A/n: Hey Look! It's Extra Long! 10 whole pages with a sweet surprise at the end! Thank you all for reading it this far, We really hope you like this chapter. It's spring break! So we had plenty of time to write (except for this stupid driving course) but now we both have our licenses! Heh!

This is long, but action filled… lol! Have fun reading it!

Chapter 21: The Pirate Fortress

Though Damien's intentions were to save Naomi, he found that swimming out to sea would not be very wise and returned inside, feeling rather sheepish. He found Arian pacing the floors, which was making Aura quite nervous, and she worriedly glanced at him as she helped the Zoras clean up the pirates' mess. Damien bent down to help her pick up a displaced board.

"Why would they just take her like that?" Arian sighed as he grabbed his head. Lulu, having adorned a sorrowful expression, seemed the only one willing to answer as she wistfully gazed about the room.

"I suppose they were angry that she had been gone for so long… Not many pirates travel away from home…"

"They were the pirates?!" Aura exclaimed just before she dropped her end of the heavy board onto her foot. Damien released a sharp laugh at her foolishness before continuing his thought.

"What in Hyrule would the pirates want with her?" He mused, still smiling at Aura as she rubbed her aching toes.

"She is a pirate." Lulu replied, a stunned look replaced her sorrowful expression. She was unaware that Naomi had not informed them of her origin, and confused as to why Damien laughed at her reply.

"A pirate? She bears the mark of a Nynian, and that peace-loving race could never become pirates."

"A Nynian? Isn't that one of the races the weird old man told us about?" Aura turned to Arian. He shrugged in a flustered manner.

"I suppose so… but how would you know she was a Nynian? What mark does she bear and why don't we know about it?"

"Relax 'fang'." Damien responded mockingly. "She has a blue birthmark on her back, I saw it when her clothes were torn."

"You were watching as her clothes were torn?" Aura asked in a scolding tone. Arian was also rather disturbed by the thought, and crossed his arms as he stared at Damien. The guard slyly looked from one to the other and shrugged.

"Okay, I was looking, but that's not what's important here." He barked; lucky for him, Lulu had already moved on and was mulling over the news Damien had brought. She shook her head as one crucial point stood out in her mind.

"But the pirates only accept people of their kind. Naomi would not have been welcome in the pirate fortress unless she was their kin,.." Lulu laughed as she shrugged her blue shoulders, "or if she were greatly beneficial to them." Damien nodded at the thought.

"She could easily be beneficial to them, if they ever needed to enter the water temple, or reach the depths of the ocean." Arian uncrossed his arms as his stern expression fell into confusion. Lulu, also ignorant of the Nynian race, cocked her head to the side.

"What do you mean?" Aura asked as she relinquished her efforts to move the heavy board. Damien ran his fingers through his long, dark locks.

"A Nynian's song can tame the most ferocious of beasts, they can swim better than Zora's, and are known for their technological abilities. They're the one's who built that temple out there." He replied matter-of-factly. Arian nodded his head, impressed.

"Well I suppose that would have certainly come in handy for spying on us." Lulu growled. "How could they use such a sweet girl like that." Her cold expression matched the chilling breeze blowing from the bay, signifying the coming night.

The thoughtful silence that followed her remark enabled Arian to hear a light whimper coming from the Zoran pantry. He cocked his head to the side and quickly followed the sound, and the suddenness of his departure left the rest to exchange awkward glances prior to running after him.

"What is it now Arian? Are the pirates back?" Damien asked in a tone like that of a man calling to his loyal pet. Arian passed him a stern glare as he continued on his way to find the noise.

"It sounds like there's someone in here." Arian replied as he pressed his ear to a door. He jolted back as an angry shout reverberated through the door.

"It's because there is someone in here!" Gangor yelled out, rubbing his head where a large welt was forming.

"Oh, my." Lulu whispered as she quickly came to unlock the door, freeing the poor Zora.

"It's Kristoff, he's calling the pirates!" Gangor grumbled as he fell out of the closet.

"Yeah, we figured that out when they came and took Naomi." Damien muttered, rubbing his temples tiresomely. Gangor's black eyes widened.

