SSBM Master: Ok to confirm. The fourth day has just begun. The sages are vulnerable the second it becomes midnight and the fifth day starts. Before that happens, Link and c.o. must rescue Medli and Makar from the forsaken fortress. Remember if just one sage dies, then Gannondorf will be free to conquer the great sea or whatever the hell he plans to do. I do not own Zelda. By this point you should have worked out that I am not Shigeru Miyamoto. Oh, and one more thing, If your real name is Tom Supick, you are a twat! Enjoy the chapter

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Chapter 13: The final journey

James was meditating. In fact he had been meditating for the last half hour. He was sat cross-legged on top of the crows' nest in full battle uniform, even the mask. Normally he would do this every morning when the sun was about to rise but he had been having trouble finding time lately. This morning however he had managed to climb up to, possibly the only secluded place on the entire ship, whilst the lookout was sleeping and meditate, his back to the rising sun. His father had always tried to teach him to be patient enough to truly appreciate to peaceful calm of it, but it wasn't until after he'd died that James gave it a proper go.

A soft noise brought its attention to him. Someone was climbing the ladder to the crows' nest and whoever it was, was taking great care not to draw his attention to them. James smiled. Back on Hamlet Island, people had told him that trying to sneak up on him whilst he was meditating was about as easy as controlling an enraged piglet with a toothache!

"BOO!!" came the predictable noise. James did not jump or even turn round. He merely opened his eyes and said:

"Hello Aryll." He turned and saw exactly the person he had guessed would be there, standing there with a look of stunned frustration on her face.

"How did you know it was me?" she asked with the tiniest hint of sulkiness in her voice.

"Puh-lease." James said with a laugh. He turned back to his original position "No one on the ship breathes as loudly as you do!" He felt Aryll thump him on the back of the head and sit down next to him.

"So whatcha doing up hear anyway?" she asked.

"Meditating," replied James automatically.

"I didn't know you meditated."

"I haven't had much chance to, what with the whole saving the world thing! Normally I'd do this every morning. It's standard for Tai chi." He waited for a moment.

"Hang on," said Aryll sounding confused. "I thought you did Jujitsu."

"I do, it doesn't mean I can't meditate though does it?" Aryll laughed but James didn't voice the surprise that he felt about Aryll remembering his fighting style. Most people on Hamlet Island had thought he did Kung fu! "I suppose I've been here long enough." He said and uncrossed his legs.

"I didn't disturb you did I?" asked Aryll.

"No, of course not." James said sarcastically. "Its very relaxing when people yell BOO in my ear!" Aryll laughed again but then frowned slightly.

"James, do you mind if I ask you something?"

"Sure."

"Why do you wear that?" she asked pointing at James's face.

"What?" She reached up and pulled off the balaclava.

"This." She said thrusting it back to him. "I mean, you looked really scary first time I saw you with it. I thought…" she trailed off

"That I was going to kill you?"

"Something like that." James looked at the mask thoughtfully. It was black and had a gold mouth plate.

"Well…" he said trying to think of why he wore it himself. "I suppose it keeps the hair out of my eyes." Aryll laughed.

"Your hair isn't long enough to get in your eyes anyway." She reminded him.

"My father's was." Aryll suddenly stopped laughing. "In fact this whole suit was his…course he doesn't need it now." James paused wondering whether to continue. "Whenever he went into battle, he would wear this suit. People started calling him The Golden Streak. I guess I wear it in the hope I can become a Golden Streak one day too."

"What happened to him?" asked Aryll.

"He had a heart attack. Four years ago I found him dying in his bed."

"That's horrible." James shook his head.

"It wasn't so bad." He said. "That way I could be with him at the very end." James didn't feel like having Aryll try and comfort him for the rest of the morning so he changed the subject. "What do you think you'll do when all this is over?"

"I suppose I'll just go back home," she said with an unenthusiastic tone.

"Don't sound too exited, we've still got to take on the evil madman!"

"Well yeah, but once we do that I'll be alone again." She said gazing absent-mindedly out to the ocean. "I mean, Link will be off on his adventures, Tetra will go with the pirates and you…" she looked at him. "Come to think of it where WILL you go?"

"I…I guess I don't know." Said James truthfully. His Dojo had been burnt to the ground along with the rest of the village. "I haven't really thought about it."

