Happy new year! I figured I'd get at least one more chapter of this out before 2024, and with only about an hour and a half to spare, I made it just in time! This chapter was originally going to be longer, before I decided to split in half to let it breathe a bit more. So I hope you enjoy Linebeck's long awaited introduction. Enjoy!
Chapter 6: Cobalt
It's amazing how a sword slinged over one's shoulder can make them feel safer, more secure… and somehow more scared than they'd ever be without one. The weight of that sword feels heavy as Link adjusts it and the shield Oshus had given him alongside it. His recovery had taken far longer than he would have liked it to, but as of today, the old man had finally deemed him healthy enough to venture out on his own. Or at least, with Ciela flying by his side as his new companion.
That's about the only thing Link actually doesn't mind about the daunting deal he's been forced into. Ciela is lively, sweet and spirited, and Link would much rather have her joining him on this quest than someone like Oshus. He smiles as he listens to her babble on, flying just ahead to give him something of a "grand tour" of Mercay Island.
"And over there is the general store, and right beside it is the tavern," Ciela details as they head through a small village on the way to the docks. "I've never been inside it because Grandpa says I 'have no business being around any low-life drunkards'. As if I know what a 'drunkard' even is."
Link can't help but laugh; something else he's noticed about Ciela is that she's innocent to a fault. He wonders if her apparent memory loss might have anything to do with that. "So what's your home like, Link?" she asks, coming to rest upon his hat.
"Oh, Outset?" Link smiles softy. "Well… it's a lot like this island, I guess. Not a ton of people live there, but the ones who do are some of the best I've ever met. The beach is bigger there too. When we were younger, my sister and I used to-"
"Whoa! You never mentioned you had a sister!" Ciela peers down at him, curious.
"Yeah, a younger sister," Link nods. His tone turns a touch fonder as he notices a stray seagull flying not too far above him. "Her name is Aryll. We used to go out into the surf and compete to see who could find the most sea crabs. Believe it or not, she would beat me at it almost every time."
"Aw…" Ciela croons. "You must really miss her, huh?"
"Mm hm…" Link's smile finally fades as he lets out a small sigh. He straightens his posture, however, when he notices the docks looming just up the path ahead of them. "But hopefully, I'll get to see her soon." "If I survive that long…" he nearly adds, but doesn't. For whatever reason, the idea of letting Ciela know that her world's last hope isn't someone worth putting any real faith into doesn't sit right with him. It's bad enough she's bound to figure that out on her own in due time.
"That's the spirit!" Ciela cheers as she flies on ahead. "Now, remember, Link, Grandpa told us we're supposed to be looking for someone called Captain Linebeck…"
"Gee, how will we ever find him?" Link smirks as he notices one of the boats Ciela just flew past. An impressive blue and red vessel that just so happens to have S.S. Linebeck proudly painted onto the side of its hull.
"Oh! That was easy," Ciela chuckles, embarrassed. "Well, I guess all we need to do now is convince this Linebeck guy to give us a ride to-"
"Hey! You there, boy!" Link turns to see a woman hotly approaching him from the far end of the dock. She's clad in the tell-tale attire of a pirate, with a stern scowl on her face that almost reminds him of Tetra, in a way. The severe sharpness in her voice does too. "Have you seen a man by the name of Linebeck anywhere around here? I have some… unfinished business with him."
"Um…" Link nods to the boat beside him, confused.
The woman's glare sharpens into a vengeful smirk as she strides past him and hops on board. "Finally… I found you, you miserable coward!" she storms to the cabin door and begins beating on it. "Come out and face me like a man!"
"Ah! J-Jolene!" A panicky voice sounds from below deck. "Long time no see, eh? W-what brings you by to see your favorite captain on such a beautiful day? A day that, I might add, is, uh… a-almost as beautiful as you-"
"Shut up! You know why I'm here, Linebeck!" the woman, Jolene, shouts. "Open the door," she whips out a cutlass from its spot on her belt, not hesitating to wedge its tip in the space between the doors to the lower deck. "Or I'll open it for you!"
