#Botw Genie AU

[sparklyhyperbole]

WIP ask game for "of trust and trickery" (because of course)

Where did all delectable that tragic backstory/lore for genie Link come from? Somehow I assumed that, just like Disney, we weren't gonna get much of an explanation as to *what* a genie actually is, but this is much more interesting. Will it be brought up within the story as well eventually?

😭 "delectable!!" You flatter me, @pitchblackespresso!! 💖

as for the inspiration, I'm intrigued by the Sheikah Spirit orbs.

Were the ancient monks guarding them for the hero? Were they a form of lifesupport for the monks? And then the orbs were an added benefit to Link? Did Hylia make them? The Sheikah?

What if the monks who turned Yiga took their orbs with them?

And then I flipped through my copy of Arabian Nights before reshelving it and thought about djinn for a while, and here we are!

We begin to unravel Link's backstory in the second half of the 3rd chapter, which is undergoing its fourth (and hopefully final) rewrite currently because THERE IS MORE TO THE BACKSTORY 🥲 and HYLIA LORE and I'm trying to do it justice and also not miss opportunities to show their relationship shifting.

I also keep going 🤔 "I could probably fit this in there," and then deciding no- no- that goes in the chapter 4 bucket. Or even the chapter 5 bucket (which are outlined, praise the lord)

But the bulk of Link's very bad day story will be in chapter 4.

Here's a snippit of Ch 3's beginning;

"

Cats are excellent listeners. They sit patiently, unthreatened by your honesty, flicking their tails every now and then in agreement. Best of all, they never ask leading questions or poke holes in your arguments.

Honeycomb is no exception. She's listened quietly and blinked calmly and sometimes even offered a comforting "ekk," to show she cares. Quite a long while has passed and the novelty of Zelda's presence and voice has worn off.

Yes, Honey is an excellent listener. Though, perhaps too objective an audience— because while Zelda paces circles fretting and muttering, Honeycomb dozes peacefully on the couch, unconvinced of any looming danger.

In fairness, Zelda's voice is very soothing, even when she's saying "I just think it's too simple," over and over again.

Link isn't there to volley rebuttals back and forth about the escape plan they've invented. She asked him to conduct reconnaissance, and off he whisked with a wink and a smirk.

In actuality, it's much easier to think without him there.

They spent what felt like the length of at least two council meetings in deep negotiation; she speculating and trying to see reason while he argued and attempted to curb his temper.

All those hours, and they only have five steps:

Zelda will wear the lamp and a stolen Yiga outfit and hide.

Link will disguise his appearance to be Zelda to fool the Yiga.

He will lead the Yiga on a wild chuu chase through the hideout.

The real Zelda will actually escape out the front entrance.

Link will return to the lamp around her neck either when he's been cornered, or when he's as far from the lamp as he can go, whichever comes first. 

"It's too simple." She tells Honeycomb again, ignoring the very faint cat snoring.

"

Iloveyou THANK YOU FOR THE ASK!!! 😁

[sparklyhyperbole]

WIP Wednesday

From Chpt 3 Of Trust and Trickery (the cursed genie AU)

"

What she needs to do is press on. Hunger ought to take a back seat to reason and logic. Gurgly protests sound again, her belly grieving its emptiness. It's an unflattering noise for a princess; demanding and needy. Weak, she thinks, frowning. The same weakness that earned her a place in murderous Yiga hands to begin with.

Her head bows over her arms, scrutinizing bare feet. Dirt rims around her toes, filthy from the floor of her cell and every other step she's taken in this goddess forsaken spit hole.

Several wet droplets plunk down atop her feet, catching her by surprise. Then it's her vision that swims with moisture, and with an even greater sense of ineptitude she's crying against her own will.

Which of course is exactly when he manifests back into the room from within a gust of smoke.

"

😃😄🙃🤔🤨😬😬😱😖❌🤏😧😯😃 <- writing really do be like this but I am almost done with this chapter (again) I swear—

[sparklyhyperbole]

WIP Title Game

Rules: Make a new post with the names of all the files in your WIP folder, regardless of how non-descriptive or ridiculous. Let people send you an ask with the title that most intrigues them, and then post a little snippet or tell them something about it! And then tag as many people as you have WIPs

Thank you so much for the tag, @mistresslrigtar !

