Chapter Fourteen: Linebeck the Sailor
I exited Eldin's Temple, relieved to be out of the dreadful heat of the volcano. I stared at the horizon with a big smile on my face. Now that I had reassembled the spirit key, I could finally return home to my friends. I could hardly believe that it had been nearly three years since I had last seen them. I wondered how they were doing. But first I would need to find a way to get across the ocean back to America.
I started to head back down the mountain path towards Tokyo. But before I could get too far, I was stopped; stopped by a voice that was all too familiar to me by now.
"Well, well… someone certainly looks happy." The voice said.
I quickly turned around to see Ghirahim standing before me once again.
"Ghirahim! Why are you here?!" I asked.
"Why I'm just here to see my favorite little wannabe hero again. Is that so wrong?" Ghirahim answered with a hint of sarcasm.
"I don't have time for this!" I said. "I know why you're really here. I'm not going to let you destroy the spirit key!"
"Spirit Key?!" he gasped. "Never heard of it."
What?! He wasn't after the spirit key at all?! Then… what did he want with me?
"Wait… you're not after me for the spirit key? Then why have you been following me?" I asked him.
"I have my own reasons for what I do." He answered rather calmly. "You see, I'm looking for… a particular someone. And I've had my eye on you, Link."
What was it about me that he was so interested in? It didn't matter; I wasn't going to let him stop me from going home! I drew my sword and stood ready for battle.
"Did you really just draw your sword? You wish to stand against me in battle once again?" Ghirahim asked me.
I didn't answer. I just kept my battle-ready stance. But he could tell by the look in my eyes that I meant business.
"Very well. I am interested to see how much you have improved." He said. "That is… if you have improved."
He then snapped his fingers and brought forth a black rapier to fight me with, just like before. After a moment, he made the first move. He rushed at me to try and strike me on the side again, but I saw this coming and used my shield to repel the attack. This caused him to stagger and I was able to get a few strikes at him. After a few hits he leapt back and snickered.
"I guess you remember everything from our last battle. But can you avoid this?" Ghirahim taunted.
He snapped his fingers again and summoned a swarm of levitating daggers to encircle me, just like before. But this time I was ready. I performed a spinning sword attack that hit every dagger that surrounded me in one move. Some of the daggers were even flung back at Ghirahim himself.
"Sorry, but I'm not gonna fall for that again!" I told him.
Ghirahim brushed himself off from my counterattack, looking irritated but impressed at the same time.
"So you have improved." He said. "But I'm afraid this battle will be a bit different from our last one!"
He snapped his fingers again and brought forth a second rapier. With two swords in his hands he came at me. Our swords clashed in a battle that seemed like it was taking hours. Eventually though, I got the upper hand and managed to strike him several times. Ghirahim dropped one of his swords and stumbled backwards. He flicked his hair back and coughed a bit.
"Well, well… you put up more of a fight than I thought possible out of such a soft-hearted boy. But I'm afraid we're going to have to stop here. I have much more… pressing matters to attend to." He said.
"Good. Go! You're not going to keep me from my friends!" I told him.
"Now who ever said I was trying to?" He said.
I relaxed, knowing that the battle was over… at least for now. But if he wasn't trying to keep me from going home, what were his intentions? Before he left, he turned around to tell me one last thing.
"Before I go, a little warning: when you do return home to your friends, don't expect things to be as they seem." He told me.
He then vanished. Don't expect things to be as they seem? What did he mean by that? I already knew things would be different than before. After all, I had been gone for three years.
Once I was back in Tokyo, I decided to visit the harbor. Perhaps I could find a boat that I could use to get back home. While I was searching, I happened upon what looked like a souvenir. It was open, so I went inside. Maybe I could get some info about getting a boat here.
Inside the building there were all sorts of strange and exotic looking treasures lining the shelves, most of which didn't look like they came from this region. I went up to the front desk to ask for help. There was no one there, but there was a bell that I could ring for assistance. When I rang it I heard someone shout from the back of the shop.
"Be there in a minute!" They said.
Soon afterwards, the one who had said that came up to the front desk. He was a middle aged man with long brown hair, and was wearing a blue overcoat.