"Oh no! My poor Naomi!" He wept.

"She doesn't belong to anyone." Arian growled. An awkward silence followed. Damien let loose a groan.

"Come on. Somebody needs to save her." Damien said, trying to pacify the two men's frustrations. "The longer we argue, the closer Naomi is to danger."

"Why?" Lulu said, eyes round. "The pirates would never harm one of their own, would they?"

"It isn't the Pirates I'm worried about." Damien replied. "If the dark one finds out that Naomi is the only remaining Nynian, then well… Exterminating her would make his mission a lot easier."

"I'll go!!" Both Gangor and Arian yelled. Looking from one to the other, Lulu shook her head.

"Both of you go." Aura mediated. "Me and Damien will remain here to wait for Link and Amy."

"What is taking them so long?" Damien queried. None could have guessed that Amy and Link were now sitting down to dinner at Romani Ranch, with a young red-headed farm girl staring longingly into Link's eyes.

As Link had grown, so had little Romani. She was beautiful, like her older sister Cremia, but her beauty was vivacious while her sister's was more elegant and refined. The wild and rugged Amy stared down at her tattered clothes, suddenly wondering what hard day had done to her appearance. She ran her hand through her ponytail to pull out a clod of dirt, and shuddered.

"Um, Romani?" She asked meekly.

"Mmhmm?" Came the wistful reply.

"Do you have a bath I could use after dinner?" Link passed her a suspicious glance, as though he had forgotten that Amy was in fact, a girl. Romani nodded, her eyes not leaving Link, who seemed completely oblivious to Romani's gaze.

Cremia, who was currently occupied with making a pie for dessert, smiled lightly at Amy and nodded.

"Of course we do, it's upstairs to the left, and you can borrow one of my dresses." She looked Amy over. "Although, it might not fit you… I'm rather short…" she added. Amy shrugged as Navi decided to encroach on their conversation.

"Anything's better than ripped pants!"

"Thanks, Navi." Amy said sarcastically as she glanced at the love struck Romani. Rolling her eyes in hopes that she would never ever fall that low, she departed from the table to clean herself. However, Romani did indeed break her loving stare to watch Amy pull her pants together so she could walk up the stairs with common decency.

"What a strange girl…" Romani said, some envy creeping into her thoughts. "She is a girl, right?" Link, not noticing her scathing tone, swallowed another spoonful of noodles and answered peacefully.

"Sometimes." Cremia chuckled in a friendly manner as Romani turned her full attention back to Link.

"You've grown so much, grasshopper… I mean I hardly recognized you."

"Grasshopper?-- O yeah, I helped you didn't I?" Romani nodded wistfully as Link suddenly became aware of her penetrating gaze. "Um… yeah…." He said awkwardly as he quickly shoved another spoonful of noodles in his mouth.

"And this is the guy that all the girls fall for?" Tatl muttered to Navi.

"Fourth one this week." Navi replied jokingly and the two fairies giggled. Link coughed as he choked on a noodle, but then continued with his business.

"So um… we came here because… we… Um…" Link tried to say, but the directness of her stare was making him nervous. Tatl flew to his large pointed ear.

"Song (cough) song Link (cough)!"

"Song!" He exclaimed, quickly looking away. "We need you to sing that song that calls my horse… My ocarina is… out of order, and we need Epona to get… get…" Link had opened his eyes and found himself trapped in the awkward stare again.

He quickly turned to Cremia. "Hey is that pie done?" He asked desperately.

"No, no," Cremia laughed. "There is to be no dessert until Amy is done with her bath… which reminds me, I should find that dress for her."

"I-I'll do it!" He cried as he leapt from the table, not realizing what Cremia had actually said. He was reaching for any excuse to leave the table. Cremia raised one red eyebrow.

"Um… no… I don't think you know where my dresses are-- but you can chop some firewood if you want…" Link sighed in relief as he opened the door to freedom, only to find Romani holding his axe.

"Here you go." She said in an overly friendly manner. Link sighed as he took the axe and began working.

