Okay so what was I talking about? Oh yeah...something about scissors...and seagulls…yesh…you all know the drill. Readers, try not to worry too much - I guarantee this is not what you think you thought you saw... Reviewer, thanks again, I'll be looking forward to hearing your thoughts.

(Augh! this is gonna kill me if I have to keep doing this.)

Nagori, Saimon and Senkyoku
by achitka

Chapter 16

Guardians

Medli watched from the cliffs as the people of Outset began their search. By the time they had thought to check the dock, Link and Tetra had already made good their escape, but she wondered where they were going. Well, she thought this is a fine mess and her eyes strayed to the still smoldering ruins of the house. That fire burned too hot and too fast to not of been magically set. She also had the sinking feeling that the Shadow followed her here from Headstone.

Too late for regrets now, Medli thought, and turned and walked through the cave toward the fairy wood. The only light came from the hundreds of fireflies that zipped around on the breeze. She made her way to the Great Fairy's fountain and jumped down. Medli walked toward the inner cavern, but she slowed down when she noticed how very cold the air was.

"Earth Sage ju may want to keep jour distance from zee wasser."

Medli spun and let out a yelp and backed away from a boy who was no more than a step behind her. "Where the in the nine hells did you come from?"

"Ju know," the boy said as he walked between her and the fountain, "zat ees zee secont time today someone axed me zat question."

"It's a valid one don't you think?"

The boy shrugged. "Ju new once are so joompy," he said in a voice that sounded very tired. Medli watched as the boy picked up a rock and tossed it toward the water. Instead of breaking the surface of the pool, it bounced once and was immediately encased in ice. "Zee fairgee Quin has run afoul of zee chadow," he said and turned back to her. "And zo her daughters haf as well."

Medli stared at the rock, which could have easily been her. "Well at least tell me your name so I can thank you properly."

"Ju already know eet," the boy said and started for the exit. "Ju chould go to zee tower soon Earth Sage, zee small one weel need jour help and time is runnink out."

Medli could only nod and gasped as the boy changed before her eyes to a seagull she knew as Jasper. The bird took flight in a flurry of feathers and exited the cave. Medli walked back toward the column of light, well no help here, Medli thought and followed the seagull out of the exit. When she set lightly on the ground outside, she looked around. The seagull was gone and for the lack of a better idea, Medli set out for the Tower. She only hoped it would be there when she arrived.

The King of Red Lions came to rest before dawn in the quiet waters outside of the Forest Haven. Once the boat stopped, Link looked at Tetra, she was back in her usual clothes and still held the bottle with Kage inside. He vainly attempted to keep thoughts of how beautiful she was out of his head and he noticed she watched him with curiosity and Link looked away out at the ocean.

"Probably wondering why we left Outset in such a hurry?" Link hesitated then let his eyes settled back on her. He took a deep breath and pulled off his hat. He scratched his head and with great reluctance said, "They think I killed Master Sturgeon." When Tetra didn't say anything, he reached over and took the bottle that contained the tekuragari from her. "I suppose in a way I did," he said as he stared into the orange glow. "I mean, if I hadn't broken Kage's binding with Saimon...if for half a second I'd stopped to think maybe..."

"Maybe he'd still be alive?" Tetra finished for him.

Without warning Link's grief welled up within him as fresh tears came and he struggled to keep them in. It didn't work of course and a ragged sob escaped. Tears leaked out anyway and dripped down his chin onto the bottle. The light inside appeared to dim somewhat but Link barely noticed.

Tetra knelt in front of him and gathered up his free hand and said gently, "Don't do this to yourself, Link, you didn't know the fairy was with you and you certainly didn't know that he posed that kind of danger to anyone."

"All the more reason not to have tampered with his binding," Link growled angrily.

"I'm not trying to make excuses for you, Link, but I'm not even sure Kage realizes what he's done."

"Of course he knew," Link said and felt his grip tighten around the bottle. Tetra pulled that hand over to the other and gently unclenched his fingers from around it.

"I'm not so certain," Tetra said as she took the bottle and set it down. "Link, during that battle with the shadow I think he was trying to help you. The second time I went in your head..." Tetra paused at his blank expression and patted his hand and said, "I'll explain that part later. Anyway, there was a voice reminding you to watch the staff. You were already having trouble focusing and that voice; it had a familiar ring to it, Link. It sounded so much like Saimon's but it was Kage, I'm sure of it."

Link thought back on that voice, it was sort of familiar. "Maybe," Link said, but his guilt wouldn't let it go. "That still doesn't let me off the hook for what's happened on Outset."

"No. It doesn't let us off the hook."

"You? What for? Sorry, Princess, this screw up is all mine." Link said and pulled his hand away.

"You're wrong of course," Tetra said returning to her seat. The boat wobbled a bit but settled quickly.

"And why is that?"

"Wisdom failed courage. It's something my Mother used to say when I was a kid," Tetra paused. "She used to say it was the worst thing that could ever happen." While thoroughly confused, Link looked at her and noticed the grimness of her gaze as she continued, "Its really that simple."

"Don't you think that's a little over dramatic?"

"Truthfully? Not at all," Tetra said as she gently touched his hand. "Drama, Link, is waking up to find you've been shut up in a box of your own construction. Discovering the only way out is at the expense of your family. Being dropped into a dress at every turn while a shadow man of unknown origins chases you relentlessly. The best part, you get to be harassed by fairies and over protective seagulls, all of whom enjoy telling you to get your act together. You might say, if I did have the sense the Deku Tree gave a korok, I'd have realized that your feelings for me were never the threat my idiot head made them out to be."

Tetra picked up the bottled tekuragari and handed it back to him. "I let you slip out of my life and convinced myself I was happier. Makes me wonder what the hell I was thinking in the first place."