There are four.

So you're going to hear about them ALL and if anybody wants to hear more I will junk up your brain with even MORE.

#1 Of Trust and Trickery [Ongoing]

A BotW AU as a passing wave at my Middle Eastern Studies degree. Inspired by the edition of Arabian Nights my toddler was teething on. ✊😓

So picture this: 100 years ago Link was the captain of the guards assigned to the oldest temple to Hylia, located in Gerudo.

The Sheikah and the Gerudo shared in its upkeep, with Hyrule's military providing support.

In a sweeping response to fear mongers, the King of Hyrule cut off the Sheikah's access to power based technology - prompting the genesis of the Yiga. Oh no!

But that's not all.

Their first move is to ambush the remote temple and make it their head quarters!

It gets worse!

The Yiga use Spirit Orbs to turn each guard into a compliant source of spirit power— Djinn!

Thus my genie AU was born.

🧞‍♂️🧞‍♀️🧞‍♂️🧞‍♀️

100 years later, Zelda accidentally comes across our angry blue 100 year old cat bachelor. (There's a cat, btw, because animal companions are always a plus)

Tldr; local girl discovers fox caught in fox trap, wants to help. Maybe if he can stop biting her and trying to chew his leg off for 10 seconds, she'll help him. Maybe.

#2 Taming Wild Horses / Colosseum / Arena / ????  [3 of ?? Chapters written]

Close your eyes and imagine it—

Link is a colosseum fighter and reigning champion. His whole life is dedicated to it, except in the off season.

In the off season, he's contracted out as a mercernary wherever he pleases.

SCENARIOS OCCUR and both the King & Princess experience close calls with assassins. As a temporary assignment, Link is contracted out to personally bodyguard Zelda.

Zelda, avid botanist and reportedly the most powerful Zelda in 100 years is not a lover of the colosseum, and consequently completely unimpressed with Link.

In the background, Sheikah are mysteriously vanishing, so are dead bodies, and they might be warding off a famine.

There is grief! Injury! There will be betrayal! Pining!

Tldr; A cat and a dog have to fix EVERYTHING themselves. But it's not the fixing that's the issue, it's that the other person won't just GO AWA—waitcomeback. 🥺

#3 Swept Up Botw Prince Link AU Heavy Jinshi x Maomao vibes (Apothecary Diaries) but also this is about power dynamics and FUNGUS.

Here's the setting: There has been a coup! Hyrule's royal family were all murdered! Baby girl princess survived! (Shhhh.)

But like 20 years have passed and everyone says new King Ganon is decent.

Shrug it off. Coups happen. He lets us vote about some stuff.

Link is his youngest son. Being low in the line of succession, he's never at home in the castle.

Instead, he spends most of his time fighting the war that kicked up with Hyrule's neighbors after the coup.

There's something so personal about swinging a sword, you know? You know.

His right hand man and personal secretary is Sheik, a secret intelligence officer whose *actual* job is to ferret out the princess.

But guess who raised Baby girl princess?!

Our trio of sibling Sheikah researchers: Impa, Purah, and Robbie.

Zelda's personality is more like Impa's in this. She works as a castle maid, but she knows exactly who she really is.

Tldr; standoffish pretty boy who *suffers* as a lifestyle falls for the stray cat with the broom who is having none of this. Sheik is referee.

#4 Divinity in Excelsus

So this blurb below may or may not be my only written content for this WIP.

Ahaha it IS. WE ARE LAUGHING.

This will be a Chrno Crusade LoZ AU. *Weeps openly*

Link and Zelda are exorcists from separate orders belonging to the Holy Order of Hylia.

Enemies to lovers with bullets and Urbosa and Rhoam as rival heads of the order.

All the champions are in this because I NEED them and I cannot express how much I want to write Daruk as a Holy Father during the roaring twenties and Revali as munitions assistant to Robbie, inventor of all demon-killing weaponry.

Tldr; Zelda and Link in the roaring twenties, with exorcist guns blazing and a different kind of Calamity to stop.

Sooooooo.....ooo... *throws tags like confetti*

@abbyzwrites, @needfantasticstories, @aegon-targaryen, @airplanned

No pressure to play!