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mango-unit · 2 months

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uhhhhh the interlopers?

ok so this is kind of a crackpot theory here but just bear with me here it goes somewhere

it ties into my theory about the nature of the oocca, the zonai, and prehistoric hyrule (before skyward sword) so im gonna give a quick rundown of that just as a reminder of the key points

the golden goddesses create hyrule. din creates the land, nayru creates science and magic, and farore creates life. (the parella, the kikwi, the mogma, the gorons, and the oocca)

the golden goddesses create the triforce to sustain the land in their absence, place it under the care of the goddess hylia, and then peace out

the oocca found prehistoric hyrule. all races of the surface are united in peace.

technology develops, and the zonai evolve from the oocca.

eventually, the hylians evolve from the zonai; around this time, the oocca and the zonai build the city in the sky, the capital of prehistoric hyrule. they both go to the skies; the hylians remain on the surface.

some stuff about the lanayru province, the wind tribe, and the gerudo. ive hashed that out in two previous posts now so maybe ill refrain this time around. point is, around this time is when the lanayru province is desertified.

eventually demise attacks. hylia sends most hylians up to the sky with the triforce to keep it out of his reach, then goes to war. some hylians remain on the surface during the war, becoming the sheikah. hyrule as a kingdom falls, however - everyone who lived there is either in the skies or dying to monsters.

after (barely) successfully sealing away demise, hylia is drained of much of her power, and would be unable to defeat him again should he return. as such, she creates a twofold plan: she forges the goddess blade and imbues it with the spirit fi, sending it up to skyloft to choose a hero when the time comes, and she vows to reincarnate as a human who will be able to wish upon the triforce for the destruction of demise. (gods cannot use the triforce)

finally skyward sword happens. when the hylians descend to the surface, the zonai follow, helping them to re-establish hyrule; the oocca, however, stay in the skies.

so i kind of skipped over a few things that arent super relevant but the theory im about to present directly regards this timeline.

now lets talk about the interlopers. gonna drop a quote from lanayru

"You must know that it was the will of the goddesses that we lock away the forbidden power…

When all was chaos, the goddesses descended and gave order and life to the world. They granted power equally to all who dwelt in the light, and then returned to the heavens. The lands where the goddesses descended came to be known as the Sacred Realm. For ages, the people lived at ease, content in mind and body…

But soon, word of the Sacred Realm spread through Hyrule, and a great battle ensured…

Among those living in the light, interlopers who excelled at magic appeared. Wielding powerful sorcery, they tried to establish dominion over the Sacred Realm. It was then that the goddesses ordered us three light spirits to intervene. We sealed away the great magic those individuals had mastered.

You know this magic… It is the dark power you seek… the Fused Shadow. O hero chosen by the goddesses… Beware… Those who do not know the danger of wielding power will, before long, be ruled by it. Never forget that…

The dark power that you seek is within the sleeping Lakebed Temple in Lake Hylia…"

Lanayru, Twilight Princess

the light spirit lanayru explains here the story of the interlopers. "among those living in the light, interlopers who excelled at magic appeared." most assume the interlopers were hylian; the twili kind of look like distorted hylians. but lanayru never says hylians, it says "those living in the light."

so, just for a moment, dont assume the interlopers were exactly hylian. but dont assume they were exactly zonai, either, in spite of what im about to show you.

im gonna drop some images for you to check out as you wish.

fashion is shockingly similar. almost identical recurring patterns of thin bands of light. even the architecture itself is pretty much the same. not to mention the fact that the twili look like blue, physically deformed hylians (the deformations more than likely due to their time in the twilight realm)...

i believe theres a high chance that the interlopers, the ancestors of the twili, are the evolutionary mid-point between the zonai and the hylians (they are blue and gray). or, if not that, theyre hylians from prehistoric hyrule, who still share much of the zonai culture and design (the blue-gray skin could also be from the time spent in the twilight realm, much like the physical deformations).

when demise attacked, the hylians were sent into the sky and created their own kind of culture, much more akin to the medieval cultures of germanic tribes that is featured in arthurian myth (which zelda draws heavy inspiration from - the master sword being drawn by the one true hero is a clear parallel to excalibur being drawn by the one true king).

the interlopers didnt do that. they were sent into the twilight realm and held on to the culture they were separated from. most likely due to their intimate connection with magic - the zonai infrastructure is fundamental to their magical tech, as we see in totk. so the twili, keeping hold of their magically-oriented culture without trying to reinvent the wheel, would naturally have similar infrastructure.

so if theres a connection between the zonai and the interlopers (who eventually become the twili), and the zonai werent really present by the time of the hyrulian civil wars (which the interloper battle is widely considered to have been a part of), then whats the deal?

i believe the interloper event happened much earlier than previously thought.

much earlier.

as in, before skyward sword. in prehistoric hyrule.

im going to provide one more account of the creation of the world, just for some additional context:

"Before time began, before spirits and life existed…

Three golden goddesses descended upon the chaos that was Hyrule…

Din, the goddess of power…

Nayru, the goddess of wisdom…

Farore, the goddess of courage…

Din…

With her strong flaming arms, she cultivated the land and created the red earth.

Nayru…

Poured her wisdom onto the earth and gave the spirit of law to the world.

Farore…

With her rich soul, produced all life forms who would uphold the law.

The three great goddesses, their labors completed, departed for the heavens.

And golden sacred triangles remained at the point where the goddesses left the world.

Since then, the sacred triangles have become the basis of our world’s providence.

And, the resulting place of the triangles has become the Sacred Realm."

Great Deku Tree, Ocarina of Time

the key takeaway here is the fact that the location where the triforce was created became the entryway to the sacred realm. i will be incorporating this into the theory to make it cleaner.

with all this in mind, let me adjust that timeline from earlier:

the golden goddesses create hyrule. din creates the land, nayru creates science and magic, and farore creates life. (the parella, the kikwi, the mogma, the gorons, and the oocca)

the golden goddesses create the triforce to sustain the land in their absence; the place where it is created becomes the entryway into the sacred realm, where the triforce is initially stored. the goddess hylia is tasked with watching over the world in their absence.

the oocca found prehistoric hyrule. all races of the surface are united in peace.

technology develops, and the zonai evolve from the oocca. as time passes, the interlopers evolve from the zonai; they are more hylian in shape, but keep the blue and gray skin.

eventually, the hylians evolve from the interlopers; around this time, the oocca and the zonai build the city in the sky, the capital of prehistoric hyrule. they both go to the skies; the hylians and the interlopers remain on the surface. the zonai and the oocca rule the kingdom, and the hylians are the favorite of the goddess hylia; the interlopers are widely considered irrelevant, and are treated as just that: interlopers.

the interlopers begin setting a plan in motion. they develop a mastery over powerful magic, as detailed by lanayru, and attempt to establish dominion over the sacred realm. if the zonai were to be worshipped and the hylians were to be coddled, the interlopers were to be respected as the ultimate arbiters of divine power.

the golden goddesses take notice. the light spirits intervene under their direction. they chase the interlopers across hyrule into the desertified lanayru province, sealing them away in the twilight realm. they consider the matter dealt with.

worried about this close brush with the interlopers, the golden goddesses take the triforce out of the sacred realm and place it under the care of the goddess hylia. finally, they leave the world again, this time permanently.

finally skyward sword happens. when the hylians descend to the surface, the zonai follow, helping them to re-establish hyrule; the oocca, however, stay in the skies.

thats pretty much how it fits into the timeline. one thing i can see being a problem is how the interlopers lost their absolutely massive ears from the zonai, but theres a perfectly reasonable explanation for that. a quote from the alttp manual (literal translation from japanese):

これらの記録書を書き残したハイリア民族は、神の声を聞くことができる選ばれた民でした。

The Hylian people, who left behind these written records, were an elected (chosen) people able to hear the voices of gods.

それゆえ、高い耳を持ち、感覚に優れ、魔法を使いました。

For that reason they were in possession of tall ears, excelled senses, and the use of magic/sorcery.

the hylians (or the zonai, as thats who they inherited the trait from) developed their large ears in order to hear the voices of the goddesses. the interlopers were sealed in the twilight realm, far from the goddesses; as such, the need for such ears vanished. as the twilight altered their forms, the unnecessary trait was dropped.

and yeah, thats basically it. to be perfectly honest im not sure if im on to something here or if this is just another crackpot theory with no weight to it that are all over the internet

#zelda tears of the kingdom #legend of zelda #zelda timeline #zelda theory #skyward sword #twilight princess #interlopers #zonai #oocca #golden goddess #crackpot theory?

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bokettochild · 3 years

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request: sometimes time likes to be alone underwater. with his iron boots and zora helmet, it's easy to just take a stroll at the bottom of a deep enough lake, away from the rest of the world. he did not expect, however, to find legend relaxing inside a small hole in the stone. Mer Legend.

Oh boy! I was vibing with this one for a while, I just wanted to make it perfect!

I'm pretty happy with what I made too, but man is it long!

(I hope this makes you happy, anon!)

When he and Malon have kids, he hopes they don't have this many.

Nayru knows he loves his boys, but they can get a bit much sometimes. They can get loud and overwhelming, and as a man who’s used to traveling primarily alone, with maybe a fairy trailing behind him or his trusted mount, it’s a bit overwhelming. He’s not used to being around people so much, Malon and Talon are his only consistent company and even then, the work they share means that often times it’s only him and his thoughts as he mucks, mends and tends things around the ranch.

Sometimes, when the boys get especially rowdy and playful, it’s just nice to get a moment of quiet to himself. Between Sky and Twilight he knows that nothing overly chaotic will go down, and he trusts the boys to keep each other in check.

So, when they come to the Pup’s Hyrule, their battle in this world over and most of their number restless as they wait for the next portal to arrive and whisk them away, Time allows his boys their space, and with a quick exchange with the only two he can trust to not burn something down (at least while the younger ones can still see them) he heads off into the forest to get a little space to himself.

Of course, he can’t really go far, not if he needs to hurry back, but he doesn’t really need to. His destination is Lake Hylia, which is only a short distance from their camp, maybe ten or fifteen minutes, and, when he gets there, he allows himself to actually breathe for once.

Wild, Warriors and Wind had been locked in a game of cards when last he left, the champion soundly beating the other two both at cribbage while Wars bemoans his poor luck, and Twilight and Sky were discussing wood carving with Hyrule, with the occasional comment from the smithy, who is only too happy to throw in something related every so often as he looks up from his book. That leaves himself and Legend, and he’s long since learned that the vet was one to disappear for his own space when possible.

He’s not overly worried. Legend has items and experience that far outmatch most of their group, and if he runs into trouble Time has little doubt that he’ll be able to get himself out of it to at least gather reinforcements, if not handle the issue by himself.

A deep breath of relief escapes him as the eldest of the heroes pulls a few items from his own bag. The boots are a familiar if not welcome weight as he slips out of his armor and dons the tunic and cap of the Zora, his breath bubbling softly as he steps into the lake before him with a contented sigh.

The cool water floods over the top of him, tugging at his hair and bubbling in his lungs, but it’s doesn’t burn the way that it should. He breathes easily beneath the rippling surface of Lake Hylia, the Zora tunic granting him freedom beneath the waves.

There is little sound beneath, only the muffled noise from above the surface, the flow of the water and-

Time’s ears prick forwards as a single blue eye turns to search the space around him.

Someone is singing.

It’s a haunting sort of melody, one that draws you in and makes you dazed, and Time finds himself stumbling over his own feet as he searches for the source. It is not a Cursed song, nor anything powerful from what he can recall, in fact, it’s almost familiar. It sounds similar to something he hears hummed about their camp at night while the boys take watch. He’d never been able to place which of the young heroes hummed the lilting melody, but he’s let it carry him off to sleep many a time before. Only this song, the one that twines about his head and whispers in his ears and makes his feet trek closer and closer to its source, this song is different, it’s haunted and Broken, and it is sung in a Voice.

Not a voice like most of those above the surface have, but a Voice like a fairy or spirit might have. One that pulls at your very soul and sings in your mind, un-hampered by wind or waves, able to carry across miles to be heard by those that it Sings too.

Heavy feet trod faster.

He’s under no spell, but he is a Link, and by now he has learned that all of their kind are blessed or cursed with courage and curiosity both, and to be without the latter is simply unthinkable for the young-at-heart hero. Something –the forest imp in him maybe- tells him to find the Voice, find the Singer.

He’s only made it part of the way across the lake, hasn’t even left the shoreline properly, when the song stops. Unease creeps over him as he looks around, alert and ready for trouble, only to see nothing but the peaceful stillness of the lake bottom around him.

There! His mind supplies as something pink flits in the corner of his vision, and he’s whipping around to come face to face with-

Long tangled hair drifts in the waves as glistening scales reflect the light pouring down through the waves. Too deep, too dark eyes stare at him in shock for a brief moment, and then-

The creature, the thing, is gone in an instant. Whipping away as it’s glimmer fades into the waves around him, speed no doubt granted by the brilliant tail of the thing sending it rocketing out of his grasp before he even has a chance to speak.

He tried to follow it. He does! But quite soon the adult part of his mind is reminding him how dangerous the thing could be, and that he still has his boys to return to back on the surface. It’s been exactly thirty-two minutes and thirteen seconds since he left them at their camp, and by now they usually would have sent someone to check and make sure that whatever member of their party had strayed off was alright.

Removing his boots is all it takes to float to the surface, despite the fact that he still holds the things in his hands, and it’s with no small amount of relief that he realizes that the bank of the lake is free of other heroes.

Time gathers his things together, wringing out his hair and clothes before returning to his normal gear and heading back to the camp.

Smiles and chuckles greet him as the young heroes tease.

“Go for a swim, Old Man?” Legend quirks a brow, staring up from his place by the fire.

Time doesn’t answer him, but he does shake his head violently enough to spray the younger heroes with water, earning shouts and shrieks from them as they try and shield themselves from the wet. “Seriously, Time?” Warriors moans, wiping lake water from his face. “What are you, a dog?”

Time smirks at the captain and, to everyone's surprise (which produces no small amount of delight for him), he barks.

“What sorts of people have you met in your adventures?” Sky asks a couple of days later, head cocked to the side as he watches his brothers. “You all talk about so many races, but I don’t think I've heard of most of them.”

“Well,” Wild smiles, there’s a glint in his gaze that isn’t quite mischief, but it’s a warning to be wary anyway, because they all know what a crack-pot their cook can be at times. “There’s Hylians, of course, and Sheikah, Yiga, Gerudo, Rito, Gorons, Zora and koroks! You’ve probably already met the Sheikah, since you mentioned knowing an Impa during your journey, and the Yiga are an offshoot of that group.”

Twilight blinks and stares, Warriors furrowing his brow as he two older heroes stare at the younger, but Wild seem entirely unaffected.

“Gerudo are a desert people. They’re really tall, and extremely strong! Most of their race have long red hair and slightly darker skin than the people around Hyrule. They are a society of all woman, with only one man being born to them every hundred years. They worship the goddess Din for the most part, and live out of an opulent city set in the desert where they specialize in the crafting of weapons and jewelry, and the farming of exotic plants.” The champion then proceeds to run down traits and knowledge about the other races, matter-of-factly, as if the details he is sharing are things that everyone from the surface knows.

“Wow.” Sky laughs as Wild finishes. “I had no idea.”

“There’s also the minish.” Four adds. “And the Wind Tribe, who are sky people, of course.”

Sky looks curious, but Four says nothing more, instead gesturing to the other heroes to share their thoughts, which they do.

“Terminans.” Time offers. “Very similar to Hylians.”

“Ordonians.” Twilight adds with a fond smile. No explanation is needed.

The others all nod along, but Legend rolls his eyes. “Humans, like, non-Hylian humans, Shifters,” The vet stares upwards with a light scowl as he ticks the races off of his fingers. “Technically they’re humans too, but Wild counted the Sheikah and Gerudo, so there’s also the Lorulians, Labrynninians, Holodrumese folks, Hytopians, Drablanders, Subrosians, Catalians-” Legend frowns. “I could swear there are more but I can’t really recall.”

Time, for whatever reason, he can’t really say why, cocks his head. “Any water people other than Zora?”

The vet snaps his fingers. “Mer-folk! Thank you, Time. I guess fae and animal folk count on that note.”

There’s a scoff and Warriors is leaning forwards with a smirk. “Fairies and animals, sure, but mer? Seriously, Legend? Have you even met a mer before?”

“Many times.” The veteran drawls, cocking a brow in the captain’s direction. “On multiple adventures. What about you, cap? Jealous you couldn’t snag one for your guild of brides?”

Warriors blusters about indignantly, earning laughter from the others as Legend smirks, but the man recovers quickly enough. “I do not have a guild of brides! That is- that is utterly disgusting!”

“Could have fooled me.” Legend teases, sipping some water from a flask.

“Give him a break.” Twilight snickers, shoving the vet playfully.

The unfortunate thing about Twilight’s shoves though is that the ranch hand doesn’t seem to know his own strength, and Legend is small enough that the light push is enough to send him scrabbling to not hit the ground. More laughter rings about their camp, but this time at the vet's expense, as Legend topples over into the dirt, spilling his drink and failing his arms as he goes.

“Yeah, yeah, laugh it up.” Legend huffs, pulling himself back up and dusts off his clothes, scowling at the water spilled on him. “Great.”

“Oh, come on, you came back soaked to the skin earlier, what’s a bit of water going to hurt you, huh, vet?” Warriors ribs, smirking.

Legend shoots him a half-hearted glare.

“Legend,” Time starts slowly. “How would you describe the mer?”

The vet pauses, gaze resting maybe a moment too long as his hands as he brushes off the hem of his tunic. He’s already done so and there’s really no reason for him to do it again, but he does anyway. “What you’d expect.” He shrugs haltingly. “Hylian on top, fish beneath. Tail, long hair, that sort of thing.”

The old man hums. Legends ears twitch, nose shivering slightly as violet eyes flit over their group. “Care to expand on your sky people story, Four?”

“I’m good.” The smithy replies lazily.

Time would pass it off as a strange one-time thing, he would, but there are... other factors at play.

They’ve traveled to Four’s time, fighting off monsters and solving puzzles the same as they’ve always done. The boys are taking some downtime, playing hide and seek, and just like the last time, Time takes himself down to the river they’ve made camp ear and dons his Zora gear.