Meanwhile, Amy finished her bath, and was in a much better mood as she slipped into her borrowed dress. For the first time in a long while, she felt slightly feminine. However, as she glanced in the mirror, she noticed her wide shoulders jutting from the dress' sleeves, and her muscular, long legs revealed by the shortness of the dress. She didn't like how it clung to her figure, which to her seemed more manly than Romani's or Cremia's.

"I shouldn't have looked." Amy muttered in a laughing manner. She was disappointed though, for she no longer felt the grace and elegance of being a woman. "Dang it. Life isn't fair!" She opened the door and walked down the wooden stairs, greeted by Cremia's warm smile.

"That dress worked out on you better than I thought it would." She said, giving Amy a once-over.

"Really?" Amy groaned, pinching some of the fabric away from her side. Cremia nodded enthusiastically.

"Yes. Granted, you are a good four inches taller than me; but the length of the dress still works with your figure." She studied Amy for a second longer. "Oh, what I would do to be that tall…" She said, sighing.

"Trust me, it isn't all what it's cracked up to be." Amy muttered, walking to the door. "Say, where is Mr. Grasshopper?" She mocked the name Romani had been calling Link since they had arrived.

"Oh, he's outside chopping wood for me. I'm pretty sure Romani was driving him crazy." She giggled. "Too bad she followed him out there. By the way, would you tell them that my pie is ready?"

"Yeah sure." Amy said, irritated by the fact that Romani craved so much attention. She opened the door and looked out, snorting at the sight of Link rigorously chopping wood and Romani staring at him. The two fairies were also with them, and their light allowed the two of them to see in the dark.

"Hey Red and Grasshopper! The pie's ready!" She yelled. Link looked up, squinting in the dark. He didn't realize it was Amy, only seeing Cremia's bright dress in the dark.

"Alright Cremia, just give me a second." He replied, wiping the sweat from his brow.

"Huh? Cremia?" Amy muttered, confused. She didn't dwell on it for long, and she closed the door not wanting any more of the cool air to blow into the house.

Link looked up at Romani in extreme discomfort. She smiled flirtatiously and batted her eyelashes, her face illuminated by Navi and Tatl's light.

"I'll call Epona tomorrow. It's too late for you to go galloping off alone."

"Alone?" Tatl questioned. Romani averted her eyes, blushing.

"Silly me! I forgot about your two fairies!" Link narrowed his eyes.

"Uh, and Amy." He said, scratching his head.

"Why is she with you anyways? She seems more than capable of fending for herself." Romani's voice took on an envious tone once more.

"Well, she does need my help. And she's um, helping me." Link felt strange defending her.

"With what?"

"Eh… it's complicated." Link muttered, turning to go back into the house.

As he came in, he found Cremia happily eating a slice of pie.

"Amy ate her pie and went to bed. She seemed pretty tired." Romani rolled her eyes.

"I guess she needed her beauty sleep."

"Yeah…" Tatl concurred, not noticing the insult. Link simply sighed as he realized the long night that lay ahead.

As the moon struck the water's of Great Bay a great howl was unleashed from the deep followed by a Zoran shriek. Arian had lost track of the day. So just underneath the pirate fortress, a drenched wolf pulled himself on a small piece of land that jutted from the great pirate walls. Gangor popped out of the water beside him with a mortified, yet curious gaze.

"Whu-What are you?"

"Sorry…" Arian said as he coughed the remainder of water out of his lungs. "This happens at night…" There was a short silence between the two as Gangor looked him over, and suddenly began laughing.

"And I thought I didn't stand a chance with Naomi!" Arian did not find his comment in the least bit amusing. He slumped over in an irritated manner and bared his teeth, but the Zora continued to laugh.

"Although I guess you have it lucky… At least you're human for the day, I'm blue all the time!"

"Okay, enough of this." Arian growled. "Naomi needs us right now."

"Right." Gangor concurred gaily as he dove into the water, leaving Arian on the little stretch of land.

