The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker

Aftermath

Chapter Three

Time passed quickly on Outset Island, like the ebb and flow of the tide that washed across its beaches, and Link and Aryll grew older. Link grew bigger every year, going from a small, twelve year old boy, into a broad shouldered, strong, and handsome young man of eighteen. He truely looked the image of a Hero. Aryll also grew, and by the time her twelth birthday had rolled around, she had grown even more cheerful and beautiful. Her hair had grown longer and she had taken it out of the small pig tails to let it grow out around her shoulders. So nice did she look that she did atrract some stares from the other boys on the island, but they were always met with Links overpreotective, yet rather intimidating stare.

As for the Pirates, they had not been heard from on Outset Island since that day six years ago when they had dropped Link and Aryll off. This was a constant bother for Link. Over the years he would often crawl out of bed and go stand outside on the balcony to stare out to sea, watching for the Pirate ships sails on the horizon. It would be there, the next morning that Links grandmother would often find him, curled up on one of the deck chairs, fast asleep, his sisters spyglass tucked under his arm, as if he had been looking out to sea for soemthing, or someone.

It was on one of these nights that Link awoke to the sound of footsteps. Turning he wearily lifted his head to see if someone had entered his room, his hand slowly sliding under the pillow next to him where he kept his sword that he used to train with Orca. What he saw as his eyes shifted into focus was his sister, dressed in her starfish nightie, and clutching her teddy bear.

Link yawned and wearily let go of the hilt of his sword, his body relaxing back against the bed, as he mumbled sleepily "Whats up Aryll?"

He was used to her doing this when she was younger, but the behaviour had gone away as she had grown up. Now, with her standing there, looking at him, he knew whatever his sister had to say was probably something he should listen to.

"Link, do you ever find yourself wondering where the Pirates have gone off to?" she replied quietly, crawling onto the side of his bed and sitting there quietly hugging the teddybear close.

He nodded and rolled onto his back, his hands behind his head so he wouldn't knock her off. He then said quietly, "yeah I guess I do sometimes, I mean they must be having quite a bit of fun and all, and who knows maybe they've found some treasure and all become rich." he sighed and closed his eyes a little, as he hadn't fully woken up yet.

"I hope they're ok." she replied quietly, looking at her brother. Then she peered closer and asked, "Link, why do you keep falling asleep on the porch? You've been doing that ever since the Pirate Ship left."

Link rolled onto his side, his back now to her as he stared at the wall before he then mumbled, "None of your concern Aryll, go back to bed, you wouldn't understand anyways."

Aryll huffed and looked at her brother crossley as she put down her teddy bear and started to shake him, "theres something you're not telling me big brother!" she scolded, "c'mon tell me!" she then pouted.

"No." Link replied firmly before uncerimoniously turning and pushing her off the bed. Aryll landed with a thump and rubbed her backside as she stood, looking even more cross, "you're hiding something from me!" she whimpered then frowned, "I'm going to find out what it is someday!"

"You're more then welcome to try." Link replied stiffly. He then sighed and his voice softened as he figured he had been a bit too stiff on his sister, "Just go to sleep ok?" he then closed his eyes again and he began to fall asleep again, his body relaxing, breathing slowing.

Aryll looked at her brother as he fell asleep, a pouting look on her face as she picked up her teddy bear. She knew something was bothering him, as he hadn't always been this tight lipped to her. When he was younger they had talked about many things, like when their mother and father died in a storm and they had gone to live with their grandmother, they had talked about the loneliness, and it had comforted them both. But ever since the events of six years ago had happened, her brothere had become almost a different person. He had grown quiet, and withdrawn, as if something inside him was missing. She sighed and quietly left his room, her thoughts of her brother still with her, even as she crawled back into bed and fell asleep.

The next morning dawned bright and sunny, with no sign of any clouds in the sky. As always, Aryll got up earlier than her brother to go about helping their Grandma prepare breakfast. Link in the meantime was dozing away in his bed, his mouth open a little as he softly snored, a small trickle of drool coming from the corner of his mouth. It was like this that his sister found him an hour later, still softly snoring.

Aryll giggled then nudged her brother gently, "c'mon sleepyhead, wake up!" she said, in her usual fashion. She didn't mind, after all, he always needed to be woken up in this manner, otherwise he just might sleep the entire day.

Stirring Link opened his eyes slowly and then mumbled as they fixed on his smiling sister, "what time is it?"

