Disclaimer: *is painting WW designs all over the disclaimer sign* I just
thought I should make it look pretty since you'll be seeing it a lot.
*makes a sheepish grin*
A/N: I knew this chapter was going to be predictable. But what else would you expect? This story is a remake of a game you all have probably played after all. But it's no big deal really. Aw geez let's just start already shall we?
Chapter 8: A Steal and a Reunion
-------------------------------------------------
"FIRE!"
A loud swoosh was suddenly heard echoing through the steep plateaus of Outset Island, followed by a bang and a quick splash. The pirates had reached Outset in record time due to the wind being in their favor, and now they were shooting cannonballs at the side of one of the steep cliffs. A huge slab of stone was gouged into the flank of it, blocking the entrance to a cave. The pirates had guessed that this was where Jabun was hiding.
But...no matter how hard they tried, each cannonball failed to make even a dent in the huge piece of rock. They would simply bounce off the slab's surface and plummet into the water without so much as a scratch to the slab.
But they persisted...they just had to get their hands on that treasure or else they would be failures as pirates. They never left a treasure undisturbed without giving it their all.
"Keep trying men!" Tetra called. "It's got to budge sooner or later. And stay away from that whirlpool! I don't want us to get sucked in!"
"We are doing the best we can, Miss." Mako called back to her. He had to raise his voice over the thunder that was booming above their heads. Ever since they arrived at Outset, it had been storming like you wouldn't believe. Hard rain was pouring down on all of the crew, drenching them with its watery goodness and refreshment. It wasn't so much the rain that was bothering them though.
"Miss Tetra! We are running low on ammo!" Gonzo shouted while preparing to load another cannonball on the catapult.
Tetra frowned after hearing this. Without any ammo, they could not break through this blockade that stood before them. She had to think of something...
"Shoot!" Tetra exclaimed out loud in frustration. Nothing was coming to her at the moment. She knew they needed the few cannonballs they had left below deck, in case they needed them in the open waters. They weren't even remotely close to a place that would sell any ammo, so the ones they had left was all they had.
"Try one more time, Gonzo." Tetra ordered after thinking a while. "Perhaps it just needs one more push to get it open." She lowered her head and looked to her side. "Hopefully it will work..."
Gonzo nodded his head and motioned for Senza to release one more cannonball. Senza cranked the lever a bit, then pulled it back to release the trigger. The cannonball flew through the air toward the stone slab as everyone leaned forward with the expectation that it will work.
The ball slammed itself hard into the very center of the stone doorway, creating a loud cracking noise and releasing a billow of dust that blocked the view where it hit. The pirates lifted their heads, thinking it had worked.
They suddenly hung their shoulders though, when they saw their last attempt break through the dust and drop into the water with a splash. The door didn't even get a dent in it...
The pirates shook their heads, disappointed in that last attempt and also disappointed in themselves. They were the best and probably the only group of pirates on the Great Sea, and here they couldn't even break through a measly old piece of decorated rock.
Tetra was extremely annoyed at this predicament. If they couldn't break the stone slab with their cannonballs, then what on earth would? She folded her arms and closed her eyes to try and reach in the back her mind for some sort of solution. Instead of getting an answer though, she was getting a headache from all this pondering.
"What can break through rock?" Tetra questioned out loud. If she could get a correct answer for this question then all their problems would be solved...well most of them at least.
Her crew overheard this, and gathered around to the main deck. Everyone tried to come up with an answer but none of them could immediately think of one.
While they were pondering, no one noticed Niko as he emerged from below deck. He was carrying another cannonball and had not heard Tetra's command to cease fire; and since he was the lowest of them all, he was instructed to carry the ammo back and forth when needed. He didn't look too happy about doing all this work, but he had been doing stuff like this for years so he had gotten use to it by now. He was whistling a tune as he approached the group, but wasn't paying attention to where he was walking...
But it was already too late for Niko to notice Zuko's dropped
telescope...
He tripped over the fallen item and began to stumble around the deck to try and keep his balance. His racket got the attention of the other pirates and they lifted their heads to turn and look at him. Niko took a few unbalanced steps backwards and accidentally bumped into one of the crates, causing him to drop the cannonball he was holding into the open bin full of wicks for the lanterns.
"...oops..." was all Niko could say.
Tetra rolled her eyes. This was the worse time for Niko to get himself into trouble. She parted the group and approached him with a very annoyed look on her face.
Niko backed up a bit, knowing if looks could kill, he'd be dead. He pitifully held up a hand and quietly uttered. "D-don't worry...I'll get it." He quickly spun around and practically dove into the barrel of wicks, his legs dangling from the edges as he searched for the hidden cannonball.
He reached too far into it however, and suddenly fell head-first into the pile of wicks.
Tetra let out an annoyed sigh. She knew they didn't have time for this. They were suppose to be finding a solution to their problem and here Niko was fooling around like they had all the time in the world!
"Get out of there, Niko!" Tetra hissed. "We don't have time for this, so stop playing games!"
Niko must have heard her since the barrel he was in started to talk.
"Y-yes Miss." He replied.
Niko's head poked up as he tried to lift the cannonball he had found out of the barrel. It was pretty heavy so its weight caused the whole barrel to tip forward and with a slight yelp from the bucktoothed pirate, the barrel and all its contents scattered at Tetra's feat, much to the captain's displeasure.
Niko's head swayed back and forth from the sudden fall forward. He managed to keep his grip on the cannonball, which now had wicks on top of it.
Tetra was about to scold him and give him more work as punishment, but suddenly stopped when she got a glance at the cannonball. All but one of the lantern wicks had fallen off, leaving the lone one perched right on top of the ball.
It looked very much like...
"A bomb!" Tetra said suddenly, getting the attention of her crew and causing Niko to fall backwards. "Of course! Bombs could easily blast through that rock! Niko you're a genius!"
Niko shook his head.
"I am?"
"Quick!" Tetra said as she turned to Gonzo and Nudge. "Go below deck and see if we have any!"
"Yes, Ma'am!" they both replied. They quickly vanished through the door leading below deck.
A few minutes later, they came back up...empty handed.