"Well…" said Aryll. She was trying her best to be subtle. "If you wanted…you could always…y'know…" she gave him a sideways look. "come stay with me…just until you find a place to stay of course." She added hastily. James smiled at her.

"I'd like that." He said.

* * *

"Come on boy, parry." Orca shouted. Link carried on the assault. He gave Orca two thrusts and tried to leap at him and strike. Orca however manager to block all of the blows as easily as he always had. It made him wonder how Orca had been knocked unconscious so easily on Outset.

Tetra suddenly came below deck. "Hey, another sparring match" she said. "I should get the rest of my crew!"

"We just finished." Said Link hastily. Tetra had always had some respect for his sword skills and although he didn't mind admitting that he had lost, he didn't feel like making a fool out of himself right in front of her for some reason.

"Don't be foolish." Orca said heartily. "Take a seat miss." Tetra smiled and sat down. Link scowled and got ready for another round. "Ready?" Orca asked, and Link could have sworn that he had just winked at him. "GO!"

It started out pretty much the same as the last had. Orca blocked all his shots and any moment now he would trip Link up with the wooden end of his spear. However to Link's great surprise, one of Orca's block's was made too late, causing Link's wooden sword to be drawn across Orca's ribs. For the first time ever, Link had beaten him.

"Congratulations," said Orca. "It appears I was too slow that time."

"Not bad Link." Said Tetra. "And much as I'd like to stay and watch, I've got work to do." She walked back up to the main deck. Once she was gone Orca said to him

"Don't expect me to go easy on you again!" Link smiled at him. Orca had lost on purpose; the blow he struck was way too easy for him to miss.

"Why DID you let me win Orca?" Orca smiled at him. There was a twinkle in his eye that Link had never noticed before.

"I did not want you to feel foolish in front of your lady friend." Something about the way he said it made Link blush.

"What do you mean?"

"It is more than obvious," Orca said. "I would imagine that the only people who do not know are yourself and miss Tetra and that is only because the both of you have denial on your side."

"You know…I really don't feel like talking about this." Said Link awkwardly.

"Very well, lets see if you can win for real."

* * *

Tetra collapsed onto her bed. She was tired and felt like hell. She was also, though there was no power on this earth that would make her admit it, terrified. The last time she had been captured by Gannondorf, had been the worst experience of her life. It had only been for a few days but in that time she had never felt so alone. Then at one point, Gannondorf had cast a spell on her causing her to lose consciousness. When she awoke she saw the master sword lying in front of her and Link ready to battle. At that point all of her doubts had vanished.

"Excuse me," came a voice from the other side of the door. It was female so Tetra knew it must be Aryll and sure enough, Aryll entered the room a moment later.

"What's up?" asked Tetra

"I was wondering if I could buy this." She said, and Tetra noticed that she was holding the crossbow she had taken a liking to.

"You might as well just take it," she said. "None of my crew are going to use it so you can have it."

"Really? Thanks!" Aryll put the crossbow and then said "So, are you ready for tonight?" Tetra cringed.

"Let's talk about something else." She said. "Let's talk about…" Tetra grinned suddenly. "You and James. You two seemed pretty comfortable a few days ago. Tell me what happened the night before." Aryll looked very embarrassed but didn't seem to mind.

"Well, he had just calmed down, I had convinced him not to leave and then…" Aryll paused. "He kissed me!"

"Really?"

"Well I kissed him would be more accurate but yeah, that's what happened" Tetra laughed. "What about my brother and you?"

That wiped the smile from Tetra's face.

"I don't like Link!" she said all too quickly.

"I bet you wouldn't say that if I had asked you that night we stayed with the Rito's." teased Aryll. It was Tetra's turn to go red.

"I…I was drunk." She said defensively. But that just caused Aryll's grin to spread.

"Oh so you DO remember!" she said excitedly. Unfortunately for her though, Tetra was spared answering by Gonzo, who had just come into the room.

"Uh…Miss Tetra," he said. "We've arrived at the forsaken fortress."

"What, already?" Gonzo nodded "Very well, tell everyone to meet on the deck."

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SSBM Master: Ooh its getting to the climax! Don't worry though. I'm planning on finishing this with more than just 14 chapters. I'll try and make the rest the best ones. Though you may have to bear with me. (Even I don't know how it'll end and I'm the author for gods sake!)