"WHAT!" I shouted.
"NO WAY!" Tetra screamed out.
"Please, hear me out!" Quill said, his soft voice raised as high as it could go. "This is the only way!" I grumbled. After I had made it clear that I'd go anywhere and do anything to save Aryll, I regretted wording it that way. "Link, there is no other way. If you truly wish to save Aryll, you must do this!"
"I'll swim to this Forsaken Fortress before I'll go with… Them." I hissed. How Dare Quill suggest that I… travel with Pirates? And Tetra didn't seem any happier than I was with it. But Quill was determined.
"Link…" He started.
"Hey! What about Us, Rito? Eh? It's our ship, not some charity case! For the last time, we're not carting some little brat across the seas, not to the Forsaken Fortress, of all places!" Quill sensed a sensitive topic, and turned to ponder this. Then, he quietly asked Tetra a brief question.
"What about… Windfall? He could get his own boat from there…"
"Windfall? Well… I guess we could do that…" Tetra said, thinking. Then, she turned her back on Quill and Link. "If it'll get you off our back, bird-man, then yes." Quill then turned to me.
"Link…" he started again.
"No way, Quill!" I shouted. "There is no way I'm going with Pirates, and that's Final!" As I stormed off, I could hear Tetra muttering something like 'glad that's solved'.
As I stared out at the sea from the Look-out, I could remember Grandma's words to me. "Link, we're not from Oceana. Make the Family proud. Not from Oceana… Not from Oceana… From a land, Link… Make us proud…" Then, Aryll's voice filled my head. It was from long ago, when we were playing Pirate Attack. "Help me, big brother. Save me!" Followed by her giggle. I saw a strange sight in the horizon; A red Boat, with a lion Prow, sailing itself across the sea. Suddenly, I saw a bright flash. Within the water's reflection, I could see an enormous Castle. Where I should be sat another boy, with bright blonde hair like mine, and even the same colored eyes; blue as the sea. He wore clothes like mine, and he had a big blue-hilted sword in hand. It was magnificent. He winked at me, wit ha Ripple, the whole scene changed; the castle was in ruins, and where my reflection should be was a giant man, completely cloaked in Black. Swirling gold letters lined his cloak, and a Red jewel stuck out where his forehead should be. I heard an Evil laugh, then I felt woozy. I felt myself losing consciousness, and tumbled off the look-out.
I awoke on the shore, With Zill and Joel looking over me. Their Mother was standing beside them, looking at something. I looked Joel and Zill in the eyes and told them Good-bye. Then, I turned and rushed off to the Dock, determined. The last pirate was pulling up the gangplank when I ran up.
"Hold it! I'm coming!" I shouted. As I clambered up, I recognized Gonzo. He was smiling at me.
"I was hoping you would join us, Link." He said in a happy tone. Despite his fierce looks, I felt… safe around him. Imagine that, safe around a pirate.
"Oh ,yes. Happy-freaking-day." Said a familiar, snide voice.
"Hello again, Tetra." I said.
"Don't expect a free travel to windfall. It'll be a few weeks, I'd guess, so be ready for a full week of hard work!" She then tossed me some clothes. "Here. Pirates don't wear stuff like that, so put this on." A blue shirt wit ha lobster design on it, and orange shorts. Grey wristbands.
"Can I keep my hat on?" I asked sarcastically as I headed for the cabins.
"No." Was all I heard.
Later, I was all geared up with my thankfully not-warm clothes and reported below Decks to my new boss. It was the boy my age from before.
"I'm Niko, and don't you forget it, Swabbie. Now, these few weeks you're gonna be on the bottom of the barrel, got it?" He crackled.
"Ok." I grumbled. So far, I wasn't very impressed by these so-called "Pirates". I stared at the interior of the ship's hull… the whole cargo bay was empty. Ropes with lanterns on them dangled from the ceiling.
"Now, I'm gonna show you what we pirate swabbies do all day. Ready?" With that, he charged forward and leapt to one of the ropes. He grabbed on, and started swinging all around the room, from rope to rope. Finally he landed on the raised platform on the other side. "Think you can handle that?" He said snidely.
"What about… you know, work?" I asked, surprised.
"Well, of course we swabbies do the dirty work like the laundry and emptying the chamber pots, but only when the need arises. See, it's better to be a Swabbie for kids like us!" I grinned. I ran forward and jumped at a rope. As I grabbed on, I slid down the rope. I then fell to the floor, clutching my hand sin such extreme pain! Niko laughed. "Got rope burn, Link?" I just nodded. He laughed again. We spent several hours swinging around. That evening, Niko took me to the kitchen. It was all wood, and full of different food. A strange Metal box, cold to the touch, was full of ice and raw meat. Lots of spices lined the walls, as well as dried fruits and vegetables. Cans of chicken stock, beef broth and fruit juices filled the cupboards.
"We're the cooks tonight Link… as well as every night. You'll have to grow a stomach of steel… I'm a horrible cook." He laughed. I laughed with him, then wordlessly began grabbing ingredients. "Hey, what're you doing?" He asked. I said nothing as I filled a large pot with stock and broth. I light the fire under the pot, and analyzed the vegetables and spices. I murmured to myself as I worked.
"Two pinches of Boko root… A dash of Deku powder… a few carrots for strength, some blueberries to sharpen the mind, Green curry for bravery… Lots of pork to fatten up the bones…" Niko just stared in awe.
