Me: Sorry! Sorry, sorry, sorry!
Din: In case you're wondering what she's sorry for, it's for being so infrequent with the last couple chapters.
Me: Sorry, sorry, sorry!
Nayru: They'll live!
Farore: Goodness, you act like you've got nothing better to do.
Darunia: But she doesn't. It's summer vacation.
Tingle: What about the birthday party? And the movie? And the cleaning her room thing? And the-?
Me: Just do the disclaimer so they can get on with the story.
Darunia: She doesn't own anything Zelda-fied.
Tingle: The only characters she does own are Selphie, Dimitra, Mace, Curt, and Sakon. Not to mention Astus and Wicca who are unlikely to be making any more appearances.
Me: Read on!
'
Chapter 5:
The cyclone dropped the pirate ship some hundred yards off from Greatfish Isle. As they sailed in toward the island, they became gradually aware of a sound beneath the water. "What's that?" Medli asked.
"I don't know..." Link answered. "It's coming from underwater..." He had a thought and went inside below decks. Tetra and Medli looked confused and followed. They found Link with the side of his face pressed against the floor.
"Link... what are you doing?" Tetra asked suspiciously.
"Listening... come down here," he said. The two girls looked skeptical, but obeyed. Below decks, because this part of the ship was underwater, they could hear the noise a bit clearer, though they could not tell what it was until they listened through the floor like Link.
"...Someone's crying," Medli stated the thought that was in all their minds.
"Yes they are," Link said.
"But there're words in there too," Tetra said, listening hard. "It sounds like a different language though."
"It sounds like the same language Lord Valoo speaks," Medli said. She concentrated hard. "It sounds like he's saying, 'I didn't... mean to?'"
"He didn't mean to?" Tetra repeated. "Well, what's that supposed to mean?!"
"I don't know," Link said, standing once more, the girls copying the action. "But whatever it is, it must be bad if he's this upset over it." He looked around, suddenly realizing something. "Has anyone seen Navi?" They looked around for a moment. "Navi?!" Link called. They were answered by the sound of a page turning in Tetra's room. Each gave the others a look of confusion as they headed toward the captain's quarters.
Navi was over at Tetra's desk, turning pages in the Tome of Lineage- with a bit of difficulty, one might add. They approached her. "Navi? What are you doing?" Link asked.
"Well..." she said, grunting as she turned the page. "As soon as I reach... page six twenty-eight... I hope to con... confirm my suspicions... about Prince Komali..."
Link stared at her a bit incredulously, pushing her away from the book. "Well, it'll take you a couple days to confirm that suspicion that way," he said, taking a few pages in his hand and turning them. "Now, which page?"
"Six hundred and twenty-eight," she answered. Link nodded and kept turning pages until he got to six twenty-eight. He looked down at the page and then turned his gaze to Navi.
"Navi... this is the page with the Zora descendants for the fast few generations," he said flatly.
"I know," Navi said, flying down to the page to scan over it.
"Komali is a Rito. How is the page about Zoras going to confirm a suspicion about him?" Tetra asked, stepping closer.
"Aha!" Navi cried out, body slamming the book at the end of the list. "That is how," she told them. Link and Tetra looked at her curiously and then looked at the spot in the book that she'd indicated. Their eyes widened in astonishment for a moment.
"Komali's name is on the Zora list?!" Link exclaimed.
"What the heck-? How can a Rito be the Zora heir?" Tetra asked.
"Well, because the Rito evolved from the Zoras," they heard Medli behind them.
"Huh?"
"Well, think about it," she said, shrugging. "How else can I be the one to carry on the bloodline of Laruto?" Link and Tetra still looked utterly confused.
"You see, guys," Navi explained. "The Zoras were very sensitive to changes in the climate. If anything changed about their habitat, it would completely throw them off until it returned to normal- which it usually did. However, when the Great Rain came, clearly the climate wasn't going to return to normal. With that being the case, if something was not done, the Zoras would soon die out."
"Wait a second," Tetra interrupted. "How can the world being covered in an ocean be a disadvantage to a fish person?" she asked.
"Even if the Zoras lived in the water, the water needed to be in an optimal condition," Navi clarified. "The salinity of the water in the Great Sea was far too high. And the waves are choppy and too rough." Tetra nodded her head in understanding.
"The point is, they couldn't survive in the Great Sea. They tried for a while, but they realized it wouldn't last. That's when Lord Valoo came in and gave them his scales, allowing them to grow wings. After that, they gradually evolved the other features of a Rito without getting the scales first," Navi finished.
"'Hoy! We've found the place, cap'n!" they heard Gonzo call from above.
Link and Tetra finally seemed to understand and accept the fact that Komali was the heir to the Zora throne. This fact seemed to hit extremely hard when Link's eyes widened.
"That means Lord Jabun swallowed the Zora leader we need to play the Bond of Brotherhood!" he exclaimed. Tetra's eyes widened as well, though Medli just seemed confused.
"The Bond of Brotherhood?" she repeated. "What's-?" She was cut off by Link and Tetra dashing from the room, Navi following close behind. "Wait for me!"
They returned to the deck and quickly made their way to the bow. Ahead of them was an overhang in the rocks, presumably the remnants of the cave Lord Jabun used to stay in.
"Lord Jabu-Jabu!" Navi called in the Hylian tongue. He didn't appear. "Lord Jabu-Jabu! We know what happened and we're not upset!" Still nothing. "Lord Jabu-Jabu, he's going to stay in there and die if you don't let us help!" A few seconds later, the water ahead of them began to rise, rocking the boat, and the giant fish, Jabun, rose out of the waves.
"Good day, Lord Jabun," Navi greeted.
"Is it a good day, Navi?" he replied. "Is it a good day? You are aware that I have just swallowed the Rito prince- the heir to the throne of my people!"
"We're aware of this, Jabun," Navi said. "That's why we're here."
"What exactly do you suggest?" Jabun asked, calming down.
"Lord Jabun... this isn't the first time you've swallowed the prince... or princess as the case may have been," Navi hinted.
Jabun remained silent for a moment. "Are you suggesting that the Hero go inside me again?" he asked.
Navi bobbed, "Yes."
"Are you kidding me?" Medli blurted, and they all turned to look at her.
"What are they saying?" Link asked nervously.
"They want you to go inside Jabun too," Medli said. Link jumped in surprise.
"Are you kidding me?!" he exclaimed.
"No, no we're not," Navi said, breaking in. "It's the only way to save Komali... not to mention Selphie." Link grimaced, remembering their original intent in getting Komali.
"All right... I'll do it..." he conceded.
"Good," Navi said. She turned back to Lord Jabun. "Lord Jabun, you are okay with this?" Jabun simply opened his mouth wide and waited for Link to enter. "I'll take that as a yes," Navi said. "Come on, Link." She started went over the edge and flew over to Lord Jabun's open mouth. Link started to follow when Tetra caught his hand.
"You still have that rock?" she asked, meaning the pirate's charm.
"Yup," Link smiled, waving it off and jumping over the edge of the ship.