Link noted Tetra said all this without a trace of her usual sarcasm and he wondered again. A lot of venom passed between them in the past year and though there was a part of him that wanted things to work out, it was considerably smaller than the part telling him to make a break for it... now. This brought up thoughts of their last encounter on Windfall. That day...and night, when he thought on it now, he realized they were not normal. He almost had the feeling they'd only just met that day. When she'd blown up at him the following morning, he'd pushed that memory out with the rest of the things he didn't like to think about. Tetra, if nothing else, was brutally honest, and part of him couldn't shake the idea that maybe they really were better off apart. Link stared at the orange glow of the tekuragari and realized his world, once again, was spinning out of his control.

First things first, he thought as he glanced up and from her expression he knew even the supremely confident Miss Tetra was having doubts herself and not just about their supposed relationship. So what do I do now?

Even though Tetra was the most confusing and irritatingly demanding person he'd ever met, Link knew if she started doubting her decisions at this stage of the game, it would be very bad. Wisdom may have failed courage, but he recognized he was just as much to blame for the current situation. There was plenty of guilt to share, and right now, Tetra needed something completely different, and before she got it into her head to blame it all on herself, Link scratched his chin and thought, better squelch that right now.

"You know, Tetra, you may have pushed it, but near as I can tell it's always taken both of us to have an argument. Well, the interesting ones anyway."

"Well there's pleasant thought..."

"Isn't it? When you think about it, and believe me when I tell you I've been trying not to...who in their right mind could stand to be with either of us?"

Tetra's frown lessened and she asked, "I suppose you think that's a compliment right?"

"Exactly, only the best for you, Princess, and if there's anything you need me to do, anything at all. I'm all over it, with a really big stick," Link said and pointed to the staff and before he could stop it; the question that was brewing in his head since the day before came tumbling out. "While I'm almost afraid to ask this, what about the other?"

"Other what?" Tetra asked.

"You know what I'm talking about Tetra."

She stared at him with a genuinely puzzled look, which turned to a small smile then to outright laughter when she realized what he was talking about.

"Nice Princess, it but it would help just a little if you could stop laughing."

"I'm not laughing at you," she said and let out one last giggle. "Seriously though, I haven't given it much thought lately but I'm pretty sure that will take care of itself in its own good time."

Link wondered what Tetra was thinking, since her expression made him feel extremely uncomfortable.

"Is that all you're going to say about it?" Link asked.

Tetra shrugged. "What is there to say? I can't change it, and I don't really have the energy to worry about it right now. Can we get out of this boat now?" she asked changing the subject. Link grabbed the small dock and Tetra climbed out of the boat. Once she started up the hill, she looked back at him, she shook her head when she saw he was still sitting in the boat. "Wow, you really are having a hard time with this aren't you."

Link stared at her for a minute then shoved his hat back on his head thought, Exasperating female. She was already further up the hill. "Well, it's not like I saw it coming," Link mumbled and followed her ashore. He jogged a bit to catch her and before they'd gone far his brain ticked back a beat and he said, "You've been talking to Niko."

Tetra smiled and said, "Yes my faithful swabbie and now former first mate."

"Former first mate?" Link asked as he returned Kage to his pack. "You didn't really sack him because of what I said...right?"

"Oh, I had to fire him, Link, let's face it, he talked too much and asked way too many questions." She started moving again and said as she walked up the hill, "Did you know of all the crew, he was the only one who wasn't forgetting the previous cycle? In fact, I left him on this island with the Deku Tree. I hope he's happy here. Gonzo seems to think he's too childish but I'm living proof of what happens when you ignore your problems."

Link heard the melancholy in her voice. Tetra took Niko on as crewman not long before their first adventure. She said back then, she wasn't at all sure why she did, all the others told her it was a bad idea. Tetra though, took a liking to Niko and in true Miss Tetra form, hired him anyway. She paused at the crest of the first hill and after looking at the horizon for a moment, Tetra turned suddenly and asked, "Link do you still have that letter I had your sister send you?"

Surprised, he nodded.

"Can I see it, please?"

Link pulled it out and glanced at it, but stopped before he handed it to her.

"That's what I was afraid of," Tetra said as she took the letter from him. Half the words on the envelope were missing. "It's starting."

Funeral for a Friend

Zill watched in fascination from behind a copse of nearby trees, Link's battle on the beach. When it was over he almost came out but decided not to when a girl, he knew was one of the pirates came down from the watchtower. When the girl kissed Link, Zill groaned and turned his back on the pair. Is this what happens when you get old?

He rolled from behind the trees and saw Link's book still on the ground by the tree. Zill had never read one like this before so he picked it up and carried back to his house. He wasn't real sure why but he decided to hide it, but he did and since Neville was his responsibility now, no one was likely to find it in the pig's pen. He was just straightening up when he heard his father's voice.

"You're up early young man, the sun won't be up for at least another hour, just couldn't wait to feed your new charge?"

Zill swallowed and turned as he plastered his best smile. He nodded as he nervously patted the big black pig's back and said, "Well, Dad, I'm gonna go in, Neville's all set now."

"Oh, Son?"

Zill froze. "Uh, yeah Dad?"

"It seems my pocket knife has gone missing." Zill almost jumped out of his skin when his Dad turned him around and continued, "If you happen to run across it, would you pick it up for me?" When Zill nodded he continued, "I'm going to try to talk some sense into the others but I'll be back in a bit. I hope Link wasn't too uncomfortable tied up to that tree all night."

"Uhhh, yes sir," Zill said.

"You're a good boy, Zill You go help you mother with breakfast now."

Zill nodded and watched his father start down the hill. Yesterday his Dad tried to convince the others that Link would never harm any of them, and argued against tying him to the tree. Sue Belle, however, was adamant that they restrain the murderer.

Of course if his Dad ever figured out where his pocket knife really went, his goose was cooked. Zill almost collapsed in relief when he shut the door behind him. It wasn't too long after that he heard the alarm bell. He and his older brother rushed to the window and could see the other adults on the island searching the nearby houses.

