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“Of all the places we could have found him…WHY did it have to be here?” Legend huffed pinching the skin between his eyes.
“Honestly I’m more disappointed we didn’t think to check here first.” War retorted, patting his fellow hunter’s shoulder. When they arrived into this town, the Old man had given them the go ahead to do whatever they saw fit–by themselves! If the heroes so choose. To none of young men’s surprise many picked the skin on their bones as the company. While almost all were used to traveling with a companion, time alone was needed…For most that is.
“THIS IS THE MOST &^%^& (^&%$% THING I HAVE ^^&%& (&%^$ # SEEN YOU %#^$&^ BRAT!” A very angry drunk man screamed across the table from a very not sober Sailor.
“Wow–” letting the w pop. “You kiss your mother with that mouth of yours mate?” Wind chuckled, sipping on his drink and pulling a sack of rupees closer to his side. This was the wrong answer as the drunken man started to turn red and release steam.
“CHORK ENOUGH!” A rather stocky older woman corrected. With a voice that commanded authority and respect. “Ye just angry you can’t handle as much as the lad! I get but I will not be having any incidents in my bar tonight. I make myself clear!”
Chork grumbled before sulking away to a group of men he saw as friends at a different table.
With the woman turning her attention to the teenager. “I must say lad, you have made half my bar angry at ye tonight.” She laughed rather impressed by the boy.
The sailor smiled proud of what he done. “On one hand I am sorry for the trouble I caused you ma'am.”
“And the other?”
“I’m rather enjoying my time winning these drinking games.” He pulled a few different colored rupees from the sack and placed them in the woman’s hand.
“Another round?” She rushed the jewels into her pocket before confirming what the payment was even for.
“No ma’am, just putting some away as a token of good faith.” The Sailor winked. The old woman smirked knowingly.
“Ye were raised right I see. Some warm milk then?” She turned heading back behind the bar.
“You’re a saint!” Wind raised his glass. Hearing a laugh of disagreement from the woman.
“What was that all about?” a very frustrated Veteran huffed. Taking the seat across from the youngest member of the group. The Captain looking for an unoccupied seat to pull to the table as well.
The hero of the Wind’s face stood frozen as the gears within it began turning. The two older hero’s watched in real time as their youngest face morphed. His eyes releasing from calculated squint to a bright doe. His checks releasing the tension, with softer baby cheeks coming into view, and a sly smirk turning into a cheerful smile. Even his voice sounded higher, “Captain, Vet! What a pleasant surprise! Don’t you worry about that.” He waved his hand dismissably, “just some barmaid speak is all.”
Legend raised an eyebrow, “barmaid speak?”
“Here ye are,” The old barmaid returned with the warm milk, along with the more mature face of the sailor.
“Again a saint.” Wind slipped the women a few more rupees.
“Will I getting anything for ye, gentlemen.” Her attention turned to the two older heroes.
“You let teenagers drink here?” Legend asked with actuation on his lips.
The old woman was unbothered, “I do when they can pay, and prove to me they can hold their liquor.”
“Thank you for the service, but we are just here to pick up the boy and go.” The Captain reminded everyone he was still there.
“Very well,” She pointed to the Sailor. “Ye come back and see me again lad.” With Wind lifting his cup in a wave of goodbye.
“Truely Sailor? Drinking games is how you decided to spend your free day?” The Captain asked disappointed but wasn’t too surprised. He knew an older version of the Sailor, one who did this kind of stunt more the Captain liked to admit.
Wind shrugged, “It’s not my fault that so far every world we end up in has a weaker brew than mine.” The sailor's eyes looked tired, too tired to be a child's. “What I wouldn’t give to have a zora coffee right about now.” Taking one last large swig of the milk, beginning to collect himself. “Shall we head out?” Wind grabbed the sack on the table, and an even larger sack he has hidden under his legs hosting it over his shoulders.
Legend and War, were stunned. “How much did you DRINK?” The Vet demanded to know.
“Not too much.” Wind waited for the other to Hero’s to stand. A dark figure started to creep towards him. “Also I like to point out that I only drink socially and never by myself–”
“SAILOR LOOK OUT–”
CRACKKKKKKK
Chunks of a once wood chair flew across the room making the other patrons shield themselves from it. Blood from the sailor's head dribbled down to his eye. If the man that attacked the sailor could, he would have gone back in time to stop himself. From his view, a boy dressed in crimson and shadows, slowly, calculating turned around to face him.
The man tried to retreat, stumbling over himself and falling backwards face full of terror and the boy stood over him. Starting to pull his fist back, before rushing towards his face.
His only saving grace being the other two men behind the lad, screaming.
“POWER BRACELTS POWER BRACELTS!”
“SAILOR YOUR POWER BRACELTS—”
Time stood still as the boy's fist stopped right in front of the man's face. Slowly pulling himself back away from the man.
The Sailor grabbed the rest of his gear, placing a few more rupees on the bar, with a quiet. “For your troubles.” Before existing the establishment into the night, with Wars and Legend on toe. Walking about a block away the two older trying to catch him.
“Sailor?” Vet tried to grab him.
“Sailor stop!” War begged. “Link!”
This made the boy pause, slowly blinking at his two companions. Whipping away the blood that covered his eyes. “Link..and Link….We need to get back to the ship. Tetra will have something strong to lessen the headache.” Wind winced in pain.
The Vet shot the Captain, a panicked look. This town was landlocked, and there was no Tetra to be found. The eldest hero took a deep breath and tried to make his voice sound closest to a pirate’s, or what Tetra and Winds accent sounded like to him.
“Aye–” A very judgemental look came from the Vet. “Aye Link, but we are still rather far and you are wounded. Might I carry the?”
“Wounded?” The Sailor looked at his hand seeing the blood. “I suppose I am….your offer probably be for the best.” Nodding
Legend and War’s wasted no time. The middle checking the back of the youngest head for the injure and the elder beginning to lift him on his back. The youngest starting to drift off.
“How bad is it?” War inquired.
“Not as bad as I thought it was. It’s a pretty nasty gash, and a lot of swelling but nothing a fairy or red pot can’t fix.” Legend checked on Wind once more watching as his eyelashes fluttered. Eyes finding the large bag he still held on to. “I got this Sail–I mean Link. I have you bag Link.”
Wind smiled, “don’t lose it I won those rupees fair and square.” Head nudging into the Captain's shoulder.
As the group made their way back towards the Inn the rest of their Companion where residing at. The Vet became a bit curious regarding the large bag and the rupees inside it, choosing to sneak a peek. “By Din’s Hair–” It was the Captains turn to look at Vet weirdly. “I know why that man attacked the Sailor?” The Vet opening the bag wide enough for Wars to look inside.
Gold and silver rupees consumed the bag.
“Bye Hylia Sailor–”
“I was going to givem back–” Wind whined, lifting his head from War’s shoulder. “At least most of it–” He blinked his eyes slowly.
“Easy their sailor.” The captain whispered.
“M–Most of those men are so drunk they never realize they are gambling away their families future.” Wind let his head fall again. “I always win, so I take the rupees and make friends with the Barmaid, I give them to her, so when the men come back the next day to drink away the mistake they made she can give it back….I guess one of the guys came to his senses early.” The boy tried to touch the back of his head, but legend stopped it, taking his hand instead.
“You give back all of it?” The Vet questioned.
The Sailor opened one eye to look at him. “Welll….most of it–I am a pirate after all.”
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