The Rito postman comes by and tells us what happened here. The pirates are also looking for the 3 pearls, and they came here looking for Jabun while Ganon's monsters came after them and destroyed the island. Could he already be regaining his power? Jabun fled to Outset Island. Link has a worried face, as he realizes his home is now in danger. The pirates immediately went off to Outset but couldn't break the entrance to where Jabun was hiding, they are now at Windfall Island. There's also a rainstorm now just to add to the mood...
The pirates must know something about getting to Jabun, so Link heads back to Windfall Island to find them. I found Tingle's Island. There's a big totem pole and at the top are some white coloured Tingles spinning the structure around for some reason. So I can't do anything with my triforce charts until I rescue Tingle from Windfall Island. Ontop of that I also need to find the Great Fairy to increase my fortune... but I'll worry about that later. This one guy says he just got caught in a cyclone and next thing he knew, he was wearing that outfit... so cyclones turn you into Tingle now? Holy crap that's insane.
So now I'm at Windfall, still raining... the only person in town I could find tells me the pirates are doing something at the bomb shop. So I go in through the back entrance and...
Well, they are pirates after all. This guy was the only person around who had access to bombs and was hiking the price up to insane amounts... he pretty much got what was coming to him.
This scene is great, it gives a lot more character development to the pirates, and reminds you they're not just side characters who help you at the beginning, but part of the main plot. The pirates are talking about which one of them will marry Tetra...
Gonzo: Look, don't be mad at us! It's not our fault that we absolutely gotta have bombs to get the treasure we're after! How about you just think of it as payback for the nasty little monopoly you've been running here, yeah?
Mako: So, I bet you're thinking it was foolhardy to ask pirates to pay such an outrageous price, huh? Yup. I bet you are. ...You know, Gonzo, I still can't get over that bit of fast talking you pulled to get that information out of the postman!
Gonzo: Huh? ...Oh! Oh, yeah! That was smooth. I tell you, the minute I set my eyes on that Link. I just knew he was hiding something back at Outset, yeah? So when I saw that postman, I just pretended like I was all worried about the kid and stuff... And presto! He spills the beans!
Mako: Good work, Gonzo! Really! Just top notch! It's funny though... I'm thinking this is maybe the first time you've shown such wit... Such cunning... ...You know with your cunning and Miss Tetra's smarts... If you two got married and had a kid... ...That kid would be the greatest pirate to ever sail the seas! Yup! The greatest!
Gonzo: You idiot! Keep your mouth shut, yeah? Don't be so stupid! Miss Tetra! Are you listening to this nitwit? Can't you dock him some pay or something?
Tetra: Quit goofing off, both of you! Keep your childish jokes to yourselves and get those bombs back to the ship! The second you're done loading them up, we're setting sail for Outset Island!
Gonzo: Whaaat!? Miss! We have to leave immediately? But it's been so long since we were on shore! We need to fill our bellies with some good eating, yeah? How about we grub tonight and shove off tomorrow morning instead? I mean... Uh, I-I'm fine either way, of course! Whatever you say is fine, Miss, is what I mean to say! ...It's just that the boys were so excited to come to town, yeah? And I can't help but think it would be awful hard on them to leave so soon without a proper layover. So, what say we sail tomorrow, yeah? What do you say, Miss? That treasure isn't going anywhere! You're with me, right, boys?! Who's for a night of fun?
Pirates: .........
Tetra: You're all fools, do you know that? You saw that demolished island! You saw the senseless destruction. We have to hurry on to Outset, or the same thing could happen there!
Mako: Huh? Not to be disrespectful, but by the sound of things, you're more worried a
bout that island than the treasure, Miss...
Tetra: Don't be ridiculous! I want, you know...
the treasure...
This is where Tetra spots Link, winks, and then changes her plans.
All right! Fine! Have it your way! We can leave tomorrow, you big babies. But
we're setting sail at first light, so no sleeping in! Understood?
One of the pirates leaks their password out to me while I'm still there... then they leave. Yeah so I'll just leave the bomb shop owner tied up here without helping him. It's really obvious that you're supposed to go into the ship now and steal the bombs from the pirates.
Who can't walk the plank?
Answer: Plankton
It's pretty cool how you miss that one clue in the dialogue, it actually makes the game virtually impossible to beat without a guide.