"Good..." Tetra said quietly. She slowly turned around and saw the pirates with smug looks on their faces. "What, is that yer favorite expression now? Get back to work!" she ordered, crossing her arms over her chest.
"But, cap'n," Mako spoke up, wiping the smirk off his face. "We're not going anywhere."
"Do you always question your captain's orders?" Tetra retorted, placing her hands on her hips.
"Er... no-."
"Then get to work! Make this ship sparkle! When's the last time it was cleaned?" she ordered.
"Aye-aye, cap'n!" they all shouted, and immediately scrambled below decks to get the buckets and brushes. Tetra massaged her temple exasperatedly.
"So this is what the inside of a fish is like..." Link commented. He and Navi were making their way through knee-deep mucus lining a long tunnel that one could assume was the esophagus. He pulled his foot out of the slime with a sickening squelch. "Pleasant..."
"At least there aren't any electrified jelly-fish this time," Navi replied. "Back during the Hero of Time's time, Jabu-Jabu swallowed the Zora princess, and we had to come in here to save her." She paused slightly, grimacing at the memory of the bratty princess.
"So... Lord Jabun has a habit of swallowing his people's leader?" Link asked.
"Last time he was cursed by the Evil King," Navi corrected. "He couldn't help himself. And I don't doubt that there is some outside force that caused him to do it this time too... but we'll wait until after we've rescued Komali to worry about that." Link nodded and reached a door of some kind. He looked to Navi questioningly. "Push," she instructed. Though skeptical, he did so, and it opened up.
"Not a heck of a lot has changed since you were last here, I guess," Link observed, noting all of the electrified jellyfish floating around. He ducked as one passed overhead.
"If that's the case, I don't suggest you touch them," Navi said, stopping him as he made to draw his sword. "Try the boomerang instead." Link shrugged, and pulled out his boomerang, targeting a jellyfish. It took it out, and so Link set about killing all of the jellyfish in the "room." Link looked around the room.
"I still don't see Komali," he said, but he realized there was a large hole in the middle of the chamber. "That's a bit odd for the innards of anyone. Fish, deity, or otherwise."
Navi rolled her eyes. "Let's move on. We have to find Komali," she said starting toward a sphincter on the other side of the room. Link ignored her for the moment and looked over the edge.
"Is that a free-floating platform? How'd that happen in here?" he asked.
"Come on, Hero," Navi said, grabbing him by the ear and pulling him toward the door.
"Please would have sufficed," Link said, rubbing his ear, before he opened the door. He pushed on the sphincter and walked through. "More jellyfish," he said, walking into the room.
"Oh, no..." Navi said.
"What-? Whoa! What is that thing?" Link asked, pointing to the very large anemone in the center of the room. It had appendages reaching from its top, connecting to the roof of the chamber, and all of the large jellyfish seemed to be connected to it by streams of electricity. "Navi?"
"Bioelectric Anemone..." Navi said. "Barinade."
"I take it he was here back then too?" Link inquired.
"...We'll talk about that later," Navi said. "For now, you just need to kill that thing off- aah!" she cried out as Barinade shot a bolt of electricity at them. Link managed to avoid major damage from the electricity, but he was unsure of how to go about defeating the creature. Meanwhile, the jellyfish that had been floating around the room had attached themselves to Barinade, creating a sort of jelly-fied armor.
"Okay, Navi, what first?" Link asked.
"First you need to sever it from the ceiling," Navi instructed. Link nodded, pulling out the boomerang. He managed to target each of the three appendages and sever the entire thing at once. It reminded him a bit of his battle with Kalle Demos, but he could not reminisce at the moment because the electrified jellyfish that were protecting Barinade had detached themselves and were now flying around the room.
"Kill every one of those," Navi told him once they'd stopped moving. There were about ten jellyfish in all, and, with Link hitting around five each time he threw the boomerang, they didn't take long to get rid of. "Now all that's left is to finish it off with your sword. It might take a little while, and be ready to dodge it after the first few times you cut it," Navi informed him.
With this advice in mind, Link hurried forward, drawing his sword. When he reached Barinade, he began cutting. It shrieked in pain a few times and shot a bit of electricity at him. "Get ready to run," Navi said when it started wiggling a bit, and Link obeyed, quickly backing away from the anemone.
Imagine both their surprise when Barinade did not, in fact, start moving about the room as Navi predicted. That wiggling motion had actually signaled its end, and Barinade was now sprouting large, fuzzy red cysts all over its body. "Navi, I thought you said it would take more time?" Link said bemusedly, as he stared at Barinade.
"I thought it would," Navi replied. When Barinade was completely invisible behind the mass of red lumps, it exploded into a shower of water, leaving no trace of the anemone. Navi stared in confusion at a puddle left by the explosion. "That was too easy... why was that so easy?"
"Who cares? The point is it's gone," Link said. Then he remembered. "Wait, where's Komali then?" In the chaos of the battle with Barinade, he'd forgotten the whole reason he was even in Lord Jabu-Jabu's stomach to begin with.
"I'm not sure," Navi answered truthfully. They looked about hoping that Komali would appear and their time inside Jabun was over.
Wish granted. "Ack!" they heard above them. There was a kind of wormhole in the middle of the ceiling, where Barinade had been attached.
Link and Navi looked at each other and then back at the ceiling. "Komali?" Link called.
"Waah!" Komali cried as he fell through the hole and hit the floor of the chamber. "Ow..." he groaned, as he lie on the floor, face up.
"Komali!" Link exclaimed, walking over. "What's up? Did you break something?"
"No... but I think I sprained something when I hit the floor," Komali answered, sitting up.
"Uh-oh. What is it? Leg? Wing?" Link asked.
"Ugh... my pride," Komali answered, grinning. "Haven't fallen like that since I mastered flying."
"Ha-ha," Link said sarcastically. "You're a real comedian, are you happy?" he asked, reaching down his hand.
"As much as I can be after being swallowed by a whale in the middle of a da- a-a," Komali caught himself and slapped his hand over his mouth. "Shoot..." Link raised his eyebrow slyly.
"Da-a-a-what?" he asked. Komali flinched and Link laughed. "So that's why you guys ditched Quill, huh?"
Komali rolled his eyes. "Yeah, well... how would you like to have someone tailing you while you're out on a date?" he asked.
"Why? Are you two doing anything that you shouldn't be doing?" Link asked.
"What?!" Komali exclaimed his eyes widening. "No! Heck no! Nothing like that!" he raised his wings defensively. Link started laughing at him, and Komali shook his head smiling. "You're something else, you know? I'll bet you're just jealous that I got my girl and you haven't gotten yours."
That wiped the smile off Link's face. "What are you talking about?" he asked, genuinely confused. It was Komali's turn to laugh, and as soon as Link realized what he was talking about, his face turned beet red. "No! That's not true at all! I don't like anyone in that way!"
Navi now reestablished her presence. "Ahem! May I remind you that you're still in the belly of a whale?" she said.
This was the first that Komali noticed her. "Huh? Who are you?" he asked.