"We're sorry, Miss. We couldn't find any, yeah..." Gonzo reported with a hint of disappointment in his voice.
Tetra frowned. "Then we must get ourselves some! Zuko! Where is the closest island that sells bombs?"
Zuko scratched the bandana on his head as he thought.
"I believe...the closest place...would be Windfall Island, Miss."
"All the way there?" Tetra complained. That place was at least a day's trip away. "Are you sure?"
Zuko nodded.
Tetra looked ahead.
"Then we must set sail immediately! Get to your stations!" she pointed out to the North. "We're going to Windfall Island!"
"Aye-aye, Captain!" They all replied in unison. In only a few short minutes, they were on their way to their new destination.
~ ~ ~
By the time the pirates reached Windfall Island, it was about mid- afternoon. Despite it being mid-day however, no sun was visible and not a clear piece of sky was seen for miles. The storm they had experienced at Outset seemed to have followed them all the way to Windfall, and the rain and thunder created so much noise that you couldn't even here yourself speak unless you shouted at the top of your lungs. It was as if the entire Great Sea was covered by this dark storm in hopes of casting it into pure darkness and night.
Tetra had to shield her eyes from the harsh rain and wind that was stinging her face. Her crew followed behind her, also trying to protect themselves from nature's fury as they paced up a muddy path that led to a lone, lit shop that stood near the water's edge.
Upon reaching the door to the shop, Tetra turned to her crew.
"I'll go in first." He commanded. "Gonzo...Mako...you come with me. The rest of you stay here and don't come in unless I sound for you. Got it?"
"Aye-aye, Miss Tetra!" they all replied to her.
With that straightened out, Tetra, Gonzo, and Mako entered the lit
building.
"Oh...customers."
Tetra had to squint and adjust her eyes to the light to try and spot the person who was speaking to them.
A man with a funny hair-do was sitting on a barrel behind a counter at the far end of the room. He wore a creepy smile on his face and his eyes were tightly shut like he had something permanently stuck inside them. Tetra was surprised he even saw her coming through the door. The shop wasn't too big either. A couple of crates and barrels were along the walls behind the counter, not to mention the huge shelf that towered over the counter itself.
Tetra suddenly caught a glimpse of what they had come to get. On top of the counter sat a couple of blue bombs neatly arranged in a straight line on a small shelf. She grinned as they casually walked toward the counter.
The man itched his nose as he watched them approach and spoke.
"Welcome to my shop, young person." He said in a gruff-sounding voice.
Tetra looked up at him.
"I see you have bombs here." She said while eyeing him.
He grinned.
"The finest on the Great Sea in fact." the man commented. "The name's Cannon, and no one makes finer explosives than me, I assure you!" He lifted his head proudly to show off his ego.
Tetra frowned when he wasn't looking. They really didn't have time to listen to this weirdo babble on about his so-called talent...
"Look sir..." Gonzo said as he put a hand on top of the counter. "We've got better things to do than stand here and chat, yeah. So could you just tell us the price?"
Cannon put a hand to his chin.
"Certainly." He replied. He pointed to the smallest batch of bombs on the shelf. "There's a batch of around ten bombs over there for 10,000 rupees."
Everyone's mouth dropped open.
"WHAT!" they all shouted in unison.
"That much?! You can't be serious!" Tetra shouted at him.
Cannon looked down at her with a serious face.
"I never joke, missy." he said, sounding a bit impatient. "That's the cheapest I've got, so are you going to purchase some or not?"
"Are you crazy?!" Tetra hollered back at him. "Do you really think we have that much with us?"
Cannon peeked open one of his eyes and glared down at her. "Look little girl, I'm running a strict business here." His mood shifted to that of pure annoyance toward Tetra. "If you're not buying anything then scram!"
Tetra sneered at him with an angry look. How dare this man try to sell bombs at that price to pirates!
She turned around to Gonzo and Mako.
"Looks like he's not selling us bombs for cheap, boys." She said with a sneaky sneer.
Gonzo and Mako smiled sinisterly, knowing what that look meant.
Tetra cocked her head and motioned behind her.
Getting the hint, Gonzo and Mako passed by Tetra and made their way to the counter.
Cannon got a confused and stunned look on his face as he was suddenly snatched off the barrel by Gonzo and immediately gagged with a white cloth! He shut his eyes tighter as he tried to struggle free but then felt ropes starting to get wrapped around his body. When he knew he couldn't move, he tried to yell for help but to no avail.
Tetra turned to the door and called.
"Come on in, boys!"
In seconds, the door flew open and Nudge, Senza, and Zuko quickly entered the shop.
As they stood at the doorway awaiting orders, Tetra walked over to the counter's edge and leaned against it to watch. She motioned behind the counter and spoke.
"Get as many bombs as you can carry and load them onto the ship." she commanded them.
They saluted, then proceeded behind the counter to fulfill her
command.
The young captain folded her arms across her chest and watched as her crew went about their duties.
"It won't be long now..." she thought. She never was a patient person. Well...except when her mother was still around. When her mother was still with her, Tetra would not have acted the way she was now. In fact...her whole personality seemed to have changed ever since that day, seven years ago. It was like she had changed into a totally different person!
The thought of her mother made a feeling of anxiousness build up inside her and she suddenly wanted to get back to Outset as quick as possible.
As she got back to reality, Tetra looked over to where Cannon, Gonzo, and Mako stood. Gonzo scratched the back of his head after Mako had said something Tetra didn't hear. The tall pirate then said something back to Mako, then turned to Tetra with a red, blushing face.
"Miss Tetra, are you listening to this nitwit?" Gonzo said to her from afar. "Can't you dock him some pay or something?"
Tetra narrowed her eyes, knowing by the way he was blushing that they were talking about her.
"Quit goofing off!" she spat. "Both of you!"
Gonzo and Mako literally froze on the spot once they heard the seriousness in her voice.
Tetra eyed them with a glare and continued, keeping her arms crossed.
"Keep your childish jokes to yourselves and get those bombs back to the ship! The second you're done loading them up, we're setting sail for Outset Island!"
Gonzo got a look of pure shock on his face.
"What?! Miss! We have to leave immediately?"