She continues trying to pry the doors open, kicking and hammering away all in a furious attempt to get to the captain inside. All Link and Ciela can do is watch from afar, baffled and increasingly concerned when they realize they need that captain. Regardless of whatever sort of bad blood he may have with this crazed pirate woman.
"Well… this isn't good," Link says stiffly.
"We gotta do something!" Ciela cries, darting around in a frenzy. "And fast!"
"Hm…" Link takes a moment to consider their limited options. Sure, he can always try to fight Jolene himself, but given that he's just recovered from several major injuries, he's not that confident in his ability to win against a much older, much stronger woman. Fortunately, he quickly finds he won't have to as he peers further down the dock to find a decently-sized pirate ship tethered to a post. A sudden plan springs to mind, one that will work well with the wind blowing in the direction that it is. He doesn't even bother explaining to Ciela as he draws his sword, taking advantage of the fact that Jolene is still too preoccupied to pay him any mind. He only hopes she'll stay that way.
"Come out already, you no-account, backstabbing, spineless jellyfish!" she practically screams, still pounding at the surprisingly sturdy set of doors.
"Jellyfish?" the captain echos, aghast, from the other side of the door. "Come on, Jolene, that's a low blow, even for you."
"I'll tell you what's low," Jolene growls viciously. "Leaving me high and dry while pocketing the treasure we found together! What kind of bottom-feeding sea scum does that to a lady? Oh, I know. Scum like you."
"Can't we just talk this out?" the captain squeaks as Jolene lands another splintering hit on the door keeping them apart. "We always used to be able to talk, Jo Jo. Whatever happened to the good ol' days when we used to stare up at the stars and spend all night chatting?"
"Those days are sitting at the bottom of the sea along with any shred of respect I used to have for you," she all but manages to kick the door in this time. "And that's where you're about to be too as soon as I'm finished with you, Linebeck!"
She raises her blade high to land the final blow upon the door, only for it to stall when a sudden whistle cuts through the tension in the air. She looks back toward the dock, to the boy in green she'd passed by earlier as he waves her down.
"Hey! Is that your boat floating away out there?" he asks, suppressing a mischievous grin. Jolene gasps when she finds that, sure enough, her prized ship is already drifting out into the open sea, cut loose from its tether as the steady wind blows its sail to the south without a single soul on board.
"My ship!" she screams, frantically hurrying off the S.S. Linebeck. Fortunately, she cares about her beloved boat just a bit more than about getting her revenge as she outright dives into the sea to try and swim after it. "Gah! This isn't over, Linebeck, you hear me? Not by a longshot!" she shouts in between her swift strokes. "I'll make you pay for what you stole from me with interest! That's a promise!"
She continues shouting a barrage of bitter threats until she's no longer in earshot. Link lets out a sigh of relief as Ciela takes a perch on his shoulder. "Good thinking, Link!" she chuckles brightly. "How'd you know that would work?"
"No self-respecting pirate is gonna just let their ship drift away without them on it," he grins, crossing his arms. "Trust me; I've been around pirates enough to know."
"Hey!" The pair turns back to the S.S. Linebeck to find that the cabin door has opened, albeit just the smallest crack. "Psst, kid. Is she gone?"
"Oh, yeah, she's-"
"Oh, thank the goddesses!" a man emerges, heaving a sigh of relief. As if to match the well-kept state of his ship, he's dressed in a fine cobalt coat, with a teal waistcoat and red tie underneath. He strokes his short mustache to smooth it, doing the same with his light brown hair as he recovers from his harrowing ordeal. "I thought I was a goner this time for sure. She doesn't know when to quit, that Jolene. She's as crazy as she is stunning…" He sighs, lovestruck. Even if the woman he's lovestruck for hadn't just tried to kill him.
By now, Linebeck finally turns his attention back to the pair on the dock beside his boat, staring up at him with a mix of skepticism and curiosity. "Uh, do you mind moving along, kid?" he asks, frowning. "I know my boat is very impressive, but I'd rather not have poorly-dressed street urchins standing around gawking at it all day, if ya know what I mean."
Link scoffs, but before he can even say a word to defend himself, Ciela beats him to it. "Um, excuse you," she races up onto the boat so she can be on eye level with Linebeck. "But that 'poorly-dressed street urchin' down there just saved you. You ought to be going out of your way to thank him instead of being so… so rude!"