"I'll explain later," Link said. "For now, she's right. Let's get out of here."
Twenty minutes later, Jabun opened his mouth and allowed Komali to fly Link back to the deck of the ship. "Komali!" Medli exclaimed when she saw him. As soon as Link was out of the way, she dashed over and threw her arms around his neck. "You're okay! I was so scared that you wouldn't make it!"
"That was pretty fast," Tetra remarked, moving over next to Link.
"Wasn't a heck of a lot in there," he admitted. "Thanks, Lord Jabun!" he called over the railing. Jabun replied, but they could not understand what he'd said. "Navi?"
"'No, Link. Thank you,'" Navi translated. Jabun continued speaking though. "You don't say? ...I see... Yes, Lord Jabun. We'll keep you posted." The water deity nodded his head and dove beneath the waves again.
"What was that about?" Link asked.
"It was about what made him swallow Komali," she answered. "He said he was just swimming along and out of nowhere felt himself leap out of the ocean and open his mouth. The next thing he knew he felt something covered in feathers in his throat and a girl shouting Komali's name."
"What does this mean?" Link asked.
"I'm not sure yet... but there's something else about this that bothers me..." she said pensively, getting lost in thought.
Komali put his arms around Medli as well, returning the embrace. "Nah, I wouldn't leave you hanging like that-," he answered, but was cut off by Medli's beak against his. His eyes widened and a few seconds later, Medli backed away, blushing madly. Komali was also rather red, especially as he realized all of the pirates were watching.
Tetra looked around and decided to come to the two's rescue. "And what are you all looking at? Why aren't you cleaning?!" she shouted. The pirates jumped and returned to scrubbing the ship. She turned back to Komali and Medli. "You'd think they had nothing better to do that make situations awkward." The two nodded their heads uneasily.
Komali looked up and his eyes widened. "Oh, no..."
"What?" Medli asked, looking up as well. "Uh-oh..."
"Hoy there!" came Quill's voice, as he started his descent. When he finally landed on the pirate ship, he walked right over to Komali and Medli, and glowered over them. Medli looked away, wringing her hands anxiously, and Komali just looked up at Quill, giving him a small smile. "Wipe that grin off your face," Quill said scathingly, and Komali's smile disappeared instantly. "I've been looking all over for you guys!"
"Sorry, Quill..." they mumbled.
"That won't cut it once your father gets here, Komali," Quill said, turning around and pointing to the sky.
Komali's eyes widened. "You didn't!"
"I did," Quill replied as the Rito chieftain landed behind him.
"Thank you for coming to get me, Quill," he said, stepping up and glowering over his son.
"Aheh..." Komali laughed nervously, giving his father a small smile and wave. "Uh... hi, Dad."
"Don't you 'hi, Dad' me, young man," said the chieftain. Komali looked away guiltily. "You know why Quill retrieved me?"
"Yes, sir..."
"Why would you do this, Komali?" his father asked. "You are the prince of the Rito. You shouldn't be going off on your own. Something could have happened, and then who would have been there to lead your people in my stead?"
"I know..." Komali said softly.
"And you, Medli," the chieftain turned to Medli now, who cringed slightly. "I thought you were more responsible than this."
"I'm sorry..." Medli murmured.
"I'm sorry too, but after this, you're probably going to be grounded, though that is between you and your parents. Komali, however, will not be allowed to leave Dragon Roost for quite a while," he said.
"What?!" the two teenagers exclaimed.
"But Dad!" Komali exclaimed.
"Don't blame me," Dad said. "It's your own fault. If you hadn't flown off on your own you wouldn't be in trouble."
"Dad! We're not little kids! We don't need someone tailing us!" Komali said angrily.
"Please, sir, my mother and father will be so angry," Medli pleaded, tears starting to well in her eyes.
"I have to tell them, Medli," the chieftain said.
"Why would you guys even want to be off on your own anyway? You aren't doing anything you shouldn't be, are you?" Quill asked.
"No!" they both exclaimed, waving their wings defensively.
The chieftain shook his head exasperatedly. "It doesn't matter. You're going to have to face up to your error no matter what." He turned around, preparing to take off. "Come on. It's time to go."
Komali, Medli, and Quill were about to take off with him when Tetra spoke up again, "Actually!" They turned to look at her. "We actually have a situation..." she said. Quill raised his eyebrow, prompting her to continue. "We need Medli and Komali to come with us for a while."
"What?" came the reply from Quill, Komali, Medli, and Link.
"We need Medli?" he whispered, but Tetra elbowed him in the stomach.
"What do you mean you need them to go with you?" the chieftain asked.
"Well, it's a long story, especially if you tell it the way Navi does," Tetra said, not allowing them to ask who Navi even was before continuing. "But our friend Selphie lost her soul, and the only way to get it back is by gathering the last in the royal lines of the tribes of Hyrule." Quill looked down at her suspiciously. "Do you need to see the body?" she retorted.
"No, that won't be necessary..." the chieftain said.
"What about Medli? Why does she need to go with you?" Quill asked.
"After we've gathered the seven descendants of those royal lines, we need Medli...s- Medli's powers... as the Earth Sage to... actually put the soul back in the body," Tetra lied quite well. Quill gave her another suspicious look.
"Look, this is really important," Link tried to reason. "We need their help. And if they don't come, Selphie's soul will be trapped forever." The chieftain still looked reluctant. "You guys still owe me for saving Lord Valoo," he pointed out.
"Blackmail... Link, I like..." Tetra whispered.
"Shh!" he hushed her while the chieftain considered it. He looked down across his beak at them.
"Komali and Medli may go with you. But only because they are needed for something greater, and also perhaps to satisfy their need to escape Dragon Roost so often," the chieftain conceded. Medli and Komali's eyes lit up. The chieftain looked down at them. "You will do what is needed and return to Dragon Roost as soon as possible. I expect you to not goof around. You are lucky to not be punished first. Is this understood?"
"Yes, father!" Komali said.
"Very well. Come, Quill. We must inform Medli's parents of her whereabouts," his father said, turning around and actually taking off this time.
Quill looked back at Komali and Medli for a moment. "You're very lucky to have such friends as these," he said sternly. Komali and Medli looked at him nervously for a moment. But then Quill's features softened and he winked at them. They smiled and waved as he took off after the chieftain.
When they were safely out of sight, Komali and Medli turned back to Link and Tetra, huge grins on their faces. "You guys are great! Thanks for saving our butts back there!" Komali said.
"Oh, you're welcome," Tetra said.
"Where'd you come up with that story anyways?" Medli asked.
Link and Tetra looked at one another, realizing that they hadn't explained everything to the other two yet. "Actually... we were only lying about you, Medli. We don't technically need you to save Selphie," Link said.
"What?" Komali asked. "Do you mean to tell me that the thing about your friend was true?"
Link nodded his head. "Yes. We found Selphie on an island in the middle of the ocean. She time-traveled from ancient Ikana, a kingdom neighboring Hyrule. A song she learned there caused her soul to be taken away when she played it."