"You heard me!" Tetra replied quickly.
"But...it's been so long since we were on shore." complained Gonzo. "We need to fill our bellies with some good eating, yeah." He said while patting his stomach. "How about we grub tonight and shove off tomorrow morning instead?"
Mako looked over to Tetra, who had a very annoyed and slightly angry look on her face. He cringed, and looked back to Gonzo.
The tall pirate twiddled his fingers a bit in nervousness. He knew he shouldn't go against Miss Tetra's wishes, but he was doing this for the good of the crew. He knew she'd understand...hopefully. He wanted to stay on her good side though, so he quickly spoke up.
"I mean...Uh, I-I'm fine either way, of course. Whatever you say is fine, Miss, is what I mean to say!" He rubbed the back of his head and looked to the floor. "...it's just that, the boys were so excited to come to town, yeah?" He looked back up. "And I can't help but think it would be awful hard on them to leave so soon without a proper layover."
Tetra was still eyeing him menacingly, but he persisted.
"So...what say we set sail tomorrow, yeah?" Gonzo questioned her while trying to put on a serious face. He wasn't succeeding though because of sheer nervousness.
Tetra was erringly quiet the entire time Gonzo was trying to change her mind about leaving immediately. All of the crew was listening in on Gonzo's plea, but said nothing during the whole episode as they waited for a final order from their captain. When Gonzo didn't receive an answer from Tetra after a few seconds, he tried again to convince her.
"Please, Miss." He begged pitifully. "That treasure isn't going anywhere..." He turned to the rest of the crew standing just a few feet away. "You're with me, right boys? Who's up for a night of fun?" he asked them, hoping to get help with trying to change their captain's mind.
No one uttered a word as they glanced at one another in hopes of finding an answer that wouldn't upset their captain.
Tetra was annoyed at their attempts to change her mind. Didn't they know that time was of the essence here? She kept her arms crossed at she gave a half confused and half annoyed look at all of them and spoke.
"You're all fools..." she uttered quietly but loud enough for them to hear. "You saw that demolished island! You saw the senseless destruction! We have to hurry on to Outset, or the same thing could happen there!" She eyed them more suspiciously now, wondering how the heck they couldn't have known such an obvious fact.
The crew only hung their heads in shame.
Mako had different thoughts though. He slowly walked towards Tetra with a confused and curious look on his face.
"Not to be disrespectful..." he began. "...but by the sound of things, you're more worried about that island than the treasure, Miss..."
The crew lifted their heads and glanced at her.
Tetra shifted her position awkwardly, but quickly regained her
stubborn attitude.
"Don't be ridiculous!" she quickly spat, trying to cover up the truth with her tough-sounding voice. "I want...you know...the treasure..."
Her voice got quieter near the end of her sentence as she lowered her head and looked to the floor on her right. She knew very well that what Mako said was true. She was worried about Outset...she didn't want Link to get back home and not have a home to come to...much like how she no longer had a place to rightfully call home...
Just then, she faintly heard a sound coming from above. Knowing it was too quiet to be lightning, she quickly looked up to the huge shelf just above her head to see what it was.
She just barely caught a glimpse of a head quickly retreating out of
her view.
Tetra stared at the vacant spot for a brief moment. A smile suddenly crossed her face as she closed one eye and eyed the spot where the thing retreated.
Someone was spying on them...and she knew who...
Without giving it much thought, Tetra straightened up from her leaning position and began to walk to the door.
"All right. Fine. Have it your way." Tetra said in a normal voice while shrugging her shoulders in defeat. "We can leave town tomorrow, you big babies."
The pirates got a look of relief and joy on their faces. Getting their captain to change her mind was always a difficult task. It looked like they got lucky this time.
"But!" Tetra quickly noted before she exited the door. "We're setting sail at first light, so no sleeping in! Understood?"
All of her crew saluted to her and replied with a mighty "Aye-Aye!"
Tetra grinned at all their enthusiasm, but smiled anyway as she turned the doorknob and exited the store. Her crew quickly followed, having the reassurance of knowing they were finally going to have fun for a change.
Once the bombs were loaded onto the pirate ship, Tetra and her crew, with the exception of Niko, went to search for the best hangout on the island. They happened to stumble across the local bar, and decided that it was the best place on the island to relax and enjoy themselves.
"You boys can go on ahead of me." Tetra said to them before they entered. "You get the place to ourselves. I'll be right in."
"Aye-aye, Miss Tetra!" they replied.
As they scrambled into the small bar, Tetra turned around and sought shelter underneath the overhanging drapes of cloth that made up a shop underneath the bar. Almost immediately, she reached into the bandana around her neck, and pulled out her mother's necklace.
It suddenly began to glow a pretty gold color, signaling to Tetra that the wielder of the Pirate's Charm was in range of being contacted. An image slowly began to appear through the gap in the triangle-shaped necklace, and in only a few seconds, Tetra was able to see the image clearly.
A small smile crept onto Tetra's face as Link's form became clear through her necklace. He was standing in a small room that looked like it was part of the storage area. Niko was standing not to far away from him, so this confirmed Tetra's guess that he was inside the ship.
Her expression changed a little, when she saw what he was doing.
Link was trying to heave a barrel onto his back...and it happened to be one of the barrels full of bombs that they had recently stolen! He wasn't wasting anytime in getting them off the ship either.
Tetra just smirked as she opened her mouth and spoke into her
necklace.
"That's mighty courageous of you...trying to steal treasure from
pirates."
She couldn't help but grin as Link jumped a little and dropped his grip on the barrel. He looked around with a surprised and confused look on his face.
"Tetra?! Is that...you?" Link called while still looking around. Niko was doing the same.
"Of course it's me!" Tetra stated. "Who else can speak to you without actually being there."
Link looked ahead of him as he suddenly remembered the stone she had secretly given him before he entered the Forsaken Fortress. He searched through his pocket and quickly pulled out the stone that was now glowing a bright blue.
Before he could say anything to her, Tetra quickly and calmly spoke
up.
"Before you say anything, I've got one question for you...what the heck have you been doing all this time?!" she suddenly hollered in a loud and slightly annoyed tone.
