I think I need to get these people closer together, certainly would be easier to keep track of them. The again maybe not. You will also note that compared to the others this is really short...2100 some odd words. I decided it was best left alone - since it didn't fit well with the next (o.0)

(I'd better start to wrap this up, this whole disclaimer thing is starting to feel like a reoccurring nightmare.)

Nagori, Saimon, and Senkyoku
By achitka

Chapter 8:
Meanwhile...

...back in Al's cell

Al woke up to a pounding headache and a loud buzzing in his ears. He sat up slowly and leaned heavily against the wall. Reaching back he gingerly felt the back of his head and though it aggravated his headache a little to open his eyes he did and looked around. Dirty straw, and a nasty looking bowl of water, at least my little nap took care of the seasickness he thought. He closed his eyes again and gingerly rubbed his temples and ignoring the buzz, decided that he probably hadn't suffered any lasting damage. That was when he noticed it or noticed the lack of it.

Everything was blissfully silent. The constant onslaught of voices and sounds were considerably dimmed. It was almost like Saimon was still there with him. Unbidden tears sprung into his eyes and he heaved a great sigh of relief for he did not wish to rejoin the shadow. He despaired of being able to resist its call; the maelstrom of sound almost overwhelmed him on Great Fish. He realized that in this place, it was stronger than anywhere he could remember and after sending Saimon off with Link he knew he could only last a few days at most alone.

This made him think again of the strange and wonderful music he heard just before he lost consciousness. It still lingered there in his head, pulling and rearranging the fragile strings that made up his unpredictable memories. The song was trying to tell him something important. He tried to help it along as its magic struggled to somehow fill the still gaping holes in his memories, but with what he still wasn't sure.

He looked at the door. She would be coming soon and this left him so little time to prepare. He could just leave for neither of them could truly hold the other against their will. but that would mean he'd given up on her. He wasn't ready to do that just yet. He stood and wondered if Delia could hear the music too. Maybe this time they really could throw off the shadow for good. Everyone deserves a second chance, he thought, even us. Al looked through a small barred window in the door and spotted his hat and other things. There was no one around so he quickly unlocked the door walked out grabbed his hat and returned to the cell. Kicking the dirty straw out of his way he sat on the floor and thought, let 'em stew on that.

...back at Outset

Gonzo paced nervously. He felt lost as he watched the rain pelt the windows, what was he supposed to do now? Once Aryll sent off Miss Tetra's letter with Jake, he'd lost all direction. The others sat around the table. Senza and Nudge were talking quietly, when one turned to him and asked the question he'd been dreading.

"So what do we do now?" Senza asked.

"We figure out where Miss Tetra is going." Gonzo replied.

"Well, she has to be on Headstone." Nudge said, "Everything else is just too far away."

"Maybe, but we were only guessing, and she may not be there once we leave here. We can't even leave the Outset until Jake gets back."

"Why not?" Nudge asked.

"Like Aryll is going to abandon those nestlings."

"Gonzo, it's not like she has to come with us." the other pirate said and snorted.

"I think she does," he said and thought of what it must be like for her as she sat in the rain with a blanket over her and the chicks to keep them dry. "I just hope she doesn't catch a chill."

Senza elbowed Nudge and both laughed.

"Very funny," he said and blushing a little he asked, "You get the fairies?"

Senza reached into a small pouch and set the bottles on the table. The bright pink lights, pulled everyone's attention until Senza gathered them up and replaced them in the bag.

Gonzo turned and pulled Mako and Zuko off their chairs and said to Link's Grandmother, "Ma'am?"

"Yes Gonzo?"

"You won't mind if we leave Mako and Zuko here on the island too look after some things for us do you?"

"No they're welcome to bunk in the loft."

"Thank you," Gonzo said bowing. Mako also said thank you and Zuko mumbled something unintelligible both bowed then headed out to the ship to get some of their things.

"So Aryll will be going with you?" she asked.

"Yes," he faltered for a moment, he didn't want to worry her. "Yes," he said again. "She'll be able to help us if Jasper comes back to the ship once we leave."

Grandma Namaki nodded as she poured herself some tea. "Thank you, Gonzo, I know she'll be safe with you."

Something in the way she said it made Gonzo think she knew more about the situation than he did. "Is there anything you can tell us that might help us find Miss Tetra?"

"Gonzo, let me tell you a story," she said sipping her tea. "A long time ago on this very island, lived a man, his wife and four children..." She talked for quite a while and they all listened to the old woman with rapt attention. As she finished the tale, she poured more tea for everyone then sat contented back in her favorite chair.

Gonzo, still confused, asked, "Pardon me ma'am, but where do you think Miss Tetra might be headed?"

Grandma Namaki looked up from her cup as Aryll came back into the house and said with a knowing smile, "The Tower of the Gods."