"Oh, my gosh!" Medli gasped. "That's horrible."
"And you need me to help get it back?" Komali asked.
"Yes," Tetra said. "You, me, and five others will have to perform a song called the Bond of Brotherhood to open the way to Ikana." Komali nodded his head slowly, taking this in.
"Any friend of yours is a friend of mine. I'll do what I can," he said.
"Thanks, Komali," Link said, clapping a hand on his shoulder.
"Wait, but why did you bring me along if you don't need me?" Medli asked.
"Just lookin' out for our friend, and saving her from certain punishment," Tetra said, winking.
"Not to mention we wouldn't want you two to miss each other too much," Link teased.
Komali scowled at him. "Envy..." he whispered for only Link to hear. Link turned red and frowned. Komali smirked at him. "We're gonna work on that while I'm here."
"All right, men!" Tetra shouted to the pirates. "You can stop cleaning now. Time for some grub!"
"Aye-aye, cap'n!" the pirates all shouted, dropping their buckets and brushes all over and running for the cabin.
"Ugh... did I mention it has yet to be cooked?" she asked them exasperatedly. That certainly slowed their pace. "Let's head on inside. It's getting dark anyway," Tetra said, starting toward the door.
"While they're making dinner, could I discuss something with you guys?" Navi asked, following them inside to Tetra's quarters.
"Is this her?" Medli asked, pointing to Selphie's body, lying on her bed in Tetra's room.
"Ay," Tetra answered.
"What's up, Navi?" Link asked.
"Barinade," Navi answered.
"Is that what the thing that got me back in Jabun's stomach?" Komali asked.
"Mm-hmm," Navi bobbed in reply.
"Well, what's the problem? I killed him didn't I?" Link said.
"Yes, you did," Navi said. "But so did the Hero of Time."
They stared at her for a moment. "What does that mean?" Tetra asked.
"Back then, Barinade and the other creatures inside Lord Jabu-Jabu were the result of a curse placed on him by the Evil King," Navi answered. "When the old Link killed it, the curse was removed and Barinade should never have posed a problem again."
"But then how can Barinade have been inside him just now when I got swallowed?" Komali asked.
"That's what's troubling me..." Navi answered. "The only way Barinade could have been in there again would be if someone put another curse on Lord Jabu- Jabu."
"What?" Tetra gasped. "Could it have been Ganondorf again? Do you think he's escaped?"
"No, no, no!" Navi cut her off before she could work herself up. "No, I'm pretty sure it wasn't Ganondorf. While Barinade was in there, it was not nearly as strong as it was last time. It was too weak to be of Ganondorf's creation." They all let out a sigh of relief. "However... since Jabun is a deity, it would still take a lot of magic to put a curse on him. Ganondorf is one thing, but if this person or persons was able to even successfully curse Lord Jabun, let alone make him swallow Komali..." Everyone stood in silent thought.
"I don't think we need to worry about the Triforce right now," Navi said finally. "But it can't be coincidence that they made Jabun swallow Komali. They are definitely trying to hinder us, which means we can't waste any time in finding the last five that we need, and-," she looked over at Tetra and Komali. "Whoever it is will probably try to come after you two... watch your steps."
"Who are you, anyway?" Medli asked Navi. "I'm just your ordinary, run-of-the-mill partner fairy who's been around for nearly as long as Hyrule," Navi said. Medli nodded her head slowly.
"Okay, then..."
Suddenly, Niko appeared at the door and knocked on the frame. "What's up?" Tetra asked.
"Soup's up. Dinner's ready," he replied.
"Excellent. I'm starved!" Link exclaimed dashing out the door past Niko.
"Oy! Wait up!" Tetra exclaimed, darting after him, Medli and Komali close in tow.
"Urk!" Niko exclaimed as he was pushed aside. He sighed and peeked in the door at Selphie. "Hope you're okay..." he whispered, turning around and proceeding to the other area.
"Should I save some for Niko?" Medli asked, looking into the pot on the table.
"If you do, I won't," Nudge said. Medli shrugged and took the last of the stew.
"Don't worry. You're the sage of earth. I think you're a little more important than Niko," Tetra said. Niko had walked over to the cabinet and grabbed a plate, but put it back half a minute later when he realized the stew was all gone.
"Great. Bread and leftovers again it is," he muttered, taking out a small loaf of bread. "I wish I could show them what I'm really worth..." he muttered, taking a bite out of it.
Sakon opened his eyes and smirked. "Don't worry, kid. They'll know what you're worth soon enough," he said. He'd just been watching the pirate ship, viewing the aftermath of the curse they'd put on Jabun. That, of course, had come right after he'd used Selphie's sash to make him swallow Komali. Jabun had let his guard down since Ganondorf was sealed away, making him an easy target for the telekinesis. After he'd swallowed Komali, however, he was much easier prey for their magic to bring back Barinade and prevent Link from getting the prince back.
"Well, if nothing else, zis 'as taught us not to leave any margin of error, oui?" Dimitra said behind him.
"Eh, just a minor setback," Mace said. "We'll ultimately win the race."
"We'll get them later. For now, let's focus on the other four," Sakon said. He looked back at Selphie, who was sitting against the wall farthest from them.
"Oh... you're bored, aren't you, darling?" Sakon said, kneeling down when he'd reached her.
She glared at him. "I'm stuck in a dungeon with four insane convicts who want to escape and continue their evil deeds on the present world... absolutely tedious," she spat.
"Aw, don't worry, darling," Sakon said, lifting his hand to stroke her cheek, but she jerked away and scooted away from him. "You'll have your part soon. You've a very important role." He moved right over with her and took a ponytail in his hand, smelling it. "A very important role..." Selphie scowled darkly and lifted her arm, bringing it back in his stomach. She felt herself thrown against the adjacent wall and fall to the floor.
"Can't pull stunts like that without my sash..." she thought painfully, bringing her hand up to rub the back of her head. Sakon walked over and pulled her roughly to her feet.
"You're lucky I like you, darling," he whispered in her ear.
"Aw. Such a cute couple they make," Curt chuckled.
"They should get married and have children," Mace added.
Dimitra, however, narrowed her eyes. "Do not kid about zose kinds of sings, cochons," she said tersely.
"Heh. Who's joking?"
'
Me: You don't know the half of it, Bvv. I will say no more than that. I forgot to thank SuperSmashGal, Kearra, and Bvv for the reviews. You guys rock.
Anyways, I know the part inside Lord Jabun was really kinda sucky, but I didn't want to make it a full on dungeon. There will be plenty more of those later. I did, however, like my conversation between Komali and his dad. I thought it was kind of funny in an, "Ooooh! Busted!" kind of way. But in every review, I want there to be at least one "Aw!" for Komali and Medli. They were two of my fav charas in the game and I couldn't wait to hook them up in a fic.
Finally, I have one question for you, the readers in regard to the Ballad of Gales: Do you guys think I should allow it to now warp them anywhere they want to go, or should I make them do all-mostly sailing once they leave the Great Sea again? Answer please or it'll be left up to my sis. Thanks, guys! R&R!
