7. Cell

Dawn of the First Day

The Rito guards, armed with batons, pushed Senza and Link down the corridors of the Tower Island prison, their boots splashing in the film of dirty water that sloshed across the floor. Captain Tetra had already been taken to her own cell.

"Cut it out," snapped Senza as one of the guards prodded too hard with his metal club. "We're moving already."

The lead guard swivelled to a stop, heels squeaking. "In," he said, gesturing with his baton toward an open cell.

Senza peered inside. It was cramped, dirty and bare. "The two of us?" he said. "In here?"

Snarling, the guard grabbed Senza by his sleeve and roughly shoved him into the small chamber. Link followed more slowly, pausing in front of the Rito.

"You don't have a name," he said. "Your kind never does."

"My kind?" the Rito growled. "What are you babbling about, you idiot?"

The corners of Link's mouth flicked up. "Exactly," he said.

The guard hissed. "Get in!"

Link stepped inside. "You'll get it," he murmured. "Your comeuppance. It's coming."

The shadow of the cell bars fell across them both as the lead guard slid the rattling door shut. A soft click followed.

"Damn," said Senza as the guards walked away. "We're done. We. Are. Done."

"Bite your tongue, Senza," said Link in a dark voice. "And clench your fist. We're Team Tetra, and that's not how we roll."

Dawn of the Second Day

Senza lay on the damp floor of the cell, his hands behind his head. Fatigue weighed down his eyelids. His stomach growled.

"Hey, Link," he said, turning to his companion. "When do you think they're going to feed us?"

The Outset boy wasn't listening. He sat cross-legged on the other side of the room, bespectacled eyes reading from a book. He'd plucked both the book and his glasses from his hat.

Senza turned away. "They took the Pirate Charm away from me. I can't even contact the crew."

Paper whispered as Link turned a page.

Senza was usually quite tolerant towards the boy's eccentric ways, but now he felt the irritation itch.

"Curse this foolhardy endeavour," he cursed. "What are we even doing here? Sometimes the captain is too stubborn for her own good. How did this happen? When did it all go wrong?"

"Last chapter," said Link.

"Sorry?"

Link looked up from the book. "Last chapter." He tapped the pages. "It's really good."

"Right." Senza's stomach gurgled. It contacted in pain. He grimaced."I hope that book's edible, lad. I really do. Because I don't think I'm going to last at this rate."

Dawn of the Final Day

Now Senza sat with his back against the grimy wall, his legs stretched out in front of him. His mouth was dry. Hunger tore at his stomach.

Link was with him, crouched opposite, eyes darting left and right.

"We need to get out of here," the Outset boy said.

"Only just noticed?" Senza replied. He knitted his fingers, yawned, then cracked his knuckles. "Relax. Let's see what they do with us. That's all we can do."

"Don't give up, Senza."

The older pirate ignored him. "If they ever come back, that is." He smacked his dry lips. "They better do. So hungry." His voice began to slur. "Just relax."

"I am relaxed," said Link. "It's you I'm worried about."

The older pirate cocked an eyebrow, suddenly alert. "Why so?"

"I know about places like this," Link replied. "I know what happens. I might get roughed up a little but you - you'll end up dead."

As ever when he spoke to Link, Senza found his head starting to throb. "Why...me? Why not you?"

Link shook his head. "I just know."

"Why either of us?" Senza pressed on. He sat up. "And how do you know? Had much experience in cells, lad?"

Link suddenly stood up. He swiped the hat from his head. "We're leaving."

Senza had completely forgotten about the boy's hat. "Wait...your hat..." Realisation hit him like a slap. "You could've busted us out at any time!"

"Needed to up the stakes first," said Link as he pulled out some bread. "Eat up. You need your strength."

Senza shot to his feet. His bloodshot eyes widened. His jaw dropped. He grabbed the sides of his head.

Link blinked, face blank. "What?"

"You-you-you," gasped Senza. "Three days. I've been starving three days! Three daaaays!

"Yup."

"Three days we've been in here and you never thought to mention you had food!"

"And water," Link replied, pulling out a leather pouch.

Senza's eyes bulged. His mouth opened. All he managed was a croaking, "Gaaaaaaaah."

"You don't want it?"

"Nnnnnnnnnnnn!"

Link shrugged. "Fair enough, I'll just put it all ba-"

With a guttural growl, Senza swiped the bread from Link's hand and wolfed it down. He snatched the pouch next, and pulled the stopper, threw back his head and gulped the cool water down. It trickled down the sides of his chin as his Adam's apple bobbed up and down.

"Stand back."

Senza looked up. Link was rocking back and forth on his heels, boomerang ready in one hand. He threw it at the cell lock - it clanged against it in a shower of sparks. The door trundled open.

Link held up his hand. The boomerang landed in his waiting palm with a smack. "Let's go."

They ran down the corridor, ducking spiders hanging from their threads from the rusted, curved ceiling, turned left, ran down another passage, torches flickering as they passed, turned right -

And there, walking toward them, was the lead Rito guard. He froze, gaping.

Link didn't even slow. He drew back his arm and hurled the boomerang. It bounced off one wall then clocked the guard on the side of his head. The Rito crumpled to the ground.

Link leapt over him, caught the returning boomerang in mid-air, then slid to a halt. Senza followed suit. Link dropped his gaze to the prone guard. "Like I said. Comeuppance."

"Link!" A voice cracked the air like a whip. "What are you doing?"

Link and Senza turned. Captain Tetra glared back at them, hands on her hips. Linebeck was with her, looking horrified at what had just happened.

"Milady," said Senza, stepping forward. "How did you get out?"

"We've been freed," snarled Tetra."That's what we - all three of us- were coming to tell you."

Link blinked. He looked down at the unconscious guard. "Oh."

Tetra shook her head. "They'll probably throw us back into their landlubber brig now."

Link nudged the Rito with his foot. He waited. He nudged the guard again. "I think he's dead."

"Freed?" said Senza. "Why?"

Tetra shrugged. "I don't know. Only these Rito ever talk to us, and they don't give reasons."

"The Rito are the masterminds?"

"No," Tetra replied, shaking her head again. She glanced at Link. He was trying to pry open the Rito's beak. She didn't even want to know what he was planning.

"They weren't in that tower, whoever they were," Tetra went on. "Though a giant squid was. Which no-one seems the slightest bit concerned about."

"So what do we do now?"

"I've heard something," she replied. "They'regoing to be present at the final Smash - but only to greet the winners in private."

"Milady," said Senza. "Captain. Let's drop this. Let's go back to the Harkinian. Who really cares what's going on here?"

"I care," said Tetra. "I don't know why, but I do." Emotion thickened her voice. "I just have a feeling that it's...important. To me."

Senza bowed his head. "Aye, aye, Captain," he said softly.

Tetra looked over at Link again. He was pushing on the guard's chest, muttering, "Live, damn you! Don't you dare die on me!"

Tetra cleared her throat. "Beck, see to that Rito. Senza, help him out. Link, a word."

She waited until the Outset boy was in earshot, then leaned in and spoke in a low voice. "We need to get to the final," she said. "But they've demoted you back to the first round as 'punishment' for us breaking their tower." Tetra bit her lower lip for a moment. "I need you to do your thing, Link."

"Thing?"

"You know." She exhaled softly. "Your talking thing."

Link considered this for a moment. He rubbed his chin, deep in thought. When he looked up, his eyes seemed to gaze off into the distance. "I guess it's time, then," he said in a soft voice. "Time for the big reveal."