He isn’t expecting to see the creature, the mer, again, much less hear them singing -after all, this is a Hyrule far before his Pup’s- but there the creature is. It- or they- frolic in the water, chasing fish and singing softly. The tune is lighter than the last one he heard, a different song entirely, but there is no denying that it is the same mer.

Gold flecked, petal pink scales shimmer beneath the twisted lights that invade the water, hair of the same colors flowing in the current as long fingers, tipped with pointed claws, reach out to swipe at the fish swimming wildly away. They don’t catch anything, but Time hears it giggle anyways, the tune of its voice bubbling in merriment as it rolls like and otter and turns to explore some other part of the river bed.

The cursed curiosity of a hero niggles in Time’s mind. How is the same mer from before in this timeline, ages before Twilight would even be born? And why do they play and explore as if they’ve never seen this river bed before in their life?

Long claws pull through sand, and although their hair blocks their face from his view, he can still hear the warble of delight as the creature removes something sparkling and bright from the river bed. The mer floats in place, turning the item over in their hands curiously before whisking it out of sight and returning to their search.

A mer that likes treasure, huh? Why is he unsurprised?

His own soft laugh startles them, and for a half of a moment, golden ringed, violet eyes, wide and bright and full of shock, meet his own.

The mer is gone before he can make a move.

He asks Legend about it the next day. As they travel along the path towards the nearest town, Time falls back to ask the vet more about mer.

“Do mer like treasure?”

Legend starts, eyes wide as they meet his own, and something in the back of his mind is nagging him that the look in the vet’s eyes is somehow familiar. “What?”

“Do mer like treasure?” He repeats himself.

Legend stares at him, blinking slowly as they continue along the path, but eventually the vet shakes his head and answers. “Depends on the mer. They’re people too, Time, they can have varying interests and hobbies. There is no standard for mer. None.”

“Don’t they all swim at least?”

Legend’s gaze is flat. “There are disabled Hylians aren’t there? Not all Hylians can walk, and not Mer can swim. Some just choose not to because they don’t like it!”

Time frowns. How does the vet know so much about mer culture? “How do you know this?”

The vet shrugs, eyes darting away. “I’ve been a lot of places and met a lot of people. Mer are no exception.”

“I thought you hated swimming and the water?” Wind breaks in, falling back to join the two of them with an odd look on his face. He looks like a puppy and it’s killing Time not to ruffle the kid’s hair.

“Didn’t always.” Legend returns, smiling wryly down at the sailor. “But enough of that. The real question here is if you’ve ever met one, sailor.”

“A mer?” Wind furrows his brow, looking away with a soft sigh. “The water in my world isn’t safe for the people who lived in it. There’s hardly even any fish in most places. The Zora in my time had to adapt to the air instead in order to survive.”

Awkward silence falls over them, the vet looking guilty for a half a moment before he settles a hand on the kid’s shoulder. “The goddesses aren’t always fair, Maliit, it’s not your fault.

Time hums his agreement, heart aching for yet another young hero and a world that suffered for Time’s failure to have properly saved it.

He sees the mer again. Not just when he’s in the water himself, but when he’s keeping watch during the night or on occasion when he goes fishing with Twilight. The Pup says nothing about seeing gold and pink beneath the water, but Time finds himself watching it all the same.

It darts beneath the dock they’re fishing on one time, and when Twilight’s line gets a tug, the rancher pulls it up only to find the one of his boots dangling from the other end.

Time can’t help it, he laughs.

So, this mer is a prankster, huh?

He takes to seeking them out, trying to catch their attention or try to talk to them, but nothing works. The minute that gold and violet eyes meet his own, petal pink scales flick deftly in the waves and the mer is swimming away.

But Time isn’t dumb.

He knows that the same mer cannot reasonably exist across all of time, not with all the changes that come to the world with each hero. He knows that this being is somehow following them, and h’s got a rather good idea exactly how it’s happening.

It’s a long shot, but he knows for a fact that Legend is always gone from camp before he sees the creature, and enough times startling the vet when asking about mer has taught him that the expressions between the two are the same. All he knows on the mer’s face is shock, but the vet’s eyes glimmer the same shade of violet, even if they are different in size and shape, and the petal pink hair that the vet comes out of the forest with one evening after their group was separated is uncannily similar to the shade of the mer.

They’ve made camp again, and rather than climbing into the water when he catches a moment alone, Time settles on the shore, not in the mood to be in the water but in need of its calming song. The air has been tense the past few days, and Time welcomes a brief moment to relax, forcing himself not to think of the gaping wound in his Pup’s side or the ragged breath that wheezes between the rancher’s lips.

Twilight will be fine, he reminds himself. Hyrule and Warriors had worked together to tend the wound and while it would definitely leave a scar, the danger of losing their beloved friend and brother (and maybe son?) is not so high anymore.

He welcomes a free breath, away from the hurt gazes of his boys as they try and process that their beloved canine friend and the rancher are one and the same. A chance to think without having to stop those who were out of the know from bombarding those who were in it with questions.

He’s glad to be free of the questions himself.

Legend seems to be too, if the glint of pink beneath the waves is to be believed.

He doesn’t approach this time, doesn’t try entering the water to speak. He’s tired and he wants his spae, and he imagines Legend would like his own too. So, instead, he sits on the bank, feet trailing in the water and ocarina on his lips as he plays softly.

The tune is a sweet one, one he’d written himself that lilts and dips softly, very nearly perfect for a dance, but far more suited to a night by a fire or watching the sunset. And sunset it is, fading light stretching out across the water, glinting of the surface and reflecting off of gold and pink-

He stops, eye wide as he turns towards the flash in his vision.

Gold and violet stare back at him, framed in curling pink as Legend freeze half-way through pulling on his tunic again.

Gold fades just as the scales dissapear and leave the vet siting on the shore, tunic still bunched around his shoudlers and violet eyes wide with fear as he regards his leader.

“I won’t tell.” Time forces, turning away his gaze and returning his focus to the instrument in his hand. He doesn’t play, but he doesn’t look up either.

“It’s an item.” Legend forces, strained. His voice is still tainted with whatever power had shifted him between forms, and it’s sweeter and more melodious than normal. “I found it on my third adventure. Got cursed.”

“Like the rancher?” Time hums softly, not having to look up to know that Legend is shifting nervously, foot tapping madly at the ground beneath him.

“Yeah.” Legend huffs.

“Okay.” And he does look up them, calm and as open as he can make himself seem as he meets the vet’s gaze.

“Just okay?” One brow cocks as Legend crosses his arms.

“Just okay. It’s your secret, Legend. I can’t change what I’ve seen, but I won’t tell the others either.”

Legend nods, wary bit willing to accept the words, if only for now. “If you say so.”

They’re on their way back to camp, Legend carrying an armload of fish and Time carrying both of their bags when the vet stops and glares at him. “I don’t want to hear any jokes, alright? I get enough of those from Twilight and Sky.”

“They know?” The old man tilts his head in question.

Legend flushes, ducking his head and setting off again at a speed some might label a scurry. “No. Hurry up, these fish are gonna rot!”

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Waves lap around his head and it’s all Time can do to break the surface, coughing and hacking as he struggles to remain above the water.

The portal had come at the worst time ever, and no one had been ready to be dropped into the center of the ocean.

Lightning crackles overhead as waves swirl and crash about him. The ocean rages and Time is again reminded how small Hylian’s are in the face of Mother Earth herself.

“Boys!” The shout rasps from his throat as he spins to look about, praying to every deity he knows that he’ll find the rest of them safe and sound, or at the very least together. Never mind that Twilight still can’t walk, much less swim. Never mind the smithy’s shattered arm and Wild’s fear of the water. He can’t panic about those right now, he has to find them!

“Over here!” Sky’s voice answers him. The Chosen Hero clings to the shivering form of the smithy, both are soaked and trembling, but they’re managing to stay above the waves.

“My Hyrule!” Wind calls out as Time strikes out towards them, and the sailor continues once he’s close enough to see that at least five of his boys are safe. “We’re near land,” Wind nods in a random direction and Time wonders briefly how the sailor even knows that. “It could be a challenge in these waves, but we can make it. Have you seen the others?”

Hyrule looks up at him hopefully, the water-logged traveler fighting madly to stay above the water but succeeding despite the waves. Time reminds himself to help the boy learn to swim more effectively later, and more importantly how to properly tread water, but for now he focuses on answering Wind. “You're the firsts. We’ll have to hope the others are alright, getting y’all to safety is my first concern.

“But Wild!” Hyrule splutters, choking on some water as Time swims over to give the traveler someone to cling to. Freezing fingers latch ahold of his armor as teeth chatter, the waves are neither kind nor warm and with their health as it is he’s certain someone is going to end up with a cold when this is all over. “And Twilight! A-and Legend and Wars! They’re out there somewhere!”

“We have to hope Legend and Warriors can elp the other two. We can’t do them any good if we’re fighting to stay above ourselves.” He tries to same calm, but his own mind and heart scream with the same message that Hyrule’s voice does, and its all he can do to push it down.

Thunder rolls overhead and waves beneath as they push off towards the shore, each of the older heroes aiding a younger one as Wind guides them all towrads the supposed island.

Time hs never been so relieved to see sand in his life, and as Hyrule pulls himself up the bach and Wind helps Sky to settle Four, Time can only pray that he’ll find his way back again. “I’m going to look for the otehrs. Wind, stay and help Sky.” The sailor looks as if he wants to hesitate, but he knows better than anyone how a small body can be lost to the waves much easier than an adult. “Make a fire, warm up as best you can. Keep an eyes out. I’ll come back if- when I find the others.”

He stops only to shed his armor and don his Zora gear, but a single dive beneath the water is enough to tell him that it’s for naught. Wind wasn’t joking about his water being toxic, and a single breath of the stuff leaves Time heaving as soon as he breaks the surface.

His chances of finding the boys have lowered considerably.

Nayru above, don’t let anyone have sunk beneath!

Time swims for all he is worth, pushing past weariness as he battles each and every wave. And he’s just beginning to lose hope when he catches sight of something silver reflecting in the water as lighting flashes above.

“Time!”

Blue whips around to meet its twins as Warriors comes to swim beside him. “Have you found any of the others?”

“Wind, Sky, Hyrule and Four.” he breathes back. “You?”

The captian looks rueful but nods to his side. “Legend.”

Time can’t help but start as Legend’s eyes peek above the surface. Golden and violet are glassy in the pale ace of the vet, but they’re there and that means that Legend is alive.

“I’ve officially met my first mer.” Warriors sighs, but there’s worry in the captains voice and face both.

“Split up.” Legend’s voice rasps, and there none of the melodic song that Time is used to hearing from this form of the vet.

Legend is pale, far too pale.

“What’s-”

“Wind’s world.” Warriors tells him. “Water here is toxic.”

The water is toxic. The water, which mer have to breath to stay alive, is toxic.

Time’s gaze shoots to the vet but there’s only a flick of gold and pink as he disappears beneath the waves. Warriors groans. “He keeps doing that! I swear, I have no way of knowing if he’s even still there, but he still insists on disappearing like the little shit he is.”

Usually, Time would scold his brother for such a tone, but he knows that Warriors is just sacred. He’s terrified, and it leaks into his voice and his actions, and the only way that the soldier knows how to hide the fear is by biting back with venom, not dissimilar to the vet’s own actions.

They swim together, searching and calling out for the two missing heroes. Hope is beginning to fade and Time can feel a gnawing fear eating away at his heart as he thinks of the gaping wound in his Pup’s side and the likelihood that Twilight would even be able to swim with it.

His pup’s chances aren’t high.

“Look!” Warriors shouts over the storm, jerking him from his thoughts as his eyes follow the captain’s pointing hand.

Pink bobs on the surface, backed by bedraggled and soaked black fur as Legend hauls Twilight’s limp form through the water.

“Pup!”

He’s taking the lad from Legend as soon as they’re in reach, and Legend seems to sag in relief as the weight is removed from his shoulder. “Was with Wild. Bring him to-” The vet wheezes and ducks beneath the water for a moment, coming up with a pained expression on his face. “Bring to shore. I’ll get Wild.” He gives them no time to respond, tail flicking as he disappears beneath the waves again.

Time and Warriors exchange a glance and head back to shore, supporting the weight of the rancher between them.

Wind and Sky have managed to get a virtual bonfire going on the shore, and the sailor has laid what blankets and bed-rolls he’s found of their equipment in front of it, allowing their dampened things to ry as he and the other three heroes bundle together for warmth.

It’s with a cheer that they al; greet Time and Warriors as the two emerge from the ocean, and Time can’t help but smile a bit in relief at seeing them all safe again. Only a little longer and Legend will be back with Wild, and then he can rest easy knowing they’re all out of the storm.

Rain still patters against already soaked skin and cloth, but with the fire flickering before them Time can’t bring himself to care over much.

Hyrule’s fingers shiver as they slide over the wound in Twilight’s side, cleansing it from the poisonous water that has soaked into the bandages, and while Twilight grits his teeth and winces, he’s at least conscious enough to do so, and that alone brings some peace to the others.

Warriors informs the others of the whereabouts of their two missing brothers, and Time helps to settle Twilight on one of the warming bedrolls. It made still be wet, but it’s better than getting sand in the pup’s wound.

They wait in tense silence, bundled together to share heat as nervous gazes watch the shore. Wind hasn’t stopped muttering under his breath and Four isn’t doing much better with his half formed sentences and steady murmurs.

It’s only when Wild’s golden hair can be seen on the shore that they all release a breath of air.

Cornflower blue is wide and glazed, likely from shock, but it doesn’t stop the champion from reaching back into the waves to pull out his companion.

Legend is a mess.

The veteran gasps and splutters for breath once he’s free, skin a sickly shade of white and eyes just as glazes as Wild's own as the two clings to each other, and when the two stand together Legend is leaning heavily against the shaking champion, and it’s only through sheer luck that Time and Sky get there in time to catch them before the duo collapses back into the waves.

Wild curls against Time’s chest, fingers shaking and eyes blank as the man carries him back to the fire. Legend doesn’t even stir, lying limp in Sky’s hold as the Skyloftian bustles back to join the other heroes.

Nothing is said about the glistening tail that fades into legs once Legend is warmed and dried, and even if anyone had dared the stern gaze of the first of their number would have been enough to silence them.

Violet blinks hazy and distant beneath the warmed fabric of Sky’s sailcloth, but they are all safe. They are all safe and they are alive.

“Thanks to Legend.” Wild whispers when he comes back, head resting against Times collar bone. “Without him I would have never got Twi back to shore.”

“Three cheers for the vet.” Wars forces a smile, and while the cheers are heartfelt and thankful, they do nothing to lighten the mood.

Legend doesn’t even seem to hear them.

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ymiwritesstuff · 3 years

Text

A Helping Wing

Quick Revali scenario, I have had this idea for some time now and I’m finally posting it lol. Anyway enjoy soft, worried Revali!

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of The Wild

Revali x Reader

Summary: A trip to Goron City gets an unexpected turn with an even more unexpected reaction from the Rito Champion.

Notes: Injury

The scorching heat that dominated the air on the way to Death Mountain would have been unbearable if it weren’t for the fireproof elixirs you had made well in advance. Still, the hot air had its effect on you as you found yourself wiping tiny beads of sweat from your forehead every now and then as you walked along the rocky path. You could only imagine how the thickly feathered Rito behind you was most likely suffering from the heat much more than you were.

“Remind me again why are we on this absolutely horrendous trip to Goron City in the first place,” Revali complained behind you, eyebrows frowned in annoyance. A part of you knew that this would happen. Knowing him, just about any small nuisance in his way made his beak spill out words of irritation. All you could do was sigh.

“Daruk got seriously injured and Mipha requested us to bring her some supplies so she could heal him faster,” you explained, though had already done so when you initially started your trip to the city. You threw him a quick glance. “Without these, the process could take days.” You lifted the bag on your shoulder that held the herbs and potions the young Zora had asked for. Revali merely scoffed.

“Well, if this is such an important mission, why are we wasting our time on foot when we have two perfectly operational wings right here?” He motioned to his wings with his eyes. “Surely we would get there faster and be done with this cumbersome task.” You let out a laugh, keeping your eyes forward.

“As if you would let me climb on your precious little back,” you mocked. If there was something you knew about Revali is that he had too much pride in, well, everything, so you knew that what he was implying was practically impossible. Even if he was willing to let go of his ego in this rare, inconvenient situation, there was a problem with his idea. “Besides, the herbs would just fly out and burn if we’re that high up.” You turned around to look at him.

“We’re almost there. Just hang in there a little longer."

Revali clicked his tongue but eventually sighed, accepting your words. Despite his exasperation, you were right. Even with the effects of the elixir, flying high surrounded by the hot air would do damage to the precious contents of your bag, but also to him and you. His feathers would probably catch fire and that was the last thing he wanted. So, he continued to walk behind you, muttering miffed words under his breath.

As you pressed on under the extreme temperature, something quickly caught your eye. You stopped and Revali looked at you, raising his brow in confusion before your voice came through.

“Bokoblins.” You nodded towards the creatures. “Four of them.” They danced around as they usually did without a care in the world. The Rito crossed his wings.

“Nothing you can’t handle,” he stated, his words making you look at him in bewilderment.

“Me? Are you not going to help?” You purposely kept your voice down, as the Bokoblins hadn’t yet detected either of you. Your question was met with a smug smirk that stretched the edges of his beak.

“I am rather exhausted from this awful heat, and I’d rather let you do the honors, seeing as you seem to be quite determined in getting to the city in the first place.” You couldn’t believe his words. Revali was many things, but lazy was something you could have never expected. There was the possibility that he was telling the truth, but the pompous grin on his face made you doubt this. However, he was right in saying that defeating a few Bokoblins was no difficult task.

“Fine,” You spat and tossed the bag of supplies at him before grabbing your bow, a part of you regretting the decision to ask him to come with you in the first place. “I really hate you, you know?” Revali held the bag and took a few steps back, the smirk never fading from his face.

“The feeling is mutual.”

With a roll of your eyes, you turned away from him, your eyes gluing themselves on your target. The Bokoblins were in a nice little pile, so taking them out would be easy. However, you could feel Revali’s judging eyes boring into your back, watching your every move. At this point, you thought that he may have abstained from helping you just to see how you would do with the bow and then possibly mock you for an incorrect technique only he could see.