Zill watched as his Dad walked over to the tree where Link had been tied up and Zill got a sinking feeling when he saw him bend down and pick something up out of the sand. When his father looked back up at their home, Zill dropped out of sight. His older brother ran to their bedroom to grab some clothes so he could help with the search. Cautiously Zill looked back out the window, he looked past the beach near the end of the dock and smiled as a cyclone came down and lifted Link's boat into the sky.

"Awesome," Zill whispered.

With the search for the missing hero well underway, Zill slipped out of the house and made a quick trip up to the cliffs, to watch and stay out of the way. Zill knew that they wouldn't find Link and felt a little guilty that he'd given him that knife, but his heart told him it was the right thing to do.

At the end of the path just before the bridge, Zill found something that surprised him even more. Aryll's friend Jake was sitting near his nest but something was wrong. Usually the gull sat atop it and squawked whenever anyone came near. This time it stood silently nearby and only looked at the strangely silent nest. Zill's eyes adjusted to the gloom and grew wider and he felt suddenly ill as the smell of burnt meat filled his nose. He knew now what the seagull was guarding, the bodies of his dead children.

"Aw Jake, I'm so sorry."

The bird turned its head to him and screed quietly.

"You want to bury them?"

The gull's head cocked the other way straightened and bobbed. Zill took that as a yes and ran back down the path to get a shovel. He didn't really want to try and explain what he was doing, so he snuck around the back of his house. Zill grabbed the shovel and was about to head back when another idea struck him and he set the shovel down and went inside the house. His mother wasn't around so Zill ran to his room and pulled out the small box he kept his favorite things in. After he dumped them on the bed and gave it a shake to make sure there was nothing left inside, he paused and again listened for his mother.

Zill slowly opened the door and carefully looked this way then that. When he saw that the coast was clear, dropped off the porch, grabbed the shovel and took off at a run. He crossed the causeway and sped up the path. When he arrived back at the nest, he was out of breath and relieved that no one saw him. Jake was still there, stoically on guard.

"I hope this will be okay," Zill said as he set the box on the ground. "I brought it for..." Zill faltered, "Your children, you know?"

Apparently the gull did, as it hopped nearer to him and inspected the miniature treasure box. Zill opened it, and the gull looked inside. The soft green cloth liner was still pretty clean and the bird looked up at him and made a sad sound he'd never heard a seagull make before. Jake moved backed away from it and Zill reached over and stroked the bird's feathers. Glancing at the nest, Zill swallowed hard and decided if he was going to wear the Hero's clothes then he'd have to be brave.

He was grim as he stood and reached into the ruined nest and removed the first body and gently placed it in the box, then the second. All the while Jake crooned gently, as if to say farewell to them. Zill couldn't be sure, mostly because he'd never gotten the chance to learn much of the seagull's language, but he thought the bird sounded like he was crying. He felt like crying himself, but knew he couldn't, not yet.

Jake then pushed the lid shut with his beak and started to hop away. The bird went only a few feet, then stopped and waited. Zill figured Jake was waiting on him so he gingerly picked up the box and shovel. He followed the bird up the curved edge of the cliff, and whenever he came close, Jake flew or hopped a little further until they reached the top most part of the Island. Zill set down the box and pointed to a spot near some wildflowers.

The seagull bobbed its head again and Zill started to dig. He made it a good hole; he didn't want any of the scavengers that lived in the rocks to mess with the grave so he made it a little deeper. When he looked back up from his work he was surprised to see a second gull had arrived and stood silently next to Jake.

The other seagull wasn't Jasper though, this one looked really old for a gull. Zill got out of his hole and picked up the box, which he set it gently at the bottom. He knelt near the edge and prayed aloud to the Goddesses on the chick's behalf, that their spirits would find a safe haven in the afterlife of seagulls. This seemed to please the pair of gulls and they stayed still as stone as he filled in the hole. As a last gesture of kindness, Zill dug up three of the flowers from nearby, planted them in the shape of the Triforce to mark the spot, and firmly packed the earth over the grave.

Jake hopped closer to the boy who now stood silently next to the grave with tears in his eyes.

"Which one is zees?" Jake asked the older gull.

"That is Zill, he is one of Abe and Rose Namaki's children."

Jake thought about this for a moment and said to no one in particular, "Zee ones with zee pig."

"Yes, the ones with the pig. You really should thank him."

"Jes, but do ju think zat wise?"

"Look at his feet."

Jake did and realized these were the same feet he'd found stuck out of the bush earlier and said, "I always did like zees one."

"You have been a seagull too long Jake, you are losing your humanity."

"Perhaps old one, truly there has been no need to be anthink osser zan a gull." Jake walked nearer the flowers and sat down beside them. "Ju and jour brosser handled training zee chidren very well. Jasper and I had to do zumsing all zat time."

"Ah, distraction with compliments," the other gull said, "be that as it may, in my current state I can no longer assist them, and we both know I will be leaving this plane sooner and not later."

Jake gazed back at the older and asked, "This makes me curious, why did ju note deal with zat tekuragari?"

"I wasn't expecting it, didn't notice it. Too wrapped up in my reading to notice him until it was too late," the older gull said in reply and came to sit nearby.

Jake looked up at the boy again; he was done with his tears and now stood with his shovel on his shoulder. The boy waved as if to leave and Jake came to a decision and changed to that twelve-year-old boy.

Zill's eyes went wide and startled by the sudden transformation, dropped the shovel, and took a step back. Jake sighed; the boy was too close to the edge of the cliff and guardian watched as Zill's arms spun wildly for a moment and he lost his balance. Moving quickly, Jake grabbed the boy's tunic and pulled him back. This over balanced them both and the pair landed in a heap. The older gull looked on with mild interest and pecked at Jake's head when they landed nearby.