"Right…" Arian growled. "Where on earth is that stupid Zora going?" He queried as he turned to climb the wall of the fortress, digging his claws into the rock to pull him up. It didn't take him too long to reach the top, but as he straddled the edge a loud boom resounded. Though he was unsure as to what event was actually taking place, when he heard the Zoran shriek and saw the little dot growing bigger as it headed towards him, he soon realized what had happened.

"Um… Ah!" His eyes got big as he was knocked from the top. They both screamed loudly as they fell back to where they had started. "Crap." Arian grumbled as he rubbed his head. "Alright, this time we'll do this together!" Gangor stood, feeling rather sheepish.

"Okay… we'll come my way, it's faster." Arian nodded as he let the Zora pull him into the water and through a little opening at the base of the rock wall guarding the fortress. Upon surfacing, Gangor explained.

"Naomi told me about that secret entrance, she found it long time ago." They swam to the outlet overlooking the large basin within the walls. Only one boat was on watch now, for the Zoran-Pirate war had passed and now it seemed that the Zora's were willing to be more cooperative. Arian glanced at Gangor in disbelief.

"You got caught by one boat?" He laughed. Gangor blushed and tried to defend himself.

"I was under water, and this fish attacked me! I had to surface, and she caught me…"

"Okay…" Arian shook his head, "I hope this works…" As the boat came near to them, he jumped in front of the Pirate guard. He bared his teeth and howled. The guard pointed her bladed staff at him but was frozen in fear and surprise, for such a beastly creature was unknown to her. Gangor, realizing that Arian's plan wasn't working, jumped on the back and shoved the guard off the boat.

"Thanks." Arian crossed his arms, examining their success. "Man this boat is slow…" Gangor nodded as Arian began fidgeting with the motor. The pirate guard was reaching for the boat, but was forced away as the motor roared to life, sending Gangor and Arian flying to the other side.

"I had no idea these things could go so fast!" Gangor laughed as Arian slowed it down to keep from crashing into the platform leading to the inner fortress.

"Yeah," He replied absent-mindedly, his thoughts were on Naomi's safety and nothing else. "Quick! Who knows how long it will take us to find her… and who knows what's happening to her right now."

"Well, if she's anywhere, I'm almost positive it's going to be Aveil's room. That's where they store all of their secret possessions." Arian nodded as they entered the inner fortress and ducked behind two large barrels. Arian peeked over the side to see what they were up against.

"There are guards everywhere." Arian sighed. "You'd think with the pathetic protection at the entrance there'd be less here."

"No, they like to guard these inner chambers." Gangor said as he settled himself. "So what do we do now?"

"First show me where Aveil's door is." Gangor peered over the edge.

"I'm assuming its that door across the bridge at the top of the watch tower." Arian thought for a minute, his cleverness shining for a brief moment.

"I'm going to make a run for the tower and try to get into the door, but there are way too many guards for me to keep from being seen, so if… when they see me I want you to create a distraction so they don't continue chasing after me." Arian said. Gangor wrinkled his nose.

"How?"

"There's a torch over there, set something on fire, that normally works."

"Why can't you be the distraction?"

"You aren't as fast as I am."

"Fine… well, make sure you tell Naomi how I helped." Gangor sighed. "Go on the count of three… one… two…" Arian took off before he finished, running by the first three guards without notice, and making it to the ladder. However, by the time he made it, the attention of nearly all the guards was suddenly drawn to him as a Pirate blew her whistle. While normally one would have stopped, for fear of being savagely beaten by the Pirates, Arian turned on them all. He grabbed their spears and threw them a great distance, beating them away from him.

Gangor watched.

"Maybe he should have been the distraction." He said when he noticed that all of the guards were advancing on him, but Arian was already scaling the ladder. Reaching the top, he turned and threw the ladder down, along with many Pirates who were following after him. Two others clamped onto his arms from behind.

"Now Gangor!" He yelled. Gangor looked from left to right, trying to figure out what he was to do. "Make a distraction!" Arian continued struggling with the two guards on his back when the distraction suddenly came. The two barrels they had been sitting behind were suddenly blazing, and when the alcohol inside met the fire, a loud explosion caused the two guards to loosen their grip on Arian. He quickly knocked them over the edge and continued running to the door.