Link had to shut his eyes to tolerate her yelling. When she finally finished, he merely stuck a hand behind his head and scratched his neck.
"Well...I was...busy." the boy answered vaguely and sheepishly. "But I was going to look for you when I had time. Really!" He made a nervous smile down at the blue rock.
He heard a humph come from the stone.
"Heh I'll bet." Tetra retorted with un-enthusiasm. Her normal voice returned quickly however as she continued. "I suppose I should be shocked too.I'm pretty amazed that you managed to survive after being tossed out of that tower."
Link rubbed the back of his neck even more as he remembered that
moment.
"I guess I got lucky." He said shrugging.
"Luck will not always save you, you know." Tetra commented. She paused a brief moment as she analyzed his expression. "And I'm guessing from the look on your face that you haven't saved your sister yet, huh?"
Link hung his head, knowing that his sister was indeed still trapped
at the fortress.
Tetra knew by this gesture that she guessed right. She put one hand on her hip and glared down into the necklace.
"You don't give things much thought, do you?" she questioned as Link looked back at the stone. "You just rush in, never thinking how badly things could go for you."
She grinned as she watched Link fiddle with the charm. "Honestly...didn't you learn anything from your experience in the Forsaken Fortress?"
"Uh..." was all Link could say. He knew he didn't make good decisions when he was trying to save his sister...but that was at least a week ago. He had gone through a lot since then and had changed a bit, and here Tetra was still treating him like he was 5 years old!
He hung his shoulders, figuring he was never going to get this girl to appreciate him for who he was.
"I figured such an answer." Tetra muttered. "I guess the only way you'll ever succeed in rescuing your sister IS by seer luck." Tetra took her hand off her hip and waved it through the air. "Like just now...the only reason you got what you did was because we left a simple-minded little rat like Niko behind to look after things."
Link glanced over at Niko, who was listening in on the whole conversation. The small pirate hung his head and kicked the ground a little in shame. Boy was he going to get in trouble when the crew got back. Link looked back at the stone as Tetra continued.
"No one else would have parted with our treasure so easily, I assure you." Tetra scoffed. She was a little annoyed at Link for stealing her new treasure...but why did he need them anyway?
Tetra got a curious look on her face.
"And just how do you intend to use those bombs anyway?" she questioned
him.
Link shuffled his feet a bit. Was it alright to tell her about his
plan?
Before he could give her an answer, Tetra once again used her guessing skills to find him out.
"Don't tell me you're going after Jabun's treasure, too..." she
proclaimed quietly.
Link was taken aback by her amazing guessing skills, once again. He pointed to the stone with shock.
"H-how did you know?" Link stuttered.
A sneaky smirk appeared on Tetra's face.
"I have my ways." She replied.
Link got a grin on his face. So much for not getting found out. It was almost like he couldn't hide anything from this female pirate.
"Alright, kid..." Tetra suddenly said. "I can tell you're in hurry so I'll make this short and to the point."
Link cocked his head. Was she about to give him advice on her own free
will?
Tetra brushed aside a couple wet bangs from her forehead as she
continued.
"Right now, Jabun is hiding in a cave at the back of the island you were born on. But the entrance is blocked by a giant stone doorway and you can't get in without breaking down the door."
Link stood there, staring down at the bluish stone as if it had just
hypnotized him.
Tetra looked above her, then back down at the stone.
"We're going to relax in town and eat our fill of whatever this town has to offer, but we'll be leaving for Outset first thing in the morning." She shrugged her shoulders. "If you manage to find Jabun tonight, then I guess you win..."
Link got a surprised look. He really wasn't expecting her to let him off this easily, much less give him directions.
"But!" Tetra quickly said. "If you take too long, we'll come sailing right by you tomorrow morning." She pointed an accusing finger at her necklace. "And believe me, you didn't get ALL of our bombs." She dropped her hand as she glared down at Link's image. "You'd better be quick, kid."
Link nodded his head. He turned to the barrel, but paused before he
reached for it.
"Hey Tetra..." Link said into the stone.
Tetra didn't reply, but he assumed she was listening. He gave the
stone a smile.
"Thank you."
With that said, Link pocketed the stone and heaved the barrel onto its
side.
Tetra watched in silence as Link rolled the barrel on its side and exited the room. Why did this kid never cease to amaze her with his kindness? It seemed no matter how harsh she treated him, he still showed friendship back at her, despite her attitude.
She slowly stuffed her necklace back into her bandana and leaned up against one of the wooden poles supporting the canvas above her head. She put a hand to her chest and felt her heart beating lightly.
Tetra felt completely at ease with what she had just done. She had let Link go off and search for the treasure that she had to acquire to give to the hero. For some reason, she didn't have any regrets with letting him do this either. Perhaps Link was on a mission other than saving his sister. Could he be getting the pearls to help the hero also?
Tetra looked to the ground as she pondered all of this. The rain was starting to pour harder and the wind was now beginning to blow more fierce. It suddenly blew in a direction so that it threw the rain underneath the protecting cover of the shop.
The young pirate covered her eyes as she suddenly started to get sprayed with mist and water. She quickly ran out from under her shelter and sprinted into the entrance to the bar to minimize how much she would get wet.
Closing the door behind her, she walked up a flight of steps and turned the corner as she removed her bandana from her neck and began to rid it of the rainwater that had seeped into the cloth. She glanced over at her crew that had gathered around one table, watching Gonzo and Nudge arm- wrestling while the rest of them cheered both of them on. She couldn't help but smile at her crew's way of "relaxing".
Out of the corner of her eye, Tetra spotted a window wedged into the side of the wall near where her crew was. She walked up to it as she wrapped her bandana back around her neck and peered outside. Through it she could see the open ocean, stretching out as far as the darkness of the storm could let her see.
Like a sore thumb, Tetra faintly spotted a small, bright red boat heading south from the island, its sail billowing with the force of the wind and rain. Inside it sat no one else but Link, sitting near the backend of the boat and manually steering the rudder with one hand.
Tetra gripped the imprint of her mother's necklace in her bandana and smiled as she watched him and his boat sail into the darkness of the mighty storm.
