Chapter Three
"Linebeck!" Tetra shouted, pounding on the large white door of the cabin. "You're the one who told us to be up at the first sign of light! You have no excuse to still be sleeping!"
Link tuned her out turning to the milk bar were he could still hear the jabber of the excited pirates at the news they would be staying on land a little longer. All but one pirate had been ecstatic at the news.
"But Miss Tetra," one said in reply, "where are you going? Will you be safe?" Gonzo asked the young girl worry clear in his eyes.
"It'll be fine, Gonzo." Tetra had replied waving off his concern as her and Link left the crew.
"Linebeck!" Tetra shouted even louder, "you get your lazy good for nothing…", but the door flew open before she could finish her sentence.
"Alright pipsqueak, I heard you the first thousand times, I'm up already," said the sailor, pushing the girl aside. Turning to him he continued, "So you two love birds ready to set sail?"
"L-love birds?!?" The two stuttered in reply quickly glancing at each other then looking quickly away at the ground.
"Yeah I thought so," Linebeck snickered turning to start the engine.
"Me and Link are just friends, FRIENDS. Got it old man?" Tetra yelled, Link looked at her and sighed but nodded his head slowly. "And we didn't come here to be treated like children. You're the ones who asked us to come so we'd better get some respect!" Tetra finished, walking to the side of the ship to check the water wheel.
"You sure know how to pick em' kid." Linebeck muttered to Link as he walked to the engine and started tightening some loose screws.
Rolling his eyes Link walked over to Tetra who was mumbling under her breath something about Linebeck and cannons.
"Don't worry about him," Link said leaning against the rail facing her, "he's always like this, he's just kidding."
"I know," Tetra said putting down a cloth she had been wiping the oil out of the wheel with, "its just, I guess I'm so used to getting only the highest respect. I'm not used to someone who's not afraid to stand up to me."
"Well this is his ship. He's the captain now. Not you." Link said thoughtfully closing his eyes as a sudden gust of wind flew his hair up around his face.
"I guess, I'll just have to learn to deal with it." Tetra said looking at her friend, closing her eyes and smiling as he opened one eye to look at her. He had the sudden urge to kiss her and ever so slightly leaned forward, just as she opened her eyes. Blushing her turned and looked away to see Linebeck glancing in their direction, a smug look on his face.
"W-well, the wheel is ready. I think we can leave now." Link said scurrying away from Tetra to his usual navigator spot.
"Shall we set sail then?" Linebeck asked looking at the boy with the same smug expression.
"Lets," Tetra said making her way over to the sailor, "do you know how to get there?" She asked challenging his knowledge. "I mean if you are such a renowned sailor."
"Of course I know," he said bending over to look her in the eye, "I am captain after all."
"Fine then," she said not turning her gaze, "lets go."
"Alright, Link turn the ship port and full speed ahead," he replied, also not looking away, the two now in some sort of staring contest.
"Uh…ok?" Link hesitated looking at the two, but deciding it must be a Captain thing. Turning the ship to the left and following the mans orders.
"Do you still have a cannon on this thing?" Tetra said finally turning away from Linebeck who did a little victory dance.
"Why?" Link asked turning away from the sea to face her.
"Oh nothing, there's just a couple of monsters headed our way." Tetra said shrugging off the situation.
"What?" Linebeck shouted looking around, then seeing the fish like flying beasts yelled to Link, "Yes I still have the cannon! Fire away Kid!"
Quickly knowing the exact place to aim the gun from experience, Link expertly killed the monsters, pressing the button to return the cannon below deck.
"Impressive," Tetra nodded at Links work, "I might have to move you to cannon duty back on our ship. You're better then Gonzo. That's for sure."
Smiling to himself Link looked around for anymore monsters to shoot to show off some more, but before he could see any there was a sudden gust of wind and a strange fog drifted around them.
"W-what's this?" Linebeck asked in amazement, bending over the rail and scooping up some of the thick white blanket that now covered the sea. "Kid this couldn't be…" the old captain trailed off looking into the distance but seeing only a vast expanse of white.
"The ghost ship?" Link exclaimed in equal wonder, "but we, we sent it away to another world! There's no way it could return with the ocean king protecting the seal!"
"There could be another explanation," Tetra added, "couldn't there?" Just as she finished her sentence the waves picked up as if a large ship was headed their way.
"Kid look!" Linebeck whispered as he pointed to a massive ship just to their right. The dark ominous ship had a skull for a figurehead and its sails were torn and ripped. There seemed to be no one on board, yet the deck creaked as if some lost soul was pacing aimlessly.
"The ghost ship" the man whispered as if trying not to let the dank ship hear him. The three stared in awe as the ship slowly passed them, then just as suddenly as the fog had appeared, it was gone. The sun returned, shining brightly as if nothing had happened. The three stood in shocked silence then slowly turned to look at one another.
"What was that?" Linebeck said his voice slightly shaking, "Was that…real? I'm not the only one that saw it right?"
The two shook their heads looking at were the ship had sailed of to but seeing no sign of it.
Tetra opened her mouth, but was interrupted my Linebeck who suddenly let out a yelp and clasped his hand to his chest.
"What's wrong?" Link asked, rushing to the side of his friend, "show me your hand," he added pulling his hand away and looking down at the once black mark that was now pulsing red.
"Gah," Linbeck said looking at the mark and clutching his chest with his other hand, "it feels like something just took a bit out of my chest." The two children looked at each other sharing worried expressions.
"Looks like we don't have a lot of time," Tetra said looking at her two companions and then nodding in the direction the ghost ship had been, "we can't sit here worrying about that. It didn't seem to care that we were there so why should we care about it? The thing we need to worry about now is getting to Satzars tomb and getting this curse lifted. Link looked down at the mark on the Captains hand then up at him.
"She's right, we need to worry about you right now. Lets keep going."
"Alright," Linebeck said straightening himself out again, "then lets go, full speed ahead. I want to get these waters behind us. If the Ghost ship is here this is the last place we want to be."