Din: In case you're wondering what she's sorry for, it's for being so infrequent with the last couple chapters.
Me: Sorry, sorry, sorry!
Nayru: They'll live!
Farore: Goodness, you act like you've got nothing better to do.
Darunia: But she doesn't. It's summer vacation.
Tingle: What about the birthday party? And the movie? And the cleaning her room thing? And the-?
Me: Just do the disclaimer so they can get on with the story.
Darunia: She doesn't own anything Zelda-fied.
Tingle: The only characters she does own are Selphie, Dimitra, Mace, Curt, and Sakon. Not to mention Astus and Wicca who are unlikely to be making any more appearances.
Me: Read on!
'
Chapter 5:
The cyclone dropped the pirate ship some hundred yards off from Greatfish Isle. As they sailed in toward the island, they became gradually aware of a sound beneath the water. "What's that?" Medli asked.
"I don't know..." Link answered. "It's coming from underwater..." He had a thought and went inside below decks. Tetra and Medli looked confused and followed. They found Link with the side of his face pressed against the floor.
"Link... what are you doing?" Tetra asked suspiciously.
"Listening... come down here," he said. The two girls looked skeptical, but obeyed. Below decks, because this part of the ship was underwater, they could hear the noise a bit clearer, though they could not tell what it was until they listened through the floor like Link.
"...Someone's crying," Medli stated the thought that was in all their minds.
"Yes they are," Link said.
"But there're words in there too," Tetra said, listening hard. "It sounds like a different language though."
"It sounds like the same language Lord Valoo speaks," Medli said. She concentrated hard. "It sounds like he's saying, 'I didn't... mean to?'"
"He didn't mean to?" Tetra repeated. "Well, what's that supposed to mean?!"
"I don't know," Link said, standing once more, the girls copying the action. "But whatever it is, it must be bad if he's this upset over it." He looked around, suddenly realizing something. "Has anyone seen Navi?" They looked around for a moment. "Navi?!" Link called. They were answered by the sound of a page turning in Tetra's room. Each gave the others a look of confusion as they headed toward the captain's quarters.
Navi was over at Tetra's desk, turning pages in the Tome of Lineage- with a bit of difficulty, one might add. They approached her. "Navi? What are you doing?" Link asked.
"Well..." she said, grunting as she turned the page. "As soon as I reach... page six twenty-eight... I hope to con... confirm my suspicions... about Prince Komali..."
Link stared at her a bit incredulously, pushing her away from the book. "Well, it'll take you a couple days to confirm that suspicion that way," he said, taking a few pages in his hand and turning them. "Now, which page?"
"Six hundred and twenty-eight," she answered. Link nodded and kept turning pages until he got to six twenty-eight. He looked down at the page and then turned his gaze to Navi.
"Navi... this is the page with the Zora descendants for the fast few generations," he said flatly.
"I know," Navi said, flying down to the page to scan over it.
"Komali is a Rito. How is the page about Zoras going to confirm a suspicion about him?" Tetra asked, stepping closer.
"Aha!" Navi cried out, body slamming the book at the end of the list. "That is how," she told them. Link and Tetra looked at her curiously and then looked at the spot in the book that she'd indicated. Their eyes widened in astonishment for a moment.
"Komali's name is on the Zora list?!" Link exclaimed.
"What the heck-? How can a Rito be the Zora heir?" Tetra asked.
"Well, because the Rito evolved from the Zoras," they heard Medli behind them.
"Huh?"
"Well, think about it," she said, shrugging. "How else can I be the one to carry on the bloodline of Laruto?" Link and Tetra still looked utterly confused.
"You see, guys," Navi explained. "The Zoras were very sensitive to changes in the climate. If anything changed about their habitat, it would completely throw them off until it returned to normal- which it usually did. However, when the Great Rain came, clearly the climate wasn't going to return to normal. With that being the case, if something was not done, the Zoras would soon die out."
"Wait a second," Tetra interrupted. "How can the world being covered in an ocean be a disadvantage to a fish person?" she asked.
"Even if the Zoras lived in the water, the water needed to be in an optimal condition," Navi clarified. "The salinity of the water in the Great Sea was far too high. And the waves are choppy and too rough." Tetra nodded her head in understanding.
"The point is, they couldn't survive in the Great Sea. They tried for a while, but they realized it wouldn't last. That's when Lord Valoo came in and gave them his scales, allowing them to grow wings. After that, they gradually evolved the other features of a Rito without getting the scales first," Navi finished.
"'Hoy! We've found the place, cap'n!" they heard Gonzo call from above.
Link and Tetra finally seemed to understand and accept the fact that Komali was the heir to the Zora throne. This fact seemed to hit extremely hard when Link's eyes widened.
"That means Lord Jabun swallowed the Zora leader we need to play the Bond of Brotherhood!" he exclaimed. Tetra's eyes widened as well, though Medli just seemed confused.
"The Bond of Brotherhood?" she repeated. "What's-?" She was cut off by Link and Tetra dashing from the room, Navi following close behind. "Wait for me!"
They returned to the deck and quickly made their way to the bow. Ahead of them was an overhang in the rocks, presumably the remnants of the cave Lord Jabun used to stay in.
"Lord Jabu-Jabu!" Navi called in the Hylian tongue. He didn't appear. "Lord Jabu-Jabu! We know what happened and we're not upset!" Still nothing. "Lord Jabu-Jabu, he's going to stay in there and die if you don't let us help!" A few seconds later, the water ahead of them began to rise, rocking the boat, and the giant fish, Jabun, rose out of the waves.
"Good day, Lord Jabun," Navi greeted.
"Is it a good day, Navi?" he replied. "Is it a good day? You are aware that I have just swallowed the Rito prince- the heir to the throne of my people!"
"We're aware of this, Jabun," Navi said. "That's why we're here."
"What exactly do you suggest?" Jabun asked, calming down.
"Lord Jabun... this isn't the first time you've swallowed the prince... or princess as the case may have been," Navi hinted.
Jabun remained silent for a moment. "Are you suggesting that the Hero go inside me again?" he asked.
Navi bobbed, "Yes."
"Are you kidding me?" Medli blurted, and they all turned to look at her.
"What are they saying?" Link asked nervously.
"They want you to go inside Jabun too," Medli said. Link jumped in surprise.
"Are you kidding me?!" he exclaimed.
"No, no we're not," Navi said, breaking in. "It's the only way to save Komali... not to mention Selphie." Link grimaced, remembering their original intent in getting Komali.
"All right... I'll do it..." he conceded.
"Good," Navi said. She turned back to Lord Jabun. "Lord Jabun, you are okay with this?" Jabun simply opened his mouth wide and waited for Link to enter. "I'll take that as a yes," Navi said. "Come on, Link." She started went over the edge and flew over to Lord Jabun's open mouth. Link started to follow when Tetra caught his hand.
"You still have that rock?" she asked, meaning the pirate's charm.
"Yup," Link smiled, waving it off and jumping over the edge of the ship.