"Breakfast silly!" she giggled again then uncerimoniously pulled away his blankets causing him to groan softly and roll onto his side, mumbling something along the lines of not wanting to get up yet. "C'mon big brother, don't want your oatmeal getting cold!" she continued cheerily as she walked over to the window in his room to let the fresh sea breeze in. Link grunted again then yawned as he pulled himself up and out of his bed, then after chasing Aryll out of his room, changed into his green tunic. He prefered wearing it, despite the fact they were somewhat less comfortable then his beach cloathes. He didn't exactly know why, but felt that as the Hero he should dress like the one from long ago.

After getting dressed, Link walked into the next room and sat down at the table next to Aryll who was already eating her oatmeal hungrily. Links Grandma smiled at him as he did then said cheerily, "here you go dear, you must be very hungry." with that she handed him a bowel of oatmeal, which he accepted with a smile and a polite "thank you Grandma." Leaning in he began to eat his oatmeal slowly, as he still was feeling somewhat tired. Then something outside of the window caught his eye. On the horizon, something long and white appeared and was heading toward Outset. Slowly Link put down his spoon and watched the object. As it came closer, Link could make it out. They were sails. Instantly he jumped up and with a quick, "Thank you grandma!" ran outside. Pulling out Arylls spyglass he zoomed in on the sails, and his suspicion was confirmed: it was the pirates ship! Link smiled and found himself grinning ear to ear. This was going to be great! After six years he would get to see the entire crew again, and as his smile broadened even more, he knew he would get to see Tetra again.

Link quickly ran down to the dock, and watched anxiously as the pirates longboat was launched. He hardly could contain the excitement within as he watched the pirates row toward the shore, and many questions circulated through his head: what did Tetra loook like now that six years had passed, what would he say to her? Would he tellher how he had missed her, or just say hello. He couldn't tell, his mind felt like a jumble puzzle that had bewcome all mixed up after just almost being solved. However as the boat came closer, Link seemed to become unsettled. His eyes, scanning over the boat did not see her slender, tanned skin frame. In fact, he did not see her at all, and as the pirates came closer, he could see their faces were not radiant and jovial like they usually were, but sunken, dark and brooding, and worst still, the entire boat was this way.

It wasn't long before the boat had pulled up, and Mako, the largest, stepped off as the pirates pulled the oars up. Link could see that the entire old crew that he had known was there: Niko, Nudge, Gonzo, Lenzo, Senza, and Zuko. However, as they filed off the boat after they had stowed the oars, each in turn seemed to give Link the pained, mournful type of look, and then gather next to Mako.

After the last pirate had gotten off, Mako sighed, folded his arms and said, "aye, its good to see you again Link my lad, you've grown ye have."

Link nodded and replied, "and its good to see you all again as well, where....where is Tetra?" he asked, looking at the pirates questioningly. When they did not answer, Link felt hsi stomach clench into a knot and he suddenly felt hollow and cold as if the inner warmth isnide of him had suddenly been extinguished.

"Lad, I think its best we go inside to talk." Mako replied grimly. "al...alright..." Link replied, closing his eyes, and motioning toward his grandmothers house. "we can talk in there, my grandma won't mind." Sighing he then slowly started walking toward the house, the pirates following.

When they got there, Aryll was outside waiting a smile on her face. However, as the group came closer, she could see the lookon Links and the Pirates faces. Running up to her older brother she said quietly, "Link...whats wrong?" She then looked over to Mako, and then over the pirates, her young eyes searching. "Where's Miss Tetra?" she then mumbled quietly, clutching her teddy bear as she awaited an answer from anyone present.

It was Mako that answered, by picking her up, smiling slightly, then saying, "and how is my little pirate lass?"

"Oh, I'm fine Mako." she replied quietly, and to the point. Then, as she continued to look over the pirates and Links glum faces she asked again, "Mako, c'mon tell me, wheres Miss Tetra I wanted to see her again..." her young face still had an eager look to it, yet Link could tell there was a hint of sadness mixed in, betraying her dissappointment of the only other female pirate the crew loved and respected. Putting her down Mako shook his head then turned to Links grandmother and said politely, "ma'am would you mind leaving us to talk to Link? Its....important."

