A.N.: So...tired. Anyway, I kinda changed my writing style from my earlier ones back in Chap 1 of the first part of BC.

Chapter 3: Talk

The rest of the pirates and Vaati had left Link and Niko on the ship while they went to look for the nearest bar. Though the pirates had been disappointed their forever angry captain was going to go with them, they didn't appear to mind his presence so much once they were walking towards town. Niko explained to Link that Miss Tetra had highly disapproved of drinking because her crew had once come back to the ship so drunk they couldn't stand up the next morning; Link assumed the pirates were tolerating their new captain because he was going to let them enjoy a night full of alcohol and hazy heads.

Link followed Niko around the ship as the little pirate showed him around the place. The sleeping quarters bothered Link the most, as he couldn't imagine himself sleeping in a room that was constantly swaying. The bunks were wooden planks crudely attached to the ship walls so the pirates could sleep on them. He could see that the pirates had made some attempt to make themselves comfortable by piling on several cushions on top of each other. Niko saw Link's face and laughed.

"What, you don't like it? Don't complain to the other guys. They'll probably leave you to sleep outside." Niko pointed to an empty bunk next to the one with the least amount of cushions. "You can take the one next to mine." He scurried over to some of the thickest beds and pulled out a bed sheet while looking guiltily from side to side. "Here, take this. I don't think Gonzo will notice he lost one. Just don't tell anyone, OK? I don't wanna get busted."

Link took the sheet. "Wow, thanks Niko."

Niko stuck out his chest. "I'm only taking care of my swabbie. That's my job as your superior. You're on the bottom rung now, and who knows what horrible jobs you'll suffer without me around." He took another glance at the sheet he had given Link as though expecting it to rat him out. "Link, don't tell anyone. I'm serious! I don't want to have to go through another laundry day."

"What's so bad about laundry day?" Link asked, as he attempted to make his bed.

"Gonzo's underwear." The buck-toothed pirate shuddered at the thought. He shook his head to get rid of the bad memories and quickly smiled childishly at Link. "So, my old swabbie, what do you say to taking the pirate's test again?"

XXXXXXXXXX

Vaati held his drink and sat glumly while the rest of the pirates exploded in drunken laughter at nothing in particular. He didn't enjoy alcohol too much because he didn't want anyone to catch him drunk. The mage took a modest swig before going back to looking bored, but then suddenly started when something hit his shoulder. Vaati glared irritably at a finger that was poking him. It was Gonzo.

"Hey Captain! You should enjoy yourself, yeah? You won't get another night like this once we're on the watery place." Gonzo's face was a warm red and he smiled happily. Vaati leaned back as the pirate's swinging arms caused some beer to splash out of his mug. "Come on, Captain! We gave you a slapping new ship! Celebrate!" Vaati growled and pushed the man away.

"Don't bother Gonzo, little purple man probably can't handle the drinks," Senza said in a slow drawl and burst into happy laughter. Mako laughed with him even though he wasn't sure what he should be happy about.

Vaati slammed his mug down, causing the pirates to stare at him in surprise. The five drunks watched him curiously with merry smiles as Vaati's lips twitched upwards into a dangerous one. "All right, fools. Get your rupees ready, I'm in for several rounds."

XXXXXXXXXX

Niko led Link to the bottom storage compartment of the ship where a series of lanterns hung from the ceiling between large wooden crates. Niko climbed down a ladder that led down to the floor with the boxes, moved across the room, and climbed up the ladder on the opposite side to stand on a platform across from Link.

"Since you're a little doozy in the head, I've made the test easy for you. That's not to say that you won't get a little challenge, little swabbie!" Niko called over, his voice full of authority. He pointed to the lanterns and then to the crates. "This should be straight forward. You're going to have to jump on that crate over there, and then catch the swinging lantern. Don't miss, or your legs will be hurting from the fall." Niko crossed his arms. "Let's see if you can still do this stuff, swabbie!"

Link stretched, warmed up a bit, and hopped onto the first of the crates. He carefully timed his next jump to catch a hold onto the swaying chain of the lantern and swung himself a few times to get the chain move closer to the next lantern. Link repeated this until he landed in front of Niko with a satisfied grin. "That was easy."

Niko snorted. "It was supposed to be, underling." He brightened, "But you're incredible, Link! Even though you've got your memories wiped you can still do this in a flash!" The little pirate brought himself to full height, "Niko is proud of you, swabbie! Just a bit more time and you might even be my equal!"