"You really should be more careful when you do that Jake," the other gull admonished.

"He did not fall, old man," Jake said as he struggled to shoo the gull away from him.

"Wh...who are you?" Zill asked after they untangled themselves. Then he did a double take as he stared wide-eyed at the boy in front of him and said excitedly, "You're Jake! Were you really just a seagull?" When Jake nodded, Zill said, "Awesome."

"Ju are not afraid?"

"Heck no! This is the best!" Zill cried. He paused for a moment and asked, "Why do you talk like that?" The boy paused again as he gathered up something in his head and Zill looked back at Jake and said in a voice that barely contained his excitement, "You're a Guardian right!"

Jake looked down at the other gull as it squawked and pecked at his boot. Jake shrugged and said, "He es jour student, why are ju askink me?"

"Where did you get those?" Zill asked pointing to one of the twin swords strapped to Jake's back, "and who is the other gull? Have you always lived on the island? Can you teach me how to turn into a bird?" Jake raised an eyebrow and stood speechless at the seemingly endless stream of questions. After a few more, the guardian held up his hand. Zill stopped talking and said a little sheepishly, "Sorry, Master Sturgeon always says... I mean said, I ask too many questions, but I've never met a talking seagull before."

"Ees alright," Jake said and looked at him fondly. "Jour curiosity does ju credit. But tell me, did ju see zee Wind Waker leaf zee island?"

"Link? Yeah, he flew up into a cyclone, that was really neat, and that pirate girl was with him. She came down from the watchtower, over there," Zill said as he pointed. He lowered his voice and his face contorted as if he'd smelled something awful and said, "and she kissed him."

"Really?"

Zill nodded and Jake laughed when the boy shuddered.

Jake shook is head and asked, "What else did ju see?"

Zill told him first about the fire at Link's house and how Master Sturgeon was killed. How everyone thought Link did it and his part in Link's escape from the island. With as much detail as he could he described the fight on the beach. Jake listened with great interest and only interrupted Zill with a few questions here and there.

When the boy was done with his tale, Jake said quite seriously, "Zill, sone of Abe and Rose, ju haf earned jour Hero's clothes zis night for ju haf done much to aide zee Wind Waker and zee Princess," Jake paused and added as his eyes flicked back toward the grave, "and me."

"Really?"

Jake nodded and he would swear he could see the boy's eyes light up as he made the connections.

"I can't believe I'm actually talking to a Guardian," Zill said and leaned in quite close and asked, "Princess? You mean that pirate girl is a Princess?"

"Jes, ju are a fine boy, Zill, zee stuff heros are made of."

Zill blushed and Jake looked down at the older gull, which squawked and tugged at his pant leg.

"Jes, old man," Jake said in a tired voice, "but ju know why zat ees not possible."

It squawked a little louder in reply and Jake sighed and rolled his eyes.

"What is he saying?" Zill asked.

"He ees reminding me of my duties."

"Oh...do all the seagulls talk to you, like they talk to Aryll?"

"So full of questions."

"Sorry, but like I said..."

"Ju haf never met a talkink seagull before."

"Yeah."

"If ju try hard enough ju may be able to understand heem," Jake said as he pushed the older gull away with his foot. "Zough I do haf one favor to ask..."

"Hey, anything you need, I'm your guy."

"Take zees cranky old bird down to the village," Jake said and ignored the bird as it pecked at his leg. "Leaf heem wit zee one called Zoobelle."

"SueBelle?" Zill asked and looked the old gull again. "Why?"

"Zey need each other."

"Yeah," Zill said as he nodded, "she's pretty upset about her Grandpa."

As the first rays of sun peeked over the horizon, Jake looked northeast. The Guardian sighed and said to Zill. "I must leaf now, but since I am now in jour debt and eef time allows, I weel return and teach ju how to use zees," he said and he pointed to the swords. "As long as jour father does not object."

Without another word, Jake took three steps and leapt headfirst off the cliff. Zill ran to the edge and dropped top the ground.

"Whoa!" he cried as the biggest eagle he'd ever seen, shot past him and banked, headed in the direction of Southern Fairy Island. He watched it until it disappeared then turned back to the older gull.

"So," Zill said as he stood and picked up his shovel. "Have we met?"

Dawn's First Light

"What's starting?" Link asked as another letter faded from the envelope.

"The time loop is resetting, somehow that shadow is using it to find me." Tetra said as she moved forward faster than before. Link's alarm grew as Tetra stumbled. She caught herself and looked back at him. "We have to get out of sight."

"Let's get moving then."

Halfway up the side of the cliff, Link stopped Tetra. As they neared the first of several waterfalls, Link pulled out his grappling hook and once secured he looked back at Tetra and noticed she now looked very tired.

"You alright?" he asked.

She nodded but wavered.

"You sure?"

She shook her head this time.

"Can you hold on?"

"I'll do my best." Tetra said sleepily.

"Hmmm," Link turned and when she put her arms around his neck, he looped the rope around her once, he could almost see the raised eyebrow, and he said, "For my benefit, Tetra, I need both hands for this."

"I know," she said and he felt her grip tighten and she said groggily, "Hurry..." and he felt her rest her head on his chest.

Crap, he thought, and pulled the rope a little tighter. Link already knew he would never make it all the way up to the entrance of the Deku Tree's haven before whatever was happening finished. Tetra said she needed to be out of sight, probably before sun up and his mind raced. He jumped off the cliff and lowered them until they were aligned with the cave he knew was behind one of the waterfalls.

Link kicked his feet out, and on the third swing, he almost had enough speed to make it through the fast moving water. As his feet splashed through the falls, Link was startled when he felt Tetra start to lose her solidity, the next swing would have to be his last and he hoped he'd gained enough momentum. Link braced himself and got ready to release the grappling hook and at the same moment Tetra's Triforce piece began to shine very brightly. Link became alarmed as the glow began to leave her hand and swallow them both. Time slowed to a crawl and Link gripped the rope harder as he struggled with a moment of intense vertigo.