"Good..." Tetra said quietly. She slowly turned around and saw the pirates with smug looks on their faces. "What, is that yer favorite expression now? Get back to work!" she ordered, crossing her arms over her chest.
"But, cap'n," Mako spoke up, wiping the smirk off his face. "We're not going anywhere."
"Do you always question your captain's orders?" Tetra retorted, placing her hands on her hips.
"Er... no-."
"Then get to work! Make this ship sparkle! When's the last time it was cleaned?" she ordered.
"Aye-aye, cap'n!" they all shouted, and immediately scrambled below decks to get the buckets and brushes. Tetra massaged her temple exasperatedly.
"So this is what the inside of a fish is like..." Link commented. He and Navi were making their way through knee-deep mucus lining a long tunnel that one could assume was the esophagus. He pulled his foot out of the slime with a sickening squelch. "Pleasant..."
"At least there aren't any electrified jelly-fish this time," Navi replied. "Back during the Hero of Time's time, Jabu-Jabu swallowed the Zora princess, and we had to come in here to save her." She paused slightly, grimacing at the memory of the bratty princess.
"So... Lord Jabun has a habit of swallowing his people's leader?" Link asked.
"Last time he was cursed by the Evil King," Navi corrected. "He couldn't help himself. And I don't doubt that there is some outside force that caused him to do it this time too... but we'll wait until after we've rescued Komali to worry about that." Link nodded and reached a door of some kind. He looked to Navi questioningly. "Push," she instructed. Though skeptical, he did so, and it opened up.
"Not a heck of a lot has changed since you were last here, I guess," Link observed, noting all of the electrified jellyfish floating around. He ducked as one passed overhead.
"If that's the case, I don't suggest you touch them," Navi said, stopping him as he made to draw his sword. "Try the boomerang instead." Link shrugged, and pulled out his boomerang, targeting a jellyfish. It took it out, and so Link set about killing all of the jellyfish in the "room." Link looked around the room.
"I still don't see Komali," he said, but he realized there was a large hole in the middle of the chamber. "That's a bit odd for the innards of anyone. Fish, deity, or otherwise."
Navi rolled her eyes. "Let's move on. We have to find Komali," she said starting toward a sphincter on the other side of the room. Link ignored her for the moment and looked over the edge.
"Is that a free-floating platform? How'd that happen in here?" he asked.
"Come on, Hero," Navi said, grabbing him by the ear and pulling him toward the door.
"Please would have sufficed," Link said, rubbing his ear, before he opened the door. He pushed on the sphincter and walked through. "More jellyfish," he said, walking into the room.
"Oh, no..." Navi said.
"What-? Whoa! What is that thing?" Link asked, pointing to the very large anemone in the center of the room. It had appendages reaching from its top, connecting to the roof of the chamber, and all of the large jellyfish seemed to be connected to it by streams of electricity. "Navi?"
"Bioelectric Anemone..." Navi said. "Barinade."
"I take it he was here back then too?" Link inquired.
"...We'll talk about that later," Navi said. "For now, you just need to kill that thing off- aah!" she cried out as Barinade shot a bolt of electricity at them. Link managed to avoid major damage from the electricity, but he was unsure of how to go about defeating the creature. Meanwhile, the jellyfish that had been floating around the room had attached themselves to Barinade, creating a sort of jelly-fied armor.
"Okay, Navi, what first?" Link asked.
"First you need to sever it from the ceiling," Navi instructed. Link nodded, pulling out the boomerang. He managed to target each of the three appendages and sever the entire thing at once. It reminded him a bit of his battle with Kalle Demos, but he could not reminisce at the moment because the electrified jellyfish that were protecting Barinade had detached themselves and were now flying around the room.
"Kill every one of those," Navi told him once they'd stopped moving. There were about ten jellyfish in all, and, with Link hitting around five each time he threw the boomerang, they didn't take long to get rid of. "Now all that's left is to finish it off with your sword. It might take a little while, and be ready to dodge it after the first few times you cut it," Navi informed him.
With this advice in mind, Link hurried forward, drawing his sword. When he reached Barinade, he began cutting. It shrieked in pain a few times and shot a bit of electricity at him. "Get ready to run," Navi said when it started wiggling a bit, and Link obeyed, quickly backing away from the anemone.
Imagine both their surprise when Barinade did not, in fact, start moving about the room as Navi predicted. That wiggling motion had actually signaled its end, and Barinade was now sprouting large, fuzzy red cysts all over its body. "Navi, I thought you said it would take more time?" Link said bemusedly, as he stared at Barinade.
"I thought it would," Navi replied. When Barinade was completely invisible behind the mass of red lumps, it exploded into a shower of water, leaving no trace of the anemone. Navi stared in confusion at a puddle left by the explosion. "That was too easy... why was that so easy?"
"Who cares? The point is it's gone," Link said. Then he remembered. "Wait, where's Komali then?" In the chaos of the battle with Barinade, he'd forgotten the whole reason he was even in Lord Jabu-Jabu's stomach to begin with.
"I'm not sure," Navi answered truthfully. They looked about hoping that Komali would appear and their time inside Jabun was over.
Wish granted. "Ack!" they heard above them. There was a kind of wormhole in the middle of the ceiling, where Barinade had been attached.
Link and Navi looked at each other and then back at the ceiling. "Komali?" Link called.
"Waah!" Komali cried as he fell through the hole and hit the floor of the chamber. "Ow..." he groaned, as he lie on the floor, face up.
"Komali!" Link exclaimed, walking over. "What's up? Did you break something?"
"No... but I think I sprained something when I hit the floor," Komali answered, sitting up.
"Uh-oh. What is it? Leg? Wing?" Link asked.
"Ugh... my pride," Komali answered, grinning. "Haven't fallen like that since I mastered flying."
"Ha-ha," Link said sarcastically. "You're a real comedian, are you happy?" he asked, reaching down his hand.
"As much as I can be after being swallowed by a whale in the middle of a da- a-a," Komali caught himself and slapped his hand over his mouth. "Shoot..." Link raised his eyebrow slyly.
"Da-a-a-what?" he asked. Komali flinched and Link laughed. "So that's why you guys ditched Quill, huh?"
Komali rolled his eyes. "Yeah, well... how would you like to have someone tailing you while you're out on a date?" he asked.
"Why? Are you two doing anything that you shouldn't be doing?" Link asked.
"What?!" Komali exclaimed his eyes widening. "No! Heck no! Nothing like that!" he raised his wings defensively. Link started laughing at him, and Komali shook his head smiling. "You're something else, you know? I'll bet you're just jealous that I got my girl and you haven't gotten yours."
That wiped the smile off Link's face. "What are you talking about?" he asked, genuinely confused. It was Komali's turn to laugh, and as soon as Link realized what he was talking about, his face turned beet red. "No! That's not true at all! I don't like anyone in that way!"
Navi now reestablished her presence. "Ahem! May I remind you that you're still in the belly of a whale?" she said.
This was the first that Komali noticed her. "Huh? Who are you?" he asked.