Silently, she whispered.
"Good luck..."
"...Link."
A/N: I knew this chapter was going to be predictable. But what else would you expect? This story is a remake of a game you all have probably played after all. But it's no big deal really. Aw geez let's just start already shall we?
Chapter 8: A Steal and a Reunion
-------------------------------------------------
"FIRE!"
A loud swoosh was suddenly heard echoing through the steep plateaus of Outset Island, followed by a bang and a quick splash. The pirates had reached Outset in record time due to the wind being in their favor, and now they were shooting cannonballs at the side of one of the steep cliffs. A huge slab of stone was gouged into the flank of it, blocking the entrance to a cave. The pirates had guessed that this was where Jabun was hiding.
But...no matter how hard they tried, each cannonball failed to make even a dent in the huge piece of rock. They would simply bounce off the slab's surface and plummet into the water without so much as a scratch to the slab.
But they persisted...they just had to get their hands on that treasure or else they would be failures as pirates. They never left a treasure undisturbed without giving it their all.
"Keep trying men!" Tetra called. "It's got to budge sooner or later. And stay away from that whirlpool! I don't want us to get sucked in!"
"We are doing the best we can, Miss." Mako called back to her. He had to raise his voice over the thunder that was booming above their heads. Ever since they arrived at Outset, it had been storming like you wouldn't believe. Hard rain was pouring down on all of the crew, drenching them with its watery goodness and refreshment. It wasn't so much the rain that was bothering them though.
"Miss Tetra! We are running low on ammo!" Gonzo shouted while preparing to load another cannonball on the catapult.
Tetra frowned after hearing this. Without any ammo, they could not break through this blockade that stood before them. She had to think of something...
"Shoot!" Tetra exclaimed out loud in frustration. Nothing was coming to her at the moment. She knew they needed the few cannonballs they had left below deck, in case they needed them in the open waters. They weren't even remotely close to a place that would sell any ammo, so the ones they had left was all they had.
"Try one more time, Gonzo." Tetra ordered after thinking a while. "Perhaps it just needs one more push to get it open." She lowered her head and looked to her side. "Hopefully it will work..."
Gonzo nodded his head and motioned for Senza to release one more cannonball. Senza cranked the lever a bit, then pulled it back to release the trigger. The cannonball flew through the air toward the stone slab as everyone leaned forward with the expectation that it will work.
The ball slammed itself hard into the very center of the stone doorway, creating a loud cracking noise and releasing a billow of dust that blocked the view where it hit. The pirates lifted their heads, thinking it had worked.
They suddenly hung their shoulders though, when they saw their last attempt break through the dust and drop into the water with a splash. The door didn't even get a dent in it...
The pirates shook their heads, disappointed in that last attempt and also disappointed in themselves. They were the best and probably the only group of pirates on the Great Sea, and here they couldn't even break through a measly old piece of decorated rock.
Tetra was extremely annoyed at this predicament. If they couldn't break the stone slab with their cannonballs, then what on earth would? She folded her arms and closed her eyes to try and reach in the back her mind for some sort of solution. Instead of getting an answer though, she was getting a headache from all this pondering.
"What can break through rock?" Tetra questioned out loud. If she could get a correct answer for this question then all their problems would be solved...well most of them at least.
Her crew overheard this, and gathered around to the main deck. Everyone tried to come up with an answer but none of them could immediately think of one.
While they were pondering, no one noticed Niko as he emerged from below deck. He was carrying another cannonball and had not heard Tetra's command to cease fire; and since he was the lowest of them all, he was instructed to carry the ammo back and forth when needed. He didn't look too happy about doing all this work, but he had been doing stuff like this for years so he had gotten use to it by now. He was whistling a tune as he approached the group, but wasn't paying attention to where he was walking...
But it was already too late for Niko to notice Zuko's dropped
telescope...
He tripped over the fallen item and began to stumble around the deck to try and keep his balance. His racket got the attention of the other pirates and they lifted their heads to turn and look at him. Niko took a few unbalanced steps backwards and accidentally bumped into one of the crates, causing him to drop the cannonball he was holding into the open bin full of wicks for the lanterns.
"...oops..." was all Niko could say.
Tetra rolled her eyes. This was the worse time for Niko to get himself into trouble. She parted the group and approached him with a very annoyed look on her face.
Niko backed up a bit, knowing if looks could kill, he'd be dead. He pitifully held up a hand and quietly uttered. "D-don't worry...I'll get it." He quickly spun around and practically dove into the barrel of wicks, his legs dangling from the edges as he searched for the hidden cannonball.
He reached too far into it however, and suddenly fell head-first into the pile of wicks.
Tetra let out an annoyed sigh. She knew they didn't have time for this. They were suppose to be finding a solution to their problem and here Niko was fooling around like they had all the time in the world!
"Get out of there, Niko!" Tetra hissed. "We don't have time for this, so stop playing games!"
Niko must have heard her since the barrel he was in started to talk.
"Y-yes Miss." He replied.
Niko's head poked up as he tried to lift the cannonball he had found out of the barrel. It was pretty heavy so its weight caused the whole barrel to tip forward and with a slight yelp from the bucktoothed pirate, the barrel and all its contents scattered at Tetra's feat, much to the captain's displeasure.
Niko's head swayed back and forth from the sudden fall forward. He managed to keep his grip on the cannonball, which now had wicks on top of it.
Tetra was about to scold him and give him more work as punishment, but suddenly stopped when she got a glance at the cannonball. All but one of the lantern wicks had fallen off, leaving the lone one perched right on top of the ball.
It looked very much like...
"A bomb!" Tetra said suddenly, getting the attention of her crew and causing Niko to fall backwards. "Of course! Bombs could easily blast through that rock! Niko you're a genius!"
Niko shook his head.
"I am?"
"Quick!" Tetra said as she turned to Gonzo and Nudge. "Go below deck and see if we have any!"
"Yes, Ma'am!" they both replied. They quickly vanished through the door leading below deck.
A few minutes later, they came back up...empty handed.
"We're sorry, Miss. We couldn't find any, yeah..." Gonzo reported with a hint of disappointment in his voice.
