Nagori, Saimon and Senkyoku - A Wind Waker Tale

You should know that when I originally wrote this chapter it inspired almost 50 emails asking me how I could do such a thing...

If you've learned anything at all from this: it's nothing is quite what you think you thought you saw...or is it?

Well I'll leave you to be the judge of that. Strangeness aside - if you do feel compelled to email me, try not to worry - it'll almost make sense in a chapter or ten...

Chapter 29:
Guardians


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."



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 sink 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?"


Tetra woke with a start. She blinked as she sat up, and felt her heart skip a beat when she saw that Link was still with her. She'd feared the recycling of days would separate them, but there he was, sound asleep as he leaned 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 time and was quite sure she could do something similar.

Glancing at the sleeping hero, Tetra felt that 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. 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 other's 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. 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. 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.


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. A name popped into her head, she'd never heard before.

"Jinchi," Aryll said as she looked at him. "You're Jinchi, 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.


"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," 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?"

"Yes, it had a creature called a tekuragari in it."

"What the hell is that?"

"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."


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

"For what?"

"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?

"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 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, legging and a hat..."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."

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 somehow 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 Helmaroc 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 or will...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.

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