...back at Headstone

Niko watched and worried as Miss Tetra began to slow down. Though she warned him this might happen, seeing it was really making him nervous. They were still too far from the beach for him to even think about carrying her. When Miss Tetra realized what was happening, she abandon her oar to him. He rowed furiously and yelled at her to help her stay awake, but she was drifting now and Niko rowed even faster. Putting forth great strokes as he glanced back toward the beach.

When they hit shore he hopped out and helped Miss Tetra out of the boat. She wavered but managed to hold her feet. Looking back he noticed the boat starting to drift, he cursed and ran to the boat. Once he'd dragged it as far as he could onto the beach, Niko ran back draped one of Miss Tetra's arms over his shoulder. Together they stumbled toward the Earth Temple entrance. The sun was just starting to peak over the horizon, and Niko caught the glint of something shiny near his head. Niko looked toward it and realized it was coming from Miss Tetra's hand just like that day she disappeared from the ship. He tried to move quicker but Miss Tetra's was starting to fall. Niko twisted and managed to shift her to his back. Gritting his teeth he pushed himself into a run. Three steps after they cleared cave mouth, a bright flash of golden light blinded him and engulfed them both. When Niko opened his eyes he knew he was not upright anymore and it was too dark. Niko's head felt a little floaty and he wondered where he'd ended up. A sharp pain in his head made him groan when he turned it.

"You're awake," he heard a familiar voice say. "I was starting to worry."

Focusing on the voice, Niko saw a beautiful woman dressed in a long flowing pale pink silken gown. A golden light shimmered around her and her hair was held back in an intricate braid laced with lots of shiny jewels and she seemed to float as she paced a short line. Who was she? Niko blinked. Miss Tetra? While the woman in front of him looked a lot like Miss Tetra...that was so NOT Miss Tetra. Niko sat up and winced again. He opened his mouth to ask her where Miss Tetra was but all that came out was, "Wow."

The woman cocked and eyebrow but she smiled and helped him up. "You did it Niko, thank you." He blushed furiously and stared at his feet. He'd never had such a pretty woman speak to him so kindly. When he looked up again she did a small turn and said, "Well, what do you think? A bit too fancy for everyday neh?"

"Uhhh..." Was all that came out as he nodded.

"It's not very pirate like huh?" She laughed and showed off one of the delicate slippers hidden by the gown. "I'd like to know what dolt thought these were necessary."

"Wow."

Her mouth pursed prettily and Niko shifted uneasily as she again raised an eyebrow at him, "Snap out of it swabbie, I'm still Tetra you know."

There was no mistaking that tone. Niko nodded and looked down as he mumbled, "Sorry Miss." He shifted nervously again and said, "How long are you gonna stay like that?"

"Not too much longer, I hope." As she said it, her clothing shifted and became less dramatic in appearance. Now she wore just a simple linen shirt and blue skirt that ran past her knees. Her blonde hair now hung loose.

"Ugh, when am I gonna learn?" Muttering to herself she said, "Din, I loathe dresses, stupid things always getting in the way..." She reached down and picked up her knife out of her pack. Tetra sliced the thin material to just above her knee, frowned and ripped a portion off which she used to tie up her hair. "Better."

Niko decided it wouldn't be a good idea to comment on the change and asked, "What now?"

"We need to find Medli, she's bound to be here in the Earth Temple but first let's the rest of the gear out of the boat," she said. Niko shrugged and followed her out of the cave.

...back at Great Fish

Link continued to practice the Flight of Gulls the rest of the morning. It had been a while since he'd put in any real practice and was starting to feel like he'd regained some skill with the form. He walked around to work the kinks out of his muscles, when he tripped over a something half buried in the ground. Wiping the dirt off his face, he looked at the offending stick. Link sighed, he was quite sure it hadn't been there a few minutes ago. "Doesn't anyone use treasure chests anymore?" he said as he worked it loose. This turned out to take longer than he expected as he ended up having to wrench it free almost causing him to lose his balance.

Brushing away the dirt and sand he noted there was a lot of intricate scroll work, symbols and writing in a language he did not recognize. After a quick inspection he decided it was about the right length, at least a head taller than himself. He balanced its center on the back of one outstretched hand, not bad he thought. He stood up then and moved the stick from hand to hand in a slow series of circles. He'd not laid hands on one of these for years so he gradually sped up the movement until the stick was a rotating pretty fast. Saimon meanwhile was getting impatient and began to fly in and out of his face in an effort to get him to move it along.

Link was surprised to see that Saimon somehow managed to fly in and out without ever being hit so he shifted the direction of stick's movement to include the fairies chosen path. Saimon simply adjusted his flight and flew past the stick with ease. Ah, a challenge, Link thought and smiled as he began to incorporate the Flight of Gulls form movements in with his stick handling. This part of the form was something his dad said was the most important part of his training with Orca and to pay special attention and whether Saimon knew it or not he made the perfect target.