"I'll explain later," Link said. "For now, she's right. Let's get out of here."
Twenty minutes later, Jabun opened his mouth and allowed Komali to fly Link back to the deck of the ship. "Komali!" Medli exclaimed when she saw him. As soon as Link was out of the way, she dashed over and threw her arms around his neck. "You're okay! I was so scared that you wouldn't make it!"
"That was pretty fast," Tetra remarked, moving over next to Link.
"Wasn't a heck of a lot in there," he admitted. "Thanks, Lord Jabun!" he called over the railing. Jabun replied, but they could not understand what he'd said. "Navi?"
"'No, Link. Thank you,'" Navi translated. Jabun continued speaking though. "You don't say? ...I see... Yes, Lord Jabun. We'll keep you posted." The water deity nodded his head and dove beneath the waves again.
"What was that about?" Link asked.
"It was about what made him swallow Komali," she answered. "He said he was just swimming along and out of nowhere felt himself leap out of the ocean and open his mouth. The next thing he knew he felt something covered in feathers in his throat and a girl shouting Komali's name."
"What does this mean?" Link asked.
"I'm not sure yet... but there's something else about this that bothers me..." she said pensively, getting lost in thought.
Komali put his arms around Medli as well, returning the embrace. "Nah, I wouldn't leave you hanging like that-," he answered, but was cut off by Medli's beak against his. His eyes widened and a few seconds later, Medli backed away, blushing madly. Komali was also rather red, especially as he realized all of the pirates were watching.
Tetra looked around and decided to come to the two's rescue. "And what are you all looking at? Why aren't you cleaning?!" she shouted. The pirates jumped and returned to scrubbing the ship. She turned back to Komali and Medli. "You'd think they had nothing better to do that make situations awkward." The two nodded their heads uneasily.
Komali looked up and his eyes widened. "Oh, no..."
"What?" Medli asked, looking up as well. "Uh-oh..."
"Hoy there!" came Quill's voice, as he started his descent. When he finally landed on the pirate ship, he walked right over to Komali and Medli, and glowered over them. Medli looked away, wringing her hands anxiously, and Komali just looked up at Quill, giving him a small smile. "Wipe that grin off your face," Quill said scathingly, and Komali's smile disappeared instantly. "I've been looking all over for you guys!"
"Sorry, Quill..." they mumbled.
"That won't cut it once your father gets here, Komali," Quill said, turning around and pointing to the sky.
Komali's eyes widened. "You didn't!"
"I did," Quill replied as the Rito chieftain landed behind him.
"Thank you for coming to get me, Quill," he said, stepping up and glowering over his son.
"Aheh..." Komali laughed nervously, giving his father a small smile and wave. "Uh... hi, Dad."
"Don't you 'hi, Dad' me, young man," said the chieftain. Komali looked away guiltily. "You know why Quill retrieved me?"
"Yes, sir..."
"Why would you do this, Komali?" his father asked. "You are the prince of the Rito. You shouldn't be going off on your own. Something could have happened, and then who would have been there to lead your people in my stead?"
"I know..." Komali said softly.
"And you, Medli," the chieftain turned to Medli now, who cringed slightly. "I thought you were more responsible than this."
"I'm sorry..." Medli murmured.
"I'm sorry too, but after this, you're probably going to be grounded, though that is between you and your parents. Komali, however, will not be allowed to leave Dragon Roost for quite a while," he said.
"What?!" the two teenagers exclaimed.
"But Dad!" Komali exclaimed.
"Don't blame me," Dad said. "It's your own fault. If you hadn't flown off on your own you wouldn't be in trouble."
"Dad! We're not little kids! We don't need someone tailing us!" Komali said angrily.
"Please, sir, my mother and father will be so angry," Medli pleaded, tears starting to well in her eyes.
"I have to tell them, Medli," the chieftain said.
"Why would you guys even want to be off on your own anyway? You aren't doing anything you shouldn't be, are you?" Quill asked.
"No!" they both exclaimed, waving their wings defensively.
The chieftain shook his head exasperatedly. "It doesn't matter. You're going to have to face up to your error no matter what." He turned around, preparing to take off. "Come on. It's time to go."
Komali, Medli, and Quill were about to take off with him when Tetra spoke up again, "Actually!" They turned to look at her. "We actually have a situation..." she said. Quill raised his eyebrow, prompting her to continue. "We need Medli and Komali to come with us for a while."
"What?" came the reply from Quill, Komali, Medli, and Link.
"We need Medli?" he whispered, but Tetra elbowed him in the stomach.
"What do you mean you need them to go with you?" the chieftain asked.
"Well, it's a long story, especially if you tell it the way Navi does," Tetra said, not allowing them to ask who Navi even was before continuing. "But our friend Selphie lost her soul, and the only way to get it back is by gathering the last in the royal lines of the tribes of Hyrule." Quill looked down at her suspiciously. "Do you need to see the body?" she retorted.
"No, that won't be necessary..." the chieftain said.
"What about Medli? Why does she need to go with you?" Quill asked.
"After we've gathered the seven descendants of those royal lines, we need Medli...s- Medli's powers... as the Earth Sage to... actually put the soul back in the body," Tetra lied quite well. Quill gave her another suspicious look.
"Look, this is really important," Link tried to reason. "We need their help. And if they don't come, Selphie's soul will be trapped forever." The chieftain still looked reluctant. "You guys still owe me for saving Lord Valoo," he pointed out.
"Blackmail... Link, I like..." Tetra whispered.
"Shh!" he hushed her while the chieftain considered it. He looked down across his beak at them.
"Komali and Medli may go with you. But only because they are needed for something greater, and also perhaps to satisfy their need to escape Dragon Roost so often," the chieftain conceded. Medli and Komali's eyes lit up. The chieftain looked down at them. "You will do what is needed and return to Dragon Roost as soon as possible. I expect you to not goof around. You are lucky to not be punished first. Is this understood?"
"Yes, father!" Komali said.
"Very well. Come, Quill. We must inform Medli's parents of her whereabouts," his father said, turning around and actually taking off this time.
Quill looked back at Komali and Medli for a moment. "You're very lucky to have such friends as these," he said sternly. Komali and Medli looked at him nervously for a moment. But then Quill's features softened and he winked at them. They smiled and waved as he took off after the chieftain.
When they were safely out of sight, Komali and Medli turned back to Link and Tetra, huge grins on their faces. "You guys are great! Thanks for saving our butts back there!" Komali said.
"Oh, you're welcome," Tetra said.
"Where'd you come up with that story anyways?" Medli asked.
Link and Tetra looked at one another, realizing that they hadn't explained everything to the other two yet. "Actually... we were only lying about you, Medli. We don't technically need you to save Selphie," Link said.
"What?" Komali asked. "Do you mean to tell me that the thing about your friend was true?"
Link nodded his head. "Yes. We found Selphie on an island in the middle of the ocean. She time-traveled from ancient Ikana, a kingdom neighboring Hyrule. A song she learned there caused her soul to be taken away when she played it."
"Oh, my gosh!" Medli gasped. "That's horrible."