Tetra frowned. "Then we must get ourselves some! Zuko! Where is the closest island that sells bombs?"
Zuko scratched the bandana on his head as he thought.
"I believe...the closest place...would be Windfall Island, Miss."
"All the way there?" Tetra complained. That place was at least a day's trip away. "Are you sure?"
Zuko nodded.
Tetra looked ahead.
"Then we must set sail immediately! Get to your stations!" she pointed out to the North. "We're going to Windfall Island!"
"Aye-aye, Captain!" They all replied in unison. In only a few short minutes, they were on their way to their new destination.
~ ~ ~
By the time the pirates reached Windfall Island, it was about mid- afternoon. Despite it being mid-day however, no sun was visible and not a clear piece of sky was seen for miles. The storm they had experienced at Outset seemed to have followed them all the way to Windfall, and the rain and thunder created so much noise that you couldn't even here yourself speak unless you shouted at the top of your lungs. It was as if the entire Great Sea was covered by this dark storm in hopes of casting it into pure darkness and night.
Tetra had to shield her eyes from the harsh rain and wind that was stinging her face. Her crew followed behind her, also trying to protect themselves from nature's fury as they paced up a muddy path that led to a lone, lit shop that stood near the water's edge.
Upon reaching the door to the shop, Tetra turned to her crew.
"I'll go in first." He commanded. "Gonzo...Mako...you come with me. The rest of you stay here and don't come in unless I sound for you. Got it?"
"Aye-aye, Miss Tetra!" they all replied to her.
With that straightened out, Tetra, Gonzo, and Mako entered the lit
building.
"Oh...customers."
Tetra had to squint and adjust her eyes to the light to try and spot the person who was speaking to them.
A man with a funny hair-do was sitting on a barrel behind a counter at the far end of the room. He wore a creepy smile on his face and his eyes were tightly shut like he had something permanently stuck inside them. Tetra was surprised he even saw her coming through the door. The shop wasn't too big either. A couple of crates and barrels were along the walls behind the counter, not to mention the huge shelf that towered over the counter itself.
Tetra suddenly caught a glimpse of what they had come to get. On top of the counter sat a couple of blue bombs neatly arranged in a straight line on a small shelf. She grinned as they casually walked toward the counter.
The man itched his nose as he watched them approach and spoke.
"Welcome to my shop, young person." He said in a gruff-sounding voice.
Tetra looked up at him.
"I see you have bombs here." She said while eyeing him.
He grinned.
"The finest on the Great Sea in fact." the man commented. "The name's Cannon, and no one makes finer explosives than me, I assure you!" He lifted his head proudly to show off his ego.
Tetra frowned when he wasn't looking. They really didn't have time to listen to this weirdo babble on about his so-called talent...
"Look sir..." Gonzo said as he put a hand on top of the counter. "We've got better things to do than stand here and chat, yeah. So could you just tell us the price?"
Cannon put a hand to his chin.
"Certainly." He replied. He pointed to the smallest batch of bombs on the shelf. "There's a batch of around ten bombs over there for 10,000 rupees."
Everyone's mouth dropped open.
"WHAT!" they all shouted in unison.
"That much?! You can't be serious!" Tetra shouted at him.
Cannon looked down at her with a serious face.
"I never joke, missy." he said, sounding a bit impatient. "That's the cheapest I've got, so are you going to purchase some or not?"
"Are you crazy?!" Tetra hollered back at him. "Do you really think we have that much with us?"
Cannon peeked open one of his eyes and glared down at her. "Look little girl, I'm running a strict business here." His mood shifted to that of pure annoyance toward Tetra. "If you're not buying anything then scram!"
Tetra sneered at him with an angry look. How dare this man try to sell bombs at that price to pirates!
She turned around to Gonzo and Mako.
"Looks like he's not selling us bombs for cheap, boys." She said with a sneaky sneer.
Gonzo and Mako smiled sinisterly, knowing what that look meant.
Tetra cocked her head and motioned behind her.
Getting the hint, Gonzo and Mako passed by Tetra and made their way to the counter.
Cannon got a confused and stunned look on his face as he was suddenly snatched off the barrel by Gonzo and immediately gagged with a white cloth! He shut his eyes tighter as he tried to struggle free but then felt ropes starting to get wrapped around his body. When he knew he couldn't move, he tried to yell for help but to no avail.
Tetra turned to the door and called.
"Come on in, boys!"
In seconds, the door flew open and Nudge, Senza, and Zuko quickly entered the shop.
As they stood at the doorway awaiting orders, Tetra walked over to the counter's edge and leaned against it to watch. She motioned behind the counter and spoke.
"Get as many bombs as you can carry and load them onto the ship." she commanded them.
They saluted, then proceeded behind the counter to fulfill her
command.
The young captain folded her arms across her chest and watched as her crew went about their duties.
"It won't be long now..." she thought. She never was a patient person. Well...except when her mother was still around. When her mother was still with her, Tetra would not have acted the way she was now. In fact...her whole personality seemed to have changed ever since that day, seven years ago. It was like she had changed into a totally different person!
The thought of her mother made a feeling of anxiousness build up inside her and she suddenly wanted to get back to Outset as quick as possible.
As she got back to reality, Tetra looked over to where Cannon, Gonzo, and Mako stood. Gonzo scratched the back of his head after Mako had said something Tetra didn't hear. The tall pirate then said something back to Mako, then turned to Tetra with a red, blushing face.
"Miss Tetra, are you listening to this nitwit?" Gonzo said to her from afar. "Can't you dock him some pay or something?"
Tetra narrowed her eyes, knowing by the way he was blushing that they were talking about her.
"Quit goofing off!" she spat. "Both of you!"
Gonzo and Mako literally froze on the spot once they heard the seriousness in her voice.
Tetra eyed them with a glare and continued, keeping her arms crossed.
"Keep your childish jokes to yourselves and get those bombs back to the ship! The second you're done loading them up, we're setting sail for Outset Island!"
Gonzo got a look of pure shock on his face.
"What?! Miss! We have to leave immediately?"
"You heard me!" Tetra replied quickly.