You shook the thought away. Now was not the time to worry about Revali’s judgment. Your only task was to bring the supplies to Mipha and not pay attention to his foolishness. Still, in the back of your mind, some part of you wanted to impress him for whatever reason, so you attempted to take all of the Bokoblins out at once.

Revali watched as you prepared for your attack, that arrogant smirk still apparent. His eyes watched as you gripped the bow, how you tested the string and how you finally grabbed an arrow from your quiver and-

Suddenly, his expression changed to a panicked one as his widened eyes noticed the grave mistake you had made that took the form of the arrow you had chosen: A bright red, sizzling bomb arrow.

Revali quickly jumped into the air and grabbed the back of your shirt with his talons, pulling you away from the massive explosion caused by the arrow and the surrounding air. Your eyes widened at the blast, and you instinctively shielded yourself with your arms as you were pulled back before feeling your back slam against an armored chest.

The Rito stumbled back and fell to the rocky ground, softening your fall by having you land on his chest. The sound rang in your ears and you squeezed your eyes shut and only opened them once you couldn’t feel the heat of the flames any longer. You blinked and looked at your burned bow that laid on the ground, the Bokoblins fleeing the sight, frightened by the loud noise. It had all happened so fast, you only realized your mistake when Revali opened his beak:

“Are you out of your mind?!” He yelled behind you, voice filled with anger and concern. “You could have gotten both of us killed! How could you possibly think using a bomb arrow at a place like this was a good idea?!” You slowly stood up, still shaken by the accident.

“Are you truly that foolish? That you don’t know that a bomb arrow will explode as soon as it makes contact with the hot air?”

Of course you knew. In the heat of the moment, you hadn’t even realized that you had grabbed a bomb arrow and now you were scolded by your stupid mistake. Your eyes found the ground below you, embarrassment settling in your stomach. “I’m sorry... I just... I didn’t even realize,” You said, trying to somehow explain your actions, though you were more taken aback by his reaction. You had never heard him use his voice in such a manner.

A sigh left Revali’s beak as he tried to calm himself down. Truthfully, he didn’t fully know why he reacted in such a fiery manner.

“You’re hurt,” he finally said. You looked up at him and saw his eyes glued to your arm. Then you felt the burning pain on it. A significant piece of fabric from your sleeve was burned, the jagged hole revealing your reddened skin that sent waves of pain and discomfort throughout the rest of your arm. You hissed in pain and grabbed the abused area with your other hand.

You noticed Revali grabbing something from a bag of his own and motioning you to sit on a rock conveniently placed on the side of the road. You took his offer and sat down, fighting back tears that threatened to fall from your eyes. You glanced at Revali, who carried a white, jiggly blob of... something in his wing while walking towards you.

“What is that?” You asked, keeping your eyes on the unknown substance.

“White Chuchu jelly.” Revali kneeled beside you, expression neutral, rid of any signs of arrogance or judgment. “It should help with the burn,” he stated, pressing the jelly on the surface of your arm, the cool temperature of it immediately easing your pain. You let out a shaky breath.

“Why do you even have that?” You were unable to look at him, something inside you making your stomach churn. You felt his wings wrapping a bandage around your arm, the jelly staying on your skin.

“Well, I would have used it to cool myself off, but it appears that you need it more than I do after that ridiculous stunt you pulled.” You clicked your tongue in annoyance.

“I said I didn’t realize what I was doing I just-”

“Didn’t pay attention,” he interrupted. You were about to argue but after realizing that he was correct, you let out a heavy sigh instead. Revali finished wrapping your wound and stood up, briefly glancing at your destroyed bow.

“What a waste,” he sighed, walking back to the bags, relieved to see the supplies still intact. You stood up, looking at your bandaged arm and then at him. Despite his somewhat rude and cocky exterior, he apparently cared about you enough to at least tend to your wound when he technically didn’t need to. You couldn’t help but smile.

“Thank you, Revali.”

The Rito briefly stopped what he was doing, likely processing your words. You couldn’t see his face, so his expression was left a mystery. He on the other hand was grateful you didn’t witness the feathers on his face puff up ever so slightly. The accident startled him more than he would have liked to admit and was grateful that he was able to pull you out in time.

“Don’t thank me yet,” he finally said, regaining his usual attitude. He stood up and picked both bags up from the ground.

“We haven’t reached our destination yet and I clearly misjudged your abilities, who knows what ridiculous mistake you might make next.” For the first time, you let out a tiny laugh at his words, following him as he began walking.

“Well, I guess asking for your assistance in this little task of mine wasn’t such a terrible idea after all.”

Revali chuckled and shook his head at your words, his usual arrogance embedded in his response:

“Oh, (Name).” His glimmering eyes glanced at you, smirk once again decorating his features.

“What would you do without me?”

#loz #botw #legend of zelda #the legend of zelda #legend of zelda breath of the wild #loz botw #botw revali #loz revali #revali #loz botw revali #breath of the wild revali #revali x reader #loz revali x reader #legend of zelda x reader #loz x reader #legend of zelda revali x reader #revali x you #reader insert

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tortilla-of-courage · 3 years

Text

welcome to my TED Talk. Skyward Sword Link is the ancient hero mentioned in Twilight Princess. here we go

(for my own sanity im referring to SkSw Link as “Sky” and TP Link as “Twilight”)

so like, The Big Reason: the Hero’s Clothes. it’s probably really obvious but y’know how it be. when you first get them in Twilight Princess, Faron tells you this:

In TP’s timeline, the only heroes there have ever been in Hyrule are the ones from Skyward Sword, Minish Cap, Four Swords and Ocarina of Time/Majora’s Mask. Out of them, Sky’s outfit is almost identical to Twilight’s, sans the embroidery, and it’s honestly the only outfit that would fit Twilight.

MC’s and FS’s Links were children, and OoT/MM’s Link wasn’t remembered as a hero because of all the time travel stuff (which is where Hero’s Shade comes in but that’s something else entirely). Even if he was, his outfit is completely different than Twilight’s, and only the child Hero of Time’s version would exist in that timeline, since the adult version of the outfit was given to OoT Link in the Sacred Realm. So really, the only option left is Sky.

They’re both around the same height and age, and the elements in their outfits are basically the same, with tiny differences. There’s the high-collared undershirt (Twilight’s is sewn closed while Sky’s is open), the chainmail, the tunic with the same base design...

We know Twilight is strong - he works at a farm, can throw goats and gorons like it’s nothing, picks up big rocks with ease... while Sky can barely pick up a barrel without running out of breath/strength in a few seconds. Twilight clearly has more muscle mass, and we can see this in the outfits’ differences. In these design notes, we can see the sides of Twilight’s tunic have been opened, then half re-stitched, and the same goes for his sleeves.

Meanwhile, Sky’s lacks all of these modifications. On him, the tunic even looks baggy, made for someone bigger than him, while on Twilight it’s really tight-looking.

Even the hat seems to have been adjusted for Twilight’s head... and also elongated, judging by the extra fabric sewed on the tip. the length difference is a bit clearer in the following screenshots. It can also be seen that Sky and Twilight’s adventurer bags are almost identical but that could just be coincidence rather than them being the same bags.

Actually, the Hero’s Shade talks about the Hero’s tunic too.

This could just be a reference of the Shade to his own outfit as the Hero of Time, since he also talks about accepting the life of the hero in another of his encounters - but if he doesn’t consider himself a worthy hero after being unable to pass on his secrets, it wouldn’t make sense for him to refer to the Hero’s Clothes in such a way (”the proud green of the hero’s tunic...”)

It could go with my theory of the Kokiri’s green clothes being inspired by the first hero (Sky, not the 25th anniversary manga’s Link), with the Kokiri evolving from the Kikwis in Skyward Sword who met him. OoT Link, growing up as a Kokiri, could have heard stories about this first hero, maybe even looking up to him (kind of like the Koroks with Wind Waker and Breath of the Wild Links). It’d make sense then for him to think so highly of the hero’s outfit despite his own situation.

Outfits aside, there’s the Double Clawshots you get in Twilight Princess. Besides TP, these only appear again in Skyward Sword - other games just have hookshots or grappling hooks.

They have really different designs in general, yes, but that could either be explained by the different art styles of the games, or that, even if they’re not the exact same pair, TP’s were inspired by SkSw’s. Considering Sky’s clawshots are a sacred gift from Nayru herself, though, they should be able to last thousands of years.

Actually, talking about Nayru, that’s where we can get some “proof” that they could be the same pair. In TP, the first clawshot you find is in the Lakebed Temple - at this point in the timeline, water is Nayru’s element (instead of Electricity like in SkSw), so one of her divine gifts being in her element’s temple (possibly put in there as an offering either by Sky himself or by his descendants time after Skyward Sword) is completely fine... But what about the other clawshot? Well, you find it in the City in the Sky. Not entirely sure why they’d leave one behind like that, but it being in what could be a modified version of Skyloft’s ruins...

We could also mention the Hero’s Bow in all this. Its description even mentions the hero of legend, supposedly the same hero the outfit Twilight wears belonged to.

It looks quite similar to the bow you use in Skyward Sword. There are obviously design differences (it’d also mean Sky never upgraded it during his adventure), but they share key elements.

TP’s bow shares a few more key elements with Majora’s Mask’s bow than with SkSw’s, such as the little branches near the edges, but MM’s is way smaller (mostly to fit that Link, but yeah) and Twilight wouldn’t be able to use it. Though, it should be noted MM’s bow is also referred to as the Hero’s Bow, like in TP, so it could be the same bow in all three cases.

(Wind Waker’s bow is also called the Hero’s bow - and looks a bit more like Skyward Sword’s than these other two but that’s another timeline,)

Anyways. The ones guarding the Hero’s bow in Twilight Princess are the Gorons. Now, why would the Gorons have it? It’d mean this Hero of the past would have to have been close enough to them to trust them with it. The first Link to pop to mind with that is usually OoT Link.

But, when he gets sent to the past by Zelda after his adventure’s done, it’s to before he ever goes to Death Mountain, and before he becomes sworn brothers with Darunia. I’m not saying he couldn’t have gone and befriended them later, but I don’t know if, with that being the case, all the future generations of Gorons would refer to him as a Hero even hundreds(?) of years later if he didn’t physically defeat any evil, or even consider his bow a treasure. And if they did, I don’t think they’d just call him the Hero of the past, considering he was relatively “recent”.

Another one of the heroes in this timeline who has had some contact with Gorons is Sky. Granted, it was only with about... 4 or so of them, but him (or one of his descendants idk) giving the Gorons his bow for safekeeping would make sense considering they’re 1) one of the first species he ran into on the Surface, and 2) helped him a bit during his adventure. And coming from the very first hero (one of the founders of Hyrule, even), it being treated as a treasure by the Gorons even thousands of years later seems to make a bit more sense

It could also probably tie with one of the Clawshots being in the Lakebed temple. Maybe that clawshot was given to the Parella, who would later turn into the Zora? Maybe all the races Sky ran into during his adventure got a “gift” of sorts once Hyrule was offiically founded, maybe to unify all the races currently living there? And the other Clawshot could stay behind in Skyloft with the Loftwings, that could have turned into the Oocca. Who knows

#Skyward Sword #the legend of zelda #zelda skyward sword #Twilight Princess #zelda twilight princess #wow this got long ahaha #back on my bullshit to connect ss to every zelda game i can #also during this i realized a few things minish cap and skyward sword have in common so that's also fun #might go over skyward sword's stuff being in other games some other time #i feel like im forgetting to add something to this post but idk i've been sitting on it for a few days already #also this is just me rambling dont scream at me if i got stuff wrong #like id love to hear other points of view just dont be rude pelase #please*#zelda theory #again this is all probably already known but uhhhhhhhhhhhh shrugs #im still thinking about ambidextrous sky from my other post i have ss brainrot #long post #skyward sword spoilers #twilight princess spoilers #ocarina of time spoilers #legend of zelda #tortilla posts #tortilla thinks

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powdermelonkeg · 3 years

Note

Do you have any theories about Minish Cap? Do you think the Minish coming from the sky has anything to do with Skyloft or the Ooccoo? (What if they mention it in BO2W?? :O )

Minish Cap, my beloved.

So, I don't think the Minish have any relation to the Oocca, no more so than they would to, say, Levias or the Wind Tribe. Meaning, I think they could coexist, but I don't think they interacted more than on a technical level.

I do think, though, that the term "from the sky" in the intro sequence

can be interpreted both literally AND metaphorically, in the sense that they're Hylia's creations. She makes a bunch of stuff specifically to help the hero, I wouldn't put it past her to make something for his wallet and hearts.

If we interpret it literally, though, I'd have had them living on the cloud islands that the Wind Tribe do.

They'd have likely built their homes into the Palace of Winds, then possibly abandoned it when humanity needed them, which allowed the monsters to creep in. That would explain the portals you find everywhere up there!

Now, as for the Minish themselves.

Those that do live with humans utilize stray things the humans lose, like buttons, postage stamps, and candle stubs, and those that don't live either in houses of their own making, or in discarded human items like boots and barrels.

They're VERY strong, like ants; it only takes about a dozen of them to roll an empty barrel, which is incredible considering that they're only the size of your thumbnail!

They're mostly herbivorous, their diets consisting of nuts, small berries, beans, and mushrooms (fun fact: if something eats mushrooms and plants, they're technically omnivorous!), but those that live in the city tend to develop a taste for sugar and baked goods.

(Minish to scale)

Despite there being only three kinds of Minish in Minish Cap, you can find a variety of Minish for every walk of life! Anywhere there's rupees, there's Minish nearby. So there's Minish on the Great Sea, Minish living in the Goron Mines, Minish in Ordon Village, Minish in Kakariko...

Unfortunately, in Breath of the Wild, they've had to shift their focus totally to survival. The surge of monsters in the wake of the Calamity hit them hard, so they haven't had the time to hide hearts and rupees with the usual vigor they do; the rocks with rupees under them that you DO find are the Minish trying their best to make it easier for you despite the hard times.

What they HAVE done that's beneficial to you, however, is make Hyrule bountiful. The Minish have had to work almost entirely on the plants of the country, since the majority of the humans they depended on are gone. So whenever you see a bigger radish than normal or a particularly delicious truffle, know that that's because the Minish have been carefully tending to the land to keep it habitable, both for themselves and others.

Maybe thank them with a slice of fruit cake when next you make some.

#loz #zelda #botw #minish cap #ask bee #worldbuilding #headcanons #sorry this took so long i've been busy lately #but i'm good now so send all the questions you like!

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paellaplease · 3 years

Note

HAII!! if it hasnt been done yet, could you do revali x reader with basorexia? maybe reader really wants to give him a kiss but she really cant since,, yknow she has lips and he has a fuckin beak so she just decides to give him a lil smooch on the cheek? idk that was just an idea i had in mind, u dont have to write it!

22. basorexia - the overwhelming desire to kiss.

pairing: revali x reader summary: revali spirits you away to enjoy the new years eve festivities.

In the darkness of your room, you awoke to the sound of a soft tapping on your window. Twisting in the mess of blankets and pillows, you pushed aside the papers and textbooks that had accumulated at the foot of the bed, noticing only then that the candle at your desk had long since extinguished.

Head pounding, you rubbed at your tired eyes, feeling heavy. How long had you been asleep?

The tapping grew more insistent, forcing you to get up. Grumbling, you allowed yourself a second to stretch, ignoring how your room felt like water sloshing in a glass.

"Yeah, yeah. Hold on!" You said, hobbling to the window. Brushing the mess of hair from your eyes, you pulled the curtains away and roughly pushed it open.

The culprit hovered outside, eyes bright and smug. Revali looked very much at home though he was floating at a dizzying distance away from the ground. In the sleepy haze, he looked like a painting of some myth you had read before, with the late night sky as his backdrop and the outline of your window as his frame.

"Took you long enough."

"Apologies. I thought some tree branches were hitting the glass."

The Rito made a show of turning in the air. "Funny, I don't see any nearby trees."

"I know," you sighed, disappointed.

Revali rolled his eyes and poked his head through the window, feathers brushing past your cheek as he ignored your personal space in favour of scoping out your room. The stiff turn of his neck as he looked around reminded you of the curious and confused little birds that landed on the sill from time to time.

"Quite a dreary home you have here." Gesturing to the overall darkness, he pointed to your stack of scattered papers. "You shouldn't study without proper lighting, it's bad for your eyes."

"I was asleep."

"Why, I'm surprised. And here I thought you were one of the festive many who choose to stay awake at an ungodly hour in order to count down the remaining seconds of the year."

"Well," you shrugged, not wanting to meet his eyes. "Not like it's anything special. New year, same shit. What difference would a countdown do?"

Biting down on your tongue, you stopped yourself from saying anymore. The cold breeze sifted past the light shirt you were wearing, making you shiver.

He was right, normally you were one of those people who stayed up, excitedly watching the hands of the clocktower tick til they reached midnight. You enjoyed the energy of being in a collective crowd, waiting with bated breath for the first inhale and exhale you would take into the brand new year.

The final month on the Hylian calendar brought a sense of relief and a hope for new beginnings. Usually today of all days you were at your happiest, jumping at the prospect of celebrating along with the rest of the kingdom and yet…

That sinking weight clawed at your chest again, forcing you to clamp down on it once more.

You grimaced. There it was; that bitter feeling. Hylia. How annoying. It twisted in your brain like an angry snake, pulling down your mood and enthusiasm along with it.

Last year you wanted to cheer and dance until the morning light. Now all you felt like was staring at the wall. Or falling asleep.

You blinked, turning back to the window to see Revali patiently waiting for you to continue. Feeling your face warm, you hustled your brain to get a move on. A coherent thought would be great right about…now!

"Hey have you ever wondered why they don't grow trees on this side of the castle? It's not fair the more expensive quarters get all the pretty greenery. I mean, non-noble guests still need that sweet oxygen everyone keeps raving about, you get me?" Shut up brain, that's enough. I said a coherent thought. C o h e r e n t.

Stars in his wings, Revali shook his head but answered anyway. "I agree, it's hardly fair. Also go change into something warm, we need to get you outside."

"What? Why?"

Something in the Rito's expression clued you in to the fact that he wasn't in the mood to play stupid. You've been sitting in the dark for the past few days and it didn't take a private investigator to know it was playing tricks with your head. "Fine, but when I say we go back--we go back, got it?"

He huffed, turning around to give you some privacy. "I promise on my honour."