"And you need me to help get it back?" Komali asked.
"Yes," Tetra said. "You, me, and five others will have to perform a song called the Bond of Brotherhood to open the way to Ikana." Komali nodded his head slowly, taking this in.
"Any friend of yours is a friend of mine. I'll do what I can," he said.
"Thanks, Komali," Link said, clapping a hand on his shoulder.
"Wait, but why did you bring me along if you don't need me?" Medli asked.
"Just lookin' out for our friend, and saving her from certain punishment," Tetra said, winking.
"Not to mention we wouldn't want you two to miss each other too much," Link teased.
Komali scowled at him. "Envy..." he whispered for only Link to hear. Link turned red and frowned. Komali smirked at him. "We're gonna work on that while I'm here."
"All right, men!" Tetra shouted to the pirates. "You can stop cleaning now. Time for some grub!"
"Aye-aye, cap'n!" the pirates all shouted, dropping their buckets and brushes all over and running for the cabin.
"Ugh... did I mention it has yet to be cooked?" she asked them exasperatedly. That certainly slowed their pace. "Let's head on inside. It's getting dark anyway," Tetra said, starting toward the door.
"While they're making dinner, could I discuss something with you guys?" Navi asked, following them inside to Tetra's quarters.
"Is this her?" Medli asked, pointing to Selphie's body, lying on her bed in Tetra's room.
"Ay," Tetra answered.
"What's up, Navi?" Link asked.
"Barinade," Navi answered.
"Is that what the thing that got me back in Jabun's stomach?" Komali asked.
"Mm-hmm," Navi bobbed in reply.
"Well, what's the problem? I killed him didn't I?" Link said.
"Yes, you did," Navi said. "But so did the Hero of Time."
They stared at her for a moment. "What does that mean?" Tetra asked.
"Back then, Barinade and the other creatures inside Lord Jabu-Jabu were the result of a curse placed on him by the Evil King," Navi answered. "When the old Link killed it, the curse was removed and Barinade should never have posed a problem again."
"But then how can Barinade have been inside him just now when I got swallowed?" Komali asked.
"That's what's troubling me..." Navi answered. "The only way Barinade could have been in there again would be if someone put another curse on Lord Jabu- Jabu."
"What?" Tetra gasped. "Could it have been Ganondorf again? Do you think he's escaped?"
"No, no, no!" Navi cut her off before she could work herself up. "No, I'm pretty sure it wasn't Ganondorf. While Barinade was in there, it was not nearly as strong as it was last time. It was too weak to be of Ganondorf's creation." They all let out a sigh of relief. "However... since Jabun is a deity, it would still take a lot of magic to put a curse on him. Ganondorf is one thing, but if this person or persons was able to even successfully curse Lord Jabun, let alone make him swallow Komali..." Everyone stood in silent thought.
"I don't think we need to worry about the Triforce right now," Navi said finally. "But it can't be coincidence that they made Jabun swallow Komali. They are definitely trying to hinder us, which means we can't waste any time in finding the last five that we need, and-," she looked over at Tetra and Komali. "Whoever it is will probably try to come after you two... watch your steps."
"Who are you, anyway?" Medli asked Navi. "I'm just your ordinary, run-of-the-mill partner fairy who's been around for nearly as long as Hyrule," Navi said. Medli nodded her head slowly.
"Okay, then..."
Suddenly, Niko appeared at the door and knocked on the frame. "What's up?" Tetra asked.
"Soup's up. Dinner's ready," he replied.
"Excellent. I'm starved!" Link exclaimed dashing out the door past Niko.
"Oy! Wait up!" Tetra exclaimed, darting after him, Medli and Komali close in tow.
"Urk!" Niko exclaimed as he was pushed aside. He sighed and peeked in the door at Selphie. "Hope you're okay..." he whispered, turning around and proceeding to the other area.
"Should I save some for Niko?" Medli asked, looking into the pot on the table.
"If you do, I won't," Nudge said. Medli shrugged and took the last of the stew.
"Don't worry. You're the sage of earth. I think you're a little more important than Niko," Tetra said. Niko had walked over to the cabinet and grabbed a plate, but put it back half a minute later when he realized the stew was all gone.
"Great. Bread and leftovers again it is," he muttered, taking out a small loaf of bread. "I wish I could show them what I'm really worth..." he muttered, taking a bite out of it.
Sakon opened his eyes and smirked. "Don't worry, kid. They'll know what you're worth soon enough," he said. He'd just been watching the pirate ship, viewing the aftermath of the curse they'd put on Jabun. That, of course, had come right after he'd used Selphie's sash to make him swallow Komali. Jabun had let his guard down since Ganondorf was sealed away, making him an easy target for the telekinesis. After he'd swallowed Komali, however, he was much easier prey for their magic to bring back Barinade and prevent Link from getting the prince back.
"Well, if nothing else, zis 'as taught us not to leave any margin of error, oui?" Dimitra said behind him.
"Eh, just a minor setback," Mace said. "We'll ultimately win the race."
"We'll get them later. For now, let's focus on the other four," Sakon said. He looked back at Selphie, who was sitting against the wall farthest from them.
"Oh... you're bored, aren't you, darling?" Sakon said, kneeling down when he'd reached her.
She glared at him. "I'm stuck in a dungeon with four insane convicts who want to escape and continue their evil deeds on the present world... absolutely tedious," she spat.
"Aw, don't worry, darling," Sakon said, lifting his hand to stroke her cheek, but she jerked away and scooted away from him. "You'll have your part soon. You've a very important role." He moved right over with her and took a ponytail in his hand, smelling it. "A very important role..." Selphie scowled darkly and lifted her arm, bringing it back in his stomach. She felt herself thrown against the adjacent wall and fall to the floor.
"Can't pull stunts like that without my sash..." she thought painfully, bringing her hand up to rub the back of her head. Sakon walked over and pulled her roughly to her feet.
"You're lucky I like you, darling," he whispered in her ear.
"Aw. Such a cute couple they make," Curt chuckled.
"They should get married and have children," Mace added.
Dimitra, however, narrowed her eyes. "Do not kid about zose kinds of sings, cochons," she said tersely.
"Heh. Who's joking?"
'
Me: You don't know the half of it, Bvv. I will say no more than that. I forgot to thank SuperSmashGal, Kearra, and Bvv for the reviews. You guys rock.
Anyways, I know the part inside Lord Jabun was really kinda sucky, but I didn't want to make it a full on dungeon. There will be plenty more of those later. I did, however, like my conversation between Komali and his dad. I thought it was kind of funny in an, "Ooooh! Busted!" kind of way. But in every review, I want there to be at least one "Aw!" for Komali and Medli. They were two of my fav charas in the game and I couldn't wait to hook them up in a fic.
Finally, I have one question for you, the readers in regard to the Ballad of Gales: Do you guys think I should allow it to now warp them anywhere they want to go, or should I make them do all-mostly sailing once they leave the Great Sea again? Answer please or it'll be left up to my sis. Thanks, guys! R&R!