Gangor, suddenly finding himself outnumbered, turned to run.

"It's the Zoras! They have betrayed us!" Cried one of the Pirates. Their bitter rivalry with the Zoras, and the chaos from the explosion caused them to forget about Arian, possibly mistaking him for Gangor out of hatred of his race.

This gave Arian plenty of time to enter the top door only to find himself in a storage room. He sighed heavily, but then he heard something that gave him some hope, it was Aveil's voice, and he knew that he could smell Naomi's sweet scent. He swiftly ran to a small window with bars across it, finding that it overlooked the Pirate leader's room. Several guards began running inside to inform their leader of the chaos.

"The Zoras are attacking." They gasped. 'Gangor must be doing a very fine job', Arian thought, for apparently he was making the chaos of many Zoras. Aveil grabbed her weapon and ran to the battle front. Arian watched where they left, and after only a moment, he left that room and hopped down to the door that lead into Aveil's chamber. No one had remained inside the room, giving Arian time enough to think.

There was a large aquarium on the side of the room, home to many of the dangerous fish that were apparently in the Pirate waters. Rugs were scattered about the chamber, barely covering the metal grates that seemed to make up the floor. The large throne like couch sat at the top of a two stairs, weapons were displayed on the walls behind it. Arian sniffed the air, he knew that he could smell Naomi, but she was no where in sight.

"Naomi?" He called out hesitantly. A meek voice answered him.

"Arian?" His heart skipped at the sound of her voice.

"Where are you?"

"I'm under you. They're keeping me under the grates." Arian looked down and began pulling on the metal squares. It did easily lift up and he could barely see Naomi in the shadows.

"Throw me down a rope." Naomi ordered with a giddy laugh. Joyous tears filled her eyes. Arian quickly looked around but found that there was no rope in the room, and he could hear the Pirates coming back. Either Gangor had escaped already or they had caught him, and taken care of him.

"Just grab my hand." Arian reached down.

"I'll have to jump." Naomi replied worriedly.

"Go ahead, just hurry." Naomi sighed and shook her head, but she did as she was told. Arian grunted when he caught Naomi's weight from her great leap.

"How deep is that thing?"

"At least seven feet." Naomi sighed as Arian pulled her out. He sat her on the edge of the hole and stared admiringly into her eyes. She laughed.

"So you are the beast." His eyes widened, he had nearly forgotten, being caught up in the moment of trying to save her.

"I um… you aren't?" Naomi shook her head, she knew what he was trying to say. Their moment was interrupted by sounds of many Pirates outside. They were noisily climbing the stairs to Aveil's room.

Naomi quickly stood, realizing that she was still in her half-ripped clothes she grabbed one of Aveil's uniforms.

"Turn around." She ordered. Arian blushed and quickly turned, closing his eyes.

"They're coming right now!" He said nervously, he could hear their footsteps just outside the door.

"I know, I'm already done." Naomi replied sternly, Arian turned back around to find her fully dressed and pilfering the wall of weapons. "Ah, here's my staff…" She grinned as she put it on her belt. "But I think I'd prefer to fight them as a pirate." She continued to grab other small trinkets and hung them around her belt. Arian laughed, remembering what Damien had said about her, but Naomi didn't hear him. She ran to his side, holding two long swords used by the Pirate's special forces.

The entering Pirates were caught completely off guard by Naomi and Arian, standing there fully armed.

"Naomi?" Aveil donned her persuasive tone. "Why would you turn on your own kind?" She shook her head disappointedly. "Why are you so traitorous now? You know we only think of your own good." Naomi's hand began to shake. As much as she hated them for locking her away, this was her family. Lilun had trained her how to use the swords she now held, Allexa had taught her how to drive the boats, and Aveil had tried desperately to teach her how to be a Pirate, but now it all seemed in vain.

Arian saw the strain Aveil was placing on her. He placed a comforting hand on Naomi's shoulder and turned angrily toward Aveil.