As he swung back toward the cave, it felt like he'd stopped all together and it felt like something was trying to pull him or Tetra away. He shifted one hand around her waist and tightened his grip. The golden glow of Tetra's Triforce piece continued its march up her arm and when it came into contact with him, Link pulled the rope a little tighter as the Triforce of Courage in his own hand to sprung to life and echoed its sister. The world abruptly started moving again and Link remembered to release the hook. Tetra suddenly felt much heavier and together they sailed through the water and toward the cave. Out of the corner of his mind's eye, Link saw a shadow as it swept near the entrance in its effort to find its quarry.

It headed directly for them, but Link lost track of it as an explosion of feathers suddenly obscured the whole scene. As the golden light of their combined Triforce pieces overtook even that, Link closed his eyes. He managed to turn their bodies so his would be on the bottom, but discovered he didn't need to worry. The radiance that surrounded them cushioned the impact, so all they did was slide a little deeper into the cave.

They came to a halt and the twin glows subsided enough for him to see again. Link listened carefully for any sounds of pursuit and he watched the waterfall for any signs of disturbance. When nothing happened, Link was so relieved he lay there for a few minutes with Tetra apparently asleep on top of him. Once Link managed to get himself into a more comfortable position, he noticed Tetra currently wore her full princess look and Link sighed when he realized his own clothing had shifted. Pesky that, but at least they were dry.

His eyes strayed back down to the sleeping princess. She was so beautiful like this, almost too fragile looking to be real, and so not Tetra. He brushed some stray hair from her face and she stirred a little. He never did understand why, but that Princess aspect never appealed to him half as much as when she was just Tetra, dread pirate and terror of the seas. That was the girl he'd fallen for, even when she'd shout at him for this or that, he never minded, well not much, at least she was talking to him.

"I am such a glutton for punishment," he said to the fireflies that flitted around him. "Who knows maybe we really can work it out this time."

He leaned back to wait, Tetra most likely would wake up soon and Link yawned. He was puzzled by an overwhelming and unnatural sense of fatigue and now lulled by the sound of the water as it crashed past the cave opening he thought, Naps are good, and his eyes closed and he drifted off.

Hito growled.

"You've interfered for the last time, Guardian," the shadow said to the boy who stood in his way with arms crossed. Less than five feet tall, the guardian did not make the most daunting of figures. In fact, the bow at his back was almost as tall as he was. So this the best the wretched three could come up with? Hito thought. "Get out of the way, or you'll learn what real pain is."

"Of course, but first ju must do me a favor and answer zees question," the boy said and with an unnatural speed, he pulled his bow from his back and fired an arrow into the ground at Hito's feet. Small crystals of ice started to pop from the shaft and Hito skipped back a few feet as the ground around and in front of him froze. "Well what do ju know...Jake was wrong, ju can dance. Jour mother would be proud," the boy said glibly as he smiled and cocked another arrow.

"I'm going to enjoy killing you," Hito hissed.

"Ju would enjoy zat eh?" the boy asked and cocked his head. "My brosser thinks ju are a fool, and says I chould leave you to the Wind Waker."

"That idiot boy is not why I came here."

"Jes I know zees, and zat ees why I am here."

Hito started forward slowly but kept his eye on that bow. "You really are nothing more than a half-breed you know, you'll never be as good as him."

"Oh! Ju are such a bad man, now ju haf gone and hurt my feelings," the boy said in a rather petulant tone and loosed the arrow. Hito gasped, not because he was caught unaware, but because he was forced to come up short. Only then did the shadow noticed the edge of his cloak was pinned to the ground. By the time Hito looked up again the boy already notched another and let it fly. This one caught in almost the same spot and he heard the boy say, "Ju really chouldn't aggravate once who haf bones to pick with ju."

"Do you really think your fast enough to stop me?" Hito growled and stomped on the shafts. They shattered and abruptly burst into flames. The boy's laughter fueled Hito's growing resentment and with an angry shout, the shadow man ripped the cloak from his neck.

"I am losing patience half-breed!" Hito shouted and rushed forward but skidded to a halt when he found himself faced with the points of not one, but two arrows. They glowed ominously and were aimed directly at his face.

Hito looked up to see the boy was gone and the young man who faced him now still wore that knowing smile, but there was not touch of humor in his amber eyes as he said evenly, "And so dear Uncle, am I."

Tetra woke with a start and realized she was lying atop Link's chest and felt her heart skip a beat. He was still with her. She'd feared the recycling of days would separate them again, but here he was, sound asleep leaning against the wall. One of the bearers in her head reminded her that, that also meant he was with her within the time loop's magic and Tetra did not look forward to explaining that to him. While she was not completely sure how it all worked, each time the time loop reset, Tetra better understood how the magic manipulated 'her' time and was quite sure she could do something similar not that she would ever need to – still it had possibilities.

Glancing at the sleeping hero, Tetra felt that a short weird moment of irritation and squelched it. You don't have time to be bitchy, Tetra she thought and tried to remember what set her off that day on Windfall. What did we argue about that day? It was so clear to her before, but now...Something with her memory was just plain wrong. Somehow, the magic of that unbinding song and the time loop were also affecting her memory. In fact, she was beginning to think that none of what she remembered about it was valid. Well, she was wise to it now, and nothing angered Tetra more than being played for a fool. Someone was going to regret the day they messed with her head.

She looked around and wondered where Link brought them. She glanced at the waterfall and thought, This still must be the Forest Haven, but where? Angry voices over the sound of the rushing water pulled her out of her reflection and she got up and went closer to the waterfall. Through it, she saw Chiyuu as he faced off with the Shadow. It was damn creepy how much it looked and sounded like Link. Still that shadow must have a name, everyone does. She didn't think it was Hito either. Tetra determined she'd find it out, because she knew with a true name came weakness, and this was one she planned to exploit to the fullest.