Looking at Link, his grandmother nodded sagely and whispered to Aryll as she gently ushered her to thwe door, "c'mon dearie...your brother needs to talk to these kind folks alone, lets give him his space." The opnly reply was another whimper from Aryll, and a pout, but she finally relented and followed her Grandmother outside. Link watched his sister go and sighed slightly, his shoulders slumping. He wished his sister could be involved, but something, deep in his heart told him this news would again lead him far, far away. Away from Outset, and home, his friends, and family most of all, and this time, he knew Aryll would not be coming with him or the pirates, that this was something he would have to accomplish alone.

Closing his eyes he folded his arms across his chest and waited for Mako to speak. He didn't have to wait long as the pirate cleared his throat and finally spoke. "link, about Tetra...she um....well...we ran into a storm about half way out here, it was dark, black and very violent, and even our mighty ship could not hold against it. However, Miss Tetra seemed to sense something...she, ran toward the front of the ship, and then it happened...a wave, as big as the tallest of trees hit us...and she was knocked out of the ship and into the ocean." He paused for a second to sigh and shake his head, shrugging as he did so, his face looking still sullen and dark. He then continued. "We...heard something soon after...in that wind...a foul....evil laugh...or chuckle, I don't know what it was but it scared many of the men, so much so that they ran and hid. Soon after the storm abated, and...we tried to look for the young Miss, but...we couldn't find her...itw as if she completely vanished." Sighing he closed his eyes and muttered, "for all its worth lad, I'm sorry...we knew how much the Miss meant to you."

Link stood there quietly looking at the floor as if in deep thought. He then looked up and at Mako, unfolding his arms as he did so, then said slowly, "where did this happen?"

"Out by where that old watchtower was the last time we plucked you and the Miss from the sea all those years ago." Mako replied quietly. "Why?"

He hesitated for a moment as Mako told him the location. He knew what was buried there, sealed away from the reach of man. Could he have risen already? he thought to himself. A grim look of determination crossed his face as the idea crossed his mind. If it was so, then he knew very shortly things would become as they had been those eight years ago. It was then that he realized the silence he was causing, and the fact that the pirates were staring at him, so he then spoke, saying, "If she was dead....I would have felt it...I know I would have." Link sighed and looked at the back of his palm. On it the symbol of the Triforce of Courage lit up and pulsed softly. "Although she may not posses it as Zelda, she and I are bound by our destinies." he continued, looking back at Mako, his hand up, clenched in a fist so the pirates could see the symbol pulsing before them. "It would have told me if she died..." He closed his eyes and tried to sound confident, as he lowered his hand, but his voice cracked slightly, a dead giveaway to the pirates that even though he figured Tetra was alive, the news had hit him hard.

"Aye kad, we understand how you feel." Mako replied quietly, putting a hand on his shoulder. "So if this Miss is alive like you say she is, don't you supopose we should go look for her yes?" He then smiled and laughed, "besides, she'd give us such a whallop if we didn't!"

Link chuckled softly, and nodded, replying with a small smirk, "yeah she would, you know that temper of hers."

Mako grinned then laughed, "yes, thats our young Miss for you, beautiful even when angry."

"Which is most of the time." Nudge interjected, nodding sagely as he adjusted his glasses, "especially when Niko dozes off on his swabbie duties!"

"Hey!" I don't do that often!" came the reply from the small swabbie, who folded his arms and pouted. "Its just that it gets so boring without Link around...I miss the old days..."

Link chuckled and shook his head, holding up his hands, "oh no, not this time, no more tests Niko, you'll just have to find someone else." This prompted another pout from the swabbie who gave Link a despairing look before sulking off into the corner. The other pirates just laughed, finding the exchange rather funny, as they knew that Niko was always trying to convince one of them into taking over his duties as the swabbie, having still not passed the final test the become a fukll fledged pirate.

"Poor Niko, I kinda feel sorry for him." Mako replied, chuckling as he turned to Link who grinned and shrugged. "So, whats our first move then...Hero." he then smirked a bit and waited for Links reply.

Link nodded a bit then said to Mako, "You know, I still haven't gotten used to people calling me that...even after eight years." Sighing he shook his head, "in fact I was hoping to you know, put it all behind me...but, now that I think about it....as long as I have the Triforce of Courage, I will always be The Hero won't I?"