The brightly lit lanterns of the town square made you squint as you shuffled closer to your guide, the sound of the city loud in your ears.

Though less prominent, the twisting feeling in your gut continued, making you more hyper-alert than usual to the world around you. Adjusting the sleeves of your coat, you followed Revali past the streets, the Rito expertly navigating through the sea of people.

Somewhere along the way he had taken your hand, and you told yourself it was a good way for you both to stick together. Wouldn't want you getting lost and spending the final minutes of the year playing an elaborate game of hide and seek after all. He was a great friend like that. Nevermind that everytime you would hold his wing a little tighter to remind yourself that he was there, he would always squeeze back.

You needed a distraction.

Just focus on everything that's not him.

The night was alive with the sound of music. It didn't matter if you partied with an alcoholic drink in hand, or a glass of milk, everyone in Hyrule was filled with an addictive buzz that came with an event that only happened once a year. Vendors with bright smiles called out from their stalls, the smell of freshly baked sweets or the sizzle of a barbecue beckoning you to take a closer look. To your left, a group of friends raised their hands in the air, loudly welcoming a Goron that had turned up late but regardless had finally arrived.

The archer followed your line of sight, guessing the question bouncing in your head. "Daruk is in Eldin, probably rattling Death Mountain with that story again about the Moblin camp and the barrel of explosives."

"I love that story."

"Of course you would."

"Sorry about your feathers though."

"Whatever, they grew back."

"How about the one's on your--"

"Anyway," he interjected quickly, playfully nudging you to the side and glowering at your laughter. "We've been told to 'take a break'. The other Champions have chosen to spend this day with their families and loved ones. We are planning to regroup and continue preparations in the days following."

"How about you?"

"I already said it."

Your cheeks coloured at the implications of his words, mind replaying the previous sentence. Families and loved ones. Families and loved ones. He didn't even hesitate. You both were not related. So that left you with...

"Woah!" Digging your heels into the dirt, you abruptly paused your brisk walk and saved yourself from colliding with the archer's back.

Stopping at one of the stalls, Revali held two fingers up. You glanced up at him questioningly but he refused to give anything away, expression relaxed. The vendor returned quickly, the Rito thanking them quietly and placing the payment on the bright yellow table cloth along with a large tip in their jar.

He turned around, dropping a square shaped pastry into your hands. It was some kind of rice cake, with a fluffy exterior and a golden baked surface that smelled of butter and felt warm like the sun.

Taking a bite, you smiled at the hints of coconut that were hidden in its sweet flavour. The sticky treat was familiar somehow. "Is this so luck sticks to you in the new year?"

Revali scoffed, though failed to hide his own smile behind the cake held in his wing. "You said the same thing when we first met. You need new material."

"Says the baron of bird puns."

"I am the king." He punctuated the statement by biting into his own rice cake. Offering his wing, he gently took your hand once more, turning back to step again into the busy promenade.

Following him, you noticed that the crowds ever so slowly began to thin. A lantern lit hill was coming up. The grassy expanse was dotted with a few people, though it was blessingly not as populous as the town square. "I should be the one that's surprised. Thought you hated crowds unless their attentions were all on you."

"It's tolerable so long as I am with good company."

The both of you walked up the hill with an unspoken agreement to make it to the top. Taking a seat on the grass, you allowed yourself to breathe, chest heaving from the small burst of exercise after days of being sedentary.

The twinkling lights of Castle Town stretched out before you. Gazing at it, you could imagine all the untold stories hidden in the glowing little pockets of the alleys and in the hushed whispers behind closed doors. Funny how in a city so full of people, one can feel so alone.

Revali was the first to speak, breaking you from your thoughts. "I think I can understand now. Looking at it from this distance, it really can feel like nothing much has changed."

You continued to stare at the lights, trying to focus on a certain string in an attempt to ground yourself. "Yeah. Sometimes it feels like though the world continues to spin, I'm remaining completely still. Just stagnant."

Frowning, you ran your hands through the grass, feeling the dirt shift under your fingers. You could feel your frustrations building, bubbling up to the surface with no way of dragging them back down.

"And the challenges just get worse every year. How am I going to face those old problems and these new ones if I'm still the same lost person I was back then?"

Your voice echoed at the last sentence, making you hide your head in embarrassment. That was loud.

Some strangers relaxing on the hill turned around to flash you an annoyed glare, before quickly returning to their picnics after spotting the Great Eagle Bow on your friend's back.

"I'm so sorry." You wanted more than anything then to dig a hole and hibernate preferrably for the next hundred years or so. "I'm yelling, that isn't like me. I'm so so--"

"There's nothing to be sorry about. You needed to say it." He glanced at you from the corner of his eye. There was a serious element to it that made it a little hard to breathe. "There is one part of that I don't agree with, however."

"What is it?"

"That entire section about you, how did you put it, stagnanting." He twisted a wing in the air, thinking on his words before pointing a feather directly at your face. "You're fully capable of enacting the change you want to see in yourself."

You felt a little dizzy now. But another kind of dizzy, one very different from the vertigo you felt waking up in the darkness of your room.

"And who said you were exactly the same as you were back then? You've changed. In a good way. You're stronger and more capable of things I'm sure the person you were two years ago or even less couldn't even fathom doing."

Turning to face you, Revali gave you his full attention, compelling you to do the same as the cadence of his speech joined the steady rhythm of your own beating heart. From the back of your mind, you could barely register the sound of people gathering together, their voices floating into the cold night air.

'Ten!'

"It's difficult to see your own progress from a distance."

'Nine!'

"So take my advice and start looking at yourself up close for once."

'Eight!'

He had that expression on his face, one that said he was thinking too hard about something. It was like watching him try to pull the planets together with just a piece of string. His brows were furrowed so deep that your fingers wished to run over his feathers and smoothe the worried creases.

'Seven!'

You slowly reached out to him, giving him enough time to back away. Revali stilled as your hands traced up the nape of his neck, leaning in as his pulse thrummed underneath the soft pads of your fingertips.

'Six!'

He opened his beak the moment you reached his face. You paused, half expecting him to tell you to let go and pretend like it never happened.

Instead, he called out your name.

'Five!'

He said your name again, though quieter now. It was enough to tug at the invisible force drawing you two together. Enough so that the polite distance nervously enforced by the both of you gradually began to dissipate, trailing away like a ribbon of smoke as you both leaned in closer.

'Four!'

"May I--," He cleared his throat, eyes darting away for a second before they were back on you again. Bright green in the lantern light. Emeralds in the desert sand.

'Three!'

"May I kiss you?"

"Yes."

'Two!'

"Your way or mine?" You couldn't help but joke. Revali smiled, exhaling a soft joyful laugh before pressing his forehead to yours.

'One!'

'Happy New Year!'

An earth-shaking boom rattled your ears, but all you could think of in that moment was Revali and the feel of his feathers against your skin; the utter elation of being so close to someone you deeply cared for and that cared just as deeply for you.

In the dazzling light you lifted your head from his, both your eyes meeting for a brief moment. Hands moving, you gently angled his face with a steady hand, feeling then the soft, butterfly light brush of his wings on your waist.

Closing your eyes again, you leaned in to press your lips against his beak, the blush on your face warmer than any fever or furnace. The Rito's soft sigh was barely audible as you trailed your kisses upwards, stopping at the red circle on his cheek.

Revali laughed again as you turned his face to press a kiss to the identical red mark on the other side. "You're very thorough."

"You deserve it." You beamed. "And this is just the beginning, just you wait at the end of the countdown I'll--"

"Actually my dear," he grinned, pointing to the sky.

"Huh?"

Above you were the vibrant colours of the firework display. It was beautiful and awe-inspiring, but a confirmation that you were definitely minutes in to the new year.

"Oh," you said, before shaking your head with a smile. "It's fine, we got 12 more months to prepare ourselves for the next one."

Revali nodded, pulling you closer so he could press your foreheads together again.

"Indeed," he grinned. "Now will you finish your sentence? What exactly were you going to do at the end of the countdown?"

fin.

#revali x reader #revali #botw #revali botw #prompt fic #more taggs later #i wrote this entirely on my phone so apologies for any errors #been thinking about this for a long time #also very late but happy new years #paella writes

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wolveria · 3 years

Text

Crucible - Ch 6

Pairing: Link x Reader

Prompt: For the Bittersweet Mini Bang!

Series Warnings (18+ only): Eventual smut, slow burn, violence, mild body horror, lots of whump, angst with a happy ending

Chapter Summary: Your mistrust is a thing hard to be rid of.

AO3

The Champion moved them back onto the road, having no choice but to follow it with a sheer cliff face on one side and a sudden drop on the other. Thankfully most travelers were taking shelter from the rain, but he didn’t seem to mind the weather at all. Instead of dampening his spirits, he was back to cheerily pointing out the scenery.

“Down there is Cephla Lake,” he said, pointing with a gloved hand. “We’re approaching Ternio Trail now, and it’s the only way in and out of the Akkala region. Unless you’re willing to scale a few mountains, anyway.”

You stayed silent when he paused, so he continued on, apparently not sharing your growing apprehension as the horse carefully walked down the rain-slicked pass.

“From here you get a good view of Death Mountain.” This time he didn’t point, and there was no need since it was hard to miss the towering volcano. “Goron City is nestled in its base. You need fireproof elixirs or special armor to survive there, but the view at night is worth it. Have you ever met a Goron?”

He waited long enough for an answer that it started to become awkward. You released a breath, admitting temporary defeat.

“I saw them in the city.”

It was a simple statement, but he still perked. The Hylian really was easily entertained.

“I bet you’ve seen Gerudo and Rito too. Maybe even some Zora?”

Why was he still bothering to keep up a conversation with you?

“Does it matter?” you finally grit out.

For a moment, he said nothing, and you thought you’d succeeded in dampening his spirits. But then he just kept right on talking.

“There’s the castle. You can see it from here, even if it’ll take another full day of fast riding. The castle is wonderful,” he insisted at your continued silence. “You’ll like it there.”

You couldn’t understand his enthusiasm, and so said nothing. The sun was setting, and with the rain still coming down, the Hero had to pay more attention to where his horse was treading. Your grip on his waist was tighter than you wanted it to be, but you couldn’t shake the image of the both of you and the horse tumbling down the cliff to be dashed on the rocks below.

It wasn’t until the night had truly fallen that the Hero moved off the road into a copse of trees and yet another ancient lean-to. It was covered in vines and lichen, and you didn’t know how it was still standing, more rot than wood at this point.

“This will do for the night.” He dismounted and assisted in helping you down. You allowed it, too exhausted to put up resistance. “Where are you going?”

You walked further into the gathering of pines and considered not answering him.

“To get firewood.”

Footsteps followed behind you, and you grit your teeth.

“I don’t need your help.”

“I’m not letting you out of my sight.”

His serious tone brought you up short. The light was dim but not completely dark, a product of the moonlight illuminating the clouds above, but you still couldn’t tell what expression he wore.

“These woods might be patrolled, but it’s never completely safe.” His words were soft and held a heavy weight in them.

You let it go for now. He was, after all, the hero of a people, and you were just a helpless amnesiac.

Your bitterness followed you as you gathered firewood, unsure if the damp kindling would even light, but of course, the Champion managed to get a fire going without a problem. He brought out a large pan and cooked some kind of mushroom stew, and you begrudgingly asked if he’d used Endura Shrooms, still trying to memorize all the edible ingredients you could.

“That’s right,” he said, expression lifting. “We’re going to need it for tomorrow.”

You looked away, unable to bare his smile. The first time someone had ever smiled at you was him, back in the cave. It was as unnerving now as it was then.

Even though the meal was delicious, and even though he had helped you gather firewood, you found you couldn’t even thank him. Your emotions were too raw, your thoughts too tangled. You didn’t know what you were doing, or even what you should be doing. You’d been too busy surviving to worry about the huge, blank space that preceded waking up in the spring.

“Take off your boots.”

You stared at the Hylian, and he stared back.

“What?”

The Champion brought out the familiar cloth and red vial from his bag.

“I know you have blisters on your feet. Let me see them.” When that earned him a narrowed look, he sighed. “You’re favoring your left foot. Not to mention you’ve been walking in damp boots all days. Would you please trust me?”

Trust. That was the other thing you couldn’t give the Hylian, along with gratitude. But he was right, and your feet were in agony, so you relented and pulled off your boots and socks.

His brows furrowed, frowning as he saw the state of your raw and blistered feet. He moved closer and dabbed some of the liquid onto the cloth. But unlike earlier when you’d been in shock and had allowed him to treat you, you flinched back now.

“What is that?”

“A healing potion. It’ll help ease the pain, but it is difficult to craft, so please sit still so I don’t spill it.”

His request was soft spoken, and his eyes held no annoyance to them. How was he still so patient with you?

He waited, and when you gave a reluctant nod, he moved forward and proceeded to treat your wounds. You dug your fingers into your cloak to remain still as he gently whipped them over the damaged skin. It didn’t hurt exactly, but there was a tingling, tickling sensation that made it difficult to remain still.

The Champion then removed a bundle of thin cloth from his pack and wrapped it around your feet in layers.

“Let them stay like that for the night,” he said, tucking the leftover cloth into his pack, “and they should be healed enough by morning for you to travel.”

He looked at you expectantly, but you turned away. You pulled your own blanket, threadbare and scavenged from the city dump, around your shoulders and curled up against the base of a tree.

After a moment, the Champion sat with his back to another tree, and it seemed he was intent on playing the guard tonight as well. He hadn’t woken you last night, and you wondered if he would do the same tonight. You didn’t want or need his pity, but your eyelids found themselves growing heavy, and you shivered uncomfortably as the temperature started to fall. The rain had stopped, but with its departure had come a damp chill.

You didn’t think you would sleep, but somehow you did, wrapped in strange dreams that never made sense. You were always trapped, far underground, in a very dark and cold place.

The dream always ended the same way: with someone screaming in the dark. And as every morning, you woke up with a gasp, eyes flying open as the echo of the cry faded into nothing.

But this morning, you didn’t wake up chilled and aching. You were warm and well-rested, and when you sat up, a heavy, thick blanket fell from your shoulders. The early morning sunlight beamed down through the pine needles, illuminating the golden head that was bowed over the cooking pan.

“Good morning,” the Champion greeted warmly, one hand holding onto a wooden spatula.

“Why do you let me sleep at night? Do you think I can’t watch over us both?”

His expression fell.

“No, that’s not—“

“I don’t need your charity, Champion.”

You picked up the blanket and threw it onto his tied bedroll, immediately turning away so you wouldn’t have to look at his wounded expression. It only made you more confused, and angrier.

Instead of treating you with the same hostility, his voice was quiet and kind.

“How are you feeling? Any pain still?”

You frowned and looked down at your feet. You were standing, pain-free, and you wiggled your toes in surprise. For a moment, the anger faded, just the smallest amount.

And then you were scowling and sitting on a root so you could tear the bandages off and shove on your socks and boots. The bitter anger returned even stronger now, rising up from a place you didn’t understand.

The Champion was disturbingly quiet as he finished cooking breakfast.

Next Chapter

#link x reader #link x oc #link x glowy hand #crucible #botw #botw 2 #my writing #my fanfiction #reader do be cranky

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melanielocke · 3 years

Text

Entrance to the Forbidden City

This is a one shot Breath of the Wild AU, where Thomas is Link and is seeking a way into the Gerudo city. Close the the city, he encounters someone who might be able to help him. At this point, I have no plans to continue this, but you never know.

Taglist: @alastaircarstairsdefenselawyer @foxglove-airmid @alastair-esfandiyar-carstairs1 @justanormaldemon @styxdrawings @ipromiseiwillwrite @a-dream-dirty-and-bruised @alastair-appreciation-month @writeordie-4 @amchara

Thomas sheathed his sword as he entered the Kara Kara Bazaar. He wouldn’t be needing it here, he hoped, but during his travels he’d learnt to always be on guard. Calamity Ganon was growing stronger, and with him increased the number of monster attacks, not to mention he’d heard the rumors the yiga clan was active in the Gerudo Desert. His next stop should be Gerudo City, but there was a problem. For centuries, the famous city of the Gerudo had forbidden entrance to men. Thomas believed it had something to do with previous evil kings leading the Gerudo into pointless wars, but there hadn’t been male Gerudo in centuries. He needed to speak to the chief about appeasing Vah Naboris and freeing Urbosa so he could defeat Calamity Ganon, but lately the Gerudo had been on high guard and the chief would not be leaving the city.

He’d come to the Kara Kara Bazaar instead, a place where the Gerudo traded with Hylian men who were not permitted entrance to the city in the hopes of finding someone who knew another, secret way into the city. Thomas didn’t want to harm the Gerudo and respected their customs, but he liked to belief this was a life and death situation. He overheard a couple of Hylian men.

The Bazaar was a nice place centered around an oasis. A little Gerudo girl was swimming in the water, and Thomas would like to go for a swim later. The desert heat had proven a bit much for him and he was glad for the shade the buildings offered. Most of the traders were seated outside on carpets, displaying their wares.

‘It’s impossible to get inside,’ one of the Hylian men argued.

Thomas was not included in the conversation, but the men did not have the good sense to keep their voices down.

‘There are rumors, of a man in the city,’ another said. ‘There must be some truth to it.’

‘Even if you could get past the gates, I imagine traversing a city full of Gerudo women might be dangerous,’ Thomas said. ‘They’re quite handy with their spears and scimitars and would not look kindly to men sneaking in.’

‘You make a fine point,’ one of the men begrudgingly admitted.

‘Better to send messages through my wife,’ another said. ‘None of this hassle of getting in the city, I bring my goods here and if I need anything from the city, my wife makes the journey.’

Thomas, of course, didn’t have a wife. He’d woken up from a long slumber not long ago and had been fighting monsters and traveling Hyrule ever since. Not to mention he was not attracted to women.

‘I’ll have to find another way in then,’ Thomas said. ‘For I don’t have a wife to ask favors of.’

‘In that case, you might want to talk to that Gerudo girl over there,’ one of the men said. ‘The one selling cakes. Rumor has it she can get you inside the city, but she refuses to talk to any of us, she will only sell us her cakes.’

Thomas followed the man’s gaze to a lone girl with a golden brown skin sitting on a patterned Gerudo carpet. She wore a purple veil that covered both her hair and her face from the nose down, combined with a short purple top and a white sirwal Thomas knew was popular among Gerudo. Her stomach was bare, and Thomas realized that despite being slim, she was quite muscular. She wore lots of jewelry, a pair of topaz earrings. Thomas had been looking into getting a pair of his own as he’d been told they offered shock resistance.

