This mess is very incomplete - So this is where I've decided to be. So you'll have to forgive me the less than stellar ending - I posted it in response to an ongiong story thread. Since the Original story is only 3 sentences long...I decided it needed to be longer. There is a small chance I'll write more of this...very small - but who knows - besides I've always thought it entertaining to find new and exciting ways to wake Link up

I also lack a Title for this...

Swabbie

"LINK!"

Somewhere below decks, a boy sat up at the sound of his name. He blinked and looked around as if trying to remember where he was. It apparently didn't come to him and, he yawned and lay back down.

"...Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz..."

Another ten minutes went by and Tetra bellowed again. "Where is he? Link! Gah! Niko!"

"Yes, Miss!" Niko shouted as he came to a stand still in front of her.

"Find…Link...now..." She said in a growl.

Niko swallowed the lump in his throat and stammered, "Y-y-yes, Miss." Niko all but ran to the door that led below. Searching in all the usual places, Niko started to worry. Where could he be? Ship wasn't that big. Niko felt his heart skip in fear as an angry voice above decks made him jump.

"Niko! I thought I told you to get Link up here?"

"Comin' Miss!" Niko shouted in reply. Deciding to give the main hold one more look, Niko tripped over Link who was curled up in a corner by some water barrels. At least I found ya, he thought and gave Link's shoulder a shake, but the boy only moaned. Time was ticking by and Niko was starting to sweat. Link still didn't budge as Niko shook him again but the boy only rolled over in his sleep swatting at the pirate's hands.

"...Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz..."

"NIKO!"

Panicked, Niko shook Link even harder, but the boy slept like the dead and just wouldn't wake up. The sound of muffled cursing and someone coming down the staircase toward them was more than the swabbie could take. If Miss Tetra found Link still asleep...Niko shuddered to think what would happen to the boy as he'd taken a liking to him.

Niko picked up the bucket of ice-cold seawater he'd been saving for the laundry and said, "This is fer yer own good, mate." and dumped on it Link's head.

Link sputtered and scrambled to his feet. "Gah! wha! Hey, Niko, what's the idea trying to drown me!"

The door to the hold burst open and Tetra stormed in. The Captain stopped in her tracks and her angry expression turned to mild amusement as her eyes slid from Niko, who immediately dropped the still dripping bucket, to a soaking wet Link. She crossed her arms and waited.

"We was just comin' up, Miss," Niko said as he cleared his throat and elbowed Link.

Tetra nodded and with the Captain's eyes still on him, Niko nervously picked up his bucket and kept his gaze on the floor as he headed out the door.

The boy blinked when Tetra's gaze returned to him and Link asked after an awkward silence, "You wanted to see me?"

"Yes," Tetra said quite calmly, "I need you topside with that Wind Waker of yours...Gonzo's spotted an island, and we need to re-supply...so if your done playing around down here..."

Link cleared his throat and decided against contradicting her. On the few occasions he'd done so in the past...he'd certainly lived to regret it. Tetra may be a girl, but she was the scariest girl on the ocean.