Mako nodded and patted Links shoulder. "Aye that you will lad," he replied. "As you said it best yourself, Destiny has choosen you, just as it has Miss Tetra, the mark on your had proves it. I always thought even when I first laid on you that you would do great things, and I was proven right. Destiny has a funny way of not choosing poorly, and I say you've done a fine job of what fate has dealt you. Face it lad, either the Hero of Time or the Hero of Winds, you are now part of the greater plan that only the Goddesses know will lead us. If you ask me they couldn't have choosen anyone better."

Looking up at the ceiling, Link let out a breath, a sigh again escaping his lips. "I figured ever since the King of Red Lions revealed everything to us those eight years ago, that my life would never be the same..." he sighed again whistfully, "I guess, I was right." He then turned his head to look at Mako, "but I've always wondered, CAN I live up to these expectations that Destiny has placed on me? Sure I passed the tests, and accepted the responsibility of the Triforce, but I still wonder at nights when I can't sleep, can I BE the Hero?"

Mako shook his head then looked Link in the eyes, "Kid, you've grown in these many years since we've seen you last, and you've changed, I can tell. I can also impart to you the many wisdoms that I learned growing up, but one thing that I cannot tell you is the answer to that question. You will find out as you experience the many trials of time set before you. But personally I say you will bear them as you did back then, with Courage and fearless determination. Link you ARE the Hero, through and through. I see it in your eyes, you have the experience of ages behind you and I am sure you will live up to the expectations of all."

Nodding Link then dropped his hands to the sides and turned and headed for the door, grabbing his shield from the wall where it had been placed. Before he opened the door, however, he looked at the Pirates and said, "guys...I'll be seeing you, I've got things to do." He smiled a bit then waved, before picking up his sword and its holster up from the table besides the door. With that the door was opened and closed, and Link was gone.

"So, what do we do now boss? I mean I thought we were going to go look for the Miss as well." Nudge blinked as he watched Link leave.

Shaking his head, Mako turned and said to the others, "not today mates, in fact i think its best if we let the lad do this on his own...as for us I think a extended shore leave here on Outset would be good don't you?" He was answered with a resounding "YES!" as the pirates ooted and hollered in glee.

Outside, Link had gone down to the pier and was quietly loading his equipment. Bommerang, Bows, arrows, bombs, sail, everything he'd need. Then suddenly he heard from behind him, "so you're leaving again big brother?" Turning, and slinging his sword and shield over his shoulder he saw Aryll standing there, his grandmother off in the distance watching them. Nodding he replied quietly, regret in his voice, "yeah theres some things I gotta take care of."

"That just means you'll be gone for along time!...I remember when Miss Tetra said that eight years ago!" Link could see tears brimming in her eyes. His heart wrenched, but all he could do was look down and away, his gaze unable to meet her own. Whimpering Aryll took one of his hands in her own, then said, "Big Brother...just...promise me you'll come back alive ok?!? I understand...bout everyone caling you a Hero and all...and I...understand that you can't just STAY here." She looked at his hand, that was in hers, as the symbvol of the Triforce pulsed and glowed softly. "I understand that this means you were meant for many great things...just...you will come back right? With Miss Tetra?"

Smiling Link nodded and kneeled a little, his eighteen year old frame still dwarfed her own, despite her being older now. Looking her in the eyes, he then nodded and replied, "Yeah I promise sis. I'll come home...I just have to go away for awhile, don't worry Grandma and the Pirates will look after you." He then nodded to her last question saying, "and of course I'll bring Tetra home, don;t worry ok?"

Aryll sniffed, nodded, and wiped some of the tears from her eyes before saying, "Ok Big Brother...I'll miss you..." With that her arms wrapped around his neck and she hugged him tightly. Gently slipping his arms around her, and hugging her gently back he murmured, "I'll miss you too...take good care of evryone for me ok? Especially Grandma...you're the big girl of the house now." His smile that he gave her as he broke the hug was bittersweet, but still full of brotherly love. Aryll nodded and then quietly, turned and walked back toward their Grandma. Link looking at them both, quickly climed into the King of Red Lions boat solemnly, then as he pulled up the sail and the wind caught it, he turned to look at them. Waving he then quietly sat down and pulled out of Outset Islands harbor and into the setting sun. As Outset Island slowly faded from view, he could swear on the winds breath he heard his sisters voice say "Be safe, my brother..."

(to be continued!)

(btw I know I mixed up Nudge and Mako but ah well, its a diferent story after all keep reviewing everyone and I'll post chapter 5 asap!)