Deciding she'd figure it out later, Tetra smiled as one of Chiyuu's arrows pinned the others cloak to the ground. She realized the guardian was stalling and she'd better get the hell out of there. Tetra swore under her breath when she almost tripped over her skirt. "Why dresses?" she muttered and gathered it up. "Of all the stupid..." she said and knelt in front of Link. She nudged him a few times, but he didn't wake up.

Irked, Tetra pulled on one of his ears. His eyes flew open as his hand came up with frightening speed and grabbed her wrist. She let out a squeak at the suddenness of it. When his eyes focused on her, he raised and eyebrow and released his grip. Tetra flexed her fingers and rubbed her wrist and thought, There has to be an easier way to wake him up... and she whispered, "I'm sorry Link, but you sleep like the dead and we have to go...now."

He yawned and nodded.

Tetra's mind raced as she tried to think of one place the shadow would not expect her to be. She stood up and pulled Link to his feet. She hadn't actually tried to move two people beyond the half plane where the garden existed and a stop would take too long. Well, here goes nothing, she thought and wrapped her arms around him not because she had to, but because if she did lose track of him she wanted this to be the last thing she remembered. She glanced up, when did he get so tall?

Whatever, she thought as she lay her head on his chest and closed her eyes. She paused long enough to listen to his heartbeat and the true memory of that day slipped quietly back into place. How had she not recognized him? But then he hadn't recognized her either. Like they were stranger for a night. Tetra felt her heart beat a little faster when his arms wrapped around her and she thought, Always so tranquil and his ever-present calm gave her strength. He really is far too trusting, she thought and she held him tighter as she emptied her head, took a deep breath and thought of them together on Tingle Island.

Kotori

Gonzo watched Aryll as she slept, something was most definitely wrong. Since coming back from dinner, her condition worsened. No longer sleeping fitfully, she was running a fever which came out of nowhere. Her face flushed, Aryll shivered under her blankets and Gonzo felt helpless. All he could do for her was replace the damp cloth on her forehead. Gonzo looked up when Senza opened the door.

"We just passed Headstone; we should make Outset by morning."

Gonzo nodded. "Alright I'll be up in a few minutes."

"No, stay with her," Senza said quietly, "I can look after things on deck. I'll let you know if anything comes up."

"You sure?"

"This is where your head will be anyway. Besides, what else is a First Mate for?"

"Thanks, Senza, let me know."

"Aye, Captain," he said and closed the door.

Gonzo removed the cloth, re-wetted it, and replaced it on Aryll's head. She'd seemed a little better after she'd gotten some broth in her but complained of a terrible headache. The fever came while she slept and Aryll hadn't stirred since.

He picked up the bottle that contained the health fairy. Gonzo tapped on the glass and said to it, "You in there, don't you let her go okay?"

The fairy looked back at him through the glass, her dark iridescent eyes glowed he thought a little more brightly and she nodded. Satisfied Gonzo set the bottle back near Aryll on the bed. He wet the cloth again and said in a whisper, "Don't you leave me Aryll Namaki, because I don't think I could bear it."

As Jake flew over the pirate ship, he thought he heard someone call to him. The voice, so insistent and familiar made him pause in his journey and went to the window of the Princess's cabin. The large man he knew as Gonzo sat next to the bed with his eyes closed. When the pirate opened them, he carefully removed the cloth from a girl's head, re-wetted it, and replaced it. Jake looked at Aryll and could see that his earlier assessment of her condition was off. Her change was coming far sooner than either he or his brother expected. Probably more side effects of that crystal, he decided.

Jake looked in the direction of the Forest Haven, and knew that Jasper would just have to survive this one, on his own. Someone had to help the kotori through this, else she would remain as she was, lost in the between of it. Jake frowned as he remembered how he scolded the Princess for not paying attention and realized he'd done no better. For too long he'd allowed himself to be distracted from his true path and knowing what was coming, he flew up to the crow's nest to wait.

Aryll's fevered dreams where a broken jumble of images she could not sort out. She struggled with them until she awoke to find herself soaked in sweat with a horrible headache. In the distance, Aryll thought she heard those familiar voices and she lay there for the longest time listening to them. They promised her hope and an answer to the mysterious longing she felt. Still exhausted she watched the sun as it started to come up over the horizon. The voices continued their call and she realized that her headache only got worse when she tried to ignore them.

"Oh for the love of..." she said exasperated, "I'm coming already." Aryll still felt tired and when she finally felt like she could move, she got up. Aryll paused as she passed Gonzo, he'd remained with her and was here still asleep in his chair, but the voices seemed to know she was on her feet so their call became more adamant and she followed them out of the cabin.

Aryll looked up. She'd swear the sound was coming from somewhere above her and she decided she needed to get somewhere higher. She padded quickly across the deck, her bare feet making little noise on the wooden deck. There were several pirates about, but none noticed her and she looked up at the crow's nest and heard them again. This is really weird, Aryll thought and started to climb.

She poked her head through and spotted a young man, who sat cross-legged on the far side.

"Guardian," Aryll said as she looked at him. "You're a Guardian, and you're here to show me how to fly."

The other only nodded.

"Where have you been? I have questions for you mister," she said as she pulled herself up and sat directly across from him. Something in his features tugged at her memory and she said, "It's weird but I feel like I've known you all my life..." Aryll blinked when she saw his golden eyes shimmered oddly in the early morning sunlight. He remained silent as he watched her and Aryll said, "I guess I have. How long have you been waiting here, Jake?"

"Not long kotori,"

Aryll wondered why Jake sounded so subdued and almost apologetic. She became aware that the yearning and feelings of loss were gone and it all suddenly made sense. Her Grandma told her the story of the Guardians, their purpose and how they came into being, but never how they were chosen. No one seemed to know that and though she hadn't understood it before, she did now.