Link tilted his head. "Um…ok."

Niko put a hand to his chin, and spoke to himself, "I don't really have any rewards to give him this time…Hmmm. But that was custom, there has to be something." He suddenly popped his right fist into his left hand. "I got it! Hey, swabbie, follow me! The great and generous Niko will take you to the ship's forbidden area!"

Link sensed that Niko was more excited about going than Link. "The forbidden area?"

"That's right! Be real careful-like and make sure the others haven't returned yet. Nudge guards it, but now he's gone." Niko shook Link by the shoulders. "Don't tell anybody? OK? OK?! We'll be on the plank if they find out. I'm serious!"

Link nodded quickly. "Promise."

XXXXXXXXXX

The bartender pursed her lips tightly as her customer asked for another drink. His five other friends were watching with interest as they guzzled down their own drinks and chattered in drunken bliss. She sighed and brushed back her hair in a tight bun as she counted over a dozen empty mugs.

"Hurry up woman, I don't have all night," he said as he pushed back his hat that had fallen over his eyes.

She had given up on trying to reason with the purple clad customer after he had gone into a furious rage when she hinted that perhaps he had had enough to drink. It had taken his two tall, muscular friends to hold him down and quiet him. The bartender handed him another mug without saying a word. She only cared if they paid, and besides, a nice hangover tomorrow will give them more advice than what she could ever hope to get through their thick heads.

Vaati nodded in approval and his unstable hands went for the mug. He missed a few times before he succeeded.

Senza swirled his finger around as he tried to point at the mage. "Wow, purple, purple, captain. I'm sorry about saying you couldn't, you know, handle drinks." The pirate slurred. "I was just talking chatting with glasses here about, you know, how you can't go wrong with a good drinker." He slapped his hands down on Mako who had his face knocked into his beer.

Mako looked up angrily and pushed Senzo back who knocked down Zuko who had been contemplating his drink. "My glasses! Look what you've done to them, you mushy-brained moblin!"

Mako made to attack Senzo but was punched by an annoyed Zuko. Gonzo and Nudge went over to the fighting trio in an attempt to calm them down. "Hey there, let's all be friends." Gonzo stuttered as he tried to find words. Someone sent a hefty kick at Gonzo who then joined the fray. Nudge joined for the sake of it.

There was a full-fledged fight going on by the bar counter, and the other people who had come to the bar quickly left the building as knives began to fly. One drunk stayed by the door for a while to watch the commotion with interest, but left when the fight came too close to him. Vaati clenched his fist and threw his glass across the room after emptying its contents. "Shut the hell up!" he screamed and took out his Wind Waker.

Meanwhile, the bartender crouched behind the bar counter and took out a pocketknife. She blocked a piece of furniture from falling on her head with a tray and waited for the fight to wear itself out. It was just another rough night at the bar; she was used to these things.

XXXXXXXXXXX

Link walked into the so-called "forbidden room." Niko was nervous, and he kept glancing back at the door that led outside, expecting the pirates to come back anytime. There was a large ocean chart spread out on the mahogany table in the middle of the room, and a rather feminine bed was pushed to the corner. Link made his way around to a pictograph that was propped on top of a dresser.

"So, is this Zelda's room?"

"Yeah! Nobody's allowed in Miss Tetra's room," Niko said as he looked around. "I thought Miss Tetra might have kept hidden treasure here." He crawled under the bed.

Link took a closer look at the pictograph. The six pirates were there, and in the middle stood a rather boyish girl who was heavily tanned from life on the seas. The resemblance to the princess was there, though. The Zelda in this era was almost identical to the princess in his era. Sadness washed over him as he thought about his childhood friend who was trapped beneath the ocean or worse, with Ganondorf. "Zelda," he murmured.

Niko came back out from under the bed coughing dust. "Nothing's down here. I guess Miss Tetra just wanted a bunch of privacy." He noticed Link had not put down the pictograph. "Hey swabbie? Is something wrong?" The pirate sounded worried.

Link gave him an unconvincing smile. "I think I'm fine. It's just that…I don't remember anything here except Zelda. But even then, I don't feel this Zelda is the person I knew, and," he sighed, "it's like I don't belong here."

"Of course you belong here!" Niko exclaimed with arms wide to his sides. "Don't worry about that, swabbie! You used to be Miss Tetra's favorite. You went everywhere together, swabbie. But…" Link looked up at the pirate's hesitation, "it's still fishy you remembered Miss Tetra but nothing else."