"Welcome to Linebeck's Treasure Shop. Can I help you, kid?" he asked me.
"Uhh… yes. I was hoping that I could get some info as to where I could find a boat to use." I told him.
The man leaned over towards me a bit giving me a curious look that made me feel a bit nervous.
"There's something… odd about you, kid." He said. "I get this weird feeling like I shouldn't be near you."
I knew exactly what he meant. It was that 'unwelcome feeling' that practically everyone got when around me. I really hoped that it wouldn't be a problem.
"But at the same time… there's something a like about you, kid. Kinda like the feeling that a sailor gets when they meet a toughened-up traveler." He said.
When I heard that, I became intrigued.
"You're a sailor?" I asked him.
"Only one of the best. The name's Linebeck. I'm a real man of the sea!" He answered. "And also a part-time treasure hunter. I travel this world all over, hunting down rare and exotic items, and setting up shop in various places to sell them to various people."
"Wow! So you're like a real adventurer! My name is Link. I've been traveling the world too. Though right now I really just want to get home." I told him.
"I see. Well, I hate to be the bearer of bad news kid, but getting a boat isn't exactly free. You won't get any ride around here unless you have money." He said.
This would be a problem. I didn't have any money, and I didn't have any idea how to make any.
"Oh… well… sorry if I wasted your time." I told Linebeck.
Before I left though, Linebeck took notice of my old broken communicator that I had on my belt.
"Hey, hold up there kid!" He called out to me before I left.
I turned back around and came back up to the front desk.
"What's that you have there? That round thing on your belt." He asked me.
"What? This?" I replied as I took the communicator off of my belt to show him. "It's just an old communication device that I got from one of my friends back home. It's broken though. It doesn't work anymore."
He examined it for a few minutes before finally making a response.
"This looks like one of those devices that that group of super-powered kids use." He said. "What were they called again… oh, that's right, the Teen Titans."
"Excuse me?" I asked him. "I don't know what you're talking about. I got this from a guy named Robin."
Linebeck let out a hearty laugh after I had said that. I wasn't sure why at first, but then he told me.
"Kid… Robin is their leader!" He told me.
"What?! Wait a minute… would there happen to be four others? And are their names Cyborg, Beast Boy, Raven, and…. Starfire?" I asked him.
Linebeck touched his finger to his nose and told me I was 'right on the nose'. I later found out that meant I was absolutely correct. All of my friends had decided to stay together after all. That was great!
"Are you saying that those five are your friends? And this little communication device is yours? So I would guess… that makes you a Titan as well?" Linebeck asked me.
"Uh… yeah, I guess." I answered.
"So why didn't ya just meet up with them here a few days ago?" he asked me.
I wasn't exactly sure what he was talking about, but then he mentioned that all five of them had been here in Tokyo a few days ago.
"WHAT?! They were here?! How long ago?" I asked him.
"I'd say it was about…. A week ago." He told me.
A week ago? I had only arrived in Tokyo about five days ago. If only I had been a little faster I might have been able to reunite with them here. Linebeck took notice of the sad look I had on my face, and then stood up in front of me.
"Tell ya what kid, I'll help ya out!" Linebeck said. "Ya see, I happen to be from America myself, and I had just begun to pack up my things and sail across the Pacific. I could probably give you a lift…"
"Really?!" I asked with my face full of hope.
"BUT… it wouldn't just be a free ride. I won't ask for any money, but while on my ship you'd be tending to her. Swabbing the deck and what not, understand?" He finished.
I agreed to those terms right away. Afterwards I helped him pack up the rest of his things, which didn't take that long with my help. Then he introduced me to his ship, which he called the S.S. Linebeck. It was a steamboat of some sort; it was impressive, albeit rather filthy. No wonder he wanted me to clean it.
Later that evening, I boarded his ship and we set off. I got to work swabbing the deck after the first five minutes. It was a pain, but cleaning a ship is easier than fighting a gigantic lava worm, that was for sure. It would still be a few days before we reached America, but all of this would be worth it once I was back home. I just hoped that my friends would be as glad to see me as I was to see them.