"Ju cane still say no to zees, kotori," Jake said as if reading her thoughts.

However, Aryll knew if she did, the longing would return. Her thoughts turned to Gonzo; he still sat next to the bed in Tetra's cabin waiting for her to wake up. She pulled her knees up under her chin when she realized, that if she did this, the Aryll below would never awaken.

"No, I think we both know why I can't do that," Aryll said. She smiled weakly and asked, "How did you know?"

"Jour Mother," Jake said quietly, "she knew all zee old legends and called to us near the end of her days."

"I always wondered why you two showed up," Aryll said as she stood but still she hesitated and a tear for a different loss fell. She looked at Jake and asked, "Can I ever come back?"

When the other did not respond, Aryll closed her eyes and hung her head. Her headache was gone but had been replaced by a painful ache she was quite sure would never leave her and with a heavy heart, nodded to the Guardian. Jake understood her hesitation and gathered her in his arms as Aryll shed her last tears for the man she knew she could have loved, but now would never get the chance to.

Say Uncle

"Well, this is unexpected," Hito said as he glanced up from the arrows. "I can see I've underestimated you, Jasper," his eyes returned to the arrows and the shadow took a few slow steps back. "How is it that your brother is still missing, I thought you two were inseparable."

"Ju would tink neh?" Jasper said and lowered the bow slightly. "Eef he ees late in coming, zen I will just haf to deal wit ju myself."

That one is over confident, Hito thought, "You wouldn't want to do anything foolhardy," he said and placed his hands behind him.

"I haf never been accused of being foolhardy, hasty, jes," Jasper said and he frowned, "but never foolhardy."

Just a little longer, Hito thought.

"I don't know why your going to all this trouble, you know the Princess is never going escape, so why all the dramatics?"

"I ask mysef zat very same question at lease ten times a day," Jasper said and he cocked his head as if listening for a moment. "But my world ees ever ruled by drama."

Hito let his anger flow into the ground and felt it build. It reflected back to him and with it came the magic he relied on. The shadow smiled as the ball of magic he held behind his back grew in intensity. If he goaded the Guardian just a little more...

"It's a shame to waste so much talent on a flighty princess and that simpleton hero of hers. Why don't you join me, the offer stands you know. You and your brother would make a welcome addition to my helpers."

"Zat is not possible, seence I loathe jour very existence."

"That's a bit harsh."

"Ju axed," Jasper said and shrugged. "Though ju would think ju would haf gotten a more recent map in jour travels."

"What?" Hito asked trying to keep the guardian talking.

"On zees Island, it is note mee jou chould be concerned with," Jasper said as he glanced behind the shadow. "And of course before ju launch zat ball at me. There ees one here more dangerous to ju than I."

"What are you babbling about," Hito snapped.

"Oh nothink, joost a reminder for jou of somzinc ju seem to haf forgotten."

Almost there, Hito thought. "And what would that be?" he asked.

"Fado."

"What's a fado?"

"Ju mean who. Zees is zee Forest Haven, and nothink zat happens or zat has happened here goes unnoticed by zee Great Deku Tree."

Without warning roots of every size and shape burst up from the ground and surrounded the shadow and caused Hito to drop his magic ball of energy. It dissipated as it burned the stalks closest to him, but the roots kept coming. They yanked and pulled at his wrists, arms and legs. Soon Hito was bound so tightly that he could hardly breathe as they latched on to any part of him they touched.

It hit Hito then, just what the Guardian was yammering on about. The anger he'd felt...the anger that was underlying and permeated everything. A hatred he thought only a shadowy echo of his own, he realized too late, what that wretched little pest was getting at. This really was the last place on the great sea he should be. As Hito's feet left the ground, his anger grew as he heard the Guardians laughter.

"You haven't stopped me," he said in a hiss.

"So much drama," Jasper said as he wagged a finger at the shadow. "But I warned ju note to irritate those who haf bones."

"When I get loose from this, I'll kill you as I should have years a ago."

The young man's smile faded and he said quite seriously, "Ah, but killing me would serf no purpose, besides Uncle, I know I haf no hope of stoppink ju. I only needed to slow ju down."

Jasper put away the bow and turned and left the shadow. When he reached what he thought a safe distance, Jasper looked back at the shadow and let out a huge sigh of relief. "Zat was too close," he said to himself and said a quick prayer of thanks to Farore and took off in seagull form in the direction of Tingle Island.

The cry of a gull startled Gonzo out of his sleep he blinked and realized he must have dozed off. He looked out the window and smiled as the tail end of his dream came back to him. All of Aryll's talk of flying reminded him of a dream he'd had as a boy. That all seemed so long ago now, he sighed and went over to the bed. When he reached for the towel , he noticed the bottle that held the health fairy was empty. His frown deepened and he felt a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach as he looked at Aryll and realized, she wasn't breathing.

Panicked, he yanked back the blankets and stared as the reality of it sunk in. Sometime while he'd slept, Aryll slipped away. She looked so small lying there and he reached over and gently touched her face. Her skin was still warm and his sorrow welled up and threatened to overtake him as tears filled his eyes.

She was really gone.

Gonzo replaced one of the blankets and sat on the edge of the bed. He started at the floor until a knock at the door pulled his attention away and he looked up as Senza entered the room.

"We've reached..." Senza stopped when he saw the look on his face. "What's wrong?"

"Everything," Gonzo said as he looked back at Aryll again. "She's gone."

"Goddesses no, when?" Senza said and came closer. "She seemed so much better at dinner yesterday."

"I'm not sure, I must have fallen asleep-" his voice caught in his throat, and the let out a ragged sob, "if I'd stayed awake, maybe-"

Senza helped Gonzo back to the chair and poured him some water and after he handed it to him, he turned back to the motionless girl and covered her face with the blanket.