Link took a deep breath and put the pictograph back on the dresser. He hung his head. "Niko, there's something I want to tell you…"

XXXXXXXXXX

The pirates were laughing again as though their previous fight had never occurred, and the bartender had let them stay after Nudge paid her several hundred rupees to compensate for the damage and the drinks. Gonzo and Vaati were talking amiably with flushed faces; they were currently on the subject of hobbies.

"You want to know about my hobbies? I'll tell you about my hobbies!" Vaati said loudly as he threw his mug into the air. "You won't believe what my hobbies are," Vaati said conspiratorially, and four pirates leaned forward with interest. Zuko had fallen asleep on the counter.

"Wh, wh, what do you, d, d, do?" Gonzo asked unsteadily.

Vaati grinned. "I plot to take over Hyrule."

Mako interrupted swiftly. "Hyrule is underwater though. Link told us." He pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose. "Are you, are you calling Link a liar?"

The mage took another swig and slammed his mug against the counter. "I hate Link. Link always ruins my plans to take over Hyrule. He's probably a liar too."

Gonzo jumped up and fell back down on his seat when his legs couldn't support him. "Link! He ruins m, m, my plans too! If he didn't, didn't, didn't show his face I would've married Miss Tetra, yeah?"

Vaati growled. "Link, his life must be ended."

Gonzo began to cry. "We're on the same…what do you call it…boat, Captain! We both hold a grudge on Link. But he's a nice boy, yeah? I can't do anything, yeah? He's my friend!"

Vaati hit his hands against the wooden counter top. "That's it! That's the trouble! He's my frie…I mean," the mage restarted as he noticed something wrong with the sentence, "He's too nice!" He was still conscious enough to glare at the other pirates. "What are you looking at? Get back to your drinks!"

The pirates complied happily. Vaati quickly rejoined the drunks after another round of beer.

XXXXXXXXX

Link and Niko made themselves comfortable as they sat atop a barrel. Link found words spilling out of his mouth as he told Niko everything that had occurred without any omissions. He was tired of keeping the situation a secret.

Niko turned out to be a good listener; only interrupting the story with gasps and laughs all in the right moments. Link recounted how he had fought with Vaati, only to find the real villain who had sent Hyrule into darkness had been Ganon. He talked about the complications with Opal and how she had released Vaati from his prison, only to be possessed by Ganondorf who had managed to break the seal on the Four Sword. He mentioned the time travel with Vaati and the bizarre reactions of the people in a different Hyrule. Link talked about the problem of getting Vaati weapons, at which point Niko chuckled, and about the tests they had to pass for the Master Sword to regain its power. He even explained how he had saved the mage from death when he had every reason to not help him. By the time Link got to the part where they had time traveled again to a flooded Hyrule, Niko looked like he had trouble breathing.

"So you're from the past?" Niko gasped in wonder after Link had finished his story.

Link nodded. "That's about it. I won't be offended if you don't believe me."

"No, no, swabbie! I'll believe you! That's the most amazing thing I've ever heard." Niko rocked back and forth as he tried to imagine the past, "So Hyrule had more land than Windfall Island?" he breathed.

"Probably. I've never seen the ocean before until I came here."

The pirate scrunched his forehead. "That must've blown. I can't imagine life without this!" He waved his hand in the general direction of the ocean.

Link became silent.

"Oh. I guess you don't like it here much?" Niko asked.

Link shook his head. "It's not that. It's just…I want to go back home. I want to see everyone I've known all my life is still ok." Link sighed, "I want to have a normal life for once, where I don't have to go run around and fight."

Niko didn't know what to say, so they sat in silence for a while, listening to the creaks and groans of the ship. Finally, Link looked up. "I guess I was being selfish." He turned to Niko. "Thanks for listening, Niko. I needed that."

Niko smiled, glad that Link was talking again. "No problem, swabbie! I'll always listen. Don't worry, after all this is done the mighty ones up above will just have to grant you a break."

Link smiled back at the pirate's attempt to lighten the mood. Niko perked up as loud laughter sounded from outside the door.

"Ah, they're back. Let's see if they remember the password." He rubbed his hands together and hopped to the door grinning mischievously.

OXXXXXXXXO

H-bomber: Nice catch! I fixed it. Thanks!

Reily96: And he took away his spotlight in FSA. What a bully indeed. X) And thanks for the fav!

Evil Riggs: Message if and when you get here: I love your criticism! (is that weird?). Hopefully, I'm getting better.