stated. Rita stopped; she supposed it was to be expected his senses were that sharp.
"Then his grandmother is alright?" she asked.
"Yes, the children of the great fairies are the truest healers. To those they deem worthy of their blessing," he continued. Rita sighed and bowed.
"Well, you probably already know I failed," she said.
"Of course, I neither hear nor smell a dragonfly," he answered brusquely, making her feel like a fool.
"Well, I'll be going then," she sighed, straightening up.
"That would make it difficult to train," he spoke. Rita took two more steps before she heard those words.
"Wha? But I failed," she stammered, turning to face his back again.
"Yes, you failed to put your own goals before the well-being of others and the ties of friendship.
"Anyone can claim to have honor. It is only when they must choose between what they want and honor that their worth can be tested.
"You are still reckless and impulsive, but I was not so different in the morning of my own life," he remarked gruffly.
"AWESOME!" she cheered, jumping into the air.
"Silence! Sit with me; your first lesson will be how to properly stand up," he barked. Rita grumbled, walking over to him. So he was one of those kinds of shifus.
After several hours, the trio all met back up with the King of Red Lions. Rita seemed a bit different than she did before, but she had the same old expression on her face that glowed with youthful energy.
"Rita, so how did the meeting with Orca go?" Reina asked as Link wondered the same thing.
"Well, it wasn't easy and there were times I could compare him to Uncle Jackie, but it was worth it as I learned to keep my temper in check. And that's not all; he also handed me this," Rita said as she produced another Hero's Sword in her right hand, "It's his way of saying that he trusts me to wield the Hero's Sword properly."
"So what are we waiting for?" asked Reina, who had gotten a magic book and a magic wand as a gift from Sturgeon, "Let's to find Jabun and get going."
"Indeed, now if any of you are sure that you have no further business, then we should make haste to the back of the cave," the King of Red Lions suggested.
Upon reaching the back of the island, the trio worked together in unison, with Rita loading the bombs into the cannon, Reina angling the shots and Link firing at the slab. The three of them continued this until they blasted their way into Jabun's hideaway and the whirlpool disappeared.