"...Uh huh," Linebeck cocks an unimpressed eyebrow. "And what are you supposed to be, sparkles? Some sort of loud-mouthed firefly?"
"I'm a fairy-"
"Oh. Even worse," he sneers, swatting her away.
Ciela lets out an indigent growl as she returns to Link's side. "I can't believe this is the guy Grandpa told us to go ask for help. He's completely useless!"
"Hey now!" Linebeck hops off his ship to confront the pair directly on the dock. "'Useless' is just about the last word anyone should use to describe me. I just so happen to be the best treasure hunter this ocean has ever known, a true man of the sea if there ever was one!"
"Ok, then why aren't you at sea right now?" Link asks, crossing his arms.
"B-because I was stocking up my ship!" Linebeck counters. "I was just getting ready to leave when Jolene showed up. And now that she's gone, I can get back to what I do best: making a fortune."
With this, he turns to board his ship and take his leave, at least until Link runs ahead to stop him. "Wait! We need you to give us a ride on your boat."
"You need me to what?" Linebeck asks, practically recoiling at the thought.
Link sighs, annoyed as he unfurls the map of the surrounding seas Oshus had given him to guide his quest. "We need you to take us to these islands," he points out the scattered shores circled on the map. "We're looking for something called the Sand of Hours and we need a boat to find it. Your boat."
"...Yeesh," Linebeck shoves the map away as he eyes Link critically. "You know, kid, you're surprisingly serious and to the point for… I dunno, a 6 year old?"
"I'm 13–14," Link quickly corrects, once again reminding himself of the year that has passed. The year that has been utterly wasted.
"Same difference," Linebeck huffs. "And what made you think I was gonna just agree to haul you and that headache-inducing friend of yours all over the ocean? Last time I checked, my ship isn't some common ferry."
"Oshus told us you were the best person to help us, for some reason…" Link mutters. Though based on how this encounter is going, he's quickly starting to doubt the old man's judgment even more than he already did.
"Oshus?"
"You know, the Ocean King?" Ciela clarifies.
"Ocean King?" Linebeck repeats again, this time with a laugh. "That crazy old coot? Yeah, right! If he's the Ocean King, then I'm the richest man alive! Which… I'm not–at least not yet."
While Ciela readily rushes to Oshus' defense at this, Link stays silent, suddenly shaken by what he just heard. Only now does he realize he may have taken Oshus at his word far too easily, that he may have believed what may very well be nothing more than the fantastical ramblings of a delusional old man. What if Linebeck is right? What if Oshus isn't who he says he is? What if he can't actually get him home?
What if he's about to put his life on the line for nothing at all?
Really, there's no way to know for sure. In fact, the only proof he has that his mission is a worthwhile one at all is the Phantom Hourglass tied to his belt. Faron had mentioned it, she'd told him of its power, and while he may not trust Oshus, he trusts her. All he can do now is hope that trust will be enough to get him home after all.
His first obstacle to getting home, however, isn't any sort of deadly dungeon or fearsome monster. Instead, it's the surly ship captain standing before him. And unlike Bellum, this is something Link can safely say he's dealt with before.
"And even if that geezer was the Ocean King, which he's not," Linebeck continues arguing with Ciela. The tiny fairy is clearly fuming, outraged that anyone would disrespect her beloved "Grandpa" in such a callous way. If she didn't like Linebeck before, she certainly doesn't like him now. "Why would I waste my valuable treasure hunting time sailing all across the ocean looking for sand, of all things?"
"Because this entire world will disappear if you don't!" Ciela protests fiercely.
"So?" Linebeck shrugs. "Don't see how that's my problem."
"It is your problem seeing as how you'll disappear along with it!"
"Not as long as I have the S.S. Linebeck, I won't," Linebeck grins, confidently tapping the hull of his ship. "This beauty is fast enough to outsail any world-ending disaster–if one was gonna happen in the first place, which it isn't."
"Gah!" Ciela shrieks, furious. "What's it gonna take for you to believe us, you stubborn old seadog?!"
"He doesn't need to believe us," Link suddenly cuts in, just loudly enough for the fairy to hear.