"Gonzo," Senza said as he turned back around, "I, I know how much she meant to you, but awake or no, if the Goddesses called her she had to go."

"But why would they?" Gonzo snarled and bit back on his anger only to have swallowed up by his grief. "Hadn't she already been through enough? Why?"

"I don't know, I can't answer that question. Maybe if you asked the-," Senza paused at the angry look Gonzo gave him and after a long moment of silence Senza asked, "So what do we do now?"

Gonzo took a deep breath. "Were going to find her Grandma, Miss Tetra says she's gone missing."

"Miss Tetra? What about Mako and Zuko?"

"They seem to be missing also."

"Alright, you can explain about Miss Tetra later." Senza said as he looked out the cabin window. "I'll prepare to dock."

"I'll be up shortly."

"You don't need..."

"No, I do need," Gonzo said more to himself than his friend, "and since I'm forever doomed not to have what I want," he said as more tears slipped down his face, "I'll just have to find something to fill in the cracks."

"This is all because of that crystal, isn't it?" Senza asked.

"Yes, Miss Tetra said it had a creature called a tekuragari in it."

"What the hell is that?" Senza asked.

"I don't know, but I'll bet Aryll's Grandma does and I need all the information I can get my hands on," he said and felt fresh tears come up at the mention of her name. "I also will have to explain this..." and he downed the last of the water. "Let me know when we're ready to go ashore."

"Aye Captain," Senza said after giving his arm a squeeze, "Aye."

Oh Dear

Link slowly opened one eye, then the other and looked around. He squinted as he looked up at the tower. He groaned inwardly. Tingle? His eyes drifted down to see Tetra had once again returned to her normal clothing set. "Thank you," he said as he released her.

"For what?" she asked suspiciously.

"For being the dread pirate and terror of the seas."

Tetra looked at her clothes. "Well at least I'll be spared the agony of climbing that damn ladder in a dress."

"Oh, I don't know," Link said and shrugged. "It could be interesting to watch if nothing else."

"I'll bet," Tetra said as she turned away from him to head up the ladder. "Maybe if you're lucky..." and quite suddenly she grabbed her head and cried, "Gah! What the-"

"Tetra? What's the matter?" Then it hit him too and his own hand went to his head.

"Something's wrong, very wrong," Tetra said and grimaced as she sat down at the base of the tower. "I just can't tell where."

"Does this happen a lot?" Link asked and blinked as his vision became clouded.

"It's never been this bad before, even when you were fighting on the beach, it was harsh but this..." Tetra blinked and shook her head. "Damn it! What is it?"

Link rubbed his forehead and sat down next to her as he realized he must be feeling an echo of whatever pain Tetra was feeling and put an arm around her shoulder. As he did an image of his sister Aryll flickered through his head. She was sitting across from a young man he was sure he had never laid eyes on. Still...he looked so damn familiar, where had he seen features like those before? And Golden eyes?

"Jinchi..." he heard Tetra say.

"Who?" Link asked, but Tetra didn't answer she was too lost in the pain to respond. Link grabbed her hand and set their Triforce pieces ringing. As the sound died away, so did the pain and Link looked at Tetra and asked her again, "Who is Jinchi?"

Tetra slowly opened her eyes and sighed. "He's an elemental Guardian. Goddesses that was bad," she said as a weak smile crept onto her face. "Well at least it's good to know I'm not the only one with unstable clothing."

Link looked down and sighed. Green tunic, white shirt, no mail this time, close fitting pants and a hat to match..."Great," he said as he leaned back again. "Okay, we'll skip the climb for now."

"Oh, I don't know," Tetra said and shrugged. "It could be interesting to watch if nothing else."

"Nice Princess, can we get back to the topic at hand?"

"Oh right," she paused and thought for a moment, "I'm not entirely sure, but from what I can remember they're guardian spirits-"

"They?"

"Sorry I keep forgetting, Jinchi and Chiyuu, hitherto known to you as Jake and Jasper."

Jinchi and Chiyuu? Link had no idea what she was talking about and stared at Tetra blankly.

"Remember what I said about being harassed by overprotective seagulls?"

Link nodded.

"One, I'm pretty sure is the elemental guardian of the forests, the other the seas. I don't know all the details, but those two have been trying to help us, despite our obvious inability to get it straight. "

"Jake and Jasper?"

"Yes."

Link thought back to when those two saucy seagulls invaded his home. It was just after his mother passed, and Aryll was very unhappy. So much so, she would sit on the beach for hours, just watching the sea. Then those two showed up. At first they only stayed for a day, then two, next he knew they were full time residents of the Namaki household. Whenever Aryll was outside, those two remained with her constantly.

When she was kidnapped, they followed the Helmarok King all the way to the Forsaken Fortress and remained with Aryll until Link and Tetra managed to rescue her and the other kidnapped girls. It made Link wonder if his father or grandmother knew what the gulls were. If they did, they never said a word, they were more relieved that his sister finally came out of the funk she had settled into.

"But where did they come from?" Link wondered aloud.

"That's the frustrating part," Tetra said, "I feel like I should know and they both look so damn familiar. Every time I see them or talk to one of them, I get the strangest sensation...It's like I know them from somewhere...that doesn't make any sense does it."

"About as much as anything else does."

"Aryll is connected to them somehow, I just can't see what the connection is, and those two aren't talking. All I know for sure is Guardians aren't born, Link, they're chosen, and those two have been around a very long time."

Tetra stood up and held out her hand. Link took it and as he started to rise. Tetra let go and Link fell unceremoniously on his backside. She came over and knelt beside him, never taking her eyes off whatever was in front of her.

"Damn it Tetra, what the-" Link stopped as he turned to see what she was staring at and all the blood ran out of his face.

5/23/06

When I first posted this chapter I was amazed at the number of angry emails I received because of it. 53 at last count...oh my...