She looked up, caught his stare. She had beautiful dark eyes, he noticed. He rarely looked at girls that way, he wasn’t sure what was different now.

‘She seems into you,’ one of the men said. ‘I say grab your chance, Gerudo girls are said to be hard to get.’

Thomas left the men behind, growing a little uncomfortable with their conversation, and sat down on the carpet beside the girl. He was aware that might be odd or too forward, but he needed to speak to her.

‘Seen something you like?’ she said.

Her voice was a little deeper than he’d expected of a girl, but perhaps that was because she was Gerudo. Thomas didn’t know how to respond. Was she flirting with him?

‘I like men,’ Thomas said.

He preferred being direct, and this way it would be clear he didn’t like her flirting, if that was what she’d intended to do.

The girl laughed. ‘I meant the cakes. As for your preferences… that shouldn’t be a problem.’

Thomas looked at the person in front of him. ‘You’re not a girl,’ he said.

‘Never claimed I was,’ the boy said. ‘My name’s Alastair.’

Gerudo males were rare, some said they didn’t even exist. Of course, it had been a hundred years and Thomas barely remembered anything. Perhaps Alastair was the first male Gerudo centuries. Or perhaps there were more of them nowadays.

‘Why are you dressed like a girl?’ Thomas asked and he realized that might be a stupid question.

‘I like these clothes,’ Alastair said. ‘And considering there are no male Gerudo, you can hardly say these clothes are gendered, are they? I think it’s nonsense for clothes to be gendered, yet so many male Hylians would rather die than put this on. I say, their loss, I look great. Besides, I’d die in the desert heat if I had to wear that tunic of yours. Not that it doesn’t look well on you.’

Thomas smiled. ‘Right. Sorry, I’m Thomas. And you’re right, what I’m wearing is pretty hot. I actually traversed the desert without my shirt, but I figured that would be indecent here.’

‘Now that’s something I wish I could have seen,’ Alastair said. ‘You could go for a swim here if you want.’

Thomas felt his cheeks flush. Was Alastair flirting with him? He had to admit, Alastair was very attractive, although he couldn’t see most of his face. A few locks of ink black hair escaped his veil, framing his face.

‘I’m looking for a way to get inside Gerudo city,’ Thomas said. ‘Do you know how? Wait, you must be forbidden entry as well, right? You’re a man too, even if you’re Gerudo.’

‘I’m not Gerudo,’ Alastair said.

Thomas frowned. ‘Really? You kind of look Gerudo.’

‘If I were, I’d be a lot taller. And my hair would be red, not black. No, I’m Hylian,’ Alastair said. ‘But I live around here, work for the Gerudo chief. I grew up in Hateno village, but I like it here better.’

‘Even if you’re not allowed in the city?’ Thomas asked.

‘You mistook me for a girl,’ Alastair pointed out. ‘I can go in the city whenever I like as long as I wear this. It’s almost time for me to pack up. Why don’t you join me for dinner? We can have whatever I don’t sell for desert.’

Thomas smiled awkwardly. He was very much interested in having dinner with Alastair and not only because Alastair might help him get inside Gerudo city.

One of the men he’d spoken to earlier came by to buy a mighty fruit cake. As it was made with banana, it increased someone’s strenght for a while. Thomas had always been interested in the strange way cooking meals and elixirs could come with beneficial effects.

‘Fond of bananas, are you?’ Alastair asked while scribbling something down.

‘My favorite,’ the man said with a smile. ‘Can’t get enough of them.’

He helped Alastair box the remainder of his cakes, and they went inside. The house was small, with a two person bed, kitchen and table all in the same room, and a small door leading to a bathroom. One wall was decorated with several Gerudo spears.

Alastair removed his veil and put it in a closet. His black hair reached his shoulders, falling in soft locks. Thomas wondered if only male Gerudo had dark hair. As far as he knew all Gerudo women had red hair. He was pretty, Thomas had always loved the combination of dark hair and eyes, and he once again wondered about Alastair’s possible interest in him. He’d definitely been flirting, right? But Thomas didn’t have time for romance, he reminded himself. Lucie was in Hyrule Castle all by herself, holding back the calamity. She needed his help as soon as possible. He was here to appease Vah Naboris.

‘I’ve been selling lots of fruit cakes with banana in them,’ Alastair said. ‘Bad news.’

Thomas frowned. ‘How is that bad?’

‘The yiga clan is said to be fond of them,’ Alastair said. ‘Have you heard of them?’

The yiga clan was a group of evil sheikah dedicated to resurrecting Calamity Ganon and destroying the Hylian champion. Thomas knew who they were, considering they were all after him.

‘I am familiar with them,’ Thomas said. ‘Fought off a couple of their foot soldiers during my travels.’

‘You’re very brave,’ Alastair said. ‘The real reason I’m here, selling cakes, is to investigate them. Hylian men come here, yes, but so do the yiga. I’ve had my eye on that man who bought the banana cake for a while. He’s been here on and off for some time, and the time intervals wouldn’t allow him to travel all the way to a Hylian town. He could come from the Gerudo Canyon Stables, perhaps, but the traveling distance would also match up with the hideout of the yiga clan.’

Thomas’ eyes went wide. ‘You know where their hideout is?’

Alastair gathered some materials onto the stove, Thomas could recognize hylian rice, goron spice and some vegetables.

‘Not yet,’ Alastair said as he added everything into his cooking pot and put on the stove. ‘We know it’s somewhere north of Gerudo city, and they’ve been around a lot. My sister’s been fighting them off, but not long ago they stole the thunder helmet, an heirloom to the Gerudo chief’s family.’

Thomas wondered how Alastair knew so much about the Gerudo. He claimed not to be one, yet dressed like one, seemed familiar with their customs and heritage.

‘I could help retrieve it,’ Thomas offered. ‘I’m familiar with the yiga clans’ fighting style, and am quite accomplished with this sword.’

Finding the master sword had been quite a journey, as Lucie had taken it back to Korok Forest. To find it, he’d had to traverse the lost woods in the north.

‘Good. I like your sword, it looks good. But first, I should introduce you to my sister,’ Alastair said. ‘The chief of the Gerudo.’

Thomas frowned. ‘You said you weren’t Gerudo.’

‘I’m not, my mother is,’ Alastair said. ‘And so is my sister.’

‘I’m confused,’ Thomas said.

‘Gerudo men are extremely rare, none have been born in centuries,’ Alastair said. ‘Gerudo women usually find Hylian men to be their lovers and have children. My mother was different, she was married to my father and lived with him in Hateno village, but she returned to her hometown not long ago. Anyway, this means all Gerudo have a non Gerudo father, and most only give birth to daughters. I’m the exception, but I’m Hylian, even if I do look a lot like my mother. Although you could say that culturally, I’m more Gerudo than Hylian.’

‘That’s weird,’ Thomas said. ‘I had no idea it worked like that. I always thought the children of a Gerudo are always Gerudo.’

‘Most of the time,’ Alastair said. ‘My sister is Gerudo like our mother, I’m Hylian like our father, even if I look like the Hylian version of my mother. People are always very confused. Since the chief of the Gerudo is my sister, I can get you an audience with her, no problem.’

‘Is that why they said you could help me get inside?’ Thomas asked.

‘I’ve spread that rumor myself, actually, to draw out the yiga,’ Alastair said. ‘Unfortunately, they still got in somehow to steal the thunder helmet. But I recognize you, you’re the Hylian champion and you carry the sword that seals the darkness. However, that won’t get you into the city.’

‘You know who I am?’ Thomas asked.

To most people, the Hylian champion was just a story, someone who’d died a hundred years ago. The Zora recognized him, of course, for to them a hundred years wasn’t much and most Zora from back then still lived. He’d encountered his cousin Christopher too, a renown Sheikah researcher of ancient technology who’d accidently turned himself into a six year old. But beyond them, people didn’t know who he was.

‘I recognize that sword. I’ve always been interested in weapons, although I prefer spears myself,’ Alastair said, gesturing to his collection. ‘My sister will be quite interested in you as well. But you can’t walk in like this.’

‘So, then how?’ Thomas asked.

Alastair smirked. ‘I think I have a veil and outfit that would fit you lying around here somewhere.’

Thomas frowned. ‘I’m not slim or feminine like you. No one’s going to believe I’m a girl, not with these shoulders.’

‘You’re right, your shoulders are quite extra ordinary,’ Alastair said. ‘But it’ll be fine. I think at this point, about half the city knows I’m not a girl, but as long as I dress like one no one kicks me out. Besides, Gerudo women are very tall and muscular.’

‘So all these men claiming it’s impossible, they could just put on some feminine clothes and they could go in? And they never realized?’

Some of them had facial hair, but Thomas imagined the veil would conceal that as well. He couldn’t imagine anyone would believe he was a woman ever, not with his height, his broad shoulders Alastair thought were extra ordinary. But according to Alastair, that didn’t matter as long as he was willing to dress like a girl. Alastair had a point though, clothes being gendered was strange.

Alastair rolled his eyes. ‘Most men are far too proud of their so called masculinity to dress in women’s clothes. Never mind that any Gerudo woman could defeat them in battle with their eyes closed. You seem like a strong warrior though, watching you fight a Gerudo warrior might be interesting.’

‘Thank you. You seem strong too. Do you often use your spears in battle?’

‘I am currently undercover, but I do fight. I travel sometimes, and these days anyone should be able to defend themselves if they wish to survive outside the few cities that remain.’

‘True,’ Thomas said. ‘I’ve encountered monsters everywhere lately.’

‘Ever defeated a molduga?’ Alastair asked. ‘My sister and I have. They’re very large and live in the desert, killing unsuspecting travelers. They are sensitive to shifts in the sands and will know where you are in an instant.’

‘I can’t say I have,’ Thomas said. ‘But I’m willing to give it a try. My ultimate goal is to defeat Calamity Ganon though.’

‘I hope you succeed,’ Alastair said. ‘If you ever need help, or someone to accompany on your journey, I’m more than willing.’

‘It would be dangerous,’ Thomas said.

‘Have you seen my spears? I defeated a molduga with those,’ Alastair said. ‘And my sister is even stronger a warrior than me. I’m better at stealth too, so if you need to break into the yiga hideout unseen you could use my help.’

Thomas guessed he should take Alastair up on that offer, he could always use extra help. His journeys could get lonely, would Alastair be willing to come with him beyond a trip to the yiga clan hideout?

‘Alright,’ Thomas said. ‘We can go together after I speak to your sister. When do we leave?’

Alastair made two plates of the food he’d made, and Thomas thankfully ate some curry. It didn’t have any special effects, but he loved eating food with goron spice.

‘After dinner. I think it’s best to start searching for the hideout early tomorrow morning, or it’ll get too hot. Or, and I think this is a pretty solid idea, we wait until it’s so hot you’ll have no choice but to take off your shirt.’

Thomas smiled. ‘Let’s go early. Not that I don’t want you to see… I just don’t think it would be practical, and we only just met…’

‘Don’t worry, I’m just joking. But you should go out with me sometime after we defeat Calamity Ganon.’

‘You’re going to help me?’ Thomas asked.

‘Of course,’ Alastair said. ‘If we break into the yiga clan hide out and wreak some havoc, I won’t have to go undercover as a cake vendor anymore. I’m sure Cordelia won’t mind if I join you.’

#Thomas Lightwood #Alastair Carstairs #Thomastair #Breath of the wild au #Zelda au #fanfiction #the last hours #tlh

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minty-mumbles · 3 years

Text

One Last Journey

Summary: Link has felt death before, and knows how it tugs on your bones before it claims you. He’s known for a while that it was nearly time. Well past time, in his opinion. Every man owes death his dues, and his are nearly two hundred years late.