"Huh?"
"He doesn't need to believe us," Link repeats just shy of turning back to Linebeck. "If you don't want to believe your entire world is in danger and you don't want to do anything to help it, that's fine. But we still need a boat just the same. So," he draws in a deep breath, standing as tall as he can manage. Which, admittedly, still lands him pretty short against a long and lanky figure like Linebeck. "What do you want in exchange for getting us to where we need to go?"
"What do I want?" Linebeck scoffs. "Haven't you heard a thing I've said, kid? I want treasure!"
"Ok," Link surprisingly, immediately agrees. "Done. Any treasure we find along the way is yours, no questions asked."
"...You're serious?" Linebeck asks, suddenly very interested.
Link nods, suppressing a smile. After spending so much time around Tetra and her crew, he knows a thing or two about twisting a treasure hunter's arm. He's glad to see that someone like Linebeck is no different. "I don't need any treasure. All I want is to get home. And… well, I guess this is the only way to make that happen. So if you help us out, then we'll both get what we're after."
"Hmph, and how do you know there even is any treasure at any of these places you want me to take you?" Linebeck asks, still not convinced.
"Um… well…"
"Because we're going to ancient temples no one has set foot inside for ages," Ciela fortunately fills in. Link can't help but wonder if the way her wings are twitching is some sort of indication that she's lying. Even so, Linebeck doesn't seem to notice. "There's bound to be a bunch of valuable stuff left behind in them: gold, gemstones, rupees… just imagine it all! If you help us out, then you'll be filthy rich, just like you want!"
"Hm…" Linebeck strokes his short beard. "I do like the sound of that…"
"So?" Link presses, hopeful. "Do we have a deal?"
Linebeck pauses for a moment to size the two up once again. Briefly, Link fears that they still failed to sway him, even with their promises of such impressive treasures. Whether or not they'll be able to keep those promises remains to be seen, and Linebeck must have reached the same conclusion. Because instead of warmly agreeing to their terms, he extends an expectant hand out to Link, strangely pulling it away before he can shake it. "We might, but first, I'm gonna need a bit of a… deposit. How many rupees do you have on you, kid?"
"Um…" he reaches down to the tiny satchel tied to his belt. "I have this? Oshus gave me a bit of money, but it's not much-"
"Are you serious?" Linebeck swipes the wallet, quickly counting through its sparse contents. "I should have known that kooky old man was a skinflint too; there's barely enough in here to keep my ship fueled for a week!"
"It's not for that!" Ciela protests. "It's to buy Link food and potions to help him recover from-"
"Tell someone who cares, sparkles," Linebeck shoos her away. "Ugh, I have the thought of accepting chump change like this, but I guess it'll have to do." He pockets the money, outright ignoring the appalled looks Link and Ciela are both sending his way. "Of course, this doesn't even begin to cover the cost of traveling aboard a vessel as stately as the S.S. Linebeck, so… I'm gonna put you to work in order to pay off the rest."
"What, so the treasure you're gonna get isn't enough for you or something?" Link asks, already annoyed with this arrangement. Having to travel with someone as curmudgeonly as Linebeck was one thing; having to work for him was something different entirely. And as far as Link's concerned, it's not something he's interested in doing in the slightest.
"I don't have that treasure in my hand yet, kid," Linebeck says. "So until I do, consider yourself my new cabin boy." The captain puts on a smug grin as he lowers down the gangway for his ship. "Welcome aboard, 'swabbie'."
"Ugh, where have I heard that one before…?" Link mutters to himself. The irony of this entire setup wasn't lost on him, and he's sure it wouldn't be lost on Tetra either if she were here to see it. He can practically hear her teasing laughter as he skims the edge of her scarf, still carefully tied around his neck. The thought of her alone is what prompts him to accept whatever might await him next, knowing it'll all be worth it if it means he can go home. If he can be with her again.
Despite the circumstances, Link still finds himself overtaken with awe as he properly steps aboard the S.S. Linebeck. He hates to admit it, but Linebeck is right; it is a rather impressive vessel, quite unlike any boat Link has ever seen. While not particularly big, it's beautifully built and equipped with plenty of peculiar features, from a large wheel at the stern, a tall chimney emerging from the bridge, and even a cannon meant to fend off dangers at sea. But with all of those fancy fixtures, Link still realizes there's one essential thing missing from this ship.