The large table was full by the time we got there, carrying the large pot. The pirates groaned at the stew's yellow color.
"Another great concoction of the great Niko? Whatever happened to sandwiches, ya?" Jeered one of the pirates. A host of them laughed with him. Gonzo held out his bowl.
"Let's get this over with, lads." He said. More laughs. As we poured some stew in his bowl, he took his spoon and tested the yellow broth. He said nothing, and set it down. He just sat there. Finally, he spoke.
"What… what Is that, Niko?" He asked quietly. Niko flinched.
"I… I don't know, Gonzo. Link made it." Gonzo turned to me.
"Link?" he asked.
"It's Elixir Stew. My grandma's recipe, twisted a bit to be a bit more…hearty." There was a long pause.
"Link." Gonzo said again. "You ever think of becoming a cook? 'Cause if you do… I'd pay a hundred Rupees to have you in our service!" He turned to the other pirates. "Lads, tonight, we eat well!" a chorus of cheers. "And we will every night until we reach Windfall!" More cheers, and even a huzzah. Nudge, the larges of the pirates, walked over to me and picked me up. He set me on his shoulder. Loud, poorly sung songs broke out, with lyrics twisted to match food and my name. I saw Niko shrink back, pain on his face. I stopped smiling.
"I'm just a cook…" I tried to say. Nobody was listening, so I jumped down. I powered the men their stew, then started to carry the pot back to the kitchen. Niko came over to help me.
"Aren't you going to stay there? They're celebrating you." Niko muttered to me, jealousy in his voice.
"Naw." I said. "They're celebrating the food, which they'll only have for a few weeks. I'd rather spend time with cooler people. I'm a Swabbie, remember?" I said wit ha grin. Niko matched my grin with an open smile, Buck teeth gleaming.
"You know what, link? You're alright. You're all right." He said.
We filled a bowl with stew and headed for the cabins. Niko knocked on the biggest door. Tetra opened the door.
"What's with all the singing?" She asked. She looked down on the bowl. "Even your cooking didn't deter their spirits, eh? I'm impressed." Then she caught on to the changes in the lyrics. She turned to me. "Are they… singing about you?" she asked, suspicion in her voice.
"More about the stew, really. My grandma taught me how to cook." I said evenly. Tetra snorted.
"A cook. Of course he's a freakin' cook. What next?" She took the bowl and slammed the door in our faces.
"What's her problem?" I asked.
"Dunno." Niko responded.
The next day, I was called out above decks. Gonzo and a few other pirates had gathered in a circle.
"Come here, Link." Gonzo said. As I approached, I saw in the center of the circle was a gangly teenager with a red cap and bloodshot eyes. "This is Zuko." Gonzo said. I noticed Gonzo was holding my sword and shield. He saw the question in my eyes. "Zuko's our best swordsman anywhere close to your size. I want the rest of the lads to see your brilliant swordplay."
"Um… okay…" I said. I picked up my sword and shield, and put the sheath on my back. Zuko stared at me.
"Dude… I'm not gonna be, like, holding back or anything. So, like, fight for your life." He himself drew his sword, long and thick. His shield was made of wood, like mine, but much larger. He charged at me, and I rolled to the left. He bashed into my side with his shield. I felt the wind being knocked out of me. I stumbled to the floor, dropping my sword. Zuko laughed and raised his sword to maim me. That's when I felt a familiar rush. And this time, I wasn't on a Cliffside. I rolled over to my sword, and picked it up as I rose to me feet.
"He's nimble!" One pirate said.
"He's dead." Said another. I ran toward Zuko. As he swung his sword at me, I met it with my shield. A twist of the shield with a strike of the blade, and Zuko's sword went flying overboard. I leapt into the air and chopped down on him, cutting his shield neatly in half, as well as leaving a small cut on his arm. Then I bashed the side of his head with my shield. It all lasted about ten seconds. In ten seconds, it had gone from Zuko standing over me, lying on the ground to Zuko on the floor, unmoving. The jeering from the pirates fell to a hush. Gonzo started clapping, as did the others. I turned and saw Tetra, leaning against a nearby mast, staring at me. When our eyes met, she winked at me.
The weeks passed rather quickly. Niko taught me the secrets to rope swinging in return for my lessons on cooking. Every day, about midday, Gonzo would teach me more about sword fighting. He'd finish every lesson with "But of course, you already know that' I know you're just humoring me." But I was really learning from him. More than I'd ever learned from Orca. As we neared Windfall, I remembered that Mila lived there, and was exited to visit her again. On the other hand, I was actually getting used to life as a Pirate. Tetra had suddenly warmed up to me a little, and offered me a place with them after I saved Aryll.
"In a year, we'll stop by outset again, if you want." She had told me. A loud cry awoke me from my thinking.
"Land ahoy!"
I whipped out Aryll's telescope. There, on the horizon, was Windfall Island. But… we weren't heading for it. In fact, we were veering left, when Windfall was far right of us. I ran from the starboard and up to Tetra, who was at the wheel.
"Hey!" I shouted. "Windfall's over there!"
"So it is." Tetra muttered.
"Where are you taking me?" I asked. She stared at me.
"I decided that a good cook for a while longer was worth the risk. We're taking you to the Forsaken fortress. We should be there in a few days."