I don't own the game.

THIRTEEN! CHAPTER THIRTEEN! Uh-oh…

Chapter 13

"Don't worry, Link. We'll find Tetra."

"We've been sailing for hours, Gonzo…"

"Don't give up hope yet! I'm sure she's fine."

The pirate ship skimmed the water like a sock on a newly waxed floor. The Hero Of Winds was on yet another adventure to save someone. In the captain's quarters, Aryll and Marin were huddled together.

"Will we find Shihio?"

"I hope so. If they have done anything bad to my baby sister…"

Nana and Sisi were in the storage room.

"This is BORING! Do we HAVE to find her?"

"Can't we just leave? The salt air is making my oh so perfect hair frizzy!"

But in the sailor's quarters where no one was, of course, some one materialized…

A man in a black cloak with a wine bottle in his hand…

"I christen thee…S.S TITANIC! MWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA(cough, hack) HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!

With that, he broke the bottle on the side of the ship.

"We're sinking, sir! We're all gonna die!"

"How did this happen?"

"Somebody christened the ship Titanic, and since this ship had no name…"

"We are going to die, aren't we?"

"NEVER! WE SHALL NOT ACCEPT DEFEAT!"

"Brother! I heard maniacal laughter in our room! Somebody did this!"

"Maniacal laughter? Who could do that?"

Then it dawned on him.

"Oh-no…he can't be alive…"

"BROTHER!"

"Okay we all have to remain calm. We need to-blblblbl!"

Lowering his binoculars, he turned away from the window. His work was done…for now.

"NUMBER 12!"

The same man in the cloak that we saw earlier materialized again in front of his master.

"Yes, sir!"

"That was the best job I have seen done by a lackey in ages. Consider yourself with a raise."

"But I do this for free, sir."

"Whatever. Now get away from me."

"Yes, sir!"

12 smiled to himself. He was the best phantom in the world, and everyone knew it. He always got the job done in the best way possible, and it was all for his Master. Master gave him life, and for that he would never let Master down. But lately Master seemed…different…

It had all started with when the girl came. Not the blue-eyed one, she had been here before. The one with the golden eyes, somehow she had changed Master. Whenever he asked Master about her, he would always talk about her for hours on end. It was as if he COULDN'T stop talking about her. He talked about making her his queen, whatever that meant. He also kept repeating a strange word he had never heard before in his life, something called 'love.'

Yet the girl never seemed to feel the same. When he asked about what she thought of him (as Master had told him to do several times.) she always had said 'Nothing, really.'

When he asked the others about this, they said he was crazy. There was no way Master could feel 'love' towards the girl because he was above that. Others also said that wasn't possible because he was…what did they call it? Queer in the head?

So apparently he, lowly number 12, was the only person Master had told this to. This word was probably some sort of secret message, or held some terrible power…but how was he to know what it truly meant? He had only been alive for 7 years, never leaving the spot where he and the others had waited for Master's return.

He had finally decided to tell the girl about the word. If it were a message, Master would surely want it delivered to her. He could NEVER let Master down, so he would tell her.

"Um…my lady?"

"What is it, Twelve?"

That was the girl, all right. Treating his label like a name. She never called him NUMBER Twelve, just Twelve. It was the strangest thing he had ever heard.

"There is something I want to tell you."

"Yes?"

"It is about Master…"

With that, she dropped the book she was reading.

"What about him?"

"Well, he keeps saying this word…and I think it has something to do with you."

"What word?"

"Well…"

"Twelve, tell me."

"Do you mind if I give you an image, my lady?"

"No, of course not. Go ahead."

12 placed his hand on her forehead, and played back the conversations with Master in his mind. Her eyes were closed, a normal sign of the REM that goes on while data is being transferred from one mind to another, but her expression wasn't normal.

She drew back from him in shock. Had he done something wrong? Did he give her the wrong image?

"Are you alright?"

"Yes…I'm fine."

"I did something wrong, didn't I? I am so very sorry…"

"No, it's not your fault, Twelve. I think it's best if you didn't tell your master that you did this, okay?"

"Of course."

He turned around, and then remembered what he wanted to ask.

"What does love mean?"

She did not answer. Something was wrong. Did 'love' mean something bad?

"It's…a feeling…"

"My lady?"

"I don't know if I can explain it to you, for I have never received it in my life…but I'll try."

The next few minutes were very confusing for Number 12. According to her, love was an emotion.

"But Master told us to avoid emotion at all costs. He said it would get in the way, and-"

"It can. In my opinion it is the second thing I want the most in the world."

"What is the first thing, my lady?"

She paused for a moment, then said:

"Revenge."

"On whom?"

"Everyone on this miserable world. While I suffered, people showed no emotion and only watched, sometimes taking part in making me suffer. Why would I want this stupid race to live, anyways? Nobody ever showed me love…except…Papa…"

Her eyes began to water. She couldn't think about her Papa without crying, but Twelve wouldn't understand.

"Who is he? Is he like Master?"

"In a way. He did help create me. He seemed like the only person in the world who loved me. He protected me from my sisters and my 'mother,' but then they made him leave."

"These 'sisters,' will they come for you?"

"Yes. But I will not leave this place. Anywhere is better than being there."

Sheathing his sword, Twelve said,  "Then I shall protect you, my lady!"

"No, they'll only hurt you. According to the sentinels, they have the Hero on their side."

"But if Master feels that way for you, then he will be upset when they take you. I cannot let Master down!"