Time to go snoop around in Tetra's room!
awwww she sleeps with a picture of Link above her bed that's cute.
Niko gives you another rope swinging challenge with the pirates bombs as a reward... I wonder, why would they hang so many lanterns in their wooden ship? That doesn't sound very safe.
After you win Niko's challenge:
Niko: What?! You gotta be... You did it already?! You're... You're incredible! (This isn't good... I never even passed this test... How could he do it so quickly...? And make it look so easy?! And if I give this to him, everybody will know for sure... Oh, I'll be so busted...)
Uh... OK! You're the best swabbie of all time! So... I guess I'll just give you the bombs! Go on! Take 'em! Just don't tell anyone, OK? I'm serious! Really serious! OK? OK?!?
Suddenly, Tetra talks to you through the pirates' gem, lol he must've forgotten all about that thing.
That's mighty courageous of you... trying to steal treasure from pirates. I suppose I should be shocked... but I'm more amazed that you managed to survive after being tossed out of that tower... From the look on your face, I have to guess you haven't saved your sister yet, huh? You don't give things much thought, do you? You just rush in, never thinking how badly things could go for you. Like just now... The only reason you got what you did was because we left a simple-minded little rat like Niko behind to look after things. No one else would have parted with our treasure so easily. I assure you! And just how do you intend to use those bombs, anyway? Don't tell me you're going after Jabun's treasure, too... Right now, Jabun is hiding in a cave at the back of the island you were born on. But the entrance is blocked by a giant stone doorway. You can't get in without breaking down the door. We're going to relax in town and eat our fill of whatever this town has to offer, but we'll be leaving for Outset first thing in the morning. If you manage to find Jabun tonight, then I guess you win. But if you take too long, we'll come sailing right by you tomorrow morning. And believe me, you didn't get ALL of our bombs. You'd better be quick, kid!
Fortunately Tetra is still taking Link's side, and now Link has until morning to find the 3rd pearl.
The plot just keeps getting better and better from this point on. This is Link's first visit back home after starting his adventure (story-wise, anyway). I think this part was done really well. The urgent circumstances have you sailing alone through a thunderstorm at night, trying to find your way back home before the pirates get there. Without that sea chart Link would be hopelessly lost. He's likely just now starting to realize for how far away he is from home... There's also the fact that it's been night for a long time. Link is so worried about Outset he doesn't realize this. It's like the darkness of this whole scene represents Link's fears.
The long ride back to Outset isn't as monotonous as most of the sailing in the game. As there are plenty of Octoroks, Peahats, cyclones and other obstacles. It really feels as if Ganon's forces are onto you and are trying to stop you from getting the last pearl. Instead of having to complete a dungeon for this pearl, you just have to do a lot of sailing while avoiding obstacles everywhere.
When you get to Outset, the King of Red Lions tells Link that time has been frozen due to Ganon's curse. Link reunites with the people on Outset, and he finds out his grandma has become sick from losing him and Aryll, she doesn't even notice Link is there...
You can also meet Orca again and test your sword skills... He has some great dialogue. I love the class system he gives you.
"I guess it was wrong of me to treat you like you were still a lowly page. You are a page no more! You are a knight!".
If you go to talk to the other old guy, Sturgeon, he tells you about a great fairy fountain that can be found on this island... Come to think of it, doesn't this guy kind of remind you of someone?
Could it be... this guy used to be Tingle?
Using your bomb cannon you can get into Jabun's hideout on the other side of the island. Him and the boat start talking in another language about ancient legends, and the return of the hero... Link is just kind of sitting there, and then...
Now to put the pearls into the 3 goddess statues...
Ah, finally the next dungeon! Tower of the Gods.
This tower, which the pearls of the gods have caused to appear, is a place that the gods of the ancient world prepared so that they might test the courage of men. Only one who is able to overcome the trials that await here will be acknowledged by the gods to be a true hero. Only then will that hero be permitted to wield the power to destroy the great evil. Link, that which you must obtain now lies before you! You must believe in your own courage, which has led you to triumph over the many hardships you have faced... and you must triumph once again! You must rise above the trials of the gods!
Now the plot is approaching its climax. Next post I'll be talking about what I think is the one of the most incredible plot twists in the history of video games.