"She isn't you're kind and you know it." He growled. Aveil was taken back.

"Who are you… and what are you?" She changed the subject.

"I am a beast named Arian." He replied sharply. "And she is of an underwater race, not a Pirate." Naomi shrank back.

"What? Arian?" She shook her head. "I was raised here."

"I know, but Damien, he saw the markings on your back. He knows them." Arian became gentle as he stroked her face. "You are not a Pirate, you never were."

"And you never could be." Aveil shot back. "True, we did find you, and due to our mercy we took you under our wing, and raised you in hopes you would be a Pirate, but you seem to be nothing but a traitor." Naomi shook her head.

"You're right… I'm not a Pirate and I never was… but I was trained as one and I lived as one. I am not ashamed of it, but I refuse to continue living where I don't belong." Naomi replied calmly. The Pirates were speechless. "So now that we have come to an agreement, you will let us go."

"Once a Pirate, always a Pirate." Aveil said bitterly.

"And now you contradict yourself." Naomi retorted, her confidence was building. Arian smiled as he gazed from her to the frustrated Pirates.

"So after all we have done for you, you're going to just walk away?" Aveil asked bitingly. Naomi shrugged.

"I guess so." Came the sassy reply. Aveil clenched her teeth.

"Such ungrateful disrespect should not go unpunished." She hissed as she drew her double swords. "It's time for you both to be severely punished." She signaled for her fellow Pirates to attack as well. Arian and Naomi braced for the rush of pirate guards. The clanging of swords between Aveil and Naomi sounded as Arian dodged several more spear attacks just before he threw the guards from him.

"You have never done so well in training Naomi." Aveil said mockingly as their swords clashed, causing many blinding flashes of light.

"I've never had to win before." Naomi replied in between the scraping of metal. She continued fighting with Aveil, taking down one of the guards whenever they came too close. Arian, once again without a weapon, had a more difficult task of disarming one before he could take them out.

Nearly all of the guards were lying upon the floor, too wearied to awake and continue the battle. Arian stepped to the side as he watched Naomi maintain her fight with Aveil, the greatest warrior of the Pirate fortress.

"You know you are no match for me, why do you even try?" She asked in an attempt to dishearten Naomi, but there was something that kept her fighting strong.

"I do not have to match you." Naomi answered as she put distance between her and Aveil by flipping over the barrels sitting between the main room and the door. The rolling kegs knocked Aveil to the floor, crushing her legs "Come on Arian." She laughed as she began to leave. Arian quickly ran to her side, his speed surprised Aveil. "I am going to leave now that my punishment is over."

"Who would raise a Pirate to run away?" Aveil screamed as Naomi opened the door to leave. The former pirate turned with a mischievous grin on her face.

"Who would call me a Pirate? Goodbye, Aveil." Arian grinned and mockingly waved a goodbye. Aveil screamed again, throwing her sword as they quickly shut the door, it penetrated the wood but did little other than that. She quickly followed after them after dragging herself out from under the barrels, but by the time she made it out the door, they had disappeared, and all of the other pirates were busy cleaning up after Gangor's little mess.

What Aveil didn't see was that Arian and Naomi were perched above her, watching as she stormed back into her chamber. Naomi giggled as she glanced at Arian.

"Where did you get that thing?" He asked pointing to the golden grappling hook Naomi was pulling from the board above them. After closing the door she had used it to hookshot them to the top of Aveil's building.

"I found it a long time ago and hid it in that dungeon you saved me from… I was in there a lot…" She sighed. "It was a punishment for… not being a 'good' Pirate." she rolled her eyes.

"Well, I'm glad you're not a good pirate… I mean 'good' pirate." Naomi laughed at his awkwardness. Arian looked down with blushed cheeks. "We should be heading out now…" He turned to look back into her eyes to find himself in a passionate kiss.

"Thank you for saving me." Naomi blushed as she pulled away and began heading to the exit. Arian was frozen, but a sensation of euphoria spread throughout him. A goofy grin grew across his face as he turned to follow Naomi.

A/n: Please R&R! I bet you'll never guess what happens next: )