That jolted Shihio back to the main subject, and she realized something.

"Twelve, I have to go ask one of the guards something."

"I shall accompany you. If the Hero comes we must be ready."

"You sank their ship."

"Those humans always find a way. They are much like that insect you talk about, what was it?"

"Cockroaches. They're like cockroaches."

Twelve was so cute. But she had to ask the question of someone, anybody, because of what she believed was happening.

"Kaver!"

"Yes, milady?" The Bokoblin turned around.

"I need to ask you something."

"I'm sorry, milady, but I have to prepare the troops. You can ask me later…"

"Sorry. It's okay."

She decided to ask Iridas, one of the sentinels she had befriended. Halfway up to the watchtowers, she overheard two of the guards talking.

"…Yeah. I think he's sick or something…"

It couldn't be. Was her suspicion correct?

"I think so. Master hasn't really been himself. The threat of possible attack has been making him more on edge than usual. Maybe it was the solitary confinement or something, but this is kind of out of character for him…"

"'Course, that and he's been eating so much…"

She was right. Only one thing could possibly describe this.

Melkior had lied to her about the antidote.

"Yes, that plan was genius, pure genius Master Melkior Sir!"

"I'm glad you see it that way. In his delirium the thing should probably kill the girl. One of my master plans indeed."

"What about the real antidote, sir?"

"You want to know the funny thing? THERE IS NO ANTIDOTE! It wasn't a virus, it was a chemical!"

"That IS funny, sir!"

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

DOINK!

"What in the flying Farore was that?"

"I believe it was another snowball, sir."

"Din damn it!"

Heh.

"Did you do this?"

Yes, you idiot.

"What? You dare mock a GOD?"

Shut up. Without your toys you are nothing. I am MUCH more POWERFUL that YOU can EVER IMAGINE!

"Is the Caps Lock stuck? That manner of speaking is rather annoying."

I am DOING this JUST to BUG you. GET it THROUGH your PUNY LITTLE BRAIN!"

 "Why you…"

BESIDES, you CANNOT hurt ME, for YOU are JUST a PAWN in MY MASTER SCHEME! MWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

O_o

Back at the Fortress…

"Iridas, where is your master?"

Iridas was, like all sentinels, a humanoid being. His head swayed back and forth atop his long neck, and the purple skin on his body twitched nervously. In his smooth voice he replied to her calmly.

"I do not know."

"Where is he?"

Iridas scratched his bare scalp and began to fiddle with the tassels on his dark blue robe.

"You are a sentinel. You're supposed to see all."

"He told me…not to tell…you…"

Like all sentinels, he was a very bad liar as well.

"Tell me. Now, Iridas."

His pearly black eyes widened, and his lips tightened. Then he began to cry.

"M-my lady! I am so very sorry, but I do not want you to get hurt! I overheard him talking and…and…"

"What did he say?"

"The rumors are true, he is very sick! He…is…going to take you…make you his bride…by force!"

"Calm down, Iridas. Relax."

The sentinel took deep, gurgling breaths. He stopped sobbing and straightened himself back up.

"I'm sorry…so sorry to worry you, my lady."

"It's alright. I can take care of myself. Where is he?"

"In the top room."

It was time. Shihio turned around.

"Wait! Let me come with you!"

She looked back at the sentinel.

"Why? I don't want you to be dragged into this, Iridas. Stay here."

"But I can fight, I can protect you!"

"…Fine. But don't do anything stupid."

"Thank you, my lady."

The threesome made their way to the jail room.

"Why are we going here, Twelve?"

"It's the fastest way to the top room, and that is where Master is."

"Let us hurry, lady Shihio. There isn't much time."

They were almost at the stairs when a noise was heard.

"Did you hear that? It sounded like squeaking."

"Keep together, everybody."

"It's probably a rat, guys."

After that, what was heard was somewhat like an ear piercing shriek.

"I AM NOT A RAT!"

"Where did that come from?"

"Over here, you fucking moron! Are you blind?"

The sound of a noise was a figure in a very concealing cape and hood. Oddly enough, the figure was about half a foot tall.

"Who are you?"

"What the hell? Don't you recognize me? It's me!"

"Wait…"

"MASTER!" Screamed Number 12.

"What? But Master, you're supposed to be up there!"

"Well, yes and no."

Shihio was stifling her laughter, and who couldn't?

"How did you get chibified?"

"Look, I was lucky to have one of me still running around when they injected whatever that stuff was into me."

"Master can split himself apart, my lady." Calmly explained Iridas.

"That's (snicker) very (hee hee) interesting…BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

"Don't laugh at me! Just because I'm small doesn't mean I can't kick your ass!

"Bring it on, little man!"

(WE ARE CURRENTLY EXPERIENCING TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES, AGAIN.)

"Technical?"

Shut UP Michael!

"Sor-ry!"

"…So basically we need to find Melkior's lair."

Shihio and Ganon were covered in anime bandages and bruises.

"What about you? The other you, I mean."

"We'll take care of him…err…me when we get back. What we need now is to find out how to at least how to stop the sickness."

"Wait. What about Ganon? He's too small to defend himself."

"I just gave you the whooping of your life, and you still say that I'm weak?"

"You didn't kill me."

"OH, THAT'S IT! YOU WILL DIE!"

O_o

Okaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay…

So you know, this will be the last chapter of Freak you'll be seeing the whole year. (Get it?) Happy New Year.