Author's Note: You can read this on AO3 Here

Content Warning: Death from Old Age, Angst, Not exactly a happy fic, but not super sad either? Bittersweet Ending.

~~~

The funeral of Zelda, the former queen of Hyrule, is a quiet affair. The only ones there are her family and a few close friends. Normally, such an event would warrant a much larger crowd, and at least a few dignitaries, offering their condolences. And it wasn’t like the former Queen was disliked. In fact, she was beloved.

However, she had stepped down from the throne many years ago, so her daughter could take the queenship. To the general public, her death meant little more than a town crier announcing the news, and a day of mourning. Besides that, the woman had also expressed the wish for a quiet send off. Just her family and friends, no strangers from distant lands.

Slowly, after the dirt is well and truly settled over the casket, and the day grows longer, most of the funeral goers drift off, to attend to their duties, or mourn in private.

The last one to leave the cemetery is an old, aged man. He approaches the gravestone form where he had been standing at the back of the crowd. He looks, contemplatively at the cold, unfeeling stone. He did not cry during the ceremony, and he does not do so now.

He simply nods to the stone, as if saying ‘farewell, see you later,’ a dear old friend. Out from a glowing slate at his hip, he draws a flower crown of silent princesses. He places the crown around the top of the gravestone, then leaves without a word.

Although he has a room in the castle, he does not go there. He turns instead towards the city gate. He speaks to no one on the way out of town. Although he is well known, and has many friends here, no one tries to stop him. They know well the grief he feels, and leave him alone. They know, despite his age, and less than spry appearance, he is no push over, and can look after himself. There is no need to stop him from leaving the safety of town.

He first travels to Gerudo town. The vai outfit he wore in his youth hasn’t worked in many years, and he doesn’t even bother. Despite this, he’s let in with little fuss. He is, perhaps, the only man in memory to be freely let into this town. He has done so much for the Gerudo throughout the years, and has been nothing but polite. They could hardly refuse him.

He presents to the Chieftess Riju with a gift of a nearly legendary scimitar, and a beautiful shield. Both are well cared for, and seemingly untouched by age. He doesn't stay in the town for long. It’s hard for him to walk on the shifting sands in his old age, even with the help of his well-worn sand boots, and the heat is getting to him in a way it never did when he was young.

Next, he travels to Rito village. This town, like most of the other settlements, has grown since the defeat of the calamity, and is more of a Rito City. He speaks with the Elder Teba, presenting him with the Great Eagle bow. To pass on to a Rito that Teba thinks has the skill to wield such a renowned weapon, the man says.

The two sit and speak for a while, reminiscing on years past, but eventually, the man hauls himself to his feet and sets out. He has to use the rope bridges now, much too old for the paraglider he used in his youth, a fact which he curses internally.

Next, he stops by the Lost Woods. He doesn’t speak to the Great Deku Tree. The two have known each other for years, and the ancient tree had been a source of wisdom whenever the man had felt troubled. There was nothing left to say to each other, only silent understanding. The man plunges an ancient sword back into its rightful place in its pedestal, and leaves, letting the mists on the forest whisk him back to the entrance.

Although the castle is close, the man turns away from the structure, heading east instead. He has no business there anymore, and something deep within his bones tells him that he won’t be seeing it up close again any time soon.

The next stop on his path is Goron City. The flamebreaker armor has been long retired, heat resistance potions much more easy on old bones. The Elder Yunobo greets him with perhaps a bit too much enthusiasm, leaving him with aching ribs. Laughing, the Goron suggests a dip in the hot springs to help soothe sore muscles and bones. They spend a good afternoon speaking amiably in the warm water, sharing stories and tales.

When it’s time for the man to move on, he silently hands over the weapon that Yunobo’s grandfather himself once wielded. In return, he received another bone bruising hug, and copious amounts of tears. He quickly excuses himself from the Goron’s presence, in fear of yet another hug.

From here, it’s only a short journey to the Zora Domain. Here, he is welcomed with more warmth than any other settlement he has visited. Not that the other places were cold, but the Domain has always seemed like a second home to him. The Zora here haven't seemed to change much since the man wandered into the Domain for the first time, all those years ago. They welcome him with the same familiarity as always.

He is led directly to speak with King Sidon, who now sits on the throne, as his father once did. The man stays in the Domain for the longest time of all the places he’s stopped on his journey, but after only a week, he can feel the urge to move off again. Before he leaves, though, he presents the Zora king with an invaluable gift. The Lightscale Trident is entrusted into the Zoras’ capable hands once again. He leaves with only a small smile and nod to the statue in the courtyard of a beautiful young healer.

From there, the man travels to Hateno. He sells the house he owned there. It had been a faithful place to rest, a good place to fall back to and recuperate at for many years. It had been rarely used in recent years, and the man did not have much to retrieve from inside of it. He sells the building to a young man named Jaxson, who owns the Bolson Construction company. He supposes that the house will be torn down and rebuilt now, as it was about to be when he purchased it.

He makes the climb up to a laboratory on top of the hill, to speak with farewell to a middle aged sheikah scientist. He leaves her with his most prized possession which has been with him since nearly before he could remember, the Sheikah Slate. He can tell that she would find much more use from it than he ever could. Perhaps she could even replicate it, and start the widespread use of Sheikah technology again.

His second to last stop is Kakariko village. He greets the leader of the town, Paya, with the kind of easy camaraderie that is forged out of years of friendship, and fighting side by side. He hardly stops to talk though, before he’s moving on.

His final destination is the Great Plateau. This place alone had been left untouched by the restoration efforts after the fall of The Calamity; Zelda had declared it a sacred place, and besides that, it was too inaccessible to most races, except perhaps the Rito.

The Temple of Time was even more run down than he remembered from when the man first saw it. The roof had nearly entirely collapsed at this point, the bell tower barely clinging to where it’s supported by a few rotten wooden boards. The North faring wall has crumbled by now as well, leaving open view of most of Hyrule. Despite the continued ruin slowly overtaking the place, the goddess statue still sat at the dais, whole and untouched.

The man did not kneel in front of the statue, standing proud in front of it. He doesn't even show the reverence of lowering his head. Instead, he looks off to the side, at the restored Hyrule Castle. The man would never grow tired of the sight of this symbol of Hyrule standing proud once more. “The first time I spoke to you,” The man says, “You told me to ‘go, and bring peace to Hyrule.’” With a sigh, he refocuses his gaze back on the statue's unmoving face. “I think I’ve done that, don’t you?”

If anyone were to observe this scene, they would hear or see no reply, the statue remaining as still as ever. But the old man smiles, as if receiving a confirmation, and turns away.

The climb up to the Shrine of Resurrection is not an easy one, but the man has undertaken far more difficult treks in his life, and he makes it all the same. He stops to admire the view from the entrance for just a moment. His first memory is seeing Hyrule spread out before him as it is now. The sight had nearly brought him to tears. Although he hadn't known what the feeling was at the time, now he knew it to be awe. The feeling of love for this wild place never truly left, even after all these years.

Though he did not kneel before even the goddess, when he makes it the final chamber of the shrine, he does kneel. He gazes reverently at the bed he once spent one hundred years laying in, and shuts his eyes. He knows that his journey has at last come full circle.

The man has felt death before, and knows how it tugs on your bones before it claims you. He’s known for a while that it was nearly time.

Well past time, in his opinion. Every man owes death his dues, and his are nearly two hundred years late.

It is not clear when he passes, but he does. Far away from any Hylian life, deep in the Shrine of Resurrection and where his journey truly began, the Hero of Hyrule dies. The aches and pains fall away from his body like water off duck feathers, and his grey hair turns blonde once again.

He is welcomed in death with countless, open, familiar arms.

#mint’s writing #Legend of Zelda #Breath of the Wild #LoZ Fanficion #botw fanfiction #bittersweet #death from old age #death #angst #sad #My Writing

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corpsentry · 3 years

Text

ao3 mirror

fandom: age of calamity, botw rating: g starring: prince sidon and mipha note: spoilers for both games

"You know, Daruk’s my idol,” Yunobo says. He pumps his fists in the air like a kid at a fun fair in line for the big pirate ship ride. “They say he was the coolest Goron there ever was. Plus he had a beard. I think beards are awesome.”

“Great,” Sidon says. He stops peeling the mandarin in his hands for long enough to look up blankly at him. "Mipha was my sister."

the age of calamity, side b.

The thing about time travel is, even if someone stands in front of you and tells you point-blank that there’s a way to bring your dead sister back to life, you’re probably not going to believe them.

“I don’t believe you,” says Sidon.

“Okay,” Teba says patiently, fluffing his feathers with an absent glide of his wing. “Try harder.”

Sidon stares at him. He tries harder, though he’s not sure what that entails and so doesn’t end up really doing anything. “I don’t get you.”

“Which part don’t you get?”

“I get to see Mipha again?”

Teba’s eyebrow twitches. “Let me put this as simply as I can, Prince,” he says, a little too loudly. The soldier stationed at the bottom of the staircase turns to look at them. “We’re going to go back to the point a hundred years ago at which the four champions were killed in their divine beasts. We’re going to save them. We’re going to make sure they defeat Ganon before he can send Hyrule into ruin. And then we’re going to leave.”

By now, they’ve caught everyone’s attention. It’s been a long time since a hundred years ago, but here in Zora’s Domain it still feels like the events of last Tuesday, to be recounted over salt tea and fish skewers, to be mourned over an empty coffin. Everyone’s staring at the big white bird with the angry eyebrows, a little curious, a little apprehensive. For what he’s worth, Teba is indifferent. This much will not faze him.

Sidon twiddles his thumbs behind his back, where Teba cannot see them and the guards at the bottom of the staircase can point and laugh all they want. To be honest, he heard nothing. His heart stopped when he heard ‘killed in their divine beasts’, at which point a watery monster punched its way into his skull and crushed his brain. The monster is nothing concrete, nothing crystal-clear, just what little Link has told him, bits and pieces of a history he was prevented from taking part in. It’s been several months since the kid dragged his beaten-up body halfway across Hyrule and kicked Ganon’s ass, though they’re still feeling the after-effects of that particular calamity today. Mipha’s statue still looms over their heads, a reminder of what it means to die alone and far away from home.

“So,” Sidon starts, hearing his voice echoing in his ears like metal slicing through air. “What you’re saying is, I get to see Mipha again.”

Teba looks like he wants to grab one of the guards’ spears and stab Sidon in the face, but for what he’s worth, he reigns it in. “Yes.”

“Okay.” He grins. “I’m in.”

He tried to fight a lynel when he was fifteen. The domain had been overrun with monsters who had arrived for the pre-party to Ganon’s return, including an outstanding number of wizzrobes, several moblins, and a tall, intimidating figure which spat electricity from its pink-tongued mouth and whose name he couldn’t recall. While his father, the king, and his sister, the princess, breezed through the area like a lightning strike, reclaiming keeps and stabbing moblins with silver teeth so their generals could forge a path ahead, Sidon reveled in the wonder of being left unsupervised at four a.m. in the morning. And then heard the familiar, haunting roar of a lynel. And then decided to go and say hi.

It was a mistake, of course. The lynel was so tall he couldn’t make out the gear on its back. Its face was all squished up, like a birthday cake that had been stepped on, and its horns were too big for its thick, blocky nose. This was funny for all of five seconds. Then the lynel extracted a bow from that unknowable space behind it and aimed the sharp end of an arrow at his face, and it became a problem.

“H-h-h-hi,” said Sidon, holding up his Kid Spear, which was strictly for Kid Use Only, and had the offensive capabilities of a stick.

“RHOOARHGHHGHH,” said the lynel.

He jabbed the Kid Spear at the lynel’s leg. The lynel spat at him, though probably unintentionally, as it seemed preoccupied with the arrow it was trying to send into his face. It was stuck. The big scary lynel’s bow was stuck.

Emboldened by the stupid scary lynel’s broken bow, Sidon decided to try again. “Please go away, Mr. Lynel,” he said in his best and most charming Kid Prince voice, twirling his Kid Spear like a sweet jellyfish skewer.

“RHOAHOARHAGHOGHHHH,” said the lynel, who sounded significantly angrier than before.

“I understand,” Sidon said politely, and then closed his eyes and sent a prayer to the goddess Hylia (the way he had been taught to since he was old enough to speak, the way every child in Hyrule knew that there was a place for them to go to after they left this world behind). He braced for impact, which he hoped would be of the violent sort, earth-shattering and brisk enough to break his bones and leave nothing breathing in its wake. He was fifteen, not five. This was Ganon’s era. Every living creature in Hyrule knew this, the way their ancestors woke up and knew which direction the sun would rise from. Not if, but when. When the Calamity strikes. When your people die. When the knight emerges from the woods with the sacred sword in his hand, and saves you all.

But none came. When he opened his eyes, and he did so reluctantly, adrenalin coursing through his veins like thunder, the world was pitch black. In place of the cool blue moon was his sister, her ceremonial gear glittering darkly, the Lightscale Trident glowing like a star in her right hand.

“Holy shit,” whispered Sidon the kid. Mipha stabbed the lynel in the face.

She hugged him when it was all over and they had put the moblins and the wizzrobes and the electric moblin (so that’s what it was! Terrifying) back to sleep. Their father was upset, but he was frequently upset at Sidon and so it didn’t bother him as much as it could have. Sidon was not Mipha. It was all right if he got things wrong, as long as his sister never did. Coincidentally, the Hylian princess had been in the area at the time of the attack, accompanied by a knight with blue eyes and a Sheikah warrior who looked like she would throw a knife at a fish for sport. It was a good thing Mipha had been at home, and not visiting one of the other tribes or hunting for crabs near Lurelin. It was a good thing she had intervened when she had, lest the pre-party become the real thing.

“Thank you,” said the Hylian princess, trying her best to smooth her brow and failing. She looked anxious, though she had only come to pass on her father’s word, though the word that she had brought was victory.

Mipha smiled at her with a face full of sun. “It is my pleasure.”

He wishes the egg could talk. If the egg could talk then Teba would have less reason to talk, and if Teba talked less then Sidon would have less of a raging headache, which which would make him less of an asshole, which would make their discussions go much more smoothly than the janky, sputtering mess they’ve been all week.

“As I was saying,” says Teba, continuing whatever train of thought he picked up on their way up to Goron City and then dumped unceremoniously by the side of the road. As he does this, Death Mountain spits a chunk of lava out of its steaming gaping top, which lands a few inches shy of his breastplate. He hops backwards without missing a beat and begins fanning himself with one wing.

Riju stops fiddling with the diamond circlet in her hands for long enough to give him a look of inquiry. “As you were saying?”

“I can’t wait to see Daruk.” Yunobo scratches his arm. It makes a sound like two large boulders grinding together. Riju drops the circlet.

“You’re only going to see him for a short while,” Teba comments over the sound of the egg blowing its top at Riju and Sidon plugging his ears with his fingers. “No point getting all worked up about it.”

“You’re just as worked up yourself,” Riju counters. Patricia barks. Teba flinches.

This is true. There are two things Teba won’t shut up about. In ascending order of importance, they are 1) when they should depart for the alternate timeline in which they will prevent their respective ancestors from getting their spirits trapped in giant mechanical monsters for a hundred years, and 2) how incredible Revali is. Because Revali was the most powerful Rito warrior that ever walked the land (or flew over it, or blasted bomb arrows at it, whatever). Revali singlehandedly invented an entire style of aerial combat which involves launching yourself into the air with an updraft that defies the laws of the universe and then setting your surroundings on fire. Revali killed god.

Teba looks like he wants to go back to his wife and kid in Rito village. Good for him. Not all of them have bodies to put in coffins. “I just want to meet him once,” he says quietly.

Yunobo laughs, and it sounds like two extra large boulders grinding together. “Me too, brother.” He picks up the diamond circlet from the floor and puts it on his head like some kind of weird hat. “I’m going to tell Daruk how great he is. And then I’m going to go home.”

One time when they were much, much younger, before he woke up one morning and Mipha was three times his height, one of the guards brought back some durians. The durians were misshapen and spiky and smelled intimidating, though Sidon wouldn’t go as far as to say that the smell was unpleasant. The guard had obtained them from a merchant in the Faron region. He hadn’t meant to purchase them, but they were the last of her stock and she said she could only head home once she had sold everything. He empathized her.

At first they tried to open the durians with their hands, but this only produced several pricked fingers and left ominous and eerily substantial bloodstains everywhere, so someone brought out a spear, almost drove it through the table, and someone else brought out a carving knife. Halfway through the spectacle of watching one of the guards, who was thirty-seven and enjoyed collecting glowing stones as a hobby, attempt to de-spike an entire durian, the crowd parted abrutpyl.

“What are you all doing?” Mipha put her hand absently on Sidon’s head. He had been watching the ongoing debacle out of some kind of morbid curiosity, standing on tip-toes so he could peek over the top of the table, though now he had apparently been relegated to armrest.

“Trying to open this durian, your highness.”

Mipha laughed. His sister’s laugh was a delicate, heartrending affair, like trying to pull weeds from the bottom of a lake without breaking them at the stem. The weather at home was always more or less divine, but whenever Mipha laughed, Sidon swore it blasted a hole right through the clouds. If there were no clouds, then the hole appeared in the fabric of the sky instead. Mipha, at her brightest, was a walking catastrophe of sun.

Still chuckling a little, like she’d been made privy to a secret that none of them knew about, Mipha stepped up to the cutting board. “You have to do it like this,” she said cheerfully, digging her fingers into a seam in the durian’s shell like she’d been dealing with danger all her life.

Cue gasping. Cue the horrors of childbirth.

The durian was sweet. It was also a little goopy, but Sidon was no stranger to things which stuck to your fingers and refused to let go (he was one of those objects when it came to his sister, who he could rarely be found more than an arm’s length away from on any given day), so he felt for the little spiky fruit, and decided that he would make an effort to bring some back home when he went traveling himself in the future. While he examined the inside of the durian’s shell, which had been hollowed of fruit and had the texture of rough sandpaper, the guards crowded around Mipha and demanded that she share her secret to not getting stabbed to death by the fierce and terrifying durian. But either she didn’t know how to explain it to them, or they weren’t very good at listening, because she remained the only one capable of cracking open a durian with her bare hands for many, many years, up until she died while fighting a watery manifestation of Ganon inside the divine beast she had been told by the king of Hyrule to pilot to victory’s end. Then it was someone else’s turn to take over.

Painkillers for fish are a tricky affair. To begin with, charmingly little research has been conducted into the biology of the fish-person because the Zoras simply aren’t interested in how their bodies work, and while others have offered to do so in their place, among them several enthusiastic Sheikah researchers and one Hylian with a thing for huge glowing orbs, his people have never cared enough to give their consent. It’s a unique kind of apathy, one which stems from a place of privilege, or denial. They are, as a general statement of fact, very good at both.

“This will help.” Yunobo hands him a rock roast. Where did Yunobo get a rock roast from? Sidon frowns. They’re in the middle of the desert.

“Thanks,” Sidon says. Smiles. Kind of, like, holds the roast up to his mouth and gives it a sniff. It doesn’t smell half as good as durian. He puts it down.

It takes him several days to make sense of the convoluted sequence of events that Teba presented to him that day on the front door of the world he had rebuilt from scratch, surrounded by mystique and glamor and promising, in a breath of cold air, to bring his dead sister back to life. This makes it sound like he’s finished making sense of it all and will thus never be confused ever again, but if he’s to be entirely honest, he still doesn’t get it. He wants to. He’s scared to. He won’t look Teba in the eye.

“We should get going soon, don’t you think?” says Riju, who is twelve and somehow more put-together than all four of them combined. She pulls another book from the shelf and leaves it on the pile on the desk.