"But...it's been so long since we were on shore." complained Gonzo. "We need to fill our bellies with some good eating, yeah." He said while patting his stomach. "How about we grub tonight and shove off tomorrow morning instead?"
Mako looked over to Tetra, who had a very annoyed and slightly angry look on her face. He cringed, and looked back to Gonzo.
The tall pirate twiddled his fingers a bit in nervousness. He knew he shouldn't go against Miss Tetra's wishes, but he was doing this for the good of the crew. He knew she'd understand...hopefully. He wanted to stay on her good side though, so he quickly spoke up.
"I mean...Uh, I-I'm fine either way, of course. Whatever you say is fine, Miss, is what I mean to say!" He rubbed the back of his head and looked to the floor. "...it's just that, the boys were so excited to come to town, yeah?" He looked back up. "And I can't help but think it would be awful hard on them to leave so soon without a proper layover."
Tetra was still eyeing him menacingly, but he persisted.
"So...what say we set sail tomorrow, yeah?" Gonzo questioned her while trying to put on a serious face. He wasn't succeeding though because of sheer nervousness.
Tetra was erringly quiet the entire time Gonzo was trying to change her mind about leaving immediately. All of the crew was listening in on Gonzo's plea, but said nothing during the whole episode as they waited for a final order from their captain. When Gonzo didn't receive an answer from Tetra after a few seconds, he tried again to convince her.
"Please, Miss." He begged pitifully. "That treasure isn't going anywhere..." He turned to the rest of the crew standing just a few feet away. "You're with me, right boys? Who's up for a night of fun?" he asked them, hoping to get help with trying to change their captain's mind.
No one uttered a word as they glanced at one another in hopes of finding an answer that wouldn't upset their captain.
Tetra was annoyed at their attempts to change her mind. Didn't they know that time was of the essence here? She kept her arms crossed at she gave a half confused and half annoyed look at all of them and spoke.
"You're all fools..." she uttered quietly but loud enough for them to hear. "You saw that demolished island! You saw the senseless destruction! We have to hurry on to Outset, or the same thing could happen there!" She eyed them more suspiciously now, wondering how the heck they couldn't have known such an obvious fact.
The crew only hung their heads in shame.
Mako had different thoughts though. He slowly walked towards Tetra with a confused and curious look on his face.
"Not to be disrespectful..." he began. "...but by the sound of things, you're more worried about that island than the treasure, Miss..."
The crew lifted their heads and glanced at her.
Tetra shifted her position awkwardly, but quickly regained her
stubborn attitude.
"Don't be ridiculous!" she quickly spat, trying to cover up the truth with her tough-sounding voice. "I want...you know...the treasure..."
Her voice got quieter near the end of her sentence as she lowered her head and looked to the floor on her right. She knew very well that what Mako said was true. She was worried about Outset...she didn't want Link to get back home and not have a home to come to...much like how she no longer had a place to rightfully call home...
Just then, she faintly heard a sound coming from above. Knowing it was too quiet to be lightning, she quickly looked up to the huge shelf just above her head to see what it was.
She just barely caught a glimpse of a head quickly retreating out of
her view.
Tetra stared at the vacant spot for a brief moment. A smile suddenly crossed her face as she closed one eye and eyed the spot where the thing retreated.
Someone was spying on them...and she knew who...
Without giving it much thought, Tetra straightened up from her leaning position and began to walk to the door.
"All right. Fine. Have it your way." Tetra said in a normal voice while shrugging her shoulders in defeat. "We can leave town tomorrow, you big babies."
The pirates got a look of relief and joy on their faces. Getting their captain to change her mind was always a difficult task. It looked like they got lucky this time.
"But!" Tetra quickly noted before she exited the door. "We're setting sail at first light, so no sleeping in! Understood?"
All of her crew saluted to her and replied with a mighty "Aye-Aye!"
Tetra grinned at all their enthusiasm, but smiled anyway as she turned the doorknob and exited the store. Her crew quickly followed, having the reassurance of knowing they were finally going to have fun for a change.
Once the bombs were loaded onto the pirate ship, Tetra and her crew, with the exception of Niko, went to search for the best hangout on the island. They happened to stumble across the local bar, and decided that it was the best place on the island to relax and enjoy themselves.
"You boys can go on ahead of me." Tetra said to them before they entered. "You get the place to ourselves. I'll be right in."
"Aye-aye, Miss Tetra!" they replied.
As they scrambled into the small bar, Tetra turned around and sought shelter underneath the overhanging drapes of cloth that made up a shop underneath the bar. Almost immediately, she reached into the bandana around her neck, and pulled out her mother's necklace.
It suddenly began to glow a pretty gold color, signaling to Tetra that the wielder of the Pirate's Charm was in range of being contacted. An image slowly began to appear through the gap in the triangle-shaped necklace, and in only a few seconds, Tetra was able to see the image clearly.
A small smile crept onto Tetra's face as Link's form became clear through her necklace. He was standing in a small room that looked like it was part of the storage area. Niko was standing not to far away from him, so this confirmed Tetra's guess that he was inside the ship.
Her expression changed a little, when she saw what he was doing.
Link was trying to heave a barrel onto his back...and it happened to be one of the barrels full of bombs that they had recently stolen! He wasn't wasting anytime in getting them off the ship either.
Tetra just smirked as she opened her mouth and spoke into her
necklace.
"That's mighty courageous of you...trying to steal treasure from
pirates."
She couldn't help but grin as Link jumped a little and dropped his grip on the barrel. He looked around with a surprised and confused look on his face.
"Tetra?! Is that...you?" Link called while still looking around. Niko was doing the same.
"Of course it's me!" Tetra stated. "Who else can speak to you without actually being there."
Link looked ahead of him as he suddenly remembered the stone she had secretly given him before he entered the Forsaken Fortress. He searched through his pocket and quickly pulled out the stone that was now glowing a bright blue.
Before he could say anything to her, Tetra quickly and calmly spoke
up.
"Before you say anything, I've got one question for you...what the heck have you been doing all this time?!" she suddenly hollered in a loud and slightly annoyed tone.