"Where's the sail?" he asks Linebeck as he climbs aboard behind him. Sure enough, there is no sail on this boat, no ropes or any sort of mainstay meant to carry it across the waves. Exactly how they're meant to use a boat like this to travel across an entire ocean, Link has no idea.
"Sail?" Linebeck repeats, rolling his eyes. "C'mon, kid, the S.S. Linebeck is state of the art! Sails are so two years ago. Which, coincidentally enough, is when I stole–er, bought the ship you're standing on now."
"Uh, ok…" Link frowns, peering across the ship's deck. "So, how does it move?"
"It's steam-powered, duh!" Linebeck calls back as he heads for the helm.
"Steam?" Link repeats, but he quickly gets his answer. Something just beneath the ship's deck roars to life, as white smoke begins billowing out of the S.S. Linebeck's chimney. Slowly but surely, the wheel at the back of the boat starts to turn, gently propelling the boat forward. As Linebeck carefully steers it away from the dock, it picks up speed, until it emerges from Mercay Island's tiny bay to emerge onto the open ocean. It's only as Link feels the wind blowing through his hair and looks down at the crisp cobalt water below does he realize just how unique this ship really is. A vessel without a sail, a boat that doesn't bend to the mercy of the breeze.
"Whoa…" he breathes, leaning over the edge of the ship's railing to get a better look. He laughs as he feels the ocean spray sprinkle across his face, cherishing just how good it feels to be back upon the ocean again after spending so long stuck on land. He wonders what another boat he used to know would think of this one and chuckles to himself at the idea of the proud and mighty King of Red Lions being jealous of a ship that can travel the seas entirely on its own accord. When he closes his eyes, he can almost imagine being back on that boat, he can almost hear the King's warm laugh and wise words, He can almost imagine being back on another sea entirely, until…
"Hey!" Linebeck snaps him back into reality. With the ship's course set, he's able to leave the helm to attend to the rest of the ship. Or more specifically, to his new cabin boy. "I told you, this wasn't gonna be just some sight-seeing pleasure cruise. You wanna stay on board this ship? You've gotta work for it, kid."
With this, he shoves a broom into Link's hands, making the kind of work he expects out of him more than clear. Even so, Link isn't satisfied, especially not with the captain's attitude. Just because he's supposed to work like a servant doesn't mean he intends on being treated like one. "I have a name, you know," he pipes up, even when Linebeck turns his back on him. "It's Link, and I-"
"Uh huh, kid, that's nice," the captain cuts him off, too preoccupied with checking his compass to listen. "Now, get to work! I wanna see this deck shine by the next time we drop anchor!"
Without another word, Linebeck marches back over the helm, leaving Link to begin swabbing the deck. It isn't long before Ciela settles onto his shoulder, heaving out a long, irritated sigh. "Oh, that Linebeck makes me so mad!" she fusses, her winks flickering in frustration. "How dare he talk to you like that! If I was bigger, I'd give him what for!"
"I'm sure you would," Link lets out a good-natured laugh. What Ciela may lack in size, she certainly makes up for in spirit.
"Are you really sure we should be relying on this guy?" she asks, dropping her voice down to a whisper. "I know Grandpa pointed us in his direction, but… he's not at all what I was expecting. I don't think we should trust him."
"I'm not crazy about him either," Link admits, scowling in the captain's direction. "But… It's too late to turn back now. The only thing that matters is that he gets us to those temples. As for everything else…" He looks up from swabbing the deck, out onto the wide-open ocean ahead of them. An ocean that's bound to be filled with danger, with mysteries, and… with possibilities alike. "We'll figure it out as we go along."
"You make it sound like you've done this before," Ciela half-jokes.
Link finds himself laughing along with her, though it turns a touch bittersweet as he says. "You have no idea." He can't help but yearn for those days now, when it was just him and the King and the sea, when everything seemed so much more simple. And yet… for as much as he may want to go back, he knows all too well he can only go forward now.
No matter how difficult that may be.
Don't forget to review please! Until next time!