Yunobo shrugs loudly. “Doesn’t make a difference when we leave, does it? We could leave for Hyrule in twenty years, and we’d still end up at the same place.”

“But I want to save them,” Riju says earnestly. The pile behind her has been growing all afternoon, and will soon overtake her in height if she is not stopped. Mission preparation looks like archaeological excavation when you’re traveling backwards in time, and not forwards to some yet unknown destination. Ancient Sheikah records. Research journals. The writings of people who were obsessed with the events of a hundred years ago despite having no personal investment to speak of, and whose words carry with them a hint of reverence, even as they choreograph the funeral song of the old king. This is all that’s left of those ruins, aside from Link, who they’ve all quietly decided to keep uninformed of the current proceedings. Hyrule itself has been kept in the dark. No need for them to know about the maybes and the what-ifs and the could-have-beens. No need for more people to go crazy.

Sidon shuts the book in his hands with a thud. “But why?”

Riju’s eyes go wide. Drama queen. “Why what?”

Sidon opens his mouth, closes it, and opens it again. There’s a heat rash on the back of his neck which he can’t quite reach on his own. The elders had warned him about the desert, but the charm he received from Link has proven to be effective in all areas except for maintaining good skincare. He blinks dumbly at Riju, who has begun to flicker like the glassy surface of a pond. His eyes hurt.

“I mean, why do you.” His eyes hurt. His throat hurts. There’s something large and horrible stuck in his chest, and he can’t get it out. “Why do you want to save them?” There’s a durian in his rib cage. It must have lodged itself there when Teba glared at him like he was an idiot as he came face to face with the cruel reality of the universe, and it dawned on him like a dead body falling out of the sky that he would get to see Mipha one last time, and then he would have to come back. To a Hyrule without her. To the stupid stuck-up world that had to try again and again and again, coughing up blood and dragging itself through the dirt on bruised knees, before it could defeat the monster. “It’s not like they’ll come back to life,” he says, each word a silver knife in his mouth. “They’ll stay dead here. They’re already dead.”

Silence.

Riju has let everything go, including the diamond circlet, the topaz earrings, and three volumes sheathed in gold. Yunobo’s mouth is open so wide, you could stick your head inside and take a look around if you leaned in close enough. For the first time since he met him, Teba is at a loss for words. His chest rises and falls erratically, his hand on the bookshelf quivering, his eyebrows doing a little dance on his forehead. He’s sweating. Of course he is. They’re in the desert.

Riju, Hylia bless her soul, is the first to speak.

“It’s the spirit of things,” she says softly. She looks sadder than any twelve-year-old should ever have to look. But then and again, Sidon was barely old enough to hold a spear with both hands when his sister died and everything went to shit. Then and again, everything goes away eventually.

Sidon stares at her helplessly for a moment, gulping the humid air of the library like a fish out of water, then gives up and walks out of the room. He spends the rest of the afternoon blowing bubbles in the pool beside Kara Kara Bazaar while the other three continue their work, and then buys a durian from one of the vendors and hacks it open with his spear. You can’t crack open a durian with your bare hands, unless you’re Mipha, in which case you can do anything. It’s a good thing, then, that she’s gone.

When they were children and they got into trouble, his father would always scold Mipha far more harshly than Sidon. Mipha was the older sibling, after all. She should know better. This dynamic remained firmly established between them even as Mipha grew into her role as princess, future ruler, and eventually, champion. Of course, the reprimandings grew less stern, but Sidon had a penchant for winding up in places he wasn’t supposed to be in and Mipha had a penchant for being with him whenever this happened. He secretly resolved to pay her back when he got older and was finally able to stand up to his father, and therefore explain that most of the things they got into trouble for were his idea. He would be the one to weep at his father’s feet while his sister looked on with a horrified expression, and in that moment she would understand how much he loved her.

Then she died. You can’t tell the story of Mipha without this part. Mipha was a humble, kind girl, and then she died. Mipha could crack open a durian with her bare hands, and then she died. Mipha was the pride of their people, and then she died, and she died, and she died.

You can’t change the past with the wave of a hand. You’re not a bird. You’re not a fortune-teller. You’re a fish-person with an empty coffin for a sister, and in a few weeks’ time, you’re going to save her specter.

“...What if I brought her back with me?”

“Huh?”

“Hahajustkidding. No way I’d do that. Not a chance.”

“Um. Do you need painkillers?”

“Thanks, but they don’t work on me. I’m over a hundred years old, you see. Us Zoras, we’re different.”

The day before departure. They’re back at Zora’s domain. It’s raining. Teba is running through a checklist of items to bring with them which is so long, he has to hold it above his head to prevent it from touching the floor. Riju is feeding Patricia mandarin peels.

“You know, Sidon.”

Sidon looks up from his mandarin. “Mm?”

Yunobo grins at him. “Daruk’s my idol,” he says proudly. He pumps his fists in the air like a kid at a fun fair in line for the big pirate ship ride. “They say he was the coolest Goron there ever was. Plus he had a beard. I think beards are awesome.”

“Great,” says Sidon, as enthusiastically as he can, because he genuinely wants to be happy for Yunobo who is finally going to meet his idol and has clearly dreamed about this moment for some time. He wants to be happy for all of them. He fucking wants to. This is a rescue mission, not the imprisonment Princess Zelda walked into in Hyrule castle, not the hundred-year nap Link took on the Great Plateau. This is a happy ending, even if it’s not theirs.

Daruk the idol. Urbosa the warrior. Revali the bird. Sidon pictures them in his head, the way Link described them to him once, his voice carrying across the water like beams of light.

“Mipha was—”

He stops peeling the mandarin in his hands, his nails still embedded in the soft skin of it, the white-tinged flesh peeking out like a wound. Outside, the rain keeps falling. A river of tears from the sky.

Yunobo tilts his head to the side. “Mipha was?”

Mipha was the pride of their people. Mipha was the first person he wanted to live forever. Mipha was the only one he knew who could crack open a durian with her bare hands, like she was peeling open the heart of a monster, only to reveal that it had been something soft and scared all along. Mipha was a flesh-and-blood person. Mipha was the light of their world. Mipha is an empty coffin with a name inscribed on the lid, a house with the lights off, a memory drenched in ocean.

Yunobo prods his shoulder, though he barely feels a thing. “Mipha was?” he repeats kindly, herding him along to the end of the line, to the boat at the edge of the water.

Sidon puts the mandarin away. He stares long and hard at Yunobo, and hopes that his eyes will convey the wound his body no longer knows how to carry.

“Mipha was my sister.”

Let’s say you’ve been entrusted with the future of your kingdom. There’s a bad guy coming, and everyone’s scared to death, so you learn how to pilot this big robotic elephant which shoots turrets of water like a machine gun, and you get really good at it, and when the bad guy arrives on your new friend’s birthday suddenly you can’t do it anymore. You’re trapped inside the giant elephant. You’re bleeding out all over the floor. Your chest hurts like something awful, and your vision is beginning to blur. Sensing your despair, the monster closes in on you, wielding that big blue trident like fury. It holds the sky up over your head, and as it does so you close your eyes. You send a prayer to the goddess Hylia (the way you have been taught to since you were old enough to hold your little brother in your arms, the way every child in Hyrule knows that there is a place for them to go to after they leave this world behind). You brace for impact, which you hope will be the gentle sort, a slap to the wrist that’s conclusive enough to break your bones and leave nothing breathing in its wake. You’re twenty, not five. This is the end of all things as you know it. Every living creature in Hyrule knows this, the way their ancestors woke up one day and knew that this world would come to ruin. Not if, but when. When the Calamity strikes. When everyone you’ve ever loved dies. When you walk into the mouth of the elephant, and the elephant changes its mind, and decides to keep you in its belly forever.

None arrives. You open your eyes slowly, hesitantly, fear a living memory in your bones, but you are not faced with the stinging end of a trident. In its place is a boy almost three times your height, his eyes glittering darkly, the spear in his right hand shining like a star.

He is not your brother. But, Hylia bless you all, he is.

So what can you say, when the evil has been defeated and you are standing on the balcony of the castle, smiling up at him through tears while this big overgrown baby stares at you like you’re the answer to the universe, except:

We’ll definitely meet again, won’t we?

He flinches, but you don’t ask, and he doesn’t say why. He pulls you into an earth-shattering, bone-crushing hug. It’s a beautiful day to be alive, the sun shining like sin, Hyrule’s beaten but stubbornly breathing carcass laughing up at you from the fields below. He takes your hands in his. He’s shivering. He’s shaking from head to toe.

Of course, he says in the kindest, saddest voice you’ve ever heard, though he has only come to pass on someone else’s words, though the word he has brought is salvation. From now on, I’ll always be by your side.

: : : : :

You smile at him with a face full of stars.

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imaginethezeldaverse · 9 months

Note

What if Yunobos s/o was unable to return to goron city between when the upheaval happened to when Yunobo awoke as a sage of fire? How would he explain what had happened in the time in-between their last meeting to them?

Some spoilers for Tears of the Kingdom below, just fyi:

I feel like at first it would just be general curiosity as to what he was wearing around his waist. Let's say you venture back home after the upheaval to make sure your folks are okay. You don't know about the mask that plagued poor Yunobo and caused Goron City to fall into a spellbound ruin, or the monsters that lay beneath Death Mountain. All that's changed when you return is that your darling Goron boyfriend is sporting a new, golden sash.

Transparency is key with him. Yunobo doesn't like hiding things from you, so he'll be honest! He'll explain to you that something farfetched is going in with Princess Zelda, and that just after you had left he went to go investigate Death Mountain. You definitely recall him being wary about it, so that all made sense to you. Then came the portion where he recants being given a mask, which put Goron City in such a bad way until Link, Zelda's trusted knight and a dear friend of you both, came and destroyed it. Your eyes turned up in concern when Yunobo shifts into a posture of guilt, and you can tell right away he feels responsible for what happened at that time. To try and ease his hurt, you ask him to continue.

Thankfully he perks up when you're told of his exploits taking down a marbled rock monster that lay dormant in Death Mountain and then ultimately destroying the evil being of Ganondorf's gloom that's been creating all the rock roast from the beginning.

---

"That's how I ended up with this sash, goro" Yunobo beams with pride as he adjusts it at his waist, "I've um...Well, I've awakened as the Sage of Fire."

Your eyes widen at his words. "A sage..." you whisper as you process the events that have gone on since your departure. Slowly you crouch down, eye level with the stone that garnered the belt. It glows with a blazing mysticism, a strange symbol carved into the center alight with what you can just tell is pure power. Looking up at Yunobo, he grins awkwardly down back at you before taking your hand to help you upright. Taking in his features, he seems different. Sure of himself - even more so after the years of boosting his confidence. There's a steadiness in his hands that was unfamiliar, but not unwelcome. Somehow...it was a feeling you knew was coming. With your hand still in his, you rest your opposite palm over the top of his.

"That's huge, Yunobo...and you're sure you're ready for such a large responsibility?" You ask him not because you don't think he's capable, but to give him the freedom of choice, even if it is a necessary aid. It's grandiose - bigger than being the president of a company or a future city chief could ever hope to compare to. But your train of thought is interrupted when his other hand joins in to take both of yours in his large fingers.

"Never more sure in my life," his voice is gentle, reflective almost, and his eyes are trained on your joined hands, "I always knew there had to be more I could do to help the world - I'm just glad now I have the chance, goro."

You close your eyes, heart full from how truly heroic Yunobo sounds right now. On your tiptoes you lean, pressing a quick kiss to the Goron's nose. He flushes at the soft contact and you giggle at his cheeks taking on an even rosier hue than normal.

"You're already a hero. But you'll make an incredible sage."

His returned laughter is light, smile matching yours. Your belief in him fills him with determination. You know he can do this.

And he knows he can too.

#legend of zelda #loz: totk #legend of zelda: tears of the kingdom #tears of the kingdom #totk #totk spoilers #tears of the kingdom spoilers #yunobo #yunobo x reader #x reader #totk yunobo #confidence #fluff

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raviotherabbit · 3 years

Text

royal pain in the ass - chapter 4

Chapter 4: Era of Twilight Queen Zelda heads out for the night.

[first] - [previous] - [next] read it on ao3!

△ ▲△

“Are you sure this is alright?” The young Hero of the Four Sword trailed Zelda through the halls of her castle, their shoes clicking on the smooth tile below them. “I mean, I wouldn’t want to bother you…”

“I could never be bothered by a hero,” Zelda clarified. “Besides, I believe you of all people should appreciate our collection.”

The pair stopped at a grand set of doors, towering over them with the crest of the royal family, depicted in gold, right in the middle. Before Four could voice any more concerns, Zelda pushed the doors open, dividing the crest in two.

Forgetting his manners, Four rushed past the queen and into the armory. Zelda couldn’t help but chuckle as he admired the vast array of weaponry, hands hovering with a fear to touch. She was struck by how dorky the heroes she grew up hearing legends of actually were, but perhaps she should have guessed they’d be much like her own…

Zelda’s heart dropped at that thought. Oh, Link…

“This battle-axe…” Four marvelled, mouth agape. “I could only dream of making something so well-crafted…”

Forgetting her troubles for a moment, Zelda caught up to Four. “This one is a bit old, actually. I’ve been considering having it hung up somewhere, for posterity.”

“You can never go wrong with an axe on a wall,” Four added.

“Come,” she beckoned him further into the armory. “Let me show you my personal collection.”

Delighted at the notion, he followed her. Eventually, the two came to a wall more tastefully decorated, with several bows and swords hanging.

“I’ve used all of these, at some point,” her hand traced the wooden edges of a bow. With a fond smile on her face, she pulled her rapier from its display. “But I’ve always been fond of my swords.”

Zelda held the rapier out to Four. He hesitated for a moment, looking up to her as if to ask for permission. When she nodded, he took the sword from her with a child-like glee, inspecting it thoroughly.

“I’ve been training with it since I was young,” Zelda explained. “It’s been my favorite.”

And yet, it hadn’t been enough. When the time came, to either fight or die, Zelda had instead chosen to surrender. Her burden went to Link, almost carelessly so, and now…

Noticing her distress, Four placed the rapier back in its display. “Twilight will be fine,” he insisted. “If he’s not back by tomorrow, I think Time is planning on going after him.”

Twilight. The name always throws her for a loop when she hears it. How could Link be so fine with it?

“I’d like to apologize to him, if I can,” she revealed cautiously. “I owe him that much.”

“I think he’s just a bit stressed out,” Four frowned, looking off. “All of us are. Legend got a bit snappy yesterday, and Twilight had to physically stop Wild from pouncing on him.” He sighed wearily.

“I wish he didn’t feel as though everything were his responsibility,” Zelda admitted. But, truthfully, who was she to talk? After all, she was the one who gave him such ideas.

Maybe she deserved what he said to her.

△ ▲△

“Stay safe, Zelda,” Gaepora instructs his daughter, doing his best to remain stoic as he holds her close. “The places you’ll travel will be unfamiliar, but I know that you’ll be able to find your way.”

“We’ll be home soon,” Sun promises, arms tight around her father. “Both Link and myself.”

Gaepora pulls away from Sun, glancing back at the portal. It appeared just after breakfast, right in front of the Sealed Temple. “Keep those granddaughters of mine safe.”

Sun laughs at that. “I will, father.”

Meanwhile, Artemis and Flora stand waiting by the portal. The glowing, golden light still has a draw on them, but they resist enough to allow Sun her goodbyes. It tugs at Flora’s heartstrings, digging that pit in her stomach a little bit deeper. Her only thought is, ‘Why?’

Karane, one of the knights of Skyloft, marches up to the two queens, dragging Pipit by his collar behind her. She releases him just as she reaches them, and Pipit struggles to right himself.

“Pipit,” Karane asks him. “Do you have anything you’d like to say to these two?”

“Er, yes,” Pipit clears his throat. “Your majesties-” he bows awkwardly. “I’m sorry I pointed my sword at you and called you demons.”

“Uh, well.” Flora shifts from one foot to the other, glancing up at Artemis.

Artemis places a hand on Flora’s shoulder, smiling sweetly down at the two knights. “Thank you for your apology, sir Pipit. It’s greatly appreciated.”

Pipit looks back at Karane, who nods in approval. The two bow for them before making their leave.

“That was very diplomatic,” Flora notes, watching as the knights bicker amongst themselves.

“He made a mistake, and he apologized for it,” Artemis explains coolly. “I don’t see a reason to keep being upset.”

The two are interrupted by Sun, who approaches as she waves back to her father. With one hand gripping her satchel’s straps, she asks, “Well, are you guys ready?”

“It’s been lovely staying here, but we need to get moving,” Artemis asserts.

“Then let’s go.” Flora offers a small wave before she steps backwards into the portal. With a bright flash of light, she disappears.

Artemis smirks. “Oh she’s getting sure of herself, isn’t she? Come one-” she waves Sun along to follow her. “We have to catch up before she gets herself lost.”

Side-by-side, Artemis and Sun walk through the portal. Travelling through time is always disorientating, even though both of them have done it before. Sun’s not very surprised to find that these portals aren’t much different than the Gates of Time, but still, she squeezes her eyes shut as they travel. The world warps around her, a chaotic mess until it stops very suddenly.

Sun peeks her eyes open, just as the portal sputters to a close. She finds herself in the middle of a field, Artemis recuperating for a moment with her hands on her knees. On the other hand, however, Sun feels alright, if a little tired. Flora stands a few feet away, using a hand to block the sun from her eyes as she looks off into the distance.

“That must be the castle, just ahead there,” Flora gestures out, and Sun can just see the silhouettes of a city against the daylight as she makes it to her side. “We can get there in no time.”

“Wow, a real, actual city!” Sun utters in awe. “I mean, Sky’s told me about the ones he’s been to, but seeing it now…”

Flora gasps. “I didn’t even realize-!” She eagerly takes Sun’s hand and guides her towards the city hurriedly. “You have so much to see! Come on, let’s-”

“Hold on.”

The pair barely make it a few steps before Artemis stops them, still hunched over nausea. Flora grits her teeth, breathing in sharply. “Artemis, are you okay?”

“Just…” Artemis plants herself on the ground, but it isn’t long before she lays back, staring up at the bright blue sky. “Just give me a second.”

△ ▲△

“Castle Town is… a lot,” Sun comments, subtly shifting to hold onto the cloth of Flora’s cloak. “I’ve never seen so many people before in my life.”

The trio are making their way through the streets, weaving their way through the city’s crowds and passing exuberant vendors. A Goron shouts into the masses, advertising fresh spring water, and Sun covers one of her ears.

“Don’t worry, the castle’s right up there,” Flora points up above the buildings, where the spires of walls are visible. “I’m sure when we explain the situation to the Zelda of this time, she’ll give us a nice, quiet place to spend the night.”

“Hm,” Sun hums in response, noticing Artemis frown slightly at Flora’s words.

“Now that you’ve said it…” Artemis mutters to herself, but she doesn’t finish the thought.

The crowd seems to thin as they approach the castle, which makes sense since the gate is guarded by two heavily armored individuals, both wielding some rather sharp spears. Flora, however, is unfazed, and marches right up to the guards. While Sun tries to follow her, Artemis places a hand on her shoulder, holding her back a few feet. Her hand slips from Flora’s cloak.

“Wait,” Artemis commands.

“Hello,” Flora greets the guards, ignoring their scrutinizing glares. Her hands are folded gently in front of her, the picture of politeness. “We would like to see the queen.”

The soldiers both look towards each other, before both burst out laughing.

“You want to see the queen?” the one on the right, gangly and tall, jabs at her.

“Who are you to demand an audience with her majesty?” the one on the left, shorter than his partner, continues.

Flora scoffs indignantly. “Well I never-!”

“Hold on.” Artemis raises a hand, silencing both guards. “Flora, remain dignified,” she reminds her descendant. “We have information about Link that her royal highness must hear immediately.”

“Uh…” the tall guard idly scratches his face. “What’s link?”

Artemis blinks, taken aback. “Th-the hero.” She composes herself. “Link.”

The guards exchange another glance with each other. “The hero’s name is Link?” the tall one asks, only to receive a shrug from the short one.

“Oh for Hylia’s sake,” Flora sighs, pinching the bridge of her nose.

“Yeah, listen ladies,” the short guard steps forward, flipping his spear so the blunt, wooden end is pointing out. “You’re not seeing the queen today, so scram.” He pokes Flora with the spear.

“Well I never-!” With rage in her eyes, Artemis grabs onto Flora’s arm, dragging both her and Sun away from the castle gates.

“Artemis, wait!” Sun protests. “I think this is still salvageable!”