Link had to shut his eyes to tolerate her yelling. When she finally finished, he merely stuck a hand behind his head and scratched his neck.
"Well...I was...busy." the boy answered vaguely and sheepishly. "But I was going to look for you when I had time. Really!" He made a nervous smile down at the blue rock.
He heard a humph come from the stone.
"Heh I'll bet." Tetra retorted with un-enthusiasm. Her normal voice returned quickly however as she continued. "I suppose I should be shocked too.I'm pretty amazed that you managed to survive after being tossed out of that tower."
Link rubbed the back of his neck even more as he remembered that
moment.
"I guess I got lucky." He said shrugging.
"Luck will not always save you, you know." Tetra commented. She paused a brief moment as she analyzed his expression. "And I'm guessing from the look on your face that you haven't saved your sister yet, huh?"
Link hung his head, knowing that his sister was indeed still trapped
at the fortress.
Tetra knew by this gesture that she guessed right. She put one hand on her hip and glared down into the necklace.
"You don't give things much thought, do you?" she questioned as Link looked back at the stone. "You just rush in, never thinking how badly things could go for you."
She grinned as she watched Link fiddle with the charm. "Honestly...didn't you learn anything from your experience in the Forsaken Fortress?"
"Uh..." was all Link could say. He knew he didn't make good decisions when he was trying to save his sister...but that was at least a week ago. He had gone through a lot since then and had changed a bit, and here Tetra was still treating him like he was 5 years old!
He hung his shoulders, figuring he was never going to get this girl to appreciate him for who he was.
"I figured such an answer." Tetra muttered. "I guess the only way you'll ever succeed in rescuing your sister IS by seer luck." Tetra took her hand off her hip and waved it through the air. "Like just now...the only reason you got what you did was because we left a simple-minded little rat like Niko behind to look after things."
Link glanced over at Niko, who was listening in on the whole conversation. The small pirate hung his head and kicked the ground a little in shame. Boy was he going to get in trouble when the crew got back. Link looked back at the stone as Tetra continued.
"No one else would have parted with our treasure so easily, I assure you." Tetra scoffed. She was a little annoyed at Link for stealing her new treasure...but why did he need them anyway?
Tetra got a curious look on her face.
"And just how do you intend to use those bombs anyway?" she questioned
him.
Link shuffled his feet a bit. Was it alright to tell her about his
plan?
Before he could give her an answer, Tetra once again used her guessing skills to find him out.
"Don't tell me you're going after Jabun's treasure, too..." she
proclaimed quietly.
Link was taken aback by her amazing guessing skills, once again. He pointed to the stone with shock.
"H-how did you know?" Link stuttered.
A sneaky smirk appeared on Tetra's face.
"I have my ways." She replied.
Link got a grin on his face. So much for not getting found out. It was almost like he couldn't hide anything from this female pirate.
"Alright, kid..." Tetra suddenly said. "I can tell you're in hurry so I'll make this short and to the point."
Link cocked his head. Was she about to give him advice on her own free
will?
Tetra brushed aside a couple wet bangs from her forehead as she
continued.
"Right now, Jabun is hiding in a cave at the back of the island you were born on. But the entrance is blocked by a giant stone doorway and you can't get in without breaking down the door."
Link stood there, staring down at the bluish stone as if it had just
hypnotized him.
Tetra looked above her, then back down at the stone.
"We're going to relax in town and eat our fill of whatever this town has to offer, but we'll be leaving for Outset first thing in the morning." She shrugged her shoulders. "If you manage to find Jabun tonight, then I guess you win..."
Link got a surprised look. He really wasn't expecting her to let him off this easily, much less give him directions.
"But!" Tetra quickly said. "If you take too long, we'll come sailing right by you tomorrow morning." She pointed an accusing finger at her necklace. "And believe me, you didn't get ALL of our bombs." She dropped her hand as she glared down at Link's image. "You'd better be quick, kid."
Link nodded his head. He turned to the barrel, but paused before he
reached for it.
"Hey Tetra..." Link said into the stone.
Tetra didn't reply, but he assumed she was listening. He gave the
stone a smile.
"Thank you."
With that said, Link pocketed the stone and heaved the barrel onto its
side.
Tetra watched in silence as Link rolled the barrel on its side and exited the room. Why did this kid never cease to amaze her with his kindness? It seemed no matter how harsh she treated him, he still showed friendship back at her, despite her attitude.
She slowly stuffed her necklace back into her bandana and leaned up against one of the wooden poles supporting the canvas above her head. She put a hand to her chest and felt her heart beating lightly.
Tetra felt completely at ease with what she had just done. She had let Link go off and search for the treasure that she had to acquire to give to the hero. For some reason, she didn't have any regrets with letting him do this either. Perhaps Link was on a mission other than saving his sister. Could he be getting the pearls to help the hero also?
Tetra looked to the ground as she pondered all of this. The rain was starting to pour harder and the wind was now beginning to blow more fierce. It suddenly blew in a direction so that it threw the rain underneath the protecting cover of the shop.
The young pirate covered her eyes as she suddenly started to get sprayed with mist and water. She quickly ran out from under her shelter and sprinted into the entrance to the bar to minimize how much she would get wet.
Closing the door behind her, she walked up a flight of steps and turned the corner as she removed her bandana from her neck and began to rid it of the rainwater that had seeped into the cloth. She glanced over at her crew that had gathered around one table, watching Gonzo and Nudge arm- wrestling while the rest of them cheered both of them on. She couldn't help but smile at her crew's way of "relaxing".
Out of the corner of her eye, Tetra spotted a window wedged into the side of the wall near where her crew was. She walked up to it as she wrapped her bandana back around her neck and peered outside. Through it she could see the open ocean, stretching out as far as the darkness of the storm could let her see.
Like a sore thumb, Tetra faintly spotted a small, bright red boat heading south from the island, its sail billowing with the force of the wind and rain. Inside it sat no one else but Link, sitting near the backend of the boat and manually steering the rudder with one hand.
Tetra gripped the imprint of her mother's necklace in her bandana and smiled as she watched him and his boat sail into the darkness of the mighty storm.
Silently, she whispered.
"Good luck..."
"...Link."