Ignoring her, Artemis shouts back over her shoulder at the two guards. “Listen to this! You two are going to be in big trouble soon!”

△ ▲△

Flora, with a book in hand, disappeared into the depths of Castle Town. After her display on the battlefield, Artemis doubted she’d be in too much danger in the city. Besides, exploring their surroundings seemed to be a good alternative to meeting this time’s Zelda, and that was way easier when they split up.

Of course, Sun came with her. Artemis didn’t necessarily trust Sun to be on her own in this kind of setting, not yet at least. Judging by the fact that she was currently latched onto her arm like a sloth, she may have made the right choice.

“I have an idea of when we are,” Artemis explains to her.

Sun’s head snaps to Artemis as though she’d been broken out of a trance. “Oh, you do?”

Artemis nods. “I think there’s a business around here where we may find some help.”

“Time war stuff?”

“Time war stuff.”

Sun perks up and begins scanning the buildings up and down the street. “I can help. What does it look like?”

“Well,” Artemis paused. She’d never actually seen the place, had she? She just heard about it late at night when her troops made camp, and she was always about five seconds from punting Little Link into the forest by that time. Which is to say, her attention hadn’t always been there.

“It has to do with bugs,” she finally settles on.

Sun tilts her head. “Bugs?”

“Bugs,” Artemis affirms. “Agitha, the owner, and she loves them. I think it’s a zoo of some kind?”

“A bug zoo in Castle Town,” Sun remarks. “I think I understand cities even less now.”

Artemis shrugs. “I don’t understand it either, to be honest.”

Sun hums to herself, before suddenly pointing to a building across the road. “Agitha’s Castle?” she reads the sign aloud, “Is that it?”

“Right, that’s what it was called!”

When Artemis pushes open Agitha’s wooden door, they’re both immediately hit by a wave of warm air. The chirping and buzzing of several insects greet them, a butterfly going so far as to flutter over and land on Sun’s head.

“Artemis there’s a tree in here,” Sun states, eyeing the bugs climbing all over it with concern.

“Agitha!” Artemis cups her mouth with a hand as she shouts. “Are you here?”

“Is that who I think it is?” a voice rings out from the second floor. A young girl appears, leaning over the railing to peer down at her guests. “The other Princess Zelda!” She races to the stairs with heavy footfalls.

“Well, it’s Queen Zelda now,” Artemis informs Agitha as she bounds down the stairs. Her smile is warm and pleasant, like a fire on a chilly day.

Agitha takes the queen’s hands, holding them in her own, buzzing with energy as an excited smile graces her face. “Then you’re the other Queen Zelda! I can’t believe you’re here! I thought the War Across the Ages was finished?”

“It did,” Artemis nods. “My friend Sun and I are here on separate business.”

Hearing this, Agitha’s eyes snap to Sun, as if noticing her for the first time. “Oh, hello there! I’m Agitha.”

“Uh, hi,” Sun awkwardly responds. “I’m Sun, I suppose.”

Though Agitha squints at her words with suspicion, she’s quickly drawn away by Artemis. “We need to see this era’s Zelda, but the guards haven’t let us into the castle,” she explains. “Do you know of a way we can arrange a meeting?”

“Those guards are tricky.” Agitha slowly draws her hands away, bringing a finger to her chin as she thinks. “There may be something,” she reveals. “Why don’t you come have some tea? I’ll tell you everything I know.”

△ ▲△

While their visit to Agitha’s Castle was by no means short, the subsequent search for Flora ended up being way longer than anticipated. Eventually, they find her laying against one of the buildings bordering the castle wall,

“Breaking and entering is not an option, Flora,” Artemis reprimands, picking up her exhausted descendant off the city streets and slinging her over her shoulder.

“I… ran the whole… perimeter,” Flora pants out, book still clutched tightly in her hands. “We can climb it.”

Sun, standing behind Artemis, pats Flora’s head in consolation.

“We’re heading to dinner,” Artemis says. “Agitha recommended a nice little bar we could eat at.”

△ ▲△

The bar, thankfully, isn’t too far from where Flora collapsed. Sun breathes a sigh of relief when she sees it’s mostly deserted, save for a couple of patrons sitting at a table past the bar. One is a redhead, a drink by his side as he converses with the girl next to him. She’s black-haired, and curiously enough, her ears are rounded. Both perk up when they see the trio enter.

“Telma!” the black-haired lady calls out towards the back. “You’ve got some customers!”

“Er, is she alright?” the redheaded man points with his pen towards Flora, who’s still being carried by Artemis.

“She’s fine, just tired,” Artemis clarifies. She unceremoniously deposits Flora at the nearest table. “My sisters and I were wondering if we could get a meal here?”

“Well you certainly came to the right place, I’ll tell you that!” He offers her a thumbs up, only to be jabbed in the side by his companion.

Just then, a woman pushes through the back door, leaving it swinging behind her. “Well hello there, girls. Can I get you something?”

Artemis places a hand on Sun’s shoulder. “Wait here with Flora, I’ll order for us.”

Sun nods, sliding into the seat next to Flora, who’s currently laying face down on the table. Quietly, she slips Flora’s notebook away from her.

“So what is this?” Sun asks, thumbing through a few of the pages. There’s a lot of writing, but she also notices some drawings of diagrams. “Is it your diary?”

“Of sorts,” Flora murmurs. “It’s a research journal.”

“Oh!” she realizes. “I remember you seemed very interested in some of the monuments of my time. I could tell you more about them, if you’d like.”

“Sun,” Flora pops her head up, resting her chin on the wooden table. “I would love that more than anything. But I currently don’t have the stamina to write a single sentence.”

With a frown, Sun pats her shoulder. “Don’t worry, we’ll have lots of time later.”

Her sympathy brings a small smile to Flora’s face. “How was your time with Artemis, today?”

“We met one of her Time War friends,” Sun explains. “She mentioned her before, Agitha? She told us about this place.”

“And I bet you like it much more than the rest of the city.”

Sun’s neck grows hot, as she awkwardly tries to refute that. “Well- I-”

Flora reaches to place her hand over Sun’s. For a brief moment, her heart races at the thought that the glow might return. When nothing happens after a few seconds, she relaxes again. Never has she been so happy about a lack of anything before.

“Don’t worry,” Flora says, oblivious to Sun’s panic. “I know it can be a bit of a jump, from so little to so much. It was the opposite for me, but I felt similarly when I returned to my Hyrule.”

“Where did you go?” Sun asks, as if it were the most innocent question in the world.

“It was-” Flora tries to explain, but she just sighs. “I sealed a great evil away for a long time. When Wild eventually came to my side, so much time had already passed.” She looks away. “I didn’t recognize anything, anymore.”

“You didn’t- you didn’t have to say that,” Sun says. “I mean, I also sealed away an evil, the Demon King, but at least I went to the past to do it-” She takes a deep breath, composing herself. “What I’m trying to say is, I’m sorry. It must have hurt.”

“Well-”

The pair are interrupted by Artemis, returning to the table with the barkeep, Telma. She places her own bowl of soup in front of her while Telma serves Sun and Flora.

“Hope you girls enjoy,” she smiles, glancing over at Flora. “I made this special, I hear it’s supposed to help after a long day.”

“Thank you,” Flora responds automatically. She sits up slightly, eagerly yet carefully bringing a spoonful of soup to her mouth. There’s a buzz of excitement in her chest as she recognizes the blend of flavors; it can only be cream of vegetable soup. In fact, it’s almost like-

Wait.

Flora’s eyes go wide, and she almost drops her spoon. “Carrots and honey.”

“What?” Sun tilts her head at her.

“This is a carrot and honey cream of vegetable soup, I-” She remembers the night she first tried it. After one hundred years of fighting, she was so tired, and that night, Wild brought her to a stable. He showed her how to make it, explaining where he got every ingredient. And the way it warmed her stomach after so long, especially when he followed it up with a fruitcake dessert…

“This is Wild’s recipe,” she reveals, looking up at Telma. “Did he- how did you get it?”

Before Telma can respond, the door to the bar opens, and in steps a figure in a long, black cloak.

△ ▲△

Honestly, all Queen Zelda Elaine Hyrule wanted was to relax at Telma’s after a long day of courting nobles and other queenly business. She knew at least a few members of the Resistance would be there, and what better way to get her mind off things than to listen to Shad ramble on about the sky beings for hours?

What she didn’t expect, however, was a young girl looking like she was going to cry about her soup while grilling Telma about the recipe.

“Uh,” Artemis looks between Telma and the girl, befuddled.

Telma grimaces when she notices her. “Honey, why don’t you go sit with Shad and Ashei in the back? I’ll have this handled in a second.” The pair of them are standing just a few feet away, Ashei with a hand ready to draw her sword.

“How did you get Wild’s recipe?” the girl demands, standing as one of her companions tries to reach for her.

“I didn’t take it,” Telma counters. “He gave it to me-”

“Wild?” Zelda asks. “As in, Link’s friend, Wild?”

A silence passes over the girl, she and her friends staring at Zelda. One of the other patrons at the girl’s table, seemingly the oldest, speaks up. “You know Link.”

“He’s-” Zelda almost calls him her friend, but truthfully, she doesn’t know if he would call her such at the moment. “Yes. I know him. And how do you know Wild?” She raises a skeptical eyebrow.

“He’s my best friend,” the first girl says, crossing her arms.

“We’re friends of Link’s friends,” the older one says. “The ones he’s travelling with now.”

Very suddenly, it clicks in Zelda’s mind. These aren’t just any visitors, now are they?

“Ah, I see,” Zelda replies. “You all are quite far from home, are you not? Tell me, what is it that brings you to the Era of Twilight?” She slides up to their table, resting her hands on its wooden surface.

“Link and his friends may be in danger,” the last one, a girl with a feather on her belt, reveals. “We need to see this time period’s Zelda.”

“Well then, you’ve found her.” Zelda pulls down the hood of her cloak. She takes one of the empty seats at the table. With her hands folded in front of her, she narrows her gaze at her counterparts. “Telma, give us a moment. What’s wrong with Link?”

“Dusk, I presume?” the older one asks, receiving a nod in response. “I’m called Artemis, these are Sun and Flora.” She gestures to the other two. “We encountered a monster that could change shape, primarily taking the form of our heroes. He taunted us with their safety, and since we haven’t seen them in quite some time, we can only assume he’s done something to them.”

“That’s… concerning,” Dusk admits. “So why have you come to me, then?”

“We want your help,” Sun continues. “We’ve been going through the portals, and they’ve brought us… Zeldas? They’ve brought us all together.”

Flora plops back down in her chair. “The shadow creature is strong. We’ll need as many hands as we can get to defeat it.”

Dusk’s first instinct is to refuse them outright. Though she’s not sure about the rest of them, she has a kingdom to run! She can’t just leave on a journey across time on a whim, not when her people need her. She isn’t Link.

Oh.

But this is for Link, isn’t it? Link, who she let do everything while she was trapped in the twilight of Hyrule Castle. Link, who saved a land that wasn’t his without question. Link, who deserved more than she had given them.

“Ashei, Shad!” she calls out, beckoning the two Resistance members to her side. “Tomorrow, I’m going to make an announcement. As trusted advisors and saviors of Hyrule in your own right, I will leave you both, as well as Auru, in charge of all royal duties until further notice.” She turns her attention back to the other Zeldas. “I’m coming with you.”

“Thank you,” Sun smiles at her sweetly. “All of our Links mean a lot to us, I’m sure you understand.”

“Sorry you had to see me, er,” Flora gestures to her soup, which she stirs with her spoon. “It’s just… I haven’t had this soup in a while, you know?” She suddenly turns towards the bar, where Telma is cleaning some dishes. “And sorry for yelling at you, miss!”

“Don’t you worry, honey!” Telma calls back. “Tell Wild thanks for the recipe when you see him, alright? I think he could use the pick-me-up.”

“Pick-me-up?” Flora echoes quietly.

“Now.” Artemis slams her hands on the table lightly. “Dusk, I should tell you. We had the worst experience with a pair of guards outside the castle, earlier today.”

“Oh, did you?” Dusk leans in, resting her elbows on the table. “Well, we’ll have to handle that.”

#linked universe #lu dusk #lu flora #lu artemis #lu sun #fanfic #rpita #rav's writing

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fatefulfaerie · 4 years

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#thirsty-and-in-denial-zelda

@snidgetwidgeon @intangiblyyourswrites I did another one.

The real reason Zelda initially shows such an abhorrence to Link is because she’s secretly head-over-heels for him and refuses to show it. Her pride is on the line, after all.

The rules were:

-must be set in the Botw timeline

-when it’s set is up to you (e.g. Pre-Calamity or post, pre-Blades of the Calamity or post)

-no chronology enforced, but I’m interested to see if we can get a somewhat coherent story out of this!

-you may do however many posts/drabbles you’d like

-tag #thirsty-and-in-denial-Zelda so we can find your story!

A Night To Forget

Eight feet apart. Don’t speak out of turn and you won’t get spoken to. Eight feet apart. Always keep her in your sight. Eight feet apart. She dies and so do you.

His duty was drilled in his mind, cycling through his thoughts and running rapid with continuous steps. Don’t speak out of turn and you won’t get spoken to. Always keep her in your sight. She dies and so do you.

And thus his stoic, unmoving eyes were fixed on her in her royal blue dress, the way her long, blonde hair fell down to her lower back, the way it moved slightly as she walked. Link seemed to show no reaction to her figure, her tense shoulders, her balled fists, the frustrated green eyes he couldn’t see. Link trudged on behind the Princess with no expression to betray his mysterious, unknown thoughts. Princess Zelda hated her shadow, loathed its stare upon her in this echoing castle corridor.

Eight feet apart. It was no rule he was told, but Link was a sensible young man.

A Lynel is a ferocious creature, with the strength of an army and the resilience of a hot summer. Yet, the first time Link saw one in the wild, he saw it sleeping. Link’s father warned him not to wake it, to keep his distance and not incur the Lynel’s anger. They stayed a good distance away until the threat passed.

It seemed Link copied the lesson when interacting with his charge. Whether he was being ceremoniously blessed by her highness or journeying with her to Goron City, it seemed best to stay eight feet away from her anger.

And she seemed to prefer it that way, too.

She entered the large ballroom without a word to her knight attendant. Link stopped to stand guard at the entryway and Zelda tried to forget that by order, his eyes would be on her the entire night.

It was absolutely boring, and his feet ached in his brown leather boots like he never thought they could. And, although he had already eaten before escorting the princess to the royal banquet, watching the royals and court members and racial representatives eat made Link hungry.

It was two whole hours until something remarkable happened past conversations out of earshot and speeches dull with monotony, Link almost longing for a Yiga attack just to have something to do.

Yet Urbosa was walking toward him with her arm around Zelda and Link prepared himself for a different kind of battle, standing straighter up. Had the Princess recruited the Gerudo chieftain to hurl her anger for her? Urbosa had a much sharper and stronger tongue and Link knew from stories that the Gerudo language was laced with profanities Link couldn’t even begin to rebuke.

Instead, Urbosa came much closer than expected and Zelda’s eyes were filled with more fatigue than hate. Urbosa looked from her right to her left before she leaned in more.

“I need you to take Zelda to her chambers,” Urbosa whispered. To Link’s surprise, Zelda voiced no objection.

“What’s wrong with her?”

“I didn’t notice until now but one of the Gerudo mistook her age and gave her a Noble Pursuit to drink.” Link’s eyes widened.

“She’s drunk?” Link half-mouthed, half-whispered.

“She didn’t know the difference and with her tiny frame, the one she drank was enough. I should have been paying better attention.”

“You and me both.”

“I’ll go make an excuse to the King,” Urbosa said as she practically forced her into Link’s arms. “You get her to her bedroom safe. The King cannot see her like this.”

So much for eight feet. Link was practically hugging her and vice versa. His cheeks warmed and his heart pounded. Had he ever before been this close to danger?

Link nodded and turned to leave, unable to forget who of all people was clinging to his tunic as he left the ballroom.

“Where are we going?” She asked, slowly and slurred.

“I’m taking you to your chambers, Your Highness.”

“Mm,” she hummed before slowly pushing herself to stand up on her own. She was still close to Link but now only had a hand on his shoulder. Zelda took her other hand and drew circles on his shoulder as she focused on it.

“You’re wearing Link’s shirt,” she said. “You...you’re Link.”

“Yes I am.”

Her hand gripped his shoulder and she stopped.

“Wait,” she said.

Link barely got a chance to turn around on his own before Zelda turned him around herself, with both hands on either of his shoulders.

“I need...to tell you something,” she said lethargically. She looked as if she were about to pass out and Link continued to study her with concern.

She took a hand and pointed a finger at him.

“What do you think of that?” She asked.

“You didn’t tell me anything,” Link said contrastingly soberly.

Zelda blinked her eyes a couple times.

“Was I supposed to?” she asked.

Link let out a sigh and placed his hand on her shoulders instead, leading her to her chambers.

“Come on,” he said, Zelda stumbling a bit. “You’ve gotta sleep this off.”

“Mm,” She said with a soft exhale. “You’re nice...and you’re so sweet, all the time you’re just so sweet. You’re perfect, perfect eyes, perfect hair, perfect teeth. How are you so perfect?”

“I’m not perfect,” Link argued.

“Yes you are,” she said, nodding. “The kingdom loves you.”

She took a pause as Link continued to lead her along.

“I wish I was perfect,” she said. Link readjusted his grip. They were nearing her chambers.

“You are,” Link argued.

Zelda’s lungs erupted in a laugh Link had never heard before. He had to keep himself from getting lost in it, remembering she was laughing at her own inadequacy, seemingly uncontrollable wheezing as they finally reached her chamber. Link closed the door behind them.

“Your Highness,” he prompted to stop her, moving to her to face him as her laughter faded. “It’s time to go to bed now.”

“So soon?” She asked.

“Yes,” Link said with nods.

“Link,” she practically interrupted. She touched the left side of his face with a hand that didn’t try to be gentle. “I still haven’t told you...how perfect you are.”

“Yes you have,” Link said slowly, trying to make her understand, pulling her hand from his face before holding her hands in his. “You can go to sleep now.”

She nodded as she grabbed the cloths of his blue tunic, the ones closest to his collarbone. He was pulled to her and could smell the sweet and yet bitter Noble Pursuit on her breath.

Their noses brushed against each other and Link felt his stoicism melt away. She kissed him quickly, impatiently and impulsively and for a lingering second Link too, thought himself drunk. He could taste the Noble Pursuit and yet he was drunk with love, intoxicated by her perfection. Their lips played with each other like a new toy, like someone picking up a new instrument and simply wanting to make noise, to see what it would sound like.

Zelda rescinded from him quickly, covering her mouth and starting to retch. Link thought quickly, grabbing a nearby basin and bringing her knees before it.

Puke spewed from her mouth just after she thought to move her hand, Zelda’s hands gripping the handles of the basin.

“That’s a bit more accurate,” Link said as he made sure every strand of hair was behind her shoulders. Zelda panted as she stared at the bucket, obviously expecting more. “It’ll be good to get that out of your system.”

A second strain escaped her mouth, Link wincing at the sight and yet thinking she likely had it worse.

Zelda panted as she sat back on her heels and looked at Link, who already had a rag ready and was wiping her face clean.

“This isn’t in your line of duty,” she said as he did. “You are meant to make me look less perfect.”

Link blinked his eyes as they swam in sadness, rescinding the rag. So that is what it was. He was perfect, he pulled the sword and was ready to face Calamity Ganon with no expressed hesitation. She was imperfect, inadequate to rule the kingdom and unable to access the sealing power meant to save it.

“I didn’t mean to,” he said. “The kingdom did that on their own.”

Zelda stared at him and her green eyes pierced straight to his heart.

“Link…” she said breathlessly. Her eyelids were flitted closed. “Am I drunk?”

Link nodded.

“And it’s time to sleep off the rest,” he said as he led her to standing, gently prompting her until, in her tight, corseted royal dress, she lay down on her bed. Link didn’t think that was the most comfortable thing to sleep in but there was absolutely no way he was changing her into anything else. He pushed the thought from his mind as Zelda curled up and made herself comfortable.

Link turned to leave her to her much needed slumber, picking up the sullied basin on his way.

“Thank you,” he heard a small voice pipe. It was almost recognizable and thus Link turned back around to Zelda in surprise. She had thanked him, not only that, she had tolerated him, she had depended on him, she had talked to him and not at him.

She had touched him, leaned on him, clutched him. She had kissed him.

She was drunk.

Link forced that truth to the forefront of his mind as he left Zelda in her chambers.

The morning after, the princess’ knight attendant was at her door. Zelda gave Link a look of resentment and hatred before walking a distance in front of him. Link waited eight feet until he started walking too, ensuring she ran into no danger on her way to breakfast with her father.

Eight feet apart. Did she have a headache? Don’t speak out of turn and you won’t get spoken to. Was she feeling groggy? Eight feet apart. Does she need more time to rest? Always keep her in your sight. Did she remember anything? Eight feet apart. Do I want her to? She dies and so do you.

Link soon figured out that Princess Zelda did not remember that night, and that she never would. Although Link kept it in his mind for a spell, in particular unable to forget their kiss and how it made him feel, it wasn’t long before he forgot everything.

#thirsty-and-in-denial-zelda #zelink #zelda #link #breath of the wild #botw #tloz

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